By Gary Curreri

Although it wasn’t the storybook ending Deerfield Beach High School girls basketball coach Portia Williams had hoped for, it was a step in the right direction.

Host Boca Raton (26-7) jumped out to an early 13-2 lead and cruised to a 71-47 win over Deerfield Beach (25-7) at home in a Class 8A regional final game. The Bobcats went on to fall to Vero Beach, 77-68, in overtime in the state championship contest.

The Bucks got an unexpected boost from 5 ft., 5 in. freshman guard DenAsia Mitchell, who averaged 10.4 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 4 steals a game. Mitchell believed she had an opportunity to have a featured role this season after finishing up her middle school career at Carver Middle School in Delray Beach.

“It was a good season and it was good for my first full year,” Mitchell said. “It is a lot of pressure because I was a freshman and a co-captain. It is a big learning curve for me if I want to get better and go to college.”

Deerfield Beach coach Portia Williams was pleased with her team’s effort this season.

“This was a group of young energetic girls that were trying to gel day by day,” said Williams, who was in her 15th season as a coach. “They worked hard and I just had to try and keep them focused. It is a talented group of girls.

“As a 9th grader and seeing a point guard with (Mitchell’s) skill set and knowing the game like her, I just haven’t seen that in a long time,” Williams added, “I was surprised. We told them all season to stay focused and take it game by game. We just have to continue to work on little fundamental things with them.”

Wilburn hired by Tigers

Blanche Ely has hired Carl Wilburn as its new football coach succeeding Nakia Jenkins, who resigned in January after two years with the program.

Wilburn, 51, who has coached 27 years in Broward County, has been a head coach at Northeast and Coconut Creek, in addition to serving as a defensive assistant at Miramar, Dillard and Blanche Ely.

Wilburn takes over a Tigers’ program that finished 2-9 under Jenkins and fell in the Class 7A regional quarterfinals. Blanche Ely has reached the postseason 16 of the last 18 seasons, highlighted by a Class 5A state championship in 2002.

“There’s a lot of pride in that community,” Wilburn said. “I think that was the biggest thing to draw me. We have to work harder than anyone else.”

By Sandy Johnson

The Honda Classic Golf Tournament was played at PGA National Golf Course in Palm Beach Gardens in front of a record crowd of over 200,000 people.

“This is a tribute to the connection that the Honda Classic has made with the community. People enjoy coming out to the tournament and they have a great time once they are here,” said tournament executive director Ken Kennerly.

They were not disappointed by the golfing action that they saw.

Adam Scott held off Sergio Garcia in an exciting down-to-the-final-hole nail biter! But equally important to the pleasure of watching the tournament is the amazing impact it has on the local community. Children’s Health Care Charity contributes to Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation (founded by golfing great Jack Nicklaus) as the major benefactor of the tournament. Over the years, the Honda has given more than $28 million to this foundation and other local children’s charities. This is made possible by the folks that attend, the sponsors, the staff, but, even more so by the thousands of volunteer hours put in by locals.

The CouTOURe Club is a group of over 100 gals who run the hospitality tents all over the course, easily identified by their distinctive pink outfits that change daily. They are on-hand the whole week to make sure everyone is met with a smile and any problems are worked out.

These ladies do not stop at just working the Honda, but have many projects they work on all year long. Next up is gathering an array of gently-used jewelry, then going to the Grove Park Elementary School to let the students “shop” for a piece of jewelry to give to their moms for Mother’s Day.

Another great volunteer effort goes into the Patriot’s Outpost that honors all veterans past and present [by giving them a] place to watch the tournament, a meal and thanks from everyone in the area. There was even a wall where one could go and write a message of thanks to these well-appreciated Americans.

An interesting fundraiser that everyone can participate in is the Birdies for Children program. Any group can get involved with this. Individuals or businesses can solicit donations in the name of their favorite charity. Checks are sent to the Honda and they send a donation for the full amount plus a 10 percent donation from them to the charity. As a bonus, you get a chance to guess how many birdies will be made in the tournament. Winner receives a brand new Honda! Honda has been sponsoring this tournament for 35 years and has just signed on to continue for the next five years.

So go to the Honda Classic website and think about volunteering next year. Teens are welcome too! www.thehondaclassic.com.

Author C.J. Box signs autographed books.

By Karen Newcombe

The Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America (MWA) held their annual conference “Sleuthfest” in Deerfield Beach last week, at the Doubletree by Hilton, from Thursday through Sunday.

The MWA is the leading association for professional writers of crime fiction and non-fiction. The conference focuses on technical topics for writers, and brings national A-list authors, editors and literary agents to speak and work with participants. Professionals in the criminal justice field conduct workshops on procedures and technical aspects of crime solving, the law and other factors important to the crime writer.

This year, New York Times best-selling author C.J. Box, whose 18 books include the popular Joe Pickett series, was the keynote speaker at the Saturday luncheon. Box spoke about his life in Wyoming and the growth of his writing career. His experience as the owner of a marketing firm and as a journalist “working every aspect of a small, community newspaper” helped him develop the skills needed to become a successful author. Box is known for combining authentic details of Western life into his masterfully-plotted novels. Box’s newest Joe Pickett mystery, Off the Grid, will be available on March 8.

Other keynote speakers included P.J. Parrish – the pen name of sisters and co-authors Kristy Montee (a Ft. Lauderdale resident) and Kelly Nichols – former CIA operative Valerie Plame, and John Hartnett of Jack Farrell and Associates, a talent recruiting agency for the publishing and media industry.

Mystery Writers of America

Victoria Landis, the co-chair of Sleuthfest, told The Observer that about 250 attendees were at the conference from all over the United States, Canada, and even from Ireland and Spain.

“The Florida Chapter of MWA is one of the most active in the country,” Landis said. “The MWA has 11 regions. Membership is $115 per year, and is open to professional writers who are paid by an approved publisher for their work.”

The MWA board reviews all applications and writers must meet other criteria as well; for example, self-publication does not qualify. An Associate Membership category is open to publishing agents, journalists, filmmakers and others in related fields.

“Our focus at the conference is to offer support to writers at all career levels. We have workshops for new writers, those in mid-career and those who are already successful but want to learn how to move up to the next level.”

Writers attending the conference could schedule time to meet with literary agents and editors, including Neil Nyren, the well-known editor-in-chief of G.P. Putnam’s Sons division of Penguin Random House; Anne Speyer, editor at Ballentine Books; Kirsten Carleton, literary agent at The Prospect Agency, and many others.

For information about joining the MWA, visit www.mysterywriters.org, or for upcoming meetings of the Florida chapter, www.mwaflorida.org.

By Gary Curreri

At 81 years of age, Pompano Beach’s Bob Johnson finally got it right.

Johnson recently used a pitching wedge on the Par-3, 115-yard seventh hole on the Greg Norman Signature Pines Course at the City of Pompano Golf Course to pick up his first ever hole-in-one.

“Was I lucky or what?” asked Johnson, who was playing in the weekly Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association tournament. “Fifty years I have been playing and I never came close.”

“I just hit it right,” Johnson laughed. “It is pretty amazing for an old bastard like me. The only thing I thought of was that I had good contact. I never thought it was going to be a hole-in-one. It was a thrill. It was a nice feeling, especially after playing all of those years.”

When he returned to the clubhouse, he had to buy drinks for his fellow golfers, as is tradition for someone getting a hole-in-one.

“Of course everybody busted me, I had to buy the drinks for everyone,” Johnson said. “The first thing they said was, ‘buy a drink.’ Thankfully, they don’t drink much. If that happened 50 years ago, I’d probably still be there.”

How does he describe his game?

“Not good,” he chuckled. “I am average player. I play three times a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”

“I haven’t come close since,” Johnson said. “I am lucky if I hit the green.”

Johnson did have one regret.

“I should have said I was on a limited income,” Johnson added. His tab was helped out by a $100 check he received from a hole-in-one fund by the association.

Johnson still loves the camaraderie that the sport brings.

“When you get to a certain age and you don’t work anymore, it is nice to go out and meet friends,” Johnson said. “That’s the fun part about it. I played sports all my life and I enjoy that part.”

Johnson said it was also fun for the family.

“It was fun for my grandkids (Guy, Nick and Patricia) who came down to visit a week later,” Johnson said. “They got a thrill out of it. They are triplets and are 16 years old.”

Harris hired as Highlands gridiron coach

Highlands Christian Academy has hired Josh Harris as its new varsity football coach.

Knight, who is currently teaching at Somerset Canyons in Boynton Beach and attends Boca Glades Baptist Church, played college football at the University of Miami a freshman before he transferred to Tennessee State University.

Harris was the assistant JV football coach at Miami Northwestern Senior High School in 2011; the assistant varsity football/defensive line coach at Doral Academy in 2012. In 2013, Harris was the assistant varsity football/defensive Coordinator for Somerset Academy in Pembroke Pines.

“We are thrilled with Coach Harris accepting the position of Head Football Coach,” said Highlands Christian Academy Athletic Director Jim Good. Harris takes over a Knights program that went 2-7 last fall under interim coaches Sam Oge and Max Fisch. “It’s obvious Coach Harris has a love for the game, but his priorities are in order with God being at the top of the list and then his family.”

Highlands Christian will be competing in a spring jamboree on Thursday, May 19 with Jupiter Christian and Somerset Canyons. Currently, HCA is a member of the Florida Independent Football Conference.

Simply Soccer Camp starts soon

Simply Soccer Camp, which has boys and girls, ages 5-14 of all skill levels, and has attracted children from throughout Broward County, will host its Spring Break Camp at Mullins Park in Coral Springs.

The camp will be held from March 21-25.

There are three sessions ranging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a Tiny Tot program from 9 a.m. to noon. Players will be taught a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.

It is the longest running soccer camp offered by the city. Campers must bring a soccer ball, swimsuit, shin guards, water bottle and lunch. For information on the Coral Springs camp, call 954-345-2200.

By Gary Curreri

Being named to the University of Miami’s Hall of Fame in 2008 was one thing, but Octavia Blue was humbled on Sunday when her #10 jersey was retired by the school prior to the team’s 67-56 overtime victory over Virginia Tech at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables.

“It was an awesome day,” Blue said. “It was really special.”

The University of Miami retired assistant coach Blue’s jersey before the game. She is the fourth player in program history to receive the honor, joining Maria Rivera, Frances Savage and Tamara James.

Blue’s 2008 Hall of Fame class included President’s Cup golfer Woody Austin, basketball stars Octavia Blue and Mike Wittman, football’s Jeff Feagles, Randal “Thrill” Hill and K.C. Jones, Golden Spikes winner Pat Burrell and Olympic diving medalist Wendy Williams.

“The Hall of Fame was awesome,” Blue said. “There is a 10-year gap after you finish playing before you can be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Right at my 10^th year, they put me in. That was an unbelievable honor. I got in with a great class. I was surprised and honored to be inducted with them.”

“(Sunday) was crazy,” Blue added. “It felt like 10 times more special. I don’t like to compare the two because they are both great honors, but when you go into the Hall of Fame there are basically eight to 10 of you going in and when you get your jersey retired, they are singling you out. It makes you look back and reflect over your whole career with all of the people who have been involved in your development and helped, had a hand in your success as an individual. It all came together and it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was a really proud moment for me.”

Blue played with the Hurricanes from 1994-98 and still sits in seventh place on Miami’s all-time scoring list with 1,724 career points. She also ranks seventh in career field goals made with 671.

After her Miami career ended, Blue was the 15th overall draft pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 1998 WNBA Draft.

Blue went on to play with the Sparks and the Houston Comets, as well as playing professionally overseas with stops in Turkey, Greece, Israel, Poland, and France before beginning her coaching career.

Coaching took her to St. Thomas, St. John’s and Georgia Tech universities before she returned to Miami and joined coach Katie Meier’s staff in 2012.

Admittedly, Blue was a “late bloomer.” She was an eighth-grader at Nova Middle School when the girls’ basketball coach saw her shooting baskets in a PE class and convinced her to give the sport a try. She went on to star during her high school career at Nova High School and earned a scholarship at the University of Miami.

“When I got to high school, I was really good at it, but I was really raw,” said the 39-year-old Blue. “I didn’t have skill. I just had natural ability and that actually landed me at the University of Miami.

“When you start off so young, it could probably get stale because you have played so long, but it was still very new and fresh to me and I was excited about the game and that is how I played,” she continued. “All of that passion enabled me to get a college scholarship and, from then on, the successes just kept piling up. The opportunities kept presenting themselves.”

When the WNBA was founded in 1997, Blue knew it was something she wanted to pursue. After an Achilles tendon injury cut short her professional playing career, Blue had no aspirations of coaching. Her former college coach convinced her to coach the post players at St. Thomas University and that led to her Division 1 stints.

“For the players I coach now, it is something I tell them to strive and try to be the best in anything you put your hands in,” said Blue, Hurricanes’ recruiting coordinator and is responsible for the development of Miami’s post players. “There is so much more to accomplish.

“For me, I want to continue to inspire young people and that’s why we coach,” said Blue, who hopes to be a Division 1 head coach someday. “When you are 18 to 22, those are the years you are in college and those are the most impressionable years of their lives. That’s what coaches and teachers, and educators, do. We help mold young people. I want to continue to do that and be a role model and a model citizen, and good things will come.”

Her recognition on Sunday will last a while.

“(Sunday) had to be at the top of the list of anything of anything that ever happened to me,” she said. “Obviously, I love the University of Miami. I had so much support from family and friends. I had people come from Deerfield Beach. People that I have known since I was 6 years old all the way up to my agent who managed my professional career – she flew down from New York. So many people who have helped me along the way were all there to celebrate that special moment with me – my family, my mother … it was just really special and a nice honor.”

By Rachel Galvin

Many made merry at the opening weekend of the Renaissance Festival in Quiet Waters Park. The annual event takes place over seven weekends this year, running until March 27.

Guests could watch a show while they grabbed some food and drink and strolled through the booths filled with everything from authentic garb to swords and pottery. A few craftsmen showed off their glass blowing skills while washing wenches got the audience all wet and pirates blasted cannons. Kids bounced on bounce houses nearby, climbed the rock wall, went down the zipline or rode on rides. Of course, the highlight of the event is always the joust with royalty present.

To find out more about this joyous family friendly event, visit www.ren-fest.com.

By Gary Curreri

Highlands Christian Academy boys soccer coach Darryl Mauro said his team did as well as expected given the fact they didn’t train as a full unit until midway through the season.

The Knights finished the 2015-16 campaign with an impressive 14-2-2 record following a hard-fought 2-1 loss to host Trinity Christian in the Class 1A regional semifinal.

Highlands opened the season with a 1-1 draw with Coral Springs Charter and suffered its only loss of the season to King’s Academy, 2-0, in the third game of the year on Nov. 10 and went unbeaten the rest of the way until falling to Trinity Christian.

“We had the early loss and we do what we can with the players we have,” Mauro said. “When you have four full-time players and the rest don’t touch the ball until October, we only have they little window to try and teach them.”

“They do have fight when they need to and it usually comes when their backs are against the wall,” Mauro added. “We went down 2-0 and we fought and we fought.”

Jorge Zambrano and Joey Daanti scored for the host Warriors (14-3-4), while Evan Henderson scored for the Knights with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game.

Mauro moved senior defender Caleb Bien-Aime up top and hoped no one would break through as he changed his formation to a 3-4-3. He also received strong play from senior forward Elijah Kerr.

“I had two ninth graders (Bryce Everette and Kyle Coulson) on the outside and a senior (Henderson) on the inside (defenders),” Mauro said. “They did their job. Our goalie (freshman John Harris) was sick all week and he did as well as he could.”

The Knights will graduate four starters and Mauro hopes that the school will start an intramural program.

“It would be more established with a soccer-minded (philosophy) so the kids can touch the ball because our biggest issue is, since we are a small school, most of our players don’t touch the soccer ball again until October,” Mauro said. “That’s why I have a full head of grey.”

Mauro said, in addition to the football players, another issue he faces is that he didn’t get his international baseball players until early in the season.

“I was working with baseball so that they could finish their club ball and I don’t think we had a full training session with them until mid-December,” said Mauro, who had to wait on forward Tisjar Clotida and defender Swindly Lint to come out for the team after baseball had ended. “We beat some good teams this year and we tied Hillel, which was our only other blemish.”

Mauro said the team ran into a more talented Trinity Christian squad. It was still an improvement for the Knights, who didn’t make it past the district semifinals last year and graduated a lot of seniors from that squad.

“I had two baseball players and a couple of others come back,” Mauro said. “I am thankful I can coach with my son. I just want good soccer and today wasn’t their best. I thought (Trinity Christian) was a little more talented. They had five players up top. Their midfield and forwards had a little more energy than we had.”

“Today, I just think it was the pressure on them,” Mauro concluded. “We teach them to play patient, simple soccer. I want them to dribble. I want them to pass. I just love good soccer.”

By Rachel Galvin

Tuesday morning, Feb. 16, an EF 1 tornado ripped through Pompano Beach with winds between 86 to 110 m.p.h. causing extensive damage there and in nearby Lighthouse Point, including power outages. The Muvico was just one place that had downed trees, including ones that pulled up the sidewalk.

Near the theater, Pete Smith and his wife, Lisa, slowly picked up tree branches in front of their home in the aftermath of the storm.

“It sounded like the world was coming to an end,” said Smith, who heard the storm at about 7:30 a.m., and says this is the first storm like this he has experienced personally, despite being there for 30 years. He was out of town during Wilma.

“We had fence damage, siding flew off the house,” he continued. “We don’t have money. I have a $5000 deductible on my insurance. I barely make it on social security. I have a bad back and can’t pick up [debris]. I asked the city to cut down the big tree out front, but they did not do it. When it falls, it’s going to kill someone.”

The Goodyear Blimp base  also had tree damage and lost some letters from its sign.

The most significant damage was to the nearby Sand & Spurs with horse trailers overturned and trees careening down near stables.

The Hooper family, from Lighthouse Point, who had damage on their street and no power at home, came to Sand & Spurs to check on their horse, Daisy, which, luckily, was okay despite the gigantic tree overturning nearby .

Krystal Cliver has had her horse here since 2009, but nothing like this has ever happened.

“There was one horse with stitches on its nose and one with stitches on his rib cage,” she said. “The horses are okay. People are okay. Now, it’s just clean up.”

A portable stage was picked up and thrown and is a loss, according to Pompano Beach PIO Sandra King, who added they asked FP&L to turn off the power due to downed wires in the area, but saying there were also pockets of power outages. In addition, she said, there was damage to the golf course.

There was also a tornado in the Miami area as well, which resulted in similar damage and a tractor trailer overturned on I-95.

Daisy, the horse, was not injured, despite this large tree crashing down near her stable at Sand & Spurs.

The Goodyear Blimp base had damage to its trees and sign.

Pete and Lisa Smith struggle to remove branches strewn in their yard from an unwanted tree on their property that they have asked the city to remove. They also had fence and siding damage from the storm.

The sidewalk near Muvico (on the south side of shopping center) was uplifted.

A tree near PDQ was uprooted.

Photo by Bryan Hursh

National Signing Day is in the books. On Wednesday, Feb. 3 the top prospects from Deerfield Beach High School signed their letters of intent to play college football at their respective universities. Congratulations to the class of 2016!

Athletes

• Aaron Robinson (DB): University of Alabama

• Cavin Ridley (WR):University of Georgia

• James Pierre (SS):University of North Carolina

• Simeon Brown (FS): Bethune Cookman University

• Jefferson Souza (K): Alcorn State University

• Michael Arthur Jr. (DE): ASA New York

• Jefftey Joseph (WR):Virginia Union University

By Rachel Galvin

On Feb. 7, little surfers hit Deerfield’s beach for the Gnarly Charley’s Grom Surf Series competition. Eighty-one kids aged 15 and under competed. The event was put on by Charley Hajek, who lives in New Smyrna Beach but holds competitions up and down the east coast.

Hajek, who is the nine-time East Coast Champion and is getting ready to go to regionals himself, said, “This keeps kids off the streets and in the water. I teach them strategies and good sportsmanship.”

His surf series includes nine divisions. This is his second time in Deerfield. One of his next competitions is in Jupiter on Feb. 27 and Ft. Pierce after that in March.

Island Water Sports and Billabong sponsored the event.

For more information, visit www.gnarlycharleysurfseries.com.