Defending champion Harmony seeks flag district, OBC crowns

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Defending champion Harmony seeks flag district, OBC crowns

Sports

Thursday, 25 March 2010 00:06

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
For the first time, all county schools will play the girls’ gridiron game, with Celebration adding the sport and playing an independent schedule. The rest of the county is in District 8 with Freedom and Dr. Phillips, and the top four in the standings qualify for the district tournament.
Harmony is the defending district and Orange Belt Conference champion.
Harmony
The Longhorns, who have not missed the district tournament in five seasons, were 11-2 under Coach Paul Strauch, falling to Daytona Beach Mainland in the regional semifinals.
Senior Leah Smith and junior Kaylee Horn both played quarterback last year, but Smith will play receiver this year, with Jordan Ashcraft, Payton Leffew and Alyssa Miceli.
Miceli, who had eight interceptions on the year, and Smith, who had a key interception in the district championship against Dr. Phillips, also will be asked to make plays on defense along with Tori Keelean, Kassandra Brady, Marie Gilbert and Liane Montalvo.
Strauch said he expects to be in the district mix again, along with St. Cloud, Osceola and Dr. Phillips. He said going unbeaten through the OBC will take a much bigger effort.
“St. Cloud returns most of their players, Osceola will have their track girls and DP has five freshmen girls that almost won state in basketball,” he said. “We have to be very focused and understand that last year does not mean anything except for experience. No one is going to roll over for us. It will probably be the opposite, we will get everyone’s best game.”
The Longhorns blanked Freedom, 20-0, Tuesday after wins over Gateway (31-0) and Poinciana (41-0) last week.
Osceola
Brian Lambert coached the Kowgirls in their first three seasons (2004-06) and is back from a hiatus, intending to lead the program back to the district tournament.
Senior Paige Manquait and freshman Kiki Koroitamudu are working at quarterback.
“When Paige plays with confidence, she is a good one, and Kiki is going to be good,” Lambert said.
Center Sarah Lambert and receivers Maria Lopez and Chanel Chillers also will work with the offense. Osceola will be tough on defense, with Catherine Phillips, Hazel Beatto and Iyanna Pryce rotating as the rusher. Jessica Nelson and Chillers offer their basketball size and instincts at safety.
“Harmony and Dr. Phillips will be the teams to beat, but we have the talent to get back to the district playoffs,” Lambert said. “Offensively, we have improved every day with Paige’s development.”
The Kowgirls (3-0) beat Liberty, 13-7, Tuesday.
St. Cloud
The Bulldogs were 8-4 last year, falling to Harmony in the district semifinal game.
Coach Melissa Jackson has depth, as over 70 girls tried out, but it’s a freshman, Jahaira Aguilar, who’s won the quarterback job. Junior Ciarra Adams and sophomore Jennifer Fullwood return at wide receiver, and senior Veronica Stookey is back after a year off. Junior Paige Boone returns at center.
On defense, junior linebackers Megan Lubick and Annie Barberi are back.
“I think we can be competitive in the district,” Jackson said.
Gateway
The Panthers, coached by Steve Robertson, will have a freshman quarterback, Tiffany Charneco.
She’ll throw to returning receivers Kaley White, Zachary Rentas and Shameel Warrington and newcomer Yaismarie Echevarria. Senior Giolette Torres is the center.
On defense, junior Rojamer Joseph is the top linebacker. Warrington, White, Franchasca Sambula and Naria Watson are defensive backs, Rentas is the rusher.
“We were in every game last year, we just didn’t get it done at the end of some of them, we lost twice in overtime,” said Robertson.
The Panthers finished third in the OBC behind Harmony and St. Cloud.
Liberty
The Chargers have three returning varsity players, Jocelyn Carino, Mili Negron and Monique Mitchell, and they each play both sides of the ball for Coach Danielle LaPoint.
Other athletes on the team include, Diana Araiza, Priscilla Cruz, Maya Foster, Genesis Garcia, Marissa Giannot, Shanice Smith, Amiee Williams, Lissette Alvarado, Ranishka Aron, Raquel Earle, Alana Maslanka, Danielle Sexius and Tanisha Wilthshire.
Celebration
Gabe Rountree will coach the Storm’s inaugural team through an independent season, as county teams will dot the schedule.
The top players will be Juliana Milan in the backfield and Alysha Rehrig, Lauren Davis, Katie Kowalski and Chelsea Pedraja at receiver. Defensively, linebacker Megan Johnson and rusher Christina Ricci are the top players.
Poinciana
The Eagles are coached by Rob Deckard and started the season 0-2.