Eagles, OHS look good

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Eagles, OHS look good

Sports

Wednesday, 08 December 2010 13:35

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News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

Poinciana’s Steffon Moody (11) goes to the basket against Gateway’s Erick Marino. The Eagles are a favorite to claim the OBC title.

Speed, depth may propel local teams into playoffs again

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
Gateway won the Orange Belt Conference championship, Osceola and New Dimensions won district championships and Poinciana made a second straight appearance in the regional playoffs, highlighting the 2009-10 season.
All four again will battle for their respective district titles, while the conference race should be compelling with Poinciana and Osceola the early-season favorites.

Poinciana
Coach Jay Lunce has led the Eagles to the regional playoffs for the past two seasons, and he sees no reason why it can’t be three in a row.
“I think this could have the deepest team I’ve had here,” Lunce said.
Standouts Sherwood Vinson and Lex Curry return to a guard-oriented roster that will push the ball, Lunce said.
“We want to run, that’s what we do best,” Lunce said. “As long as our guards stay out of foul trouble, we’ll be OK.
Osante Mare, Stefan Moody, James Nicholson, Paris Greene, Edwin Reyes and Ryan Montanez all will contribute at the guard positions this season, while Joshua Hess, Antonio Navarro and Pedro Corujo play the post.
Moody led the Eagles, 4-1, to the Pink Halo tournament championship last week, leading the team with 30 points in a 72-67 overtime win against Freedom, then scoring 23 in the title game against Liberty.
There won’t be a lot of half-court offense from this version of the Eagles, Lunce said.
“We don’t have a lot of height. We need to be aggressive on offense and defense,” Lunce said.
In a district (4A-6) that also contains Oak Ridge, Class 4A state runner-up, and perennial state contender Eustis, along with local rivals Celebration, Harmony and St. Cloud, the Eagles will have to play well to advance to the state tournament.
“That’s why we play tough teams, like at the Great Florida ShootOut, so we’ll be prepared,” Lunce said.
Osceola
It will be difficult for the Kowboys to approach the standard they set last season when they won 22 games and were unbeaten in demanding district 5A-5.
But, despite losing the county’s two-time player of the year and Great Florida ShootOut MVP, Brenton Williams, Coach Steve Mason said the team will be a district title contender again.
Osceola, 1-3, has a group of talented lettermen returning in guards Michael Sanchez (junior) and Jedarian Jackson (senior), the team’s second-leading scorer last season.
Also back are senior Johnson Decembre and junior Stanley Turk, who logged big minutes in the post last season. Senior Antonio Benitez returns with the versatility to play every position on the floor, Mason said.
“It will be hard to top last season’s success, with the second- fewest losses (3) in school history, third place at the Great Florida ShootOut and winning the district championship, but our goal is always to make the playoffs,” Mason said. “That is how we judge the success of our season, and I think we have a good chance to make it again.”
St. Cloud
Coach Tim McMullen lost nine players, including all-county guards David Ortiz and James Boone, to graduation, but he expects his squad, 3-2, to be competitive this season.
Back is all-county guard Jens Soto, a senior who McMullen thinks is among the best in the county.
Also returning is 6-6 center Zack Hull, a junior who has a good shooting touch, according to the coach.
Senior Eric Hall and sophomores Jamahl Demetrius and Ian McKenzie round out the starting roster.
McMullen said his team’s strengths are enthusiasm and skill. Its weakness? Youth and inexperience.
“I’m really excited about this team,” he said.
New Dimensions
The Tigers won the 2A-9 district championship last season, but Coach Ryan Adams left to become the county’s athletics supervisor. Dustin Gassert, the former coach at City of Life Academy, takes over the program.
Gassert said the Tigers, 2-5, have elevated their goal.
“Our goal is to make it to the hardwood at the Lakeland Center in March,” he said.
Seniors Orlando Vargas, an all-county selection last season, and Sebastien Joseph return to lead the way, along with talented juniors Xavier Price, Marc Serat and Kepler Francois.
“I love this team because they are willing to learn and do whatever it takes to get to the next level,” Gassert said. “They have been working very hard in the off season, and we expect that hard work to pay off this season.
Lakeland Christian and Lakeland Santa Fe are the district opponents.
Harmony
Coach Steve Smith, who led the Lady Longhorns to the regional playoffs as a district runner-up last season, takes over the boys program for the first time.
Smith said the Longhorns are short on experience, but they can make up for that with desire.
“We have only have three kids back, do not have great size and are not overly athletic. With that said, we feel we can have a good season,” Smith said. “Our kids pick up stuff real fast; they are hungry to win after a couple of bad years.”
The Longhorns, 2-2, have never reached the boys basketball playoffs.
Returning is senior Erik Sjostrom, one of the county’s leading shooters the past two seasons. He is joined by senior Daniel East and juniors Chad Williams and Austyn Jandrew to form the core of the team, Smith said.
“Rebounding will be key and we are going to have to play hard every night,” Smith said. “The kids are very positive and are coming around to a new type of philosophy. We are in a tough district, but I feel we can be very competitive and be in the hunt for a playoff spot.”
Liberty
Coach Anthony Crespo begins his second season with a Chargers squad that again will compete in District 5A-5.
Back are senior forwards Ben Naules and Adam Daniels, and guards Robert Smith, Willie Watson and Robbie Johnroe.
New to the varsity roster are senior Jason Bennett, juniors Oscar Alvarado, Calvin Tatum and Demetrius Taylor. Sophomores Romelo Banks and Quinton Murrell round out the squad.
Facing a formidable district lineup that includes local rival Osceola as well as Polk County squads like Lake Wales, Winter Haven and Ridge Community, Crespo said, “We are going to have to be ready to play each possession. Each night will be a gut check.”
Gateway
Coach Bob Baker guides the Panthers, 4-1, into District 6A-6 competition with a lineup heavy in talented forwards.
“We’ve got some talent there, we’ll have to see how well we can coach them,” Baker said.
Erick Marino returns and will be one of the most productive scorers. Jordan Edmunds and David Jerome also are strong underneath the boards.
The team’s weakness, especially early in the season, will be inexperience at guard. Freshman Giovanni Guzman will train on the job at the point position.
Also on the roster are Marcus Rivera, Andrew Estrella, Matt Ortiz, Theo Bellhomme, Joseph Mukuvi, Wyndell Fermin and Ralph Wilson.
Celebration
Coach Jeff Bean thinks he has one of the best players in Central Florida in 6-5 senior forward Robert Machecek, an all-OBC selection last season.
The Storm will be strengthened by the addition of 6-8 junior Dominque Berry, a transfer from Atlanta, and by the return of senior guard Mark Pearson, who sat out his junior season with an injury.
Also back is 6-4 forward Zach Brown, a senior who will help the Storm present a formidable presence under the boards. David Arocho, a transfer from Poinciana who sat out last season, also joins the team.
“We are very optimistic about this year,” Bean said. “With nine seniors, five of whom have been in the program for four years, we have been building for this year.”
Bean expects his team and county foe Poinciana to battle for the 4A-6 district championship.
Heritage Christian
Coach Jim Estrella has led the Eagles to back to back Florida Christian Conference East Division titles, led by the formidable tandem of Maynard Rowe, a senior, and junior Josh Newman.
Between them, they have averaged over 40 points per game for the past two seasons.
Early in the season, as the Eagles jumped to a 7-0 record, Rowe averaged about 30 points per game, and Newman was averaging 25 points.
“Realistically you probably can’t keep that up, but they have played together a long time and they keep getting better,” Estrella said.
The major problem facing the Eagles is a potential lack of depth. Only seven players are on the varsity roster.
Senior transfer Harold Hosty should provide additional firepower from a forward position, while senior Kadeem Tyrell and junior Preston Bass return.
Sophomore Sean Greaves can play the point, while freshman Zack Reddy, at 6-4, is developing at the post, Estrella said.
The good news is that the team that has blocked the Eagles from winning the past two conference championships, Faith Christian, is no longer in the FCC.
Estrella expects Grace Christian to be a formidable obstacle for the state title, he said.
Life Christian
The Lions are led by Coach Kevin Hosford.
The roster includes senior Allen Verger, juniors Ulises Salinas and Jaaz Figueroa, sophomores Luis Torres, Andre Waterhouse and Jorge Rosa and freshmen Najeem Hosein, Richard Bruno and Leo Nunez. Miguel Figueroa is an eighth-grader.
Hosford expects Verger, who averaged 15 points last season, to lead a young team that might blossom with three sophomore transfers from Freedom.
The Lions compete in District A-7, and have won six of their first seven games.
Southland Christian
The team, coached by former player Javier Gonzalez, has a new home on Fortune Road in Kissimmee.
The Flames roster includes senior center Pat Schaub; juniors Greg Castel, Emmanuel Corriea, Josh Creager and Miguel Mercedes; sophomores Steven Norvell and Ronnie Miller; freshman Alex Irrizary and eighth-grader Joe Davila. The Flames compete in District A-7.
City of Life
Coach Sam Milien’s team also competes in District A-7.
On the roster are seniors Deion Cossio, Carlos Hernandez, Tommy Caleca and Scott Santiago; juniors Kyle Funk, Isaiah Griffin and Alain Barthelemy; sophomores Tyler Travelute, Anthony Vasquez, David Villa, Moses Camacho, Harold Gomez and Daniel Villa, and eighth-grader E.D. Edouard.