Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 8, 2011

LAND O'LAKES — For a young, talented Land O'Lakes squad, Tuesday's game against Hernando was a lesson in perseverance.

The Gators found themselves behind 5-0 after one inning with Leopards ace Brett Maggard on the mound, yet they didn't panic.

The Gators also didn't sulk when they allowed Hernando to tie the score in the seventh inning, just one out from victory.

Instead, the Gators battled and, in the process, registered their biggest win of season, defeating previously unbeaten Hernando 8-7.

"I'm proud of our guys," Land O'Lakes coach Calvin Baisley said. "Down 5-0 to a really good team, they could have folded the tent real early. They came back and kept fighting. That was a big win for us."

After Hernando (9-1) scored two runs in the top of the seventh to stay alive and tie the score at 7, Land O'Lakes (6-2) finally finished off the Leopards for good in the bottom half of the inning.

Trey McNickle drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on Cameron Miller's sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With two outs and facing a 0-2 count, the Gators' Trae Urban smacked an opposite-field single to right to plate the winning run.

"This is the first time that we've really been in a close game against a good team that we've won," Baisley said. "We've been in a few close games and managed to kick it away or had things not go our way."

The Gators nearly let the game get away from them in the first inning after the Leopards built a 5-0 advantage.

Christian Arroyo singled home the game's first run, then Maggard uncorked a three-run home run to rightfield for a 4-0 Hernando lead. Taylor Owensby added a RBI single for the Leopards' fifth run off of Land O'Lakes starter Brad Hencke in the opening inning.

After that, Hencke settled himself and his teammates. He shut out the Leopards over the next four innings to keep the Gators in the game.

"I give Hencke a lot of credit," Baisley said. "After that first inning, he settled down and gave us a chance to claw back."

Land O'Lakes' Gino Pepenella singled home a run in the second to cut the lead to 5-1. The Gators got three more in the third on Pepenella's hit that scored two runs, and a RBI single from Steven Rosario.

Pepenella collected his fourth RBI in the fourth on another single to tie the score at 5. Rosario followed with a base hit, and Pepenella scored on an error on the play for the go-ahead run.

Trailing 7-5, Hernando was down to its final out in the seventh before an error and two infield singles loaded the bases. The Leopards' J.T. Simpson then delivered a two-RBI single to tie the score.

Urban, however, delivered the game's final blow.

"We have some plays we normally make that we didn't make tonight," Hernando coach Tim Sims said. "If we make them, it's a different game. But that's also high school baseball."

Times wires
Tuesday, March 8, 2011

MIAMI — LaMarcus Aldridge proved LeBron James right.

The Heat could have done without that confirmation.

Shortly after James called Aldridge one of the top All-Star "snubs" in NBA history, Aldridge had 26 points and led the Blazers to a 105-96 win that sent Miami to its fifth straight loss.

Gerald Wallace scored 22 for Portland, which won its seventh straight on the road and fourth straight overall. Brandon Roy and Andre Miller each scored 14 for the Blazers.

Dwyane Wade had 38 points and James added 31 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Heat, the 12th team in history to have a 12-game winning streak and five-game losing streak in the same season.

Chris Bosh was held to seven points on 3-of-11 shooting.

The Blazers' bench outscored Miami's 41-8, more than enough to keep the Heat's doldrums going strong. It gets no easier for Miami: The two-time defending champion Lakers, winners of a league-high eight straight, come in Thursday night.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Kobe Bryant had 26 points to pass Moses Malone for sixth on the career list with 27,432, and the visiting Lakers beat the Hawks 101-87 for their eighth straight win.

CONCUSSION POLICY: The NBA is consulting with an independent neurologist and may establish a league-wide policy for handling concussions by next season, league spokesman Tim Frank confirmed. In the past four weeks, six players have missed games because of concussions or concussion-like symptoms.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: Nuggets coach George Karl signed a three-year extension, a deal that had been in the works for months but took a back seat to the season-long negotiations to trade Carmelo Anthony, who was dealt to the Knicks two weeks ago. … Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan signed a two-year extension. McMillan has taken Portland to the playoffs twice and is in position to do so again this season. … Atlanta nightclub Opera is suing the Heat's James, accusing him of reneging on a promise to make a one-hour appearance later this month. … Timberwolves forward Kevin Love missed practice because of a bruised left knee but is expected to play tonight. … Wizards forward Andray Blatche left the game against the Bucks with a sprained right shoulder.

Trail Blazers 105, Heat 96

PORTLAND (105): Batum 4-5 3-3 11, Aldridge 11-20 4-4 26, Camby 1-6 1-1 3, A.Miller 6-8 2-2 14, Matthews 3-7 2-2 10, Wallace 8-14 5-6 22, Fernandez 1-6 0-0 3, Roy 5-8 1-1 14, Mills 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 40-79 18-19 105.

MIAMI (96): James 14-20 1-4 31, Bosh 3-11 1-1 7, Dampier 1-2 0-0 2, Chalmers 4-7 1-1 10, Wade 12-21 12-13 38, M.Miller 1-7 0-0 2, Anthony 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Bibby 2-4 0-0 6, Ilgauskas 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-72 15-19 96.

Portland 25 32 20 28— 105

Miami 25 26 24 21— 96

3-Point Goals—Portland 7-17 (Roy 3-3, Matthews 2-3, Fernandez 1-4, Wallace 1-4, Batum 0-1, Mills 0-2), Miami 7-22 (Bibby 2-4, James 2-4, Wade 2-8, Chalmers 1-4, M.Miller 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Portland 39 (Wallace 9), Miami 40 (James 11). Assists—Portland 21 (Matthews, A.Miller 5), Miami 20 (James 8). Total Fouls—Portland 16, Miami 21. Technicals—A.Miller. A—19,835 (19,600).

Lakers 101, Hawks 87

L.A. LAKERS (101): Artest 3-8 1-2 7, Gasol 6-16 2-2 14, Bynum 8-10 0-0 16, Fisher 4-8 2-2 11, Bryant 8-18 9-11 26, Odom 5-8 2-2 12, Barnes 1-1 2-2 5, Blake 1-3 0-0 3, Brown 3-7 0-0 7. Totals 39-79 18-21 101.

ATLANTA (87): Williams 1-5 2-2 4, Jos.Smith 6-13 2-5 16, Horford 8-16 0-0 17, Hinrich 5-10 0-0 12, Johnson 4-14 2-2 11, Crawford 2-8 4-4 9, Pachulia 3-8 2-2 8, Wilkins 4-6 2-2 10, Teague 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 33-83 14-17 87.

L.A. Lakers 29 28 24 20— 101

Atlanta 25 24 16 22— 87

3-Point Goals—L.A. Lakers 5-12 (Blake 1-1, Barnes 1-1, Fisher 1-2, Brown 1-2, Bryant 1-4, Artest 0-2), Atlanta 7-22 (Jos.Smith 2-4, Hinrich 2-5, Horford 1-1, Crawford 1-5, Johnson 1-5, Wilkins 0-1, Teague 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—L.A. Lakers 49 (Bynum 16), Atlanta 47 (Pachulia 10). Assists—L.A. Lakers 27 (Gasol 5), Atlanta 21 (Jos.Smith 6). Total Fouls—L.A. Lakers 15, Atlanta 17. A—19,890 (18,729).

Bucks 95, Wizards 76

MILWAUKEE (95): Delfino 5-11 3-3 15, Mbah a Moute 0-3 1-2 1, Bogut 7-13 0-2 14, Jennings 10-20 0-0 23, Salmons 7-14 6-6 22, Sanders 2-7 2-3 6, Dooling 4-9 2-2 12, Brockman 0-0 0-0 0, Boykins 1-4 0-0 2, Douglas-Roberts 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 36-82 14-18 95.

WASHINGTON (76): Evans 5-11 0-0 11, Blatche 0-1 0-0 0, McGee 4-9 1-5 9, Wall 4-17 2-4 10, Young 5-13 0-1 10, Booker 4-9 0-0 8, Seraphin 0-4 1-2 1, Crawford 9-17 3-3 22, N'diaye 0-0 1-2 1, Shakur 0-1 0-0 0, Yi 1-3 2-2 4. Totals 32-85 10-19 76.

Milwaukee 22 29 24 20— 95

Washington 21 15 16 24— 76

3-Point Goals—Milwaukee 9-23 (Jennings 3-9, Dooling 2-4, Delfino 2-4, Salmons 2-5, Douglas-Roberts 0-1), Washington 2-12 (Evans 1-1, Crawford 1-5, Shakur 0-1, Wall 0-1, Young 0-4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Milwaukee 47 (Bogut 9), Washington 65 (McGee 13). Assists—Milwaukee 24 (Bogut 7), Washington 17 (Wall 7). Total Fouls—Milwaukee 18, Washington 16. A—16,190 (20,173).

76ers 110, Pacers 100

PHILADELPHIA (110): Iguodala 7-13 0-1 16, Brand 5-11 2-2 12, Hawes 6-9 0-1 12, Holiday 8-13 0-0 16, Meeks 4-8 5-6 15, Speights 2-8 0-0 4, Young 9-13 0-0 18, Turner 3-8 3-4 10, Williams 3-9 0-1 7. Totals 47-92 10-15 110.

INDIANA (100): Granger 4-11 3-3 11, McRoberts 1-7 3-4 5, Hibbert 3-8 7-8 13, Collison 4-7 1-1 10, Rush 2-2 0-0 4, George 2-4 2-3 6, Hansbrough 11-14 4-4 26, D.Jones 4-6 2-2 11, Stephenson 1-3 0-0 2, Price 3-10 5-6 12. Totals 35-72 27-31 100.

Philadelphia 34 31 19 26— 110

Indiana 23 30 17 30— 100

3-Point Goals—Philadelphia 6-16 (Iguodala 2-3, Meeks 2-6, Turner 1-1, Williams 1-4, Holiday 0-2), Indiana 3-11 (Collison 1-1, D.Jones 1-2, Price 1-4, Stephenson 0-1, Granger 0-3). Fouled Out—Price. Rebounds—Philadelphia 45 (Young 9), Indiana 46 (George 10). Assists—Philadelphia 24 (Iguodala 10), Indiana 13 (D.Jones 4). Total Fouls—Philadelphia 26, Indiana 22. Technicals—Indiana defensive three second. Flagrant Fouls—D.Jones. A—9,466 (18,165).

Warriors 95, Cavaliers 85

GOLDEN STATE (95): Wright 3-9 1-2 7, Lee 6-16 2-2 14, Udoh 2-4 0-0 4, Curry 10-18 1-1 23, Ellis 9-21 0-0 24, Law 1-4 0-0 2, Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Biedrins 1-1 0-0 2, Amundson 2-4 0-0 4, Thornton 3-3 3-3 9, Radmanovic 2-5 2-2 6. Totals 39-86 9-10 95.

CLEVELAND (85): Gee 2-7 0-0 4, Samuels 5-14 1-2 11, Hickson 3-11 4-4 10, Sessions 2-9 4-4 8, Parker 2-9 1-2 6, Gibson 1-5 0-0 3, Eyenga 3-7 2-2 8, Davis 7-14 3-4 19, Hollins 6-8 2-3 14, Graham 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 31-85 19-23 85.

Golden State 18 29 29 19— 95

Cleveland 30 16 19 20— 85

3-Point Goals—Golden State 8-18 (Ellis 6-9, Curry 2-5, Radmanovic 0-1, Williams 0-1, Wright 0-2), Cleveland 4-18 (Davis 2-4, Parker 1-4, Gibson 1-4, Samuels 0-1, Eyenga 0-2, Gee 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Golden State 51 (Lee 14), Cleveland 55 (Samuels 9). Assists—Golden State 21 (Ellis 7), Cleveland 18 (Davis 6). Total Fouls—Golden State 17, Cleveland 16. Technicals—Cleveland defensive three second. A—19,919 (20,562).

Andy Villamarzo, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, March 8, 2011

NEW PORT RICHEY — Wesley Chapel's Matt Wynne had a little bit of motivation going into his start versus Ridgewood Tuesday night.

Wynne's uncle, Pete Wynne, played for Ridgewood coach Larry Beets back in the '90s and his family reminded him of the history they had with the Rams. That past helped motivate Wynne to throw a complete game, 90-pitch performance to lift the Wildcats (8-0) to a 5-1 victory over the Rams.

"Rivalry with Ridgewood started when I found out my uncle played for the Rams," Wynne said.

"It's been a rivalry thing ever since and I always want to pitch well against them. My uncle actually kind of fired me up about this game."

The Wildcats took an early 1-0 lead after senior Geoff Degroot singled in junior Zach White from second base. The Rams (3-5) tied the score in the bottom of the second, as senior Ricky Handschumacher scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Mettler.

But the Rams did not produce anymore offense, as Wynne limited Ridgewood to five hits and struck out four on the night. Wesley Chapel opened up the game in the top of the sixth inning when Rams starter Austin Tolle walked the first two batters of the inning and the Wildcats capitalized off the walks and score two runs to take a 4-1 lead.

"It's a huge win because we have now played pretty much all the strong teams in our district and played well versus all of them," Wesley Chapel coach Chuck Yingling said.

"When those teams come to play us in district, I think that puts a little bit of pressure on everyone else."

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 8, 2011

NEW YORK — All season long, USF coach Stan Heath has told point guard Anthony Crater he needed to shoot more, to score more, to be more aggressive getting to the basket. With 30 seconds left in the Bulls' season, Crater listened to his coach.

The junior stole an inbounds lob in the backcourt and hit a layup to give USF the lead on Villanova with 23 seconds left, and then after the Wildcats hit two free throws to retake the lead, Crater went the length of the court for another layup with 5.1 seconds remaining, sparking the 15th-seeded Bulls to a 70-69 upset in the opening round of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden.

"This season has been really rough, so for us to even come close to winning this game, it's just big. I'm speechless right now," said Crater, who had a game-high seven assists. "There's no better feeling than the win."

USF (10-22) is the second-lowest seed to win a Big East tournament game, and its 16-point halftime deficit is the biggest overcome in 32 years of Big East tournament play. The Bulls play against seventh-seeded Cincinnati tonight. The Bulls were led by Shaun Noriega's 22 points; the guard went 4-for-4 on 3-pointers in the first four minutes, finishing one point off his career high.

"The whole season, we've been coming up short," Noriega said. "Finally now, in the postseason, we actually finished strong. That gives us inspiration, gives us a feeling that the season wasn't all for nothing. We've improved. We can actually finish games."

This was the upset that had eluded the Bulls all season. Time and time again, USF played close to a top Big East team only to fade late. USF came out of the halftime break on a 7-0 run, and five times, the Bulls pulled within two only to see Villanova answer to extend its lead.

The Bulls got breaks in the final minute when Villanova (21-11) — which had been 20-for-20 on free throws — missed a pair of front ends. Hugh Robertson's free throws cut the lead to one with 27 seconds left, and then Crater stole the inbounds pass and gave USF the lead.

"I'm really happy for him," Heath said. "I'm really hard on him, and he's never given up. He continues to battle. I see the talent he's got, and I know he can do more. In the last 30 seconds, he showed everybody how much more he can do."

Villanova — one of four Big East teams USF hadn't beaten since joining the league in 2005 — answered with Maalik Wayns' two free throws, and after Crater's winner, Wayns put up a 3-pointer, which bounced off the rim to seal the Bulls' victory.

"I'm happy for these guys; to see them celebrate in the locker room," Heath said. "It's like a monkey or an elephant just came off our back. I'm hoping it carries over. The feeling with the players as a team is going to be very good (today)."

Joey Knight, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 8, 2011

PLANT CITY — Go ahead and press a for-real stamp on their stirrups. From offensive speed to defensive sturdiness to a veteran ace in the circle, the Durant Cougars ooze legitimacy.

But as Tuesday night's 1-0 win against Riverview (5-5, 3-4 in Class 5A, District 8) proved, even the most sound of squads need a tad of fortune, a modicum of flukiness, somewhere along the way.

With two out in the bottom of the seventh, junior Nikki Giovenco's two-strike, two-out popup to leftfield was mishandled, allowing Paige "Peanut" Davis to score from second and keep the Cougars (7-0, 4-0) unblemished in 2011.

"It was an unfortunate loss for them but it was a fortunate win for us," said coach Matt Carter, whose starting lineup featured three freshmen and three sophomores.

"We're not playing out of our shoes and we're not playing out of our league, but the girls are playing the way they need to play."

And hitting when they need to hit.

The Cougars, whose first four batters went a combined 1-for-11 against Sharks ace Emily Gaitan (5-5), got a two-out double from Davis — the No. 6 hitter — in the seventh, setting up Giovenco's winner.

It capped a tense duel between Gaitan (five strikeouts, one walk) and Cougars senior Lauren Wolfe (nine Ks, three walks), both of whom tossed three-hitters and got timely defensive support.

Gaitan twice escaped one-out jams with runners in scoring position. In the second, she forced Giovenco to line out to third baseman Samantha Murphy, who then picked Kennedy Dean off second.

Similarly, Wolfe, a Florida Southern signee, recorded three inning-ending strikeouts with runners in scoring position, and watched Giovenco snag a screaming Meagan Brislin shot to left with a runner on first to end the fifth.

Two innings later, she watched Giovenco end things.

"Honestly, part of me was thinking extra innings," Wolfe said, "but I have confidence in these girls, and I was just really expecting them to get on (base) because I know they can."

Eduardo A. Encina, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 8, 2011

PLANT CITY — The Plant City baseball team's hot start has even surprised Raiders coach Mark Persails.

A team that returned just one starter, the Raiders won their sixth game out of seven to start the season with Tuesday's 5-1 win over Bloomingdale.

"I'd be lying if I said I expected it," Persails said.

But Persails knows a young team that gains quick confidence can be dangerous. Since the Raiders took an 8-0 pounding to Newsome in their preseason opener, Persails says his has been a different team.

"They decided they wanted to play hard all the time," he said.

Early wins over King and Armwood, two teams that reached the Class 5A state tournament last season, have given the Raiders that confidence boost. And Tuesday's win over the Bulls was an important next step, especially coming off their first loss of the season against district foe Durant on Friday.

"I was hoping we'd come out and play hard and not worry about having a young team," senior second baseman Art Knight said. "So far we've come out and played some pretty good teams, King and Armwood, and we've come out to prove something, and show the team we really are. We're having fun this year."

The Raiders also received solid pitching from junior right-hander Evan Bowles, who tossed a five-hitter against the Bulls. Bowles struck out seven and walked just two.

"When he stays in control, he's tough to hit," Persails said. "If he maintains his composure on the mound, he has the kind of stuff that can get him drafted."

Knight, Plant City's hottest hitter with a .478 batting average, hit his fourth homer in five games, a two-run blast to leftfield in the fifth inning.

Plant City (6-1) also took advantage of a costly Bloomingdale miscue in a three-run second.

After Bobby Mondoux's one-out run-scoring single, a throwing error to home plate on a grounder to shortstop scored two more runs and gave Plant City a 3-0 lead.

"That's kind of how we've been all year," Bloomingdale coach Kris Wilken said. "We're an error away from it being a 3-1 game instead of a 5-1 game. To me it's not so much taking a lot of fungos or extra BP. A lot of it is just a mind-set."

Conor Malloy's RBI single in the fourth scored Bloomingdale's only run, but the Bulls (3-4) stranded four runners in scoring position and had runners thrown out twice, including once at the plate that killed the fourth-inning rally.

Bob Putnam, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

DUNEDIN — In the first four innings, Dunedin drew walks and had a few timely hits against Seminole.

But the Falcons couldn't score.

They left seven batters stranded as Warhawks starter Joey Krehbiel constantly worked out of jams, including a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the first inning in which he struck out the final three.

In the fifth, it appeared as if Dunedin would come away empty — again. The Falcons had bases loaded and no outs.

But after getting the first two batters out, the Warhawks had a wild pitch that allowed Casey Turgeon to score. That was all Dunedin needed in a 1-0 victory in a key Class 5A, District 11 game.

The victory put the Falcons (8-1, 3-1) in first place in the county's tightest district race. It also helped Dunedin exact some measure of revenge against the team that beat the Falcons in the region semifinals last season.

"This gave us some redemption," Dunedin starter Mike Clarkson said. "We were really focused and wanted to get this game."

The game turned out to be a pitcher's duel between and Clarkson and Krehbiel, two seniors who both signed with USF.

Though he walked six batters and hit another, Krehbiel mowed down quite a few batters with efficiency. He struck out 10 and allowed just three hits, all singles.

In the fifth, he gave up a single to Andrew Brodbeck and walked Turgeon and Clarkson to load the bases. Krehbiel had thrown more than 100 pitches by then was relieved by Alex McGathey.

McGathey got Jordan Savinon to ground out into a fielder's choice to home and struck out Ben Emery. Then with two outs, McGathey threw a wild pitch that allowed Turgeon to score.

"We just had an unlucky bounce," Seminole coach Greg Olsen said.

Clarkson, meanwhile, pitched a shutout, allowing four hits and striking out five.

"We weren't able to score a lot, but we put guys in scoring position," Clarkson said. "And I had great defense behind me. We didn't commit an error, which was big."

Basil Spyridakos, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Clearwater jumped to a quick lead Tuesday night, scoring four runs in the first inning and holding onto that lead throughout the contest, defeating Tarpon Springs 6-3.

With Clearwater up 1-0 in the top of the first inning, Jabe Molinaro blasted the ball to right-centerfield for a two-run triple. He later scored to put the Tornadoes (8-3, 2-2) up 4-0.

Tyler O'Brien was spectacular, extending his season record to 3-1 by throwing 130 pitches, striking out seven and allowing three runs in a complete game.

"Defense did a nice job and (O'Brien) pitched a great game," Clearwater coach Ken Clawson said. "We knew we were going to be in a fight. Dunedin and Seminole are certainly strong, but you can't look past Tarpon."

Tarpon Springs (4-5, 1-3) struggled to advance runners and couldn't find that timely hit, leaving seven men in scoring position — which O'Brien had a hand in.

With the Spongers down 5-2 with runners on second and third, rightfielder Shane Ludlow hit a bomb to leftfield, but it was caught by Brett Gilman for the final out of the fourth inning.

"Every time we had guys on second or third with two outs we couldn't get a hit, and they did," Tarpon coach Dickie Hart said. "They put the ball in play and we didn't."

Tarpon scored once more in the fifth on an RBI double by Caleb Koulianos. O'Brien made quick work of it in the seventh, striking out the final batter for the win.

"I wasn't on top of my game today, but I still got it done," O'Brien said. "I felt like I had better stuff than they did. I shut them down when I needed to."

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria confirmed an Arizona Republic report that he had a classic Camaro, valued at $75,000, stolen from a lot in Arizona where it was being refurbished.

Longoria said he didn't expect to get the car back.

"I'm sure that it's long gone by now,'' Longoria said. "I hope they find it but odds are if they do its not going to be in the same shape when it left. .. It sucks, but what can you do. If someone is going to take something, they're going to take something. They broke through a gate and a security system to get them.''

Longoria had a 1967 black and white Camaro RS being upgraded by a Gilber, Ariz., company, but the car, and another, were stolen over the weekend.

Longoria also has a 1969 Camaro SS that he has been driving to games in Port Charlotte.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

GULFPORT

It is Friday morning, and Roland Bailey has a tee time. There's nothing new about that. Bailey has had a tee time at Pasadena Country Club for the past 75 years. But these days, it takes him a little longer to get to the first tee. He rises at 6:15 a.m. to make it to the course 31/2 hours later. Bailey was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a weakness of the skeletal muscles, a few years ago. It takes him nearly an hour to get out of bed. Then he gets dressed, makes breakfast and slowly starts to get his strength up. By 9:30, Bailey is ready to drive the few miles from his house to the course. He does this all by himself after his wife of 55 years, Virginia, died in 1992. Bailey tries to play nine holes three times per week. Tuesday was his 99th birthday. "Without Pasadena Golf Course, I would've been dead a long time ago,'' Bailey said. "This place has been my home.''

From St. Louis to St. Petersburg

Roland Bailey was born March 8, 1912, in St. Louis. He was an amateur golfer and in his early years worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. When he got a job offer in 1936 to join the Rexall Drug Co. and move to St. Petersburg, Bailey jumped at the chance.

"That sounded good to me,'' he said. "The first thing I did when I got here was ask people where a good golf course was. They all told me Pasadena. That's why I started playing here.

"I've played other courses, but I always came back here.''

Bailey and his wife raised three daughters. One, Marilyn, was in Boca Ciega High School's second graduating class. He has eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Bailey worked for 35 years. He operated 14 Rexall stores around Florida, but his main store was on Fifth Street and Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg. The building's landlord at the time was former St. Petersburg mayor Al Lang. Bailey was good friends with Lang and would go with him to watch his beloved Cardinals in spring training.

"He and I would go to ball games together," Bailey said. "You always got the best of everything when you were with him.''

The Cardinals stayed at the old Breckenridge Hotel on First Avenue S during the spring. The Yankees stayed right down the road. Both played at Waterfront Park (later renamed Al Lang Field). Bailey recalls players such as Red Schoendienst, Pepper Martin and Lou Gehrig hanging out at his drug store.

He also remembers Doc Webb, who started Webb's City, a drug store and St. Petersburg landmark.

"Doc Webb and I were good friends, but we were also competitors,'' Bailey said. "We all thought he was crazy. I'd have employees quit my place, and he'd give them a job right away.''

Rexall Drugs was sold several years after Bailey retired. Downtown St. Petersburg has changed dramatically since he worked there. He said because of the myasthenia gravis, he hasn't been there in more than three years.

Through it all, there has been one constant, Pasadena Country Club.

Thousands of rounds

Pasadena opened in 1924, and its first head professional was legendary golf pro Walter Hagen. Bailey arrived 12 years later. Hagen was no longer the head pro, but he still frequented the course during the winter months.

Bailey was a regular in the time before World War II. He remembers when all the best pros of the day would come down in the spring to play Pasadena. Things changed at the start of the war. The course was shut down and turned into a cattle ranch.

"They had Black Angus cows out there,'' Bailey said. "It was like the Wild West. Nobody played golf. They just took care of the cattle.''

At the war's conclusion, the city of St. Petersburg took over the course and made it public. Bailey said it cost $1 to play a round. A yearlong membership cost $150. Shortly afterward, Pasadena became private again.

At his best, Bailey was a 9 handicap. His best score on the course is 72. However, after more than 80 years of playing, Bailey has never had a hole-in-one.

His best shot came 15 years ago, when he was 84. He eagled the par-5 13th, holing a 3-iron from a fairway bunker about 200 yards away.

"I hit into the group in front of us,'' Bailey said.

"They jokingly tended the flag as the ball rolled in.''

At 99, Bailey still grips it and rips it. He usually shoots between 50 and 55 for nine holes. He can hit his oversized metal driver about 120 yards, usually straight down the middle. After thousands (maybe millions) of swings, he doesn't waste time over the ball.

Throughout the years, Bailey has seen more changes to the course than anybody alive.

"They've moved the holes. What is now the fifth hole used to be the first hole," Bailey said. "The clubhouse has moved.

"Nobody lived around the course.''

Senior member

There is a picture of Bailey displayed in the clubhouse. He is sitting in front of the 18th green, cigarette in hand. He said it is from 1942. He also said he hasn't smoked in 25 years.

There are very few people at Pasadena who don't know Bailey. But he still misses some of his old playing partners.

"I used to play in a foursome of the same guys for many, many years, but then they died off,'' Bailey said. "Then I had another foursome I played with, and they died off. I don't think there's anybody here now that I used to play with who is still alive. A lot of our good, old friends are gone.''

Club member Morris Berch has made a point to play with Bailey over the past few years.

"He's such a nice guy,'' Berch, 71, said. "He still takes a big swing. I just hope I'm here at 99 much less able to swing a golf club.''

Bailey's disease is currently in remission. Even so, it still slows him down.

"I'll probably never get over it,'' Bailey said. "I'll probably pass away from it.''

He says that very matter-of-factly. He hasn't stayed around for 99 years by worrying about such things. Bailey is more concerned about his next round of golf.

"I'll see you at about 10 on Wednesday,'' Berch says to Bailey.

"Okay, good," Bailey said. "I'll be there."

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

PORT CHARLOTTE — This year, he will be good.

Or next year, he will be gone.

Say this much for Johnny Damon. He knows the stakes. His career is now at a point where his age, 37, has become his most discussed statistic. If there is a next year for Damon, perhaps even a year or two after that, it will be because of this year.

Succeed, and someone will give him a new contract.

Fail, and they will take away his glove.

Simple as that.

"I have a lot riding on this," Damon said Wednesday morning. "If I don't prove I can still play, this is it for me. If I don't have a good year, I'm hanging out at home for the rest of my life.

"There is a lot on the line for me this year, and I'm okay with that. I really am. But I'm not ready to go home yet."

He is still a ballplayer, okay? These days, a lot of conversations about Damon seem to begin with what his experience might mean to the Rays clubhouse or how he might mentor younger players. When the discussion turns to how much Damon may have left, however, eyebrows seem to raise.

There are doubts. There are questions. In the twilight of a great career, there always are. On the far side of 35, there are no such things as off years. Either a player has it, or he has had it.

"In this game, you're always proving yourself," Damon said. "Every day, every at-bat, every game, every season. But I can still go out there and do some big things, some of the things I was doing 4-5 years ago. Everyone seems to talk about an aging player, but I've taken good care of my body. I can still run.

"I still feel like I can still get the big hit, chase down the big fly, steal the big base. I can still help a team win. I have a lot left in the tank."

Watch Damon cavort across the infield in the morning sun, and the temptation is to believe him. His hair is combed into a young man's spike in the middle, and he is grinning the way he has through 16 seasons worth of baseball. Off the field, Damon is thoughtful and, when it comes to his resume, prideful. On the field, however, he looks as comfortable as a player has ever looked in a uniform.

"Out there, he doesn't look like a player who is 35-plus," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "You'd get an early 30s vibe from him. Maybe 31, 32. That's how he carries himself.

"We think he's going to be a productive player for us, a guy who can still hit 15-20 balls out of the park, who can hit .275 plus. He can steal some bases. If we can limit his time and keep his legs fresh, you're going to see a complete player."

For a long time, the description has fit Damon. He is among his generation's most accomplished players with 2,571 hits, 487 doubles, 1,564 runs. He has earned more than $105 million playing baseball, and he has won two World Series rings. As Damon says, there are a lot of fans who love him and a lot of fans who do not.

Still, he says, he enjoys playing. He enjoys winning. He enjoys adding up his numbers.

"I probably like it more than I used to," he said, laughing. "Especially with everyone trying to run me out of the game."

Even now, there are things that Damon wants to accomplish. He still has a shot at 3,000 hits — three more seasons as good as last year's would get him there. He is 51st on the all-time list in runs scored — three more years like last year would get him to 16th. Yes, the numbers are important to him. Yes, he can name every one of them by heart.

"I have some milestones I want to reach," he said. "When you're done playing, those are the numbers that say what you have done."

Are they good enough for the Hall of Fame? Not yet. You get the feeling that Damon is on the front porch. Another healthy three years could make the difference. Getting to 3,000 hits could make the difference.

Along the way, perhaps Damon can make a difference for the Rays, too.

The thing is, Damon is a good teammate. And, yes, he could be the mentor that, say, Cliff Floyd was for this team in 2008. Damon is one of those veterans who works every corner of the clubhouse to unify a team.

In a way, it seems that it was destined for Damon to spend some time in a Rays uniform. The team talked to him before last year, when Damon went to Detroit. Then, in August, Boston claimed Damon to keep him from going to another team. Yes, Damon said, it was the Rays.

"It might have changed the way the playoffs went," Damon said. "It was disappointing to watch."

He is here now. He has a chance to help make a difference this season. Yes, he can help in the clubhouse. Yes, he can help on the field. When the Rays play the Red Sox today — with Damon playing for Tampa Bay and Carl Crawford for Boston — it might help to remind yourself of that.

"I'm here to win," Damon said. "I know these guys won the AL East last year, and I know they lost a lot of guys. What better guy to replace your all-time leader? I'm excited. I know no one is going to forget about Carl here. He's a lot of the reason why this team got to where it is. But nothing stays forever, and this team had to replace him. Hopefully, I'll be the perfect guy."

We'll see. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see the reception Damon gets when he returns to Boston and New York.

On the other hand, he played well in both places, and both teams won championships. This is the ultimate truth about Damon. Everywhere he has played, fans seem grateful for his time in uniform.

Will that be true in Tampa Bay, too? Will fans thank him as he leaves?

"I hope," Damon said, grinning again. "First, I have to write a script to make them appreciate what I bring."

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

VALRICO

Kelsey Lay hopped onto a bicycle when she was a little girl and began pedaling around the neighborhood. The problem?

Not fast enough.

Lay then climbed into a go-cart a few years later, speeding around tracks in Central Florida. The problem?

Not fast enough.

She received a junior dragster on her 17th birthday, a car capable of traveling 80 mph. The problem?

Not fast enough.

"I just have a need for speed," said Lay, a Bloomingdale High senior. "I always want to go faster."

Lay will be doing just that as she competes in Gainesville's 42nd Annual Gatornationals today through Sunday. Driving a Super Comp dragster that tops out at nearly 200 mph, Lay, who turned 18 a day ago, is the youngest driver ever to qualify for a Super Comp national event.

"Being able to go up there and race against some of the best competition in my rookie season is such an honor," Lay said. "It's the opportunity of a lifetime."

While most girls her age are picking out prom dresses, Lay will be attempting to pick apart competition two to three times her age. But the age difference suits Lay just fine.

"Some of (the drivers) I race against are old enough to be my dad," she said, "but I really enjoy racing them because of the maturity level. They are more positive and after a race you just congratulate each other and shake hands."

Lay reached the Super Comp level after a brief stint racing junior dragsters. After about three months at that level, Lay and her father, Fred, felt she was ready to handle a car capable of going more than twice the speed of a junior dragster.

"As a parent, you recognize there is danger involved in this sport, but first and foremost, we are about safety," he said. "But she has a passion for racing that you can see in her eyes. And she's very good at it."

Fred Lay raced various types of vehicles and introduced his daughter to the sport at a young age.

"She took to the whole atmosphere right away," he said.

After getting a taste of the junior dragsters, Lay earned her National Hot Rod Association license after graduating from Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School in Gainesville. In addition to rocketing down a quarter-mile drag strip, Lay plays flag football, is a member of the National Honor Society and is the drum major at Bloomingdale. She has been accepted to the University of Tampa to study marketing and business communication.

"Some of my friends think it's a little intimidating that I race," she said, "but I don't ever want to be treated any different. I have a wide variety of friends and I'm a pretty normal kid, I think."

You can also add role model to Lay's list of achievements. She routinely donates her time to charity, speaks to youth groups and has a keen understanding of her impact on others.

"She realizes that she can't tell people not to do something that she is doing," Fred Lay said. "She has a message to get across and doesn't want to set a bad example."

And that means avoiding common teenager pitfalls like speeding.

"I have zero tickets," Lay said with a chuckle. "Everything would be taken away if I did. I go around talking to kids and telling them if they want to race, come out to a track. How would that look if I was speeding around town? You have to do what you say."

Although Lay will be flying up and down a track with about 1,000 horsepower under the hood this weekend, she insists she's not an adrenaline junkie. Lay "hates" roller coasters with big drops and has "absolutely no interest" in jumping out of an airplane.

"I'll stick to drag racing," she said.

Brandon Wright can be reached at hillsnews@sptimes.com.

By Ernest Hooper, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

RUSKIN — As Capt. Joel Brandenburg began explaining the rules for the inaugural Mary and Martha House Hook-N-Sink Fishing Tournament, he spotted Chuck Statham out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey, are you the guy in the kayak who wins all the tournaments around here?" asked Brandenburg, who heads AnaBanana Fishing and oversaw the charitable tournament last week out of Little Harbor Resort.

Statham grinned like the Cheshire Cat and said, "No comment."

The smile, however, told a deeper story. It's one of resilience, buoyed in part by the love Statham developed for fishing after a life-altering moment more than 20 years ago.

In 1989, just months after he graduated from East Bay High, a drunken driver struck Statham while he was riding his motorcycle. The accident resulted in the loss of his left leg, but thanks to the support of friends and family, he didn't lose his zeal for life.

Growing up in Ruskin, Statham played basketball, baseball and practically every other sport that caught his attention.

But what could he do now?

He answered that question in the years that followed by turning to fishing. It began when Capt. Ric Liles offered to take Statham on one of his charter boats if Statham, a draftsman and graphic artist, designed a logo for his Reel Simple Fishing Adventures.

"He pretty much taught me a lot about the water," said Statham, who turned 41 this week.

Eventually, the hobby became a passion, particularly when it comes to competitive fishing. The kayak, which some would see as a disadvantage, actually plays to Statham's strength because as he notes, with a prosthetic leg it's difficult to stand on a fishing boat.

"You would not believe how hard he paddles," friend Mike Wier said. "When most people stop, he just keeps his cadence going."

Thanks to Westcoast Brace & Limb, Statham has a prosthesis specifically designed for the kayak. The smaller boat allows for easy mobility — he doesn't need a boat ramp — and it can go into shallow water.

That's important considering Statham is more like a hunter than a fisherman, according to friend Chris Rabelo.

"He knows the waters," Rabelo said. "On a calm day when the water is like glass, he will see it move in a certain way and know that's where the fish are. He can spot unnatural patterns in the water."

Statham enters up to 20 tournaments a year, and while he doesn't win them all, he's usually among the leaders. His success actually has helped him earn a sponsor, K9 Fishing Reels. He also endorses DOA Lures.

Fishing is just part of what helped him recover from the accident. His mother, Georgiann Hicks, proved one of his biggest supporters. The single mother of three took the strength that helped her persevere through tough times and lent it to her son after the accident.

He also draws inspiration from his wife of 11 years, Latrell, and his sons Noah, 9, and Caleb, 7.

And in case you're wondering, Statham did indeed take top honors at the Mary and Martha House tournament. The combined length of his three grand slam fish: snook, grouper and red fish — was 77 1/2 inches, one-half inch over his nearest competitor.

When he stepped up to get his prize, Statham flashed his trademark grin and after learning about his story, the other competitors smiled with him.

Ernest Hooper can be reached at hooper@sptimes.com.

By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The past three weeks have been busy for the High Point Ladies Golf League.

On Feb. 21, the women played three flights on both the 18- and nine-hole sides.

The nine-hole competition included Lottie Ward (37) defeating Del Kazmierczak, Anna Willemsen (41) edging Grace Perkins, and Cecile Abbott (48) winning the final flight over Judi Dempsey.

In 18-hole play, Nancy Reeves (85) had the low gross score in Flight A, with Donna O'Keefe and Joan Orr (66) tied for the best net score. Helen Myers (100) was the low gross score in Flight B, with Carol Levere (60) taking the net title.

Shirley Frieze (Hole #10), Dottie Mussatto (Hole #1) and O'Keefe (Hole #12) all carded birdies that week.

The following week, on Feb. 28, the women hosted their biennial invitational, with golfers from several other courses taking part, including Brookridge, Babe Zaharias, Glen Lakes, Heritage Pines, Silverthorn, Hernando Oaks, Quail Ridge, Seven Springs, the Dunes, Timber Pines, Twisted Oaks, Spring Hill and Rivard.

There were 108 players in the field.

The format was best two-ball foursome with a Mardi Gras theme. The winning team included Wanda Busick (Babe Zaharias), Florence Louvar (Brookridge), Darlene Jagiello (High Point), and Delores Hartwick (High Point).

On March 7, the league hosted another tournament, the nine-hole '60s Love, Peace & Golf Invitational.

Wearing tie-dyed shirts, the competitors were joined by women from Brookridge, Hacienda Hills, Heritage Pines, Lake Jovita, Pennbrooke Fairways, Tampa Bay in San Antonio, and Toscana Crossing at the Heather.

There were 76 players in the field.

There were two sets of winners.

The front nine champs were Maryann Wilkinson (High Point), Pat Lajoie (Pennbrooke Fairways), Dot Brown (High Point), and Bev McNulty (the Heather).

On the back nine, Lottie Ward (High Point), Ann Swinford (Lake Jovita), Kay Brow (High Point), and Sherry Betterman (Tampa Bay Par Seekers) took the crown.

GOLF GLOW SCRAMBLE: The city of Brooksville will host the third Golf Glow Scramble at the Quarry Golf Course on Friday.

The cost for the scramble is $25 per player, with two-player groupings; men and women are welcome.

The shotgun start is at 6:30 p.m. Nine holes of golf, range balls and glow balls are included in the cost.

First place is $200, with prizes for second place ($50) and others. There will also be giveaways for closest to the pin and raffles. Hole sponsorships are available for $25.

For information, call Christi Adams at (352) 540-3807.

SOUTHERN HILLS 5K: The fourth annual Run through the Hills 5K at Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville will be April 9.

The goal is to raise funds for the Dawn Center and increase awareness about domestic violence. All registration proceeds go toward the Dawn Center and the Red Mule Runners Club Scholarship Fund.

The race will begin at 8 a.m., and a Smile Mile Fun Run will begin at 8:45 a.m. Registration will open at 7 a.m. Entry fees are $20 for the 5K or $25 on race day, and $15 for the fun run or $20 on race day. A T-shirt is guaranteed to all who preregister. Online registration is available at raceit.com or redmulerunners.com.

For information, call Pamela Poisson at (352) 585-2813 or Chuck Boldt at (352) 688-6484.

TENNIS SOCIAL: The Nature Coast Tennis Foundation is holding a tennis social Saturday at Delta Woods Park in Spring Hill.

The social is set to begin at 7 p.m., but participants are invited to arrive early for warm-ups. All players are welcome. The organization encourages participants to bring their own partners, but matches can be made. The cost is $5 per entry for a 50/50 raffle. Half the proceeds will benefit the efforts of the foundation.

For information, call Phil Zee at (352) 263-9546.

WOMEN'S 500 CLUB BOWLING: The Hernando County Women's 500 Club will have a tournament at 1 p.m. March 20 at Spring Hill Lanes.

Entrants must be members of the Women's 500 Club, the Hernando County U.S. Bowling Congress and the Women's Bowling Congress. The event will begin with a potluck luncheon/business meeting; bowling will begin at 2 p.m.

The entry fee is $16 per bowler. There will be two divisions in the handicap event. The A Division will include bowlers with averages of 151 and above; the B Division will include bowlers with averages of 150 and below.

The registration deadline is Monday. Entry forms may be picked up at either Spring Hill Lanes or Mariner Lanes.

For information, call Sheila Wehrenberg at (352) 688-1575.

RELAY FOR LIFE GOLF: Hernando Oaks Golf Course in Brooksville is hosting the Relay for Life Golf Tournament on March 19 to benefit the American Cancer Society.

The entry fee is $30 per golfer with $10 going directly to the charity. The shotgun start is set for 11:30 a.m.

For information, contact Tom Cooper at (631) 704-6686 or mr.met@mac.com.

KICKBALL TOURNAMENT: The Hernando County Parks and Recreation Department will have an adult kickball tournament March 26 at Veterans Memorial Park in Spring Hill.

The event will begin at 9 a.m., with a cost of $200 per team. Each team must consist of a minimum of four men and four women, fielding at least 10 players.

The tournament is being sponsored by Mayhem Sports. There will also be a field goal-kicking contest, as well as an awards ceremony afterward at Bar Envy.

For information, call Harry Johnson at (352) 648-0179.

DAV BROOKSVILLE GOLF: Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville will play host to the second annual Disabled American Veterans Brooksville Golf Tournament on March 19.

The entry fee is $100 per golfer.

The shotgun start is at 1:30 p.m., with check-in starting at 11 a.m. Included are 18 holes of golf, range balls and an awards dinner. The tournament is limited to 30 four-person teams; first come, first served. The registration deadline is Monday.

Cash prizes, door prizes and closest-to-the-pin, hole-in-one and longest-drive prizes will be awarded. Sponsors include Rick Matthews Buick/GMC in Brooksville, Harley-Davidson of Crystal River, and AutoWay Ford-Lincoln-Mercury of Brooksville.

For information, call (352) 796-1679 or send e-mail to treasurer@davchapter67.com.

To notify us of community sports achievements or coming events, contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.

Times staff
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Red Sox at Rays: 1 p.m. on Sun Sports. A good day to play hooky and watch Rays baseball.

Lakers at Heat: 7 p.m. on TNT. The Heat is 0-4 since LeBron James' "going to war'' tweet.

30 Clubs in 30 Days: 10 p.m. on MLB Network. The spring training tour previews the Angels.

Times staff
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Tampa Bay Golf Tour

Tampabay.com/golf is a guide to public courses in the bay area. More than 70 regulation and executive courses are listed, broken down by county and price range. The site also has a video review of each course. This week's featured courses: Links of Lake Bernadette, Lansbrook Golf Club, Diamond Hill Golf Club, World Woods Golf Club, Bloomingdale Golf Course and Bardmoor North Golf Club.

Practice facility of the day

Tiger Woods says he is close to moving into his new home on Jupiter Island in South Florida, and it sounds as though the most exciting part of the home is the practice facility. "It's phenomenal," he said on his website. His design team built a short-game practice area that features four greens, six bunkers of various depths and sand, along with a video center and putting studio. Without any wind, the longest club he can hit is a 7-iron. He also said he can hit shots from his studio on the second floor.

Quote of the day

"I really don't care. I've been No. 1 in the world at least for seven days. No one can take it away from me." — Martin Kaymer, scheduled to play in next week's Transitions Championship at Innisbrook, on whether Lee Westwood will overtake him as the world's top-ranked player

Times wires
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Transitions field

The deadline for players to commit to next week's Transitions Championship in Palm Harbor is Friday.

Three of the latest commitments are Stewart Cink, Boo Weekley and Sergio Garcia. Steve Stricker originally committed but dropped out. That leaves Martin Kaymer (No. 1) and Paul Casey (No. 7) as the only players in the field who are among the current top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Defending champion Jim Furyk is No. 11.

The Transitions Championship is March 17-20 at Innisbrook's Copperhead Course, the third tournament of the four-tournament Florida swing.

Idle Tiger

Tiger Woods this week is playing only his fourth event of the year (today's round at Doral will be his 10th of the year) with one stop (the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill) left before the Masters.

Woods is coming up on 16 months without winning, the longest drought of his career. He is trying to revamp his swing and has yet to crack the top 20.

When asked Wednesday why he's not playing more tournaments, Woods said he has a family, including a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son. In a terse response, he said he was divorced and only those who are divorced with young children could understand.

Woods is a three-time winner at Doral, where the Cadillac Championship, a World Golf Championships event, starts today.

Twitter fight

Woods, meanwhile, is part of an emerging rivalry — between coaches.

Sean Foley, who has been working with Woods since last year's PGA Champion­ship, started things off with an interview last year in which he said of Woods' former coach, Hank Haney, below: "Let's be honest about this. It's not like he was flushing it with Hank."

Then came a story posted Wednesday on Golf.com when Foley poked fun at Haney for once saying he knew Woods from observing without ever getting to know him. Haney has been firing back on Twitter ever since.

"If you want to be entertained, go to Golf.com and read Sean Foley's latest version of ripping Hank Haney, all I can say is wow," was the first of several tweets from Haney.

He sent out about two dozen tweets — mostly retweets from his followers — over the next five hours related to the dispute.

This week on tour

WGC: Cadillac Championship, TPC Blue Monster at Doral, Miami. TV: Today-Friday, 2 p.m. on Golf Channel; Saturday, noon-2 on Golf Channel, and 2 on Ch. 8; Sunday, 1-3 on Golf Channel, 3 on Ch. 8

PGA: Puerto Rico Open, Trump International Golf Club, Rio Grande. TV: Today, 6:30 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m.; Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, 7:30 p.m., all on Golf Channel

Champions: Toshiba Classic, Newport Beach (Calif.) Country Club. TV: Friday, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 p.m, all on Golf Channel

Times wires

By Dave Zalewski, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

What's hot: Spanish mackerel have arrived in force. And their larger cousins, king mackerel, will not be far behind. The key to catching both is bait — not necessarily catching bait, but using it to locate fish.

Adventure 1: Sunday, scattered schools of small baitfish were seen on the fish finder between John's Pass and Pass-a-Grille on and under the surface. Because it is early in the season and historically the baitfish are small, we trolled Nos. 00 and 0 gold and silver spoons behind No. 1 planers. Hitting the MOB button on the GPS when a strike occurred and using the highway mode allowed us to return to where the fish were concentrated. Venturing offshore to Markers 9 and 10 in the shipping channel produced slightly larger mackerel and some bluefish.

Adventure 2: Tuesday, we left the dock with expectations of repeating Sunday's trip. But the same areas produced few fish. Noticeable was the lack of baitfish. This caused us to break out the bottom-fishing tackle and anchor on limestone outcroppings south of the shipping channel. Our group experienced nonstop light tackle action for several hours from porgies, white grunts, and catch-and-release red and gag grouper. The highlight was catching a 27-inch gag on light grunt tackle. We returned to the dock with plenty of fish and knowledge of spots to return to later.

Dave Zalewski charters the Lucky Too out of Madeira Beach. Call (727) 397-8815.

Times staff
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

NHRA Gatornationals

When: Today-Sunday

Where: Gainesville Raceway, 11211 N County Road 225

What: Four pro classes, several other classes

Schedule: Today — Sportsman qualifying, 9 a.m.; Friday — Sportsman eliminations, 8 a.m.; Top Alcohol qualifying, 10; Pro Stock qualifying, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Nitro qualifying, 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Saturday — Sportsman eliminations, 8 a.m.; Top Alcohol qualifying, 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Pro Stock qualifying, noon and 2:45 p.m.; Nitro qualifying, 12:45 and 3:30; Top Alcohol eliminations, 3:45. Sunday — Sportsman eliminations, 9 a.m.; Nitro/Pro Stock eliminations, 11.

Directions: I-75 north to Exit 382. Turn right (east) at Williston Road (CR 331). Go 5.5 miles to Waldo Road (SR 24). Continue north 4 miles. Turn left onto NE 53rd Avenue, then immediate right on CR 225 (NE 39th Street). Go 3.5 miles north to the track.

Ticket information and websites: Toll-free 1-800-884-6472; NHRA.com, gainesvilleraceway.com

Times wires

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

.fast facts

SEC tournament

When/where: Today-Sunday; Georgia Dome, Atlanta

The favorites: Florida has the best record in the SEC and has won nine of its past 13 games. Kentucky struggled badly away from Rupp Arena (4-7), but the Georgia Dome isn't nicknamed "Catlanta" for nothing. Kentucky fans travel in droves, which makes the arena like a home game. Kentucky enters on a three-game winning streak and playing some of its best basketball of the season.

Dark horses: Mississippi State won eight of its past 11 games and proved last year that when desperate to get into the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs are dangerous. Tennessee was just 8-8 in conference play and lost six of its past nine games but has been tough for many opponents all season. Georgia went 4-4 down the stretch and has wins over Tennessee, Mississippi State and Kentucky this season.

What Florida must do: Put the balloons and party favors away. Florida is playing its best basketball right now, earned only the third outright regular-season championship in Gator history this past weekend and isn't on the NCAA bubble for the first time in three years. But this is also the team that lost to Central Florida and Jacksonville. The most important thing for the Gators is to continue doing what got them here and avoid feeling satisfied with what they accomplished.

Antonya English, Times staff writer