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By ROD GIPSON
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 9, 2001
Leto cross country runners start season strong
TAMPA -- Leto's boys began the cross country season at last month's West Hillsborough Invitational with a second-place finish. In doing so, the Falcons had three runners in the top 10, two of whom broke the 17:00 mark.
But the Falcons flew even higher Sept. 1 at the Winter Haven Invitational at Polk Community College. Leto scored 31 points to outdistance the closest squad, Frostproof, by 58 points. Junior Eric Speer placed third at 16:38. Four of his teammates joined him among the top 10 as the Falcons dominated the meet. Coe Federenko was fifth at 16:52, followed by Josh Salas, sixth at 17:19, Tyrone Jones, seventh at 17:39, and Isaac Raplee, 10th at 17:59.
The Falcons are back in action Saturday at the USF/Jesuit Invitational. The 15-team meet also will feature North of Tampa schools Alonso, Chamberlain, Wharton, Sickles and Gaither.
GIRLS GOLF: In Megan Bursey, the Sickles golf team has an outstanding player. It also has what amounts to the entire team. Lack of golfers forced the Gryphons to forfeit two matches this year, but now, after numerous girls have come out for the team, Sickles will have a supporting squad for Bursey, one of the area's best female golfers. After placing fifth at the Class 2A, District 8 tournament last season, Bursey has picked up where she left off last season. Bursey shot a 37 against Blake as the Gryphons won 173-209 last week against Blake. Sickles, now 2-2, faces Leto and Alonso on Monday at Silver Dollar Golf Course.
VOLLEYBALL: Winless Alonso (0-2) continues looking for its first win of the season Wednesday at Wharton. Meanwhile, Gaither plays at Riverview on Tuesday and at Bloomingdale on Wednesday. Leto hosts King on Tuesday and plays at Hillsborough on Wednesday. Sickles hosts Plant on Tuesday, the same evening Chamberlain hosts Hillsborough.
ALUMNI: Former Leto football standout Mike Jenkins has worked his way into the starting lineup at Ohio State. After earning a letter playing special teams in 2000 as a true freshman, Jenkins is the starting split end for the Buckeyes this season.
Former Gaither cross country star Alli Tatangelo has continued her winning ways at Florida Southern College. Last season, as a junior, Tatangelo won the Sunshine State Conference individual title for the second straight season while leading the Moccasins to the conference crown and a third-place finish in the region. Tatangelo begins her senior season next weekend while her sister and fellow Gaither graduate Beth, now a sophomore, looks to join the top five Florida Southern runners.
Molly Greenwood, a 2001 Sickles graduate, is now a freshman volleyball player with the University of Tampa. A 5-foot-8 outside hitter, Greenwood has yet to log any playing time for the nationally ranked Spartans but is expected to see some action as coaches work her into the lineup.
USF junior soccer player Jeff Thwaites, a former Gaither standout, has been named to the preseason All Conference USA team. A midfielder, Thwaites is living up to the honor, scoring the game-winning goal in the Bulls' 1-0 season-opening win against Lafayette.