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Ram experienced no letdown

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: With his future set, Andrew Reed led the county in rebounds and shooting percentage and was second in scoring.

NEW PORT RICHEY - He could have coasted.

Andrew Reed had the scholarship papers signed before Ridgewood's season started, and the 6-foot-7 center could have just gone through the motions of his senior season, swatting a few shots, squeezing in some dunks, cruising around on little more than a farewell tour.

So much for senioritis.

With defenses collapsing on him with regular double-teams and then some, Reed put the Rams on his back, guiding them to their second straight district crown and a share of the Sunshine Athletic Conference championship.

"It wasn't tough at all for me. I like being the one everybody has to stop," said Reed, also chosen as SAC player of the year by the county's coaches. "I like being the guy the coach yells after them, saying, "You have to do something about Reed.' It made me feel good to know they had to put two players on me."

Reed committed to Louisiana-Lafayette in October but ultimately chose East Tennessee State, signing in November. That took one pressure off his shoulders but left him with another challenge: showing he could lead a team that had graduated six seniors from last season's squad, which reached the region final.

He responded by dominating inside, leading the county in rebounds (11.7) and shooting percentage (.606) and finishing a close second to Wesley Chapel's Chase Bussey for the county scoring title, averaging 17.9 points.

After an early-season loss to the Wildcats, Ridgewood rallied, winning the second meeting then savoring a 58-51 win in the district championship.

"We needed that loss to make us regroup, to show us we can be beaten," said Reed, also motivated by a chance to play with his Class of 2004 teammates, whom he hadn't seen since his freshman season on the junior varsity. His last season as a regular was their first, in many cases, so he wanted to make the most of his final season.

"We've been playing together since sixth and seventh grade in Bayonet Point," Reed said. "So we thought we could go all the way just because we were all back together again."

Reed saved some of his biggest games for the postseason, which started with a 30-point, 20-rebound effort against Gulf that included 16 points and eight offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone.

Against Wesley Chapel, he had 16 points and 13 rebounds in the district championship, and in his final game in a region semifinal against state runnerup Winter Haven, he led the Rams with 13 points.

He judges himself against the toughest competition, such as Lake Region, which beat the Rams and later made the Class 5A state semifinals. He's warming up for college by playing in adult rec leagues, preparing himself for the more physical competition he'll face as a freshman.

He'll get to campus as the second-tallest player on ETSU's roster, so he's focusing on adding strength and muscle to his 200-pound frame.

FIRST TEAM

Chase Bussey, Jr., G, Wesley Chapel: A flashy playmaker who led the county in jaw-dropping, behind-the-back, no-look passes, Bussey can create his own shot as well as anyone. He led the county with 19.1 points a game, just one of Wesley Chapel's dangerous outside shooters but the one best equipped to find an open man, as witnessed by a county-best 5.1 assists per game. Only his 5-foot-10 frame might keep recruiters from Wesley Chapel next season.

D.J. Crosby, So., G, Mitchell: A key force in the Mustangs' upset of then undefeated Wesley Chapel, Crosby had his teammates' endorsement as the county's best point guard. And he'll solidify that status in the next two seasons. This season was the first step of getting Mitchell in the playoffs for the first time, but this was only an introduction to where Crosby can lead this team.

Johnny Peyton, Sr., F, Pasco: Athletic enough to have major college football recruiters at his games, the receiver was Pasco's most consistent player, teaming with the talented Deran Burns and underappreciated Jimmy Lyman to lead the Pirates to an 11-1 conference record. Had he and Burns been healthy every game, this might have been a playoff team.

Andrew Reed, Sr., C, Ridgewood: Good for a few third-row rejections and thunderous dunks every night, Reed lived up to his billing, dominating inside and leading the Rams back to the region semifinals. He led the county in rebounding and shooting percentage and ranked second in scoring and blocks. No player meant more to his team than Reed. Justin Sconiers, Jr., G, Gulf: Sconiers quietly took third in the all-SAC voting by county coaches, trailing only Bussey and Reed. Gulf was overshadowed by Ridgewood and Wesley Chapel, but with both teams to be hit hard by graduation, Sconiers will team with promising center David Frazier to make the Bucs a playoff contender in 2005.

Drew Weatherford, Sr., F, Land O'Lakes: All-around superstar was third in county with 2.3 steals per game.

Jeremy Hopper, Sr., G, Mitchell: Topped the 1,000-point mark and was Mustangs' top scoring threat.

Mike Auman, Sr., F, Wesley Chapel: Versatile senior was county's most accurate 3-point shooter (.424).

Deran Burns, Jr., F, Pasco: Showed flashes of stardom with potential to be county's best next season. Caz Piurowski, So., C, Land O'Lakes: Used 6-foot-8 frame well inside, though this might be his third-best sport.

Gulf - David Frazier, Fr., C; Hudson - Mark Baker, Sr., C; Land O'Lakes - Chris Harvey, Sr., G; Mitchell - Mitch Foster, So., F; Pasco - Jimmy Lyman, Sr., G; Ridgewood - Chris Gunter, Sr., G; Stephen Affetto, Sr., G; River Ridge - Alex Pasquine, Jr., G; Wesley Chapel - Travis Lemaster, Sr., G; Mario Otkins, Jr., F; Zephyrhills - Bryan Prince, Sr., G; Travis Mickle, Sr., F.