TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Panthers Stay In Contention

ADVERTISEMENT

By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY nmurray@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 4, 2009

BRANDON - Last season, the Plant Panthers Hockey program had its most successful season.

The thing is, four wins in a 17-game schedule isn't that impressive.

With a 5-1 win against the Tigers on Saturday, though, the Panthers have doubled their win total of a season ago and remain in contention for a playoff berth.

"We feel pretty good about it," Michael Agana said. "I think some of the upperclassmen feel good, because this is the best year we've ever had."

The key to the Panthers' turnaround this season has been Justin Bramm, who had a hand in all five Panthers goals against the Tigers, including a hat trick, and Matt Winningham, who notched his 10th goal of the season on Saturday.

Bramm leads the team with 13 goals and four assists. Bramm said victory against the Tigers after the Panthers had lost to Freedom in midweek was a good momentum-builder.

"It's real big, because we haven't beaten the Tigers yet this season," Bramm said. "Beating them 5-1 is confidence-booster, and it keeps us with a chance at the playoffs, so that helps a lot."

Despite Plant's win, which put it in a tie for fifth place with Wharton, the Panthers' road is still an uphill one. Wharton has a game in hand over Plant and current fourth-placed team Bloomingdale, while the Bulls, who lead Plant by a point in the standings, have a more favorable match-up against Newsome White on Saturday than the Panthers, who play league leader Newsome Blue on Thursday.

If the breaks go their way, a playoff berth could be on the line when the Panthers suit up to play Bloomingdale on the final day of the season. That the Panthers are still in contention to make it, however, is a big step toward continued success.

"Plant has never come close to making the playoffs," Bramm said. "We've usually been a joke in the high school league. So it would be nice to go to the playoffs for everyone on the team."

FREEDOM-NEWSOME BLUE: The rivalry between the top two teams in the league produced another enthralling contest on Saturday afternoon, as the game ended in a 2-2 tie after a shootout couldn't separate the two teams.

With the game tied 1-1, Ryan Fries appeared to give Freedom victory with 1:37 to play when he picked up the puck behind the net before moving out front to score.

Newsome tied the game up 10 seconds later as Mike Semago scored on a rebound after Tom Kowalski forced a save from Chris Burt.

After the first two shooters in the shootout missed, Freedom retook the upper hand when Spencer McNabb roofed his effort into the top right corner. Newsome's Christian Bonser hit the post on the Wolves second shot, and Kyle Stewart had the Patriots third shot saved by Kenny Roundy.

That left Josh Revoy with a chance to tie the game, which he did, shooting low to Burt's right.

The Wolves and Patriots should finish as the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively, in the playoffs, which are to be held Feb. 20-21, with a third match-up possible.

Black Watch Finding Local Success

Coming of a victory at the Tampa Bay Sun Bowl in early January, the Black Watch Celtic boys under-18 soccer team is looking to continue to build momentum towards the State Cup tournament later this year at next week's Score at the Shore event in St. Petersburg.

Black Watch defeated the Florida Rush 1-0 in the Sub Bowl final, capping an undefeated run over seven games in four days.

"The Sun Bowl is a good tournament, the boys have been working hard and to get back to that tournament and do so well was very satisfying for the teams and for everybody involved," Black Watch Director of Coaching Jim DiNardo said. "There was some deep competition, and they did well."

The Under-18's, who are coached by former Tampa Bay Rowdie Winston DuBose and Ron Futcher, needed victories in penalty shootouts to advance through both the quarterfinals and the semifinals, beating Futsoc USA 5-4 in the quarterfinals and the Texas Lightning 2-1 in the semis. DiNardo said he thought the arduous nature of the tournament took its toll on all the squads that went deep into the tournament.

"You play seven games to win the tournament, and sometimes it's survival of the fittest," DiNardo said.

Black Watch's boys Under-16 team also reached its final, but there lost 1-0 to Andromeda FC from Texas, fatigue playing a factor in their loss.

"We had some opportunities and didn't finish, and they did," DiNardo said. "I think we kind of hit a wall with them, they were getting pretty tired by then, but nonetheless they did well to get to the finals."

GOLF: Palm Harbor's Aaron Watson finished with a two-round total of even-par 144 to finish third at the Florida Junior Tour's boys Under-18 event at Placid Lakes Country Club in Lake Placid.

Calvary Christian student Watson finished five shots behind champion Brian Fragakis of Royal Palm Beach, but did register his best finish to date on the FJT, following up a ninth-place finish at Brooksville Country Club in early January.

St. Petersburg's Jack Maguire, 14, finished a further three shots back of Watson, shooting an even-par 72 on the opening day before finishing with a total of 147 to finish in a tie for sixth, his best finish in the Under-18 division.

Nicholas J.E. Murray can be reached at (813) 259-8243. Keyword: Youth Sports, for more news and notes.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT