Three athletes capture berth in national meet
By JASON PAFUNDI
Published May 15, 2005
Three St. Petersburg girls competed in the USAG Trampoline and Tumbling state meet in Port Charlotte on May 7.
Katie Wheeler captured the Level 7 trampoline title with a score of 25.8, which qualified her for nationals. She also will be participating in that meet's tumbling competition after producing a seventh-place state performance of 55. Allison Corder won the Level 4 trampoline crown (25.8) and double mini championship (56.4). Joining Wheeler and Corder at nationals will be Amy Rice, who finished second in the Level 7 state tumbling (55.9) and was a trampoline runner-up (22.3).
BASEBALL: The Seminole Tribe AAU team swept the top-rated Nevada squad in an April doubleheader in Las Vegas. The Tribe is comprised of players 14 who are coached by Phil McHenry, Mike Carlin, Richard Schomp, Jeff Wunderlich and Rick Darrow. The members are Dalton Darrow, Donzel Redding, Jeffrey Wunderlich, Chris Winiecki, Matt McHenry, Michael Carlin, Curtis Riley, Joseph Lamoureux, Stephen Nalewicki, Luke Schomp, Justin Helms, Scott Robinson and Dominick Santini.
The Seminole Astros won the District 5 Holiday Tournament to become the Junior Division champions.
They defeated the Seminole Tribe 14-3 in a five-inning final.
GYMNASTICS: Jenifer Voynovich and Jenna Paul, LaFleur's of Largo members, competed in the Junior Olympics Eastern Nationals Level 9 competition at Manatee Civic Center in Palmetto on May 7.
Voynovich placed seventh on the vault and 19th all-around. Paul tied with Voynovich in the vault competition and finished 20th all-around.
Gemini's Jeremiah Hodges is competing in a national meet this weekend in Texas.
Hodges qualified by capturing second all-around in Level 10 of an April regional. He was fourth on the pommel horse, vault and parallel bars.
Thurber, a Level 6 athlete for the organization, placed 11th all-around after taking fifth on the vault and seventh on the rings.
Jeffrey Burns, Level 5, was fourth all-around, producing performances of second in the floor exercise, fifth on vault, sixth on high bars and seventh on pommel horse. Jacob McKee came in 13th all-around, including sixth on parallel bars and 10th on vault . Byron Starlin claimed 18th all-around, 16th on vault, 17th in floor and 18th on high bars.
The Tampa Bay Turners organization was the host for the Level 9 Eastern National Championships at Manatee Civic Center on May 6-8.
More than 400 athletes from the eastern United States competed after advancing from regional meets.
For the Turners, Alyssa Collins was the Eastern National all-around champion, only the second TBT gymnast to win the competition. She was third on the vault and fourth on beam. Nicole Abdo placed fifth all-around, second on beam and 10th on bars. Lindsay Weber took fifth on beam, and Ashley Sullivan was a first-time qualifier.
GIRLS SOCCER: Coach Chris Charles' St. Pete Raiders under-12 girls team captured second in the Hackworth-Davis Cup (Division 2) in Fort Myers.
Playing for the Raiders were Lindsey Brown, Jennifer Casey, Allison Clay, Emily DiVito, Kara Hudgins, Sonia Jacob, Molly Lodigiani, Taylor Loyden, Katie Martinez, Monica Methot, Sara Parker, Elizabeth Prather, Erin Soto, Angela Tayagui and Olivia Wilkinson.
BOYS SOCCER: Zack MacMath completed his stint with the under-14 National Team after four training camps at the National Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
MacMath was selected for the squad last summer in Boston. He has played in the Olympic Development Program Interregional Tournament in Austin, Texas, and an international competition in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In Mexico, MacMath was named one of the top players on his team after competing against professional club youth squads.
SOFTBALL: The Azalea Canes senior girls team won the District 5 Spring Tournament at Gulfport.
The squad posted a 4-0 record, including a 14-1 victory over Cross Bayou in the championship.
Pitchers Brtiney Wolfenbarger, Nicole Zell and Bonnie Joyner combined for the wins, allowing only seven runs in 26 innings. Allison Rice hit a grand slam in the title game, and Larissa Jones had three RBIs.
The tourney crown was the first for the Canes since 1981. SWIMMING: St. Pete Aquatics will have registration for its summer league Wednesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Practices start Thursday. The program, which introduces individuals 6-18 to competitive swimming, is available at city of St. Petersburg pools. For information, call 727 821-2918 or go online to www.stpetersburgaquatics.com
SPA athletes competed in the Hurricane Man and Pass-a-Grille Challenge at St. Pete Beach on May 7.
Tracey Rorer was the overall girls winner, and Adam Moody was the boys champion. Both set meet records, as did Marissa Markese in the 10-and-under girls division. Melanie Rorer finished second. For the 11-12 girls, Melissa Joyner was a runner-up, and Evan Hill was fifth. In 13-14 competition, Sidney Newfield captured first and Colleen Quinn claimed second. Jaime Milo established a 15-16 girls record, and Kariann Stevens was a runner-up.
For the 17-and-older girls, Jesse Bardin set a mark , Katelynn Stevens placed second, Titilayo Adeleye took fourth and Samantha Mooren was fifth. Alex Grant finished third for the 10-and-under boys. Clearwater Aquatics Team produced a 27-point victory in the WFLA Spring Open on April 30-May 1. High-point performers were Summer Finke, eight-and-under girls division; Caitlin Warner, senior; Emman Crescimbeni, 13-14 boys; and Clay Bullock, senior. Also scoring were Morgan Perrotti, Autumn Finke, Hannah Roper, Matt Davis, Zach Perrotti, David Morgan, Andrew Howard, Alex Glover, Cameron Martin, Jennifer Guyler and Adam Corbin.
Junior Olympic qualifying times were recorded by Davis, Martin, Autumn Finke, Zach Perrotti, Kelsey Buckley, Angelica Compton, Melissa Damaske, Mate Fabian, Courtney Grace, Kelly Grace, Taylor Mortti, Caroline Myers, Paige Schmidt and Wes Stearns.
Other strong outings were turned in by Lauren Coughlin, Jill Sears, Sarah Guyler, Maria Lovera, Leigh Myers, James Fryer and Santiago Hernandez. CAT is competing in this weekend's Brandon Blue Wave Invitational.
News for this column can be sent to times@jasonpafundi.com