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Apr 21 - May 5 2016

Volume 2 • Issue 5

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Clint Johnsonpg 9

New Head Football Coach: Colonial High

Legend Coach Lou HoltzCame out to support a former player

Featuring... Foundation Academy, West Orange, Windermere Prep,

Bishop Moore, Olympia and much more!

Page 2 Florida Sporting News • 4/21/16 - 5/5/16

Foundation Academy Baseball Sit Even in April

WINTER GARDEN – The Foundation Academy Lions baseball team (11-9-1), who have always been a good team among the private schools, are having a good season as we transition towards the end of the campaign. In the month of April, they sit exactly even – three wins, and three losses. Each game is a lesson for the team, and under Head Coach Brent Casteel, they will continue to build themselves up for the district playoffs.

Their record still remains positive, however they haven’t been without their fair share of bumps in the road. On the first of the month, they suffered a big loss to Lake Mary Prep (10-13). The Lions lost 10-0, failing to score at all throughout the course of the game. Lake Mary did a majority of their damage in the first two innings, scoring three in the first and six in the second. They picked up one more in the 4th before the game ended.

Foundation Academy turned right around and won a good game against Cornerstone Charter (14-9). Cornerstone have a good reputation as a team who put up good fights, so it was a bit of surprise when Foundation walked away with a 12-1 win. They beat Cornerstone again as part of a double header, beating them 24-6 the second time around.

The Lions lost a tight game to the Florida Prep

Academy (4-17) by a score of 4-3. The game went back and forth, and it wasn’t always clear who would walk away with the win. None the less, it was a great game for every-one involved and only helps build the charac-ter of the Lions team moving forward.

They lost a second in a row to St. John’s Lutheran (17-5), this time 8-5. The game was within one point by the bottom of the fifth, however St. Johns pulled ahead scoring one in both the sixth and seventh inning to get the victory.

Foundation beat Legacy Charter (7-18) by a close score of 2-0, posting up solid defensive and getting the required runs to walk away with the win. That win was crucial in the final push for wins before the play-off season begins.

by Greyson Everidge

4/21/16 - 5/5/16 • Florida Sporting News Page 3

by Greyson EveridgeWest Orange Lacrosse Bow Out in District Semis

WINTER GARDEN – The West Orange Warrior lacrosse team were knocked out of the district tournament in the semi-finals, losing to an unlikely Apopka (14-4). The result, which ended in a 7-6 loss for the Warriors was an upset that not many saw coming, especially given the season that the Warriors had had leading up to the tourna-ment match.

Going into districts, the Warriors had beaten a number of solid opposition. They beat Olympia 21-11, and the First Academy two times in a row – winning 11-4 the first time and 10-4 the second.

They had hit a few roadblocks, losing to Dr. Phillips and Winter Park in the matches leading up to districts. The Panthers beat West Orange 17-5, jumping all over the Warriors early on and never letting go. West Orange had some weak spots exposed in that match, and they seemed to carry over onto the game against Winter Park, al-

though they did improve slightly.

Winter Park beat West Orange 9-6, which raised some red flags outlining potential problems. In the first round of districts however, the War-riors looked more than solid. West Orange won

14-2, showing real attacking threat and a lockdown defense. After that game, they were no doubt feel-ing good going into the match against Apopka later that week. That good feeling was gone immedi-ately following the semi-final, when they lost 7-6 to the Blue Darters.

The match didn’t make much sense to anyone watching, as the Warriors were no doubt the projected winners. Apopka proved once again that projections mean nothing, winning in good fashion when they controlled the game well enough to walk away with the win.

It was heartbreak for the West Orange team, who after endless hours training couldn’t pull it together to move onto the next round. The disappointment was clear on the faces of the players, who also had expected to move on over their rivals to the north.

Page 4 Florida Sporting News • 4/21/16 - 5/5/16

Central Florida Christian Academy Baseball Striving for Success

OCOEE - The Central Florida Christian Academy’s baseball team, (14-6) has given an immense amount of effort this year to further their success. Coming together as a team has really helped the boys improve on and off the field.

The CFCA Eagles have recently taken some losses that have put their plans on pause. Most recently, they took a hit against Dr. Phillips, resulting in a 9-0 loss. Throughout the game, the Eagles tried their best to get a run, but could not quite bring it home. They never lost site of the goal, and never stopped

putting forth their best effort.

In addition, the CFCA team took a loss of 10-4 to The First Academy. They were thankful they had at least gotten some points on the board, but they wished the score was reversed. The Eagles decided to not focus on the loss and try to move forward to better themselves in the next game.

The boys have won against more evenly matched up teams, like Master’s Academy and Geneva. They are grateful for the dif-ficult teams because they say it gives them

a challenge. Players admit to learning a lot from games they lose, and how they appreci-ate the lesson rather than hate the outcome. This mindset makes the Eagles a much dif-ferent team than others.

Moving forward, the CFCA Eagles is pre-paring for their next home tournament game later this month. While it has not been de-termined who they will face, the boys are trying not to focus on their opponent and more on their own plays. With confidence and skill, the Eagles feel ready to take on whoever comes next.

by Andrea Lerner

by Andrea Lerner

Olympia Softball Overcomes Hit After Hit

ORLANDO - The Olympia Titans softball team (14-9) is proud at their advancement this year, but definitely believes they could have done better in certain games. Ready to finish out the season, the Titans are giving it

all they have.

Most recently, the Olympia girls took a hard loss against West Orange (25-1). The final score was 11-1, and the Titans were thankful

they at least got one point on the board. Go-ing into the game, they knew what they were in for against West Orange, who had only lost one game. The girls tried to overcome and played to the best of their ability.

Prior to the loss, the girls were very happy to have won against Wekiva (9-17) by a score of 14-2. This win pushed them to have better confidence as they finish out the rest of the season. They learned that if they continue to keep their energy and focus up dur-ing the entire game, they are more likely to come out with a win, and if not, at least come pretty close.

While the loss against West Orange meant they lost the semifinals, the Olympia Titans are focused on not letting it define how they play. With the season com-ing to an end, the girls are fully aware of how many losses they really have overcome, and how many wins they have brought to the table. Coaches and supporters are proud of the Titan girls, and the girls themselves are as well.

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially to a sport and team you love. The seniors made their mark on the field this year, and hope that the rising upper class will feel the need to do the same. Overall, the Olympia Titans have had a tremen-dous playing season, and are confident they can do even better next year.

by Andrea Lerner

4/21/16 - 5/5/16 • Florida Sporting News Page 5

by Andrea LernerDr. Phillips Softball Ready to Take Victory

ORLANDO - The Dr. Phillips High soft-ball team, (12-13) is so close to improving upon their record, it’s all they can think about. The Lady Panthers are ready to take home more wins to advance this season.

Their most re-cent game was a loss to Freedom, (12-9) by a score of 5-2. The game was close, and the Dr. Phillips girls never lost their energy. Although they believe Free-dom had a more advanced team, they still gave it their all and held their own through most of the game.

Prior to this loss, the Lady Panthers took a tremendous win against Wekiva (9-17), by a score of 18-13. Two home runs were hit by Raychel Trocki, freshman. The team scored five runs in the first inning. They continu-ously scored in every inning except one. Throughout the entire game, the girls were

excited and never let motivation get the best of them.

Although the girls are disappointed they did not surpass their record, they are com-

mitted to staying on the positive side of the field. Each team member is proud of how far they have come, and how much effort they have given into each and every game.

As in any sport, it takes hard work and dedication to make a team. Even with the

losses, the Lady Panthers kept their heads held high and moved forward. Each loss

made them practice even harder and bet-ter themselves for the next game. For most of the time, their hard work paid off. In all games, their passion and effort showed im-mensely, and that is more than they could ask for.

Page 6 Florida Sporting News • 4/21/16 - 5/5/16

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is an important part of a balance diet, this we all know. However, what to eat when is something that some are not all very familiar with. In the age of modern technology and import and exporting of goods we as consumers don’t see the differ-ent seasons as much because our groceries carry most all produce year round. That does not mean we are getting the freshest and best tasting produce. Eating locally grown produce is not always easy but it is the best available. By eating local produce, you are eating something that is at the peak of ripeness and freshest. If you for example by a local cucumber from a farmers’ market, chances are if it is in season and you are getting a unwaxed fresh picked cucumber. Grocery stores cucumbers most of the time are coated with a “food safe wax” that helps preserve the

cucumber and other produce. That cucumber is probably a week to two weeks old by the time you purchase it. Fruit on the other hand is a very seasonal item. For us here in Florida are seasons run longer than the northern states but we also have a limited time on specific fruit varieties. For example, looking for local peaches in December is not a good idea. Why because peaches that grow here in the southern part of US are only available late spring through summer. However, in December you can find fresh straw-berries. So how can you enjoy those favorite items all year? My suggestion is to visit your local farmers market and see what is in season. Then if the fruits are freezable buy and freeze so you can use all year. Strawberries, blue-berries, blackberries, peaches, mangos, and many other fruits freeze great and make great smoothies and more.

Eating local is always the first choice but that being said it isn’t always possible because some fruit and vegetables may not be grown locally. So it is important that you find the best quality produce. At Jnan Riyad we strive to bring the best local produce one can find but we also bring the best tasting. We want to know that even if we cannot get local bananas that the ones you purchase from us will ripen properly for you and taste delicious. Visit us this month at one of the markets and we will have peaches, watermelon, and soon fresh picked blueberries. This is still the prime season for local vegetables so sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, squashes, greens and much more will also be available. Visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/jnanriyad to find out where we will be.

by Andrea LernerWest Orange Softball Runs All the Way

WINTER GARDEN - The West Orange Lady Warriors softball team (25-1) has played well this season, and it is not over yet. The girls are strong and united as they head into the playoffs.

Being ranked 14 in the State of Florida, the West Orange girls are ecstatic with how far they have come this season. Hard work and long practices have paid off for them as they are thriving off their amazing record. Only losing one game, the girls do not regret the one match that kept them from being undefeated.

Their only loss, against American Heritage (21-2), was by a score of 1-0. Since then, the girls have become even stronger on and off the field. They work extremely well together in each practice and in each game. Their bond of unity as a team is what has kept them going this season. In addition, the amount of skill and dedication on the West

Orange team is unreal.

The Lady Warriors recently beat Olympia (14-9), in the district semifinals by a score of 11-1. The girls would clearly not let their opponents score, and they made sure they had control of the game. With the home advantage, the team was able to come together for a strong win, moving them on to districts.

With passion and purpose, the West Or-ange Lady Warriors took on Lake Brantley (15-12) for districts, and came home with a 4-0 win. The final score of the game was an achievement of the district finals for the West Orange girls. Coaches and supporters were extremely proud of the team, but they knew that it all happened because the girls really wanted to work together towards one goal, being the best they can be.

Knowing what is in Season by Charissa Ward

4/21/16 - 5/5/16 • Florida Sporting News Page 7

Lake Highland Prep Girls Lacrosse Smacking it Downby Andrea Lerner

ORLANDO - The Lake Highland Prep girl’s lacrosse team (19-1) has been in the clear this season. The girls have fought hard to keep an outstanding record and are proud of how far they’ve come.

Lake Highland’s only loss took place in early Feb-ruary, against Olympia (20-2). The game was full of high energy from both teams, and the final score came out to be a close 15-13. The Olympia Titans were an evenly matched team for Lake Highland, and the girls knew what they were getting into but hoped they would take the win.

The team has won close games against schools like Bishop Moore (7-6) and Pine Crest (12-6). In each of

these games the Lake Highland team was confident and full of life out on the playing field. They decided not to

look at the scoreboard, that way their points would not define the game. Instead, they put their heart and soul into it and took the win the right way.

Girls on the team are ecstatic at not only their win and loss record, but their ranking statistics as well. Accord-

ing to MaxPreps, the Lake Highland girl’s lacrosse team has been ranked #1 in the State of Florida. In addition, they have been ranked #5 nationally. This is a huge accomplishment for any team, and the Lake Highland girls are surely feeling the pride.

Anything is possible for these girls, and they are confident that they will throw their sticks to the

sky once the season ends. One loss has not been able to get them down, and they plan to continue that next year. Each season is a preparation for the next, and according to this one for the Lake Highland team, next year could be even better.

Bishop Moore Baseball Ready to Winby Andrea Lerner

ORLANDO - The Bishop Moore baseball team (17-11) has mirrored their softball team in creat-ing a united front at practices and games. The Hornets have established a theory of coming together for the win.

Bishop Moore recently had a loss against West Orange by a score of 11-3. Points on the board weren’t enough for the Hornets, they wanted the win badly. Going into the game, they were un-easy about their opposition as West Orange had only lost two games. The boys were determined to make it three, but their confidence was lost

during the game.

The Hornets have taken many wins into account this season. Earlier this month, they played University and won by a score of 5-3. This game was full of energy, but the Bishop Moore boys came out on top. They were determined to win and really came together as a unit rather than a bunch of players.

With more wins than losses, the Bishop Moore team is more than excited to be where they are this season. They have had a great run, and re-

ally became close off the field. The seniors are grateful for having an amazing season as their last, and can’t wait to watch the team grow after they leave.

After the season is over, the Hornets are focus-ing on strengthening their skills on the team to coincide with the bond they share off the field. It is never too early to start preparing for the next season, and that is exactly what the Bishop Moore team is thinking. As they continue to grow this year, they will continuously be taking notes for the next.

Page 8 Florida Sporting News • 4/21/16 - 5/5/16

Bishop Moore Softball Hits Out of the Park

ORLANDO - Bishop Moore’s softball team (24-2) has seen exceptional game play this season. The girls on the team are confident in their ability to play the game and be team players and that has carried them far.

With an ongoing record, the Hornets are excited to have won so many games and have so few losses. Their only two losses were at the beginning of the

season, and the team has definitely improved since then. While the very first game they played was a loss, and the girls like to consider it their warm up into what will be one of their best seasons yet.

The girls most recently took on a win against Titusville (3-16). The final score of the game was 11-3, and the Hornets were prepared in advance for that win. In any game, the girls look at their opponents for their skill and not their standing record. This helps them have a balance of thought towards the game, and keep the idea of not letting the other team score.

Softball, to the Bishop Moore girls, has become more than just a sport; it has become their way of life. For the seniors on the team, they are desper-ate to play as much as they can as this will be their last year on the high school field. Not only are they leaving the field, they are leaving their team-mates who have bonded with them so immensely throughout the year. The strong bond the Hornets

have is only one of the reasons as to why they are so successful. Their success is not over yet as the Hornets are now facing the playoff games. They will be tak-ing on Gulf (17-7) at home later this month. This

game will be the first round of regionals, and the Hornets are beyond ready to give it their best shot. With support from coaches and family, the team is confident that they can bring their skills to the field and end the game with a win.

by Andrea Lerner

Windermere Prep Baseball Hard to Hit Home

by Andrea LernerWINDERMERE - The Windermere Prep boy’s base-ball team, (8-16) has been challenged with a pretty difficult season this year. While they are improving, they definitely have felt the heat of pressure. The Windermere boys are fully aware that they have lost more than they’ve won. While they try not let this fact get the best of them, each player definitely wishes it was the other way around. They’ve prac-ticed hard and given their best effort in each game, and that is all the coaches and supporters ask of them.

Recently, they took a difficult loss against Orange-wood Christian (22-4). The game ended with a final score of 14-4. The Windermere Prep boys knew how advanced a team they were taking on, but still kept up their energy to earn some points on the board. The more difficult the game is, the more prepared the Windermere team will be for next season.

As the season comes to a close, the team is positive about their experience. They admit that they have definitely learned a lot this year, and have been tak-ing notes of what to do and not to do next season. Their main focus is to come together as a unit, and play as one team instead of individual people.

Once they achieve the bond of a strong team, the Windermere boys are confident they will be strong in each and every game next year. Practice makes per-fect to them, and they are headstrong about proving the saying correct. To the public, their record shows their wins and losses. But to the team, their record shows just how much they really have learned.

4/21/16 - 5/5/16 • Florida Sporting News Page 9

by Greyson EveridgeClint Johnson Takes Reigns as Colonial Head Coach

ORLANDO - Bishop Moore’s softball team (24-2) has seen exceptional game play this season. The girls on the team are confident in their ability to play the game and be team players and that has carried them far. With an ongoing record, the Hornets are excited to have won so many games and have so few losses. Their only two losses were at the beginning of the season, and the team has definitely improved since then. While the very first game they played was a loss, and the girls like to consider it their warm up into what will be one of their best seasons yet.

The girls most recently took on a win against

Titusville (3-16). The final score of the game was 11-3, and the Hornets were prepared in advance for that win. In any game, the girls look at their opponents for their skill and not their standing record. This helps them have a balance of thought towards the game, and keep the idea of not letting the other team score.

Softball, to the Bishop Moore girls, has become more than just a sport; it has become their way of life. For the seniors on the team, they are desper-ate to play as much as they can as this will be their last year on the high school field. Not only are they leaving the field, they are leaving their team-

mates who have bonded with them so immensely throughout the year. The strong bond the Hornets have is only one of the reasons as to why they are so successful.

Their success is not over yet as the Hornets are now facing the playoff games. They will be tak-ing on Gulf (17-7) at home later this month. This game will be the first round of regionals, and the Hornets are beyond ready to give it their best shot. With support from coaches and family, the team is confident that they can bring their skills to the field and end the game with a win.

West Orange Baseball Ranked First in State

WINTER GARDEN – The West Orange War-riors baseball team is a force to be reckoned with, and they further proved that these last few weeks as they finalized their number one spot in the district before the play-offs. On the way, the Warriors have made their way to the number one ranked team in the State as well as being ranked 15th in the Xcellent 25 and 21st nationally.

The Warriors recently beat bitter rivals and district opponents Olympia (14-13), who are having a subpar season by their standards. The Warriors 8-1 beating on the Titans only added to the confusion that this season has brought on for Olympia, after having been one of the best teams in the state last season.

The Warriors also won a tight Metro Confer-ence game against Edgewater (12-13), with West Orange barley coming out on top with a score of 5-4. The game was a great spectacle for all involved, whether you were on the side of the winning team or not. The ups and downs and unpredictability of the game made for a great show, which only helps to build anticipation for the district tournaments which start this week.

West Orange beat Bishop Moore (17-11) 11-3, and controlled the whole game in a good man-ner. The Hornets never looked very threatening, which is a testament to just how good the War-riors are.

Led by their core group of seniors who have

done so well not only for themselves, but for the underclassmen as well this season, the War-riors looked very good moving into the District tournamentat Olympia High which began this Monday the 19th.

The semi-finals, played on the 20th, resulted in yet another West Orange Olympia game. It was a crazy game, one which saw both teams throw everything that they had at it. In the end, it was the Warriors who came out on top, winning 4-3 off a Gerry Brown pinch-hit single.

The Warriors will play Apopka on the 22nd in the 9A District 3 Final. It will be the first Re-gional playoff for the Warriors since 2012.

by Greyson Everidge

Page 10 Florida Sporting News • 4/21/16 - 5/5/16

Foundation Academy Softball Hitting Home by Andrea Lerner

WINTER GARDEN - The Foundation Academy Lady Lions (12-10) are going strong this softball season. The girls have handled some losses but more importantly, have made some strong wins.

This season, the Foundation team has had a lot of highs, and its share of lows. The girls on the team, however, do not look at the lows as terrible points of games or practices. They look at each loss and hit against them as a challenge and represen-tation of something that they need to do better. It is this mentality that has given them as many highs as they have had this season.

The Lady Lions took a dramatic hit against Ocoee (10-13), who they knew was go-ing to be a pretty evenly matched team. The final score was 19-1, and the Founda-tion girls definitely felt that impact. Even towards the end of the game, the team stayed strong together and tried their best to score.

Going into the Ocoee game, the girls were headstrong after com-ing off a win of 16-3 against Jones earlier this month. They learned not to analyze prior to a match though, and not believe they were going to win just be-cause they won the game prior. They are now focused on treating each game as new and giving it all they have. Throughout the season, the girls showed that their hard work had paid off. They are now prepar-ing for the regional semifinals, which will be against Lakeland Christian (15-7). The Lady Lions are aware of the experience of the team, and are hoping to practice enough to be even better. The match will take place at Lake-land Christian’s home, but the Foundation team is not ready to let that advantage determine the game.

4/21/16 - 5/5/16 • Florida Sporting News Page 11

Page 12 Florida Sporting News • 4/21/16 - 5/5/16