Prep Report: Bulldogs fall 59-46
The Ida Baker Bulldogs remained within striking distance until late in the third quarter, then Oakland Park Northeast used another spurt to pull away for a 59-46 victory Thursday night in a Region 5A-4 quarterfinal basketball game.
Jelani Hewitt, a former East Lee County player, was one of three Northeast players in double figures, finishing with 16 points.
“We played about as hard as we could,” Baker coach Greg Coleman said. “They were just a good defensive team.”
The Bulldogs (18-11) concluded their fourth season of varsity basketball by playing in their first-ever regional playoff. They lose several of their seniors, though, who have been a key part of the program’s success.
Senior Gabe Rodriguez led the Bulldogs with 15 points. Seniors Eric Ramos and Ron Ward each chipped in with 11 points. Senior Zach Campbell tallied six rebounds and four assists.
Ida Baker 13 9 13 11 – 46
Northeast 19 12 17 11 – 59
Ida Baker 46 – Battle 7, Ward 11, Rodriguez 15, Skinner 2, Ramos 11. Totals: 18 5-13 46. 3-point goals: Rodriguez 3, Ramos 3, Ward 1.
Northeast 59 – Hewitt 16, Sapp 21, Flowers 16, Franklin 4, Henry 2. Totals: 22 11-17 59. 3-point goals: Sapp 2, Flowers 1, Hewitt 1.
Bishop Verot 65, Tampa Catholic 47: Seniors Brennen Melvin and Etienne Effenberg combined for 48 points to propel Bishop Verot to victory in the Region 3A-3 quarterfinals Thursday night at Verot.
Melvin pumped in 26 points to go with 15 rebounds and four assists while Effenberg tacked on 22 points. The win advances Verot (21-8) to the semifinal round next Tuesday where they will face Tampa Berkeley Prep.
The Vikings broke open a tight game with a 23-8 surge in the fourth quarter.
Tampa Catholic 7 17 15 8 – 47
Bishop Verot 11 17 14 23 – 65
CATHOLIC 47 – Holden 1, St. Marc 4, Aikens 9, Williams 4, Gonzalez 15, Matthews 7, Ham 7. Totals: 20 5-12 47. 3-point goals: Aikens 1, Gonzalez 1.
VEROT 65 – Melvin 26, Kane 8, Thomas 2, Hagan 2, Sandoval 5, Effenberg 22. Totals: 22 19-24 65. 3-point goals: Melvin 2.
Boys Tennis
Mariner 4, North Fort Myers 3: Tim Connelly and Nathaniel Gunnin won at doubles to lift Mariner to a narrow victory, the first of the season for the Tritons, over North Fort Myers.
Aaron Smith, Connelly and Steven Allen won in singles for the Tritons (1-1), who host Ida Baker Tuesday.
The Red Knights (0-2) visit Island Coast on Tuesday.
Singles – Aaron Smith (M) def. Jesus Lugones 6-3, 0-6, 6-1; Tim Connelly (M) def. Zach Fischer 6-3, 6-0; Bradley Allen (NFM) def. Danville Bent 6-1, 6-2; Alex Reynolds (NFM) def. Nathaniel Gunnin 6-1, 6-4; Steven Allen (M) def. Sid Feldman 8-3.
Doubles – Lugones-Fischer (NFM) def. Smith-Bent 8-6; Connelly-Gunnin (M) def. Allen-Reynolds 8-4.
Cape Coral 6, Ida Baker 1: Cape Coral dominated four singles matches to salt away a victory over city rival Ida Baker.
Carlos Garcia recorded the lone team point for Ida Baker by winning No. 5 singles. The Bulldogs (0-1) are at Mariner Tuesday.
The Seahawks (2-0) travels to Lehigh Friday for their third match in three days to start the season.
Singles – Joel Silverberg (CC) def. Caleb Davis 6-0, 6-4; Arthemon Lis (CC) def. Paul Lapikas 6-2, 6-4; Alex Ragonese (CC) def. Kevin Keefe 6-1, 6-2; Najja Derrick (CC) def. Nick Boye 6-2, 6-4; Carlos Garcia (IB) def. Caleb Erdner 6-3, 7-6(4).
Doubles – Silverberg-Lis (CC) def. Davis-Lapikus 9-7; Ragonese-Derrick (CC) def. Keefe-Boye 8-3.
Cypress Lake 7, Island Coast 0: Cypress Lake swept Island Coast, handing the Gators their second defeat this week.
Island Coast (0-2) hosts North Fort Myers Tuesday.
Singles – Parker Woodall (CL) def. Colton Weiser 6-0, 6-0; Evginy Kim (CL) def. Mason Rodill 6-0, 6-0; Ilya Matochkin (CL) def. Claude Gose 6-0, 6-0; Justin Keer (CL) def. Ron Lind 6-4, 6-2; Cypress won by forfeit.
Doubles – Woodall-Keer (CL) def. Weiser-Rodill 8-5; Kim-Matochkin (CL) def. Lind-Gose 8-1.
Girls Tennis
Island Coast 4, Cypress Lake 3: Island Coast evened its record at 1-1 with a close win over Cypress Lake.
Kenzi Polotto teamed with Kelsey Gates in doubles while teammates Heather Dabroski and Katiana Bourey paired off to sweep the doubles and seal the victory for the Gators.
The Gators host North Fort Myers Tuesday.
Singles – Kenzi Polotto (IC) def. Dianna Morganthal 6-2, 6-2; Mercedes Bunner (CL) def. Kelsey Gates 7-6, 4-6, 10-3; Heather Dabroski (IC) def. Maura Dowling 6-0, 6-0; Haley Huston (CL) def. Katiana Bourey 6-0, 6-0; Cypress won by forfeit.
Doubles – Gates-Polotto (IC) def. Morganthal-Bunner 8-0; Dabroski-Bourey (IC) def. Dowling-Jamie Busch 8-3.
Softball
Mariner 16, Cypress Lake 0: Sam Rapp belted three singles, drove in two runs, walked twice and scored five runs as Mariner pounded out a five-inning rout of Cypress Lake.
Carrie Grigiski pitched a no-hitter and struck out eight for the Tritons. Danielle D’Alessio drove in five runs with a pair of doubles and Sam Greenwell was 2-for-2 with a double and one RBI.
The Tritons (2-2) host Barron Collier next Friday.
Mariner (10)01 32 – 16 10 2
Cypress Lake 0 00 00 – 0 0 1
W – Carrie Grigiski.
2B – Carrie Grigiski (M), Danielle D’Alessio (M) 2, Sam Greenwell (M).