Hillsborough: News and notes

By JOE SMITH and KEITH NIEBUHR, Times Staff Writers
Published September 23, 2007

Revord leads Jesuit to FSU title

Jesuit remained the crme of the county-cross country crop with an impressive first-place finish at the FSU Invitational Saturday.

Junior Connor Revord (fourth, 16 minutes, 7 seconds) led the Tigers, who were without their No.2 runner, Jordan Schilit (observing Yom Kippur).

Plant took third, sparked by Trenor Wilkins (12th), with Sickles (ninth) and Wharton (10th) rounding out the finishers. The top county finisher was Sickles junior Derek Wehunt (second, 15:55).

On the girls side, Berkeley Prep took ninth, followed by Wharton (10th) and Plant (11th). Wharton competed without top runner Katrina Skinner (allergies), but sister Kathia was the top county finisher, 10th place in 20:08.

In their thoughts

After being hospitalized Friday with apparent heart problems, longtime Chamberlain coach Billy Turner missed his first game in 37 years. But while he wasn't on the sideline, he was on the minds of his fellow coaches.

Here's what two of them had to say:

"I gave him a call earlier today and spoke to his family. When you look at the great names in the history of high school sports in Hillsborough County, not just football, Billy Turner is right up there. He's been a tremendous inspiration to me."

Robert Weiner, Plant.

"Talk about icons in football. When I first got my job, Billy called me and said 'Congratulations.' He always has little words of encouragement every time I see him. He's just a really good guy. He always sets a good example."

- Dan O'Regan, Riverview.

Double whammy

Riverview's O'Regan had a tough night Friday. Not only did his team lose to Plant by 21 points, but also one of his squad's two quarterbacks, junior Alex O'Regan, was ejected for throwing a punch and won't play this week.

And yes, Alex is Dan's son.

"He's been in competitive sports since he was 4. He should know better," the elder O'Regan said. "But at the same time, what goes on at the bottom of the pile is pretty nasty sometimes. It wasn't a cheap shot. It was retaliation."

Statitude

Game-by-game total yardage allowed by Tampa Bay Tech this season:

24 - Bloomingdale 48 - Leto

6 - Sickles 98 - Freedom

East Bay is snakebitten

Boy, do the Indians (1-3) hate field goals, or what? After picking up its biggest win in years (beating Riverview in opener), East Bay has lost three games by a combined seven points. And here's how they lost - last-second field goal, blocked tying field goal, last-second field goal. e_SClBSickles wins volleyball tourney

Sickles took the championship at the Academy of the Holy Names volleyball tournament Saturday, beating host AHN, then taking Manatee in three games (25-22, 20-25, 15-9). The Gryphons, who were 2-0 on Friday, beat AHN in the semis 26-24, 25-23.

[Last modified September 23, 2007, 00:36:38]