Sidelines

KUDOS
+ Manatee Cal Ripken 9U All-Stars
The Manatee Cal Ripken 9U All-Star team went 5-0 to win the Suncoast Travel Ball All-Star Warm Up Tournament June 7 and 8, at Heritage Harbour.

Manatee outscored its opponents 111-30 in nine games, including posting a 15-7 victory against the Bloomingdale All-Stars in the championship game.

With the win, the team improved to 9-0 on the season.

“I am very proud of these boys,” assistant coach Mike Woolever says. “They are an extremely talented group, and they proved it on the field.”

Championship players include: Ashton Lamb, Ryan Hanson, Ryan O’Sullivan, Drew Marra, Judson Hildreth, Mason McReynolds, Liam Senkow, Jaden Stockton, Mack Woolever, Ryan Combs, Tristan Schellinger and Stone Russell.

The team will return to action in the Cal Ripken 9U District Tournament June 19 through June 22, in Tampa.

+ ODA wins sportsmanship award
The Out-of-Door Academy was recently awarded the Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award for Class 3A.

The award, presented by the Florida High School Athletic Association, honors schools whose athletic teams demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship during the 2013-14 school year.

This year, 21 high schools and three middle schools received the award. ODA was the only area school across all eight classifications to receive the honor. The Thunder was named both the section 3 winner, as well as the overall winner.

ODA will receive $3,000 and a plaque.