Hillsborough: News and notes

Chamberlain chasing champs

Chamberlain volleyball coach Gary Jones said he's had some "sleepless nights" the past few days. And no, it's not because the Chiefs (2-4) travel tonight at 7 to face nationally ranked Plant (No. 26), the defending state champs.

It's because his wife, Ree, just had the couple's third child Friday night.

The birth of Sadie Rose Jones (7 pounds, 3 ounces) forced Jones to miss the Chiefs' last match against Armwood (a 3-0 loss), but Jones said his team his pumped for Plant (5-0). The other big match tonight is Academy of the Holy Names at Pinellas County power Indian Rocks Christian (6:30).

"I remember when I first started here (six years ago), the girls used to dread playing Plant - they'd go in with a defeatist attitude," Jones said. "Now they can't wait."

Hawks armed with depth

Armwood fullback Matt Eastman (shoulder) will be one of three starters out for Friday's matchup with Newsome. Defensive end Sergio Joyner (knee) and strong safety Aaron Duncan (ankle) will miss their second straight game. But the Hawks' cupboard is far from bare; backup defensive end Devin Core racked up three sacks and two tackles for loss Friday vs. Brandon.

Links update

Jesuit junior Jack Twomey shot 1-over 73 to highlight the Tigers' effort in Monday's Hawkins/Crutchfield Invitational. The event, held annually in Sebring, is billed as the largest prep invitational golf event in Florida.

Jesuit's four-player total of 318 placed the Tigers around the bottom of the A-Flight, but among the top 15 teams in the field, which coach John Crumbley estimates numbered more than three dozen. Junior Trent Silver shot a 77.

Links update,part II

Sickles freshman Alex Milan, who shot a season-best round of 2-under last week, will face heralded Wharton junior Shena Yang at 3 p.m. today at Heritage Harbor. Yang was last year's county player of the year; Milan has broken 40 in four of five matches this fall. When they met earlier this season, Yang bested Milan by four and Wharton won by three.

Check it out

Catch 47 has picked Jefferson at Gaither as its football game of the week on Friday. If you can't make the game, turn on the tube at 7:30 p.m.

X-country corner

Wharton senior Katrina Skinner took first place (19 minutes, 19 seconds) at the Katie Caples Invitational on Friday at Bishop Kenny. The Wildcats, who also paced by Kathia Skinner (16th, 20:17) and Erin Bailey (23rd, 20:52), took sixth. The next big meet for several local teams is Saturday's FSU Invitational.

Compiled by Times staff writers Joe Smith and Keith Neibuhr.

Top 5 quarterbacks

Name (school) C-A YDs TDs INTs

1. Aaron Murray (Plant) 50-82 950 8 0

2. Justin Le (Robinson) 23-52 407 3 6

3. Zack Grossi (Jefferson) 28-49 376 5 1

4. Tracy Burr (Brandon) 26-62 376 3 4

5. Mitch Pfeiffer (Jesuit) 23-40 324 2 3

Top 5 rushers

Name (school) Att. YDs TDs

1. Maurice Hagens (TBT) 47 474 3

2. Taylor Cabral (Cambridge) 45 440 6

3. Jarvis Giles (Gaither) 65 431 6

4. Archie Barnes (Berkeley Prep) 21 335 5

5. Willie Hopps (Blake) 66 331 2

Top 5 receivers

Name (school) Rec. YDs TDs

1. Derek Winter (Plant) 17 381 3

2. Blake Kennedy (Lennard) 15 238 1

3. Cornelius Gallon (Plant) 11 230 5

4. Ryan Mitchell (Jesuit) 11 184 2

5. Fred Sykes (Chamberlain) 8 158 1

[Last modified September 18, 2007, 00:32:31]