Sidelines

+ Manatee Bearcats win state championship
The Manatee Bearcats 10U travel baseball team won its fourth tournament of the spring, capturing the Nations Baseball State Championship Tournament May 19 to May 20, at Braden River Park.

The Bearcats went undefeated throughout the tournaments, defeating Suncoast Athletics 11-10, the Pinellas Thunder 16-3 and Team Crush 8-0 before defeating the Pinellas Thunder 9-4 in the championship game.
Championship players include: Jake Hanson, Richie Morales, Noe Antuna, Cameron Goudreau, Myles Kaitz, Austin Jenkins, Georgie Davis, Alen Bass, Kaden Steffen, Sammy Martin, Alex Denler, Devon Summerville and Carson Baer.

Several Bearcats players also teamed up to win Cal Ripken Baseball’s Minors division championship, as the Astros defeated the White Sox 8-4.

Astros championship players include: Hanson, Morales, Antuna, DJ Marra, Zac Graham, Garret Hight, Ryan Katchen, Tyler Katchen, Robert Jonas, Colin Heintz, Ohm Patel and Trevor Davis.

+ BRSC to host tryouts
The Braden River Soccer Club will hold tryouts May 29 through June 3 for the upcoming fall season.
Any child age 8 to 18 who is interested in playing competitive soccer in the fall should plan on attending.
A full tryout schedule and additional information about the Braden River Soccer Club can be found on the club’s website at www.bradenriversoccer.org.

+ Extra Innings announces summer clinics
Extra Innings will host summer baseball and softball clinics from 10 a.m. to noon June 18 through Aug. 2, at the training facility, 717 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota.

The clinics, which are open to all children ages 12 and under, will focus on hitting, fielding, throwing, pitching and catching and will be overseen by veteran instructors in their respective areas of expertise.
The clinics cost $99 for members and $129 for non-members. For more information visit extrainnings-sarasota.com or call 371-7801.

+ Bulldog Navy Wildcat team wins South Conference Championship
The Bulldog Navy Wildcat team defeated the Southeast Tampa Seminoles 16-6 to win the Southeast Conference Championship May 12.

Cody Staton threw two touchdowns and connected for two two-point conversions to lead the way for the Bulldogs offensively. Niko Traylor added a touchdown and caught a two-point conversion. Hunter Barnes hauled in a touchdown, and Ashton Maas converted a two-point conversion. Cole Haddad and sisters Sarah and Emma Fazio led the way defensively.

The Bulldog Bobcat team advanced to the semifinals before falling to the eventual Southeast Conference Champion Storm Gold team in triple overtime.

Sami Ben-ghuzzi and Trevor Jackson both had interceptions for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldog Red Panther team fell 12-6 in the championship game.

+ Sarasota Area Sports Alliance announces scholarship recipients
The Sarasota Area Sports Alliance presented its 2012 college scholarship awards during a luncheon May 22.

Recipients of this year’s scholarships include:
Kelli Ahles, Sarasota High School — cheerleading
Connor Baldwin, Lakewood Ranch High School — golf
Tessa Bartges, Southeast High School — volleyball
Jazmine Brown, Booker High School — softball
Victoria Graham, Pine View School — golf/crew/softball
Zach Hoppe, Out-of-Door Academy — baseball/football
Doug Mulhollen, Sarasota High School – football/track
Erin Silverthorne, North Port High School — volleyball/softball
Eric Traver, Riverview High School — basketball  
Kelly White, Venice High School — cross country/soccer/track

The prior year’s scholarship award recipients who were renewed for 2012 include:
Chad Chamard, currently attending State College of Florida
Oleg Desyatnika, currently attending University of Florida
Emily Forrest, currently attending University of Minnesota
Katelynn Hatfield, currently attending Santa Fe College - UF
Jason Hodge, currently attending University of South Florida 

LRLL hosts first machine pitch tournament
Lakewood Ranch Little League hosted its first machine-pitch tournament May 10.

The Kaufmann Tire Cardinals defeated Strike Zone 12-4 to win the tournament title. The two teams had never played prior to the tournament, and only two players on the team had previously played for LRLL. Of the nine kids on the team, five had never played organized baseball before this season.