By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach Swim Team coach Jesse Vassallo hoped for a Top 10 finish in the 23rd annual Speedo Winter Championships at Plantation Aquatic Complex this past weekend.

His team had an outstanding meet and came up just a little short of its goal, and it finished 11th overall with 484 combined points. Pompano Beach took seventh in the boys’ division with 321 points, while the Piranhas placed 17th in the girls’ rankings with 163 points.

“My goal was to be Top 10 this year,” said Vassallo, who took over the program 2-1/2 years ago with 44 beginner swimmers. They brought 41 competitive swimmers to the four-day meet, which ran from Thursday to Sunday. “We came in the first time with nine swimmers and we didn’t even score. The second time, we came in 19th and then 13th last year. From there, we will go down until we win.”

Vassallo, who was also a swim coach at Ft. Lauderdale Aquatics and the former president of the Puerto Rican Swimming Association, has 178 swimmers in the program.

“That is extremely cool,” said Vassallo, who is the lone full-time coach and has a total of six coaches in the program. “I am really, really excited every time I step on deck because I see the growth. I have the coaches in place. I have a great coach dealing with the little ones. I have a great coach dealing with the developmental kids, and great coaches with the age group coaches. It is really coming along. To see them succeed, it fills my heart.”

Vassallo said when he first began in Pompano they were still transitioning from a recreational swim program to U.S. Swimming.

“I believe the mentality is still recreational,” Vassallo said. “It is a process. It doesn’t change overnight. The motivation is there. The recreational swimmer trains maybe for an hour three times a week. The 12-unders train two hours a day every day. The rec kids do it for a couple of months, and we do it all year round.”

Vassallo was also pleased with the performance of the high school athletes in the program as nine made it the state finals for their respective high schools.

“I would like to see the program grow to 250 swimmers,” Vassallo said. “I think that is the limit because it is a public pool.”

Pompano’s Victoria Miyamoto, 13, turned in the strongest performance for the Piranhas as she took third in the high point for her age division. She won the 100-breaststroke, the 100-IM event; second in the 50 and 200-breaststroke events, and was third in the 400-IM.

Other Top 3 performers for the program included Mattheus Santos, Fatimah Westbrook, Jake Schulte and Austin Saunders. The boys 11-12 age group 200-Free relay (Santos, Shane Schulte, Raphael Santos and Christian Henderson) also took home top honors.

Bucks, Tigers fall in football

Deerfield Beach’s quest for a perfect season came to a crashing halt as it lost its Class 8A regional semifinal football game to host Miramar, 43-6.

The much-anticipated matchup between nationally-ranked and undefeated 11-0 teams — Miramar (16th) and Deerfield (19th in this week’s USA Today poll) — was well over by halftime.

Miramar’s Nick Jeanty threw two touchdowns and ran for another to put the Patriots in the driver’s seat as Miramar scored on four of its first five possessions and ran away with the win. The Bucks’ lone score of the game came on Aeron McNeal’s two-yard touchdown run 11 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Blanche Ely also suffered the same fate, as it was also blown out with a 49-7 defeat at the hands of Dwyer in the Class 7A regional semifinals on Friday night.

Blanche Ely, which finished the season on a fivegame win streak, was unable to contain the Panthers’ Alonzo Smith, who carried 25 times for 245 yards and two TDs. The Tigers’ lone score of the game came on a 41-yard scoring toss from Nelson Ervin to Edward Walker in the third quarter, which cut the lead at the time to 28-7.

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach High School’s Brandon Sucher rolled three strikes in a row in the 10th frame en route to a final game, 245 to complete a 693 series in the first-ever district bowling championship held in Broward County.

Sucher, a senior, topped Coral Springs Charter School’s Pablo Cerda for the District 15 boys individual bowling title.

Sucher bowled a 235 and 213 in his previous two games, but trailed Cerda by 40 pins entering the final game at the Brunswick Margate Lanes. Cerda, a junior, who won a District title last year and advanced to state where he went 1-2 in match play, rolled a 255- 233-187 to finish with a threegame series of 675.

“I bowled well,” said Sucher, who began bowling twohanded prior to the start of the high school season. “I was in a slump, bowling one-handed for like three months and needed a change. I had to make it there. It’s my last year.”

A total of 12 teams and 67 bowlers competed in the District tournament. It marked the first time in the history of the state series, which began in 2003. Coral Springs Charter School swept the boys and girls team titles. The boys defeated Pompano Beach, while the girls downed Coral Glades. Both Baker Games went three games.

Sucher, 18, who lives in Margate, has been bowling for just three years and missed qualifying for state last year by 20 pins.

“It wasn’t that disappointing last year because I had a rough start,” Sucher said. “I was looking forward to this year because I had a whole team and that was nice to have. It feels good to be the first district champion. I’ll be able to say I was one of the first ones to make it.”

Sucher went on to finish 59th in the state as he bowled a fourgame series of 794. He had games of 226, 180, 200 and 188. The Tornadoes boys’ team finished 29th with an 885 pin count.

By Gary Curreri

After starting the season 0-4 and being outscored in those games by a combined 147-58, Blanche Ely football coach Charles Hafley tried to keep his team focused on the final goal.

The Tigers captured its first district championship in four years as it manhandled host Northeast, 45-12, to win the District 14-7A championship on Friday night.

“Our senior captains –Tyquan Fields, Terrance Blands, Broderic James, Aris Knight, were phenomenal,” Hafley said. “They come to practice every day. They come ready to work and they believe in what we talk about. Holding the rope … and that’s what the kids did, during that wave we had the first four games and through the grunt of the season. We just came out in district play and did Blanche Ely football.”

Blanche Ely opened the season with a 45-15 loss to M.L. King (Georgia); a 46-6 loss to Deerfield Beach; a 31-21 setback to Glades Central and a 29- 15 loss to Miami Northwestern. The Tigers have won four of its past five games – the only loss coming at the hands of Plantation, 32-26. They’ve won three consecutive games, including the district-clinching win over Northeast.

Senior quarterback Nelson Ervin threw for 148 yards and four TDs Friday night, as the Tigers finished 3-0 in the district.

“I think the biggest difference is all about believing in themselves,” Hafley said. “Nelson Ervin got himself together, mentally, physically and emotionally. He just led this team. He hasn’t had a turnover in any of our district games. He just focused and played Tiger Pride football.”

Northeast (2-7, 1-2) took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards in 14 plays capped by a 9- yard scoring run by Hurricanes’ quarterback Brion Sanchious to take a 7-0 lead.

From there, Ervin took over as he threw three touchdown passes and Anson Benton returned an interception 28 yards for a score as the Tigers scored 28 unanswered points to take a 28-6 halftime lead.

Ervin threw touchdown passes to Laderrick Smith (37 yards); Edward Walker (13 yards) and Chazton McKenzie (13 yards) in the first half. He added a 12- yard TD pass to Kenneth Rawls in the second half. The Tigers also got a 17-yard field goal from Charite Carmeley and a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Steven Carter. Northeast added a late score on a 4-yard TD pass from Deangelo Fulford to Binjimen Victor.

Hafley said the team would need to play mistake-free football to go deep in the playoffs.

“You have to control your turnover battle and make sure you keep your penalties to a minimum,” Hafley added. “If we can do that, we can be successful and make a run at this thing.

“There are many monsters out there in 7A and we respect them, but, in the playoffs, everybody starts 0-0,” he continued. “You could be 10-0 or 5-5, but, at the end of the day, when the first round of the playoffs come, everybody is 0-0 and each week counts, and we take it one game at a time.”

The slow start “hardened” his team and prepared them for a deep run in the playoffs. Hafley said the team would go as deep as his seniors will allow and credits the team chemistry from the administration and the community to the players and coaches.

“The kids believe that,” Hafley said. “The teams we played were traditional powers, all the way from Miami Northwestern, Glades Central, Deerfield Beach and MLK. Hats off to them and their coaching staffs, but it just gave us an opportunity to watch that film and get better. One thing about this team is we are the scariest team in 7A right now.”

Bucks pound South Plantation

Quarterback Danarious Graham ran for two touchdowns and passed for a third as Deerfield Beach rolled to the District 11- 8A championship and remained undefeated at 9-0.

Senior running back Aeron McNeal rushed for 172 yards and scored on a 72-yard TD as Deerfield Beach ran its record in the district to 7-0 with a 42-16 victory over host South Plantation.

Brandon Powell was limited by an injury in the first half; however, he finished with 40 yards and a TD.

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach cross country coach Jerry Guthrie believes his team has a chance to make it to the FHSAA Class 4A state meet with a good effort on Friday.

The Bucks will start their quest for a state berth when they run in the District 12-4A meet at Tradewinds Park on Friday at 9 a.m. It had a strong showing in the recent Westminster Academy meet in Lauderdale Lakes.

The boys’ team was runner- up and was led by junior Romilaire Ambroise, who took fourth in the meet with a 17:40.60 clocking. John I. Leonard won the meet with 34 points.

“The boys really stepped up,” Guthrie said. “We finished in a tie with Boyd Anderson and our sixth runner (Aaron Johnson) broke the tie. You talk about BA and John I. Leonard in front of us and those are two powerhouses. I think both of our teams have a good chance at districts.”

Deerfield Beach’s girls finished fifth in the recent Westminster Invitational with 101 points as Lineliz Cartegena led the team with an 18th place finish (26:52).

Ambroise took 39th in the BCAA meet last Friday at Markham Park to lead the Bucks with a time of 18:50.72. Bryan Hursh (18:44.99) and Evens Fleurantus (19:54.53) took 73rd and 80th in the BCAA meet.

“About a month ago, I was able to talk some of the soccer boys into running and Romilaire came out and won his first race with a 17:40,” Guthrie said. “I think he has a really good chance to go to state. I only have one senior on the team and everyone is in the 18s.”

Guthrie thought his girls team would be the stronger team; however, two of his girls transferred to Pompano Beach and Cardinal Gibbons, respectively. Guthrie hit the soccer fields again and brought in Patricia Leiva.

“She’s come a long way,” Guthrie added. “Sarah Strothman is our No. 1 runner and she is also a soccer player. I just saw them running in the stands one day and said, ‘why don’t you run with us, and,all of a sudden, I have a nice little girls’ team.”

Guthrie, who has been at the school since 1998 and has been the cross country coach since 2000, said he had 60 runners come out for the team this year and said he is looking at the future.

“We worked hard all summer,” added Guthrie, who said there were approximately 40 athletes at tryouts last year. He went to all of the other teams around the school and tried to get them to come out for the team. “I told them they were sitting on the end of the bench for their teams; come run for us. We had 11 girls on the team last year and now we have 23.”

Bucks win in OT

Brandon Powell scored on a 3-yard run in overtime to lift visiting Deerfield Beach to a 27-24 victory over Monarch at Coconut Creek High School on Friday night in a District 12-8A matchup of two unbeaten teams.

Monarch (7-1, 4-1) had taken a 24-21 lead in overtime on a 24-yard field goal by Tyler Johnson.

Powell ran for 134 yards on 21 carries and scored on a 51-yard TD run with 11 seconds left in the third quarter to give the Bucks (7-0, 5-0) a 21-14 lead. Monarch quarterback Mike Harris scored on a 1-yard run to tie the game.

The Bucks fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter before mounting a rally. Monarch’s Brandon Pope caught a 10- yard pass from Mike Harris and Tyrone Woods scored on a 7-yard run for the Knights.

Justin Morgan caught a 30- yard scoring toss from Denarious Graham, and Jamal Patterson hauled in a 41-yard scoring pass to tie the game for Deerfield Beach, which won for the seventh consecutive time.

By Gary Curreri

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Deerfield Beach football coach Allen Jackson when his team travels to Coconut Creek High School on Friday to take on Monarch in a key District 11-8A game.

Jackson, whose Bucks (6- 0, 4-0) are on a six-game winning streak, will tackle the undefeated Knights (7-0, 4- 0) for first place in the District. Jackson previously coached at Monarch (2003- 08) and then at Coconut Creek High School before taking over at Deerfield Beach three seasons ago.

“It is a little nostalgic and a little bittersweet since my wife still works over there,” Jackson said. “We have a goal in mind, and our mindset is to go over there and take care of business.”

The last time Deerfield Beach started the season 6-0 was in 2007 when it finished 11-3 and lost 19-14 to the eventual state champion Miami Northwestern. Deerfield Beach has outscored its opposition, 272-73, in six games this season. Monarch has outscored its opponents, 262- 124, in seven contests.

“Coach Calvin Davis does a great job over there and we know we are going to have to bring our A game,” Jackson said. “We are going to have to turn it up when we play them over there.”

Senior running backs Aeron McNeal and Brandon Powell did most of the damage again as they combined to rush for 212 yards and scored four touchdowns as Deerfield Beach defeated visiting Piper, 53-8, last Friday. Monarch toppled Taravella, 44-28, on Friday.

Powell rushed for 139 yards on six carries and scored on runs of 25 and 65 yards. He also caught three passes for 46 yards. McNeal added 73 yards and two scores on runs of 7 and 5 yards, while quarterback Danarious Graham also scored twice on runs of 11 and 4 yards.

The Bucks’ defense limited Piper to 69 total yards and added two defensive touchdowns of its own on a Kendrick Catis 45-yard interception return and a Quinton Briggs 24-yard fumble return.

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach is off to its best start in five seasons as it received another strong performance from Brandon Powell.

The University of Miami commit ran for 194-yds. on 22 carries and scored three second-half touchdowns as host Deerfield Beach defeated Coral Springs, 26-6, in an 11-8A District game on Saturday night.

The Bucks improved to 4- 0 for the first time in five seasons with the victory and faces a stern test this Friday when Taravella (2-2) comes to town.The Bucks and Trojans are both 2-0 in District 11-8A.

Michael Greene’s 3-yard run with 2:52 remaining in the second quarter gave Deerfield a 7-0 halftime cushion. It didn’t last long into the second half as Powell went 80-yards for a score and a 14- 0 lead.

Powell added a 33-yard scoring run to make it 20-0 before the Colts (1-3, 1-1) cut Deerfield Beach’s lead to 20- 6 on an 18-yard scoring toss from Jake Bofshever to Chad Boyd. Powell iced the game with a 6-yard scoring run on the ensuing drive for win.

“We came out a little sloppy, but we made some adjustments and came out with a different attitude in the second half,” said Deerfield Beach coach Allen Jackson, whose team lost to eventual Class 8A state runner-up Cypress Bay in the regional quarterfinals last season and hopes to go deeper in the playoffs this season. “We have to keep taking care of little things like missed assignments and missed tackles.”

Deerfield Beach’s senior running back Aeron McNeal missed the contest as he served a one-game suspension after picking up two personal fouls the previous week in a win over Douglas.

Sophomore defensive back James Pierre recorded two interceptions to pace the Bucks, which limited the Colts to just 110 yards. Powell led a solid ground game that churned out 327 yards. Green also had 59 yards rushing.

The Bucks are also receiving votes in this week’s Class 8A state football poll.

Ely guard, hoping for threepeat, commits to east Carolina

Blanche Ely High School point guard Lance Tejada will be able to relax a little heading into his senior year after pledging to play at East Carolina University during an official visit last month.

Tejada is a four-star basketball prospect and can now concentrate on delivering a third consecutive state championship to the Tigers. Tejada said he was drawn to the talents of East Carolina University coach Jeff Lebo, who was former point guard for legendary North Carolina coach Dean Smith.

“Coach Lebo is a great coach and great person,’’ Tejada said. “He played for North Carolina and then in the NBA for a couple years. He knows what it takes on the next level. He has been through it all. He is going to push me to get better, especially at the point guard position.”

Tejada, a member of the ESPN 100, chose the Pirates over more prominent programs, including Alabama, Butler, Florida State, Miami, George Mason, Murray State, Tennessee and Virginia.

Tejada first became noticed on the hardwood after he helped lead Miramar to its first state Final Four appearance in his freshman year. After his sophomore year, Tejada transferred to Ely and helped the Tigers go 27-2 and win its second consecutive Class 7A state championship.

Tejada will be one of the catalysts this season as the Tigers bid for its third consecutive state championship under five-time state champion coach Melvin Randall. The Tigers lost some key players to graduation, including Dallas Cameron; however, Tejada is up for the challenge.

“I didn’t expect to commit this early, but when I got to East Carolina I didn’t want to leave,’’ said Tejada, who scored a game-high 24 points in a 71-52 victory over Bartow in the Class 7A state semifinals last year.

“I’m glad the weight is off my shoulders thinking about where I’m going,” Tejada added. “Now, all I have to focus on is basketball and helping Mr. Randall get that three-peat.”

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach coach Allen Jackson had a feeling his team might start off slowly in its District 11-8A opener against rival Douglas on Friday night.

After all, the Bucks hadn’t been challenged in their opening two contests as they outscored Northeast, 37-0, and Blanche Ely, 46-6, before having last week off with a bye.

“We knew this was going to happen,” Jackson said. “Both teams came into the game undefeated and a win is a win. We’ll take it any way we can get it. This is a big, big, big win. Deerfield hasn’t been 3-0 to start the season in a while.”

Senior running back Aeron McNeal rushed for 117 yards and three touchdowns as visiting Deerfield Beach rallied for the come-from-behind 47- 31 district victory over Douglas.

McNeal was ejected from the contest with 8:30 remaining in the game after being called for his second personal foul penalty in the game. It is unknown what his status will be for this week’s game against Coral Springs. The Bucks were penalized for 160 yards in the game.

“We aren’t sure what is going to happen with that,” Jackson said. “Our athletic director (Vinnie Tozzi) was going to talk to the officials and see what is up.”

Douglas (2-1, 0-1) took a 7-0 lead on a 15-yard scoring toss from Brett Israel to Tate Lehito. The score capped a 9- play, 68-yard drive. Deerfield Beach answered as it took the ensuing kickoff and marched 77 yards in eight plays as McNeal scored the first of his two touchdowns in the first half to tie the game at 7-7.

The Eagles scored off a fake punt to grab a 13-7 lead as Israel found Corey May with a short pass and he went 41 yards for the score with 11:35 remaining in the first half.

Deerfield Beach (3-0, 1-0) took the lead for good at 14- 13 on a 34-yard scoring run by Brandon Powell with 8:22 left in the first half. Douglas was driving for a go-ahead score late in the first half, however Israel’s pass was deflected and Powell returned the interception 53 yards to set up McNeal’s 48-yard TD run with 1:24 remaining in the first half.

“That gave us the momentum right there,” Jackson said. “It was what we needed and we were able to straighten things out after that.”

Douglas’ Davian Daley pulled the Eagles to within 21-19 as he scored on a 1- yard run to cap a nearly 9- minute drive to open the second half.

Deerfield’s McNeal broke off right tackle and scampered 20 yards to push the lead the 27-19 with 1:03 left in the third and the Bucks iced the game on a 73-yard TD pass from Danarious Graham to Leonard Scott with 8:30 remaining in the game. Douglas closed to within 34-25 on a 5-yard TD run by Khalil Herbert; however, Justin Morgan caught a 20-yard scoring toss from Graham, and then returned an onside kick 50 yards for the score to up the lead to 47-31.

The Eagles added a 24-yard scoring toss from Israel to Ryan Allison in the fourth quarter.

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach Raiders coach Bobby Cooper took in stride his Pop Warner Tiny Mite team’s loss to host Delray Rocks.

The Rocks got touchdown runs of 50 and 32 yards from Jayden Parrish, a 43-yard TD run from Zandher Mesidort and a 50-yard scoring run from Courtney Brown to improve to 3-0 for the year. Deerfield fell to 1-2 with its second consecutive loss.

“That is a very good team right there and our kids have got nothing to be ashamed of,” said Cooper, who has been coaching youth football for the past eight years. He took over the Raiders just eight days before the season opener. “Our kids kept fighting to the end. They didn’t quit and I am really proud of them. They are right about where they should be, considering how young and inexperienced they are.”

The Tiny Mite Division is composed of players ages 5- 7, who weigh between 35 and 75 lbs. The majority of the players on the Raiders team are 13. There are three players who are 7 and one who is 6 years old.

By contrast, the undefeated Rocks have an experienced team.

“We have 15 returning players from last year’s team, so they have been doing really well,” said Delray Rocks coach Anthony Guy, who has been coaching for 12 years, including the past six with the Rocks. “The best thing about this process is seeing the work that they put in on the field before the season is paying off.”

Cooper agreed and said his team is looking to rebuild from the bottom weight class. They have three teams in the program ranging from the Tiny Mite program to the Midget Program.

“The hardest part about working with 13 5-year-olds, and you only got two who have ever played (football) before, is to have patience,”

Cooper added. “The key is to have a lot of patience. If you don’t have patience, you don’t need to be out here.” Cooper and his staff concentrate on the basics with his Treasure Coast-based Pop Warner program.

“We teach them about teamwork and we like to get the families involved, especially the fathers,” Cooper said. “We try and get the families to spend time with the kids. We are teaching them everything they need to know. It also isn’t about winning. We want them to learn important lessons and sports will do that.”

By Gary Curreri

If Friday night’s contest was any indication, the third time could be the charm for Deerfield Beach football coach Allen Jackson.

Brandon Powell rushed for 144 yards, caught two passes for 40 yards and scored three touchdowns as host Deerfield Beach blanked Northeast, 37- 0 in the season opener for both teams.

Jackson went 3-6-1 in his first year with the program and failed to make the playoffs. The Bucks went 5-5 last year and fell to state runnerup Cypress Bay, 41-13, in the regional quarterfinal round of the Class 8A state playoffs.

“Last year helped a lot for the simple reason that we figured out what we had to do, and the kids bought into the weight room during the offseason, and we’re trying to get the team continuity back together,” Jackson said. “That told them they could play. They were able to do that and we were able to bring the core of the kids back, and I think that worked out well for us.”

Northeast (0-1) looked good on its opening drive as it took the opening kickoff and marched 44 yards to the Bucks’ 22, but lost the ball on downs when quarterback DeAngelo Fulford’s pass was incomplete. From then on, it was all Deerfield Beach.

Powell and Aeron McNeal each scored twice in the first half as the Bucks (1-0) scored on its first three possessions to grab a 21-0 lead.

“They are a great 1-2 punch,” said Jackson, whose team will face Blanche Ely this Saturday. “They got over 2,000 yards last year, and we are hoping they could duplicate that this year. We added a quarterback (Danarious Graham) this year and we have some receivers so we will be able to throw the ball a little bit more this year and it will take the pressure off them. The basis of our team is still running the ball.”

Powell, a University of Miami commit, bolted to a 67-yard TD run on the Bucks’ third play from scrimmage to give Deerfield Beach a 6-0 lead. McNeal capped a 5- play, 45-yard drive with a 1- yard plunge and Powell caught the 2-point conversion pass from Graham to make it 14-0.

Powell extended the lead to 21-0 with 10:09 remaining in the first half when he hauled in a 35-yard scoring toss from Graham. The Bucks picked up a safety and McNeal added a 12-yard scoring run to propel the Bucks to a 30-0 halftime cushion. Powell, who finished the game with 15 carries for 104 yards, added a 10-yard TD run in the third to push the lead to 37-0 and force a running clock. McNeal had 12 carries for 79 yards, while Graham threw for 110 yards and added another 40 yards on the ground.

The Bucks defense is led this season by defensive ends Tyler Sayles (FIU commit) and Jason Strowbridge, and a freshman linebacker in Emmit Bruton. Justin Morgan, Artez Levine, Vernon Thompson, James Pierre all have experience in the secondary.

“I am very excited about the season,” said Jackson, whose team graduated 15 players from last year’s team, including seven starters. “We set our goals high and the kids know this is it. We have to strive for it. I am realistic, and I know you need a lot of luck. You need a lot of things to go your way. If we stay away from injuries, stay healthy and the ball falls our way, I think wecan do pretty well.”

By Gary Curreri

Lighthouse Point’s Stefanie Kenoyer is hoping the second time is a charm.

Kenoyer, 24, who was a contestant on Big Break Mexico earlier this year, will compete on Big Break NFL, which premieres on Oct. 8 at 9 p.m. on the Golf Channel.

“Not many people in our sport get this kind of opportunity to be on Big Break in the first place, let alone two Big Breaks in one year!” said Kenoyer, who was one of the more popular competitors on Big Break Mexico and was the sixth player eliminated from the series. “I’m blessed to have another opportunity to give it another go.”

Participating on two Big Break series this year was unique for Kenoyer. Big Break NFL Puerto Rico was shot the first two weeks of June while Big Break Mexico was airing on the Golf Channel. Her elimination episode on Big Break Mexico aired two weeks after she returned from Big Break NFL Puerto Rico.

“I have become an expert at keeping secrets, but this has been even tougher because I had to keep secret about not just one Big Break, but two,” joked Kenoyer, who was paired with 17-year NFL kicker Al DelGreco and Oren Geri in Big Break NFL. “All of the teams were full of great competitors! We had an absolute blast. I wouldn’t trade this experience in 2013 for the world.”

Big Break NFL Puerto Rico will be all about reunion, redemption and teamwork this fall when 12 previous Big Break competitors return to team up with six of the NFL’s all-time greats. Two past Big Break competitors – one male and one female, will join one NFL legend to form threeperson teams. The series will feature a new format twist to Big Break – teams will win or lose as teams. On the line will be $50,000 to the winning NFL legend’s designated charity, along with 2014 PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour tournament exemptions, cash and other prizes for the Big Break competitors.

“It is a pressure-packed, nerve racking situation every time you step out on the course on Big Break,” Kenoyer said. “When they called me and said, ‘we’d like to have you back,’ immediately, no questions asked, I said ‘yes’…to think I got to spend three weeks with six of some of the greatest football players there are was an incredible experience. There was no tackling on the golf course, thankfully; but we were all fierce competitors.”

NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football sideline reporter and Emmy Award-winner Michele Tafoya joins Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott to cohost Big Break NFL Puerto Rico. Serving as the backdrop will be the luxurious Dorado Beach Resort in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico.

“The pressure on Big Break is an all-time high because in a normal golf tournament, you have 54 holes or 72 holes to make up for your mistakes,” said Kenoyer, who played high school golf at Cardinal Gibbons and Westminster Academy high schools before playing collegiately at Furman University.

“On the show, you literally had one chance and your team is counting on you and everyone at home is watching, and you have 80 people around you with the crew and all of the cameras … and never have I felt more pressure, and I played in the U.S. Open.”

Kenoyer, the lone contestant on Big Break Mexico to have competed in a major championship – 2009 U.S. Women’s Open, said she

knows what it is like to play in front of large crowds and cameras; yet, this was a different experience altogether.

“I still felt my hands shake and my heart beat out of my chest,” said Kenoyer, who is playing full-time on the Symetra Tour with a refreshed sense of confidence and passion following the experience.

Taylor Collins, also 24, of Ft. Lauderdale, won Big Break Mexico when she defeated Tampa’s Matthew Galloway in an intense 18- hole singles match on the season finalé.