Pirates, Wildcats top honor roll

SAC coaches pick the best of the best in spring sports.

By FRANK PASTOR
Published May 4, 2005

After winning more conference titles than any other schools this spring, Pasco and Wesley Chapel were rewarded with two player-of-the-year and two coach-of-the-year honors at the Sunshine Athletic Conference coaches meeting Monday.

Ricky Giles was named coach of the year and Dominic Brown (8-1) pitcher of the year for leading Pasco (20-4) to the conference baseball title. The Pirates were 11-1 in the conference, losing only to Land O'Lakes and finishing three games ahead of the second-place Gators.

Dave Gaffney was coach of the year in boys weightlifting, in which Pasco claimed a district crown. Isaria Ranson was field athlete of the year in girls track, where she won the long jump and triple jump.

Wesley Chapel dominated in track, winning boys and girls titles. Jasmine Cabrera, the conference champ in the 100- and 200-meter runs and part of the winning 400-meter relay team, was girls runner of the year. Kristi Frye, whose squad nearly doubled second-place Ridgewood's total, was named coach of the year.

Scoring was considerably closer in the boys meet, but Wesley Chapel prevailed, assuring Brian Colding as coach of the year. The Wildcats' Dayna Glover was softball pitcher of the year.

River Ridge won only one team title but was rewarded with three player- and two coach-of-the-ear honors.

Ron Spriggs was coach of the year, and Ina Groeger shared player of the year with Hudson's Meighan O'Connor in girls tennis, where the Royal Knights went undefeated in the SAC.

River Ridge's conference championship softball squad was equally well represented. Ernie Beck won coach of the year and Janet Houck was named player of the year. Jordan Powell picked up boys lifter of the year honors after winning the 199-pound title.

Land O'Lakes' Steven Bell, who won the 1,600 and 3,200 and contributed to the winning 3,200-relay squad, was boys track runner of the year. Zephyrhills' Bryan Thomas, who placed first in the 100, long jump, 400 relay and 1,600 relay, was boys field athlete of the year.

Gulf catcher Norberto Navarro was baseball player of the year after leading the Bucs to a 12-11 record, a seven-win turnaround from last season.

Co-champions Land O'Lakes and Gulf split boys tennis honors, with the Gators' Vu-Anh Thai winning player of the year and the Bucs' Bret Wiest taking coach of the year.

[Last modified May 4, 2005, 00:58:13]