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Letter to the editor

East Lake hockey soaring

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Published March 9, 2008

Pinellas County is known as a hotbed for high school soccer, softball and baseball. But hockey?

Although the sport isn't officially sanctioned by the Florida High School Athletic Association, it is taken very seriously at East Lake High. In the world of high school club hockey, played in Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough and Manatee counties in our area, East Lake has become the dominant team.

The Eagles have won two straight state club championships and are working on a third. After a 22-0-1 regular season, which included two straight district final tournament wins over the team from Tarpon Springs/Dunedin/Countryside high schools last weekend, East Lake plays in the state finals March 28-30 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise.

There are four teams in the tournament: East Lake, North Broward Prep, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas and Archbishop McCarthy. St. Thomas Aquinas defeated East Lake in the final three years ago, but the Eagles won the past two finals against the Raiders.

"I didn't think we'd make it back, to tell you the truth," coach Jim Anna said. "We're pretty young. We lost 14 players from last year."

But there are plenty more players to fill the void. Most play in the Central Florida Hockey League when they aren't playing for East Lake. There are teams based at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy in Oldsmar, Sunblades in Clearwater and the Igloo in Ellenton. Anna said there is one player on a team in Fort Myers.

The team is led by senior defenders Adam Pietrafesa and Andrew Augaitis. And there is a group of five forwards Anna counts on for goals. Mike Dutka, Nathan Altman, Steve O'Neill, Mike Nehls and Mike Piatek are all big contributors.

"I think it's amazing that all the kids come from the same school," said Anna, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and played hockey at Kent State and junior varsity at Ohio State. "I've seen the prep schools up north, and I think our team can compete with those teams. They're that good."

Anna, 40, has been a volunteer coach with the East Lake team for eight years. He moved to Florida in 1993 for the warm weather, but he still finds himself spending hours in the cold rink at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy. He is a full-time financial planner.

In the past four years, the East Lake team has compiled a 96-1-3 record. There is a chance for four straight appearances in the championship game, as well as three straight titles.

"In any league, that's an unbelievable record," Anna said.

Softball

The USF softball team is in its second week of hosting a large college softball tournament at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater. There will be 20 teams at this week's tournament, including Indiana, Penn State, Purdue, Oklahoma State and LSU. Former Palm Harbor University standout Dani Hofer pitches for LSU. Games begin at 11 a.m. Friday and run through Sunday. The finals are scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday. For complete information on the tournament, check out www.usfseries.com.

Golf

The County Golf Association held a tournament Feb. 21 at Cheval in Tampa. Kevin Andress 74 edged Ernie Muschner (75) for the gross championship in the regular division. Bill Criqui shot net 64 to beat Steve Ritter by a shot in the net division. The senior gross championship was won by Bobby Kilgore (72). Dick Bartlett and Gil Day each shot 74 to finish second. Jim Battaglia was the senior net winner with 63. The women's net champion was Janet Richey (66).

On Feb. 28 at Seminole Lakes CC, John Lisenbee (78) won the regular-division gross championship. Gary Schnellenberger (63) was the net champ. Bud Chapman (74) won the senior gross division. Vivian Marra (72) was the women's net champion.

- The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Police Athletic Junior Golf League held a match at Silver Dollar Golf Course in Odessa. Jake Johnson, a sophomore at East Lake High, won the nine-hole event with 1-over 37. Christian Senger of Palm Harbor was second with 41.

Bowling

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, the AMF University Lanes in Tampa will hold the inaugural Blue For Kids World Series of Bowling celebrity tournament. The tournament, which is run by Major League Baseball Umpires and the Major League Players Alumni Association, benefits at-risk children. The tournament is made up of four players plus a sports celebrity and is limited to 28 teams. There will be live and silent auctions and prizes for the top two teams. For information, go to www.blueforkids.com/ws2008.

Horseshoes

The Clearwater Horseshoe club held the Norm Gaseau Hall of Fame Open on March 1.Verdell Woollard of Apollo Beach was 6-1 to win the Class A division over Warren Woolsey.

Rodney Page can be reached at page@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8810. To submit information on community sports for publication, go to community.tampabay.com and click on the "submit info here" link.

[Last modified March 8, 2008, 02:08:01]