SIDELINES

+ Four Cougars sign letters of intent
Cardinal Mooney High seniors Christina Warren, Hannah Howard, Victoria Krupa and Trey LaPorta all signed national letters of intent this morning.

Warren will be heading to Princeton University to row for the Tigers lightweight boat. Warren has been rowing for the Sarasota Crew for nearly two years.

Howard, a forward on the Cardinal Mooney girls soccer team, will be heading to Elon University in Elon, N.C. The Lady Cougars leading scorer in the past three years visited Elon in July and instantly felt right at home.

Krupa, a four-year varsity lacrosse player, became the first Cardinal Mooney girls lacrosse player to earn a scholarship to play at the next level. Krupa will be heading to Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Ala. Krupa, who plans to study business, chose Huntingdon College over Stone Hill College.

LaPorta also will be continuing his lacrosse career next year after signing with Rollins College.
For a complete story on National Signing Day, pick up the Feb. 14 issues of the East County Observer, the Sarasota Observer and the Pelican Press.

+ Cougars repeat as district champs
The Cardinal Mooney High girls basketball team defeated Bradenton Christian 49-44 Feb. 1.

Sophomore Camille Giardina powered the Lady Cougars with 28 points. Bridget Walsh added 11 points.

Cardinal Mooney will host Indian Rocks Christian in the regional quarterfinals Feb. 7.

+ Lady Blazers cruise to district title
The Sarasota Christian girls basketball team cruised to a 35-20 victory over St. Petersburg Canterbury in the Class 2A-District 9 championship Feb. 1.

Nicole Wittmer scored 12 points, and Jamie Weaver added nine points for the Lady Blazers.

Sarasota Christian will host Southwest Florida Christian in the regional quarterfinals Feb. 7.

+ Sailors fall in district quarterfinals
The Sarasota High boys basketball team saw its season come to an end with a 40-26 loss to Venice in the Class 7A-District 11 quarterfinals Feb. 4.

The Sailors and Indians were tied 17-17 at halftime, but Venice outscored Sarasota 15-2 in the third quarter.
Anthony Hardy-Bear scored 10 points, and Blake Haga added nine points for the Sailors.
 
+ Cougar basketball roars into finals
The Cardinal Mooney High boys basketball team cruised to a 74-34 victory over St. Stephen’s in the Class 3A-District 10 semifinals Feb. 5.

Antonio Blakeney scored 34 points to lead the way for the Cougars.

Cardinal Mooney will face Bradenton Christian for the district title Feb. 8.

+ Lady Rams finish as district runner-up
The Riverview High girls basketball team fell to North Port 70-39 in the Class 8A-District 8 championship Jan. 31.

Senior Gianna Vastola scored 16 points and hauled in seven rebounds to lead the way for the Lady Rams. Kehtura Merrick added nine points.

As the district runner-up, Riverview will travel to the winner of tonight’s game between Plant and Newsome for a Class 8A-Region 2 quarterfinal Feb. 7.

+ Six Sailors advance to tourney
Six Sarasota High wrestlers finished in the top four at the Class 3A-District 8 tournament Feb. 2 to qualify for the Class 3A-Region 2 tournament Feb. 8 and Feb. 9, at Kissimmee Osceola High.

Junior heavyweight Toby Baker captured the Sailors’ lone district championship.

Sophomores Alex Aquayo (113 pounds) and Gerad Ross (182) both finished second. Freshman Jarred Hardinger (138) and senior Austin Hobson (220) both finished third. Freshman Jiohvani Mejia (126) finished fourth.

The top-four finishers in each weight class at the regional tournament will advance to the state tournament Feb. 15 and Feb. 16.
 
+ Deep ball powers Blazers
The Sarasota Christian boys basketball team sank 11 3-pointers en route to a 85-43 victory over Lakeside Christian in the Class 2A-District 9 semifinals Feb. 5.

Henry Ford scored 25 points, and Blake Morrow scored 23 points to pace the Blazers. Josh Yoder added 11 points.

Sarasota Christian will host St. Petersburg Canterbury in the district championship Feb. 8.

+ The Concession to host Championship
The Concession Golf Club will host the 2013 Big Ten Match Play Championship Feb. 8 and Feb. 9.

Men’s golf teams from all 12 Big Ten universities will compete in the two-day tournament. Northwestern won the tournament last year and will look to defend its title on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.

“We are very honored once again to host the Big Ten Match Play Championships here at The Concession Golf Club, and we are looking forward to welcoming the nation’s top collegiate teams and golfers,” says Bruce Cassidy Jr., the club’s general manager. “Here at The Concession we take great pride in presenting tournament-ready playing conditions for our members every day. We encourage area residents and golf fans to come out to the club to watch these talented golfers and to cheer for their alma mater.”

The Concession Golf Club also has been selected to host the 2015 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, marking the first time in the competition’s history that the same course will serve as the site for both tournaments in consecutive weeks.