TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Taylor Strong At National Meet

ADVERTISEMENT

By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY nmurray@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 10, 2008

The Brandon Blue Wave swimming standout Jason Taylor took two top-10 finishes, including a third-place in the 1,650 yard freestyle at the ConocoPhillips Short Course National Championships in Atlanta last weekend.

Taylor, who has committed to the University of Florida and is a member of the U.S. junior national team, recorded a time of 15 minutes, 7.05 seconds on Saturday to win his heat in the 1,650. He trailed only the University of Michigan's Matt Patton (4:50.23), and the University of Alabama's Mark Randall (15:00.83).

Taylor has finished 10th in the 500 free earlier in the week, finishing second in 4:23.65 in the 'B' final. Taylor's time was only a fraction outside the state record in the 500 free he set while winning the Class 2A state championship for Newsome last month.

Other locals also had standout performances at the meet. St. Petersburg Aquatics' Melanie Margalis finished seventh in the 400 individual medley in a time of 4:17.04, and took ninth overall in the 200 individual medley, winning the 'B' final in a time of 1:59.58.

St Petersburg Aquatics' teammate Megan Romano also had a solid meet, finishing 15th in the 100 backstroke in 55.27. Romano also finished 20th in the 50 free, recording a time of 23.00 in the 'C' final. SPA and Seminole High's Kaitlin Frehling finished 15th in the 50 free, recording a 23.24 in the 'B' final.

Flames Reach Semifinals At Disney

The Brandon Flames girls Under-14 soccer team completed what has been a strong fall by reaching the semifinals of the Disney Junior Soccer Showcase at the Wide World of Sports Complex on Nov. 30.

The Flames tied at 1 with Space Coast United, only to be eliminated in a penalty shootout after two overtimes. While the squad had reached the final of the tournament a year earlier, assistant coach Laurie Evers, who filled in for absent coach Randy Belli, said that the absences the team had due to injuries made reaching the semifinals a great accomplishment.

"They worked extremely well,' Evers said. "We have been struggling with injuries and sickness. We have several of our starters out with injuries, so for them to pull it together and play the way they did to make the semifinal was pretty encouraging."

The squad was missing Dakota Wilkinson due to a broken collarbone and Taylor Decaire with a broken ankle. In their absence, Evers said numerous members of the team elevated their play, pointing out Brittany and Amber Coca, Jackie Simpson, Kalynne Heyer, Aubrey Riggans and Caroline Evers as keys to the team's success at Disney.

Laurie Evers said those players improvement, and the progress of other members of the squad like Ali Diloia, Scarlett Fox, Emily Jones, Shea Rhoney, Ashley Rivera and Dayton Wetherby can be attributed in part, thanks to the competition they've faced this fall. The Flames, playing up an age-group, won the Club Directors League girls Under-15 division without losing a game (five wins, three ties).

"It definitely makes us stronger, without a doubt," Evers said.

While the Flames aren't going to play a tournament over the holiday period, they have been admitted into the Region III East Premier League in the spring, another challenge to aid their development.

Camp Offers First Taste Of Rugby

With locals teams having started preparation for the new rugby season, Saturday offers a chance for new players to get acclimated with game experience at a clinic in Sarasota. Tampa Pelicans' coach Dave McFadden, who will be one of the coaches running the skills clinic and camp, the event offers an opportunity for players to get immersed in the game.

"Most of the teams lose about half of their players, or, in my case, lost more than half my players due to graduation last year," McFadden said. "So we all have to recruit new players out, and the thing that is toughest about that is the boys when they first come, they really don't know what to expect.

"This camp is nice because it gives them a little information about the technical aspects of rugby, how to play a scrum, what's a lineout, how you tackle properly, how to pass properly. We have 10 stations they pass through, about 15 minutes a station."

After the skill drills, the players will compete in play 30-minute scrimmages, with squads rotating in and out.

"That is the first game experience these new guys are going to have," McFadden said. "Last year it was like seeing a bunch of guys on Christmas Day after the scrimmage was over, their eyes were wide. ... It really helps to keep the momentum going into the season and get the boys excited, and it also helps them understand why a coach would have them do some of the drills we do at practice."

The Pelicans only have eight players returning this season. While half of those have represented the Florida All-Star team - Steven Gonzalez, Charles Messal, Jake McFadden and Zane Johnson - the camp is going to give their new members important experience ahead of the start of competitive games.

"If you're going to be able to win a championship at any level, you've got to be able to play the game technically well," McFadden said. "This gets you off on the right foot for doing that. It's hard to explain to a player who's new to rugby, what offsides it, what coming over the top of a ruck is. We use these camps to teach those skills."

Nicholas J.E. Murray can be reached at (813) 259-8243.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT