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Burke Decides On Blue Devils

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By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY

nmurray@tampatrib.com

Published: November 19, 2008

TAMPA - Surrounded by her Hillsborough High teammates after an afternoon workout, standout rower Katie Burke signed a letter-of-intent Friday to attend Duke University in 2009. For Burke, it was the culmination of a whirlwind year that saw her win state and regional championships, try out for the U.S. Junior National Team, and now join a college program viewed as an up-and-comer on the national scene.

Burke, who only began rowing as a freshman at Hillsborough, was thrilled to have made her decision.

"I went to visit Duke my sophomore year, just to visit colleges," Burke said. "They contacted me probably halfway through my junior year, and then I really started talking to them once they could call me July 1, and I took my official visit and really liked it."

Burke was also considering Notre Dame and Georgetown, but the potential of the Blue Devils' program appealed to her. Duke finished third at the ACC Championships last season, has plans to renovate the school's boat house and equipment, and has a strong young core with only six seniors on the current roster.

"I really liked the academics," Burke said, "but the whole team aspect, they're really in this building mode. They have a really good freshman and sophomore class, and they're really looking for my recruitment class to come in there and make a difference, and I felt like with Duke I could really make a contribution and I could be part of that difference, and really see the program grow."

Tough Task Ahead For HCU Squad

Two seasons ago, Hillsborough County United's boys Under-13 team reached the final of the United Soccer League's Super-Y North American Finals. After missing out on the tournament last year - local-rival RSL Florida qualified ahead of them - the HCU squad is back for another try, now in the Under-15 division.

"Now we get another chance to win it," player Dan Barboto said.

HCU qualified for the event in its last game of qualifying with a 4-0 win against Orlando FC. Coach Eric Sims said one of the team's main goals was to return to the tournament, not only because the team would get to compete for a national championship, but also to get a chance to play in front of numerous college coaches who attend the event each year.

"A big part of it is the exposure," Sims said of the importance of reaching the tournament. "All these kids want to play at the next level, so getting to a tournament where there's going to be tons of college coaches, I think that's part of it. I think the other part of it is having the chance to win a national championship is definitely something you don't get to do many times, and something that they definitely want."

That sentiment is echoed by Jordan See. Like Barboto, See was a member of the team two years ago. He, and others on the team, thinks that experience, at that age, pushed the team to a new level.

"We learned a lot from that," See said. "By going so far, we got to see a lot of different competition, a lot of different styles and see we really can make it."

With a Mountain WFC team from Canada that went undefeated in its qualifying stage appearing as its main competition, HCU will do well to advance out of its group; only the group winners move on. With that in mind, See knows what to expect going in.

"The biggest challenge is going to be staying together," See said. "It's going to be tough, especially the better teams really don't play around at the speed we're used to."

Comeback Salvages Wolves' Week

BRANDON - After a 4-2 loss to Lakeland Jenkins on Nov. 11 had dropped Newsome Blue out of first place in the Hillsborough High School Hockey League for the first time this season, the Wolves were up against it against Freedom.

Trailing by two late in the second period, the Wolves turned the game around, scoring four unanswered goals on their way to a 4-3 victory Saturday. The win came as a relief for the Wolves; a loss could have left them trailing the Patriots as well as the Eagles as the season closed in on the midway point.

"After that loss, we didn't know what happened to us, but it was a great way to end the week," defenseman Zach Vandelagemaat said after the win against Freedom.

Freedom had led 2-0 with 2:10 to play in the second period, but then disintegrated as Newsome pulled back one goal with 12 seconds to play in the period, Scotty Vargas banging home the rebound off a Conrad Crawford shot. Newsome's Mike Semago then picked Freedom defenseman Matt Singleton's pocket, and scored short-handed to tie the game early in the third.

"Getting that short-handed goal to make it 2-2, that swung the game to our side," Newsome coach Dan Rondeau said.

Less than a minute later, Newsome had the lead as Billy McKenna scored off a rebound, and Josh Revoy added a fourth with 3:39 to play. Freedom's Kyle Stewart pulled a goal back with 22 seconds to play, but it proved academic to the outcome.

"We just got ahead of ourselves, sat back on the lead, and then they came back," Freedom's Spencer McNabb said, adding that he thought the Patriots could rebound from this.

As for Newsome, Vandelagemaat said the team was thrilled to escape with one win out of two.

"No one wants to go 0-2 in a week," he said. "We'll take the two points, that's good enough for us, and we'll take care of Jenkins next time."

Nicholas J.E. Murray can be reached at (813) 259-8243.

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