Sports

: Tohopekaliga’s Orlando Descartes won the Class 4A District 9 Championship in the javelin and finished second in the high jump to advance to next week’s Region 3 Championships. PHOTO/MATT FENN, TOHOPEKALIGA H.S.

: Tohopekaliga’s Orlando Descartes won the Class 4A District 9 Championship in the javelin and finished second in the high jump to advance to next week’s Region 3 Championships. PHOTO/MATT FENN, TOHOPEKALIGA H.S.

Gateway wins track title; Harmony sending big group to regional

J. Daniel Pearson
Monday, April 25, 2022
It was a great weekend on the track for Osceola County athletes. Gateway captured a district team title, Harmony will send a massive team to next week’s regional meets, and Osceola schools won close to 30 district championships in individual and relay events.
Celebration’s Abigael Locher (gray) squares off against Windermere’s Ashley Nelson at the start of the second half of Friday’s regional lacrosse game. The Storm saw its season come to an end with a tough 16-15 loss. PHOTO/J.DANIEL PEARSON

Celebration’s Abigael Locher (gray) squares off against Windermere’s Ashley Nelson at the start of the second half of Friday’s regional lacrosse game. The Storm saw its season come to an end with a tough 16-15 loss. PHOTO/J.DANIEL PEARSON

Storm rally comes up short in lacrosse regional

J. Daniel Pearson
Saturday, April 23, 2022
A valiant second half comeback fell just short as the Celebration girls lacrosse team dropped a 16-15 decision to Windermere in a Class 2A, Region 2 quarterfinal game Friday. Celebration, the dominant District 7 champion, saw its season end with a 13-4 record.
STATE CHAMPIONS! St. Cloud’s Julian Sykes (left) and Harmony’s Isaac Balado (right) proudly display their gold medals after finishing first in the both the traditional and snatch competitions at the Class 3A state meet Thursday. PHOTO/CORY AUN, ST. CLOUD H.S.

STATE CHAMPIONS! St. Cloud’s Julian Sykes (left) and Harmony’s Isaac Balado (right) proudly display their gold medals after finishing first in the both the traditional and snatch competitions at the Class 3A state meet Thursday. PHOTO/CORY AUN, ST. CLOUD H.S.

Sykes, Balado hoist FHSAA weightlifting state titles

J. Daniel Pearson
Friday, April 22, 2022
The Class 3A state weightlifting meet was double sweet for a pair of Osceola County athletes as St. Cloud’s Julian Sykes and Harmony’s Isaac Balado came home with a pair of gold medals as champions.
Neri Moreau (1) and Vanessa Diaz (23) were two of Gateway’s key pieces to reaching the Class 5A regional finals. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Neri Moreau (1) and Vanessa Diaz (23) were two of Gateway’s key pieces to reaching the Class 5A regional finals. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Moreau, Diaz changing Panthers girls hoops narrative

Ken Jackson
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
In the nearly four decades that Gateway High has been open, it hasn’t established a reputation of having a strong girls basketball program — you can nearly count the number of winning seasons on one hand.
More than 350 athletes and coaches participating in the Orange Belt Conference Championships ran a ceremonial lap in honor of Stephanie Davis, a 2021 Tohopekaliga track and soccer star who died in a car accident over the weekend. PHOTO/DAN PEARSON

More than 350 athletes and coaches participating in the Orange Belt Conference Championships ran a ceremonial lap in honor of Stephanie Davis, a 2021 Tohopekaliga track and soccer star who died in a car accident over the weekend. PHOTO/DAN PEARSON

Harmony sweeps track titles on emotional day for Toho

J. Daniel Pearson
Thursday, April 14, 2022
As expected, the Harmony Longhorns are once again the top high school track program in Osceola County, capturing both the girls and boys Orange Belt Conference Championships.
Noah Carr successfully cleans 230 pounds at Friday’s regional meet and will represent the Bulldogs at the FHSAA State Championship meet next week. PHOTO/ST. CLOUD HIGH SCHOOL

Noah Carr successfully cleans 230 pounds at Friday’s regional meet and will represent the Bulldogs at the FHSAA State Championship meet next week. PHOTO/ST. CLOUD HIGH SCHOOL

St. Cloud sweeps boys lifting titles; state meet next week

J. Daniel Pearson
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Consider it a clean (and jerk) sweep for the St. Cloud boys weightlifting team. The Bulldogs won team titles in both the traditional and snatch competitions will now send a large contingent of lifters to the FHSAA Class 3A State Championships on April 21 at St.
Danny Ramirez allowed just two hits o lead Osceola to a 7-1 win over Harmony in the OBC Championship Game Friday. PHOTO/DAN PEARSON

Danny Ramirez allowed just two hits o lead Osceola to a 7-1 win over Harmony in the OBC Championship Game Friday. PHOTO/DAN PEARSON

Kowboys capture OBC baseball tournament

J. Daniel Pearson
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Danny Ramirez and Antonio Melendez combined on a three-hitter as the Osceola Kowboys (13-4) won the first ever Orange Belt Conference baseball tournament with a 7-1 victory over Harmony (7-9) on Friday night.
Harmony quarterback Martha Edwards completed 21 of 27 pass for 204 yards and four touchdowns in the Longhorns' 26-0 win over St. Cloud Tuesday. PHOTO/DAN PEARSON

Harmony quarterback Martha Edwards completed 21 of 27 pass for 204 yards and four touchdowns in the Longhorns' 26-0 win over St. Cloud Tuesday. PHOTO/DAN PEARSON

Harmony moves in on OBC flag football title with 26-0 win over St. Cloud

J. Daniel Pearson
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
About the only thing that could stop Harmony's flag football squad Tuesday night was the weather.  Freshman quarterback Martha Edwards completed 21 of 27 pass for 204 yards and four touchdowns as the Longhorns all but clinched the Orange Belt Conference flag championship with a 26-0 win over St.
Senior Cory Vega was the on-court and off-court leader of the Osceola Kowboys and is the Osceola News-Gazette’s Player of the Year. PHOTO/DAVID REYES

Senior Cory Vega was the on-court and off-court leader of the Osceola Kowboys and is the Osceola News-Gazette’s Player of the Year. PHOTO/DAVID REYES

ALL-COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL — Vega was the glue in Kowboys’ playoff run

J. Daniel Pearson
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
In sports, too often the Player of the Year honor is awarded to the athlete that has scored the most points, rushed for the most yards or had the highest batting average. Every once in a while, you need to dig beyond the stats and look at the intangibles when considering such matters.
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