Preps

One day to decide it all

The South Division race to reach the PCAC title game is a dead heat between four teams.

By JOHN C. COTEY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 17, 2003

If you're looking for your Pinellas County Athletic Conference championship game representative from the South Division, look no further than ...

Than ...

Ummm ...

St. Petersburg? Dixie Hollins? Osceola? Pinellas Park?

Although none of the teams are ranked or considered local powers like their counterparts in the north, they have turned in a divisional race that comes down to one day -- Tuesday.

That's when St. Petersburg (5-1 in the PCAC) plays Osceola (5-1), and Dixie Hollins (5-1) meets Pinellas Park (3-1).

It should be noted, however, that Northeast can ruin the do-or-die day by beating Pinellas Park today, eliminating the Patriots.

Otherwise, all four teams in the hunt could enter the final day at 5-1, setting up one of the most interesting days in years in the south.

All four teams suffered their one loss against the other, ensuring that no one is in control of their own destiny and a head-to-head tiebreaker ultimately will settle things.

So if the Green Devils win, they have to have a Pinellas Park win.

If Osceola wins, it has to have a Dixie Hollins win.

If Dixie Hollins wins, it needs St. Petersburg to win.

And if Pinellas Park wins, it has to have an Osceola win.

Simple.

"Looks like it all comes down to one day," Pinellas Park coach Bill Ruttencutter said.

A similar situation exists in the North Division -- Dunedin needs to beat Palm Harbor University to clinch its spot, but a loss could create, in coach Tom Hilbert's words, "a mess" between Dunedin, PHU and Seminole.

But the south coaches, always fighting for respect, seem to place more emphasis on getting to the title game. For them, it is a chance to prove themselves against a team that is almost always a ranked state contender.

"I think it's a big deal for whoever is the south county representative," St. Petersburg coach Stefan Futch said. "It shows that you are the best team in the south county. There's definitely a little pride factor on the line. And traditionally the north county has been stronger, so its a chance to show we've closed the gap."

That gap, however, has been widening in recent years. The past two seasons, Dunedin has posted 13-2 wins over the Green Devils (in 2001) and Pinellas Park (2002). Neither made it past five innings thanks to the mercy rule.

"We ran into a buzz saw last year," Ruttencutter said. "But for us, it was definitely a privilege to be there, because the year before we were 8-17 and we ended up going 20-9. It was a pretty big deal for us."

It would be a big deal for any of the four this season as well:

St. Petersburg could become the second south team to make it to the title game a second time, joining Northeast (1997, '99). Not the Dunedin/Seminole dynasty, but a step in the right direction for the closest thing the south has to a power.

Osceola has never won the PCAC but is having its best season in recent memory. A berth in the game would be an impressive step forward for the perpetually floating-around-.500 program.

Dixie Hollins could complete a stunning turnaround after winning three games last season. The Rebels have a little karma on their side: They are the last south county team to win the PCAC championship, back in 1991 when the title was decided by overall record and not one game.

Pinellas Park, like St. Petersburg, would not mind being the first south team to make back-to-back appearances. Maybe the start of something big?

If you're looking for your Pinellas County Athletic Conference championship game representative from the South Division, look no further than Tuesday.

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