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By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 3, 2001
Rocky Velasco is among 11 high school athletes who will be honored before the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' season opener tonight at Tropicana Field.
Tampa's John Clewis, a paraplegic, will receive the first Tony Saunders Courage Award. The award is named for the former Rays pitcher who twice fractured his left arm, ending his career.
The award will be given annually by the Rays of Hope, the team's charitable foundation, to a local student-athlete who has demonstrated extraordinary effort or excelled in a sport while overcoming adversity.
Velasco, Sara Groenjes (Lakeland), Molly Johnson (Tampa), Michelle Gerlosky (Frostproof), Ashley Buchnowski (Tarpon Springs), Karen Christie (Sarasota), Collen Morton (Auburndale), Mallory Code (Tampa), Kristin Limpose (St. Petersburg) and James Streeter (Tampa) will be recognized as "Rays Champions," meaning they were finalists for the award.