By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Last week in Normal, Ill., Pasco-Hernando Community College (33-20) was one of 16 programs nationally to qualify for the NJCAA Division II softball national championship tournament.
The Conquistadors won two games on Day 1 before being bounced with two losses on the second day.
The team was seeded 11th coming into the event, and upset Labette (Kan.) 5-2 in the opener. Desiree Ates was the hitting star, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Heather Knoop tossed a complete game with only one earned run and three strikeouts. She also had two hits.
Later that evening, PHCC defeated Kirkwood (Iowa) 5-1. Erica Yunka swung the big bat in that game, going 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Ates was on the mound for the Conquistadors, throwing a complete game with only one earned run and five strikeouts.
Day 2 wasn't as kind to PHCC. The team lost 3-2 to Kankakee (Ill.) and then was eliminated with a 7-2 defeat at the hands of South Mountain (Ariz.).
Michelle McKonley was one of 12 players named to the all-tournament team after going 8-for-15 with a double, a triple and three RBI.
COPELAND FOOTBALL CAMP: The Hernando County Recreation Department will host the Horace Copeland Football Camp on July 22 and 23 at Springstead High School in Spring Hill.
Copeland, a former University of Miami and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver, won two national championships in college and is a former NFL all-pro. The curriculum for the clinic will be aimed at developing fundamental football skills to enhance individual and team skills at all positions.
The cost is $110 per person, with youths ages 7 to 14 welcome. The times for the camp will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. All campers will be provided an official Horace "Hi-C" Copeland camp shirt, a personalized participation certification, lunch daily and a special autograph session with Copeland and other former pro players at the conclusion of camp.
Register online by visiting horacecopeland.com or hernandocounty.us/parks_rec/, where registration and waiver forms may be printed.
Call Harry Johnson or Christie Williams at (352) 754-4031 or send e-mail to recreation@hernandocounty.us.
WEST HERNANDO COUGARS: The West Hernando Cougars youth football and cheerleading program will have registration for the coming season over the next several weeks.
Officials will be at Delta Woods Park on Deltona Boulevard in Spring Hill for signups from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following dates: Saturday, June 4, June 11, June 18, and June 25.
The Cougars' season starts July 11, with a 10-game football schedule. The cheerleaders participate in competitions around the Tampa Bay area.
The football registration fee is $195 per child, $125 for flag football. The fee includes rental of pads and a personalized jersey to keep. The cheerleading fee is $225 with a full uniform to keep. There is a $10 discount for every sibling also registered.
Call Bobby McFarland at (352) 585-6524 or visit West Hernando Cougars Football and Cheerleading on Facebook.
HYL FOOTBALL: The Hernando Youth League is beginning registration for the 2011 season.
Teams are available for kids ages 5 to 15. Registration will be June 11 at Ernie Wever Park in Brooksville. Registration forms are available at leaguelineup.com/hylfootball. Forms must be presented at time of registration. The cost is $125, and space is limited.
For information, call Rick Hankins at (352) 346-0000 or send e-mail to popwarnerhernando@gmail.com.
JEROME BROWN GOLF: World Woods Golf Club, north of Brooksville, is hosting the Jerome Brown Golf Classic on June 4, sponsored by Bright House Networks.
Proceeds will benefit the Jerome Brown Youth Foundation. For an entry fee of $65 per golfer, participants get 18 holes, a cart, lunch and a cap. The format is a four-person scramble.
Registration will be at 11:30 a.m., with lunch at noon. The shotgun start will be at 1 p.m.
For information, call Dianna Rusk Yoder at (352) 796-2526.
FAST-PITCH SOFTBALL CLINICS: The Hernando County Recreation Department is offering fast-pitch softball clinics at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill.
The private lessons are for players ages 7 to 16. The clinics will be led by April Pelham, a certified Florida fast-pitch instructor with more than 20 years of experience.
The cost is $20 for a 30-minute hitting or catching lesson. It is $15 for a 30-minute fielding or throwing lesson. Pitching lessons are also available at rates of $20 for 30 minutes, $25 for 45 minutes or $40 for one hour.
Call Penny Oliver at (352) 754-4031 or send e-mail to pennyo@hernandocounty.us.
BRITISH SOCCER CAMP: The First Hernando Youth Soccer Club has teamed up with Challenger Sports to host a weeklong British soccer camp July 18 to 22 at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill.
Each child will work with a member of the team of more than 1,000 British coaches being flown to the United States exclusively to work with summer programs. Challenger Sports will hold more than 3,000 camps this summer and coach more than 120,000 children between the ages of 3 and 19.
Space is limited, and parents are encouraged to register their children as soon as possible. To attend for a half day from 9 a.m. to noon, the cost is $117 for the week for ages 5 to 18. For a full day, the fee is $165 for ages 10 to 18. Goalkeepers ages 10 to 18 may attend from 5 to 8 p.m. for a cost of $117.
Each camper will receive a T-shirt, soccer ball, poster and a personalized skills evaluation.
For information, call Robert Andreu at (813) 283-4523 or send e-mail to robertandreu@bellsouth.net. To register, visit challengersports.com.
To notify us of community sports achievements or coming events, contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.