Sports in Brief

+ Pairs figure skaters will compete in 2010 Olympics
Pairs figure skaters Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett and Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex training partners Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig will represent the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics next month in Vancouver.

Denney and Barrett won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Jan. 16, in Spokane, Wash., with a score of 190.30; Evora and Ladwig claimed the silver medal with a score of 173.78. The skaters returned home earlier this week and will continue to train in Ellenton until leaving Feb. 6 for Vancouver.

Over the next week, the Southwest Florida Figure Skating Club, in collaboration with the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex, is encouraging those who are interested in doing so to come out to the ice rink and write a message to their local Olympians. Those interested in showing their support can pick up a skate at the front desk of the ice rink. The goal is to fill the complex with community support in time for the Champions Celebration/Olympic Send-Off Open House from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6.

+ Mustang grapplers finish fifth at 10-team duals
The Lakewood Ranch High wrestling team finished fifth at the 10-team Palm Harbor High School Duals Jan. 22 to Jan. 23.

The Mustangs defeated No. 15-ranked Gainesville High, Largo High, St. Petersburg High and Jefferson High before falling to No. 5-ranked Wakulla, No. 8-ranked Dunedin, Palm Harbor and River Ridge.

Kyle Riley-Hawkins (189 pounds) and Peter Latham (215) both finished undefeated for the Mustangs. Even Dipsner (103), Josh Alvarez (119), Mike Dauphinee (130), Nick Schilson (140) and Mike Myers (160) each finished with a winning record.

+ Former Pirate wins racquetball scholarship
Florida State University freshman Daniel Lerow, a 2009 graduate of Braden River High School, has been selected to receive a United States Racquetball Association scholarship award for the 2009-2010 academic year.

The scholarship is determined by the USAR Scholastic Council, as well as the USAR Board of Directors and is based on academic and racquetball achievement.

Lerow is studying business and is also a member of the FSU Collegiate Racquetball Team that will be competing in the Racquetball Inter-Collegiate National Championships this April.

+ Manatee cheerleaders finish fifth in the nation
The East Manatee Bulldogs Midget cheerleading squad finished fifth in the nation in the Advanced Division of the Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Championships Dec. 11, at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.

The squad, ranging in age from 12 to 14, competed against teams from across the country and earned its best finish in the program’s history. Prior to advancing to Nationals, the squad placed first at the Southeast Regional Competition.