By Gary Curreri

Sophomore quarterback Trystan Lago passed for 183 yards and three touchdowns as visiting Highlands Christian Academy defeated Coral Springs Christian Academy, 26-20, at Mullins Park in the ‘Annual Battle of the Sword’ gridiron clash last Friday night.

Lago was 13 for 24 passing and found senior wideout Kyle Audet five times for 98 yards and three scores as the Knights (2-3, 1-1 in District 7-2A) won their fifth consecutive game in the series. Senior Arelious Burns added 16 carries for 158 yards and one TD in the winning effort.

Coral Springs Christian (0- 1, 2-2) won the first six meetings between the two schools beginning in 2002 with a 43- 27 victory. Highlands won last year’s game, 48-7.

“It’s been a great rivalry and tradition,” said Highlands Christian Academy Athletic Director Jim Good. “The winning team gets to keep the sword for the school year. The theme verse on the plaque reads: “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17).”

Ely downs unbeaten Monarch

Blanche Ely’s James Butler ran for 125 yards and one TD, while quarterback Nelson Irvin accounted for scores both in the air and on the ground as the Tigers (4-1, 2-0) ended Monarch’s hopes for an undefeated season in winning the District 14-7A contest, 20-14 last Friday night. Ely (4-1, 2-0) overcame three fumbles as they rolled to 257 yards on the ground. Irvin had an 11-yard scoring toss and added a 5-yard scoring run in the winning effort.

Monarch fell to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in District play with the loss.

Bucks pound visiting Douglas

Deerfield Beach’s Brandon Powell made his presence felt on the first play from scrimmage as the Bucks grounded visiting Douglas, 49-7, on Friday night.

Powell, a junior running back, scored on a 68-yard touchdown run on the Bucks first play from scrimmage to set the tone. Powell finished the first half with 183 rushing yards and three touchdowns en route to a 214-yard effort for the night. He also had scoring runs of 60 and 49 yards.

Teammate Aeron McNeal added 171 yards on the ground and two touchdowns of 10 and 42 yards for the Bucks, who improved to 1-3 overall and 1- 1 in the District 11-8A race. Douglas fell to 1-4 overall with its fourth consecutive loss and 0-2 in the District.

Golfing & Giving

The local chapter of Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) GOLF RALLY FOR A CURE is planning its fifth annual golf event fundraiser to help protect the women in our lives against cancer.

This fun and exciting golf outing on Sunday, Oct. 21 at Deer Creek Golf Club in Deerfield Beach, welcomes all levels of players – women and men – and offers great prizes, too.

Entry fee is $95 and includes golf, range balls, tips and dinner. There will be a 1:15 p.m. stroke play shotgun start. All proceeds will benefit The Women’s Imaging Center of the Memorial Foundation to support breast and ovarian cancer research, screenings and treatment.

For more information and to register for Golf Rally for a Cure Event, please go to www.ewgafortlauderdale.com register no later than Oct. 10.

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach football coach Alan Jackson said before last Thursday’s District 11-8A opener against Taravella that his team was still learning and trying to find out who they were.

With a talented group of juniors and underclassmen, Jackson’s team battled back twice from double-digit deficits only to fall 42-35 in overtime. While they found out a little bit more about themselves, this year’s team is still searching for its first victory of the year after three losses.

“We are still young and have a lot of juniors on this team,” said Jackson, who is in his second year at the school. The Bucks are coming off back-toback losing seasons and failed to make the postseason last year. “Our 2014 team should be pretty good.”

Trailing 14-0 after Taravella scored on its first two possessions of the game, Deerfield Beach roared back with 18 unanswered points to take an 18-14 halftime lead as Aeron McNeal scored on a 35-yard run and Kris Rosales added a 40-yard field goal to pull within 14-10 with 10:20 remaining in the second quarter.

McNeal finished the game with 11 carries for 172 yards.

DeerfieldBeach(0-3,0-0) took its first lead of the game on a 9- yard scoring pass from Levin to Justin Morgan before Humphries scored twice to stake the Trojans to a 28-18 lead.

The Bucks opened the fourth quarter scoring 17 points to jump back in front following a safety and Brandon Powell caught back-to-back, 22 yard TD passes from Levin to grab a 35-28 lead with 4:36 left in the game.

Taravella tied the game at 35-35 with 2:02 remaining on an 8-yard TD pass from Jerome to Robert Miller and won it in overtime on another Jerome TD pass.

“They are coming along,” Jackson said. “I am pleased with what we are doing. We are motivated. They wanted to make the playoffs this year. The 2014 kids wanted to make a statement this year. They don’t want to wait. That’s our motto. Let’s not wait until we are seniors; let’s do it now. That’s the kind of model we are in this year.”

Jackson said, despite the team’s record, there is more continuity this year because they have been in the system for a year. He believes they can still make the playoffs.

“We want to do the now,” Jackson said. “We have to be better now and can’t wait until later. We need to mature a little bit more. We have to cut down on all of the small, little mistakes and get tougher up front and offensively. We have two great backs, but we have to be consistent.”

Jackson said the team is counting on juniors Brandon Powell, LaJavious Thompson and senior Mike Gilbert, as well as junior Tyler Sayles, senior Royus Amos and Orlando transfer senior Aaron Williams.

Tigers roar, roll past Cougars

Blanche Ely’s Nelson Ervin passed for 227 yards and five touchdowns as Blanche Ely cruised past Coconut Creek, 55-6, in the District 14-7A opener on Friday night. The Tigers (3-1, 1-0) took an early 28-0 lead behind the efforts of Ervin, who completed three touchdown passes in the opening period. Running back James Butler added two first half scores as the Tigers took a 49-6 lead into halftime.

By Gary Curreri

The Deerfield Beach Sharks 11-Under girls softball team can call itself the World Champions after going through the United States Specialty Sports Association’s (USSSA) World Series undefeated Walt Disney’s Wide World of Sports recently.

Taylor Cochrane scored the lone run in the second inning and Brandi Antonio and Cochrane then shut the door with outstanding pitching by scattering seven hits as the Sharks blanked the Texas Hustle, 1-0, in the championship game.

The Sharks, who were limited to six hits in the championship game, managed to score their run after Cochrane reached on an error, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on an Alexa Ares hit to centerfield. It was the second victory in as many tries against the Hustle, which was the highest scoring team in the tournament. The Sharks won an elimination game against the team from the Lone Star state, 9-1, two games earlier.

“Our girls really showed what they were made of at the World Series,” said Sharks manager Karla Antonio. “They really pulled together as a team. Our hitting was great in some of the games; yet, in others, we needed our defense and pitching to step up in order to win.”

The Sharks rattled off six consecutive wins before facing off in the semifinal game against their interstate rival and defending World Series Champions, the Orlando Aftershock.

The Sharks had played Orlando six times previously since 2010 and had lost all six games by narrow margins. In the pivotal game of the tournament, Brandi Antonio held the Aftershock to no earned runs for five innings. Jordyn Griffith came in as a relief pitcher and sealed the deal against the Aftershock. Brooke Antonio and Chelsea Brown also turned in key defensive plays in the 2-1 win.

Nova Southeastern University women’s softball coach, Lesa Bonee, has been working with the USSSA team since 2009, and her coaching role has significantly expanded since. She works consistently to improve the girls’ hitting and makes time to give weekly private lessons to many of the athletes. Since working with Bonee, the team as a whole has shown great improvement in their overall performance and attitude.

Antonio said Bonee “makes things fun.” Bonee has had the NSU softball team serve as role models to the young players. The college players have helped provide softball instruction to the Sharks, as well as participated in fun, team-building activities such as tie-dying T-Shirts, pumpkin carving and even having a pie throwing contest at coach Bonee’s expense.

“Coach Dawn Boothe (former Head Coach at Deerfield Beach High School) worked with the team’s defense this season and really turned things around for us,” said manager Antonio. “Ryan Rogge (former Western Kentucky University pitching star) worked with our pitchers.”

“Their hard work throughout the year in all aspects of the game is what gave them the edge in the championship,” manager Antonio added. “I am extremely proud of this group of girls. They had a goal of winning the World Series this year and they made it happen!”

The World Series MVPs for the Sharks were Taylor Cochrane and Brandi Antonio (pitching), while Sami Restrepo was the Tournament MVP.

By Gary Curreri

While the Deerfield Beach Dolphins swim coaches spend each day of the South Florida Recreational Swim League Summer Championships dressing up in costumes for fun, it is serious business when it comes to the meet.

The Deerfield Beach Dolphins Swim Team won its 11th consecutive championship and 14th overall as it racked up 1,454 combined points to take the Large Division title South Florida Recreational Swim League Summer Championships recently at the Coral Springs Aquatic Complex.

Deerfield Beach swim coach Rafael DaSilva, who brought a league-high 124 swimmers to the championships, understandably was pleased with the performance.

“We did a great job with the returning swimmers on our team,” said DaSilva, who is in his seventh year with the program. “We didn’t set any records this year, but we also lost some key swimmers on our relays. We had some close swims among our own swimmers and went 1-2 or 1-2-3. Our main motto is to have fun whatever we do.”

There are 150 swimmers in program and DaSilva said they were hit by the economy and were down a number of swimmers compared to a few years back.

“We had a number of kids that we brought up from the noncompetitive and pre-competitive groups who are now on the fully competitiveteams,” DaSilvasaid. “They are really coming out of their shell and, with the work they are doing, are really improvingtheirtimes… theirstrokes.

We have a lot of new surprises.” DaSilva and his coaches dressed as zombies the first day, Ninja Turtles the second and “Where’s Waldo” characters on the final day.

“Some of the kids were questioning it,” DaSilva said with a laugh. “They thought we were Santa Claus. I want them to have fun, and, if we put a smile on their face, that is all we want to do.” Deerfield Beach Dolphins’ Tayme Thomas won the Boys 50-yard butterfly event and was on two winning relays. He said it was important because it was likely his last meet in the league. His family is moving to Titusville in October or November, he said.

“It is something you have to put the work into,” said Thomas, 13, an 8th grader at Boca Middle School. He’s been swimming since he was 7. “In other sports you can be good and get away with it, but in swimming, you have to put in all of the work. It just makes it better when you win. This meet is a big deal because it is the last one of the year and everybody is here.”

There are three seasons in the South Florida Recreational Swim League – Summer (May to Aug.); Winter (Sept. to Dec.) and Spring (Jan. to April). There is a three-week break between each season; the league is in its 25th year.

SFRSL chairman Chris Hoch said there were 19 teams that featured 1,000 swimmersthis summer. He believes the numbers will grow with it being an Olympic year.

If there were ever a time to be late for a football game (due to a prior commitment), then FAU’s home Opener Friday night against Wagner College was it.

I arrived at 9:10 p.m. with five minutes left in the second quarter and FAU trailing the Seahawks, 3-0. The first person I saw was Assistant Athletic Director and Media Relations Director Katrina McCormack. She smiled and said, “things worked out for you.” This meant that I didn’t miss much.

By halftime, FAU had amassed a mere 79 yards in total offense.

The Owls woke up during the fourth quarter as QB Graham Wilbert connected with wide receiver Byron Hankerson for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 11:36 left in the game. The drive was one play for 39 yards and the time of possession was seven seconds.

The 14,510 fans had their first win of the season before Labor Day. (Last season, it was after Thanksgiving before FAU won their first game. The Owls defeated UAB 38-35 on Nov. 26, 2011 in a 1-11 season.)

Wilbert went 10-13, had no interceptions for 126 yards and one touchdown. Hankerson had five receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown. Running back Martese Jackson gained 99 yards on 21 carries as FAU finished the game with 327 total offensive yards.

They defeated Wagner, which is located in Staten Island, New York and has been playing football since 1927. Going into the FAU contest, Wagner had an alltime record of 379-324-19 for a .534 winning percentage. They currently play in the Football Championship Series (FCS), a level below FAU, which participates in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

FAU has been playing football since 2001 and the Owls record is 58-74 for a .439 winning percentage. Despite being on different levels, the FCS schools compete well against the FBS squads.

(On Sept.1, 2007, Appalachian State put the FCS on the map, defeating the Michigan Wolverines, 34-32, in Ann Arbor, MI, in one of the biggest upsets in college football history.)

During week one of this season, FAU’s next opponent, Middle Tennessee State, lost 27-21 to McNeese State. Another FCS upset occurred in Pittsburgh, as Youngstown State defeated the Panthers, 31-17, of the Big East at Heinz Field.

These FCS schools are good and they produce quality NFL players. Former Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton and San Francisco ‘49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice began their Hall of Fame careers at FCS institutions.

When the game was over, FAU Coach Carl Pelini admitted he had butterflies during his head coaching debut.

“This was just another football game, but we prepared as best as we could,” Pelini said. “Nothing that happened out there shocked me. Graham did it for us. We made mistakes, no panic, and I will not apologize for a win.

“Our greatest leap should be between weeks one and two.”

By Gary Curreri

Lighthouse Point’s Delaney Edwards enjoyed a stellar high school tennis season last year at Cardinal Gibbons and continued that torrid pace at the IMG Academy in Bradenton this past summer.

Edwards, 15, who will be a sophomore with the Broward Virtual School this year, trains locally at the Rineberg Tennis Training (RTT) Academy based in Deerfield Beach. She began playing tennis at age 4 and has had the same coach, Dave Rineberg, since she was 6.

“I have a full-time coach (Dave Rineberg) at home so IMG is just a good change once in a while,” Edwards said. “I like the competition they offer with all the international kids, and I also enjoy using their gym and the fitness program.”

Edwards was recently named the Gatorade “G Standout Award”/IMG Academy Athlete of the Week for tennis. This is a prestigious award handed out during IMG’s summer camp season to an athlete who displays heart, hustle and soul, exhibiting a true desire to reach their true athletic potential.

All IMG Bollettieri Tennis camps feature a core tennis academy program that is progressive and builds on each day and week by incorporating the “Bollettieri Method” aimed at individual improvement.

“I was happy when I got the award because it showed that my hard work there was noticed,” said Edwards, who returned last year after taking a year off because she was burned out. “It also represented a start for a comeback.”

Edwards said her best memory from her high school season was when she decided to join the Chiefs during mid season.

“It was a turning point for me because I wanted to get back to playing matches,” said Edwards, who teamed with Kristin Wiley to finish second in the state high school tourney in doubles last year. “It was also great to come back to school after states with a silver medal.”

Edwards’ immediate goals are to regain a top national ranking in the Girls 18s and earn some good results in upcoming tournaments. She doesn’t plan to return to high school tennis this season.

“I am hoping to play a few ITF tournaments, as well as two pro circuit events in September,” said Edwards, who also works with Dave Remple at RTT. “I haven’t really thought about my future goals since I just recommitted to tennis so, for now, I take it day by day … my coach always says ‘never look back, enjoy the moment, and always move forward.’”

By Gary Curreri

Fittingly, when the Florida Flag Football League State Championship (FFFL) in Melbourne concluded, the team left standing was the Pompano Beach-based Apocalypse team.

James Panui, Quinton McLendon and Derrick Brown each scored touchdowns as Apocalypse defeated the Palm Beach Knights, 19-7, to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive FFFL state title recently in Melbourne, FL.

Apocalypse surpassed the previous record of four consecutive victories held by Palace Saloon of Tallahassee. Following the tournament, Brown was inducted into the Florida Flag Football Hall of Fame.

“All the credit for this championship goes to Tony Walton, our linebacker and defensive coordinator,” said Apocalypse coach Craig Miller. “Our offense was sputtering and not as high-octane as in the past. Our defense kept us out of the fire. Tony won MVP for the tournament.”

Playing a double elimination tournament against the best flag football teams in the state, Apocalypse defeated four teams to win it all. The local squad defeated the Impact (Orlando), 23-12; Ruff Ryders (Miami), 20-18, and the Palm Beach Knights, 24-12, to advance to the finals where it defeated the Palm Beach Knights again. It marked the second year in a row that Apocalypse defeated the Palm Beach Knights in the championship game.

Local headed to paralympic games

Pompano Beach resident and 41-year-old double amputee Bradley Johnson left this weekend for London where he will compete in the Paralympic Games as a member of the 2012 U.S. National Sailing Team.

After finishing his undergraduate degree in criminology in 1992, Johnson had his eyes set on attending law school at the University of Florida (UF). However, his life took a dramatic turn the day he took his law school entrance exams. While traveling on I-75, his automobile hydroplaned and slammed into a guardrail, which severed Johnson’s left leg below- the-knee and right leg above-the-knee. However, Johnson didn’t let the accident deter him from achieving his dreams as he went on to obtain his law degree from UF in 1997.

In 1999, while at the Hanger Clinic for a prosthetic follow-up appointment, Johnson saw an ad for the National Disabled Summer Games hosted by Disabled Sports U.S.A; this compelled him to seek out a viable sport in which to compete with the objective of achieving Paralympic glory. Johnson then took up sitting volleyball and competed in the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games.

It was there he was introduced to the U.S. Sailing Team coaches. Upon returning to the states, Johnson, who has always had a passion for the water, went on to join a sailing team and compete in the 2004 Paralympic Games. He took home a bronze medal!

In addition to chasing his Paralympic dreams, Johnson is a practicing attorney, an advocate for equal rights for individuals with physical disabilities and a motivational speaker.

By Gary Curreri

Gwen Bencie made the most out of her first year in the Deerfield Beach Ocean Rescue Junior Lifeguard program.

Bencie, 11, of Deerfield Beach, had spent her previous two years as a junior lifeguard with the Ft. Lauderdale program before moving to her hometown program.

She won the Girls C Division beach flags title, as well as the paddleboard championship, and placed third in the surf swim division in the second annual Florida State Junior Lifeguard Championships in Ft. Lauderdale recently.

“It is the first time I actually won beach flags,” said Bencie, who will be a Deerfield Beach Middle School sixth grader in the fall. “I was actually surprised, but really excited too. I never won beach flags before and the girls were really fast. I like junior life guarding because it is actually a lot of fun.”

Bencie said paddleboard is her favorite event. She’s captured nationals, regionals and states.

“Junior Life guarding has made me a stronger paddler and stronger in beach flags,” Bencie said. “It has also helped me learn about the water. They teach you how to rescue people.

Mike Brown, who heads the Deerfield Beach program, said the junior lifeguards get to see the other lifeguards from the other beaches and they may know them from school.

“We are proud to represent Deerfield and there is a lot of camaraderie there,” said Brown, who has been with the city for 15 years and headed up the program as its coach for the past six years. “A lot of kids, especially the ones who have never been a part of a team, accomplished something.”

Pompano Beach won the team competition with 1,240 points, while Ft. Lauderdale was second with 810 points. Hollywood and Deerfield Beach were third and fourth with 455 and 360 points, respectively, in the competition that featured nearly 150 competitors recently.

Other local double winners included Pompano Beach’s Sloan Sizemore (Run-Swim- Run, surf swim, Girls B Division); Pompano Beach’s Shane Shulte (Paddleboard, Run-Swim-Run, Boys C Division); Pompano Beach’s Kelly Shulte (Paddleboard, Surf-Swim, Boys B Division).

Individual winners included Pompano Beach’s Julia Schulte (beach flags, A Division); Glenis Carlson (beach flags, B Division); Pompano Beach’s Konnor Katzmark (Paddleboard, Boys A Division); Pompano Beach’s Race Wilhate (Run- Swim-Run, Boys B Division); Pompano Beach’s Clayton Adkins (Run-Swim- Run, Boys A Division).

As football training camp opens this week in preparation for the season opener on August 31 against Wagner College, there is one unexpected, but positive story line that occurred on Friday, August 3.

Former FAU Pitcher Mickey Storey was called up by the Houston Astros and arrived in Atlanta at 6:30 a.m., taking an overnight trip from Portland, OR, where his AAA team was playing, according to MLB.com.

Hours later, the 2008 graduate was making his bigleague debut, retiring the only two batters he faced against the Braves in Atlanta.

The first hitter Storey faced was veteran Dan Uggla, who started at second base for the National League in the 2012 Major League, Baseball All-Star Game.

Through Sundays action, the Astros are 36-73 and 30.5 games back behind National League Central Division leader the Cincinnati Reds and are the worst team in baseball. The Astros are playing their final year in the Senior Circuit.

Houston will begin play in the American League West in 2013 and will need all the capable pitching it can get as the Astros face the designated hitter.

The right-handed Storey compiled a 7-4 record with a 3.05 ERA this summer for Oklahoma City. He struck out 72 batters in 65 innings and yielded only 14 walks.

At FAU, Storey ranked second all-time in Owls history with 292 strikeouts and is tied for second in wins with 23.

He threw the program’s last no-hitter in 2006 against Campbell University, after being named the 2005 National Freshman of the Year by Collegiate Baseball.

Storey is the seventh FAU baseball player to advance the major leagues. Jeff Beliveau is currently a relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs (43-62) after being called up from the minor leagues in July.

There are now two players who got called up this summer by struggling teams.

For Storey and Beliveau, these promotions mean they have excellent opportunities.

With no disrespect to September, this is a month where the rosters are expanded to 40 players and it is considered “The Cup Of Coffee” to make an impression for Spring Training.

It will be interesting to monitor the careers of Storey and Beliveau in the coming years.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com.

RESULTS

• 40 Boats registered.
• 25 Boats weighed fish.
• 1st Place Boat: REEL MUSIC. Total weight 106 lbs. also had the largest Cobia at 43 lbs. Total winnings $1,500.
• 2nd Place Boat: SEA OTTER. Total weight 98.2 lbs. also had the largest King Fish at 43.4 lbs. Total winnings $1,000.
• 3rd Place Boat: BIG WAVE. Total weight 77 lbs. also had the largest Wahoo at 42.2 lbs. Total winnings $750..
• 4th Place Boat: REEL BAIT. Total weight 64 lbs. Total winnings $ 500.
• 5th Place Boat: BOAT OF HOURS Total weight 59.6 lbs. Total winnings $ 250.
• 1st Place Jr. Angler: Brian aboard REEL LINE. Two King Fish. Total weight 37.8 lbs.
• 2nd Place Jr. Angler: Coral aboard KELLY ANN. One King Fish. Weight 18.2 lbs.
• Tied for 3rd Place:
• Dillon aboard REEL BAIT. One King Fish. Weight 16.8 lbs.
• Joe aboard CREW ZING. One King Fish. Weight 16.8 lbs.
• The Pompano Beach Offshore Anglers held a raffle and donated $ 200.
• The fishing participants donated $ 200from a Heavy Weight Calcutta.
• Total donation to the Special Olympics Broward $ 3,400.00

St. Coleman Men’s Club would like to thank all the sponsors, participants and volunteers who make this event a great success.