Hillsborough: News and notes

By JOE SMITH and KEITH NIEBUHR, Times Staff Writers
Published September 20, 2007

Coach, doctors look for answers

Billy Turner isn't in pain.

He wants his friends and well-wishers to know that.

But he does, at times, have trouble breathing. And that's why the longtime Chamberlain football coach has had several medical examinations since he began coughing regularly in April.

"I took one test Wednesday and I take one more (today)," Turner said. "That's the last one."

His heart, he says, is fine. And Turner, 69, doesn't have asthma.

"They've narrowed it down more and more," he said. "I think Monday I'll get some answers."

In the meantime, he's trying to be patient. And positive.

But that isn't always easy.

"I have a hard time walking from here to my car," he said. "I get shortness of breath. For a guy who's been a jock all his life, it's hard to accept. I was never a smoker. I had 325 sick days when I quit teaching four years ago. I never missed a day of school in 44 years because of sickness."

Movie time

Plant football coach Bob Weiner has taken film watching to another level. With his Panthers preparing to play Riverview on Friday, Weiner is showing the team clips from the Discovery Channel DVDShark Week each day. The weeklong program is dedicated to sharing facts on shark conservation and behavior.

"I figured, we're playing the Sharks," Weiner said with a grin. "So why not?"

Injury update

Berkeley Prep freshman Natasha Rowland, one of the state-ranked volleyball team's top passers and defenders, will be out four to five weeks with a dislocated elbow, coach Randy Dagostino said.

Six-man football standings

Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools

Haven Chr. 5-0

Carrollwood Day 4-1

Zephyrhills Chr. 3-1

Lakeside Chr. 3-2

Veritas Prep 2-2

Lighthouse Chr. 1-2

Westgate Chr. 1-2

Lakeland Geneva 1-3

Hillsborough Baptist 1-3

Tampa Bay Chr. 1-4

Life Academy 0-4

Did you know?

With five state championships, the Plant boys golf program is tied with Ponte Vedra Beach Nease and Bradenton Prep for the most all-time in Florida history. The Panthers' last title came 71 years ago. They also won in 1929, '31, '33 and '35.

Numbers game

6 Seasons since the Tampa Bay Tech football team last won four straight games. The Titans are 3-0 entering this week's outing against Freedom.

Quotable

"Everyone thinks they're superhuman, but they're human beings, just like us."

- Newsome running back Abe Kazbour, on playing nationally ranked Armwood on Friday

Contact us

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com or (813) 310-9024. Keith Niebuhr can be reached at kniebuhr@sptimes.com or at (813) 226-3458.

[Last modified September 20, 2007, 01:05:06]