Preps
Seven county athletes named best in GCAC
By FRANK PASTOR Despite finishing behind all three Citrus County schools in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference all-sports standings, seven athletes and four coaches from Hernando County received individual honors when the league released its all-sports awards for the fall season.
Hernando's Tara Allen and Keegan Ledford swept boys and girls player of the year honors in golf.
Ledford was the lone winner, having won the conference tournament in dramatic fashion over fellow all-GCAC players Robert Taylor of Citrus and Austin Grey of Hernando with a birdie on the first playoff hole.
Allen won the league tournament by nine strokes yet shared the player of the year award with Lecanto's Ann Kaiser. Allen earned a trip to the region tournament for the second straight year.
Central's Gary Morton was named boys golf coach of the year after leading the Bears to a Gulf Caost tournament title, third at district and fourth at region.
The conference recognized the three-way tie for first in volleyball by naming Central's Noemi Rivera, Hernando's Brittni Murphy and Crystal River's Jennifer MacRae players of the year. Hernando's Dena Frye, Central's Jim Jensen and Crystal River's Briget Boshell shared coach of the year accolades.
Central's Rae-Lynn Sheffield, the first Hernando County girl to advance to a state swimming final, was named swimmer of the year. Springstead's Brian Hengesbach earned top coaching honors after leading his squad to a second straight league crown.
Central's Mark Warren, who won the 50-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke at the conference meet, and GCAC diving champ Aaron Washington of Crystal River shared boys swimming honors.
Hernando's Leela Hadsock, who placed second at conference and 13th at state, was girls cross country runner of the year. The junior clocked a personal-best 19 minutes, 51 seconds at the Class 2A meet, beating all area competition.
Crystal River earned the all-sports award on the strength of conference championships in football, boys swimming and volleyball.
Central was the top Hernando County team, parlaying championships in boys golf and volleyball into a fourth-place finish.
First-year Nature Coast Tech had five players named to all-GCAC squads: Cara Cagan and Yarixa Cruz in volleyball, Kali Kingsley in swimming and Katie McCabe and Mallory Freeman in girls golf.
- Times staff writer John Schwarb contributed to this report.
ALL-GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TEAMS VOLLEYBALL: Erica Livengood, Jr., OH, Central; Noemi Rivera, So., S, Central; Nikki Weaver, So., OH, Central; Brittni Murphy, Jr., S, Hernando; Kara Bailey, Sr., MH, Hernando; Jill Matherly, Jr., MH, Hernando; Jennifer MacRae, Sr., MH, Crystal River; Amber Clark, Jr., OH, Crystal River; Shana Lockley, Sr., S, Crystal River; Brittany Adkisson, Sr., OH, Citrus; Tiffany Wright, Jr., OH, Lecanto; Nicole Maltese, Sr., OH, Lecanto; Cara Cagan, Jr., MH, Nature Coast; Abbey Behensky, So., MH, Springstead; Ashley Mangrum, Jr., MH, Citrus; Ja'Vonna Grimsley, Jr., OH, Crystal River; Cindy Donaldson, Sr., MH, Crystal River; Heather Benson, Jr., S, Springstead; Yarixa Cruz, Jr., S, Nature Coast; Lisa Butler, Jr., OH, Central; Airien Bryan, Sr., MH, Central; Julie Schneidmiller, Sr., DS, Central; Krystal Boardman, So., S, Citrus; Jamie Perdue, Sr., OH, Hernando; Amber Basham, Sr., OH, Hernando; Cory Frederick, Sr., S, Hernando; Nikki Pontius, Jr., MH, Lecanto.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Brittni Murphy, Hernando; Noemi Rivera, Central; Jennifer MacRae, Crystal River.
COACHES OF THE YEAR: Jim Jensen, Central; Dena Frye, Hernando; Briget Boshell, Crystal River.
FOOTBALL: Chris Bunch, Sr., QB/S, Crystal River; Chianta Smith, Sr., RB/LB, Crystal River; Justin Duncan, Sr., WB/RB, Crystal River; Lance Ives, Sr., TE/LB, Crystal River; Scott Guastella, Sr., RB/DE, Crystal River; Chad Wilcox, Sr., G/DE, Crystal River; Richard Drawdy, Jr., G, Crystal River; Charles Gonyea, Sr., OL/DL, Springstead; Joe Vitale, Sr., OL/DL, Springstead; Jose Yearwood, Sr., RB/DB, Springstead; Ian Wald, Jr., QB, Springstead; Chris Ferguson, So., TE, Springstead; Darnell Craig, Sr., LB, Central; Mike Hibbert, Sr., K; Central; Brian Giddens, Sr., DE, Central; Jeremy Flowers, Jr., QB/WR, Central; Casey Snyder, Sr., QB/DB, Citrus; Steve Strong, Sr., TE/DE, Citrus; Courtney Henry, Jr., FB/DT, Citrus; Jarvis Baylor, Sr., LB, Hernando; Rod Roberts, Sr., RB/DB, Hernando; Tank Donaldson, Sr., OL/DL, Hernando; Pete Collins, Sr., WR/DB, Lecanto; Duane Sanders, Jr., RB/LB, Lecanto.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Chris Bunch, Crystal River.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jere DeFoor, Crystal River.
GIRLS SWIMMING: Rae-Lynn Sheffield, Fr., Central, 200 IM, 100 back; Megan Wakley, Central, 50 free; Katie Wilson, Jr., Citrus, 200 free relay; Christy Hull, Sr., Citrus, 200 free relay; Kristen Pepe, So., Citrus, 200 free relay; Megan Mullen, Jr., Citrus, 200 free relay; Chelsea Newberry, Jr., Crystal River, 200 IM, 100 back, 400 free relay; Courtney Chandler, Jr., Crystal River, Diving; Keri Boltin, Sr., Crystal River, Diving; Sarah Bartley, So., Crystal River, 100 free, 400 free relay; Becky Harris, Jr., Crystal River, 400 free relay; Laurie Thomas, Sr., Crystal River, 400 free relay; Kennah Johnson, Sr., Hernando, 100 free; Jillian Swartz, Fr., Lecanto, 200 medley relay; Autumn Siegel, Jr., Lecanto, 200 medley relay; Taylor Cooke, Fr., Lecanto, 200 medley relay, 200 free, 500 free; Cassandra Zamboli, Sr., Lecanto, 200 medley relay; Kali Kingsley, So., Nature Coast, 100 fly; Ashley Martin, Sr., Springstead, 200 medley relay, 50 free, 200 free relay; Sarah Barry, So., Springstead, 200 medley relay, 200 free, 500 free, 400 free relay; Sarah Siegel, Sr., Springstead, 200 medley relay, 100 fly, 200 free relay; Kasey Larson, Sr., Springstead, 200 medley relay; Rachel Siegel, Springstead, 200 free relay, 100 breast, 400 free relay; Bobbie Brice, Jr., Springstead, 200 free relay, 100 breast, 400 free relay; Sarah Knight, Sr., Springstead, 400 free relay.
SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Rae-Lynn Sheffield, Central.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Brian Hengesbach, Springstead.
BOYS SWIMMING: Mark Warren, Sr., Central, 50 free, 100 back; Charlie Osterhout, Sr., Citrus, 200 free, 200 free relay, 100 breast; Ian Gaffney, So., Citrus, 200 IM, 500 free, 200 free relay; Evan Branson, Sr., Citrus, Diving; Zach Frankel, Jr., Citrus, 100 free, 200 free relay; Matt Reichenbach, So., Citrus, 200 free; Kyle Garrick, Jr., Crystal River, 200 medley relay, 200 free relay; Matt Washington, Jr., Crystal River, 200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 free, 200 free relay; Aaron Washington, Sr., Crystal River, 200 medley relay, diving, 100 fly, 400 free relay; Mike Grillo, Sr., Crystal River, 200 medley relay, 50 free, 400 free relay; Casey Worlton, Jr., Crystal River, 200 free, 500 free, 200 free relay; Julian Palhof, So., Crystal River, 200 free relay, 400 free relay; Andrew Norton, Sr., Lecanto, 200 medley relay, 100 back; Blake Hollowell, Sr., Lecanto, 200 medley relay; Scott Jackson, Sr., Lecanto, 200 medley relay; David Rundio, Fr., Lecanto, 200 medley relay; Daniel Munsell, Sr., Lecanto, 400 free relay; Ian Crocker, Fr., Lecanto, 400 free relay; Josh Younce, Fr., Lecanto, 400 free relay; Kyle Roberts, Lecanto, 400 free relay; Matt Barry, Sr., Springstead, 100 fly, 100 breast.
SWIMMERS OF THE YEAR: Aaron Washington, Crystal River; Mark Warren, Central.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tim Holme, Crystal River.
GIRLS GOLF: Tara Allen, Jr., Hernando; Alison Frazier, Sr., Hernando; Anne Kizer, Sr., Lecanto; Christina Saia, So., Lecanto; Carly Lewis, So., Lecanto; Katie McCabe, Sr., Nature Coast; Mallory Freeman, Jr., Nature Coast; Andrea Adams, Fr., Crystal River; Kristin Klauder, Sr., Citrus; Kirsten Engel, Sr., Citrus.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Tara Allen and Anne Kizer.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Doug Warren, Lecanto.
BOYS GOLF: Keegan Ledford, Sr., Hernando; Robert Taylor, Sr., Citrus; Austin Grey, So., Central; Bret Baliszewski, Jr., Lecanto; Grey Gonzalez, Jr., Central; Ian Morrill, Sr., Citrus; Erik Anderson, So., Hernando; Peter Wieger, Sr., Central; Nick Kane, Fr., Lecanto; Aaron Wimer, Sr., Central.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Keegan Ledford, Hernando.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Gary Morton, Central.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: Holly Van Sicklen, So., Crystal River; Leela Hadsock, Jr., Hernando; Deirdra Witherspoon, Sr., Lecanto; Taylor Cooke, Fr., Lecanto; Denise Jay, Jr., Crystal River; Tara Haddock, So., Lecanto; Kerri Costanzo, Jr., Central; Kaela Fitzpatrick, So., Citrus; Annemarie Saxer, Sr., Lecanto; Lisa Bonadonna, Jr., Lecanto; Stephanie Bodden, Sr., Crystal River; Anna Gray, Fr., Hernando; Amy Rundio, Jr., Lecanto; Sally Neill, Sr., Crystal River.
RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Leela Hadsock, Hernando.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Dan Epstein, Lecanto.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: Nick Norton, So., Lecanto; Clayton Bristol, Jr., Crystal River; Dustin Elder, So., Lecanto; Wayne Saxer, Jr., Lecanto; Jacob Bess, So., Central; Joe Silvestro, Jr., Citrus; John Edge, Sr., Lecanto; Mike Laird, Sr., Hernando; D.J. Carella, Jr., Citrus; Bret Chatman, Jr., Hernando; Bryan Gordon, Jr., Central; Ben Martucci, Fr., Hernando; Kyle Helt, Jr., Citrus; Logan Emerson, Sr., Hernando.
RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Nick Norton, Lecanto.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Bruce Sheffield, Lecanto.
ALL-SPORTS STANDINGS 1. Crystal River, 34. 2. Lecanto, 28.5. 3. Citrus, 24. 4. Central, 23. 5. Hernando, 21.5. 6. Springstead, 16.5. 7. Nature Coast, 4.5.
[Last modified December 5, 2003, 01:34:13]
Hernando Times headlines
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