
Stetson University has reported that its baseball team will participate in the inaugural Puerto Rico Challenge in 2025. Eight Division I teams will come together Feb. 13-16, 2025, to compete in Ponce and Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The other seven schools are the University of Connecticut, the University of Michigan, the University of Missouri, Penn State University, Rice University, Villanova University and the University of Virginia.
The tournament is being put on by Jogi Sports and MB Sports, and is being presented by Discover Puerto Rico.
As part of the Puerto Rico Challenge’s commitment to community outreach, Stetson University players and coaches will actively participate in free baseball clinics for grammar-school-age children, contributing to the advancement of young talent on the island.
West Volusia Youth Baseball in Deltona has started early registration at http://app.teampass.com/West_Volusia.
Assessments are scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 25-27.
All games/practices are played at Dewey O. Boster Sports Complex in Deltona.
For more information, call 386-860-0513.
Don’t forget that the Choice Fair for West Volusia will take place 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29, at The Center at Deltona, 1640 Dr. MLK Blvd. Call 386-734-7190, ext. 20645.
Timbercrest Elementary School
To celebrate earning an A ranking, Timbercrest Elementary School in Deltona had a special event Jan. 5, when Principal Lonnie Tidmarsh shaved off his beard. When he became principal of the school, he issued a challenge that he would shave his beard when the school became an A school. He carried out the promise.
Deltona High School
Deltona High School seniors will have their yearly panoramic picture taken Tuesday, Jan. 23. All are asked to wear their Class of 2024 T-shirt.
Deltona High is congratulating teacher Joseph Brennan on being selected to the 2024 VCS Aspiring Leaders Academy.
On Friday, Jan. 26, students and staff are asked to wear their best pair of Vans shoes for Vans Photo Day. This will take place 2-4 p.m. in the gym.
Incoming freshmen at Deltona High will have an open house 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25.
University High School
University High School in Orange City reminds students that there are five academies (Biomedical, Digital Design, Engineering, Finance, and Gaming and Simulation) offered by the school. The application deadline is Friday, Jan. 26, for new students as well as those students in the program now.
Application status notification will be Wednesday, Feb. 7. Students must make a declaration of intent to attend by Wednesday, Feb. 21.
Visit www.uhstitans.com for information on the academies.
Throwback Thursday
Another Volusia County Schools Throwback Thursday dealt with DeLand High School. DeLand Public School was built in 1898 on the northwest corner of Clara and Rich avenues. An auditorium and classrooms were added in 1907. The school held students in grades one-10, while those wishing classes for 11th and 12th grades could go to Stetson University.
The present-day DeLand High was built in 1961, and the school colors were changed from purple and white to green and gold.
DeLand High School Athletics
During the Winter Holiday, the DeLand High School boys basketball team sponsored the 2023 Gus Gibbs Memorial Tournament in the Bulldog gym. The first-day results found Eustis topping Spruce Creek, 80- 47; Seabreeze downing University, 67-42; Leesburg defeating Oakleaf, 65-57; and DeLand losing to McKeel Academy, 66-61.
Day 2 found Oakleaf beating Spruce Creek, 74-37; DeLand downing University, 53-40; Eustis over Leesburg, 50-46; and McKeel winning over Seabreeze, 48-45.
The final day had Spruce Creek over University, 53-40; Oakleaf over DeLand, 50-41; Leesburg over Seabreeze, 64- 41; and Eustis claiming the championship crown over McKeel, 61-41.
Since students have returned to school, the Bulldog team defeated Lake Mary, 61-55.
The DeLand girls basketball team since Christmas has rolled off three wins in four games to move to 10-2 on the season. They topped Boyd Anderson, 61- 40; Riverview, 57-44; and Father Lopez, 43-26; and lost to Wesley Chapel, 55-44.
In the final ranking of football teams in Florida by MaxPreps, DeLand High’s football team was ranked 25th in the state. The three teams to beat DeLand during the 2023 season were Mainland, which was ranked sixth, Venice at 11th and Seminole 20th.
Friday, Jan. 19, has the Lady Bulldog basketball team hosting Sanford at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The girls soccer team goes to Father Lopez at 6 p.m., and the girl wrestlers compete at Lyman at 8 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 20, has the wrestling team at the Storm Front Duals at Celebration High at 8 a.m., and the boys and girls basketball teams at the Five Star Conference Tournament.
On Wednesday, Jan. 24, the girls soccer team enters FHSAA district play, while Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 25-27, the Lady Bulldog weightlifting team competes in FHSAA district competition that heads toward state titles.
The boys wrestling team competes in the Flagler Palm Coast Tournament Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26 and 27. Also on Jan. 27, the DHS competitive cheer team is in regional-tournament action at Hagerty High School in Oviedo.
All-Area Offensive Team football nominees
The Daytona Beach News- Journal has published the nominees for the All-Area Offensive Team representing Volusia and Flagler counties. The nominees from DeLand High are TJ Moore, Wyatt Darlington, Zyon McRae and Javon Ross. From University High in Orange City are Malachi Walters and Jermane Hayes. Chris Boddie represents Pine Ridge High in Deltona.
Stetson University Athletics
TopDrawerSoccer has named Stetson University soccer player Xavi Csato as the 67th-best freshman soccer player among the highest-ranked college soccer players in the nation. He was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year.
The Hatter men’s tennis team opens its 2024 season on the road going to Boca Raton Saturday, Jan. 20, to face Florida Atlantic University at noon. The next day, they have their first home match against The Citadel at noon.
At the same time, the women’s tennis team opens 2024 with a home match against Georgia Southern at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, followed by a road trip to Daytona Beach at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, to face Bethune-Cookman.
The Hatter men’s basketball team defeated Charlotte, 79-75, with Jalen Blackmon scoring 34 points, Alec Oglesby making 17 points and Stephan Swenson downing 13 points.
This win was followed by the Hats beating North Florida, 75-74, with Blackmon dropping in the winning bucket with 9 seconds remaining. Swenson was the leading scorer with 31 points, Oglesby had 13 points, Blackmon made 10 points, and Aubin Gateretse scored 10 points with 13 rebounds.
The men then downed Jacksonville, 71-55, with Oglesby getting 21 points with seven rebounds and two steals. Swenson scored 17 points with five assists, and Gateretse added 15 points with seven rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Lady Hatter basketball team went on a winning streak by beating Flagler, 73-60, with Jamiya Turner scoring 20 points with 12 rebounds and five assists. Jaelyn Talley added 15 points while collecting 11 rebounds, and Quentara Mitchell scored 12 points.
The ladies then topped North Florida, 61-57, with Talley getting 16 points and seven rebounds. Mitchell added 15 points with seven rebounds and one blocked shot. Turner scored 10 points with eight rebounds and one block.
The team then beat Jacksonville, 59-53, with Khamya McNeal scoring 12 points with five rebounds, Talley getting 10 points with five rebounds, and Mitchell collecting 10 points.
On Saturday, Jan. 20, the Lady Hatter basketball team plays host to Queens at 2 p.m., and the men travel to Fort Myers to face Florida Gulf Coast at 7 p.m.
On Thursday, Jan. 25, the men host Austin Peay at 7 p.m., while the women will be in Tennessee to face Austin Peay.
On Saturday, Jan. 27, the men greet Lipscomb at 2 p.m., while the women are hosted by Lipscomb.
College honors
DeLandite Kat Blazetic, a graduate of DeLand High School who is majoring in business administration, has been named to the dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio.
Shane Rodriguez, of DeLand, has been named to the fall 2023 dean’s list at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina.
DeLandite India Sapp, a senior in the College of Health Professions, has been named to the President’s List at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.
The following students have been named to the fall 2023 dean’s list at Southern New Hampshire University: McKinley Vallejo of DeLand, and Rose Harrison and Tony Rios, both of Deltona.
These students have been named to the fall 2023 President’s List at Southern New Hampshire University: Josh Schweickert and Denis Rivera, both of DeBary; Courtney Kehrley, Haley Chester, Jessica Rodriguez, Briana Newby, Ashley Bradley, Bruna Oliveira and Jennifer Bryant, all of DeLand; Stephanie Brown, Joseph Swanson, Bethany Green, Maria Ligato and Kenneth Strickland, all of Deltona; and Jennifer Carrero of Lake Helen.
Anastasia Goelzer, of Deltona, who is a senior at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, has been named to the college’s dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.