This weekend, Stetson University is having its first true face-to-face Homecoming since the pandemic started, which means that there should be a large crowd in the DeLand area.
There are numerous events taking place throughout the weekend, and you can find a full listing by looking up Stetson Homecoming on your computer.
Listed below are some of the major events, definitely not all, since many Greek organizations have events planned, as well as the various different schools that make up Stetson University. Many of these events require tickets and registration prior to the event.
A highlight of events on Friday, Oct. 28, includes the Alumni Awards Luncheon at noon, the Building Dedication for the Cici Hyatt Brown Hall for Health and Innovation at 2 p.m., the Greek Alumni Reunion at 4 p.m., the 50th Reunion Reception at 5 p.m., Homecoming Happy Hour and All-Class Reunion at 6 p.m., and Homecoming comedian Joe Gatto in concert at 9 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 29, has the President’s Champagne Breakfast at 9 a.m., the Hatter Village Fan Fest at 11 a.m., the Stetson football team, hosting Drake University, at 1 p.m., the 50th Reunion Dinner at 6 p.m., and the Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet at 7 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 30, has the Alumni Chapel at 9 a.m., the Veterans Breakfast at 10 a.m., and the Memorial and Bench Dedication for Dr. Greg Sapp at 10:30 a.m.
In last week’s column, I mentioned the use of metal detectors at football games. This will not only hold true at football games, but also basketball and baseball games, as well as other sports and activities.
There will be no school Tuesday, Nov. 8, to observe Election Day, allowing everyone the freedom to go vote.
DeLand High School
The cost of DeLand High School yearbooks goes up Monday, Oct. 31. Students can order their yearbooks online and save $20 right now at yearbookcenter.com.
Deltona High School
The Deltona High School FFA (formerly the Future Farmers of America) has elected its officers for the 2022-23 school year: President Nancy Fischer, Vice President Zoe Warrensford, Secretary Cheyenne Potter, Treasurer Brianna Tapp, Reporter Zachry Stough and Sentinel Luke Proctor.
Taylor Middle-High School
The Homecoming Royalty at Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson were Josue Renteria and Laurel Ashley for sixth grade, Walker Galarza and Laila Harris for seventh grade, Alex Ramos and Melani Caro for eighth grade, Peyton Simpson and Aubrey Ashley for ninth grade, Ezequiel Hernandez and Hailey Whidden for 10th grade, and Jarrett Cervantes and Sarah Jackson for 11th grade.
West Volusia high-school football
During game night Oct. 7, not a single West Volusia football team won a game. DeLand was stopped by Sanford Seminole, 27-10; Deltona was downed by Mainland, 41-17; Pine Ridge of Deltona was shut out by Seabreeze, 42-0; Orange City University was halted by Spruce Creek, 19-7; Deltona Trinity Christian Academy was defeated by Winter Park Trinity Prep, 35-0; and Pierson Taylor was stopped by Lake Weir, 24-17, and by Crescent City in their hurricane makeup game, 48-7.
On Oct. 28, the next-to-last week of the regular season, DeLand goes to New Smyrna Beach, Deltona greets crosstown rival Pine Ridge, Pierson Taylor goes to Port Orange Atlantic, and Deltona Trinity Christian enters the Sunshine State Athletic Conference playoffs. Orange City University has an open date. All the games are at 7 p.m.
The last week of the regular season has games on Nov. 4, with DeLand hosting Flagler Palm Coast for Senior Night, Deltona heading to Orange City University, Pine Ridge playing host to Atlantic, Orange City University at Deltona for Senior Night, and Pierson Taylor at Father Lopez.
West Volusia cross-country
There were two cross-country events during the week of Oct. 10. The first was the Volusia/Flagler Freshman/Sophomore Championships. It was followed on Saturday, Oct. 15, by the Five Star Conference Cross Country Championship at New Smyrna Beach High School.
The Five Star meet found Flagler-Palm Coast High School winning the girls’ and boys’ titles. The girls’ competition was led by the Flagler Lady Bulldogs with 73 points, with Spruce Creek being two points back, followed by New Smyrna Beach, Seabreeze, DeLand, Orange City University, Mainland and Pierson Taylor. Pine Ridge, Deltona and Atlantic didn’t field a team.
The boys’ victors, Flagler, had 24 points, with New Smyrna Beach taking second with 85 points. The remaining finishers, in order of finish, were University, DeLand, Seabreeze, Deltona, Pine Ridge, Mainland, Taylor and Atlantic. There were more than 150 racers in each race.
The female runners were led to the finish line by Olivia Niewald from Spruce Creek, with a time of 18:27.3. The top West Volusia runners were Morgan Harvill of Orange City University in eighth place at 20:04.2, Magdalena Schricker of DeLand in 11th place at 20:25.2, and Vanessa Alejo of Pierson Taylor in 30th place at 22:46.2.
The boys’ runners were led by Barak Olago of Flagler-Palm Coast, with a time of 16:39.2, while Orange City University’s Corey Johnson was second overall at 16:47.0. The other top runners from West Volusia were Deltona’s Carlos Cerrud in seventh at 17:12.1, DeLand’s Diego De La Vega in 13th at 17:36.3, Pine Ridge’s William Steinebach in 17th at 17:52.0, and Taylor’s Ezequiel Mancilla in 42nd at 19:03.3.
The Volusia/Flagler Freshman/Sophomore Championships were at Matanzas High School, with the New Smyrna Beach girls claiming the title, while the Seabreeze boys won the other race.
For the girls, DeLand was fourth and Orange City University was sixth; for the boys, Orange City University took third, DeLand fourth and Deltona fifth. Pine Ridge had runners but not a team score.
DeLand’s Sydney Bordeaux was in seventh place with a time of 22:07.41, and Orange City University’s Hannah Judge in fourth place at 20:32.80.
For the boys, Deltona was third at 18:14.73, DeLand’s Michael Mandell in ninth at 19:02.12, and Orange City University’s Logan Fowler in 16th at 19:33.62.
DeLand High School Athletics
The athletic community of DeLand High School was startled by the recent deaths of two of the school’s former athletes. First was Victor Floyd, who ran track back in the 1970s, as well as for Prairie View University, and then professionally while in the military.
Second was Deke Nealy Harris, a football and track athlete in the 1980s. In recent years, he developed and was the head coach for the very successful DeLand Lightning Boltz Track Club.
The DeLand High girls’ volleyball team has picked up six wins. They defeated University, 3-0, (25-10, 25-12, 25-9); Sanford, 3-2, (25-18, 21-25, 25-21, 20-25, 17-15); Hagerty, 3-2, (20-25, 27-29, 25-19, 25-20, 15-12); Seabreeze, 2-0, (25-22, 25-19); Pine Ridge, 2-0, (25-7, 27-25); and Father Lopez, 2-0, (25-9, 25-6).
In DeLand High’s loss in football to Sanford, running back T.J. Moore gained 102 yards.
If you haven’t purchased a football program at the DeLand High football games, you’ve missed a great deal of information. The programs have much more than team rosters and advertisements.
The DeLand High program includes Coach D’s Corner, an explanation of “Burn the Boat” on football players’ garments, Teachers of Impact, DeLand defensive and offensive stats, thumbnail sketches about DHS football players, the opposing school’s team roster, and the Bulldog starting lineups.
The program also mentions those local groups or businesses that have provided pre-game meals for the DeLand team, including Dustin’s BBQ, City Sanctuary Church, Tom’s Pizza, Dickinson & McDonald, LifePoint Community Church, Bea Trivett, Dobro’s Restaurant, First Assembly DeLand, Tony’s New York Pizza, Sonny’s BBQ and Brian’s Bar-B-Q.
During this week, most of the fall sports will be participating in their FHSAA district competition. Check with DHS as to when teams play.
Very soon, the winter sports will be getting into action. These will include basketball, wrestling, soccer and girls’ weightlifting.
Stetson University Athletics
The Stetson University volleyball team was topped by Lipscomb, 3-2, (19-25, 25-20, 25-22, 23-25, 15-9), but defeated North Alabama, 3-1, (25-19, 26-24, 19-25, 25-13).
The Stetson Lady Hatter soccer team lost to Eastern Kentucky, 2-0, but they topped Austin Peay, 3-1, with Maggie Struble scoring two goals and Chloe Washington getting the third.
The Stetson Hatter soccer team stopped the University of South Florida, 3-2, with Andres Mata, Daniel Wintermeier and Luis Lara Delgado kicking in Hatter goals.
The Stetson cross-country teams traveled to Tampa to participate in the USF Cross Country Invitational. The Lady Hatters won the women’s race, while the Stetson men took second out of 17 colleges participating.
Juliet Tonkin led the way for Stetson by finishing third at 19:03.8, while Parker Hines took second in the men’s division at 26:01.0. There were more than 130 runners in each race.
The Hatter men’s golf team took second in the Elon Phoenix Invitational Tournament. Elon took first, with 28 under par 824, while Stetson scored 829. Cameron Henry led the way for the men in ninth place, with a five under par 208.
The Lady Hatter golfers took eighth in the Pirate Collegiate Classic, with Victoria Leach being the top medalist for Stetson with 12 over 228.
The Stetson calendar places the Hatter football team at home for Homecoming at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, against Drake. On Saturday, Nov. 5, the team travels to Davidson to play at 1 p.m.
The fall calendar for Stetson also thins out soon, as teams qualify for conference tournaments. On Friday, Nov. 4, the volleyball team greets Bellarmine at 6 p.m., and on
Saturday, Nov. 5, they welcome Eastern Kentucky into the Edmunds Center at 6 p.m.
College honors
Veronica Marin, of DeLand, has been named to the summer 2022 quarter dean’s list at Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Florida Campus in Port Orange.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.
