Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Intriguing people, events of the year

By DAWN REISS AND BRIAN SUMERS
Published December 30, 2005

After another successful athletic year on the Nature Coast, Times staff writers Dawn Reiss and Brian Sumers present the county's top moments:

1. BRETT MILLER WINS STATE POLE VAULT TITLE: A year after finishing 10th, Crystal River senior Miller surprised observers by winning the Class 2A meet at Coral Springs. He jumped 14 feet, 6 inches - more than enough for the title and a Pirates record.

Later in the spring, Miller signed a partial scholarship to Warner Southern in Lake Wales, an NAIA school that has produced 13 All-Americans in the past four years.

2. LECANTO SOFTBALL COACH AMY LILLEY IS ARRESTED: Lilley, who resigned from the softball post last spring, admitted to having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student. Arrested in November, Lilley pleaded innocent to charges of lewd and lascivious battery. She is awaiting trial, though her attorney, Michael Blackstone, said recently the two sides may soon work out a plea agreement.

3. CITRUS BOYS & GIRLS GOLF TEAMS DOMINATE: Both were the only county squads to advance to the state tournament, with the girls finishing 14th in Class A and the boys finishing 15th. Led by No. 1 golfer Briana Carlson, a freshman who tied for 45th at state, the Hurricanes went 21-0 in the regular season. Senior Charlie Hendrick led the boys, who also won the region tournament.

4. ZIMBRO GOES DIVISION I: Drew Zimbro agreed to play at Jacksonville University, becoming the county's first boys basketball Division I signee.

The Lecanto guard, who recently had his jersey number retired, is redshirting this season after he was diagnosed with a heart problem. Zimbro averaged 17.4 points and five rebounds in 2004-05.

5. ASHLEY BULLION HEADS TO USF: Bullion, a first baseman at Crystal River High, actually committed to the Bulls in 2004 when she was still a junior.

Since she didn't enroll at the school until this year and still hasn't played a game for the Bulls (their season hasn't started yet), we'll lump Bullion into the best of 2005. In a preseason poll, her new team was picked to finish third in the Big East.

6. FRESHMAN LEADS CITRUS TO POSTSEASON: With Barry Sanders-like moves, Antoin Scriven shaked and baked his way to more than 1,400 yards rushing for a pass-happy offense.

The 16-year-old freshman, whom coach Rik Haines said could be a future Division I player, effortlessly makes tacklers miss as he gains extra yards.

When the Hurricanes played Lecanto this season, Scriven carried 32 times for 293 yards and scored two touchdowns. Look for more of the same in 2006.

7. LYONS IS COASTAL CAROLINA BOUND: What's a Chanticleer, you ask? Crystal River's Lacey Lyons will be happy to tell you.

She knows it's a rooster because that's the mascot for Coastal Carolina, where Lyons will play basketball next season.

Lyons, who played at Seven Rivers last year, signed a national letter of intent in November, despite suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament during an AAU game in May. Come fall, she'll officially be a Chanticleer.

8. CITRUS GIRLS SOCCER MAKES RUN: Under new coach Charlie Gatto, the fourth-seeded Hurricanes came out of nowhere to capture the Class 4A, District 9 title. Then Citrus beat Zephyrhills in the region quarterfinal before losing to Tampa Newsome.

The Hurricanes featured the Citrus and Hernando Times' Players of the Year - Ashley Christensen and Kaela Fitzpatrick - and Gatto was Coach of the Year.

9. TAYLOR COOKE ADVANCES TO STATE MEETS: A junior at Lecanto, Cook competed in both swimming and cross country, and she went to state in both.

It was the second time she pulled off the feat. She was runnerup for the Times Hernando and Citrus Swimmer of the Year and was a first-team cross country runner.

Assuming the state meets don't conflict, Cook likely will repeat as a double qualifier next season, but what would happen if she just stuck to one sport?

10. CITRUS SPEEDWAY'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY: For the casual observer, this speedway season was highlighted by Figure 8 School Bus races, but there was plenty of good competition in Inverness.

According to race organizers, more than 600 drivers competed this season, setting a track record. The action starts up again Jan. 21 with the Winter Spectacular.

[Last modified December 30, 2005, 01:18:03]