Southwest Sports - 08/02/12

The Windermere Riptide 12-under baseball team traveled to The Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, S.C., to participate in the High Tide Tournament. The boys competed against teams from all across the U.S. and placed sixth in their division. Players include Dylan Bittenbender, Hunter Cole, Kyle Gilgallon, Justin Holmes, Jacob Janata, Adam LaRue, Chris Mercedes, George Paulson, Tony Sartini, Matthew Taubensee, Ben Thompson and Tanner Wood; and coaches are Paul Gilgallon, Eddie Taubensee and Ruppert Wood.

NeuroSpine Institute Foundation representatives are seeking co-sponsors for the foundation’s second annual Celebrity Golf Classic that will be held Jan. 14, 2013, at Windermere Country Club.

NSIF is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Its mission is to promote youth sports while educating on how to stop preventable injuries, including concussions and spinal cord damage.

For more information, call 321-300-6763 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Level 8 gymnast Mikayla “Mickey” Wetherby placed first all-around — first on beam, floor and uneven bars — at the Region 8 championship meet. The Dr. Phillips resident advanced to the state meet, where she again placed first all-around, and was first on beam and vault. Wetherby trains at Orlando Metro Gymnastics, and her proud parents are Kevin Wetherby and Mary Wetherby, Ph.D.

YCF Water Polo 14-under team member Parker Sellers attended USA Water Polo’s 2012 National Training & Selection Camp that was held in New Port Beach, Calif. Sellers was one of 70 athletes selected from across the U.S. to attend the national camp in the 14-under division. Attendees vied for a spot on the USA Water Polo team, which competes internationally.

The Orange County Storm Lacrosse 15-under travel team places third at the Sunshine State Games Lacrosse Series held in Parkland. Celebrating their bronze-medal finish are (front, l. to r.) Natalie Bitz, Casey Zimmerman, Riley Reagan, Shea Moran, Alex Alatriste, Elyse Decker, Erin Collier, (back, l. to r.) coach Jim Woodhouse, Hannah Fidelo, Brooke Dyer, Lily Woodhouse, Meghan Bomleny, Mackenzie Reagan, coach Ann Bomleny, Jordan Groover, Isabella Lozano, Megan Irmscher, Tatiana Barnes, Abby Kranich and coach Tara Moran.

Orlando Area Rowing Society member Christine Cavallo was selected to represent the U.S. at the 2012 World Rowing Junior Championships that will be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, from Aug. 15-19. The Olympia High School rising senior spent several weeks in New Jersey participating in a highly competitive selection camp. In Bulgaria, she will compete in a coxless pair, where she and the other rower in her boat will each have one oar, and there is no coxswain.

Congratulations to the following Orlando Area Rowing Society members who will continue their crew careers at the college level: Katie Chambers, University of Alabama; Victoria Hernandez, Jacksonville University; Ashley Jesser, Marietta College; Elizabeth Kelley, University of Notre Dame; and Megan Wolf, UA. OARS currently is recruiting middle and high school students for the 2012-13 season.

 For more information, visit
www.oars-online.com on the Web.

The Windermere Little League Majors All-Star baseball team won the District 14 championship. The team, which is coached by
Paul Gilgallon, Steve Walczak and Rupert Wood, advanced to the sectionals tournament that was held in Apopka.

The Dr. Phillips Little League AAA Braves baseball team earned its third division championship and placed second at the District 14 Top Team championship. The team is led by manager Bill Reynes and coached by Dave Bishop, Mike Gush and Chad Wood.

Pine Castle Christian Academy softball player Alexandra Thomas was named to the Class 2A 2012 Miracle Sports Poll All-Florida High School Softball Team, second team. Nine of her teammates were named to the first, second or third team, or received an honorable mention. The Sand Lake Cove resident has played varsity softball at PCCA for three years. In 2012, the team recorded a 23-8 record and was named Class 2A state runner-up. During the off-season, Thomas plays travel softball. She is also a member of PCCA’s basketball and volleyball teams.

The Windermere Little League Rangers baseball team is named the Division A champion. Celebrating their win are (front, l. to r) Jacob Delano, A.J. Teter, Justin Burbano, Braden West, Will Dizney, Samuel Gillis, (back, l. to r.) Hunter Gressel, Ryan Furey, Wyatt Archer, Joseph Levya, Joshua Briggs and Jordan Kahn.

The Florida Rush Nike 18-under men’s soccer team won the 2012 US Youth Soccer Region III Championship, earning a spot at the 2012 US Youth Soccer National Championship held in Rock Hill, S.C. At the regional tournament, team captain Andrew Bruce was named most valuable player, and goalkeeper Juanes Fajardo won the Golden Glove Award for the second consecutive year.

Celebration Golf Management, which owns The Golden Bear Club at Keene’s Pointe, has closed the Windermere course until Sept. 1. Plans are underway to renovate the greens, which are 13 years old. The course will reopen with Champion Turf Farms’ Champion Dwarf Bermudagrass on all 18 greens and practice surfaces.

Dr. Phillips High School 2012-13 senior Ryan Larson verbally committed to play collegiate baseball at the University of Florida. In the 2011-12 season, Larson led the Panthers to a district championship and regional semifinals berth. Throughout the past two seasons, he has recorded four home runs, 14 doubles and 27 RBIs, with a batting average of .318. He also is regarded as one of Central Florida’s top defensive outfielders. Larson is the first DPHS student since 2002 to play collegiate baseball for the Gators.

Shane Visram of Robert’s Landing tied for third place in the boys 15-18 division at the Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy Jr. Shootout held at Grande Dunes Golf Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C. His two-day total was a 7-over-par 151. The tournament included more than 80 players from seven states and was presented by Hurricane Junior Golf Tour.