Largo running back gets another honor

By Times Staff
Published December 27, 2005

Largo running back Dexter McCluster picked up MVP honors Friday at the Florida Athletic Coaches Association North-South Football All-Star Classic at The Villages.

McCluster was the star for the South, which won 34-11. The Times county player of the year ran for 164 yards and a touchdown.

McCluster was part of an attack that produced 504 yards of offense, sharing the backfield with Sarasota running back and Class 6A player of the year Antwan Graham (113 yards) and Miami Washington quarterback and 5A player of the year Alwan Lee (72 yards rushing, 72 passing).

A 63-yard touchdown by McCluster in the fourth quarter made it 27-3.

"What can you say about Dexter? From the first day we got here until now, he's done nothing but go full speed the whole time," South coach Jeff McLean told The Villages Daily Sun .

"And Antwan Graham, I think they're being nice when they say he's 155 pounds, but you can see now why he was the Class 6A player of the year."

WEEKEND ALL-STARS: Several bay area football players will participate in the seventh CaliFlorida Bowl Saturday at Cal-State Fullerton.

The game, which pits the best seniors in California against the best in Florida, is at 3 p.m. and will air on Fox Sports Net.

Countryside offensive lineman Seaver Brown will join Clearwater Central Catholic receiver Riley Cooper , tight end and linebacker Colin McCarthy and lineman Kevin Young to represent Pinellas County.

Brown and Young have committed to South Carolina, and Cooper has commited to Florida.

McCarthy will decide next week among schools such as Ohio State, Notre Dame and Miami.

Hillsborough County will be represented by Jefferson's Jarron Rose , Middleton's A.J. Jones and Hillsborough's Jared Fayson and Leslie Stirrups .

BARONS ROLLING: St. Petersburg Catholic, the county's lone remaining unbeaten boys soccer team, made it 11 in a row Monday by beating 6A Alonso 5-1 at the Ridgewood Winter Tournament.

Ryan Covington scored twice for the Barons, who scored four goals in the second half to break a 1-1 halftime tie.

IMPRESSIVE EFFORT: Countryside made it the furthest of any area boys soccer team at last week's prestigious Admiral Invitational in Tampa, losing to defending 4A state champion Auburndale 2-1.

Seminole finished third in the Elite Bracket. After beating Tampa Prep, Melbourne and Melbourne Central Catholic in pool play, the Warhawks fell 1-0 on a late goal to eventual runnersup Bellarmine Prep (Calif.). But Seminole rebounded to hand Jesuit just its second loss of the season in the consolation game.

TOP DRAW: Of the 32 teams at the Admiral Invitational, 10 were ranked in the StudentSports Soccer.com Fab50.

POST-TOURNAMENT HARDWARE: Despite Countryside's and Seminole's strong showings, only two area players made the all-tournament team. Countryside's Mike Favero , who scored in a 1-0 semifinal win against Lakeland Jenkins, was selected for the Premier Bracket team while Seminole's David Pollard made the Elite Bracket team.

[Last modified December 27, 2005, 08:46:03]