The Kids Cane Pole Fishing Tournament will take place 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 9, at DeLeon Springs State Park. The event is free for kids ages 5-15. Just pay to enter the state park, which costs $6 per car with up to eight people in the car.
Guidelines for the tournament are as follows: The tournament is held rain or shine; bait will be provided; bring your own cane pole (limited number of poles will be available); parental supervision is required; and no assistance from adults in fishing.
There will be two age groups, 5- to 10-year-olds, and 11- to 15-year-olds. Trophies in each age group will be presented for the most fish, largest fish and smallest fish.
Bob Hayes Invitational Track and Field Meet
The DeLand High School Bulldog track team traveled to Jacksonville over Spring Holiday to compete in the prestigious 57th annual Bob Hayes Invitational Track and Field Meet. The meet was named for the former world record holder in the 100 meters, who was also a pro football player, and who grew up in Jacksonville. The meet attracts athletes from all over Florida and the Southeast, with only the elite being accepted.
DeLand High’s Kevar Williams won two events, as well as being named the Outstanding Male Athlete of the meet. He won the 100 meters in 10.37 and the 200 in 20.88, with both times being the best in the nation for high-school athletes at this time of the year, setting new DHS records.
Not only did Williams do well, but several other DHS track athletes also made a good showing in the meet. Avian Edwards-Pla, only a freshman, placed in the 100 and 200 as well, with times that are the fastest in the country for a freshman. His clocking in the 100 was 10.70 and in the 200 was 21.84.
Ethan Myrick placed sixth out of 82 in the 800 meters with a time of 2:04.17, while Magdalena Schricker placed fifth out of 42 in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:42.95. Freshman Kylie Neira ran a 2:42.73 for the 800, placing 41st out of 68 runners.
In the field events, Shamia Allen finished 12th out of 83 long-jumpers with her 15-foot-8-inch leap, while freshman Emily Lamb was ninth in the javelin with a 75-foot-8-inch projection and was 34th out of 68 discus-throwers with a 68-foot fling.
Another freshman, Owen York, finished eighth in the javelin with a 121-foot-8-inch throw and 19th out of 58 in the discus with a 114-foot-9-inch effort.
Volusia County Middle School Fitness Festival
The Volusia County Middle School Fitness Festival took place recently at Silver Sands Middle School in Port Orange. All the middle schools in the county were invited to participate in numerous fitness events, including running, shuttle run, situps, pushups, etc. At this writing, the only event results available are the 50 meters, the mile and the 4×400 relay.
Southwestern Middle School of DeLand made a good showing in the running events, with the following event winners: Skylar Smelt in the 50 for 12-year-old girls at 7.15; Saleigh Simpson in the 50 for girls age 13 at 6.81; Chico Apakama in the 50 for boys age 13 at 6.51; Grayson Bridgewater in the mile for girls age 14 at 7:05.07. The members of Southwestern’s 4×400 team were the county champs at 4:32.47.
Memphis Derby of Galaxy Middle School of Deltona won the mile for girls ages 11-12 with a time of 6:45.35.
DeBary Elementary School
Jordan Shasteen, who teaches third grade, has been selected as DeBary Elementary School’s nominee for First Year Teacher of the Year.
DeLand High School Athletics
The DeLand High School Bulldog baseball team was topped by Oviedo in a close game, 3-2, with Elliot Sande of the Bulldogs hitting a triple with one RBI.
The DeLand squad then stopped Okeechobee, 11-0, with Lamar Edwards collecting three stolen bases, and Anthony Ruocco, Chris Caruso and Sande each stealing two bases. Luke Hoffmann and Ruocco each collected a double.
This win was followed by Montverde Academy topping DeLand, 6-4, with Edwards hitting a triple. Bishop Moore stopped DeLand, 9-3, with Sande hitting another triple.
The DeLand High basketball team had a successful season with more than 20 wins. Senior Trayvon Barbary was the leading scorer with a 17.4-points-per-game average, while junior Nigle Cook averaged 11.9 points. Senior Wesley Snipes averaged 10 rebounds per game, while also averaging seven assists, three steals and three blocked shots per game.
The DHS sports calendar finds the baseball team competing at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 2, in the Five Star Tournament at University High School in Orange City, as long as they are winning.
On Monday, April 4, the DeLand junior-varsity baseball team will meet Flagler Palm Coast at 4 p.m., the softball team will play host to Lake Howell at 4:30 p.m., and the flag-football team will greet Crescent City at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
On Wednesday, April 6, the softball team plays Lyman at 4:30 p.m. on the Bulldog softball field.
On Thursday, April 7, the softball team greets Lake Mary at 4:30 p.m., and the flag-football team goes to Spruce Creek to play at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
On Friday, April 8, the track team heads to the Seminole Invite in Sanford to compete at 8 a.m., the softball team hosts Space Coast High School at 4 p.m. for the varsity and at 6 p.m. for the junior varsity, and the junior-varsity baseball team plays at Seabreeze at 5 p.m.
Stetson University football
Stetson University has announced the 2022 football schedule for the Hatters, who will play seven home games this upcoming season.
The Hats open the season with Concordia at 6 p.m. Sept. 3, followed by facing Louisiana Christian at 6 p.m. Sept. 10. They then host Princeton at 1 p.m. Sept. 17, and, at 1 p.m. Sept. 24, they host Morehead State.
The team then travels west to San Diego for a game on Oct. 1, and then they return home for a game with Marist at 1 p.m. Oct. 8. Back on the road on Oct. 22, the Hatters travel to face Dayton.
Drake then comes to DeLand for a 1 p.m. game Oct. 29, but the Hats head right back out on the road to Davidson Nov. 5, followed by a trip to St. Thomas in Minnesota on Nov. 12.
The Hats close out their regular season Nov. 19 with a home game against Presbyterian at 1 p.m.
All home games are played in DeLand’s Spec Martin Memorial Stadium.
Stetson University Athletics
As this is being written, the Stetson University Lady Hatter softball team recently went 2-2, with wins over Mercer, 8-6, and North Alabama, 6-1, while losing to Iona, 4-3, and North Alabama, 9-0. During these four games, Evette Morgan collected two home runs, and Marissa Baxter, Danielle Diaz, Lizzie Shubert and Jordyn Stanfill each collected one.
During the same time period, the Hatter baseball team went 3-2, with wins over Florida A&M, 8-3, and Maine, 12-1 and 9-3, while losing two to Florida Gulf Coast, 25-11 and 15-3. During these games, Kyle Ball, Yohann Dessureault (twice) and Brandon Hylton collected home runs.
The Lady Hatter lacrosse team split two games, with a win over Monmouth, 17-12, and a loss to Gardner-Webb, 14-12. Katie Kornacki had four goals in the loss, while in the win, Samantha Paglino, Maria Snee and Camden Frissora each had a hat trick or three goals.
Stetson senior tennis player Anais Gabriel has been named the ASUN Player of the Week, while Stetson’s No. 1 beach-volleyball pair of Shae Henson and Kylie Neuschaeferova have been named the ASUN’s Pair of the Week.
The Stetson athletic calendar has the baseball team hosting Bethune-Cookman at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, followed by a game with the University of Florida at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 1.
On Saturday, April 2, the Stetson lacrosse team meets Kennesaw State at noon.
The baseball team hosts North Florida at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 2, and at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 3.
Wednesday, Apr il 6, sends the baseball team to Tallahassee to face FSU at 4 p.m., and the softball team faces Bethune-Cookman at 6 p.m. in DeLand.
On Friday, April 8, the women’s tennis team hosts Central Arkansas at 10 a.m.
The Hatter baseball team faces Kennesaw State for three days in DeLand: at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9, and at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 10.
The Lady Hatter softball team plays Florida Gulf Coast at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, and at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 10.
The Stetson women’s and men’s tennis teams greet North Alabama at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, Sunday, April 10.
College honors
Nova Southeastern University students Regan Parrish, of DeLand, and Victoria Hankinson, Shakira Khan and Dahlia Porter, all of Deltona, were recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most-selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.
