Rollins (25-7), ranked No. 16 in the nation, claimed the Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles but were eliminated by Florida Southern 76-74 on a 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds to play in Hunstville, Ala.

While Florida Southern (23-8) shot 15-of-20 from the foul line, the Tars made just 19-of-32 attempts from the stripe, including only 4-of-11 in the final four minutes.

Nick Wolf ended his career at Rollins by scoring 29 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Wolf leaves Rollins at No. 2 all-time on the school’s list with 2,035 points and 1,046 rebounds.

The game featured nine ties and 13 lead changes.

Rollins tied the game at 71-all with 2:22 remaining before Wolf put the Tars on top with a layup. But Florida Southern answered with a pair of free throws to tie the game back up at 73-all with 53 seconds to play.

Wolf split a pair of free throws from there, and Rollins held Florida Southern without a basket in their next two looks at the basket. Ian Scott went on to missed two free throws with 10 seconds to play, leaving the door open for Florida Southern’s Dominic Lane to nail the winning shot from the left corner.

( – Below is an edited version of 2010-11 recap as released by Rollins Sports – )

Rollins was picked first in the conference preseason poll and lived up to the billing, setting a new school record for consecutive SSC victories (11) and tying a program-best 13 conference wins.

Rollins started the year ranked No. 17 in the NABC Division II Coaches poll and split games at the season opening Gulf South/Sunshine State Challenge. They then rattled off four straight victories, including a conference win over Nova Southeastern, and climbed to No. 15 in the polls before a setback at Palm Beach Atlantic dropped them out.

An early statement win came in the Great Western Shootout as the Tars downed then-No. 5 Central Washington by ten and completed the Sin City sweep with a win over Western Washington. The Tars closed 2010 with a runner-up finish at the Winter Park Rotary Tangerine Tournament, falling to Winston Salem State by seven in a thrilling final.

After a loss to Tampa on Jan. 2, the Tars hit their stride in a big way by winning 12 straight, avenging the loss to Palm Beach Atlantic, and rising to No. 18 in the Division II poll. The streak also allowed Rollins to build a three-game lead in the SSC standings with three games to play. Losses on the road to Florida Southern and Florida Tech kept the outright title at bay, but Rollins took care of business in the season finale, thrashing Lynn 93-68 and claiming the honors.

As the top seed in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament, the Tars blew out Barry in the opening round, held off Tampa in the semifinals and won a hard-fought battle over Eckerd in the championship. The title was the fourth in program history.

Nick Wolf, the only player in Rollins history with 2,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds, was the unanimous pick for SSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player. He was also named SSC Player of the Year and led Rollins into postseason play by averaging 20.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Wolf’s 91 victories are tied for the most in program history.

Matt Robertson entered Saturday’s game averaging 14.6 points and 6.1 rebounds while Myk Brown was putting up 12.2 points a game. Ian Scott led the team in steals (55) and Chris Malcolm was tops in blocks (46) for the Tars.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com and follow at Facebook or @OrlandoSportsJC ) –

Sharpen your No. 2 pencils, kids. We’re going back to school…

= UCF’s Darnell Sweeney out to hot start =

Dear local baseball fans, you’ll be hearing plenty about UCF shortstop Darnell Sweeney over the next few years.

On Monday the sophomore was named Conference USA Hitter of the Week for helping the Knights go 3-1 with wins over Bethune-Cookman, South Alabama and No. 29 Alabama. UCF’s record now stands at 6-1 with the lone loss coming in a 7-2 setback to Southeastern Louisiana. But more on that game later.

In those four games last week, Sweeney went 11-for-17 at the plate (.647) with 6 RBIs, 5 doubles, 3 walks, a stolen base and a 1.759 on-base percentage. Most impressive for the switch hitter was that he never struck out and was perfect on 19 opportunities in the field.

It’s the second career C-USA weekly honor for Sweeney. He is currently batting .500 on the year, which is tops in the conference.

= Streak ends for Taylor in tie with Myers =

The impressive consecutive-game hit streak for UCF junior catcher Beau Taylor finally came to an end last week.

In a 9-4 win against South Alabama, Taylor logged a hit in his 26th-straight game dating back to last season. That tied him for the longest such stretch in program history previously set by Mike Myers in 2001.

But the streak ended in a loss on Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana. The Knights begin a 13-game home stand on Wednesday against Maine at 4 p.m.

= UCF women lock up No. 2 slot in C-USA =

Following an up-and-down start the season the UCF women’s basketball team have since turned things around in a big way.

Last week the Knights (18-10 overall, 11-4 in C-USA) secured the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the upcoming Conference USA Tournament in El Paso, Texas being held March 9-12.

The Knights won the 2009 conference tournament as the No. 5 seed under head coach Joi Williams, who was named the league’s coach of the year.

UCF, winners of seven in a row, host its regular season finale and Senior Night on Thursday against Memphis at 7 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on CBS College Sports. Admission for all fans is free. The first 250 fans will receive a UCF women’s basketball t-shirt. The first 500 fans through the doors will receive a free poster of UCF’s five seniors.

Playing in their final home game at UCF will be Jelisa Caldwell, D’Nay Daniels, Angelica Mealing, Leah Paige and Chelsie Wiley.

= Rollins men claim No. 1 seed in SSC =

As expected, the Rollins College men’s basketball team won the Sunshine State Conference regular season title for the second year in a row with a 93-68 triumph of Lynn on Saturday.

Rollins (22-6 overall, 13-3 in SSC) entered the week ranked No. 18 in Division II. They have now won at least a share of six of the last nine regular season titles under head coach Tom Klusman. The Tars move on to defend its Sunshine State Conference Tournament title on Wednesday in the opening round as hosts against No. 8 Barry at 7 p.m.

Senior Nick Wolf leads the SSC in scoring with 20.6 points per game, is second in rebounding with 10.1 per game and seventh in assists with three per game. Wolf recently surpassed his uncle, Jeff Wolf, for third on the school’s all-time scoring list. He is well on his way to finishing out his career with more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Senior Matt Robertson ranks ninth in the league with 14.8 points and eighth in rebounds with 6.2, while junior Myk Brown is No. 14 in scoring with 13 points per game.

Timber Creek High School alum Chris Malcolm ranks third in the league in blocked shots with 1.6 per game. He set the new school record for blocks in a game when he swatted away nine shots against Saint Leo last month. He broke the previous mark of eight blocks set by Frode Loftesnes against Saint Leo in 1995.

= New 3-point record set at Rollins =

The record books continued to be rewritten at Rollins College last month.

On Feb. 12 against Saint Leo, Amber Heistan broke the school record for most 3-pointers in a game when she connected on seven treys in a 73-50 win. Heistan went 7-of-8 from deep and finished with a career-high 21 points and five steals in the win.

Jessica Pressley hit six 3-pointers in a game three different times for Rollins while Jennifer Gossett and Nicole Sullivan each made six shots in a game from beyond the mark once.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com and follow at Facebook or @OrlandoSportsJC ) –

UCF now stands at 16-8 overall and 3-8 in Conference USA.

The Knights started the year 13-0 in non-league play before opening the C-USA portion of its schedule with a close win over Marshall before the slump set in.

Losses on the road to Houston (76-71), Southern Miss (86-69), Memphis (77-61) and East Carolina (68-61) where tangled in between setbacks at UCF Arena against East Carolina (74-62), Rice (57-50), UAB (74-69) and Memphis (63-62).

The losing streak ended Feb. 12 at home in a 58-57 win over Tulsa.

But the slate gets no easier from here.

On Saturday the Knights are in Birmingham, Alabama for a rematch with UAB (18-7, 8-4 C-USA). They’ll then head off to El Paso, Texas to meet up with UTEP (19-6, 7-3) on Monday.

The final home games of the season take place Saturday, February 26 against Southern Miss (19-6, 8-4) and Wednesday, March 2 against SMU (16-9, 7-4). Both games begin at 7 p.m.

The regular season comes to a close March 5 as UCF coach Donnie Jones makes his return to Marshall (17-9, 5-6), where he coached the past three seasons.

The C-USA Championship will be held in El Paso from March 9-12.

Leading the way this season for the Knights has been Marcus Jordan and Keith Clanton. Jordan is averaging 15.6 points and 3.5 assists while Clanton averages 14.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Isaac Sosa has hit 49 shots from beyond the arc and is averaging 8.7 points on the year.

A.J. Rompza is averaging 5.5 points, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals while Tom Herzog contributes with 6.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com and follow at Facebook or @OrlandoSportsJC ) –

The UCF football team, fresh off of a school-record 11 wins in 2010, including a Liberty Bowl victory over Georgia, completed an elite signing class on Friday afternoon with the addition of DaMarcus Smith, a four-star quarterback from Louisville’s Seneca High School.

The Knights finished the 2010 season ranked No. 20 in the final Top 25 coaches’ poll and had announced six mid-year enrollees and 21 National Letter of Intent signees on Wednesday before adding two more to the list Thursday.

A short biography of the UCF signees follows.

Class of 2011 Biographies: Mid-Year Enrollees

Terran Buck – LB, 6-2, 235

Aurora, Ill. (West Aurora High School/College of DuPage)

A December graduate, Buck has enrolled at UCF for the 2011 spring …previously attended the College of DuPage, a junior college in Glen Ellyn, Ill., after a standout high school career at West Aurora High School in Aurora, Ill., a nearby Chicago suburb…ultimately chose to attend UCF over Kent State…enjoyed a successful junior college career for the Chaparrals, earning NJCAA Second-Team All-America honors in 2010, as well as being named to the All-Midwest Conference defense first team…played several linebacker positions under DuPage head coach Fred Fimbres…finished his sophomore season with 118 total tackles, 69 solo stops, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and five forced fumbles…team concluded the season with a 20-14 win in the Graphic Edge Bowl over JC rival Coffeyville, Kan.…as a freshman in 2009, he posted 91 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, one sack and three forced fumbles…rated with three stars from Rivals…was a dominant defensive player in high school ending his career on the Daily Herald’s All Tri-Cities Team…played three seasons on the varsity roster, serving as a team captain…was the Blackhawk’s team MVP on defense and made first team All-DuPage Valley Conference for the second consecutive year in 2008…in his final high school season led the team with 78 tackles, four tackles for loss and six sacks… also forced three fumbles, had a blocked punt and a fumble recovery…ranked No. 34 in The Sporting News JUCO Super 60…played for Roger “Buck” Drach at West Aurora….notable alumni from the College of DuPage include actor-comedian, the late John Belushi and his brother James.

Ray Cottman – LB, 6-2, 225

Tucson, Ariz. (Ironwood Ridge High School/Glendale Community College)

Has played both outside and inside linebacker…signed with UCF in December and enrolled for the spring…primary recruiter was John Skladany…also received offers from Minnesota and Utah State…coached by Mickey Bell at Glendale and Gary Minor at Ironwood Ridge…played against current UCF defensive lineman Barry Snider during his freshman season at Glendale, with Snider suiting up for nearby Scottsdale Community College…was recently a first team All-WSFL (Western States Football League) NJCAA selection…in 2010 at Glendale, logged 80 tackles and 4.5 sacks…in his first season at Glendale, had 47 tackles and two sacks…as a senior in high school in 2008, recorded 134 tackles, two sacks and one interception on the year…as a junior he was named first team all-city and second team All-Southern Arizona, recording 103 tackles, two interceptions and three sacks…rated with two stars from Rivals and Scout websites…a notable alumnus of Glendale Community College was Vince Furnier, also known in rock music circles as Alice Cooper.

Joey Grant – DE, 6-4, 245

Apopka, Fla. (Lake Brantley High School)

Already enrolled at UCF as a mid-year qualifier…Lake Brantley finished 8-2 and runner up in Class 6A Region 1 District 3, qualifying for the state playoffs during Grant’s final season…committed to UCF on July 8…primary recruiters were former defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable and Jim Panagos…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Colorado State, Navy, East Carolina and Louisiana-Lafayette…coached by George Clayton at Lake Brantley…Rivals and Scout rated him with two stars, while Scout lists him at No. 186 nationally at defensive end…finished with 60 tackles as a senior, 42 solo stops, 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss…was a team captain and three-year varsity starter…named a 2010 Central Florida All-Star and had five tackles and two sacks in the game…was a member of the Friday Night Football Florida 2010 All-Orlando team…was first team all-conference and all-county…tied for 27th in the Orlando Sentinel‘s 2011 Central Florida Super 60…notable Lake Brantley alums include pro golfer Chris DiMarco, Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas and Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek…parents are Bill and Lucie Grant.

Toby Jackson – DE, 6-5, 265

Griffin, Ga. (Griffin High School/Hargrave Military Academy (Va.)/Navarro College)

Already signed with UCF in December out of Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, Texas and enrolled for spring classes…rated with four stars from Rivals.com…No. 12 overall prospect on Rivals.com 2011 Junior College Top 50…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas Tech, North Carolina, Southern Miss and USF…primary recruiter was David Kelly…coached by Nick Bobeck at Navarro and Steve DeVoursney at Griffin…joins brother, Kentorius, as a member of the 2011 UCF class…named the Most Valuable Player in Navarro’s National Championship Game victory against Butler (Kan.) Community College…Jackson’s No. 2 seeded Navarro upended top-seed and undefeated Butler, 13-12, in the Citizens Bank Bowl on the campus of Pittsburg State (Kan.) University…had two big sacks in the second half, forcing a fumble on one of them…also recorded two other tackles for loss in earning defensive MVP honors…in 2009, had 33 total tackles, 12 solo, six tackles for loss and a sack…previously played for Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. in 2008…coming out of Griffin High School in 2007 was the unanimous choice for Class AAAA State Defensive Player of the Year… ranked No. 17 in The Sporting News JUCO Super 60…was a four-star prospect from Scout out of high school and was rated as the No. 9 defensive end nationally in 2008…originally signed with the Georgia Bulldogs…parents are Charlie and Laurenda Jackson.

Jose Jose – DT, 6-3, 330

Miami, Fla. (Miami Central High School/Eastern Arizona College)

Spent the last season at Eastern Arizona Junior College, after originally signing with UCF in 2010…enrolled for spring classes…a highly-touted defensive tackle from powerhouse Miami Central…chose UCF over a dozen scholarship offers highlighted by Florida, Miami, Rutgers, Tennessee and USF…participated in the USA vs. the World all-star game…Bill Buchalter had him amongst the top offensive linemen in the state….coached by John O’Meara at Eastern Arizona and Telly Lockette at Central…primary recruiter was David Kelly…played his senior season at Miami Central, teaming with current UCF Knights Jeff Godfrey, Jamar McClain, Josh Reese and LeBranden Richardson…started his high school career at Booker T. Washington and was coached by Earl Tillman and Tim Harris…in his lone season in junior college, played mostly offensive guard, with some defensive tackle during short yardage situations…was part of an Eastern Arizona team that finished 9-3 and ranked No. 20 in the National Junior College Athletic Association poll…his Gila Monsters would lose to Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College in the Salt Lake City Bowl 42-17…the offensive line would help to lead the NJCAA in rushing with 3,555 yards, an average of 323 yards per game…named a second team all-Western States Football League NJCAA selection…in his final season, Central went 12-2 in 2009, won the county championship and advanced to the FHSAA state semifinals for 6A…was a FSWA first team all-state selection as a junior for Booker T. Washington in 2008…Booker T. Washington was Class 4A state champions earlier in his career in 2007…named an All-Miami-Dade County selection by the Miami Herald in 2008 and 2009…rated with three stars from Rivals as a defensive tackle and three stars from Scout as a center…Scout also gave him two stars as an offensive guard…Miami Central HS notable alumni includes Hall of Fame U.S. Olympic gymnast Kurt Thomas (’74) and current Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee…Scout listed him as the No. 14 center nationally in 2010.

Justin Tukes – TE, 6-5, 230

Sylvester, Ga. (Worth County High School)

Originally signed with UCF in 2010…enrolled for spring classes…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Louisville, UAB, Georgia State and Jacksonville State…coached by Scott Ward at Worth County…was selected to play in the Georgia vs. Florida Border War All-Star Game…was an all-region and all-metro as a senior…had 16 catches as a senior for 198 yards with three touchdowns…also blocked a punt and made 14 tackles…named to the all-region team as a sophomore and a junior as well…Caught a total of 22 passes as a sophomore and a junior combined for six touchdowns while also recording a total of 24 pancake blocks…received three stars from Rivals, while Scout listed him with two stars and the No. 78 tight end nationally.

Class of 2011 Biographies: Fall 2011 Enrollees

Demetris Anderson – DT, 6-2, 285

Fort Pierce, Fla. (Westwood High School)

Played defensive tackle for Westwood, mostly at nose tackle, but also saw action on the offensive line…committed to UCF on Aug. 24…primary recruiter was Tim Salem…chose the Knights over scholarship offers from Big Ten schools’ Illinois and Wisconsin as well as nearby Bethune-Cookman…Kansas, Mississippi State, Purdue and USF also showed interest during his senior season…coached by Rodrick Lawson at Westwood…helped guide his Panthers to a District 13 Region 3A title and a 9-1 record, including an undefeated regular season capped by a thrilling 22-21 win over then unbeaten Fort Pierce Central in front of 10,000 fans…fell in the Class 3A regional quarterfinal…recorded 63 tackles, seven sacks, 13 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries and two pass break-ups as a senior…as a junior in 2009, had 60 tackles and four sacks, helping Westwood to a regional final and 8-4 finish…was rated as the No. 10 overall prospect in Palm Beach’s Treasure and Gold Coasts…2010 District 17 3A Defensive Player of the Year…twice named to the All-Treasure Coast and All-Palm Beach County teams…participated in the North vs. South Florida Senior All-Star Game…participated in the Palm Beach Outback Bowl Game…ESPN, Rivals and Scout websites rated him three stars…rated No. 51 nationally at defensive tackle by Rivals, No. 59 by Scout and No. 85 by ESPN…was a Rivals 2010 All-NIKE Camp Team Defense honorable mention selection…notable Westwood alumni includes former star UCF wide receiver Siaha Burley and World Series champion catcher Charles Johnson…parents are Albert Anderson and Marguerite Young.

Brandon Bragg – S, 6-1, 190

Orlando, Fla. (University High School)

Played safety as well as weakside linebacker for University in 2010…committed to UCF on June 7…primary recruiter was former defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable…was also looking at Northwestern, Marshall and FIU before choosing UCF…coached by Don Stark at University…as a safety was rated No. 135 nationally by ESPN, and 161 by Scout…was 35th in the Orlando Sentinel‘s 2011 Central Florida Super60…ESPN, Rivals and Scout rated him with two stars…put up outstanding numbers at 2010 spring combines, including a 40.7-inch vertical jump at the Miami Nike Combine, second at the camp…had the third best SPARQ rating at Miami of 113.07…during his senior season had nearly 50 tackles, including 15 solo tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss…as a junior, had 90 tackles, five sacks, one interception, two fumble recoveries and one pass break up…also participated in weightlifting and water polo, earning two varsity letters in each…parents are Timothy and Jacquiline Bragg.

Tarik Cook – C, 6-3, 294

Stone Mountain, Ga. (Stephenson High School)

Has played center in high school…was part of a 9-2 Stephenson Jaguars team in 2010 that advanced to the Georgia Class 5A playoffs…committed to UCF on June 17…primary recruiter was David Kelly…chose UCF over offers from Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, USF and Middle Tennessee… coached by Ron Gartrell at Stephenson…Rivals, ESPN and Scout rated him with three stars…as a center was rated No. 9 nationally by ESPN, No. 11 by Scout and No. 12 by Rivals…was also the No. 47 overall prospect on Rivals’ Georgia 2011 Postseason Top 85…was a 2010 Associated Press first team all-state selection…was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Class AAAAA all-state honorable mention team and to the DeKalb County all-area first team…after attending the National Underclassmen Combine in Atlanta in March 2010, was named one of the events standout prospects for 2011 signing day…won the Strongest Man Award at the camp for bench-pressing 185 pounds 30 times amongst other feats…took home a share of the Offense MVP award…would later be listed among top performers from among a collection of several NUC camps in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Jacksonville…also earned strongest man recognition at the NUC camp…son of June Cook.

Jeremy Davis – CB, 6-0, 170

Cape Coral, Fla. (Cape Coral High School/Milford Academy (N.Y.))

A highly-touted cornerback prospect out of Southwest Florida…attended New York’s Milford Academy in 2010, after a standout prep career at Cape Coral and Ft. Myers High Schools…played for Falcons head coach Bill Chaplick at Milford, where he was ranked No. 20 nationally on Rivals’ Top 50 Prep School list…was a three-star prospect from Rivals, ESPN and Scout coming out of high school…played for Mike Goebbel at Cape Coral and Sam Sirianni Jr. at Ft. Myers…originally signed with Miami over North Carolina in 2010 and also received offers from Pittsburgh and West Virginia…was a nationally-ranked wide receiver prospect earning No. 50 (Scout), No. 52 (ESPN) and No. 75 (Rivals) in 2010…was also Rivals’ No. 79 player on their 2010 Florida Postseason Top 100…a very speedy player who has been clocked as fast as 10.4 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.2 seconds in the 200-meter dash…half-brother is Washington Redskins cornerback Phillip Buchanon…in high school, drew comparisons to Deion Sanders, another Ft. Myers-area sports legend…as a senior at Cape Coral, had two touchdown returns, and on defense he had 71 tackles, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and 15 passes broken up…also blocked three punts…on offense he had 72 carries for 1,047 yards and 15 touchdowns along with three catches for 107 yards…as a junior at Ft. Myers, played mostly offense and had 30 catches for 500 yards and 12 touchdowns…his sophomore year he played mostly defensive back and had 50 tackles, 11 passes broken up and an interception…parents are George and Annie Davis.

Bruce Dukes – CB, 5-10, 185

Tyrone, Ga. (Sandy Creek High School)

One of the top defensive back prospects to come out of Georgia in 2010…was a part of Chip Walker’s Sandy Creek Patriots that won back-to-back Class AAA state championships…regarded as a top cover-corner style player with a great speed…tied for the fifth-fastest time at the Atlanta MVP camp last April drawing notice and scholarship offers from the likes of Auburn, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Cincinnati and Indiana…committed to UCF on January 24…a versatile player, started at wide receiver, cornerback, kick and punt returner in high school…was a first team all-state selection by both the Associated Press and Georgia Sports Writers Association…Rivals, ESPN and Scout rated him with three stars…was rated No. 48 nationally by ESPN, No. 57 by Rivals and No. 63 by Scout…was also No. 66 on Rivals’ Georgia Postseason Top 85…as a senior, was an Atlanta-Journal Constitution Top 50 prospect, on the Super Southern 100…had six interceptions, four were returned for touchdowns, two punt returns for touchdowns, 67 tackles, two sacks and one touchdown reception in 2010…entered the 2010 season as a preseason all-state pick by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after putting together 54 tackles and five interceptions in 2009, while returning two interceptions and three punts for touchdowns…as a sophomore, had 59 tackles and three interceptions…parents are Leonard Evans and Marion Dukes…earned four varsity letters in football and track, and three letters in basketball.

Mike Easton – S, 6-0, 180

Winter Haven, Fla. (Winter Haven High School)

Played safety for Winter Haven…committed to UCF on June 14…primary recruiter was Charlie Taaffe…chose UCF after receiving interest from Mississippi and Washington State…coached by Charlie Tate at Winter Haven…helped in leading the Blue Devils to a Class 3A Region 3 District 9 championship and a 10-1 overall record in 2010, advancing to the state’s regional semifinal vs. Bradenton Southeast…team won back-to-back district titles in 2009 and 2010…was Bright House Network’s Defensive Player of the Year…received Florida Class 3A all-state honorable mention recognition as a junior…as a junior recorded 80 tackles and four interceptions…Rivals rated him with three stars, while Scout listed him with two…was Scout’s No. 158 safety nationally…also participated on the track team…notable Winter Haven alums include 1984 U.S. Olympic swimmer Rowdy Gaines and NBA legend Otis Birdsong…parents are Michael Easton and Andrea Spillman.

Troy Gray – LB, 6-1, 220

Kennesaw, Ga. (North Cobb High School)

Regarded as one of Georgia’s top outside linebacker prospects…coached by Shane Queen at North Cobb…played in the 2010 Cobb County All-Star Senior Bowl…had nearly a dozen scholarship offers and chose to be a UCF Knight over the likes of Arkansas, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Virginia, Syracuse, Illinois, East Carolina and Air Force…committed on January 23…finished his senior season with 119 tackles and three sacks…reported to have benched 300 pounds and squatted 490 with a 42-inch vertical jump…most notably as a junior, he led talent-rich Cobb County in tackles with 127, and with six sacks…had 59 tackles and three sacks as a sophomore…of his five tackles as a freshman, two were sacks…entered his senior season with much acclaim after being named to the NIKE Atlanta All-Combine Team in March…received three stars from Rivals, ESPN and Scout…additionally, Rivals listed him as the No. 56 outside linebacker nationally and No. 56 on their Georgia Postseason Top 85…ESPN lists Gray as the No. 62 outside linebacker nationally, while Scout has him at No. 86 nationally…son of Troy Gray, Sr., and Angela Albert…also active in community service with the Shop with a Warrior program, special needs volunteering and football bible study…also lettered twice in baseball and once in track outside of four varsity football letters.

Deion Green – DE, 6-3, 220

Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater High School)

Played defensive end for Edgewater, but also played on the offensive side of the ball at tight end…led his team to the Class 4A Region 2 District 7 title with an 8-3 overall record and perfect 5-0 mark in the district…team advanced to the Class 4A regional quarterfinals against Lakeland Kathleen…coached by Bill Gierke at Edgewater…posted 80 tackles and 11 sacks as a junior…committed to UCF on August 9…primary recruiter was former defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable…chose UCF after also being recruited by Texas Tech, Michigan State, Georgia Tech, Miami, Rutgers and USF…Rivals, ESPN and Scout rated him with three stars…ESPN rated him as the No. 91 defensive end nationally, while Scout listed him at No. 131…member of the National Honor Society…notable Edgewater alumni include former UCF star and current Jacksonville Jaguar Mike Sims-Walker, Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough and San Antonio Spurs guard Darius Washington…Along with Sims-Walker, Edgewater has seen several future UCF football players walk through its halls, including the late Ed Gantner (79-81), Doug Gatewood (79-82), Arnell Spencer (87-88), Gerod Davis (92-95) and Kevin Stewart (92-96)…current Edgewater alums on the UCF roster include E.J. Dunston, Quincy McDuffie, Marquee Williams and Henry Wright.

Rannell Hall – WR, 6-2, 175

Miami, Fla. (Carol City High School)

Emerged on the national recruiting scene prior to the 2010 season with a head-turning performance at the March NIKE Football Training Camp in Miami, earning the site’s emerging sleeper award…Hall nabbed 26 receptions for 357 yards and four touchdowns as a senior and participated in the Dade vs. Broward All-Star Game…as a junior, had 12 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns…regarded as very fast, with a 4.45 second 40-yard dash, excellent hands and an accomplished route-runner…chose to attend UCF over interest from Cincinnati, Connecticut, Duke, New Mexico and Western Michigan…primary recruiter was David Kelly…coached by Harold Barnwell at Carol City…was a member of the track team, and competed at the youth level in USA Track and Field and Junior Olympic events…was rated with two stars from Rivals…nickname is “Speedy”…notable Carol City HS alumni include famed musicians Rick Ross (’94) and Flo Rida (’98), former MLB All-Star Danny Tartabull (’80), former NFL veterans Ken Pruitt (’75) and Lester Williams (’78) and current NFL players, Kenny Phillips, Ricky Jean-Francois, Santana and Sinorice Moss… former UCF players from Carol City include Athletic Hall of Fame member Sylvester Bembery, Keenan Wimbley, Damien Demps and former Cincinnati Bengal Rashad Jeanty…parents are Randel Hall and Stephanie Barr.

Cameron Henderson – DE, 6-5, 250

Birmingham, Ala. (Shades Valley High School/Navarro College)

Graduating from Navarro this spring and will join teammate fellow UCF signee Toby Jackson…primary recruiter was David Kelly…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Iowa State, Baylor, USF, Arizona, Texas Tech, UAB, Mississippi State and Louisiana Tech…coached by Nick Bobeck at Navarro and Curtis Coleman at Shades Valley in Irondale, a suburb of Birmingham…currently rated with three stars from Rivals and Scout websites…a four-star prospect, originally signed with Auburn out of Shades Valley and redshirted his lone season with the Tigers…out of high school, had 100 tackles, including 10 sacks as a senior…also recorded 60 tackles and six sacks as a junior, while being named the Defensive Player of the Year for basketball…named to 2008 all-southeast region team by PrepStar…was ranked the 17th best player in Alabama by SuperPrep as a senior and the No. 9 defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com…a two-sport standout for Shades Valley, also was a dominant post player for the basketball team…earned four letters in both football and basketball…parents are Ulysses and Lisa S. Henderson.

Jared Henry – S, 6-1, 190

Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast High School)

A big-time safety prospect out of Jacksonville First Coast where Henry played his senior season under Marty Lee…chose UCF over scholarship offers from South Carolina, Maryland, Vanderbilt and South Florida…primary recruiter was Sean Beckton…was a Florida Times-Union All-First Coast first team selection…overall, he was named to the all-conference, all-city, Super 24 and Super 11 teams as a senior…recorded 60 tackles and three forced fumbles as a senior…team won their Class 5A Region 1 District 1 championship with an undefeated record, but would fall in the state regional semifinals…transferred to First Coast from Andrew Jackson, where he played for Kevin Sullivan…as a junior, he totaled 100 tackles…rated with three stars from Rivals, ESPN and Scout…ESPN also ranked him as the No. 39 safety nationally, while Scout listed him at No. 83.

Kentorius Jackson – DB, 6-2, 198

Griffin, Ga. (Georgia Military College/Griffin High School)

Signed with UCF out of Georgia Military College in Milledgeville…coached by Bert Williams at GMC and Steve DeVoursney at Griffin…in nine games with GMC this past year, had 30 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble…primary recruiter was David Kelly…committed to UCF on Dec. 13…joins his brother, Toby, as a member of the 2011 UCF class…rated with three stars by Rivals…coming out of high school was rated with two stars by Scout, and No. 186 nationally as a safety…also played linebacker in high school…started his senior season as a member of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Georgia Top 150…received Georgia Class AAAA first team all-state recognition in 2008…was an all-area pick 2006-09…nickname is “Scoot”…parents are Charlie and Laurenda Jackson.

Jacques Mackeroy – WR, 6-0, 200

Lakeland, Fla. (Kathleen High School)

Helped his team to the Florida Class 4A regional semifinal against Lakeland Lake Gibson…his team defeated Orlando Edgewater in its quarterfinal match-up after finishing second to Lake Gibson in Region 2 District 8…primary recruiter was Charlie Taaffe…committed on July 19…selected UCF over scholarship offers from Boston College, Louisville, NC State, Purdue, Tennessee, West Virginia, Middle Tennessee and FAU…coached by Irving Strickland at Kathleen…rated with three stars by Rivals, ESPN and Scout websites…ESPN rates him the No. 58 wide receiver nationally, while Scout lists him at No. 125…named to the 2010 Lakeland Ledger All-County Second Team…notable Kathleen alums include Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis and Emmy Award winning journalist Forrest Sawyer.

Kevin Miller – TE, 6-4, 241

Delran, N.J. (Holy Cross High School)

Has played both tight end and defensive end for Holy Cross…was among the top five defensive ends in New Jersey heading into his senior year…primary recruiter was Jim Panagos…chose UCF over scholarship offers Maryland, Rutgers, West Virginia and Akron…a long list of other schools, including Cincinnati, Duke, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova and Virginia also showed interest…committed to UCF on July 8…coached by Frank Holmes at Holy Cross…was named to the Burlington County Times’ all county team…as a senior, had 25 receptions, 550 yards receiving, eight touchdowns en route to first team all-conference, all-county, All-South Jersey and all-state…one of his touchdowns was a school-record 96-yarder against Burlington Township…also had 13 sacks on 45 tackles…was an all-non-public honorable mention on defense his junior year…in 2009, he had 20 catches for 400 yards and scored five touchdowns…as a sophomore, had 30 receptions for 587 yards and six touchdowns…in 2008, he earned a state title, the school’s then-second straight state Non-Public Group 2 championship…rated with three stars from Rivals, and two stars from ESPN and ­­Scout websites…Rivals presently ranks him No. 25 overall in New Jersey heading into 2011 signing day…Scout also lists him No. 150 nationally at tight end, while ESPN places him at No. 187…active with community service, volunteering for the Knights of Columbus, Special Olympics, homeless shelter food delivery and St. Isaac Jogues Youth Group…earned three varsity letters for football, one in basketball and four in lacrosse…parents are Mark and Carol Miller.

Willie Mitchell – LB, 6-1, 240

Deltona, Fla. (Pine Ridge High School)

Played middle linebacker for Pine Ridge…and was the 15th-ranked player in the Orlando Sentinel’s 2011 Central Florida Super60…noted speed with a 4.5 40-yard time…also returned kickoffs for Pine Ridge, even taking back an 86-yarder for a score against Daytona Beach Mainland during his junior season…primary recruiter was Sean Beckton…committed to UCF on March 26…selected the Knights over scholarship offers from USF, Wake Forest, Marshall, FIU, Eastern Michigan and Hampton…coached by Paul Spegele at Pine Ridge…as a senior, recorded 123 tackles and five sacks…had 140 tackles and three sacks as a junior…had 162 tackles as a sophomore, including four sacks…began his high school career charting 93 tackles as a freshman…as a senior was named to the Orlando Sentinel All-Central Florida defensive football team as well as ranking No. 72 on Bill Buchalter’s 2011 Florida Top 100…was rated with three stars from Rivals and ESPN, with the ESPN also ranking him No. 51 at his position nationally…rated with two stars from Scout, and is listed No. 82 at his position nationally…participated in the North/South and Central Florida All-Star Games…lettered in football, baseball, basketball and ran track…additionally active outside of playing sports, participating in FCA, was homecoming king, a flag football coach, a basketball manager and a member of the Key Club…parents are Willie Mitchell and Shanta Torres.

Thomas Niles – DT, 6-2, 260

Gainesville, Ga. (Gainesville High School)

A standout defensive tackle from Georgia…primary recruiter was Brent Key…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Arkansas, NC State, Tennessee, FIU and Middle Tennessee…coached by Bruce Miller at Gainesville…committed on July 15…earned all-area recognition, while picking up a second-team all-state honor…was an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Class 3A honorable mention all-state selection…as a senior, recorded 85 tackles, seven sacks and three forced fumbles…as a junior, recorded 75 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles and six tackles for loss…high school team was region champions 2008-10…team most recently was runner-up state champions…rated with three stars from Rivals, ESPN and Scout websites…ESPN rates him as the No. 64 defensive tackle nationally, while Scout ranks him at No. 101…also lettered four years in lacrosse where he was a goalie and was a member of the Latin Club…parents are Andre and Lisa Niles.

Miles Pace – LB, 6-0, 237

Miami, Fla. (Miami Central Senior High School)

Was a high school teammate of current UCF players Jeff Godfrey, Jamar McClain, Josh Reese and LeBranden Richardson…the 2010 Miami Central team defeated Orlando’s Dr. Phillips, 42-27, in the Class 6A state championship at the Florida Citrus Bowl…primary recruiter was David Kelly…committed on July 25…chose to be a UCF Knight over offers from Clemson, West Virginia, USF and FIU…coached by Telly Lockette at Miami Central…saw action at both linebacker and defensive tackle, as well as fullback…had 84 tackles, 22 sacks and three forced fumbles as a senior…as a junior, had 125 tackles and 20 sacks, nine forced fumbles and one interception returned for a touchdown…listed at No. 64 on Bill Buchalter’s 2011 Florida Top 100…rated with three stars from Rivals, ESPN and Scout…Scout places him No. 57 for the middle linebacker position nationally, while ESPN ranks him No. 93…Rivals lists him No. 12 among its top 55 players in Miami-Dade County at the start of the 2010 season…was a second-team All-Miami-Dade County running back selection as a junior…Miami Herald has him as the No. 13 prospect in Miami-Dade County…has the nickname “Ninja Turtle”…also played on the basketball team…Miami Central HS notable alumni includes Hall of Fame U.S. Olympic gymnast Kurt Thomas (’74) and Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee…parents are Anthony Pace and Altrese Lewis.

Breshad Perriman – WR, 6-2, 180

Lithonia, Ga. (Arabia Mountain High School)

A very talented and fast wide receiver prospect from the Atlanta-area…finished his high school career for new Class 5A Arabia Mountain in Lithonia, after playing for Lithonia’s Martin Luther King and Conyers’ Heritage high schools…played for Christopher Beal at Arabia Mountain…son of former NFL wide receiver Brett Perriman…arguably the top receiver in DeKalb County during his senior season, participated in the 2010 DeKalb County Coaches Association Senior All-Star Football Game…was the MVP of the Elite One Performance Football Camp…lettered in football and track for two years…timed with a 4.4 40-yard dash and 36-inch vertical leap…chose UCF over offers and interest from Miami, Florida State, Cincinnati, FIU and Wyoming…as a senior in just four games played, had 13 catches for 301 yards and three touchdowns…as a junior, had 27 catches for 512 yards and six touchdowns…was rated with two stars from ESPN, while being ranked at No. 221 nationally for wide receivers…was a heralded youth track participant, routinely competing in USA Track and Field and Junior Olympic events across the country growing up…parents are Brett and Laundria Perriman.

Terrance Plummer – LB, 6-1, 221

Orange Park, Fla. (Orange Park High School)

A versatile linebacker prospect, who has played at all three positions during his high school career, but most recently at the inside position as a senior…coached by Danny Green on Orange Park, and helped lead the Raiders to a Class 6A Region I District 1 title and berth in the state regional final round… amassed over 110 tackles as a senior, five sacks, two pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble…led his team in tackling for three straight seasons…also had eight touchdowns rushing…committed to UCF on January 21…primary recruiter was Sean Beckton… highly-recruited linebacker prospect picking up over a dozen scholarship offers before choosing to attend UCF…picked the Knights over Arkansas, NC State, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Connecticut, USF, Southern Miss, FAU, FIU, Middle Tennessee and Troy…was a 2010 nominee for the Florida Class 6A Mr. Football award…was a member of the 2010 Florida Times Union All-First Coast team, as well as honorable mention FHSAA all-state in 2009…was a Super 24 selection in 2010…received All-First Coast, all-conference and all-county recognition throughout his high school career…rated with three stars by Rivals, ESPN and Scout…was listed as the No. 70 outside linebacker nationally by ESPN, and No. 84 from Scout…also lettered three years in basketball…has a bench press of 350 pounds…parents are Terrance and Beatrice Plummer.

DaMarcus Smith – QB, 6-1, 180

Louisville, Ky. (Seneca High School)

The top quarterback back prospect coming out of the state of Kentucky in 2011, as well as one of the top athletic quarterbacks in the nation…as a senior, he threw for an impressive 3,150 yards, 30 touchdowns with just nine interceptions…the feat garnered him Louisville Courier-Journal all-state first team recognition as well as a spot on the 2010 Class of the Commonwealth team…despite missing his junior season with a knee injury, threw for almost 8,000 yards in high school and 75 touchdowns…he first drew attention with a breakout sophomore season throwing for 3,227 yards on 169 of 329 passing and 32 touchdowns…also rushed for 457 yards as a sophomore…before his senior season, was invited and attended the prestigious ESPN RISE Elite 11 Camp…played for Louis Dover at Seneca…chose to attend UCF over scholarship offers from Louisville, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Tennessee and Ohio…primary recruiter was David Kelly…was named to the Orlando Sentinel’s All-Southern Team …received four stars from Rivals…Rivals also lists Smith as the No. 11 dual-threat quarterback in the country, its No. 4 most-accurate quarterback and the No. 2 overall prospect from Kentucky…ESPN and Scout both list Smith with three stars, while Scout has him as the No. 20 quarterback nationally with ESPN ranking him No. 46…Seneca alums include famed TV news correspondent Diane Sawyer and NBA legend Wes Unseld.

Cedric Thompson – RB, 6-0, 207

Miramar, Fla. (Everglades High School)

Everglades advanced to the 2010 Class 6A state playoffs during his senior year after qualifying through Region 3 District 11…team was 2009 district champions…chose UCF over offers from Kansas State, FAU, Illinois, Western Illinois and Southern Illinois…coached by Josh Shapiro at Everglades…primary recruiter was Tim Salem…committed on June 29…team captain as a junior and senior…rushed for 800 yards on 155 carries for 16 touchdowns as a senior…had 485 yards on 100 carries and seven touchdowns as a junior…during his sophomore season, rushed for 385 yards on 55 carries and three touchdowns…earned four varsity letters in football…also lettered three years in track and field, focusing on the 110 and 300-meter hurdles…he posted personal best times of 14.94 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles and 39.36 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles…rated with two stars from ESPN and Scout…ESPN lists him at No. 156 nationally at his position, while Scout has him at No. 168…brother, Courtney, is a defensive back at Kansas State…received All-Broward County recognition by the South Florida Sun Sentinel…Miami Herald had him at No. 20 in Broward County prior to his senior year…Will and Lavora Thompson.

Dalton Wertz – DT, 6-1, 295

Arcadia, Fla. (DeSoto County High School)

Noted tough and strong defensive lineman, who also participates on the school weightlifting team…can bench over 400 pounds and squat 500 pounds…saw a lot of action at nose tackle…primary recruiter was Charlie Taaffe…committed to UCF on June 21…drew interest from Cincinnati, Western Kentucky and FAU…as a senior, had 64 tackles, seven sacks and a spot on the all-area team…recorded 56 tackles and eight sacks during his junior year, while earning all-area recognition and second team all-state mention…as a sophomore, had 42 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a spot on the all-area team…coached by Matt Egloff at DeSoto County…was listed at No. 62 on Bill Buchalter’s Florida Top 100 to start the 2010 season…rated with three stars from ESPN, with the same service ranking him No. 90 at his position nationally…rated with two stars from Rivals and Scout websites, with Scout also placing him No. 136 nationally at his position…was a second-team all-state defensive line selection for Class 2A/2B by the Florida Sports Prep Writers…was named all-area for defense by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune since his sophomore year…lettered four years in football and weightlifting, while earning two letters in track…team was 2007 Class 3A District 12 champions, going undefeated for the first time in school history…in 2009, his team was also district champions and earned a spot in the regional final….was a Dean’s List and Honor Roll student…parents are Eddie and Debbie Wertz.

Rayshon Williams – WR, 6-1, 190

Denver, Colo. (J.K. Mullen High School)

One of the top offensive prospects to come out of the state of Colorado in recent seasons…first cousin of former UCF star and current Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall…played for one of the most decorated high school programs in the state, J.K. Mullen and for coach David Logan…the program has won three straight state championships, including a 37-6 triumph over Aurora Regis Jesuit in the 2010 Class 5A title game to finish the year 14-0…team concluded the 2010 season on a 33-game win streak…rushed twice, both for touchdowns in the state championship, while catching five passes for 53 yards…chose to attend UCF over several scholarship offers from the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado State, Kansas State, Miami, Minnesota, Nebraska, Syracuse, UCLA, Utah, Vanderbilt and Washington…primary recruiter was David Kelly…was named to the prestigious All-Colorado team in back-to-back seasons, 2009 and 2010, while also being tapped to the Class 5A all-state first team in both of those seasons…was also named to the 2010 PrepColorado Super State Offense team…as a senior, had 71 catches for 909 yards and eight receiving touchdowns, while carrying the ball 15 times for 143 yards and three touchdowns…set the state record for career pass receptions as a senior…caught 43 passes for 757 yards as a junior…had 16 total touchdowns in 2009, including 10 receiving and three on returns…as a sophomore, caught 34 passes for 456 yards and two touchdowns…rated with three stars from Rivals and ESPN…Rivals lists Williams as the No. 9 prospect on their Colorado postseason Top 20 list for 2011…ESPN also lists him as the No. 81 receiver nationally…lettered in both football and track…recorded the top mark in the state in long jump (22-11).

Leilon Willingham – LB, 6-2, 240

Denver, Colo. (J.K. Mullen High School)

Arguably the top defensive prospect to come out of the state of Colorado this year, being named the 2010 All-Colorado Defensive Player of the Year…played for one of the most decorated high school programs in the state, J.K. Mullen and for coach David Logan…the program has won three straight state championships, including a 37-6 triumph over Aurora Regis Jesuit in the 2010 Class 5A title game to finish the year 14-0…Willingham recorded four sacks in the title game…team concluded the 2010 season on a 33-game win streak…chose to attend UCF over several scholarship offers from the likes of Arizona State, Colorado, Michigan, Texas A&M, Washington, Boise State, Colorado State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Oregon and Utah…primary recruiter was David Kelly…was named to the prestigious All-Colorado team in 2010, while also being tapped to the Class 5A all-state first-team…recorded 156 tackles (36 solo), five sacks, three fumble recoveries and one interception during his senior season…as a junior, recorded 115 tackles (29 solo), 13 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception en route to Class 5A all-state honorable mention recognition…was also all-conference after his sophomore and freshman seasons…also lettered in track, running the 4×100 relay and long jump…was rated with four stars from Rivals, while ESPN and Scout list him with three stars…a versatile linebacker, was rated No. 13 nationally at outside linebacker by Rivals and the No. 2 overall prospect on its Colorado postseason Top 20 in 2011… ESPN lists him at No. 23 nationally for inside linebackers and Scout has him No. 69 for outside linebackers…parents are Paul and Ruth Apodaca.

Hearn was selected to participate in one of the Eastbay Youth All-American games at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on Jan. 9 as part of the East’s weight-limited team for his age group.

One of four quarterbacks chosen to take part, he made the cut from a pool of over 1,000 nominees in all.

Tanner Hearn

The all-star game was played in conjunction with the U.S Army All-American Game, which showcases the best high school seniors in the nation.

That meant Hearn was able to meet with celebrities, former high school all-Americans and stars of tomorrow such as Dr. Phillips senior and national player of the year Dee Hart.

Hart led his high school team to the Class 6A state finals last month in Orlando. Over the weekend, he was named U.S Army All-American Game Most Valuable Player after becoming the first to rush for 100 yards in the marquee all-star game. Hart has earned a scholarship to play at the University of Alabama this fall.

For a young football player, there are no better examples to look up to than the best high school football players in the country.

“It was good to see how big and how good you have to be in order to get to that level,” Hearn said. “Now I know that I just need to stay the path I’m on with getting good grades and working hard.”

The trip afforded Hearn the chance to be in the same company as NFL player C.J. Spiller of the Buffalo Bills, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, and former high school football coach Herman Boone, who’s story was told in the movie Remember the Titans.

Participants also were afforded the opportunity to visit such landmarks as the Tower of the Americas, featuring a dining experience atop a 750-foot tall structure.

Hearn, who roots for quarterbacks Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons, made plenty of new friends during practices and group gatherings.

Tanner Hearn with Eric Richards, Football University Eastbay Bowl Director

“I got to learn how they prepare, and the game styles they use to get ready to play,” Hearn said. “It was exciting to play with other kids that were at an equal level. It was an eye-opener, for sure.”

He started the all-star game under center for the East and alternated every other play with another quarterback from Kentucky. Although the West would go on to win 35-20, Hearn had himself a memorable afternoon.

He threw a touchdown pass with just seconds to go in the first half when he avoided the defensive pressure, stepped up in the pocket, and hit his receiver over the middle near the goal line. He then ran in for a two-point conversion in the third quarter after changing directions and breaking several tackles.

The overall experience made for a proud moment for his dad, Todd Hearn.

“The biggest thing about it is seeing the recognition for all the hard work he’s put into it,” he said of Tanner’s efforts. “He’s worked very hard to be a very good quarterback. It’s a great payoff to see somebody work so hard and get that extra experience out of it.”

Now that Tanner’s back home, there are new goals being set on the heels of this experience.

He currently carries a 4.0 grade-point average in school, saying he enjoys science class most and playing baseball when not out on the football field.  The opportunity to move on from the Avalon Pop Warner program and into the huddle at Timber Creek High School is the next big step he hopes to take.

Who knows, maybe one day he’ll be right back in San Antonio adding to the all-star memories he’s already created.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com and follow at Facebook or @OrlandoSportsJC ) –

Last weekend UCF’s spirit program wrapped up the 2011 College Cheerleading and Dance National Championships at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports. The UCF cheerleaders again proved to be one of the best in the country as they finished third overall in the Division IA cheer finals.

The Knights entered the weekend ranked No. 3 in the Southeast Region behind Alabama and Kentucky, and that proved to be the final results at nationals as the Crimson Tide took first and the Wildcats placed second. UCF’s third-place showing was the fifth-straight season the Black and Gold boasted a top-three finish, including the national title in 2007, the second title overall for the Knights after also winning it all in 2003.

UCF has now earned a top-10 finish at the College Cheerleading and Dance National Championships 16 times in the last 18 years under head coach Linda Gooch, who earlier in the night received the Colonel Gene Moeller Award, which is presented annually to a university administrator who has made a significant impact on their university’s spirit groups.

Rounding out the top five of the Division IA cheer finals were LSU and Kansas.

UCF’s dance team, KnightMoves, earned a spot in the Division IA pom finals Sunday and finished ninth, one spot ahead of UAB. Minnesota took top honors with Cincinnati finishing second.

KnightMoves also took to the stage in the Division IA jazz semifinals Saturday, while Knightro performed in the mascot competition and placed ninth Friday.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com and follow at Facebook or @OrlandoSportsJC ) –

The Tide outgained MSU 546-171 in total yards, holding to Spartans to minus-48 yards on the ground. Alabama was in on five quarterback sacks defensively, and used a balanced offensive attack (275 yards rushing, 271 yards passing) to finish its season 10-3. Michigan State finishes 11-2.

Junior linebacker Courtney Upshaw was named most valuable player after finishing with five tackles (three for loss), two sacks and a forced fumble. Robert Lester (5 tackles) broke up a pass and returned an interception 22 yards. Alex Watkins (4 tackles), Marcell Dareus (3 tackles) and DeQuan Menzie (2 tackles) also recorded sacks for Alabama.

“Coming into the game coach (Nick Saban) talked about being inspired and dominating the person in front of you,” Upshaw said afterwards. “We wanted to dominate and finish the game.”

Michigan State was tackled for a loss 11 times on the day for 70 yards. Edwin Baker gained just 14 yards on 12 carries. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was knocked out of the game after being sacked for the fourth time.

“It was an accumulation of hits that ran its course as the game went on,” Cousins said of being forced to the sideline. “The last one I took was one where I just had a throbbing headache on the field and my lower back started to flare up, so I just felt my body was wearing down as the game went on. That was sort of the final nail in the coffin.”

And while nothing went right for Michigan State, there was little that could go wrong for Alabama during a game that was played in 77-degree weather.

Quarterback Greg McElroy finished 13-of-17 passing for 220 yards and a touchdown to Marquis Maze, who caught four passes for 77 yards. Preston Dial also caught four balls for 55 yards. McElroy now holds the single-season records at Alabama for passing yards (2,914) and touchdowns (20), moving past the top-two previous efforts of John Parker Wilson in 2006 and 2007.

Running back Mark Ingram gained 59 yards and scored twice on 12 carries while Eddie Lacy also reached the end zone twice in the second half on five carries for 86 yards. Trent Richardson rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries and Julio Jones got a big block from McElroy to score on a 35-yard run late in the second quarter. Jones finished with 36 yards on two carries and caught three passes for 49 yards.

The 1,133 receiving yards and 78 receptions for Jones this year are new single-season records at Alabama, surpassing the efforts of D.J. Hall.

Ingram set the new career rushing touchdowns record at Alabama in the second quarter. His 42 scores on the ground is one better than Shaun Alexander finished his career with from 1996-99.

Marcus Hyde (8 tackles) and Greg Jones (8 tackles) led the Spartans on defense.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com or follow @OrlandoSportsJC and Carnahan Chronicles) –

– Photos by Scott McCall –

In case you missed it, the Tuskers lost the UFL title game against the Las Vegas Locomotives 23-20 while the Montreal Alouettes defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 21-18 for the CFL title.

Former UCF football player Keith Shologan finished out his season with Saskatchewan at defensive tackle, making 30 tackles and recording three sacks. Former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson and former Florida quarterback Chris Leak saw playing time this season for Montreal.

– Rollins Soccer Caught In Snowstorm –

The most surprising thing about the Rollins College men’s soccer team playing in the Division II National Championship game this past Saturday was not that they qualified in the first place, but rather the weather conditions they were forced to play in. If you’ve yet to see it, check out the video highlights at NCAA. The Tars lost 3-2 to Northern Kentucky in weather more suitable for a football game, of the American kind.

The Rollins College roster featured several local high school alumni, including seniors Chris Cummings (Ocala St. John Lutheran), Stephen Wright (Winter Park), Bradley Welch (Cypress Creek) and Blade Zych (Lake Brantley). Plenty of local talent returns for next season. View the Tars roster at Rollins Sports.

– High School Football Finals Take Shape –

The high school football state finals begin this weekend at the Citrus Bowl with four games taking place between teams in the lower classifications.

Friday’s finals include Warner Christian Academy vs. Glades Day in Class 1B at 1 p.m., and Trinity Christian Academy vs. American Heritage in Class 1A at 7 p.m. On Saturday it’s Trinity Catholic vs. University School of NSU in Class 2B at 1 p.m., and Cocoa vs. Glades Central in Class 2A at 7 p.m.

The marquee prep football game of the weekend, though, is the Class 6A semifinal between favored Dr. Phillips at Seminole on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The state title games for classes 3A-6A take place Dec. 17-18.

A complete lineup is available at FHSAA.

– College Football Bowl Games Announced –

On Sunday the NCAA announced this season’s bowl game matchups, including the opponent for UCF at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. and the matchups for both contests in Orlando at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

UCF (10-3) is ranked No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and will take on Georgia (6-6) on Dec. 31 at 3:30 p.m. The Knights faced the Bulldogs just once before, losing 24-23 in Athens during a regular season game in 1999. UCF Coach George O’Leary previously faced Georgia on seven different occasions as head coach at Georgia Tech. UCF lost its only trip to the Liberty Bowl against Mississippi State 10-3 following the 2007 season.

Florida Citrus Sports chose to pair West Virginia (9-3) against N.C. State (8-4) in the Champs Sports Bowl on Dec. 28 at 6:30 p.m., and Alabama (9-3) against Michigan State (11-1) in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1 at 1 p.m.

Check back for plenty more coverage of the upcoming bowl season.

– Magic’s Dwight Howard Best In November –

You see where Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for November?

He finished fifth in the Conference in scoring (21.8 points per game) and third in the league with a .594 shooting percentage. Howard also ranked fourth in the league in rebounds (12.1) while helping get the Magic off to a 13-4 start. It’s the fifth time in Howard’s career that he’s earned the league’s Eastern Conference monthly honor, also doing do in April 2006, November 2006, November 2007 and December 2007.

Among the highlights for Howard last month were:

Nov. 3 vs. Minnesota: Recorded 18 points, 16 rebounds and a season-high eight blocks in a 128-86 win over the Timberwolves.

Nov. 5 vs. New Jersey: Tallied 30 points and 16 rebounds in a 105-90 victory over the Nets.

Nov. 24 vs. Miami: Registered 24 points to go along with 18 rebounds in a 111-100 victory over the Heat.

Nov. 27 @ Washington: Compiled a season-high 32 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and hit the game-winning  shot to defeat the Wizards by a score of 100-99.

– UCF Men’s Basketball Out To Fast Start –

The UCF men’s basketball team is out to a 7-0 start for the first time at the Division I level, meaning the Knights have yet to lose under new head coach Donnie Jones. For their efforts, UCF has received votes in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls for the first time since 2006.

On Saturday, following the football team’s Conference USA championship win, the hoops team did away with Southeastern Louisiana 74-49.

Sophomore Keith Clanton tied the school record for blocks in a game when he turned away eight shots in the win. Clanton also finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds, which ties his career high. Tony Davis also blocked eight shots on Dec. 1, 2007 against USF. John Friday blocked seven shots in a game twice in January 1987.

The Knights play again on Saturday, Dec. 11 at UCF Arena against Bethune-Cookman at 5 p.m.

– Edgewater & Timber Creek Alumni In D-II Title Game –

Edgewater High School alum Kaleigh Cunningham finished her collegiate volleyball career as an outside hitter with Tampa in the Division II National Championship on Saturday in Louisville.

Tampa (31-4), who went 15-1 in the Sunshine State Conference, dropped the title match 25-23, 23-25, 26-24, 25-10 to four-time defending champion Concordia-St. Paul (32-4). (See footage at NCAA)

Cunningham finished the season with 313 kills, 220 digs and 12 service aces. Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Yingling (Timber Creek) finished with 266 kills, 369 digs, 25 aces and 24 blocks for Tampa.

– Former UCF Women’s Soccer Player In D-III Title Game –

Former UCF women’s soccer player Alex Brandt finished her sophomore season at Messiah College with an appearance in the Division III National Championship.

Messiah (24-1) lost 2-1 to Hardin-Simmons (24-0-1). Brandt was credited with her 13th assist on the season with 15 minutes to play, when she set up Alicia Frey just outside the box for a goal. (See footage at NCAA)

Brandt, who was named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team in 2009, started in all 25 games this season and scored eight goals as a midfielder. She started 23 games for UCF while finishing the year with two goals and three assists.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com or follow @OrlandoSportsJC and Carnahan Chronicles) –

Bishop Moore Volleyball

Last weekend the Hornets finished third at the prestigious Berkley Premier Invitational in Tampa, losing in five sets to defending Class 3A champion Berkley Prep and national-power Mercy Academy out of Kentucky.

With impressive wins over Plant, Martin County and Alabama’s Huntsville, Bishop Moore Coach Tanya Jarvis has a pretty good idea where her team stands with less than a month left in the season.

“It was definitely the toughest competition we’ve faced all season,” Jarvis said. “We are viewing our third place finish as a success. To be able to play that type of competition was a great opportunity, and both our wins and losses made us stronger.”

Most teams must wait for postseason play to begin before being tested the way Bishop Moore (13-3) has thus far. The Hornets opened up at the Gator Town Classic by going 4-1, losing in the finals to Gainesville Buchholz. Next, they’ll co-host the competitive 48-team Dig Pink Festival at Orlando Sports Center Oct. 8-9.

Bishop Moore will then move on to round out the rest of the season at Dr. Phillips (Oct. 12), at home in a rematch with Buchholz (Oct 18) and senior night against Olympia (Oct. 19), then finally at Winter Park (Oct. 21).

It’s a schedule designed to present the same challenges teams face at the state tournament. A year ago Bishop Moore was bounced in the second round of Class 3A play in a five-set loss to state runners-up Holy Trinity.

“That shook us pretty well,” said Jarvis of the loss. “It’s lit the fire that’s been burning inside us.”

Just two players were lost to graduation from that team. This year’s squad is once again solid all the way around and considered perhaps the best overall team in Central Florida.

The roster features senior leaders in Denise Dearman, Madison Monserez and Carolina Rivas, who along with many of their teammates have played together in highly competitive club tournaments through the Orlando Volleyball Academy.

“Pressure is something that they deal with on a constant basis,” said Jarvis.

And that should set them up for some success down the road.

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

There will be a few new faces on the links in 2010 for the Lake Mary boys golf team as the 2009 FHSAA Class 2A champs look to defend their title.

Lake Mary 2009 State Champs

Last season the Rams won the program’s third state championship since 2004 by an eight-stroke advantage over Martin County at Silver Spring Shores Golf Club. This time around though, Lake Mary fields a senior-laden group as they attempt to turn that success into back-to-back bragging rights by season’s end.

“They know how difficult it’s going to be,” said Lake Mary Coach Doug Peters of his returnees.

Two weeks ago practices began for Lake Mary without individual champion Han Kim (9-under par) and Hojin Kang (3-under), who both began collegiate careers at UCF this month. That means the pressure falls on the clubs of Tyler Calderone (6-over), Nick Spencer (9-over) and Calvin Rosser (13-over) to lead the way.

Peters said they’ve spent the summer staying active on the golf course, eyeing the chance to not only continue their dominance in the Seminole Athletic Conference but to return to the very place they left off in 2009.

“There’s just something special about having a group of seniors with a lot of tournament experience heading into the season,” said Peters. “We’ve just been really fortunate to have had some great talent come through here over the years.”

New to the fold are three transfers, all of which are seniors whom Peters says has fit right in with the team since their arrival.

William Herring moved in from North Carolina and is already committed to NC State, while Sebastian Ostos spent last year in Alabama and Mike Yamin transfers in from Orlando University High School.

Now that the new cast is in place, the Rams get a chance to see how they stack up with season-opening matches at The Golf Club at Cypress Head against Spruce Creek on Wednesday, Sept. 1 then at Twin Rivers Golf Club against Oviedo on Sept. 2.

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