Tigers host a Crescent City team that has won 4 straight

C S e c t ion • Thur sd ay, Nov. 15, 2012
Sports & Features
Tigers host a Crescent City team that has won 4 straight
BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Regional News/Sports Editor
Union County will take on a
Crescent City that is attempting
to win the school’s first playoff
game in 12 years in a Region
4-Class 1A semifinal game this
Friday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in
Lake Butler.
The Raiders (5-4) are making
their 12th appearance in the
playoffs, but have won only
three games in the postseason.
That third win came in 2000
when Crescent City defeated St.
Petersburg Shorecrest Prep 3714.
First-year head coach Al
Smith has guided the Raiders to
their first postseason berth since
2009. Crescent City, the District
8 runner-up to Wildwood, enters
the postseason on a roll, having
won four straight games. To
clinch their playoff berth, the
Raiders capped the regular
season with a 41-0 win over
Pierson Taylor.
Junior Bennie Norris was
a big contributor to a rushing
attack that netted 334 yards
against Taylor. Norris rushed
for 98 yards and one touchdown
on 12 carries, while sophomore
Dirrick Rasher scored on runs of
2 and 33 yards.
Defensively, the Raiders held
Taylor to minus-32 yards. Junior
Dirrick Williams had a forced
fumble and recovery, while
sophomore linebacker Tim
Rogers returned an interception
36 yards for a touchdown.
Crescent City opened the
season with three games against
larger schools. The Raiders lost
28-7 to Class 5A Port Orange
Atlantic before suffering a 23-21
loss to Class 3A St. Petersburg
Catholic. Crescent City then
faced another Class 3A school,
defeating Winter Park Trinity
Prep 33-7.
The Raiders then dropped
two straight, losing 18-14
to Wildwood and 34-0 to
Chiefland—a team Union beat
12-6.
Crescent City closed the
season strong, defeating FAMU
11-6, Hamilton County 12-2 and
The Villages 34-14 before the
41-0 win over Pierson Taylor.
This will be the second
postseason meeting between
Union and Crescent City. The
two teams played each other in
the Class 2A playoffs in 1974,
with the Tigers winning a firstround game by a score of 4116. (Union would advance to
See PLAYOFF, 3C
Sarah Frederick
Frederick
ends state
drought for
Bradford
BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Regional News/Sports Editor
Sarah Frederick became the
first Bradford High School cross
country athlete to qualify for state
since 1995, placing 13th at the
Region1-Class 2A meet, which
was held Nov. 10 in Tallahassee.
Frederick, who is a sophomore,
will now compete in the Florida
High School Athletic Association
Finals, which will be held
Saturday, Nov. 17, at Apalachee
Regional Park in Tallahassee.
The top 15 runners—along
with the top six teams—earned
the right to advance. Frederick’s
time of 20:19.79—the fastest
5,000-meter time ever by a
BHS girl—put her ahead of
Bolles’ Suzanne Dannheim and
Pensacola Catholic’s Rebecca
Farr, who had times of 20:21.49
and 20:25.10.
Bolles’ Mackenzie Wilson
posted the top time of 18:47.84.
Bolles also placed first as a
team.
The last girl to qualify for state
from BHS was Annice Williams
in 1995, which was Williams’
third straight year of advancing
to state. She was the state runnerup in 1993 as a sophomore and
state champ in 1994, capping
a season in which she won
every race she was in. In 1995,
Williams was heading toward
See REGION, 2C
2C
Telegraph, Times & Monitor C Section • Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012
Indians cap season with
33-0 win over P.K. Yonge
BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Regional News/Sports Editor
Alex Gonzales powered a
rushing attack that generated 316
yards, while the defensive unit
allowed 181 yards and created
three turnovers in the Keystone
Heights football team’s 33-0 win
over P.K. Yonge on Nov. 8 in
Gainesville.
It was a nice way for the
Indians (6-4) to bounce back
from a loss to Mount Dora the
previous week that eliminated
them from playoff contention.
“He’s earned all the yards he’s
gotten this year,” Dickinson said.
“We’re probably not as good as
we were last year offensively up
front.”
Chris Gillen was another
senior who had a good night,
rushing for 57 yards and a
touchdown on seven carries,
while also intercepting a pass
from his linebacker’s position.
The interception set Gonzales
up for his third touchdown of the
game, which put the Indians up
26-0 late in the third quarter.
That was a big enough lead for
the defense to work with as P.K.
Yonge (1-9) was held to three
first downs in the second half
Keystone
and to eight overall.
fullback Chris
“I thought we played well
Gillen fights
defensively,” Dickinson said.
for yards in the
“The defense has been our strong
Indians’ 33-0 win point all year other than a few
over P.K. Yonge. games.”
The win capped
Keystone scored the first
Keystone’s
time it touched the ball, putting
season with a 6-4 together a nine-play, 48-yard
record.
drive. Gonzales carried the ball
eight times, capping the drive
with a 5-yard touchdown run to
Sarah Frederick
(foreground)
approaches
the finish line
at the Region
1-Class 2A meet
on Nov. 10 in
Tallahassee. Her
13th-place finish
will allow her to
compete at the
state meet this
Saturday, Nov.
17.
“The kids responded well,”
Keystone head coach Chuck
Dickinson said. “We told our kids
the seniors deserved to end with
a victory, and the underclassmen
(needed) a victory to get ready
for next year.”
One senior who capped his
career in a big way was Gonzales,
who had three touchdowns and
142 yards on 37 carries.
Dickinson said Gonzales
probably had a tougher time
getting his 1,000-plus yards this
year.
REGION
Continued from 1C
her second straight state title, but
could not finish the race because
of an ankle injury.
Frederick was the only BHS
runner in this year’s girls’ race,
but the boys’ team did compete,
placing ninth—the highest
regional finish for a BHS boys’
team in more than 20 years. The
Tornadoes had a team score of
See KHHS, 5C 257.
Keystone
boys’ soccer
team posts
3rd shutout
Cory
Hedding
recorded
a hat trick as the Keystone
Heights boys’ soccer team
defeated District 5-2A opponent
Interlachen 7-0 on Nov. 9 in
Interlachen.
Goalie Eric Wood recorded 11
saves and has not allowed a goal
yet this season. Keystone (3-0,
1-0 in District 5) has outscored
its opponents 18-0.
Juan Grimaldo recorded
assists on the Indians’ two firsthalf goals, which were scored by
Hedding and Zac Holman
Keystone’s possession-style
passing game went into play in
the second half as the Indians
moved the ball all over the
field to create many scoring
opportunities. Hedding scored
the first two goals of the half—
one off of a Zac Fairbanks assist
in the 44th minute and the other
off of a Logan Stanley assist in
the 56th minute.
Grimaldo scored off of a Wyatt
Graziano assist, while Craig
See SOCCER, 3C
Eastside, which placed sixth
to earn the final team state berth,
had a score of 173. Wakulla and
Fernandina Beach were seventh
and eighth, respectively, with
scores of 175 and 220.
Scotty Peirce led the Bradford
boys with a time of 17:50.62,
which was good for 25th place.
Thomas Hales was 39th with a
time of 18:13.13, while John
Wesley Gillenwaters was 44th
with a time of 18:23.75.
Cole Whitehead (19:52.48),
Dalton
Marroletti
(20:39),
Alva Peirce (22:07.48) and
Justin Carlisle (22:11.59) also
competed for Bradford.
Bishop
Kenny’s
David
Yarbrough placed first with a
time of 16:24.93. Bishop Kenny
placed first in the team standings
as well.
Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 • Telegraph, Times & Monitor C Section
3C
Hope Christian Academy students
entertain and thank veterans
Hope Christian
Academy
students
performed
patriotic songs
and delivered
messages of
thanks in a
Nov. 9 Veterans
Day ceremony.
LEFT: Britney
and Dalton
Hollingsworth
express thanks to
family members
who served.
ABOVE: Joe Moore gives
thanks to his brother’s
service, while praise
band members (l-r) Olivia
Sanders, Andria Frampton,
Rebecca Blakney and
Lindsey Murphy perform
behind him.
Students who
sang included
(l-r) Clayton
Kicklighter,
Abbie Gibson,
Jacob Lepanto
and Grace
Gibson.
Sisters Jenny
and Emily
Thurman show
their love and
appreciation
for their father,
Chris Thurman.
They were just
two of many
students who
displayed signs
of thanks for
family members
who served,
are serving or
who died while
serving.
PLAYOFF
Continued from 1C
the state championship game
that year, losing 20-7 to Tampa
Jefferson.)
The Raiders’ most successful
postseason was the 1978 Class
2A playoffs. They defeated
Chiefland 15-0 in a first-round
SOCCER
Continued from 2C
Graff scored on a breakaway off
of Stanley’s through ball.
Stanley scored the final goal
in the 66th minute off of a Matt
Crane assist.
Keystone, which played
district opponent Fort White
this past Tuesday, opened the
season with an 8-0 win over
visiting Palatka on Nov. 6. The
Indians scored twice in the first
seven minutes, with Graziano
scoring off of a Holman assist
and Holman sending a shot into
the far side of the net from 25
yards out on an assist from Juan
Grimaldo.
Grimaldo scored the third
goal on a feed from Hedding,
while Graff and Juan Grimaldo
scored goals to give the Indians
a 5-0 halftime lead. Fairbanks
and Graff assisted on those two
goals.
Nacho Grimaldo volleyed in a
Graziano cross to get the scoring
started in the second half, while
Hedding found the back of the
net one minute late on a Juan
Grimaldo assist.
Hawkins ended the match
in the 52nd minute, scoring the
eighth goal on a Juan Grimaldo
assist.
The Indians hosted Oakleaf on
Nov. 8, winning 3-0. Wood made
seven saves, while his Oakleaf
counterpart made 12.
Holman scored on a blast
from 18 yards out in the sixth
minute, with Nacho Grimaldo
getting the assist. Graff scored
on Johnathan Valldejuli’s cross
to give the Indians a 2-0 lead.
The Oakleaf goalie made
some spectacular saves in the
second half, but Keystone finally
broke through with a third goal
in the 78th minute when Shaw
Fuller sent a perfect ball to
Hedding, who slid the shot past
the keeper.
Keystone will travel to
Gainesville to play P.K. Yonge
game, then defeated West Nassau
19-0. Wakulla ended Crescent
City’s run one game shy of
the state championship game,
defeating the Raiders 24-13.
Crescent City qualified for
the playoffs in 1974, 1975,
1978, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2000,
2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009. The
Raiders’ last postseason game
was a 42-10 loss to Jacksonville
Trinity Christian.
on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 7:30
p.m. The Indians will then travel
to play Orange Park on Friday,
Nov. 16, at 6 p.m.
Keystone goes 1-1 in
preseason classic
The Indians hosted the eighth
annual Twin Lakes Preseason
Classic on Nov. 3, defeating
Clay 5-0 and losing 2-0 to
Larry Roberts (left) and Owen Walter stand as veterans
are recognized.
Scott Hall watches as
students perform.
The winner of this Friday’s
game between the Tigers
and the Raiders will play the
winner between Wildwood
and Newberry for the Region 4
championship on Friday, Nov.
23, at 7:30 p.m. If Union wins,
it would host Newberry or travel
to Wildwood. If Crescent City
wins, it would have to travel
regardless of who wins between
Wildwood and Newberry.
Gainesville.
Holman scored three goals in
the win over Clay, while Graff
and Wood each added one. Juan
Grimaldo and Brandon Hannah
recorded assists.
The classic featured 12 teams
divided into three groups,
with Gainesville, Palatka and
Buchholz each winning both of
their matches.
Victoria Denmark sings
“The Star-Spangled
Banner.”
4C
Telegraph, Times & Monitor C Section • Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012
Hope students get peek
at the working world
Hope Christian Academy
hosted its annual Occupation
Day on Oct. 26, with students
getting a chance to talk to adults
representing many different
career fields. Some students also
got into the spirit by dressing
up as work professionals.
RIGHT: Students (lr) Amberlea Wagner,
Mackenzie Castlevecchi
and Zane Leger join
Division of Forestry ranger
Austin Thomas in watching
some heavy equipment in
action.
Veronica Petry is a practice patient for Lake Area Physical Therapy and Aquatics’
Angy Stanley. Students Taylor Noble (far left) and Riley Carr look on.
ABOVE: Gabriel Richie
arrived at school in a
SWAT uniform. ABOVE
RIGHT: Kelley Kerlin, who
works in the office of
dentist Kevin Huaman of
Middleburg, does a little
role playing with students,
who act as teeth, while a
jump rope serves as floss.
Students pictured (l-r)
are Lane Griffis, Clayton
Wagner, Olivia Yount and
Abigail Milam. RIGHT:
Carly Rogers, who went
to school dressed as a
dentist, prepares to ask
a question of Theressa
firefighters.
George Konkel of the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office
talks to students (l-r) Kyle Taylor, Tevin Smith, Garhett
Wilson and Jacob Lindsey.
Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 • Telegraph, Times & Monitor C Section
5C
Big plays, turnovers hurt Tornadoes in 20-12 loss to ‘Cats
BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Regional News/Sports Editor
Big plays by Baker County
running back Falon Lee and
three turnovers added up to a 2012 loss for the Bradford football
team in its season finale on Nov.
9 in Macclenny.
Lee rushed for 213 yards on 27
carries, with approximately half
of that yardage coming on two
runs. He scored on a 69-yard run
in the second quarter, while his
48-yard run led to the Wildcats’
final score of the night. That put
Baker (8-2) up 20-6 with 6:08
remaining in the game.
Bradford head coach Steve
Reynolds said tackling was an
issue at times this season for
the Tornadoes and said his team
would take part in whatever
clinics it could in the offseason
to improve in that area.
“We’re going to be the best
tacklers,” Reynolds said. “That’s
what we’re shooting for next
year.”
Offensively, Bradford (64) had the ball at the Baker
County 25-yard line twice in
the fourth quarter, but failed to
capitalize on either opportunity.
One possession ended with an
interception, while the other
resulted in a turnover on downs
after losing 15 yards in a fourplay span.
“There were a lot of
opportunities we let pass us by,”
Reynolds said.
The Tornadoes (6-4) scored
first, taking advantage of a
fumble recovery at the Baker
43-yard line. A 9-yard run by
Deantre Burch and a 14-yard
pass from Jacob Luke to Kenny
Dinkins moved Bradford to the
20, while a 13-yard reception
by Dinkins put the Tornadoes
inside the 10. Lyndell Hampton
scored on a 1-yard run to put the
Tornadoes up 6-0 approximately
three minutes into the first
quarter. The PAT by Burch was
no good.
Bradford’s defense forced the
Wildcats to go three and out on
the ensuing series. A personal
foul penalty on Baker following
its punt gave the Tornadoes a first
down at their own 43. However,
Bradford went three and out as
well, with the Wildcats sacking
Luke for a 9-yard loss on thirdand-5.
Baker quarterback Corey
See BHS, 6C
KHHS
Continued from 2C
put the Indians up 6-0 at the 6:43
mark of the opening quarter.
P.K. Yonge had some trouble
with Keystone’s short, high
kickoffs, starting with the one
that followed Gonzales’ first
score. The Blue Wave muffed
the kickoff, with senior John
Brown falling on the loose ball
at the P.K. Yonge 24. Gonzales
carried the ball seven straight
times, finding the end zone
again from a yard out for a 12-0
lead with 3:10 remaining in the
first quarter.
The Blue Wave muffed the
ensuing kickoff again, but did
retain possession. The result,
however, was the second straight
three-and-out series against the
Keystone defense. Senior tackle
John Foray dropped Blue Wave
running back Christian Ellis for
no gain on a second-down play,
forcing P.K. Yonge into a thirdand-7 play.
Gonzales fielded the P.K.
Yonge punt, returning it more
than 50 yards to inside the Blue
Wave 20-yard line, but an illegal
block penalty nullified the big
gain. The Indians, however,
Alex Gonzales
carries the ball
for Keystone. He
rushed for two
touchdowns and
approximately
100 yards in the
first half, and
finished the
game with three
scores.
marched their way downfield
before turning the ball over on
downs at the P.K. Yonge 17.
The Blue Wave threatened to
score on the following series.
A personal foul penalty against
Keystone, a 16-yard run by
Anthony Andrews and a 14yard pass from Van Turner
to
Kianundric
Richardson
helped move P.K. Yonge to
the Keystone 14-yard line, but
senior defensive back Logan
Stanley ended the scoring threat
with an interception at the goal
line.
The Indians took the 12-0
lead into the half, then increased
it with an approximate sevenminute drive to open the
second half. Quarterback Blake
Valenzuela got the 11-play drive
started with an 11-yard run,
while Holden Huggins caught
Bradford defenders B.J. McNeal (far left) and Don Jeffers attempt to corral Baker
County running back Falon Lee.
a pass for a 14-yard gain that
converted a second-and-13 play.
The bulk of the drive consisted
of Gonzales runs, but it was
Gillen who sprang free for a 17yard touchdown run. Stanley’s
PAT put the Indians up 19-0.
It did not take Gillen long
to make another big play,
intercepting a pass four plays
later. That, coupled with a
personal foul penalty on the
Blue Wave, gave Keystone the
ball at the P.K. Yonge 13-yard
line. Gonzales had a 9-yard run
before scoring from 4 yards out.
Stanley added the PAT for a 26-0
lead with 3:14 to play in the third
quarter.
The last score of the game
came courtesy of a 60-yard
run by Sam Anderson on the
first play of the fourth quarter.
Stanley connected on his third
PAT of the game.
Keystone finished with 20
first downs and 347 yards.
D’Karas Fields had most of
P.K. Yonge’s yardage despite
touching the ball only six times.
He carried the ball three times
for 71 yards, while catching
three passes for 32 yards.
P.K. Yonge had almost as
much yardage in penalties as it
did in offense, being flagged 15
times in excess of 150 yards.
After the game, Dickinson
talked of how his team could’ve
easily been 8-2 or 9-1 this
season, having a chance to win
at least three of the games that
were losses. However, he was
appreciative of what the players
accomplished, winning six
games for the second straight
season.
“It is what it is, but I’m proud
of our kids,” Dickinson said.
“They played hard. That’s all I
can ask of them.”
6C
Bradford girls
open with
district win
over Santa Fe
BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Regional News/Sports Editor
Taquandra Diggs and Nikki
Jenkins each scored nine points
as the Bradford girls’ basketball
team opened its season with a
56-46 win over District 5-4A opponent on Nov. 12 in Alachua.
The game was tied at 35-all
going into the fourth quarter, but
Bradford outscored the Raiders
21-11.
Nyasia Davis, Wilisha Griner
and Tracey Kemp each scored
eight points for the Tornadoes,
with Kemp hitting two 3-pointers.
Bradford played Nease this
past Tuesday and will play its
first home game Monday, Nov.
19, against district opponent Fort
White at 7:30 p.m. The junior
varsity teams will play at 6 p.m.
Score by Quarter
BHS:
7 17 11 21—56
SFHS: 13 8 14 11—46
BHS
Continued from 5C
Lawler turned in a big play for
the Wildcats with an 11-yard run,
but Lee turned in an even bigger
play, busting free for a 69-yard
touchdown with 4:39 to play in
the second quarter. The successful
PAT put Baker up 7-6.
The Wildcats’ Jared Crews
intercepted a pass on Bradford’s
ensuing series, returning the
pick 27 yards to the Bradford
18. A personal foul penalty by
Bradford moved the ball to the
9-yard line. Lawler scored on a
run from there to put Baker up
13-6 with 2:48 remaining in the
half. The PAT was no good.
Bradford received the ball to
start the second half, but that
drive ended with an interception.
The Bradford defense, though,
clamped down, allowing the
Wildcats to gain just 17 yards on
their first four offensive series of
the half. Cody Bias, B.J. McNeal
and Phillip James all had tackles
behind the line of scrimmage
during that span, while Keaaris
Ardley tipped away a potential
touchdown pass.
The Tornadoes did not do much
offensively themselves, but had a
promising drive that began late
in the third quarter. Hampton ran
for an 11-yard gain before Marco
Grimsley came down with a 35yard reception along the sideline
that gave Bradford a first down at
the Baker County 25 heading into
the fourth quarter. The Wildcats’
Rashodd Hadley put an end to
the drive, however, coming up
with Baker’s third interception
of the game.
Bradford found itself on the
Baker 25 again the next time it
had the ball. A 10-yard run by
Hampton put the Tornadoes at
the Baker 40, with a personal foul
penalty tacking on an additional
15 yards. Hampton, though, was
tackled for a 2-yard loss on the
first play from there. Luke then
threw two straight incompletions
before being sacked for a 13-yard
loss on fourth-and-12.
The Tornadoes had done
a good job of bottling up the
Wildcats’ Lee after his 69-yard
touchdown run, limiting him
to 25 yards on eight carries.
The ninth carry after that long
scoring run, however, was a 48yard run to the Bradford 14. Lee
carried the ball all six plays of
the 62-yard drive, scoring on a
3-yard run with 6:08 to play. The
successful PAT put the Wildcats
up 20-6.
Bradford’s offense answered
with an 80-yard scoring drive that
featured a 25-yard reception by
Dinkins and a 23-yard scramble
by Luke. Luke’s 12-yard pass to
Grimsley set up first-and-goal at
the 1. Hampton scored on a run
from there, but was stopped on
the ensuing two-point conversion,
leaving the Tornadoes trailing
20-12 with 2:03 to play.
The Tornadoes unsuccessfully
attempted an onside kick. Baker
ran five plays from scrimmage to
run the clock out.
Telegraph, Times & Monitor C Section • Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012
Bradford was held to 79
rushing yards, with Hampton
rushing for 57 yards on 16
carries.
Luke was 12-of-26 passing
for 167 yards. Dinkins had six
receptions for 80 yards, while
Grimsley had three receptions
for 60 yards.
Reynolds was proud of this
year’s senior class, which
has had to play through some
adversity, including having three
head coaches in four years. He
was also encouraged by how
the players who will return next
season responded to the loss.
“The
first
thing
our
underclassmen said is, ‘Next
season starts now.’ That’s
wise,” Reynolds said. “That’s
savvy. Basically, that’s them
understanding on a mature
level what we’re striving for,
which is a constant pursuit of
perfection.”
www.StarkeJournal.com
Running back
Lyndell Hampton
just does cross
the goal line
to give the
Tornadoes a
touchdown in
the first quarter.