By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach Little League President Kathleen Williams was pleased with her program’s postseason results in the District 10 All-Star competition as the 50/70, Junior and Senior Division squads all finished as runner-up in the District 10 All-Star competition.

“The Deerfield Beach Little League is in their 60th year and still going strong,” Williams said. “This is the first time in 10 years that our 9/10s have gone more than two games in the district playoffs, so that shows growth.”

Deerfield Beach 9/10 manager Warren Fronte knew from the start that his group had a chance to reach the title game against North Springs; and, despite the defeat, he said the team battled during postseason play.

“Listen, they haven’t won anything in 13 years so to bring this to five wins and second place, we are more than happy,” Fronte said. “We are more than ecstatic. These kids are all champions in my book.”

“From Day 1, right from the get go, these kids put their hearts out and dominated our first team 25-8 and it was totally amazing,” Fronte said. “It was like, wow, we got a team.”

Selections of the 8-9-10 and 9-10-11 Deerfield Beach Little League All-Star teams came from eight teams in the league to pick from.

“It was a little tough with what we had to play with, but we got us some winners,” Fronte said.

“There will be lasting memories for the group,” Fronte noted.

“Hopefully, they learned to be a professional player as far as their age league goes,” Fronte said. “Hopefully, their parents see it the same. These are players. They are not just little kids playing little league. They are athletes.

“You could tell right off the bat which children pushed themselves to the max and a lot of them have,” he concluded. “They have their teammates backing them up and pushing them the rest of the way.”

The Deerfield Beach Little League fielded 25 teams during the regular season this year and 270 players.

“We limited the teams to 11 players so everybody got more playing time,” Williams said. “Next year, we are discussing going back to the Major Division, instead of just the 50/70 Division.”

In the in-house divisions, the River Bandits won the Farm Division; the White Caps won the Minor Division; Cubs won the 50/70 Division and Mets won the Junior Division.

Brown wins PBMGA Tourney

Chuck Brown carded a 65 and won a match of cards to take the Class A Division title in the Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association tournament on the Pines Course at Pompano Beach Golf Course on July 12.

Brown was closest to the pin on the 15th hole when his tee shot wound up 12 ft., 11 in. from the hole.

Jim DeCicco, who also shot a net 65, was second in the Individual Class Play, while Tom Breur shot a 69 and won on a match of cards for that spot. In the Class B Division, Joe Patchen won with a 66, while Scott Feinman shot a 70 for second place and George Torres carded a 72 for third.

Richard Bell edged Dave Dowling by one shot in winning the Class C Division with a 68, while Bob Bridgman had a 71 for third. 

By Rachel Galvin

There is a new Italian restaurant in Deerfield Beach. Celebrating its grand opening, Luigi Di Roma is located in the old Frank and Dino’s (which has moved to East Boca Raton). Chamber members had a chance to sample some cuisine at the ribbon cutting on April 20. This new locale, owned by Al Bova and his fiance Kristine Plesniak (pictured, pg. 1), features regional Italian cuisine.

“I have long felt a high end Italian restaurant with large portions and reasonable prices would do well here,” said Bova. “Most Italian restaurants are overpriced and the quality is not good.”

Here, you will find selections like meatballs or Italian sausage slow simmered in Sunday gravy and ricotta over rigatoni, snapper francese, chicken parmigiana, fettucine alfredo, seafood fra diavolo, panini sandwiches and so much more. On Sundays, they have brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They have a full bar and a happy hour every day from 4 to 7 p.m. with cocktails, wine and beer for half price and six light bites for $6 each. Ask about their family dinner, available on certain days, in which you can get a four course meal for $20.

They have entertainment Wednesdays through Saturdays starting at 6:45 p.m.

Luigi Di Roma is open starting at 4 p.m. every day but Sunday and closes at 10 p.m. during the week, 11 p.m. on weekends. They are located at 718 S. Federal Hwy. in Deerfield Beach. For more information, call 954-281-8788 or visit www.LuigiDiRoma.com.

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

I am a positive person, actually an optimist. I am not a complainer. If the soup isn’t hot enough, I don’t send it back; I slurp it anyway. If the gardener allows the branches from my trees to bend over onto the walkway, I take a pair of clippers and prune away. If the cashier at the dollar store checked out one dollar too many, I tend not to go back for my dollar. Two dollars? Maybe! If “they” predict rain on my beach day, I go anyway, knowing how wrong “they” can be. And when friends lie prostrate on the floor kicking and screaming about the election, I bring them a drink of water and a cold wash cloth and say, “Give it a chance.”

But here are two irritations that just won’t go away – and I AM complaining this time. Both have to do with noise. My hearing has recently been checked, and, for a tottering senior, it functions remarkably well. So I get seriously agitated with loud noises that interfere with my ability to hold a conversation.

The first culprit is the leaf blower. This may seem like paranoia, but I am certain that the Leaf Blowers Union has a schedule of my activities, and that the most persistent of them is assigned to me on a daily basis. My location doesn’t matter as long as it has a tree with falling leaves. Having a philosophical chat, or engaging in titillating gossip on anyone’s back-yard patio or even the most prestigious hotel grounds in any state, province or outlying other-world country, inevitably signals the arrival of “the leaf blower” followed closely, on my part, by a series of non-modulated “what”s?

The above is what I call an active transgression. The noise abatement issue that is more treacherously passive occurs in restaurants all over the world at the most popular hangouts. Of course, if you are European or South American and you are accustomed to dining more towards the midnight hour, you might not feel the stinging resentment of paying outrageous prices per person to scream at your companions or to play the ping pong game of “what, what and what?” By that hour, when your choice of entree has already been ingested to the max with no remaining pickings, the crowd has thinned, the service help anticipates release, you can get away with whispering conversations.

But for those of us who prefer to dine at the socially acceptable hours between 7 and 8 p.m. any day of the week — forgetaboutit!

Dismissing the probability that you have already waited beyond 10 minutes for your reserved table, once you are seated and anticipating a pleasant catch-up conversation with your companions, you will be wishing for a megaphone and/or hearing aids — that work.

But, I was warned early on that life is not fair. In a desperate appeal to higher educators, I offer to support any noise abatement program on your campus that can come up with what should be a simple solution, given that men have gone to the moon, and automobiles are now running without drivers.

So until someone takes me up on my offer, you will find me in the aisles of Publix, where shopping is indeed a quiet pleasure, purchasing ingredients for healthy meals at home – often with friends – and on track for becoming the hostess of the year.

Start your meal with delicious calamari served with marinara and garlic aioli.

By Rachel Galvin

BRIO Tuscan Grille has become a go-to locale for Italian lovers over the last five years. Nestled within the Shops at Boca Center, the restaurant has a wide range of specialties, from Gorgonzola Crusted Beef Medallions to Veal or Chicken Milanese, Balsamic Braised Beef Short Rib to Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, and more. They have brought in lighter selections like quinoa and farro, to name a few, and even have a gluten free menu available.

One of General Manager Elvin Baoilli’s favorites is the Kale Caesar Salad. The key is taking the kale and preparing it ahead of time by marinating it with virgin olive oil.

Walking up to BRIO, you hear the muted hum of happy customers chatting while sitting on the outdoor patio, a perfect place for people watching. Inside, they have a full bar and plenty of places to sit in its large interior. But the place gets busy so making a reservation is a good idea.

Ready to try what BRIO has to offer? Start with an appetizer. A great choice is the calamari. It is perfectly cooked, slightly crispy and served with your choice of garlic aioli or marinara sauce, perfect for sharing. Next, you may want to try their Shrimp and Lobster Fettuccine, one of their specialties. The shrimp, especially, bursts with flavor. Even traditional standards like Pasta a la Vodka serve up some surprises here. Each piece of pasta is actually like a little purse that wraps around the delicious goodness inside. Whatever selection you choose, pair it with one of their wine selections, which come via bottle or glass. Don’t forget dessert. Their tiramisu come refreshingly cold and deliciously creamy.

Although their menu may have changes, their dedication to flavor has remained the same, according to one of the chefs, Sous Chef Steve Shoemaker, but the presentation has changed to a more rustic feel.

“We want people to feel like they are eating in their own home,” he said, adding that even some of the crockery feels more homestyle.

Try this specialty: lobster and shrimp fettuccine.

BRIO is a franchise so they have plenty of restaurants around the country, including 14 locations in South Florida alone. They also do catering.

The Boca Raton restaurant is located at 5050 Town Center Circle, Ste. 239. For more information, call 561-392-3777 or visit

Their Pasta alla Vodka has little pasta “purses” filled with delicious goodness.

www.brioitalian.com.

No Italian meal is complete without dessert. Try the tiramisu. In the background is the Torta di Cioccolata. Pair with one of their coffee selections.

About Boating Safely Class

Saturday, Feb. 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Spanish River Park HQ Bldg

3001 N. St. Rd. A-1-A

Boca Raton, FL 33431

Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 3-6 presents this one-day class. $20- ages 12-19/ $35 adults. For questions or to R.S.V.P., call 561-391-3600 and leave a message.

The Big Read Workshop

Saturday, Feb. 4, 2 p.m.

Percy White Library

837 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The Big Read, a community-wide reading project, is exploring The Namesake by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri, As part of the program, there will be a Bengali Elephant Textile Art Workshop presented by Young At Art at this library. Library visitors will get a chance to create a beautiful and colorful Bengali elephant textile. A Young At Art Educator will showcase several traditional examples of designs, including folk stories, flowers, birds, animals and geometric patterns. Recommended for ages 9 or older. For registration, please call 954-357- 7697 and leave name and telephone number.

Boca Raton Museum Of Art Festival

Saturday, Feb. 4 & Sunday, Feb.5 , 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Boca Raton Museum of Art

501 Plaza Real

Boca Raton, FL 33432

Free festival features 200 of the nation’s best artisans who will display and sell high-quality art, including ceramics, wood, fiber, glass, drawing, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography and sculpture. Art Activity Zone in the Amphitheater with performances and fun activities for the entire family. Proceeds help support the museum’s educational programs for children and youth. For more information, visit www.bocamuseum.org.

The Lucky Generation —

Presented by Peter Wise

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m.

Community Presbyterian Church

1920 SE 4 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Author, Peter Wise, explains why he labels us “The Lucky Generation.” Open to the public. Lunch is included. $10 donation is appreciated. Parking is complimentary. For more information, call 954-427-0222.

Meet the Mayoral candidates

Thursday, Feb. 9, 7 to 9 p.m.

Royal Fiesta

1680 SE 3 Court

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Presented by the Deerfield Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club of Deerfield Beach, this event will give the public a chance to meet the candidates for the mayoral election. Included in the forum will be former representative Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed, Commissioner Bill Ganz, Ben Preston and Ken Wayne. For more information, visit www.deerfieldchamber.com

Sisterhood Temple Beth Israel meets

Thursday, Feb. 9, 11:30 a.m.

Temple Beth Israel

201 S. Military Tr.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Lisa Lobel, of Broward Public Library, will review The Black Widow By Daniel Silva. Fee: $9 (includes kosher luncheon) All, including men, are welcome. For information, call 954-421-7060, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to noon.

Save the Date: Auction and Brunch

Saturday, Feb. 11, 9 to 11 a.m.

Oveta McKeithen

445 SW 2 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The Woman’s Club, Rotary Club, Historical Society, Butler House and Kiwanis Club East are going to join the Kiwanis Club West for an auction and brunch, with fish and grits, and more. Brunch is from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Please bring things to donate to the auction. Tickets: $15. Call Vel. at 954-428-1537 for information.

Family Sports Day

Sunday, Feb. 12, 1 to 3 p.m.

Frank McDonough Park

3500 NE 27 Ave.

Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Registration: 11:30 to noon. For more information, visit www.city.lighthousepoint.com or contact Becky Lysengen at 954-784-3439 or via email at lhprec@lighthousepoint.com.

Pompano Beach Garden Club Soup Luncheon

Saturday, Feb. 18, 11:30 a.m.

Emma Lou Olson Civic Center

1801 NE 6 St.

Pompano Beach, FL. 33060

Includes lunch, raffle and silent auction. Book review and speaker on how to grow and care for orchids. Books and plants for sale. Benefits various charities. Tickets: $18.

Contact Karen Gott 954-532-5602.

2017 KEEPER DAYS

“Lighthouse Point What a Catch; A Fisherman’s Paradise”

Friday, Feb. 10 to Sunday, Feb. 12

• Kickoff Dinner

Friday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m.

Lighthouse Point Yacht Club

2701 NE 42 St.

Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

This year’s Keeper Honorees are The Kniskern family, of KMC Marine; The Ganter family, of Seafood World; and Tom Greene, of Custom Rod and Reel. Tickets: $60 per person. For more information, call Becky Lysengen at 954-784-3439.

• Parade & Celebration

Saturday Feb. 11, 10 a.m.

Route: From First Presbyterian Church of Pompano Beach to NE 24 Street north, to Frank McDonough Park (at 3500 NE 27 Ave.) The parade route will be closed for 20-minute intervals between 10 and 11 a.m. Daytime celebration: Frank McDonough Park, 11 a.m. to 1 pm., includes a car show, bounce houses and entertainment.

• Evening celebration

Saturday Feb. 11, 6 to 9 p.m.

Dan Witt Park

4541 NE 22 Ave.

Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Includes concert by Big City Dawgs, food vendors and

fireworks. Bring lawn chair.

By Rachel Galvin

For five decades, Joe Biondo has been creating his pizza creations. In 2015, he moved from his location in The Cove Shopping Center, where he had been for five years, and moved to his current location in the Deerfield Square Shopping Center (606 S. Federal Hwy.) He credits the move as his best decision yet, citing his increased visibility and easy access to parking as the reason for his increase in customers.

As his business has grown, he has also expanded his menu, and that is where the Pizza Plus comes in, including deli different sandwiches – reubens, pastrami and more; wings; burgers; chicken fingers, calzones; strombolis and salads.

“Our Philly Cheese Steak is filled with 12 oz. of meat and cheese,” said Biondo, who added, “Nobody uses Italian cold cuts like we do. We use Black Angus beef. We make our own pizza dough, sauce, everything is homemade and hands-on.”

They have plenty of sides to add, such as French fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, garlic knots, meatballs and Italian sausage.

Their pizza remains a staple. It comes in various sizes, including a 10 in. personal pizza, a 12 in. and a 17 in. All the pizzas come with grande cheese.

“The regular pizza is called Napoleton, which in Florida is called New York style. We also have double dough, which is like a pan pizza – thick, and our Sicilian is a tomato pie, with lots of herbs and Romano and Mozzarella cheeses, virgin olive oil and fresh basil,” he said, adding, “We have gourmet pizzas, including chicken pesto, Florentine, Hawaiian Chicken and pineapple and white pizza (with Ricotta, Romano and Mozzarella) and Margarita (with fresh tomato and fresh basil). Our signature pizza is the Biondo Supreme.”

The secret ingredient is tradition. He uses his family’s longtime recipes. They hail from Cinisi, Sicily. Today, the business is run not only by Joe, but also his wife, Janet, and her son, David.

In addition to a wide variety of Italian specialties, they also have beer and wines available, including some selections from Italy, as well as soda.

Don’t forget dessert! They have cannolis, NY Style Cheesecake and zeppolis.

Biondo’s has always been known as a take-out and delivery locale, but they are really hoping people sit within their seating area, get away from the grind for awhile and enjoy. They even have a flat-screen TV to watch. Their prices are so affordable it makes it easy to feed the whole family.

They deliver within a 3-mile radius ($10 min. delivery). For more information, call 954-427-7754 or visit www.Biondo’s pizza.com.

By Rachel Galvin

When a loved one dies, there is often shock, disbelief, denial, anger, profound sadness. When the person who has passed has not left their loved ones with their final wishes, conflict can ensue between family members, making the situation even worse. That is why, although it is difficult to think or talk about, doing pre-planning for a funeral is the best and most loving thing a person can do for those left behind, according to Annie O’Mara and Jeff Marsman of Kraeer-Becker Funeral Home in Deerfield Beach.

Planning a funeral after someone has passed is not easy.

O’Mara, the Funeral Director, said, “Putting together a funeral is like planning a wedding in three days.”

She explained that besides picking whether the person will be buried or cremated, there is the selection of the casket, the clothing, the music, whether there will be a luncheon after, etc. There is always the question for those left to do the memorial if they are doing what their loved one who has passed would have wanted.

“Having the discussion before it is necessary alleviates that wondering ‘Am I doing the right thing?’ It also allows for a more rational conversation. They get exactly what they want. When a death happens, the family members are in such a state of shock, it heightens the emotions and makes it more difficult. It is a loving gesture [on the part of the person who makes the pre-planning for themselves. It [eliminates] the burden,” she said.

Marsman, the Director of Family Services, said, “No two services are the same. Every family is unique.”

O’Mara added, “We can accommodate everyone’s religion, cultural beliefs and personalities. If it is possible, I can make it happen. There is no right or wrong way. I can make sure it is as special and individual as the person was.”

She has seen it all. She has been at Kraeer for the last 1 ½ years but was funeral director for 11 years elsewhere on the west coast.

She said, “I have cried with a few people. We sometimes laugh. I cannot change what has happened, but I can make the process the best it can be, make the experience easier.”

One of the other reasons, she said, to do pre-planning is to lock in the price.

“The last 50 years, the average cost of a funeral has doubled every 10 years…,” she said.

Rates for funerals can run over $7000 said Annie and that is just for a service and economical casket. When you add clergy, an obit, escorts for the funeral procession, a luncheon, etc., it can add up. Kraeer-Becker handles A to Z, including clergy, florist, caterer, cemetery and more. Each cemetery, she explained, has different requirements, which she navigates and explains to the customer.

The plans are guaranteed by the state. If something happens to the funeral home or insurance company, the state will make sure it is still honored. If the funeral home goes out of business, another sister home or associated facility will take it over, she added.

“Like the banking industry, we are insured,” she explained. “We [Dignity Memorial] are the largest provider of family services within the country. If you move to California, Texas, Nebraska, [etc., we can transfer the plans]. You don’t have to worry about redoing it.”

Dignity Memorial has over 2000 locations in North America. The Kraeer-Becker Funeral Home in Deerfield Beach is located at 217 E. Hillsboro Blvd. For more information, call 954-427-5544 or visit www.kraeerdeerfieldbeach.com.

By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

This column completes my 17th year in which my picture has been associated with Flicks, which is as long as Dan Marino’s career with the Miami Dolphins. Since 1999, I have written through five presidential elections, covered over 30 film festivals in Broward, Palm Beach and Dade counties and reviewed closed to a 1000 films for The Observer. I am very thankful that people still have an interest in my opinion about the movies.

2016 has been an interesting year for the business. The biggest blockbusters (Finding Dory. Captain America: Civil War, The Jungle Book, Deadpool) were released in the first half of the year. With the exception of Sully and Rogue One, the second half of the year suffered from a disappointing box office performance.

There can be many factors that have caused cinema’s deflating box office: riveting news coverage of the election and terrorism attacks, sports drama featuring the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Cubs and even the Miami Dolphins having their first winning season in eight years. The common denominator is that television programming has done much to erode the cinema box office.

In November 2016, the Ft. Lauderdale International film Festival promoted the motion picture industry in our community. Gregory Von Hausch, Jan Mitchell, Erin Fontes, Melissa Fresita, Lenny Wong and a crew of hundreds efficiently screened films from all over the world and hosted informative interviews from Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Arlene Dahl to a young talent like Bailee Madison.

Currently on the big screen is Lion, which earned the FLIFF “best in the fest” award. This film is truly representative of international filmmaking for it was produced in both Australia and India, featuring Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman in an important supporting role.

Sixteen years ago, Kenneth Lonergan’s You Can Count On Me was an independent motion picture that shocked the Hollywood mainstream by earning multiple Oscar nominations. This year’s Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea has earned honors on the cinema awards circuit. It is a drama about grief, but features some satisfying realistic humor.

My goal is to continue to write this column for at least another two years. However, I am concerned that I may be as extinct as the dinosaur. Stay tuned, I will do my best to keep stories interesting in 2017. Happy New Year!

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

Twenty sixteen – departed and gone

A year that was quite a phe-nom-en-on

Dominated almost entirely by Trump

His rallies, his tweets, his life on the stump

Sanders and Hillary left to examine

The reasons they bore an “Electoral” famine.

But way back in Jan. we were warned of great harm

When Korea detonated its hydrogen bomb

Alas, the unthinkable happened in Flint

With poison in water that wasn’t mere lint

The death of Scalia you may still recall

Caused McConnell to render an epic-long stall

“There won’t be a Justice replaced on the bench”

A decision he made that was deeply entrenched

Blacks feeling threatened at home by the cops

In Dallas cops killed – it just never stops

In Brussels and Paris and Istanbul, Nice,

Munich, Berlin –What happened to “peace ?”

In England they voted to “Brexit” E.U.

The planet’s unsettled – as changes accrue

But – the Cubs won the Series – after waiting so long

Then elections took place – so many, so wrong!

Was it Comey, the emails, or working white men?

Hillary lost – millions seek Zen.

Castro’s demise caused some celebrations

Congressional forecast: “lotsa in-ves-ti-gations”

December’s the month that was chock full of news

Much of it fake – a trend – causing the blues

Transition appointments – the top of Trump’s list

Perry- in charge of the place that he “dissed”

Hacking by Russians to skewer the election?

Trump opts for nukes for greater “protection.”

But the market is climbing – to peak at its top

Who can predict its inevitable drop?

Conflict of in-ter-est questions arise

In ’17 – it’s certain – we’re in for surprise!

By Gary Curreri

If Highlands Christian Academy is going to make a deep run in the postseason, it will have to find a way to get past nemesis Jupiter Christian.

Highlands Christian is 6-2 this season, with its only two blemishes coming at the hands of the Eagles by a combined nine points. The Knights dropped a 73-68 decision in the 39th annual Highlands Holiday Classic and then fell 69-65 to Jupiter Christian in a District 7-3A game on Tuesday night. On Friday, the Knights will host district leader Boca Christian (5-3, 3-0 in the District) at 7 p.m.

Senior point guard Herman Robinson has been a member of the varsity team at the school since he was in the seventh grade. He averaged 15.0 points and 6.2 assists per game last year.

“Basketball means everything to me,” said Robinson, 18, of Deerfield Beach, who hasn’t decided on a college yet. “It’s my life. It has taken me through a great journey and taught me a lot of life’s lessons. It’s shown me no matter what I can do anything in life if I put my mind to it. The hard work is making me a better person.”

“I think we have a great team this year,” Robinson added. “We didn’t have a great year last year by our standards, but we have been working hard in the gym and preparing. It’s my senior year, so it is important for me to end my (long) career here on a good note. We have room up there for another banner.”

Highlands Christian has won 12 district championships in school history, however, none since winning in 2011. The Knights made it to the state final four in 1979 and 1994.

“Herman has been the face of Highlands basketball for about six years now,” said Knights head coach and athletic director Jim Good, whose team last season finished at 10-13. They finished third in the Holiday Classic. “He gets the guys to do things that I can’t do and has an incredible work ethic. I never question his intensity or his passion for the game. He is definitely going to be missed next year.”

“Our expectations and goals for the season is to compete for a district championship,” Good added. “We should be a little deeper, so we are trying to play more up tempo and press. We have placed much more of an emphasis on defense.”

It is an experienced group with seven seniors and several returners. Junior guard Matt Veynovich (8.9 ppg, made 60 3-pointers) improved during the offseason and Good called him the team’s sleeper player. Veynovich was the lone Highland’s Christian Academy selection to the All-Tournament team in the Holiday Classic.

Another top player back from last season that Good and the Knights will count on is senior forward Kyle Lassen (11.6 points per game, 5.5 rebounds).

“Matt has really worked on his game and gives us a lot of options,” Good said. “Herman is our leader and the focal point of the team, but he has a lot of help this year. The players have put in the time and we are going to be a little more balanced I think.”

Good knows this is a difficult district to get by. In addition to Jupiter Christian and Boca Christian, the Knights will also face stiff challenges from Village Academy and non-district foes like Canterbury (St. Petersburg), the opening round opponent in the Keswick Christmas Tournament.

“We play a tough schedule and tough district, so all of those games will prepare us for the postseason,” Good said. “It is a wide open district with very competitive teams. I am happy with where we are as a team and I see improvement in all of our players. I think they want to do something special this season. I am excited about the progress that we’ve made.”