In the next 24 hours, a dream will become a reality for Oviedo pitcher A.J. Cole.

“I’ve been waiting my whole life for this day. It’s a dream come true. You can ask my parents, when I was little I said I wanted to play professional baseball and tomorrow I find out if I get to go or not,” he said.

According to mock drafts, Cole is projected as a sure-fire Major League Baseball first-rounder. Where he goes in the first 32 picks, he said, is up in the air.

Oviedo's A.J. Cole

“Anywhere in the first round, they didn’t even narrow it down to the tenth or 20th pick,” he said. “I’m just basically guessing where I’m going and I’m not for sure about that. I’ve talked to almost all of the teams in the first 29 picks. They don’t come out and tell you they are going to pick you, they let you know that on draft day they are going to pick you.”

Although, he has not worked out for any teams, scouts covet the 6-foot, 5-inch, 190-pounder, who’s fastball is in the mid 90s and powerful curveball has good movement.

He also said they like the fact that he is “a nice and easy thrower,” and the fact that he has developed over the past two years with his pitches and command.

First round picks are nothing new to Central Florida. Last year Lake Brantley shortstop Nick Franklin was selected as the 27th overall pick by the Seattle Mariners. Cole says he has received advice from Franklin as well as former Lyman pitcher Scottie Allen.

“I’ve talked to Nick Franklin and Scottie Allen, they said it’s really tough but if you stay with it it’s a lot of fun. The minor leagues aren’t what you expect. It’s not like college, it’s harder for the players. You’re not given everything, you have to work for it,” he said.

Today marks a new page in the baseball career of A.J. Cole, a career he has lofty goals for.

“I hope I can get to the major leagues as soon as possible. Keep improving, never go backwards, just do my best and give it everything I’ve got,” Cole said.

For that lucky team that selects him on draft day, he has a message to their fans.

“I’m going to support my fans because they are supporting me. I’m going to give a 110-percent and help my team win anyway I can,” he said.

As the hours inch closer to the draft, Cole will gather with his friends and family at a former coach’s house, “waiting around by the phone.” Waiting for the phone call that will become his future.

“It’s all real exciting. Last month I was like ‘I can’t wait for this’ and tomorrow is the day. It’s gone fast. I’m pretty sure things will work out for me,” he said.

– Note: The opening round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft takes place tonight (Monday) at 7 p.m. with the coverage continuing at MLB.com Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon –

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

– To nominate athletic performances for inclusion each Wednesday to the Top-5 list of Orlando Sports Central Standouts, send over an email to JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com –

1.) Timber Creek Girls Golf – TCHS Wolves – First they swept through the regular season unbeaten before winning the Metro Conference East title. Then they followed that up last week by winning the District 7 championship. On Monday, Sara Bolivar (76), Emily Montero (78), Paige Lyle (82), Lauren Lyle (85) and Shelby Calaway (143) combined for a 321 score to win the Region 2A-3 title at Hunter’s Creek Golf Club over Metro Conference West champs Olympia (337). Bolivar took fourth overall behind Winter Park’s Brandy Rodriguez (72), Edgewater’s Mia Campbell (74) and Olympia’s Jessica Uem (75). The state tournament takes place Nov. 3-4 in Ocala.

T–2.) Donovan Green – Timber Creek Wolves and Levi Clemons – Osceola Kowboys – Both wrestlers finished as runner-up in their respective weight classes at the Super 32 Challenge in Greensboro, North Carolina over the weekend. Other local wrestlers managing to place, against perhaps the toughest competition in the country, were Osceola’s Gabe Bird (seventh at 145 pounds) and Oviedo’s Jay Taylor (fifth at 215 pounds). Among the highlights for Green, who came in ranked No. 21 by USAW Magazine, was a close win over the No. 8 heavyweight in the nation in the semifinals. Green recently talked about about his passion for the sport with Todd Grasley at High School Playbook. Clemons became the first Kowboy to advance to the finals at this event where he finished with a 5-1 mark in the 171-pound class. Last season’s state champion in Class 3A is considering offers from such D-I programs as University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Appalachian State, Missouri, NC State and Virginia Tech.

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UCF's Valentina Fontaine

4.) Joanna Coe – Rollins Tars – Coe finished off the fall golf season with a runner-up effort at the Ross Resorts Invitational at Mid Pines Resort in Southern Pines, North Carolina to help No. 3 Rollins top No. 1 Nova Southeastern and the remainder of the 10-team field by seven strokes (897-904). Coe shot rounds of 75 and 71 in the first day of action then scored a 74 on Tuesday. The junior ended the season with two runner-up efforts and two tournament wins to her credit.

5.) Valentina Fontaine – UCF Knights – The freshman was named Conference USA Female Golfer of the Week after shooting three consecutive under-par rounds (for second place overall) in helping UCF take third as a team with a score of 879 (+15) on Tuesday at the FIU Pat Bradley Invitational at Pelican Preserve Golf and Country Club in Fort Myers. Junior Katie Detlefsen finished in a tie for eighth for the Knights, giving them three straight events where two teammates have finished in the Top-10. The top two spots went to Furman (+6) and South Florida (+13) among the 15-team field. Fontaine, who was UCF’s best finisher in three of four fall events this season, shot rounds of 69, 71 and 71 for a 5-under score of 211. She was one of only four golfers to shoot in the 60s throughout the three rounds.

More –

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/21/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/14/09

Cameron Smith eyes the end zone Thursday night. (Photo by Scott McCall)

Thursday’s 17-0 non-district win at home over an emotionally spent Winter Springs program should do wonders for the Wolves (3-3 overall, 0-1 Class 6A-4) as they look ahead to two must-win district games against both Colonial (1-5, 0-1) and University (2-5, 0-1).

Although it was the usual dose of solid defense that did it for the Wolves, the points came on a 36-yard field goal by Jason Feeney and two rushing touchdowns from designated red zone ballcarrier Cameron Smith. Also a major player in the defensive secondary, Smith is hoping to extend his senior season as deep as he can into the postseason.

“I’m just trying to make them count, trying to win and go far in the playoffs,” said Smith of getting those carries near the goal line.

Cameron Smith stretches for the goal line. (Photo by Scott McCall)

Suffering the sort of losses Timber Creek has so early in the season can affect the long-term outlook of any team, yet Smith has bought into the coaching – of playing hard, trusting teammates and playing as if each game is your last game.

“That loss to Winter Park really dropped us low but we’ve regained our confidence,” Smith said.

But the early goings in this matchup had the makings of yet another disaster in waiting. And judging by the atmosphere at Timber Creek’s home stadium, which lacked any resemblance of what made the high school football environment there one to bare witness each week, fans seem to share those lowered expectations.

The reality is that the Wolves had to overcome themselves to shutout the Bears, a team 2-4 overall and 2-0 in Class 5A-Distrct 3 that has played with heavy hearts since losing former head coach Jeff Wenstrom to cancer several weeks ago.

In the first half Timber Creek amassed seven penalties and dropped too many passes that proved costly in stalling drives, one of which resulted in a long field goal attempt that sailed wide-left in the second quarter.

Yet despite those lingering inconsistencies the defense continued to do its part.

Jalil Byrd attempts to shake off a defender Thursday night. (Photo by Scott McCall)

After two failed drives on offense to start the game Jacob Wainwright forced a fumble near the end of the first quarter that was recovered by teammate Colin Brown. That put the Wolves 14 yards from the end zone. Then a loss of eight yards on a sack, by linebacker Jamie Butler, and a dropped pass followed before Feeney was called upon to post the first points of the night.

It wasn’t until the end of the first half that the Wolves looked to be firmly on track. As the defense continued to force punts, TCHS quarterback Tyler Marincov continued to put his team in position to score.

During a 12-play drive in the final minutes before intermission six different players touched the football, including wide receiver Jalil Byrd who pulled in passes of 25 and 29 yards despite taking some tough hits in the process.

Before Smith was put in position to score from a yard out, to put Timber Creek up 10-0, Kyle Plaugher caught a pass for 14 yards and Isiah Bolden caught another for 12 yards while Corey Russo and Blake Gwizdalski were also in on the action.

“He’s always been the leader of this team, pushing us in practice and putting the ball where it needs to be,” said Byrd of Marincov afterwards. “We’ve just got to have his back and make plays for him.”

Jalil Byrd falls just short of the goal line after making a big catch. (Photo by Scott McCall)

That’s what they continued to do, for the most part, in the second half despite a bit of bad luck for both teams in the third quarter.

After a fumble recovery by Timber Creek’s Todd Heisman set the Wolves up with just 20 yards to go they were soon forced into a field goal attempt that was snuffed out by the Bears A.J. Matthews. Winter Springs then began their best drive of the night, while starting at their own 10, behind the power of junior running back Ryan Petro and senior quarterback Quentin Avery. But 12 plays and a missed field goal later the ball was back in the hands of Marincov and the Wolves, who marched 80 yards behind multiple runs by Russo, Bolden, Matt McCrary and a 16-yard catch by Plaugher, before Smith punched in the final score of the game from five yards out at the start of the fourth quarter.

It wasn’t always pretty out there for the Wolves. But after some of the finishes they’ve let slip by them thus far, you take them anyway you can get them at this point and keep moving on.

– More Winter Springs at Timber Creek coverage –

Video footage at WFTV

Video footage from Todd Grasley at High School Playbook