Southwest Sports - 03/22/12

The Windermere Riptide 12-under baseball team earns top honors at the First Crack Classic held in Daytona Beach. Celebrating their win are (front, l. to r.) Jakob Janata, Hunter Cole, Tanner Wood, Ben Thompson, Kyle Gilgallon, Dylan Bittenbender, (middle, l. to r.) coach Rupert Wood, George Paulson, Matthew Taubenssee, Justin Holmes, Chris Mercedes, Adam Larue, (back, l. to r.) and coaches Eddie Taubensee and Paul Gilgallon.

The FC Elite 11-under soccer team placed third in the elite division at the Kick It 3v3 World Championships that was held at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista. Congratulations to team members Ansley Frazier, Ethan and Mason Judge, Andrew Lizyness, Colton Scharfeld and coach Jordan Duffy.

Sand Lake Elementary School fourth-grader Riley Stephens placed first in the boys 8-9 division at the school and sectional levels of the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick competition. His win at the sectional level qualified him for the regional competition that was held during halftime at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers football game. Stephens’ score of 212 feet, 4 inches was enough to earn him first-place honors at the regional level. He and the other competitors each received a Bucs hat and T-shirt, Bucs Bucks to spend, and two tickets to the game. They also stood next to the national anthem singer during the game’s opening ceremonies.

Orlando Area Rowing Society’s novice 8B team placed first in its division at the Lake Brantley Rowing Association Novice Regatta. The girls also posted the second- fastest novice 8 time of the day. The men’s novice 4B team also earned a gold medal. Additional OARS medalists included women’s freshmen 8, third place; women’s novice 4, second place; men’s novice 8A, third place; and men’s novice 4A, second place.

Foundation Academy quarterback Brendon Tillet signed a commitment letter to play undergraduate football at Florida Institute of Technology. FIT will debut its football program in fall 2013 as a member of the Gulf South Conference.

Dr. Phillips High School senior Mia Emmerson, goalkeeper for the women’s lacrosse team, verbally committed to play collegiate lacrosse at Lees-McRae College in North Carolina. The Orange Tree resident is the first female in the school’s history to sign a lacrosse scholarship. She will sign her official commitment letter next month on National Signing Day.

Ocoee resident and Youngstown State University basketball player Kendrick Perry was named to the All-Horizon League first team, which is determined by votes from head coaches, sports information directors and select media. Members of the first team represent the top five players in the league. Perry is only the second student in YSU history to receive this honor. His proud parents are Aubrey and Deborah Perry.