SIDELINES

+ RiverDawgs try to hit one out of the park
The FCA Florida RiverDawgs are asking local youth baseball teams to consider hitting one out of the park on behalf of local families in need.

The travel baseball team is coordinating a food drive to feed 80 families at Thanksgiving and 80 families at Christmas through Angel’s Attic Inc.

The organization is asking each team to gather 360 cans of a specific vegetable. The team that collects the most cans by Nov. 10 will win a pizza party.

For more information and to get your team’s assigned vegetable, contact Stacy Kolbe at 350-8841 or [email protected].

+ Meteors align with V Foundation
The 10U Meteors travel baseball team has partnered with the V Foundation for cancer research.

The funds the Meteors baseball team secures from several fundraisers throughout the 2012-13 season will go toward a pediatric research grant.

The Meteors will kick off their fundraising efforts with the Meteors first golf tournament Nov. 4, at the Legacy Golf Club. The four-person golf scramble will tee off at 8:30 a.m. Cost is $125 per player or $400 per foursome. All players will enjoy a continental breakfast, a buffet luncheon and a silent auction and raffle. Sponsorship opportunities also are available.

“We felt strongly that we wanted to instill the importance of giving back to the youngsters on our team,” said team manager Casey Yniguez. “They are old enough to understand how fortunate they are to be healthy and to be playing baseball. We want to do our part in helping to give back, and what better way than to associate ourselves with the V Foundation.”

The V Foundation was formed in 1993 and has awarded more than $90 million in research grants to more than 100 facilities nationwide and awards 100% of direct donations directly to cancer research. For more information visit jimmyv.org.

+ Mustangs finish as runners-up
The Lakewood Ranch High boys golf team shot a combined 6-under par 290 to finish second at the Clearwater Central Catholic Invitational Oct. 6 in Belleair.

The Mustangs finished one shot behind tournament champion Clearwater Central Catholic.

Ramsey Touchberry shot a 1-under par 70 to earn team medalist honors. Ben Boulch shot 71, followed by Spence Schultz (73), Charlie Sun (76) and Daniel Dill (79).

+ Lakewood Ranch sweeps Sarasota
The Lakewood Ranch High volleyball team swept Sarasota 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 Oct. 1.

Mariah Robertson paced the Lady Mustangs with 15 kills, three aces and 11 digs. Ashlyn Falahee followed with 12 kills, one stuffed block and one ace. Nicole Grant had 8 kills, and Ali Milbourn finished with three kills, one ace and 42 assists.

Lakewood followed up its win with a second-place finish at the Manatee County Championship Oct. 5 and Oct. 6.

The Lady Mustangs fell to Manatee 25-15, 25-12 in championship games.

Falahee was named to the all-tournament team, finishing with 31 kills, five blocks and two aces. Jordan Wopinski also was named to the all-tournament team with 10 assists and 26 digs. Robertson had 22 kills, four blocks, five aces and 24 digs.

+ Bulldog football squads earn multiple victories
The East Manatee Bulldogs Tiny Mite, Mitey Mite and Junior Midget teams all recorded victories Oct. 6.
The Tiny Mite team defeated the North Manatee Storm 30-12 to improve its record to 4-1-2 with one game left in the season. Taivon Derisma, Willie Miller and Grant Stetson led the way offensively for the Bulldogs while Isaac Ashley, Jack Muller, Lucas Caraher and Joseph Hills carried the load defensively.

The East Manatee Mitey Mite team remained undefeated with a 31-8 victory over the North Manatee Storm. Kevin Miller had two touchdowns, and Ethan Bement and Josiah Lozada each added a touchdown for the Bulldogs. Tyler Mollett recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown to lead the way defensively.

The East Manatee Junior Midget squad shut out the Fishhawk Wolfpack 30-0 to improve to 5-1 on the season. Keyon Fordham scored a pair of touchdowns on runs of 54 and 71 yards to lead the way offensively for the Bulldogs. Jernard Porter Jr. added a 5-yard touchdown run. Cody Staton scored on a 30-yard touchdown run and kicked a pair of two-point conversions. Offensive linemen Andrew Osborne, Anthony Soper, Michael Cook, Cole Haddad and Christian Barbour also played solid. Matthew Strauss and Chase Knopf led the way defensively.

The East Manatee Midget team fell to the North Manatee Storm 30-22.