Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson has given a name to their school sports facility. It will now be known as the Tommy Morris Sports Complex, Home of the Fighting Wildcats.
Morris spent his entire career at Taylor teaching, coaching and eventually serving as the school’s athletic director. He is noted as a positive role model for students, athletes, teachers, coaches and staff.
Morris is a graduate of DeLand High School and Auburn University.
Volusia County Schools is hosting a series of Community Rezoning Meetings. Two of these upcoming meetings deal with Citrus Grove Elementary and Woodward Avenue Elementary, both in DeLand. The meeting at Citrus Grove will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28, in the school’s media center, and the Woodward Avenue meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29, in their media center.
Volusia County Schools has adopted the “I love U Guys” Foundations Standard Response Protocol (SRP), which is an all-hazards approach as opposed to individual scenarios. The SRP is based on the following actions: hold; secure; lockdown; evacuate; and shelter. Over the next few issues of this column, I will try to make readers familiar with this change and what these key terms mean. Visit the Safety and Security Emergency Communications page at www.vcsedu.org.
Volusia County Schools will be having its 2023 Instructional Job Fair 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29, and Thursday, Nov. 30. The virtual invitation-only event will focus on hiring talented teachers for the rest of the 2023-24 school year. Interested candidates must currently hold or be eligible for a Florida Department of Education certification.
All certifications are welcome to apply, but those with priority include elementary education, English/reading, English for Speakers of Other Languages, school counseling, Exceptional Student Education (ESE), physical and life science, career/tech education and mathematics.
Those interested should complete these steps: 1. Register to participate in the virtual fair at https://tinyurl.com/VCSFallJobFair and 2. complete the online application at https://tinyurl.com/VCSApplyNow. Be sure to check your email for event information following registration. Call 386-734-7190, ext. 20115, or email vcscareers@volusia.k12.fl.us.
Volusia County Schools’ Safety and Security Department is launching a safety campaign on vaping and drug use. Parents are asked to join the conversation and empower our youth with knowledge. Together, we’ll break the smoke screen and build a safer future.
The campaign is “The Price of the Party,” noting that alcohol, drugs and vaping pose serious threats to your physical and mental health, academic success and overall well-being. Students are encouraged to seek out guidance and support by talking to a trusted adult, guidance counselor or health care professional. Go to www.vcsedu.org for additional information.
The Thanksgiving Holiday for schools begins Monday, Nov. 20, with classes resuming Monday, Nov. 27.
For those looking ahead and trying to make plans, the Winter Holiday begins Monday, Dec. 18, with students returning to class Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. Teachers will return on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
PHOTO COURTESY TONY TUSSING
DeLand Lightning Bolts Track Club
If your child is interested in track and field, the DeLand Lightning Bolts AAU Track and Field Club is available for ages 5-18 for boys and girls. Email wvlightningbolts@gamil.com or call 386-589-5477.
West Volusia high-school football
The six football teams of West Volusia have completed their regular seasons, with DeLand High and Orange City University High advancing in the playoffs.
In the final week of the regular season, DeLand outran Flagler Palm Coast, 58-23, while Orange City University shut out Deltona, 41-0, with Pierson Taylor picking up the win against Father Lopez, 28-24. Deltona Pine Ridge was downed by Port Orange Atlantic, 55-13, and Deltona Trinity Christian lost to Bell Creek, 28-0.
At the end of the regular season, DeLand finished at 8-2 while Orange City University was 9-1, with its only loss to DeLand. Pierson Taylor wound up at 4-5, Deltona Pine Ridge at 3-6, Deltona Trinity Christian at 2-8, and Deltona at 1-9.
West Volusia high-school cross-country
DeLand and Orange City University competed in the FHSAA 4A – District 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo, with the top-eight teams, and the top-four individuals not on these teams, advancing to the regional meet.
The DeLand boys took fifth in the race, with freshman Connor York finishing eighth out of 190 runners at 16:31.4. The other four on the team who scored points in the meet and advanced are Jesse Pack, Michael Mandell, Diego De La Vega and Zach Sampson.
PHOTOS COURTESY TONY TUSSING
The girls team did not advance for DeLand, but the front-runner for the team was Addison Leonard at 21:26.5.
The Orange City University teams did not advance, but two of the girl runners will advance as individuals. Hannah Judge finished fifth overall at 19:06.0, while Morgan Harvill finished seventh at 19:08.5. The top male runner was Mason Brown, with a time of 18:55.5.
The FHSAA 3A District 3 meet at Winter Springs found the Deltona boys advancing, while being led by senior Carlos Cerrud at 17:23.8 for the 5K course.
Pine Ridge did not have a team score, but their top runner was Samuel Ynguil at 19:46.4.
Over at Brooksville, the Pierson Taylor teams placed fifth for the girls and eighth for the boys. The front-running girl for the Wildcats was Ashley Fuentes at 23:02.4, while the top boy was Christopher Hurtado at 20:34.1.
Pine Ridge High School
The Pine Ridge volleyball team in Deltona made it to the top 16 in the FHSAA playoffs for the state championship. In the first round of play in the top 16, the Lady Panthers were narrowly stopped by Wesley Chapel, 3-1. The match scores were 16-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-19. Wesley Chapel moved on to the round of 8, along with Merritt Island, West Orange, Okeechobee, Middleburg, Ridgeview, Barron Collier and Gulf Coast.
DeLand High School Athletics
The DeLand High School Lady Bulldogs golf team is going to state, as it placed third behind Lake Mary and Fleming Island. McKenzie Coody finished tied for seventh at 2 over 74, while Evie Cohen tied for 19th with an 81 for the round.
The DeLand boys golf team placed eighth in the state tournament, with Jason Barger, Sebastian Baldwin, William Fogle, Tyler Sprague and Matthew Peterson doing the honors. Barger placed 18th in individual competition, with the top 16 going to the roll-off.
Piper Jamison will be going to the FHSAA State Swimming Championships in the 100-meter butterfly. Those who qualified for the regional competition were Jamison, Hayley Luznar, Hannah Luznar, Jaidyn Lott, Kate Dennigan, Julianne Suekell, Kayla Detter, Carlos Mize, Massimo Brunacci, Toma Vedder, Gavin Thomas, Gavin Brown, Devin Davidson and Jake Naumovitz.
Winter sports got underway with the Lady Bulldogs weightlifting team stopping New Smyrna Beach, 51-32, in Olympic competition and 44-42 in traditional competition. Those taking first for DeLand in the first match of the season were Katherin Rodriguez, Mattie Washington (2), Pepper Riley (2), Addison Ruocco (2), Elena Cruz and Hollee Brady (2).
Earning seconds were Mia Comacho (2), Ashleigh Mina (2), Paige Underwood (2), Abigail Walczer (2), Katyah Ross (2) and Nazaria Milfort, while third places were claimed by Bayleigh Couch (2), Payton Mathis (2) and Emelina Nasah (2). The team is coached by Damion Dunn.
The winter sports kick into high gear on the DHS sports calendar, with the wrestling team hosting the preseason Green/Gold match at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17. The boys soccer team greets New Smyrna Beach at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the boys basketball team competing in the preseason tournament at Daytona Beach Calvary against Cocoa Beach at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Nov. 18, the competitive-cheerleading team travels to Lake Mary for the Kaliegh Ottis Memorial Cheerfest.
Stetson University
Southern Living Magazine has selected Stetson University as one of the “Most Beautiful College Campuses in the South,” calling the DeLand campus “a sight to behold.” Stetson often receives praise for its immaculately maintained campus, and also was selected as one of the South’s most-beautiful college campuses by Country Living Magazine.
The Orlando Economic Partnership has entered into a strategic partnership with Stetson’s Center for Public Opinion Research to generate more comprehensive economic reporting in the Orlando region. The partnership will empower the OEP with comprehensive survey-research services, including data collection, questionnaire design, analysis and reporting, to better understand and serve Central Florida’s economic landscape.
Stetson University Athletics
The Stetson University Lady Hatter volleyball team lost to Central Arkansas, 3-1, but bounced back with a win over Queens, 3-1.
The Stetson men’s basketball team played a home-exhibition game with Florida Tech, with a 78-65 victory. Stephan Swenson scored 29 points, while Aubin Gateretse added 16 points, with 14 rebounds. Jalen Blackmon dropped in 11 points.
The Stetson rowing team went to the Head of the Charles competition in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The men’s four came home with a first-place finish among 44 teams from all over the USA and foreign teams with a time of 17:08.23, which was six seconds faster than second. The team was composed of Sacha Roiena, Endrik Brettmann, Lukasz Bajorek, Matthew Franks and Bennett Rossell.
The Stetson women’s rowing team finished 21st, with the boat-team members being Maia Starrwalker, Mallory Holland, Bethany Klingeman, Emma Rees and Sarah Sessions.
The Winter and Spring Sports Giving Week raised more than $278,000, while the fall and winter/spring combined total is $424,000.
The Lady Hatter soccer team closed the season with a 3-12-3 season mark, and a conference record of 3-6-2. Annika Seem led the Hatters with five goals, while freshman goalkeeper Mallory Osborn led the conference in saves with 145.
Stetson male soccer players Luis Lara and Xavi Csato were named by Top Drawer soccer to its Men’s National Midseason rankings.
The Stetson basketball calendar has the men playing Milwaukee at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20, while the women play at FAU. On Tuesday, Nov. 21, the men will face either Central Michigan or Siena at the Ocean Center. On Friday, Nov. 24, the women play Xavier in the Ocean Center, followed by facing Tennessee Tech in the same location the next day.
College honors
Sarah Wylie, of DeLand, was recently initiated into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, the nation’s oldest and most-selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Wylie was initiated at Louisiana State University in Shreveport.
Olivia Kamel, of DeLand, has been accepted for enrollment for the summer trimester in the Doctor of Chiropractic degree program at Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Florida Campus in Port Orange.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.
