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Tuesday, February 17
Spring 2009 Season Preview
Bobcats aiming ever higher
By DAWN KLEMISH SPORTS WRITER
NORTH PORT — The Bobcats might’ve thought nothing could top their state tournament run of a year ago: Not the 18-14 record, not an upset of No. 1-ranked Seminole or defending state champion Venice, and not their first-ever trip to the Class 5A Regional Final.
But then, North Port discovered three things it didn’t have last season.
Bobcats, welcome Bryce Johnston, Matt Douglass and Jake Busiek.
The boys, all transfers, give North Port added speed, strength and experience on the mound that can only push the Bobcats to a higher level this season.
Johnston was a fullback at Lakewood Ranch before transferring to North Port. Coach Rob Rowe said Johnston will play outfield and hit in the middle of the lineup, bolstering an already powerful hitter’s row. Douglass, who’ll bat leadoff and play first base, moved to North Port from Charlotte over the summer. Busiek hails from Missouri, stands 6-foot-3 and, as a southpaw starter, owns bragging rights for being the only sophomore the Bobcats carry.
“We’ve got a pretty good little club here, and I feel good going into the year,” Rowe said. “They’ve all worked hard in the offseason and gotten stronger. This is probably quickest team we’ve had around here in a while from top to bottom. It’s looking pretty good.”
Rowe’s not just partial: He returns six starters from last season, including Jake Bradenberger, a junior who’s been starting since his freshman year, can play first base and outfield, and is poised take over the No. 1 role on the hill. Dillon Haire, patrick McKenna, Rob Novia, Jake Sutton and Mike Will are also back and prepared to show the newcomers what Bobcats baseball is all about.
“These guys are really dialed in on what it takes to get to the next level,” Rowe said. “(Last season) has brought up everything to a new level. We nearly tasted the Final Four, they were right there and all the older kids want it again.
“I think that’s huge. It makes them hungry.”
Throw in an all-veteran outfield more depth on the mound and in the lineup and a much-improved defense, and North Port is confident of their right to contend — and again exceed expectations — in 2009.
Wednesday, February 4
Bobcats Play for Regional Championship 2008
By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News Published: May 7, 2008Dunedin and North Port will meet Friday afternoon for the start of the best-of-3, Class 5A regional finals and a trip to the Final Four at Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium on the line.Aside from sharing the same field at Dunedin's Englebert Sports Complex, little much else will be in common between the two programs.Dunedin is one of the region's historical powerhouses, currently playing through their 23rd trip to the state playoffs. Their location and prestige typically has the Falcons' roster stocked with championship-caliber talent season after season.North Port High – though on the upswing – is making their third overall state playoff appearance and first as a 5A school. They were previously 3A, making the jump in 2006. Bobcats' head coach Rob Rowe acknowledged that the school is not currently in a prime situation to reload every year either, meaning they work with what they've got, when they've got it.The differences remain visible when eyeing the two opposing rosters and their play on the diamond as well.Dunedin is led by a senior-laden core that puts strong arms on the mound and swings big bats at the plate. They have the demoralizing ability to jump on opponents quickly by scoring in bunches – see last Friday's 8-2 regional semifinal win against Plant High.The Falcons are also a team that has had state-championship thoughts on their minds since Day One.North Port on the other hand is a younger, less experienced squad. Coach Rowe has seniors at the corners and at second in the infield, but that is all. Juniors sit at shortstop, catcher and left field, and sophomores man center and right field. The Bobcats' ace on the hill, Henry Manna, is a senior, and their No. 2 is sophomore Jake Brandenberger.These Bobcats aren't going to beat you into submission from the dish either. Only one home run dots their stat sheet this season. Rowe said his guys may not have the intimidating pop of other offenses, but that they are receiving an all-around effort from top to bottom. Someone different has stepped up for the key hits in clutch situations, he said.Throughout their district and state playoff push, Rowe said leadoff hitter Matt Plough has been steadily setting the games' pace. No. 3 and 4 hitters Jake Sutton and Mark Minisci, respectively, have also been season-long constants for Rowe. Both are the teams' top hitters for average.Defense has been perhaps the most solid aspect of the team all season, Rowe said. The Bobcats have succeeded in limiting unearned runs and throwing strikes from the mound to cut down on walks and induce bad swings.Unlike Dunedin, the state playoff series was not a foregone conclusion entering the year. Nor was it at its midpoint for that matter.After beginning the year 6-9, North Port flipped the switch and has rattled off 12 wins in their last 15 opportunities in reaching this point. Win 11 during that span – in the regional quarterfinals last Tuesday – was a 4-2 victory over state-ranked Seminole, a team that game Dunedin fits twice this year.Rowe said the Bobcats' competition within District 5A-12 has set them up well for whoever is sitting in the opposing dugout come game day.North Port has seen pitching that stacks up comparably with the best of Pinellas County – Charlotte's Robbie Powell and Port Charlotte's David Holmberg – therefore some of the big Dunedin arms should not come as a stunning shock for Bobcat hitters.The series gets underway with a doubleheader Friday. Game 1 begins at 4:00, with the night cap starting 30 minutes after. If the evening ends in a split, the deciding Game 3 will be played Saturday at 1:00.
Tuesday, February 17
NPHS Qualifies for State Finals 2008
NPHS baseball team makes it to the finals
Hello, North Port. The North Port High School boys baseball team tops my list of good news for the week.
Congratulations to John Brandenberger, Gerald Cooper, Dillon Haire, Travis McDowell, Mark Minisci, Jared Sturz , Michael Will, Richard Clune, Trevor Green, Henry Manna, Blake Minisci, Matthew Plough, Jake Sutton, Kyle Clough, Matthew Fineran, Troy Jones, Patrick McKenna, Drake Sunderland and Jacob Ziner, all under coaches Rob Rowe, Rich Carroll, Shawn French, Jeff Balser, Tom McLaughlin and Matt Mitchell.
The team played hard and won against Venice on Wednesday. They qualified to move onto the state finals.
I saw the bus entering North Port on Wednesday and honked my horn and gave them the thumbs-up after the game.
Friday, January 30
SENIORS Grab District 16 Championship 2008
Congratulations to our North Port Area Little League 2008 Senior All-Stars for winning Districts. The team traveled to Naples for Sectional play and took second place. North Port advanced to Sectional play by beating Sarasota 7-6 in 9 innings then defeating Venice 20-15 in Districts. In Sectional play North Port beat Naples however lost to South Ft. Myers in the title game 11-9.
The NP Diamond Cats want to congratulate the District 16 Champions: Nolan Jones, Josh Ward, Josh Ziner, Jared Sturz, Blake Minisci, Jerry Cooper, Ryan McLaughlan, Matt Fineran, Michael Boldin, Danny Treubert, Drake Sunderland, Coach Keith Money, Coach Tom McLaughlin, and Coach Bryant Sturz.
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singled. Jerry Cooper hit into a double-play but Ward singled and Sunderland doubled to make the score 6-4. South Fort Myers scored five times in the bottom of the third for an 11-4 advantage before North Port started its comeback. 
