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Dreamin' of more Blue and Gold
Diego Figueroa (Catholic, Class of 2010) - I've known only a handful of athletes during my time here that are good enough to play two sports in college. This young man is good at three. Figueroa is the placekicker on the Crusader football team and is one of their top tennis players. But what he's known for best in Gulf Breeze is being a member of the Bayside Thunder with many Dolphin soccer players. He's also one of a select group of players that can say he scored goals in more than one game against the Dolphins. Plus, I know a certain junior varsity soccer player that would love to see him in blue and gold, rather than green and gold. Lori Fletcher (Navarre, Class of 2009) - I know of a particular Dolphin basketball player that wishes this lady had more blue and gold in her closet. Despite her playing 'down the highway,' I've never heard anyone say a bad thing about her. Probably because of the aforementioned Dolphin basketball player. Fletcher plays the game the right way and never gets rattled on the court - someone every coach, regardless of sport, can appreciate. She's also looking to play basketball at the next level. Janelle Grooms (Navarre, Class of 2004) - Before her younger brother Sam was running track at GBHS, Janelle Grooms was establishing herself as arguably the best female track athlete in Navarre's young history. Grooms went to state all four years, placing third in three events (300 meter hurdles, 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays) her senior year. Now she's helping Tom Aldridge with this year's GBHS team. Julianne Haun (Navarre, Class of 2009) - Haun, a junior last year, played a big part in Navarre's district runner up team in volleyball. That summer, she played in a college showcase that GBHS senior Celia Eddy was attending. The two became good friends and since the end of the high school season, have been teammates twice - during the Pensacola Spots Association All Star game and with the West Florida Volleyball Club in the current club season with current Lady Dolphins Jasmine Crowell and Tristan Powers. Louis Hines (Catholic, Class of 2008) - Hines, like Figueroa, spent part of his high school years playing select soccer at Bayside with many GBHS players. He's now playing soccer at Huntingdon College. He's also been known to root for the Dolphins when he's not back at his old stomping grounds. Sharif Hudson (Washington, Class of 2010) - Before Hudson became a star for the Wildcat basketball team, he was a standout at the Rec Center playing in the Gulf Breeze Sports Association's basketball league. Hudson was instrumental in Washington's come from behind win over the Dolphins on Jan. 27, scoring 13 points. Angelina Malamo (Washington, Class of 2009) - Malamo has been seen at numerous GBHS sporting events over the years due to her friendship with several members of the Lady Dolphin softball team. Malamo, who was awarded one of four scholarships during the inaugural Kessler Memorial Basketball Tournament in December, is a standout player at Washington High School as an outfielder and catcher. During the summer, she plays with Southern Legacy, a select softball team that also several starters from this year's GBHS team. And there's more - she has something like an 8.2 grade point average. Look for her to possibly find a cure for cancer after graduating from Florida in 2013. Kyle Sarra (Catholic, Class of 2007) - When he began his career at Catholic, I was calling Sarra 'Gulf Breeze's favorite Crusader.' That was until my cousins started going there - sorry, Kyle. During his time at Catholic, Sarra helped the Crusader baseball team go to state three times, as well as aiding the Crusaders to the district title in basketball his senior year. Sarra, who spent several summers winning baseball tournaments for the Gulf Breeze Storm, is now back at his alma mater, coaching the junior varsity baseball team. Maggie Swinford (Washington, Class of 2010) - Like Malamo, Swinford spends her summers playing for Southern Legacy. Like Hudson, Swinford was also a standout during in her 'younger days' playing softball at GBSA. Swinford and Malamo are two of the standouts on the Lady Wildcat softball team. Swinford also played basketball at Washington. Lindsay Williams (Washington, Class of 2008) - Williams could've been confused for a GBHS student for all the soccer matches she attended when she wasn't playing at Washington. Williams, who was a member of Florida's Southeastern Conference championship team last fall, is arguably one of the best players ever to play at Washington and their long-time coach Kenny Morgan. It was her bomb from more than 30 yards out in overtime that put Washington into the state tournament in 2006 and ended the Lady Dolphins' season. Safe to say, her GBHS friends have long forgiven her for that. |
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