Spring-game action -- beyond UM

The Hurricanes weren't the only South Floridians playing their spring game Saturday (though, if you missed it, you can still read about it or check out the play-by-play), as a few other big schools also held their annual intrasquad scrimmage.

Among them: Auburn, which features a quintet of former Broward players, and Mississippi State, which earned its first Sylvester Croom-era bowl trip under former St. Thomas Aquinas quarterback (and then-freshman) Wesley Carroll last season.

According to Mississippi State's stats, Carroll completed 2 of 6 passes for 16 yards and an interception in a defense-dominated, 6-0 contest. Die-hards can catch the game on CSS on Sunday at 12:30 p.m., Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. and an "enhanced" version April 10 at 9 p.m.

...And, while we're at it, Chaminade-turned-Canes linebacker Glenn Cook finished with four tackles -- one for loss -- in the UM defense's 32-29 win, according to the UM game recap.

The sixth-year senior's quote on the defense winning, according to Hurricanesports.com: "It means a lot. We want to win regardless of it's a practice game. We don't like to lose [to] the offense. We've been the whole spring, every day, so it was good to close out with a win."

--Patrick Dorsey

Another serving of McDonald's

Courtesy of our friend Manny Navarro on the Canes beat, next year's McDonald's All-American games will be played at BankUnited Center, hosted by coach Frank Haith and the University of Miami.

This is a big deal for the Canes, but could carry extra meaning for at least one local high-school star. Who knows what the selection process will bring, but American Heritage guard Kenny Boynton -- ranked No. 7 by Rivals.com and No. 9 by Scout.com on their Class of 2009 lists -- could be South Florida's first McDonald's All-American this decade.

--Patrick Dorsey

Chelsey Lee: 'I will never forget this'

Caught up with Parkway Academy's Chelsey Lee, back in South Florida after spending some time in Milwaukee for the seventh annual girls' McDonald's All-American Game (won by the West on Wednesday).

She already missed it. A lot.

"It was most definitely an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life," was the first thing she said. "I will never forget this."

When she rattled off all the things she did, all the people she saw, it was easy to see why. Some highlights:

-Meeting the Doctor himself, Julius Erving, the day before Wednesday's game -- and wearing his championship rings. "I almost died right there," Lee said.

-Just being around 23 basketball players of such high caliber -- or, as Lee put it, "just being able to be in a room among people who are destined to be great."

-Being one of those players made Lee an instant (albeit short-lived, for now) star. "All the kids [were] wanting your autograph," Lee said. "You're not yet a celebrity, but everybody knows you're on that road."

-The nervousness Lee and her fellow All-Americans shared before the game, a feeling of "Can you believe all this? For Us?" she said. (How's that for humble?).

-Getting up close with four other Rutgers signees from around the nation, including co-MVPs Brooklyn Pope (Fort Worth, Texas) and Nikki Speed (Pasadena, Calif.), along with Jasmine Dixon (Long Beach, Calif.) and April Sykes (Crawford, Miss.).

And they didn't just share time on the court -- even trying to decide who will room with whom next fall. "I'll probably just take Nikki," Lee said. "Me and Nikki were real cool." Stay tuned on that one.

-With the East down big at halftime -- after beating the West on Tuesday in a closed scrimmage -- Lee and her teammates tried to fire each other up in the locker room. Enter Alonzo Mourning. "When he walked in," Lee recalled, "we forgot everything we just said."

'Zo did end up giving a pep talk to the team. His biggest message: "No matter the outcome," Lee recounted, "you've got to be something special to have made it here."

--Patrick Dorsey

Thursday links, and more

Just a few clicks and tidbits of interest from the Broward high schools scene...

• Parkway Academy's Chelsey Lee (five points on 1-of-3 shooting) and the East lost 80-64 in last night's McDonald's All-American game in Milwaukee, but her future Rutgers teammates don't look too shabby.
• StudentSportsSoftball.com (partner of Rivals.com) posted a photo gallery from the Southern California-based Nike Faster to First softball tournament, which Pembroke Pines Charter (still undefeated after last night) won earlier this month. Check photos No. 22, 30 and 33 for the Jaguars' celebration shots. There's also a video, but it's not quite George Lucas-level.
• No surprise: Pines Charter tops the all-class rankings from Wednesday's first Miracle Sports softball poll (posted here by the Orlando Sentinel). Naturally, the Jaguars also rank as 4A's No. 1. Others showing up in the polls: Flanagan (No. 7, 6A), Cooper City (No. 13, 6A), St. Thomas Aquinas (No. 2, 5A -- also No. 9 in all-class), Archbishop McCarthy (No. 14, 4A), American Heritage (No. 2, 3A), Coral Springs Charter (No. 3, 3A), Westminster Christian (No. 5, 2A) and Hollywood Christian (No. 11, 2A).
• From the old-school files, apparently Chaminade-Madonna football star-turned-Hurricanes linebacker Glenn Cook has been one of UM's standout players this spring. Even better news for Cook: His spring won't be wasted, as he just received a sixth year of eligibility after sitting out last year with a foot injury.
• Looking ahead: The BCAA track championships are Saturday at Coral Springs, with the prelims having been completed the last two nights. More from Fabian Lyon in Friday's Herald.

--Patrick Dorsey

More rankings recreation

Can't get enough national rankings? Well, another batch came out today, as TAKKLE, Inc. (partnered with Sports Illustrated) launched its top-100 individual for boys' lacrosse, girls' lacrosse and baseball.

Although Broward and Miami-Dade were shut out by both lacrosse lists, baseball -- no surprise -- was a little different. American Heritage first baseman Eric Hosmer (bound for Arizona State in beautiful Tempe, Ariz.) showed up, and high -- he came in at No. 3, just edging fourth-rated Braddock shortstop Harold Martinez (profiled here).

In all, six players from Broward or Miami-Dade cracked the top 100:

• No. 3: Hosmer
• No. 4: Martinez
• No. 21: Adrian Nieto, C, American Heritage
• No. 38: Rolando Gomez, IF, Flanagan
• No. 40: JuanCarlos Sulbaran, P, American Heritage
• No. 93: Pablo Bermudez, OF, Miami Springs

--Patrick Dorsey

Did somebody say McDonald's?

ESPNU subscribers out there can catch Parkway Academy's Chelsey Lee in the McDonald's All-American Girls' Basketball game tonight at 7 p.m., televised live from the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

Lee, a 6-3 center and Rutgers commit who helped Parkway win the 3A title last month, is South Florida's third McDonald's All-American in five years. Dillard's Erica Brown (headed to LSU after two years in junior college) was on the 2005 team and Sylvia Fowles of Edison/Gulliver (an All-American at LSU, looking for another trip to the Final Four) made it the year before.

No South Floridians (or Floridians, even) are in the boys' game, televised on ESPN at 9:30.

--Patrick Dorsey

Baseball drama in District 14-3A?

When MLB-ace-turned-Pine Crest pitching coach Al Leiter (profiled here last week) first addressed the team in January, he had a message.

"He was telling us he knows about American Heritage and whatnot," junior Kyle Francis said, "but he's saying take on anybody -- it's like a David vs. Goliath [thing]."

So, up next: David vs. Goliath, Friday at 4 p.m.

Goliath -- er, the Patriots, who moved to 14-1 after Tuesday night's 10-0 win at Coral Springs Charter (see below) and the nation's top team in RISE Magazine's preseason rankings -- already won the first matchup, 16-6. The Panthers -- who stopped a two-game losing streak Tuesday by scoring five runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh (see below) against Pompano Beach -- hope this one turns out differently.

Of course, if American Heritage coach Todd Fitz-Gerald's assessment is any indication, Friday might be a little much for underdog Pine Crest (10-5).

"We're not playing our best," said said Fitz-Gerald, whose team heads one county north next week for the Gary Carter National Grand Slam tournament. "Somebody different every night is helping [us] find a way to win."

Tuesday's results...

• American Heritage 10, Coral Springs Charter 0: Ryan Kahn (4-0) gave up just one hit in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four. Adrian Nieto went 2 for 4 with two RBI and two doubles, and Jonathan Diaz went 2 for 2 with an RBI for the Patriots.
• Pine Crest 6, Pompano Beach 5: Coach Glen Pierson called it "unbelievable" -- down 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers got an error, three singles...then a walk-off grand slam from Troy Wiggins. "This was a great, great win for us," Pierson said. "We definitely needed it." John Blohm (4-2) took the win.

--Patrick Dorsey

Dillard gets some RISE rankings love

9sThough Florida's state basketball tournaments wrapped up a while ago, many other states just completed theirs (or, in New York's case, haven't quite finished).

The result: An almost-certain top-20 finish for the Dillard boys in RISE Magazine rankings, the latest of which came out Monday.

Dillard sits at No. 18, a little more than three weeks after beating St. Petersburg Lakewood in the 5A title game. The Panthers could even climb, as No. 16 Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.) High plays in a semifinal game Saturday against unranked Bishop Maginn (Albany, N.Y.).

Still, Dillard was shut out by Monday's MaxPreps top-25 rankings and USA Today's most recent Super 25 (also released Monday). Miami's Norland, though, was rated No. 25 by USA Today, and Dillard still has a shot there -- a loss to Lincoln could knock Bishop Maginn from No. 24 and open up a top-25 slot in the final April 1 rankings.

--Patrick Dorsey

Monday Night Baseball thriller

I watched a thriller between Florida Christian and Douglas last night at FIU.

It was part of an ongoing series put together by LineupMagazine Monday nights at FIU.

Douglas beat FC 11-10 by rallying in the bottom of the 7th with two outs.

There's one game left after Spring break between Hialeah and Killian on April 7th. If you're a fan of high school baseball, it's a good option on what's usually a slow sports night.

Unfortunately due to early deadlines, my game story didn't make the paper. But it will be online on the high school page soon.

Here's a recap.

   Despite having an early six-run lead slip away, the Douglas
baseball scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning
to beat Florida Christian 11-10 late Monday night at Florida
International University.

   Chase Greene's sharp line drive up the middle bounced off
the edge of Patriots' pitcher Bryan Radziewski's glove and
allowed Zack Davis to score the winning run that ended the
non-district contest.

   The game took three hours and 20 minutes and was part of
Lineupmag.com's ongoing Monday Night Baseball series at FIU.

   "Even though we made mistakes, I praise my guys for
battling back," Douglas coach Dean Florio said. "We
emphasize always putting the ball in play because something
could happen in your favor."

   Florida Christian (14-2), ranked No. 3 in the state in
Class 3A, was one out away from securing a comeback victory
when Radziewski got Douglas designated hitter Adam Kam to hit
a grounder to shortstop Ray Navarro. But Navarro's throw to
first was low and bounced past first baseman Alfredo Brito,
allowing Tyler Greene and Brad Terboss to score and tie the
game at 10-10.

   Douglas (10-5) took a 7-1 lead after two innings, but
Florida Christian scored three runs in the third and four in
the fourth to tie the game at 8-8.

   The Patriots took a 9-8 lead when Brito hit one of his
three singles in the top of the fifth. He scored three batters
later when right fielder Jarret Burgess reached on an infield
single with two outs.

   Florida Christian's Andrew Webster held Douglas' hitters in
check, going four scoreless innings in relief of starter Danny
Sanchez. But Webster hit a batter to start the seventh and
walked two more to load the bases.

   "I thought we showed a lot of character to come back
early, but sometimes mental mistakes happen," Florida
Christian coach Ernie Padron said. "It's part of the game,
and they'll learn from it."

Florida Chr. 013   410   1 --10 10 3
Douglas      341   000   3 --11 11 5
WP: Billy Miller (1-0). LP: Bryan Radziewski.

A minute with ex-STA/current Canes WR Leonard Hankerson

The Herald High School Sports Blog caught up with St. Thomas Aquinas grad Leonard Hankerson -- now a wide receiver with the University of Miami -- after the Canes' scrimmage Saturday.

Hankerson was one of the few to experience the Raiders' three consecutive losses in the 5A state title game from 2004 to 2006, but was there to watch them finally reach the top by beating Kissimmee Osceola 35-20 in December. Meanwhile, Hankerson played eight games last year as a freshman, catching six passes for 63 yards and a 1-yard touchdown against Virginia Tech. He figures to be in the receiver mix this year, especially with Darnell Jenkins and Lance Leggett having used up their eligibility.

Q: How's spring going so far?

A: It's going good so far. Everything's going well. Everybody's doing what they've got to do -- working hard and stuff, getting the job done.

Q: Where do you think you fit with the receivers this spring?

A: I think I'm right there among all the other receivers. We're all right there. So I think I'm in a pretty good spot.

Q: How was last year for you?

A: Last year, I guess it was pretty good. It [didn't go] how I wanted, really, but I think it went pretty good for me.

Q: How'd you like seeing St. Thomas win the title last year?

A: I liked to see that. I got emotional, too, though. I liked [seeing] them win.

Q: Emotional, like maybe you wished you could have felt that?

A: Nah, I was just happy for them, happy for Coach [George] Smith and everything.

Q: So what do you expect this fall?

A: I don't know. I j ust expect myself to be at the top, [to] work hard and get the job done, and just do everything right.

Q: And St. Thomas?

A: I think they're gonna be at the top, too.

--Patrick Dorsey

Al Leiter on Pine Crest, Marlins & More

Mention that Al Leiter is coaching at Pine Crest, and the response goes something like this:

“What, does he have a kid there or something?”

Well, yes…in second grade (and in fifth and in seventh). So even a cynic might point to a few more reasons as to why the former Marlins ace – who easily could be coaching some pro team, or at least could be calling more than 50 or so games for the Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES) Network up in New York – is commuting every day from his Weston home to the Fort Lauderdale private school.

As documented here in today’s Miami Herald, Leiter loves coaching. But he also loves Pine Crest’s academics. A lot. He compared Pine Crest to colleges like Stanford and Northwestern – schools he almost attended before selecting the University of Florida and ultimately signing with the Yankees.

In fact, when asked if he hoped his presence as a part-time pitching coach for the Panthers would be a recruiting tool, Leiter said yes – as long as the incoming player is a committed student.

“Absolutely I hope so,” Leiter said, “I don’t know if it will. But yes, if there was somebody who was worthy and able academically to get in, and was a good athlete – particularly a good baseball player – you bet I hope my presence and being around the program would help that particular student.”

Not exactly what you’d expect from a guy who spent 19 years in the Majors and (assumedly) knows little but hardball. Guess that assumption is wrong.

Here are a few more tidbits from Leiter:

-Just because he loves Pine Crest’s academics, that doesn’t mean he wants passive baseball players. “Some of the kids are so used to kind of an intramural kind of mentality, that winning isn’t always a [priority],” Leiter said. “It’s not just about participation – it’s about winning. … There are a handful of guys that actually do want to do well and want to win, and it’s not fair that you have a group of guys on any team that are just there to put it on their resume.”

-Why South Florida? Not just his stint with the Marlins. Leiter and his Plantation-native wife bought their Weston house in 1990, after Leiter fell for the area during his numerous spring-training stints. And after he retired in 2005, he said, “it made sense that we came back to our home that we maintained.”

-Leiter, who after a World Series reuinion last year told The (Newark, N.J) Star-Ledger that the struggles of the Marlins franchise were a "travesty" and a "tragedy," had a few positive things to say about the new stadium deal. "I believe creating and having and maintaining a state-of-the-art Major League facility helps the community," he said. "And I believe had we lost [the Marlins], it would have been a big loss."

Leiter wasn’t as happy with the site of the new stadium, saying building it at the Orange Bowl site means “you kind of cut yourself off from Broward or Palm Beach County.” Still, he said, “that’s where the money was, and that’s what they needed to follow.”

-On the Broward baseball front, Leiter had some words for Pine Crest’s District 14-3A rival American Heritage. Good ones. “I’m not good with names,” Leiter said, but he alluded to first baseman Eric Hosmer and catcher Adrian Nieto – both top-20 prospects, according to RISE Magazine – along with the entire team (13-1 after dropping Russell (Ala.) County Friday night). “I know why they are who they are,” Leiter said.

--Patrick Dorsey

*Update* Pines Charter softball: A win for all of Florida

Pembroke Pines Charter softball coach Tom Fadul, weary from a 3 a.m. wakeup call and a cross-country flight, still found time to make a Sunday declaration:

“I think we put Florida on map and put Pembroke Pines on the map,” Fadul said after his team won the Nike Faster to First Classic in Orange County, Calif.  “All the hype was California this and California that, and it was kind of nice to go out there in their backyard and take it to ’em.”

That the Jaguars did. Pines Charter was the only team from east of Texas in the 26-team field – one that was as deep as the nearby Pacific Ocean.

StudentSportsSoftball.com, which is partnered with Rivals.com and produces national rankings, had 16 of the tournament’s teams in its preseason top 50. Pines Charter was No. 19 – well behind Sacramento’s Sheldon (No. 4), which the Jaguars beat 1-0 in the final.

The Jaguars (now 16-0, and sure to skyrocket in the rankings) also beat No. 12 Hart (Newhall, Calif.), No. 20 El Modena (Orange, Calif.), No. 39 Notre Dame (Belmont, Calif.) and unranked Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.) on their way to the title.

Fadul praised his team – especially his talented senior class – and the field, of which he said “everyone was deep in the lineup and every game was a game.” But he warned not to get too caught up in those rankings.

None looks better, at least on paper, than Pines Charter.

Behind the pitching of Audrey Broyles (who started three games and closed one) and Lauren Sewell (who started the other two), along with some timely hitting in the cold, windy weather, the Jaguars beat El Modena 2-0 Saturday afternoon and Sheldon 1-0 that evening.

Broyles earned the tournament’s MVP award, while Britanie Block, Brianna Chierico, Kandyce Redondo and Cassie Sigler were named to the all-tournament team.

The big picture, beyond what this means for Florida? First, there’s the obvious confidence boost.

But the real benefit: Getting five games of preparation – for the Kissimmee Klassic next month, then districts and state.

Fadul thinks the weekend win did just that.

“They’re very motivated,” he said of his players, “and they’ve got their eyes set on a better prize.”

Results:

Pines Charter 4, Hart 3 (Thursday); WP: Broyles

Pines Charter 6, Notre Dame 2 (Friday); WP: Sewell

Pines Charter 9, Wilson 3 (Friday); WP: Broyles

Pines Charter 2, El Modena 0 (Saturday); WP: Broyles

Pines Charter 1, Sheldon 0 (Saturday); WP: Sewell

--Patrick Dorsey

Two more football coaches hired in Broward

Westminster Academy athletic director Alan Wackes announced the hiring of Jameson Allen to oversee the school’s football program.

Allen, who will replace Miami Varela-bound Rod Payne, last coached at Windsor High in Imperial, Missouri. He held four different offensive coordinator posts at various Missouri high schools and served as a collegiate defensive assistant.

In addition to his coaching background, Wackes cited Allen’s strong participation in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and his work overseeing strength and conditioning programs as reasons for the hire.

Earlier this week, Coral Springs Charter hired Robb Wilgoren to replace Otis Mounds, who resigned following the 2007 season.

The hirings still leave vacancies at Coral Springs Christian, Monarch, Nova and Western.

Belt-ing out a win

Deep into Broward's three-day FCAT sports freeze (or near-freeze, at least), there was quite a boys' volleyball showdown Tuesday, with host Cardinal Gibbons knocking off rival St. Thomas Aquinas -- the same thing that happened in last year's District 9 final.

The match, score-wise, wasn't overwhelmingly close -- the Chiefs won three straight (25-20, 25-17, 25-20) after dropping the first game 25-23 -- but there was plenty of talent out there: The Raiders (2-1), even without senior outside hitter Tommy Samartino (ankle), saw some spirited play from senior hitters Lane Porter, Matthew Lunny, Kevin Garbizo and others, while the Chiefs got strong stuff from seniors Tyler Hall and J.T. Downs, juniors Nick Williams and Kenny Veliky, and several others from their 4-0 squad.

But the one who stood out: senior setter Austin Belt, who basically was Gibbons' Steve Nash -- not just because of his assist total (he had 40 of them, the same amount he had against South Broward last week), but also because of his cleverness. Many times he fooled St. Thomas' front line, sending the ball over the net instead of at one of his teammates, or vice versa.

And then there were all those assists...

"I mean, I love Austin -- he's a great setter," said Williams, who had 20 kills Tuesday. "He really spreads the ball around great, keeps the other team guessing. He doesn't go to the same place over and over again, so the other team doesn't know what's coming. It helps all the hitters -- getting the ball, and have less blockers up, because he spreads it around so much."

After the season -- one in which Belt hopes to place another state-championship banner alongside Gibbons' one from 2005 -- Belt could get some volleyball-related accolades. Then, he said, he's headed to the University of Alabama.

For more time on the court?

"No, just going for college," Belt said.

Maybe, but a look at Alabama's website reveals: the school does have intramural volleyball...

--Patrick Dorsey

Pines Charter softball looks like team to beat

...or at least after this weekend, when the hosts won the hotly contested Speedball tournament for the third time in five years, dropping Cooper City 4-2 in Saturday's "gold bracket" final.

The Jaguars went 4-0 -- and didn't give up a run until the championship game. They beat Jensen Beach 10-0 and Monsignor Pace 14-0 on Friday, then reached the title game by blanking Space Coast 4-0.

Is a state title next? It's way too early to say, but last year's 6A champ, Everglades, won Speedball. The last two times Pines Charter won -- in 2004 and 2005 -- they took second at state.

Here's a look at the results for the tournament's four brackets, listed by order of finish:

• Gold Bracket: Pines Charter (4-0), Cooper City (3-1), Space Coast (3-1), American Heritage (1-3)
• Silver Bracket: Jensen Beach (3-1), Flanagan (3-1), Lake Wales (2-2), Everglades (1-3)
• Bronze Bracket: Cypress Bay (3-1), Coral Springs Charter (1-3), McArthur (2-2), Monsignor Pace (1-3)
• Copper Bracket: McCarthy (3-1), Key West (1-3), Florida Christian (1-3), Hollywood Christian (0-4)

--Patrick Dorsey

State cheerleading wrap: Big weekend for BCAA

BOCA RATON -- The first FHSAA State Cheerleading Championships are done, and to use the cliche that they "went off without a hitch," would be, well, a bit inaccurate.

Douglas coach Jessie Metzger and athletic director Dave Grad claimed a timing error -- one that they say wasn't their fault -- knocked them out of the finals, and Michael Blosser of the Universal Cheerleaders Association wouldn't listen to their calls to appeal the penalty, which cost the Eagles 25 crucial points in the final judges' tally.

More on the controversy in Sunday's Herald, but it was -- cliche alert No. 2 -- a small dark cloud over an otherwise sunny weekend at FAU Arena.

Though only one South Florida team, Miami's Dade Christian School, earned a trip to the finals Saturday (more on the Crusaders' ninth-place finish in Sunday's Dade-edition Herald, too), several Broward squads did well Friday.

Stranahan took second -- South Florida's highest finish -- in the non-tumbling division. Dillard took fifth in that category, while Deerfield Beach and Everglades tied for sixth and McArthur finished 10th. Flanagan took sixth in co-ed small, Coral Springs Christian sixth in all-girls small and Coral Glades ninth in all-girls extra-large.

And beyond the teams, it was a solid weekend overall for the Broward County Athletic Association.

No stranger to putting on cheerleading competitions -- its annual county-wide competition started back up in January at Dillard -- the BCAA worked closely with the FHSAA over the weekend in staging the state championship. While Blosser and the UCA worked with the FHSAA on the judging-and-scoring part of the event, the BCAA -- helped largely by Coral Springs athletic director Dianne Sanzari and Coral Springs cheer coach Denise Reed, both members of the BCAA cheer advisory committee -- worked the "behind-the-scenes" portion.

Despite hailing from one county south of FAU, Sanzari, Reed and other BCAA leaders gathered volunteers from throughout Broward -- everyone from principals to athletic directors to random students -- to take tickets, work the parking lots and perform various other tasks.

They also got an up-close look at another major cheerleading competition, which could go a long way toward helping Sanzari fulfill her vision of multiple regional competitions throughout Broward, each leading up to the yearly BCAA Championship and then, ultimately, state.

And it was, Reed said, "all about the kids" -- giving cheerleaders county- and state-wide an inexpensive and previously unavailable chance to get together, network with other cheerleaders and coaches, and, most of all, compete.

"If you weren't here," a glowing Reed said of all the Broward schools not represented, "you missed out on something really great."

Said an enthusiastic Sanzari: "It was a learning experience for all of us."

And that includes coaches.

"I took notes all day," Reed said.

--Patrick Dorsey

Something to cheer about

It sometimes gets play on ESPN, FoxSportsNet, etc., and now it's in Florida -- competitive cheer.

For the first time ever, this sport will be recognized as, well, a sport, with seven state champions crowned (one per division, according to the schedule -- non-tumbling, all-girls small, all-girls medium, all-girls large, all-girls extra large, co-ed small and co-ed large) between Friday and Saturday at FAU Arena in Boca Raton.

And South Florida is no competitive cheer wasteland, either -- in late January, Dillard High played host to the Broward County Athletic Association's own competition, and a number of teams from the area will hope to get that title of "first state champion ever."

Here are the local teams competing this weekend, along with times and divisions:

Friday morning:

• Miramar, 8:16 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Deerfield Beach, 8:24 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Coral Glades, 8:52 a.m. (extra-large)
• Stranahan, 9:12 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Everglades, 9:28 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Lourdes, 9:56 a.m. (extra-large)
• Dillard, 10 a.m. (non-tumbing)
• Coconut Creek, 10:08 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• University, 10:20 a.m. (extra-large)
• Gulliver Prep, 10:24 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Mater Academy, 10:48 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Calvary Christian, 10:52 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Cardinal Gibbons, 10:56 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Coral Springs, 11:04 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• South Broward, 11:12 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Boyd Anderson, 11:24 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Pompano Beach, 11:28 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• Key West, 11:36 a.m. (non-tumbling)
• McArthur, 11:52 a.m. (non-tumbling)

**Non-tumbling and extra-large finals are set to start about 1:15, with the champions crowned at around 3:15 p.m.

Friday afternoon/evening:

• Archbishop Carroll, 4:04 p.m. (co-ed small)
• Sagemont, 4:28 p.m. (co-ed small)
• Calvary Christian, 4:40 p.m. (all-girls small)
• South Plantation, 4:44 p.m. (co-ed small)
• Coral Springs Christian, 5:20 p.m. (all-girls small)
• Central, 5:52 p.m. (all-girls small)
• Ransom Everglades, 6:08 p.m. (all-girls small)
• Flanagan, 6:52 p.m. (co-ed small)

**The co-ed small and all-girls small finals are set to start around 8:30 p.m., with the champions crowed at about 10.

Saturday:

• Dade Christian, 8:04 a.m. (medium)
• Taravella, 8:48 a.m. (medium)
• Pine Crest, 9:48 a.m. (medium)
• Northeast, 9:52 a.m. (medium)
• Cypress Bay, 9:56 a.m. (medium)
• Nova, 10:08 a.m. (medium)
• Coral Springs Charter, 2:28 p.m. (all-girls large)
• Doral Academy, 3:08 p.m. (all-girls large)
• Douglas, 4:24 p.m. (all-girls large)
• Fort Lauderdale, 4:56 p.m. (all-girls large)

**The finals for the all-girls medium and co-ed large divisions are set to begin around 11:20, with awards coming at 1 p.m. For the large all-girls division, finals begin at 6:30 p.m. and champions are crowned at 8.

--Patrick Dorsey

South Florida home to 2 of the nation's top 10 baseball prospects

RISE Magazine released its top 50 high school prospects list this week.

Braddock shortstop Harold Martinez and American Heritage pitcher/first baseman Eric Hosmer each made the top 5.

Hosmer (6-4, 210), an Arizona State commit, is ranked 3rd and teammate, catcher Adrian Nieto, a South Florida commit, is ranked No. 18.

Martinez, a commit to UM, is ranked No. 4 and figures to be a 1st-round pick. He will likely be the highest Dade player selected since former Hialeah pitcher Gio Gonzalez was a 1st round sandwich pick three years ago.

"The best tournament in South Florida"

That's what Tom Fadul called the annual StrikeZone's Speedball softball tournament, which starts Thursday and runs through Saturday.

Sure, Fadul's team (Pembroke Pines Charter) is the tournament's host, so he isn't the most objective of commenters. But looking at the 16 teams in this year's field, it's hard to argue with the Jaguars' coach:

• Two reigning state champions -- defending Speedball champion Everglades (6A) and Lake Wales (4A)
• One team bounced in the regional finals last year -- Pines Charter (4A)
• Five that made the regional semis -- Cooper City (6A), Archbishop McCarthy (4A), American Heritage and Florida Christian (3A) and Hollywood Christian (2A)
• Three more that made it out of districts -- Monsignor Pace, Key West and Space Coast
• And then there's Jensen Beach, McArthur, Cypress Bay, Coral Springs Charter and Flanagan -- which is 9-1 and also considered a contender at Speedball.

The tournament also has an interesting format -- instead of a typical 16-team bracket, each pool's teams are seeded 1 through 4. Then all the 1s play in a four-team bracket, as do the 2s, 3s and 4s. The winner of the "No. 1" bracket is declared champion.

Here's the schedule and pool division for the tournament, which kicks off at 4 p.m. Thursday at SilverLakes Park-South with is at 178th Ave. and Pines Blvd. in Pembroke Pines:

• Pool A: Pembroke Pines Charter, Hollywood Christian, Jensen Beach, Monsignor Pace
• Pool B: Lake Wales, McArthur, American Heritage, Archbishop McCarthy
• Pool C: Everglades, Cypress Bay, Space Coast, Key West
• Pool D: Cooper City, Flanagan, Coral Springs Charter, Florida Christian

Thursday's games: 4 p.m. -- American Heritage-McArthur (field SL-2), Coral Springs Charter-Flanagan (SL-3); 6 p.m. -- Pines Charter-Monsignor Pace (SL-1), Cooper City-Florida Christian (SL-2), Archbishop McCarthy-McArthur (SL-3).

Friday's games: 2 p.m. -- Florida Christian-Flanagan (SL-1), Hollywood Christian-Monsignor Pace (SL-3); 4 p.m. -- Pines Charter-Jensen Beach (SL-1), Lake Wales-American Heritage (SL-2), Key West-Cypress Bay (SL-3); 6 p.m. -- Cooper City-Coral Springs Charter (SL-2), Key West-Everglades (SL-3); 6:30 p.m. -- Space Coast-Cypress Bay (SL-1); 8 p.m. -- Hollywood Christian-Jensen Beach (SL-2), Lake Wales-Archbishop McCarthy (SL-3); 8:30 p.m. -- Space Coast-Everglades (SL-1).

Saturday: Bracket play begins at 8, with a new round set to start every two hours. The No. 1 bracket starts at 2 p.m., with the championship and consolation games beginning at 6.

--Patrick Dorsey

Mike Manning coach to Cooper City football

I just got an update on the Cooper city football job:

Cooper City athletic director Paul Megna announced the hiring of former Nova and Archbishop McCarthy head coach Mike Manning as its new football coach on Wednesday.

Manning replaces Jim Elder, who resigned following the 2007 season due to family issues.

Big night at Fort Lauderdale High

It seems like a typical boys' water polo score: Fort Lauderdale 15, Nova 8.

Except this one meant a little more to Flying L's coach Ron Green, who almost giddily declared by phone Tuesday night: "We finally got off the schneid."

That's one way to put it when your team wins its first game -- ever.

Just five games into the program's existence, the Fort Lauderdale boys, who joined FTL's 3-year-old girls' program this season, took down Nova to get that elusive first win -- one that evaded the FTL girls in their 0-8 inaugural season.

"I was afraid the same fate would befall them," Green said.

It didn't, thanks to six goals from Jake Prows, three from Robert McKinnes and two from Mike Eagan.

That's a big relief for Green, whose team "had no clue" in its first game, obviously unable to rely on any leadership from returning players -- instead using a hodgepodge of swimmers, wrestlers and other athletes learning the game while putting up actual, official varsity high-school scores.

Of course, Green pointed out, the Flying L's lose just two seniors off this year's squad, so next year he'll be surrounded by experience.

Meanwhile, his goal for this season: "Make sure [Tuesday] wasn't a fluke."

--Patrick Dorsey

Boynton or Knight? Who's your #1?

ESPN did a feature today asking who would you rather have on your team -- Kobe Bryant or LeBron James.

That got me thinking, of Broward's top two players, which would you rather have -- American Heritage junior Kenny Boynton Jr. or Pine Crest sophomore Brandon Knight?

Boynton is a dynamic scorer, a player that scored 61 points in a single game this season. He was surrounded by talented players at Heritage this season -- Florida-bound senior forward Eloy Vargas and speedy junior point guard Ray Taylor. Boynton led Blanche Ely to a Class 6A state championship last season before he came to Heritage.

Knight is a complete player, a scoring point guard that nearly averaged a triple double for the season. After he missed the first half of the season with a cyst in his back, Knight returned and led the Panthers to 18 straight wins. He is joined by junior forward Ed Waite (the Class 3A Finals MVP) and senior center Jeff Pelage. The trio led the Panthers to the Class 3A title, with Knight scoring 38 points in each the district final and regional semifinal victories over American Heritage. (Boynton finished with 33 and 29 in those games, respectively.)

Who would you rather have?