Sports

Celebration's Lucas Nieves (14) hits as St. Cloud's Angelo Gutierrez (6) and William Sutphen (10) attempt to block in Tuesday's regional boys volleyball playoff game. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON

Celebration's Lucas Nieves (14) hits as St. Cloud's Angelo Gutierrez (6) and William Sutphen (10) attempt to block in Tuesday's regional boys volleyball playoff game. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON

Celebration defeats St. Cloud in three tough sets, moves on in boys volleyball playoffs

Ken Jackson
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
St. Cloud took favored Celebration to the limit in each of their three sets Tuesday, but the host Storm used fast starts to defeat the Bulldogs, 25-19, 25-21, 25-22 in an FHSAA boys volleyball first-round playoff matchup.
Midfielder Rueben Marquez spearheaded an undefeated regular season for Celebration, leading the senior to earn Osceola News-Gazette’s Player of the Year honors. PHOTO/CELEBRATION HIGH SCHOOL

Midfielder Rueben Marquez spearheaded an undefeated regular season for Celebration, leading the senior to earn Osceola News-Gazette’s Player of the Year honors. PHOTO/CELEBRATION HIGH SCHOOL

All-County Boys Soccer — Marquez led Storm’s stellar season

J. Daniel Pearson
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Led by midfielder Rueben Marquez, the Celebration Storm went undefeated in the regular season, won both district and Orange Belt Conference titles and advanced to regional play.
Osceola center fielder Isaiah Jean Baptiste (batting) reached base three times and scored twice in Osceola's 6-4 win over St. Cloud (Photo J. Daniel Pearson)

Osceola center fielder Isaiah Jean Baptiste (batting) reached base three times and scored twice in Osceola's 6-4 win over St. Cloud (Photo J. Daniel Pearson)

Baseball, softball distict tournaments this week

J. Daniel Pearson
Monday, May 2, 2022
Isaiah Jean-Baptiste reached base three times, collected two hits and scored twice and Danny Ramirez struck out five of the six batters he faced as the Osceola Kowboys (19-5) concluded its 2022 regular season with a 6-4 win over rival St. Cloud (5-17).
Celebration is the district Champion after a 25-19, 25-21, 17-25, 25-22 road win over Tohopekaliga. The Storm will host a regional quarterfinal playoff game on Tuesday.

Celebration is the district Champion after a 25-19, 25-21, 17-25, 25-22 road win over Tohopekaliga. The Storm will host a regional quarterfinal playoff game on Tuesday.

Regional playoffs Tuesday for district champs Harmony flag football, Celebration boys volleyball

J. Daniel Pearson
Friday, April 29, 2022
Regional playoffs begin Tuesday in boys volleyball and flag football, some of the last remaining games of the 2021-22 sports calendar, and Osceola County is represented, with teams hosting games.
Harmony’s Morgan Sullivan tallied 17 goals this season and six assists in leading the Longhorns to another OBC championship. Sullivan shares Player of the Year honors with Gateway’s Nicole Ramirez-Parra. PHOTO/HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL

Harmony’s Morgan Sullivan tallied 17 goals this season and six assists in leading the Longhorns to another OBC championship. Sullivan shares Player of the Year honors with Gateway’s Nicole Ramirez-Parra. PHOTO/HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL

All-County Girls Soccer: Sullivan, Ramirez-Parra a step ahead

J. Daniel Pearson
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
When it came to girls’ soccer in the 2021-22 season, two players stood above the rest — Harmony’s Morgan Sullivan and Gateway’s Nicole Ramirez-Parra for Player are the Osceola News-Gazette Girls Soccer Co-Players of the Year for the 2021-22 season.
The Special Olympics USA Games are coming to our area June 5-12, with events at Osceola Heritage Park and ESPN Wide World of Sports. It’s part of a 50th anniversary celebration for Special Olympics.

The Special Olympics USA Games are coming to our area June 5-12, with events at Osceola Heritage Park and ESPN Wide World of Sports. It’s part of a 50th anniversary celebration for Special Olympics.

Special pre-sale for USA Games Opening Ceremony

Staff Report
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
The Special Olympics USA Games are coming to our area June 5-12, with events at Osceola Heritage Park and ESPN Wide World of 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.
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