On Sunday, Jan. 21, the Volusia County Teacher of the Year will be introduced. One of the five finalists will be selected for the honor. The five finalists are Amy Dempsey of DeLand High, Emily Fagerstrom of Champion Elementary in Daytona Beach, Caryn King of Ormond Beach Middle, Tanner Norvell of Seabreeze High in Daytona Beach, and Gina Walker of George Marks Elementary in DeLand.
The Florida High School Athletic Association has announced that there will be new classifications for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 football seasons. This will eliminate the metro and suburban classifications.
The tentative new classifications are as follows: 7A – 2,512-4,627 population, with 69 projected schools; 6A – 2,136-2,511, with 67 schools; 5A – 1,823-2,135, with 66 schools; 4A – 1,543-1,822, with 65 schools; 3A – 1,167-1,542, with 63 schools; 2A – 644-1,166, with 61 schools; 1A – 61-643, with 61 schools; and 1R, with 32 schools. Note that this is currently for football only.
With these numbers being compared to the 60-day count for the local schools, DeLand and Orange City University high schools would be in the 7A Division, Deltona and Pine Ridge high schools would be in the 4A Division, and Pierson Taylor Middle-High School would be in the 2A Division.
The Museum of Art – DeLand is offering studio artist classes. They begin in mid-January. There are classes for 6- to 12-year-olds and for teens. Call the Museum of Art – DeLand for registration, cost, etc., or go to contact@moartdeland.org.
Throwback Thursday
One of Volusia County Schools’ Throwback Thursdays was about a school that next to none of us knew even existed, the Tiger Bay School. It was located near the 9-mile turpentine still halfway between Daytona Beach and DeLand. It is stated that wild hogs ran around the area where about 12 students went to school in an old shack.
The students had no books, so they learned letters and numbers off the blackboard. The teacher, Mrs. Huber, boarded at the school during the week, going back to DeLand each weekend. She taught at the school 1912-15.
Pine Ridge High School
Pine Ridge High School in Deltona has selected a new football coach. The Daytona Beach News-Journal has reported that Greg Miller has been appointed. He most recently coached at South Gwinnett High School in Georgia.
Miller lived in Deltona when he was coaching at Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs.
DeLand High School Athletics
The first day of the DeLand High School-sponsored Gibbs Memorial Holiday Basketball Tournament found the following scores: Eustis 80-Spruce Creek 47; Seabreeze 67-University 42; Leesburg 65-Oakleaf 57; and McKeel 66-DeLand 61.
The Bulldog sports calendar has the boys basketball team playing in the MLK Tournament at Spruce Creek Monday, Jan. 15, while the boys soccer team is at Matanzas at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Lady Bulldog basketball team plays host to New Smyrna Beach at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 16, brings the Bulldog basketball team home against Calvary at 6:30 p.m., while the girls soccer team greets Mainland at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 17, has the girls weightlifting team hosting Pine Ridge at 4:30 p.m.; girls soccer at Crescent City at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and the girls basketball team at Matanzas at 7 p.m. The wrestlers have an in-school match at 12:30 p.m.
On Thursday, Jan. 18, the boys soccer team greets Mandarin at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., while the boys basketball team hosts Seabreeze at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Stetson University Athletics
Stetson University Hatter men’s basketball player Jalen Blackmon has been selected as the ASUN Player of the Week. He scored 28 points against FIU and 32 points against Cincinnati.
The Lady Hatter and men’s tennis teams open the 2024 season during the month of January. The Lady Hats face Georgia Southern at home at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, and then travel to Bethune-Cookman to play at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24.
The men hit the road to play at FAU at noon Saturday, Jan. 20, then the next day face The Citadel on the Stetson campus at noon.
The Stetson basketball calendar has the women at home against Florida Gulf Coast at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13; then on Thursday, Jan. 18, they play host to Kennesaw State at 7 p.m. The men’s team plays host to Chicago State at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15.
College honors
Tyler Oyarbide, of Orange City, was named to the fall-term dean’s list at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.
