orlandosentinel • 14th May 2023

Windermere completes 2-day FHSAA baseball region win vs. Durant; Winter Springs stays alive

Brayden Badua went 3 for 4, including a three-run home run that gave the Windemere Wolverines a 10-4 homefield victory over Plant City Durant in a FHSAA Class 7A Region 2 baseball semifinal that began Saturday and was completed Sunday.

Windermere (25-3-1) is set to play a Tuesday region final against the winner of a Lakewood Ranch (18-7) at Tampa Plant (18-7) game that was postponed to Monday night due to inclement weather. Windermere would travel to top seed Plant, which topped the Wolverines

orlandosentinel • 10th May 2023

Winter Park’s inseparable volleyball triplets will go separate ways for college

For as long as Merrell, Cole and Dickson Colado can remember, their lives have intertwined.

The triplets’ bond came naturally, but it reached another level through volleyball. They shared the joy of a state championship for Winter Park High School and the memories of years as practice partners.

Cole and Dickson are senior captains on a Wildcats boys team that won the state championship last year and is back in contention as the 2023 playoffs unfold. Merrell was a captain for Winter Park’s girl

orlandosentinel • 19th April 2023

Thomas Castellanos hopeful to be UCF’s QB1 sooner rather than later

Questions about who the backup quarterback is for UCF seemingly got answered in its spring game.

Sophomore quarterback Thomas Castellanos took some first-team reps as John Rhys Plumlee was making his trek from baseball to football on Friday night, then took most of the second-team reps in the first half at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

But Castellanos has his eyes on something more as UCF heads into the Big 12 Conference this season.

“Hopefully, I do turn out to be QB1,” he said. “If not, I’m going t

orlandosentinel • 16th April 2023

Cancer concerns inspire FHSAA weightlifting champions Andres Giron, David Izquierdo

Lake Howell senior David Izquierdo and Windermere junior Andres Giron swept their divisions in Class 3A of the FHSAA boys weightlifting championships on Saturday.

But their performances as two of Saturday’s seven Orlando area champions carried more weight than just winning a gold medal, at least emotionally.

For Izquierdo, it was a chance to win for his dad, who is battling cancer, and to redeem himself after falling short in 2022.

“My dad going through a whole bunch of stuff, fighting cancer

orlandosentinel • 14th April 2023

Winter Park flag football improves along with Horizon as FHSAA playoffs approach

Winter Park High flag football’s ascent reached its pinnacle on Thursday with a 22-6 win over Freedom to claim the Metro Conference East Division championship.

The Orange County Public Schools title is among a bevy of firsts the Wildcats (12-0) have achieved in 2023. Their unbeaten regular season is also a first for the program.

“Everything that we accomplish is the first time it’s ever happened at Winter Park High School,” coach Johnny Miller said. “I always call them history makers. … It’s s

orlandosentinel • 27th March 2023

Jalen Suggs gives Magic a spark in his return to the lineup

As the Orlando Magic attempt a late push toward the NBA Eastern Conference play-in tournament, the young team is learning a lot about itself down the stretch.

One of the young players who has had to overcome a lot on and off the court, second-year guard Jalen Suggs returned on Sunday after missing four games due to a concussion. Suggs scored 16 points off the bench in Orlando’s 119-106 win over the Brooklyn Nets (40-35).

“I was so eager to get back on the court,” Suggs said. “I think I’ve miss

orlandosentinel • 23rd March 2023

West Orange water polo finds home at NTC, 20-1 entering FHSAA playoffs

Just over a week before the season began, the No. 1-ranked West Orange girls water polo team wasn’t sure where it would play home games.

Structural damage to the usual home site, Farnsworth Pool, forced 13-year head coach Jennifer Dailer to scramble in search of a place to play. The aquatics director at the National Training Center in Clermont, Mateo De Angulo, came to the rescue, allowing West Orange to play at the Lake County facility.

“I keep thanking him for saving our season,” Dailer said

orlandosentinel • 22nd March 2023

Magic take down Wizards for 30th win, gain ground in play-in push

While a run at the play-in is bleak with nine games left to play, the Magic have found themselves in close games against teams with the playoffs in their sights.

They created some daylight Tuesday with a 122-112 victory against the Washington Wizards at Amway Center.

The Wizards (32-40), who entered as the No. 11 seed in the East, were two games back of the No. 10 Chicago Bulls (34-37) before tipoff. They fall even with the Indiana Pacers (32-40).

The Magic are learning as they go.

“It’s fan

Orlando Sentinel • 4th March 2023

Windermere Prep’s 3A title game loss leaves Orlando area without a boys champion

LAKELAND — Windermere Prep’s offense sputtered in the FHSAA 3A state title game Saturday, a 51-27 loss to Miami Riviera Prep, leaving the Orlando area without a boys basketball champion for the first time in eight years.

Orlando Sentinel • 3rd March 2023

Miami Columbus routs Colonial in 7A boys basketball semifinal

Colonial’s Cinderella run through the Class 7A playoffs came to a screeching halt on Friday at RP Funding Center.

The Grenadiers (24-7) provided little resistance against Miami Columbus (25-4), the defending champs in Class 7A, which blew the game open in the second quarter and won 71-28.

Orlando Sentinel • 3rd March 2023

Oak Ridge comes up just short vs. Winter Haven in 7A boys basketball semifinal

With 10.9 seconds left in the game, the Oak Ridge Pioneers’ defense was one stop away from forcing overtime.

Orlando Sentinel • 28th February 2023

One time only: Rays dominate Yankees in rare spring training game at Disney

For the first time since March 23, 2019, Major League Baseball is back at ESPN Wide World of Sports for spring training.

At least, for a moment.

Orlando Sentinel • 28th February 2023

Windermere Prep coach Brian Hoff meets mentor in FHSAA boys basketball semifinal

When Windermere Prep’s boys basketball head coach Brian Hoff takes the sideline on Wednesday for a 10 a.m. Class 3A state semifinal game at RP Funding Center in Lakeland, he’ll see a familiar face.

Before becoming the head coach of the Lakers, Hoff cut his teeth as an assistant for the Providence School, a Jacksonville power.