Sidelines

By Compiled by JOHN C. COTEY and WAYNE GRUMET

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 3, 2000

Quotable

"Our defense did a great job. Even if it's just one hand on a ball to pop it up so somebody else can go and get it and do something with it. That's what I keep saying. Offense can win you some games, but defense wins you championships."

-- Heidi Castelamare, River Ridge volleyball coach

Cross country

Vitale, others, shine at Red Mule meet

The county was well represented at the loaded Red Mule Invitational on Saturday. Three girls teams finished in the top 10: Ridgewood (third), Gulf (seventh) and River Ridge (10th). Two Pasco boys teams broke the top 10, with defending state champion Ridgewood sixth and Land O'Lakes 10th. Ridgewood's Jim Vitale won his fourth race in as many tries, finishing in 15 minutes, 14 seconds.

Ridgewood's Lizzie Sheridan edged Gulf's Barbara Carr for fifth. River Ridge's Melissa Tuccio took eighth.

Sheridan credited Carr for keeping the them at the front of a crowded field.

"I had Barbara Carr pushing me. She's excellent competition," Sheridan said. "She makes me run fast. I always run my fastest when I run against her."

Sheridan posted her first win over teammate Lizzy Leigh. Leigh finished 11th while battling a fever. Land O'Lakes' Scott Habershaw also was under the weather, but he finished fourth in 15:53.

"I got up this morning, and my nose was just solid," he said. "I couldn't breathe at all. If I run times like this being sick, (maybe I should be sick all the time)."

Volleyball

The Pasco County Invitational?

With unbeaten and state-ranked Lecanto, Class 6A Bloomingdale and a Lake Gibson team that is one of Polk County's best set to compete, it was far from a foregone conclusion that Hudson would defend its Suncoast Invitational title.

And it didn't.

But River Ridge made sure the title stayed in Pasco County, beating Ridgewood 16-14, 15-13 in the final Saturday.

Even more impressive than a local team winning was the way the local teams dominated. Hudson, Ridgewood, River Ridge and Land O'Lakes were 3-0 in their pools to advance to the semifinals, the first time in the tournament's eight-year history the final four was all Pasco.

Gulf also impressed, finishing 2-1 in pool play and sixth overall.

"We need to do more of this," Ridgewood coach Marlyn Bavetta said. "Maybe this will show the rest of the people in the state how good Pasco County is."

With five Pasco teams in the top six, the county also dominated the all-tournament team.

Third-place Hudson placed a tournament-high three players on the team: setter Kelly Aguis, middle hitter Alison Baker and outside hitter Nikki Prack.

River Ridge and Ridgewood landed two players on the squad. Outside hitters Brandi Young and Ali Bigger represented the Royal Knight while outside hitter Alayna Sherwood and middle hitter Jennifer Sessa made it for the Rams.

Gulf's Belinda Hatch and Land O'Lakes' Jennifer Smith, both outside hitters, also earned all-tournament honors.

Best bet

WHO: Hudson at River Ridge.

WHAT: Volleyball.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

THE SKINNY: River Ridge stormed into the Hudson Invitational and took away the title the Cobras' had won three consecutive times. The Royal Knights also beat Hudson in the semifinals, adding a little fuel to tonight's matchup. Hudson can wrap up the Sunshine Athletic Conference title with a win due to the fact that only the first match with each SAC opponent counts toward the title. But a River Ridge win would mean one loss for three teams (Ridgewood included), creating a mess at the top. The Cobras probably have a little something to prove as River Ridge, at least for the moment, appears to be Pasco County's best team.

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