SIDELINES: 09.24.15

+ DP names new softball coach

The athletics department at Dr. Phillips High School announced on Sept. 18 the hiring of a new coach to lead its softball program. Mike Gale, who has been a coach in the past at Tavares, Oak Ridge, St. Cloud, Ocoee and Edgewater, will lead the Panthers this spring.

While at Edgewater, Gale was the district coach of the year in 2009 and 2011.

Dr. Phillips went 13-14 this past season, falling in the regional quarterfinals of the Class 8A state playoffs.

+ Legacy hosts middle school volleyball event

Legacy Charter hosted a middle-school volleyball tournament last weekend, organized by the school’s varsity volleyball coach, Larry Kimpel, with the goal of promoting sportsmanship and character as the core values of the game.

The six-team tournament featured Legacy, two teams from The Master’s Academy, International Community School, Mount Dora Bible and Holy Cross.  

After being sent to the losers bracket in an earlier loss to Mount Dora Bible, which entered the tournament undefeated, Legacy triumphed in the championship match, beating MDB twice.

Individual awards were given out with an emphasis on sportsmanship. Recipients included Legacy sixth-grader Cristal George, who won the Top Individual Sportsmanship Award; the Holy Cross Lutheran Crusaders team, which won the Top Team Sportsmanship Award; the Master’s Academy’s Gabriella Serrano, who won the Awesome Digger Award; and Mount Dora Bible’s Madison Hiteshew, who won the Ambassador’s Cup Award (MVP).

+ Recruiting

Olympia baseball outfielder Drenis Ozuna has verbally committed to play his college baseball for South Florida State College. 

MacKenzie Loos, a senior guard for the Olympia High girls basketball team, has committed to play her college basketball for the University of Charleston.