Two stars get chance to shine at Classic
By FRANK PASTOR and STEVE LEE
Published December 9, 2005
After Land O'Lakes' region quarterfinal playoff loss to Chamberlain, Caz Piurowski reminisced about his prep career and it being "tough to go out with a loss."
Actually, Piurowski gets two more chances to go out with a win.
Piurowski will be part of the South squad for the Florida Athletic Coaches Association 51st North-South All-Star Classic set for Dec. 23 at The Villages. On Dec. 31, he plays in the California-Florida Bowl at Cal State-Fullerton.
"They're both great honors," Piurowski said. "My high school career isn't over yet."
Neither is that of Zephyrhills' Bryan Thomas, who will be Piurowski's teammate for the FACA game.
The last north-south game for state players took place in 1996, according to FACA executive director Wink Barnette, adding that a Florida-Georgia series also was played from 1985 to 2003.
"Rather than (playing) an out-of-state team, we figured we'd put something together," Barnette said. "That way we could recognize more of our kids."
Piurowski and Thomas earned recognition for their all-around play. Piurowski, a tight end/defensive end bound for Florida State, was the county's second-leading receiver (behind teammate Develin Robinson) with 34 catches for 589 yards and five touchdowns. He also punted for a 38.5 average and had five sacks.
"He's one of the top tight ends in the country," Land O'Lakes coach John Benedetto said. "He did a great job of leading by example, just by playing hard and wanting to win."
Thomas, who has committed to Florida, had 12 touchdowns. He scored offensively (four rushing, three receiving), on defense (three interception returns) and on special teams (returning a kickoff and a punt).
"He earned it," Zephyrhills coach Tom Fisher said. "He paid his dues all four years, on the field and in the classroom."
MAKING THEIR MARK: Hudson's Robert Allen, Travis Tindell and Jacob McFadden; Gulf's Shawn Williamson and River Ridge's Phil Petrini are among the county players that will participate in a high school combine Saturday at 9 a.m. at Gulf.
The combine, organized by strength and conditioning specialist Rob Oppedisano and Gulf coach Jay Fulmer, is targeted at prep players interested in playing in college that Division I schools might have overlooked.
"I'm hoping to line up high school players that are not getting much exposure with colleges that would be able to fit their playing ability," Oppedisano said. "I'm just trying to get these kids into college."
Oppedisano, who has eight years of college basketball coaching experience at Saint Leo, Pasco-Hernando Community College and Mount Olive (N.C.), asked prep coaches from 20 schools in Pasco, Hernando, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties to suggest players they thought could play in college.
For $50 per player, Oppedisano will send the combine results along with SAT or ACT scores and other academic accomplishments to Division II, NAIA and junior colleges in the south. The combine will be videotaped and posted on Oppedisano's Web site.
Oppedisano has been in contact with 58 schools. Assumption, Webber and Jacksonville are among those expected to attend the combine.
Players will be tested in six events: 10-yard dash, 40-yard dash, pro agility and three-cone drills, standing broad jump and 185-pound bench press (maximum reps).
Zephyrhills' Joe Burgess and Marvin Johnson were contacted by colleges after a similar combine Oppedisano held at River Ridge last year, but academic shortcomings kept either from taking advantage of the opportunities, Oppedisano said.