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Memorable moments, people of 2006

By DAVID MURPHY
Published January 3, 2007

Notable arrivals

- Cliff Lohrey, (right) Central football coach

- Jeff Spivey, Central athletic director

- Eric Hayes, Central basketball coach

- Donnie Whitehead, Hernando baseball coach

- Cristi Brown, Hernando volleyball coach

- Brian Flanigan, Hernando wrestling coach

- Matt Smith, Hernando wrestling coach

Notable departures

- John Sedlack, Central basketball coach

- Greg Bigham, Central football coach

- Tim Sims, Hernando baseball coach

- Maria Garcia, (left) Nature Coast volleyball coach

- Dena Frye, Hernando volleyball coach

- Matt Smith, Hernando football/wrestling coach

- Brian Flanigan, Hernando wrestling coach

Division I signings

Andy Leavine, Central/Springstead, FIU football

Jaleesa Scott, Nature Coast, USF soccer

Notable achievements

- Springstead boys basketball wins the Class 4A, District 8 title, going 18-9 in the regular season before losing to Bishop Moore in the playoffs

- Nature Coast girls basketball goes undefeated in the county again and finishes as the runnerup in Class 4A, District 8.

- Central boys golf wins its first district title, shooting 299 to win by 11 strokes.

- Springstead boys soccer finishes as runnerup in Class 4A, District 8 before losing to Bishop Moore in the playoffs.

- Central senior Rae-Lynn Sheffield finishes second at the state swim meet in the 100-meter breaststroke.

- Central boys tennis defeats Daytona Beach Seabreeze in a region final to advance to its first state tournament.

- Central volleyball finishes as runnerup in Class 5A, District 7 to advance to the playoffs.

- Hernando's Mike Combs finishes second at state wrestling at 160 pounds. David Pritz finishes third at 189 pounds.

- Nature Coast athlete Mike Kursteiner wins state title in high jump

- Hernando boys cross country team finishes second in Class 2A for second straight year.

- Hernando alum Dee Brown promoted to high-Class A Potomac after solid season at low-Class A Savannah. Central grad also excels at low-Class A West Virginia.

- Hernando athlete Valerie Blount places fifth in shot put, seventh in discus at state meet

- County residents Taylor Burbank, Pat McMunn Jr. and Dave Kreier ride from Gulfport to Key West on wave runners.

- Nature Coast beats Springstead for first county football win, goes undefeated in district and earns first playoff berth.

- Central running back DuJuan Harris sets single-game record with 363 rushing yards against Crystal River.

- Central football wins Class 4A, District 8 title, nearly beats Daytona Beach Seabreeze in the playoffs.

- Springstead places seven wrestlers on all-Hernando/Citrus team.

- Three county alums all earn starting spots at Division I basketball programs: Hernando's Bernice Mosby at Baylor, Central's Alex Ruoff at West Virginia and Hernando's Kyle Swanston at James Madison.

When looking back at the year 2006 in Hernando County sports, change seems to be the common theme. New football coaches, new wrestling coaches, new programs emerging as county powers: nothing, it seems, is as it was.

So let's take a look back at the year that was. There were some surprising moves, some smashing successes and some usual suspects doing their usual things.

[Last modified January 2, 2007, 23:15:30]