Call for artists

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2 to 5 p.m.

LHP Yacht & Racquet Club

2701 NE 42 St., Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

This is the last call for artists for the 17th Annual Lighthouse Point Arts Exhibition, which will be held Apr. 17. Bring small sample of work for consideration. 954-408-6410.

AARP Driver Safety Program

Friday, Jan. 28, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Century Plaza Library

1892 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Over 55? Save money on insurance with this six-hour course. $12 residents, $14 non-residents. Register: 954-725-0918.

Deerfield Beach Computer Club in session

Friday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m.

Westside Park  Community Center

445 SW 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Geared for everyone from beginners to experienced computer users, with special focus on seniors. $1. 954-725-9331 or www.db-cc.org.

Walking Tour of Historic Downtown

Saturday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m.

Historical Society booth at GreenMarket

Flagler Ave. & NE 1 St., Pompano Beach, FL 33060

GreenMarket Pompano offering free historic walking tour of Pompano Beach’s old downtown. Local historians, Don Downie and Bud Garner, will lead participants on entertaining 30-40 minute walk, commenting on the buildings, businesses and people important in the downtown’s development.

Boca Raton Green Market

Saturday, Jan. 29, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Royal Palm Plaza SW parking lot (intersection of S. Fed. Hwy. & S. Mizner Blvd)

Boca Raton, FL 33432

561-239-1536 or www.cmboca.org.

Boca Raton Museum of Art 25th Annual Art Festival

Saturday, Jan. 29 and Sunday, Jan. 30, 10 a.m. to 5  p.m.

Mizner Park, 327 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432

250 of nation’s top artists. Free with ample parking.  Call 561-392-2500 or www.bocamuseum.org.

First Christian Church Yard Sale

Saturday, Jan. 29, 8 a.m. to noon

1860 NE 39 St., Pompano Beach, FL 33064

Proceeds go toward church day school and youth activities. 954-942-2515.

Sidewalk sale

Saturday, Jan.29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Shoppes of Beacon Light

2400 N. Federal Hwy., Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Special prices and limited-time merchandise available inside and outside stores. Over 30 stores including: salon and spa services, pet boutiques, jewelry and restaurants .

Intracoastal History Tour

Sunday, Jan. 30, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Deerfield Island Park

1720 Deerfield Island Park, Deerfield Beach, FL  33441

$5 per person, may also include extra fee for entry to park. Ages 6 and up. Pre-registration required,  accepted by phone at Quiet Waters Park, 954-357-5100. Must be at the dock by 9:30 a.m. to catch the boat shuttle to the island.

Meet the candidate: “Becky” Lysengen

Sunday, Jan. 30, noon to 3 p.m.

Frank McDonough Park

3498 NE 27 Ave., Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Public invited to family picnic hosted by LHP Commission candidate Rebecca “Becky” Lysengen, www.beckyforlhp.com.

Deerfield Beach Green Market

Sunday, Jan. 30, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sullivan Park

1724 Riverview Rd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

954-480-4317.

Toastmasters International

Monday, Jan. 31, 7 to 8 p.m.

Deerfield Beach Chamber of Commerce

1601 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

954-803-2122 or visit www.toastmasters.org.

Early signs of hearing loss

Tuesday, Feb. 1, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

NE Focal Point Senior Center

227 NW 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Find out if you have a hearing loss and what you can do about it. Presented by Jane Narducci, Clinical Audiologist, Miracle Ear, includes Hearing Screening and Hearing Aide Clinic. 954-480-4446.

Save the Date: Dinosaurs at South Florida Bible College!

Thursday, Feb. 3, 3 to 7 p.m.

747 South Federal Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Creation Truth Foundation, Inc., of Noble, OK, will bring their Mobile Museum of Earth History to South Florida Bible College. Fossils from Tyrannosaurs Rex, Triceratops, Pteranodon and Albertosaur, just to name a few, will be on display. Dr. G. Thomas Sharp, president and founder of Creation Truth Foundation, and Dr. Charles Jackson, director of Campus Ministry for a series of seminars entitled The Biblical View of Dinosaurs, will speak about Creationism. 954-426-8652. www.creationtruth.com.

A dear friend of mine recently learned that her sister was diagnosed with cancer. My friend has her own health issues and she has plenty of other tsouris (problems) going on in her life. But, when she heard about her little sister’s ills, that became her focus. She did everything she could think of for her — she called, she texted, she researched, she planned a trip to see her just so she could hold her hand.

Many people who know her might have thought that she had a huge weight to bear, but as I watched I couldn’t help but think of that famous song title “He ain’t heavy … he’s my brother.” Do you know the story behind those words? Back near the beginnings of WW2, there was a magazine called The Messenger. A priest happened to be reading that magazine and came across a picture of a boy carrying a younger lad on his back and the caption read, “He ain’t heavy Mr., he’s my brother.”

The Priest was none other than Father Flanagan, the founder of Boy’s Town, who changed it just a tad and used it as the catch phrase for his mission.

Why did that phrase touch him so much? Because, years earlier, Boys Town had a lad who had difficulty walking and the other boys would take turns giving him rides on their backs.

I am blessed with two amazing brothers. I hope that, even in the midst of what my friend’s baby sister is going through, that she knows how blessed she is with such an incredible big sister. Sadly, too many people have distanced themselves from their siblings. They have let petty differences get in the way of the love.

Let me share a story with you about two brothers. It is a true story. There is a three-year age difference between the boys — the elder one 13, the younger 10.

I can assure you that, like any other siblings, they had times they got angry with each other, they had times they fought, and they had times they pointed the finger of blame at the other. But they were brothers, and there was a great connection, a great love between them. In the middle of January of this year, they were in the car with their mother on a drive through the streets of Australia when they and their car were swept away by the raging waters of a flood. The three of them were struggling for their very lives. A heroic rescuer dove into the waters to save them and the first one he came to was Jordan, the older of the two boys. He reached him with a rope and this little child of G-d, this Bar Mitzvah-age boy, shouted out, “Save my brother first.” And, indeed, the good news is that his baby brother, Blake, was saved. The sad news is that Jordan and their mother’s lives were lost in the flood. But, there is more to the story. You should know that Jordan never learned to swim. He happened to have a terrible phobia; he was terrified of water. And yet, in order to save his brother, he faced his greatest fear. Many of you might be thinking, wow, I wish I had a brother like that. How much holier it would be if you took the time to think, “Wow, I wish I were a brother or sister like that” and then go and be one.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a Hospice Chaplain and Member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also provides Professional Pastoral Care Services to a number of health centers in Broward County.

By Gary Curreri

Highlands Christian Academy girls soccer coach Shelly Wik knew her team would have to rise to the occasion as it hosted the girls District 14-2A championship on Jan. 21.

The Knights (16-21) did as it defeated the South Florida Heat, 1-0 (5-4 PKs), for the school’s first-ever girls district soccer championship in the 10-year history of the program. Highlands Christian and the Heat (19-8-1) battled to a 0-0 draw after regulation and overtime.

“I am so proud of how the girls played in the district games,” said Wik, whose team will host Boca Raton’s Pope John Paul II in the regional quarterfinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. “The girls avenged their two regular season losses and pulled together as a team to win districts with dignity and Christian character.”

Alley Costello, Joanna Marko, Cybille Lassegue, Grayson Mack and Marina Mueller each scored a goal in the penalty kick shootout. Mueller’s goal was the decisive goal. Knights’ goalie Kayla Wincko had 14 saves in the match and needed to make two saves in the shootout for the victory.

Dillard downs Tigers in girls hoops

Kayla Wright scored nine of her game-high 18 points in the second half as host Dillard downed Blanche Ely, 47-40, in a District 16-5A game on Saturday night.

The Panthers (14-5, 8-1) broke open a 24-24 game early in the second half and outscored the Tigers (14-6, 5-4) 23-17 for the victory.

T’Keyah Williams had five points, while Lauren McGraw added four in the first quarter as Dillard jumped out to a 14-7 first quarter lead. Blanche Ely closed to within 24-22 at halftime and tied the game at 24-24 on a short jumper by Crystal Allen with 7:34 remaining in the third quarter.

Dillard pulled away from there as McGraw and Williams each finished with 10 points.

Blanche Ely coach Clarence Fleming said his team needed to take better care of the basketball. Arkeba Johnson paced the Tigers with 15 points.

“We are not going to beat a good team giving them that many second shot attempts,” Fleming said. “We couldn’t make shots and they did a good job rebounding and making free throws.”

Fleming said everything is correctable by districts.

“It gives us a pretty good idea of where we need to be in order to have a chance to win districts,” Fleming said. “We have to play hard, and it will be an uphill fight. The biggest thing we have to work on is possession and every possession counts. I think we can win it. We need to make a few modifications. There are some things we can do better, and, next time, I think we can play a better game all the way around.”

Ely soccer team runner-up

The Blanche Ely boys soccer team recently dropped a 1-0 decision to Tampa Sickles in the final round of the Ridge-wood Invitational in New Port Richey.

The Tigers had five of their players make the all-tournament team including Nilson Miranda (top defender), Kemberlyn Jean-Etienne, Techlie Tacynthe, Finnddy Innocent and Volvins St. Louis.

By Dave Montalbano

The phrase “All Good Things must come to an end” has been in the air as two more media outlets close along Federal Highway. “The Bookshop” in Ft. Lauderdale will be closing their doors soon as they discount their books by 50 percent. Now, the movie theatre in Mizner Park has closed its doors, which might have an impact on the Downtown Boca Film Festival in April.

It is with a sense of irony that the movie All Good Things is based on a true story (Names were changed for legal reasons) and the lead character, David Marks (Ryan Gosling) is currently a real estate investor in Florida. All Good Things is a dark film, but one appropriate for this time.

David Marks is an errand boy for his powerful father, Sandford Marks (Frank Langella), a Manhattan Land Baron who owns the buildings of the seedy porn district before Rudy Giuliani became Mayor. As with most spoiled children of Manhattan elite, David spends his free time partying with his girlfriend, Katie (Kirsten Dunst), who indulges in cocaine.

During a minor act of rebellion towards his father, David marries Katie and manages a health food store, called “All Good Things,” in Vermont. Despite living in Eden, Sanford convinces his son to return to Manhattan and embrace his divine right. David willingly accepts.

From this point forward, David’s soul decays. He becomes abusive toward Katie. She disappears and David relocates to Texas and begins wearing women’s clothing. David befriends Malvern (Philip Baker Hall), a delusional man with dreams of grandeur.

Poor make-up dooms Ryan Gosling’s performance and this flaw proves distracting. While Langella and Philip Baker Hall provide solid support, Saturday Night Live’s Kristen Wiig provides the only comic relief to this creepy tale.

In the years to come, All Good Things will be remembered as Kirsten Dunst’s first major performance. Shedding her “Mary Jane Watson” image from Spider-Man movies, Dunst ages quickly before our eyes as a spiritually beaten woman. Dunst is haunting long after the movie is over.

Clean up our beach and enhance revenue

Dear Editor:

As a proud citizen and good neighbor, I love Deerfield Beach and cannot imagine living elsewhere. However, the trash, dog poop and miscellaneous piles of cigarette butts dumped off on the side of streets is out of control!

I can appreciate that budgets have to be cut, but I believe our city leaders need to give serious consideration to putting some paid city workers out there on the streets (in plain clothes, not in city vehicles) citation pads in hand, writing up tickets for people who throw trash from their windows and leave animal waste for others, like me, to step in when walking my own dogs.  For those folks who are not from around here, that do not understand what litter is,  how about putting up signs that say  “THANK YOU FOR VISITING – PLEASE DO NOT TRASH OUR BEACH,” 1st OFFENSE, $100. 2ND OFFENSE $250.

Another observation: most people do abide by the signs that say “No Dogs on the Beach” so instead they walk across the street and  let  their dogs dump on the sidewalks and curbs in front of the condo buildings. Perhaps APPROPRIATELY PLACED signs with dog stations and bags would help curtail the dog doo. It  truly is a disgusting and unhealthy situation.

Perhaps some real enforcement  will  create a sense of urgency for people to scoop the poop and dispose of their other trash properly when it hits them in the pocket.

Joan R. Gould

Deerfield Beach

Reader questions use of labyrinth in school

Dear Editor:

RE: “DBHS gives peace a chance with labyrinth” article (Jan. 20 Observer). Some may have also seen or read “Over 750 Boca High Students and Teachers To Participate In ‘Yoga Wave.’” My question is: Are parents paying attention to what is going on in our public schools? All four of my children attended DBHS. Thankfully, all were pre-labyrinth. You can be sure I would be talking with the principal if any of my kids were still attending the school. Kudos to those students at Boca High who declined to participate in the practice of yoga or any DBHS students who recognize godly priciples for avoiding the labyrinth. These New Age & Eastern mysticism practices have no place in our public education (indoctrination) system. The words of Colossians 2:8 come to mind: “See to it that no one (not even your pricipals or teachers) takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” (Parenthetical statement added).

Jeff Hafer

Deerfield Beach

Note: A labyrinth, or pathway for meditation, is not necessarily a religious concept. However, the person walking can choose to pray in whatever way he or she sees fit.

Part-time

Dear Editor:

Our mayor and commissioners receive a salary, full medical insurance and – get this – they receive a pension.

Talk about spending money like drunken sailors.  It’s time we get our priorities and spending in line!

And they had the nerve to raise taxes. Does anyone in this city understand economics?

John Grassi

Deerfield Beach

Deerfield Beach

Deerfield – District 4

Lighthouse Point

History at Sundown

Thursday, Jan. 20, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Old School Museum, 232 NE 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Susan Gillis talks about Boca Raton in WWII. 954.429.0378. www.deerfield-history.org.

Auditions for “A Little Princess”

Thursday, Jan. 20, 7:30 to 9 p.m. and Monday, Jan. 24, 6 to 9 p.m.

Sol Children Theatre, 3333 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, FL 33431

Ages 10 and older. Closed audition: 1 min. prepared monologue from published play or classic literature; prepare musical theatre solo using backing track accompaniment. No piano available, no a cappella. If new to Sol, bring brief bio and headshot (photo ok).  Rehearsals begin February, perform in May. Auditions by appointment only: 561-447-8829 or solchildtroupe@aol.com.  www.solchildren.org.

1st Annual Two Georges at The Cove Billfish Tournament

Thursday, Jan. 20, kickoff party, 7 to 9 p.m., (Fishing Friday & Saturday)

Two Georges at The Cove

1754 SE 3 Court, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

(Weigh ins – Friday – 4 to 6 p.m., Sat – 3 to 5 p.m.). Awards banquet dinner – 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday. Proceeds benefit Boys & Girls Club (Jim & Jan Moran unit). To register and for details, call Denise Buzzelli –954-427-0353.

About Boating Safety Course (ABS)

Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 a.m.

Dixon Ahl Recreation Center

2200 NE 38 St., Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Put on by U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 3-7. Cost: $45. Materials, lunch included. Meets requirements for FL Boater Education ID Card. Topics include: identification of navigational aids, basic boat handling, safety equipment, rules for local waterways. Space limited, advanced registration required. 954-557-0582 or www.flotilla37.org.

German restaurant serves at Pompano Green Market

Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Atlantic Blvd. & Dixie Highway, Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Checkers Old Munchen, a local authentic German restaurant, to cook and sell bratwurst, knockwurst, chicken & apple sausages and more. 954-785-7565. www.greenmarketpompano.com.

Elvis at G’Vanni’s

Saturday, Jan. 22, 6:30 p.m.

Deerfield Country Club

50 Fairway Dr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Elvis rocks G’Vanni’s. Don’t forget your Blue Suede shoes! Food and entertainment: $25.95 plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 954-427-4400 x 201.

Boca Raton Green Market

Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Royal Palm Plaza SW parking lot (S. Fed. Hwy. & S. Mizner Blvd), Boca Raton, FL 33432

561-239-1536 or www.cmboca.org.

Deerfield Beach Railroad Museum Model Swap Meet

Saturday, Jan. 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Westside  Park Rec. Center

445 SW 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Trains, tracks, books, scenery and memorabilia. Donation: $2 adults, $1 children. 954-448-8935 or www.sfrm.org.

Doo Wop show

Saturday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m.

FAU Auditorium, Boca Raton, FL 33309

Featuring Speedo & The Cadillacs, The Cleftones,  The Harptones and The Coasters. Tickets: $40 to $60. 800-564-9539 or www.TheParamountDaysinBoca.com.

Deerfield Beach Green Market

Sunday, Jan. 23, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sullivan Park

1724 Riverview Rd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

954-480-4317.

Toastmasters International

Monday, Jan. 24, 7 to 8 p.m.

Deerfield Beach Chamber of Commerce

1601 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

954-803-2122 or visit www.toastmasters.org.

13th Annual Fashion Show Luncheon

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 11:30 a.m.

NE Focal Point

227 NW 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Special guests and community dignitaries to appear and model. Raffle. Proceeds benefit Children’s, Alzheimer’s, Senior and Adult Services. Ticket donation: $50 each. Limited Seating. 954-480-4460.

St. Ambrose Singles Dance

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 7:30 to 11 p.m.

St. Ambrose Church Hall

380 S. Federal Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Good way to meet new people. $8 includes light refreshments, music by DJ. 954-943-7158.

Coach/Board Member needed for Deerfield Packer Rattlers

Now to Thursday, Feb. 3

Westside Park

445 SW 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

If interested, submit your name in the appropriate box at Westside Park. 954-480-4439.

Save the Date: 17th Annual Lighthouse Point Arts Exhibition seeks artists

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2 to 5 p.m.

LHP Yacht & Racquet Club

2200 NE 38 St., Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Bring small sample of work to be viewed by the panel to determine appropriateness for the April 17 show. 954-480-6410.

Save the Date: Deerfield Beach 31st Annual Festival of the Arts

Saturday, Jan. 29 and Sunday, Jan. 30,

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On the Beach, south of the Pier

Art show/ sale. 100 juried artists selected nationally, continuous live music, food and drinks. 954-480-4429 or www.Deerfield beachfestivals.com.

By Pastor Tony Guadagnino, Christian Love Fellowship Church

Soap  has  the  power  to  clean  you  and  remove  dirt  from  your  body.  Inside  the box or wrapper is  a  bar  of  soap  that  contains  the  chemicals  needed  to  clean  your  body, but  as  long  as they  remain  in  their box or  wrapper, they  are  useless.  For you to release the power of the soap to clean your body, you have to actually open it and use it. God’s Word is exactly like that; you actually have to open it and use it in order for it to work.

God’s Word has the power to change and transform your life.  It  has  the  power to change  your  life  completely, but  as  long  as  it  sits  unopened,  that  power  can  never  be   released. God’s  Word  is  living and active and  able to change  your  life, but  in order to release  the power, you need  to apply  it. To release  the  power  of  God’s  Word,  you  need  to  open  it  up  and  read  it. Even more important, you need to apply it to your life. Soap is faithful to cleanse us, just as God’s Word is faithful to cleanse us. I am so glad that God loves you and me enough not just to ask us to do the right thing, but actually to help us do the right thing.

Joshua 1:8-9

8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night, so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

9 This is my command — be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

NLT

The first thing we should do with the Bible is read, study and think about It. The thing we need to do is crack open the cover. Sometimes, that’s the toughest thing to do (to actually get started). We should, according to the scripture above, study the book continuously. We should try hard to read it every day by finding a translation to read that helps us understand what it means.  We need to think about what it says, and ask the question, “What does it mean for my life?” As you spend time reading the Bible, It will begin to change the way you think. As it changes the way you think, It will begin to change the things you say and do.  It will help you begin to see things through God’s viewpoint and not your own.

James 1:22

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

NLT

There is more than just reading, more than just reflecting and more than just remembering the Bible — we need to put into action what we find within the pages. Like soap, the power of God’s Word is only released when we apply what we are reading.  We must do what It says. If we are going to spend time reading and studying God’s Word, then it would be silly for us to not do the things we are learning. The same way soap cleans us is the same way that God’s Word will come and help us to be clean and holy.

By Dave Montalbano

The King’s Speech has all the earmarks of a typical award-nominated motion picture. It’s British, it features classical acting, it is about royalty and focuses upon a character with a physical impediment.

However, if one is prejudiced with the feeling that The King’s Speech is a typical flick for the Oscar Award season, they are going to miss a rare human experience about problem solving. I wish I saw The King’s Speech a few weeks ago; it would have made my Top 10 List for 2010.

It is 1925 and Prince George (Colin Firth) is about to make a speech in a newfangled contraption called a radio microphone. George stammers and the British subjects think that the village idiot has hijacked the microphone. Fortunately for the Brits, George is not the next in line for the Empire’s throne, his big brother Edward the 8th (Guy Pearce) is.

After nine years of failed speech therapy, George and his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) enter the
office of Lionel Loque (Geoffrey Rush), a failed actor who became a speech therapist during World War I. Logue’s methodology is unorthodox, but George makes progress. By 1939, stammering George is able to lead his nation against the master orator, Adolph Hitler, as the winds of World War II are stoked.

If one has ever suffered from an impediment similar to a stammer, one will find truth with Loque’s technique. The audience witnesses the importance of developing a melody of thought when speaking.

As Loque later says to the future King,“You do not need to be afraid of the thing that you were afraid of at the age of 5.”

As serious as the subject is, The King’s Speech provides humor that is human.  We see the British class distinctions being shattered when Loque demands that George act like a patient, not like a royal. We see George and Elizabeth share storytime with their daughters – one is Elizabeth II, the current Queen of the British Empire.

When I interviewed veteran Claire Bloom (Queen Mary) during the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, she stated it was a privilege to watch Firth and Rush work together. Both have great chemistry; their scenes together are electric. The ensemble cast featuring Bloom, Bonham Carter, Michael Gambon and Timothy Spall (as Winston Churchill) cement a firm foundation for the players.

By Gary Curreri

Shelly Wik was hoping her Highlands Christian Academy girls’ soccer team would fare better than last year.

The Knights won just four games last year, and two were by forfeit. Highlands Christian Academy opened the year with 10 consecutive victories before it suffered its first loss of the season with a 1-0 setback at the hands of host Calvary Christian Academy on Dec. 17. The team will compete in the District 14-2A tournament this week.

“I was hoping to win a game,” said Wik, who is in her second year at the school. “I was hopeful that we would play well and play as a team and up until the Calvary Christian game, we were doing that.”

The Knights had defeated Calvary Christian, 5-0, earlier in the season; however, they were without the team’s leading scorer, Alley Costello, who was away, and Cameron Petreccia, who injured her ACL and hopes to return in a few weeks.

“We lost the game because we didn’t play as a team,” Wik said. “There were a lot of factors going into it, I think. It was Christmas break and a lot of the girls had finals today and their minds were just on other things.”

Last year’s squad had its share of injuries, the most difficult to overcome was the loss of Cybille Lassegue, who broke her collarbone in the first game of the season and was unable to play. The senior defender/midfielder is back this year.

“The girls were staying very focused on the game and as a team,” Wik said. “I have five seniors this year and four of them – Cybille Lassegue, Joanna Marko, Brett Lawhon and Jackie Justice ­– want to play soccer in college.”

Wik said the quartet all play for the same Parkland travel soccer team. Wik said she didn’t expect to get off to a great start.

“I knew we were good because we had eight returning players this year and have five seniors and all of them were returning,” Wik said. “I knew we were going to be able to contend because last year we were losing games by a point and we didn’t have as good an offense as we do now.”

The Knights went their eight games of the season without giving up a goal.

Wik said Kayla Wincko has made a successful conversion from playing as a forward last season.

“Over the summer, she got some training from the coaches at Florida Atlantic University,” Wik added. “Kayla saved 14 shots in a game and also saved two penalty kicks this season. Our defense is really good too.”

Tigers win own tourney

Blanche Ely’s girls’ basketball team staged a furious fourth-quarter rally to force overtime before eventually upending Boynton Beach, 67-62, to win the championship of its own Lady Tiger Holiday Classic recently.

Senior guard Talissia Carter notched 11 of her team-high 17 points over the final 12 minutes of play as the Tigers (9-2) outscored Boynton Beach, 23-16, in the fourth quarter.

With 47.9 seconds remaining in overtime, junior guard Cevon Jones’ steal and layup extended Ely’s lead to 63-60, and the Tigers were able to connect on their free throws to close it out.

Jones closed with 12 points and four rebounds, while Ariana Holness also finished with 12 points. Senior center Crystal Allen chipped in 13 rebounds and two blocks. Last year’s squad had its share of injuries, the most difficult to overcome was the loss of Cybille Lassegue, who broke her collarbone in the first game of the season and was unable to play. The senior defender/midfielder is back this year.