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Bulldogs Win State Championship

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By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2008

Teams don't often go from losing seasons to state champions. But that's what the New Tampa Bulldogs Under-12 baseball team did when it defeated the All Star Red Storm from St. Petersburg 3-1 earlier this month at the AAU Fall Classic Fire Division State Championship in Winter Haven.

After the two teams exchanged runs in the first inning, the Bulldogs took the lead for good in the second as Coleman Etelkozi, James Coviello and Ryan Peeler each drew two-out walks. Etelkozi then scored on a wild pitch to put the Bulldogs ahead.

Joey Nieves threw the first two innings for the Bulldogs in the final, giving up the only run, while Nathan Pearson and Jesus Vega each pitched a pair of shutout innings to close out the game.

The Bulldogs had earned a bye into the quarterfinals after group play, and then defeated the Polk County Gators 3-1 to advance to the semifinals. Then, they needed to go extra inning to defeat the Venice Pythons 6-4 in nine innings. With the game tied at 4 going to the ninth, Nieves singled, and was pinch-run for by Colton King. King was brought home on a double down the first base line by Luke Leonard, and Leonard added an insurance run scoring from third on a wild pitch.

According to team founder and Manager Rick Borden, the Bulldogs had never won more than nine games in a regular season before this fall, when the team won 19. Borden said it gave him a great sense of accomplishment to see the team's improvement.

"I really feel like there was a great sense of accomplishment to see a team that had only won nine games in each of the past two seasons," Borden said. "It was just a real great sense of pride to see these kids come together and put together one of the better under-12 teams in the state."

Early Elimination Frustrates RSL

LAND O' LAKES - RSL Florida's girls Under-17 soccer team created the chances they needed to advance from pool play at the United Soccer League's Super-Y Nationals. Unfortunately for the squad, it didn't finish as many as it needed, and was eliminated on goal differential, despite posting a winning record.

RSL lost its opening game 1-0 to Cal Odyssey, as it held possession for long periods, but was unable to finish any of the chances it created, but with only three groups and a wild card entry to the semifinals available, the team knew it could rebound. That it did against 2007 champions the Cleveland Internationals, as Connor Zwetsch scored the winning goal in a 3-2 victory.

Unfortunately for RSL, its even-goal differential put them two goals behind Northern Virginia Majestics, who were at plus-2 with the same 1-1 record their opening two games. RSL defeated the New York Magic 2-0 in its final game, Zwetsch and Annick McBrian finding the net before halftime. But despite solid second-half pressure, RSL was unable to add to its total in the second half, and the Majestics 2-0 win against Plantation sent them through.

Despite being eliminated, RSL coach Jim Cote was positive about the team's weekend.

"To come back and play the way they did on Saturday against Cleveland was fantastic," Cote said after RSL's elimination on Sunday afternoon. "To do what they did today after a battle last night and play the way we did today, I'm proud of our effort. I thought we laid it on the line and in the end our legs were a little tired."

Centerback Emily Werdine said that the draw may have played a role in RSL's early departure.

"We were in a really tough group," Werdine said. "We just got unlucky on the first day, and Saturday and Sunday we played really well. It's just really tough not to move on because of the way we played."

Cote said he wasn't disappointed with the lack of goals, and that the fact that chances were being created boded well for the team's upcoming events in Raleigh in 11/2 weeks at Disney at the end of December.

"All you can do is create them," Cote said. "When you're not creating them, that's when you're really worried, but if we keep creating them, we're going to get our fair share."

Hurricanes Fall, Proud Of Season

The Carrollwood Hurricanes Jr. Midget Pop Warner Football team fell 20-8 against the Fort Pierce Greyhounds in the South East region semifinals on Saturday, ending their hopes of advancing to the National Finals.

But while the team's season ended earlier than it would have liked, having advanced further than any team in program history was a reason for celebration. The Hurricanes began play in the FYD Pop Warner League in 2003, with the Jr. Midgets, the 13- and 14-year-old division, having played together since they were Mitey Mites.

Add in that five of the team, Jon Marc Carrier, Chas Hippenstiel, Garrett Graves, Patrick Wasp and Connor Neglio have been nominated for Pop Warner Scholastic All-American awards, and it gives program co-founder Bob Griffey an immense amount of pride.

"What I'm feeling right now for these kids is why I founded the league," Griffey said. "So that they can experience a team championship that they'll remember the rest of their lives. Those 30 guys out there, they'll all be buddies forever."

CORRECTIONS: In the Nov. 19 edition, Freedom hockey player Matt Singleton was misidentified as responsible for a turnover in his own end, leading to a Newsome goal.

In the Nov. 12 edition, Shannon Hoffman's former high school was incorrect. Hoffman graduated from the Academy of the Holy Names.

Nicholas Murray can be reached at (813) 259-7655.

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