Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Central rallies for title

The Bears rebound from a shaky opening game to defeat Lecanto for their first district championship.

By CAREY FREEMAN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 26, 2001

LECANTO -- Maybe it just came too easy and too early for Lecanto. Or perhaps the old adage holds true. Defense does win championships.

Hard to argue against either after Central's 3-15, 17-15, 15-13 victory against the Panthers in Thursday's final. The Bears (15-9) gave up five aces to start the match and fell in Game 1. But they rallied in the final two games for their first district title. "I told them we made every single mistake known to man in (Game 1)," Bears coach Jim Jensen said.

"That was probably the worst we've ever looked. We were just too hyped.

"We could have been embarrassed, and I'm so proud of my girls the way they came back."

Not once, but twice.

Central trailed 9-3 in the third game but found the energy that propelled it in Game 2 and frustrated the Panthers at every turn. A key block from Christine Morana (seven kills, four blocks) got things going, giving the Bears a sideout trailing 9-4.

Lecanto errors and a block by Heather Edwards pulled Central to 9-6, and a set by Tamara Tatham and quick spike by Edwards set the stage for three consecutive points on Tatham's serve.

The Bears pulled even on Morana's third kill of the game and did not trail again, winning the match when Jill Bandhauer (11 kills) bumped a ball out of bounds.

"(Central) played much better in the second game than they did in the first," Lecanto assistant Kathy Allen said.

"We just got off the game plan a little bit of hitting towards their holes more. We were hitting it to them instead of to the side of them."

Lecanto couldn't miss in the first game, grabbing an 11-1 advantage on the serves of Mandy Wade and Kylene Colasanti (7 assists, 7 aces, 7 kills).

The momentum swung back and forth in Game 2, with the teams swapping game points until Central took the win on a block from Edwards.

Central will host River Ridge on Tuesday in only its third playoff match. Lecanto will travel to Hudson.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright