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New district alignment removes some obstacles
By KEITH NIEBUHR, Times Staff Writer
Thanks to the Florida High School Activities Association, the road to the playoffs appears to have gotten a little easier for county squads. Districts for 2003-2004 were released Wednesday, and the changes are drastic. Citrus, Crystal River and Lecanto played in the same district as Dunnellon and North Marion last season. But Dunnellon and North Marion, playoff teams in 2002, have been moved. Their replacements in Class 3A, District 8 are Hernando and Groveland South Lake. "It definitely shakes the district up," Citrus coach Larry Bishop said. Dunnellon went 10-1 last season and won the district with an unbeaten record. The Tigers also made the playoffs in 2001, earning an at-large spot. They return most of their starting lineup this fall. North Marion, a perennial area power, went 6-5 in 2002 but defeated each Citrus County squad. By comparison, Hernando finished 6-5. South Lake, which is dropping from 5A to 3A, was 3-7. "I like the new district just for the fact it's different," Bishop said. "It wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it would remain the same because the schools are so close, and I thought Ocala West Port might be thrown in." West Port, a playoff team last year, joins Dunnellon, North Marion and Alachua Santa Fe to form 3A-7. Hernando earned an at-large berth in November with a Week-10 win over Crystal River, but lost to Hardee County 28-7 in the first round. The Leopards were hit with a rash of injuries in 2001, and went 3-7. They reached the playoffs in 1999 and 2000 but lost opening-round playoff games by a combined 96-20. "Hernando finished really strong last year," Crystal River coach Jere DeFoor said. "And last year they built a new school (near South Lake) that took half of South Lake's kids. So they were a 3A school playing a 5A schedule." South Lake is in Lake County, roughly an hour from Inverness and 90 minutes from Crystal River. "It's a pretty good little haul," Bishop said. Because of obligations to district and conference opponents, county teams will have four open slots. District schedules will be made during a Jan. 27 coaches meeting. DeFoor said Crystal River would like to keep playing longtime rivals Dunnellon and South Sumter, and would attempt to find a spot for North Marion. Citrus is interested in keeping Dunnellon and North Marion and might add South Sumter, which is about 20 miles from Inverness. Lecanto coach Dick Slack could not be reached for comment. Keith Niebuhr can be reached at 860-7337 or niebuhr@sptimes.com .
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