H.S. Confidential: Oak Ridge, University, Cocoa

Leave or stay.  That’s the option given to athletes at Oak Ridge and Evans High.  Both schools were given and “F” grade for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), and under state rules, students are given the option to transfer.   Students could enroll at Colonial, Lake Nona, Olympia or Winter Park high schools.

Oak Ridge Head Coach Elijah Williams told his kids on Wednesday, which was the deadline, if the players came back the next day then they were committed to the green and gold.  When I visited the Pioneers practice on Thursday, Williams said, “All of my kids stayed here and that means something.”

All 42 of his guys suited up to play in the Preseason Kickoff Classic against Apopka.  The Pioneers lost  47-25.

The Medic   

 

If Boston Celtics Head Coach is known as “Doc,” then his son must be the “Medic.”  Winter Park’s Austin Rivers finished with 15 points, five rebounds and four assists earned the nickname "The Medic" after putting on a clinic during the Boost Mobile Elite 24 in Venice Beach. 

 

A scary moment for the shooting guard, he went up for a put back dunk and landed on his wrist.  He would stay down for a while but then would return to the game despite the injury.  Rivers continued to wow spectators as he was named MVP of the Marques Johnson Squad in their 131-128 overtime loss.

Cougars remembered

When the University Cougars were preparing for their Kickoff Classic against Jones, the team could have never expected they would start their fall campaign saying goodbye to three Cougars.  Everyone paused for a moment of silence to remember Roy (Class of 2000), Nathan (2004) and Kelly McConnell (2009) who played football at University.  The three brothers, along with their father, were killed by a drunk driver on Aug. 1 in Pinellas County.

 

 

Cocoa is on a roll

Not even the mighty Mississippi powerhouse could stand in the way of Cocoa High.  The two-time state champions kept the state’s longest current win streak intact with their late rally win, 14-7, over Olive Branch.

 

BHSN will follow the Tigers, who will put their 25-game win streak on the line once again, as they travel to Pittsburgh on Friday to play Pennsylvania perennial power Thomas Jefferson.

Speed kills

 

Kissimmee Osceola state champion Tynia Gaither keeps getting faster.  The senior placed second in the girls 200-meter dash with a 23.68-second time at the first World Youth Olympics in Singapore on Saturday.  Gaither also earned a gold medal by running the 200 leg of the Americas sprint medley relay unit.

 

Batter up

 

Nick Franklin was always an all-star in the making.  The former Lake Brantley baseball player led his Patriots to a state championship in 2008.  The good times kept rolling for the youngster, who was committed to Auburn and was the 27^th overall draft pick by the Seattle Mariners in 2009.  In 2010, it’s more of the same for Franklin.  He now plays shortstop for the Mariners’ Class A affiliate in Clinton, Iowa and was selected for the Midwest League All-Star team in just his first full season.  Franklin’s numbers stack up like this, a .284 batting average with 21 home runs, 22 doubles and 24 stolen bases.  He’s the first player to reach the 20-20 club this season.

 

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Tiffany Greene has the inside scoop on the Central Florida high school sports scene. Check back for her latest news and insight on Mondays and Wednesdays in High School Confidential on BHSN.com.