Move saves wear, tear on Tigers

Jesuit's district road trips won't be so tiresome thanks to a bump up in classification.

By SCOTT PURKS
Published April 4, 2007

TAMPA - The distance from Jesuit to Lake Wales is about 70 miles, which has been a nagging problem for Jesuit the better part of six years, or the approximate time the Tigers have been in a district with the Highlanders.

"Can you imagine traveling 70 miles there at 4 p.m. and then driving back at midnight on a Tuesday night?" Jesuit athletic director John Crumbley said. "That's what we do when we play at Lake Wales, and that, believe me, can wear on you."

Besides Lake Wales, the other teams in Jesuit's Class 4A, District 9 also required long traveling distances: Spoto 20 miles, Kathleen (33), Bartow (40), Haines City (60) and Ridge Community (60).

This year the Jesuit administration said enough is enough and asked the Florida High School Athletic Association to move the Tigers up from Class 4A to 5A in three sports - baseball, soccer and basketball. Permission for the upcoming 2007-09 school year was granted.

No other sports would be switched, Crumbley said, because travel didn't have as much of an effect on them because of varying district alignments.

"The moves (in baseball, basketball and soccer) puts us in a district with teams close to our school," Crumbley said.

"Sure, we'll be playing against schools that are bigger, but that really doesn't matter. Competition is competition. I think it will be better for everybody."

Jesuit's new competitors in 5A-10 include Blake, Chamberlain, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Leto, Middleton, Plant and Robinson.

"I think it's great that Jesuit is coming in," Plant baseball coach Dennis Braun said. "It's a natural rivalry and we've wanted to play them for a long time. But we could never work out the schedules to play.

"Now the district will be more exciting, you know, we should get some nice crowds for our games."

Hillsborough baseball coach Ken White said he welcomes the Tigers because they bring a strong tradition that includes three state titles and one national championship (1997) in the past 20 years.

"When I coached at Plant City (2005-06) we were in a district that included Sarasota, Durant, Riverview and Lakeland and it was great competition every time out," White said. "Every night you'd see a great pitcher and great hitters. It only served to make us better.

"So, yeah, I love the fact that Jesuit is coming in."

Scott Purks can be reached at purks@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3353.

[Last modified April 3, 2007, 23:54:03]