SIDELINES

By Observer Staff
| 4:00 a.m. September 4, 2013

Natalie Buffett is this week's standout player

East County
Sports

+ TOPSoccer season is on the horizon
The Braden River Soccer Club will hold registration for its seventh TOPSoccer season from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 14, at the BRSC Clubhouse.

TOPSoccer is a free soccer program for special-needs children, ages 4 and up. Each athlete is paired with a volunteer buddy throughout the program.

Games will be played at the Lakewood Ranch Park soccer fields from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Sundays, beginning Sept. 29. The season will run through Nov. 24.

Parents interested in registering their child should bring a photo ID and a note from their family doctor clearing the athlete to play.

For more information about TOPSoccer, to volunteer as a buddy or to become a sponsor, contact Dave Robinson at 358-0497 or [email protected].

+ Manasota LAX to hold free clinics
The Manasota Lacrosse Club will hold free lacrosse instruction clinics every Sunday, beginning Sept. 8.
The clinics, which are open to boys and girls of all ages, will be held from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch. No registration or experience is necessary, and equipment will be provided.

The clinics are designed to get children familiar with lacrosse and begin teaching them the fundamentals.
For more information, visit www.manasotalax.com or contact coach Chris Sforzo at [email protected].

+ ODA swimmers post wins in opener
The Out-of-Door Academy boys swim team opened the season with victories over Canterbury and Keswick Christian Aug. 27.

The Thunder defeated Canterbury 100-67, and Keswick Christian 115-46.

Across the pool, the ODA girls swim team defeated Keswick Christian 106-85 and fell to Canterbury 164-69.
Junior Joie Eckhard and senior Joseph Plechy both set new school records in the 100-yard butterfly.

ODA will return to action Sept. 4 in the Venice Relay Meet.

+ 8U River Dawgs to hold tryouts
The River Dawgs will hold tryouts for their 8U travel baseball team from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 10, at the Heritage Harbor fields. Players must be 8 years old by April 30, 2014. For more information, contact Mike Stockton at 780-5938 or [email protected].

+ Mustangs swing to tournament win
The Lakewood Ranch High boys golf team won the eight-team East Lake High School Invitational Sept. 1, at Lansbrook Golf Club in Tarpon Springs.

The Mustangs shot a combined 300 to finish 14 shots ahead of runner-up Seminole. Clearwater Central Catholic was third with a 315.

Co-captains Ramsey Touchberry and Danny Walker each shot a 2-under par 70 to share medalist honors. Louie DelFabro shot a 79. Ben Parisi added an 81.