Page 12 Levy county JOURNAL

Wave sweeps over Devils

BY NEAL FISHER
Sports WRITER

WILLISTON-—A fter the Red Devils laid the smack down on
Dixie County in the fourth quarter to up their district record to
3-0, they got their shot at toppling the big, bad juggernaught
of P.K. Yonge. ~

The two teams met with matching and undefeated district
records of 3-0, but despite a host of athletes who could run,
jump and fly with the best of them, that is where the similarities
ended.

Facing a trio of seniors from P.K. Yonge who have already
signed with. major division I-A programs, Williston was
outmatched and “out-athleted” from the tip-off as the visitors
ramble off two consecutive 8-0 runs to start the game.

They led 30-18 at halftime and finished off the Red Devils
with a 22-point scoring advantage in the second half. The
final score was 77-43.

Georgia Southern commitment Willie Powers led the Blue
Wave with 20 points. Arnette Hall added 14. Myk Brown
pitched in with 13. Williston was paced by Jerrell Hopkins’ 16
points. Williston’s big-gun Jiwan James was held to 10
points.

Bronson Yo

  

Softball Doings

The Levy Lightning took
home yet another title as they
claimed the championship

will hold its annual award
ceremony on Dec. 16. The
festivities will begin at 9

a.m. with adults and children .

of the Babe Ruth Christmas

playing each other in their

Tournament. yearly clash. The league’s
_ The 16 and under team cheerleaders will perform
defeated both Oviedo uring the game.

(Orlando) and Longwood
(Orlando) by a combined
score of 32-4 in the
preliminary round.

In the championship round
they fell to Atlantic Beach by
a single run, 5-4°to set up
one game for all the marbles
scenario.

The Lightning responded
with a dramatic 1-0 win.

After the game the business
at hand will begin as football
accolades will be awarded,
followed by the cheerleading
squad receiving their honors

A barbecue lunch will be
served at noon. Afterward
soccer takes center stage.

First the annual parents vs.
children game will be played.
The ceremony concludes

with the black and white
checkered ball sport honoring
their best.

Award ceremony
The recreational league

 

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SPORTS & RECREATION

Kaitlyn ¢ Cutuster :
Midfielder —
_ Williston Soceer

i Mid-year

coincidence, their five-game winning streak also started at the
same time. \

For the first time in its existence the team also has speed.
After trying several tactical strategies during its first five
games, the coaches decided they could exploit their opponents’
weaknesses best by deploying its newfound speed in the
backfield.

When the Lady Devils found the right personal alignment
for its backfield, the difficulty they had in pushing the ball up
field to the midfielders and begin odd man breaks became a
key to their ability to control the game and the ball.

Allison Norman and Lauren Foreman remained at the
fullback positions. However, Suzie Smith, the team’s fastest
player, was moved to the sweeper position after an injury to
team tri-captain Mindy Hughes. Smith was playing stopper.

It gave the defense a solid and experienced player to take
charge and direct their attempts to move the ball up field
quickly. Backup. goalie Heather Porter was moved into the
stopper position.

The team also placed its speed at the striker position. With

Sarah Gaskins’ and Lucia Bernal’s speed they are receiving.

the ball with much more space to maneuver and are often in
one-on-one match-ups as once again, moving the ball up field
quickly is the reason.

“We are keeping the ball out of the defensive zone,”
midfielder and tri-captain Amber Aguirre said. “That opens
up scoring opportunities and limits the opposition’s ability to
score. With the speed we have when the defense gets the
ball out of our zone, it allows us to'cross the ball through the
middle of the field.

“Which is hard for defenses and goalies to stop, especially
when the ball is moving quickly. We have really come a long
way since the first game and the team’s idea of controlling the
midfield with speed is coming of age. It has really given us a
solid defense and offense. With the way we are playing, we
rally have a good shot at the district title.” ,

Those aspirations of a district title were enhanced with a

hard fought 3-2 victory over P.K. Yonge last Friday. The Blue

Wave is the beast of the district and in order to win it, a team —

must defeat them. The Lady Devils split their season’ series

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2006

 

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Continued from page 10

with them and now sit in the runner-up spot only one game

behind the Blue Wave.

With a 3-2 record in district the Lady Devils have only
one more opportunity to make a push for a post-season berth
against Fort White on Jan. 5, but a win. puts them in the
position of the odds being in their favor for a playoff berth.

After starting the season with the difficult task of playing
six away games in their first eight contests, the team also has
the muscle of a string of home games in the second half. They
begin it with five consecutive home games and play at BODster
stadium seven times.

“Playing at home is huge,” Amber Aguirre said. “The long
road trips can make a team drowsy and we were missing
something. But we still did go 2-2 and had some good play.
Now we get to play almost all of our remaining games at
home and with the inspiration and fire it gives us, we should
be able to play even better and continue our run.’

Surviving the change in its personal, for the first time in its
existence the team’s communication took on the form of the
reason for its greatest strength and has been key in creating
the open space and the odd man rushes.

“Our greatest strength is our unity,” Max Aguirre said. “It
has really come together since the communication began
improving. Communication was our weakness. Improving
it has really changed, the possibilities we have. Whoever
receives a pass has multiple options. We can get the ball
down the wings.

“And the players have much more open space when they
receive the pass, because the passers know where to kick —
it to. Trying to use our speed and passing the way we do,
communication is what makes it possible to push the ball like
we have been. The girls can lead each other to the open space ~
with communication.”

Among the remaining non-district games that can determine
the outcome of the Lady Devils’ season are two match-ups
with Vanguard. The coaching staff is looking for the team
at this point to become a little bit more polished and with its
reputation as a contending state titlest every year, they will
force the Lady Devils to smooth over the rough edeess in their
quest to make a name for themselves. Ee TeP Se BNE: j

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