County athletes clean up in Gainesville

By JAMAL THALJI

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 12, 2000

Pasco County brought home more than its share of medals from this past weekend's 2000 Sunshine State Games in Gainesville.

Ridgewood High's Nancy Edwards enjoyed one of the most impressive performances for a county athlete, representing west Pasco County's youth track and field team, Alpha Omega.

Edwards won a gold medal in the young girls high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 21/4 inches; the silver in the young girls triple jump (33-2) and the bronze in the long jump (15-71/2.)

She wasn't the only Pasco County athlete to come home a champion from the 21st edition of the amateur games, either.

Port Richey's James Pettitt took first place in the "A" class of the adult men's bowhunter freestyle competition. Hudson's John Butler earned the silver medal.

In the sea kayak race, Port Richey's Fred Bauermeister won the seniors division with a time of 1:31.87. He also won silver in another division, finishing second with a time of 52:36.93.

It was a family affair in the judo competition. Land O'Lakes' Brittany Bradford won the female 11-to-12-year-old division in the 116-pounds-and-over category. In the male 9-to-10-year-old division, the champion in the 73-to-85-pound class was Kenneth Bradford.

Dade City's Kayla Pate proved her mastery of the baton, winning the x-strut division of sports twirling in the advanced age category, 11 to 14 years old. She also teamed up with Seminole's Ashley Ramsety to win the duet division in the beginner's category.

Gulf High graduate Dan Hogan took first in the male junior weightlifting competition in the 62 kilograms division, lifting 190 kilograms.

Alpha Omega also enjoyed success at the games:

Lea Weber won the bantam long jump with a distance of 12-53/4.

In the midget high jump, Stephanie Fleres won gold with a leap of 3-91/2.

Caitlin Morrison won the discus with a toss of 58-5.

In the intermediate girls triple jump, taking second was Ridgewood High's Ashley Morrison with a leap of 28-41/4. She also took third place in the intermediate girls shot put with a distance of 29-41/2.

River Ridge High's Emily Ollivier took silver in the intermediate girls shot put with a toss of 31-81/2 and bronze in the discus with a toss that measured 103 feet.

Taking third in the 100-meter youth hurdles was Zachary McDevitt, who finished the race in 21.05 seconds.

Ridgewood High's Jessica Penokie finished third in the young girls 100 intermediate hurdles in 17.32.

Winning second in the 130-pound freestyle wrestling division was Land O'Lakes' Aaron Blevins.

Closing out the rest of the field of local medal winners from Pasco County are:

Pasco High's Tye Reedy, who took third place in the 191.5-pound division of the junior wrestling competition.

In the same event, Hudson High's Robb Phillipus took second in the 200-pound class, behind Springstead's Anthony DeCirstofaro.

In the Sankyu senior male division, Wesley Chapel's Kenneth Schultz won third place in the 198-pound class of the martial arts event.

In the racquetball men's class "A" singles, Derrick Victor of New Port Richey won the bronze.

In the men's over-30 racquetball class, New Port Richey's Dana Levy won the silver.

Taking third in the 80-pound novice division of freestyle wrestling was Land O'Lakes' Brad Blevins.

Pasco High's Brad Alford finished third in the 165-pound class.

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