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Berkeley hockey opens with win

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

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 21, 2009

Berkeley Prep's high school hockey program got off to an auspicious start in its inaugural game, as it rode a natural hat trick by Danny Hill and some solid goaltending by Cody Capps to earn a 4-3 victory against South Pinellas in the Lightning Conference Western Division.

The program was set up over the summer, with Dave Beaudin being installed as coach. Beaudin, who has been coaching youth hockey in the bay area for almost 20 years, said the process of putting a new team together has been an interesting one.

"It's a challenge getting the guys on the ice, and getting enough players on the ice has been the big things," Beaudin said.

The Buccaneers have 15 players on their roster, but with some players unavailable until the end of football season, and others picking up injuries, they were relatively short-handed against South Pinellas.

But what they lacked in quantity, they made up for in quality. Tanner Bailey scored the first goal in school history before Hill's hat trick earned the victory.

"The guys didn't really think about it," Beaudin said. "They just went out and played, and we just managed to outscore them in the end."
Capps in particular made several crucial saves. Having played prep hockey in Connecticut, Capps is a building block Beaudin is looking forward to having for the next two years.

The addition of Berkeley to the high school hockey ranks gives the area 20 teams that now compete across the two divisions of the Lightning conference. Beaudin, who was the first grassroots hockey director at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy in Oldsmar, said he is now seeing more players that think of high school hockey as their first option over travel hockey. As a result, Beaudin believes there is potential for more growth in the number of players and teams in the area.

"This has got the most growth potential I see right now," Beaudin said. "The high school level is picking up; it's starting to have a leg up and a stronger foundation because the travel hockey is getting so expensive. Really, travel hockey is now the alternative, while high school hockey is the main focus. It used to be the other way around, four or five years ago everyone thought 'if I don't make travel, I'm going to play high school or in-house,' Now these 14-year-old kids in grade 9 are saying 'Mom, Dad, I'm trying out for the high school team rather than the travel team this year,' and the parents are totally fine with it."

Victory, LaFleur's earn Gasparilla titles

Oldsmar-based Victory Gymnastics and LaFleur's Tampa each won Level 6 titles at the Gasparilla Fall Invitational held at Polk State Community College in Winter Haven.

Led by Sierra Herb, Victory earned the team title in the USA Level 6 competition with a total of 109 points. Herb won the all-around competition with an overall total 37.175, and also took first place in the bars (9.600) and the parallel bars (9.350).

Herb's teammate Isabel Platis took second in the all-around with a total of 35.650, finishing in the top five in all four disciplines, while Rachel Pullara and Adriana Gonzalez tied for first in their flight with a 9.425 in the vault.

Shannon Fichardt scored a 9.600 to take the overall vault title, and finished fourth in the all-around competition (35.225).

LaFleur's took first in the AAU Division Level 6 competition with a total of 104.775, Rebecca Zeno leading the team with second place in the all-around competition behind Ally Rose of Aerial Stars.

Holliston Wagner won the only individual event for LaFleur's, scoring a 9.500 in the vault.

LaFleur's also won the AAU Division Level 5 title with a score of 110.175, Savannah Tessner leading the squad with a total of 36.225, second overall. Tessner finished second in her flight in the vault, beam and floor disciplines.

LaFleur's also got strong performances from third-placed Farin DuBose, who won the individual vault title with a 9.300 and took third overall with a 35.975, edging out teammates Caitlin Himes, who took fourth overall, and Emma Scarlatella, who both scored a 9.250. Emoni Thomas also took first in the floor, scoring a 9.375.

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

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