Sun Sports

08/17/2024

Babcock put up a good fight in its first-ever game Friday night before falling at Cornerstone, 32-24. The Trailblazers raced out to a 16-6 lead before a big third quarter from the Crusaders flipped the script. All in all, a promising start for the area’s newest program.

08/17/2024

Seven Bullock had a pair of touchdown receptions as Charlotte pulled away from Lemon Bay, 20-6, in the first meeting between the county rivals in 12 years.

PUNTA GORDA — If something truly amazing happens during a Kickoff Classic game, it’s typically because something really bad happened.

08/17/2024

Port Charlotte started fast and didn't take its foot off the gas until it had engaged the running clock at Riverview on Friday.

SARASOTA — What was billed as a matchup of two of the top teams in southwest Florida quickly turned into a blowout at Riverview High School on Friday night.

08/17/2024

Several untimely mistakes snowballed for DeSoto County on Friday at Lakewood Ranch.

LAKEWOOD RANCH — The DeSoto County High School football team went into this season knowing they had nowhere to go but up.

08/17/2024

Venice started a little slow but found its groove during a productive third quarter to win its Kickoff Classic against visiting Gadsden County.

VENICE — In a tune-up game before the real fun begins, Venice used its mulligan to get some mistakes out of its system.

08/16/2024

Charlotte High remembered super fan Jim Walzak and his good friend Dale Baker on Thursday night with a special evening of volleyball.

PUNTA GORDA — “Crazy” Jim Walzak was more than just a huge fan of Charlotte High School athletics; he also went above and beyond whenever the school needed him for

08/16/2024

Lemon Bay's Lucas Sparks scored from 3 yards out, but was stopped on a 2-point attempt to preserve Charlotte's 7-6 victory in a district playoff tiebreaker. That was in 2012. The Tarpons and Mantas haven't met since. That changes Friday night.

Lemon Bay quarterback Lucas Sparks looked across the line at Charlotte’s goal-line defense and called his own number. He easily covered the three yards between him and paydirt with 1:13

08/14/2024

At this point, nobody’s going to doubt what Venice is capable of. However, after two straight seasons ending with losses in the state title — to Lakeland in 2022 and 2023 — the expectations within the program for this season have reached unparalleled heights due to the sour taste that’s lingered over the past couple of years.

VENICE — The 2024 season is a vital one for the Venice football program.

08/14/2024

A junior this upcoming season, Venice offensive lineman Roman Mock has had to be patient during his pursuit of a starting job in the trenches for the Indians. It’s been a pursuit that’s taken him to some highs, but to even lower lows.

VENICE — Venice offensive lineman Roman Mock has been pegged as an expected starter throughout the entire offseason with the work he’s put in from the spring to now.

08/13/2024

One of Port Charlotte’s oldest schools celebrated the opening of its new gymnasium — 30 years in discussion, 10 years in planning, five years in fundraising and one year in construction — with the entire student body and faculty taking part in the festivities on the first day of classes.

PORT CHARLOTTE — Larry Taylor has been with St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School for the past six years, spending most of that time dreaming a dream that others have dreamt

08/13/2024

North Port is stepping up its schedule while continuing to step up its own game in 2024

NORTH PORT — The North Port High football team is about to begin one of the most crucial seasons in program history.

08/12/2024

Youth and prep sports have been back in action for a couple of weeks, but today is the first day of the rest of the school year. Welcome back, kids. Have a great 2024-25. Be kind to your teachers. They give so much.

We’re at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School this morning, where the Crusaders are dedicating their new gymnasium. It has been, to say thr least, a passion project of the fella in this pic dressed as a crusader. Story in Tuesday’s Daily Sun.

08/10/2024

CHARLOTTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: "The foundation for the program, all the standards, they’re set. And now moving forward, this senior class and the juniors know, hey, brick-by-brick, day-by-day, we’re going to keep building and get this program back up to one of the top programs in Southwest Florida."

PUNTA GORDA — The overall record is a really bad way to gauge the progress that has been made at Charlotte after two years of the Cory Mentzer era.

08/10/2024

BABCOCK FOOTBALL PREVIEW: "It’s tough to gauge as far as an expectation of wins and losses. ... Overall, though, I like our schedule. We’re bringing in some big dogs and playing some teams that will show us where the bar is in 8-man football."

BABCOCK RANCH — These are busy times for Andy Habing, Babcock High football coach and, apparently, event coordinator.

08/10/2024

PORT CHARLOTTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: “Every single week, the kids know we have to bring it. There are no real off weeks as opposed to last year. This year you can’t look at the schedule and say that’s a win.”

Port Charlotte head football coach Jordan Ingman doesn’t like all the expectations many have made for his football team, especially from the media.

08/10/2024

LEMON BAY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: “I can’t be anybody but myself at this point. We say, ‘Be here, don’t lie, be nice.’ To be able to build trust in our roster, it’s critical everybody is there on time consistently."

Don Southwell left a lasting legacy on the Lemon Bay High School football team, and left his best work for last, with a deep trip into the postseason in 2023.

08/07/2024

Let’s get weird, folks, and take a look at some possible trap games on every schedule. You might be surprised by a few of ‘em …

IT'S A TRAP! A look at potential upsets lurking on each team's slate

OK, so Admiral Ackbar and the Rebel Alliance might have experience with being caught in a trap, but they’re not the ones to ask about “trap games” in the realm

08/04/2024

The main event at Saturday's the third annual Allens Memorial Alumni Games was a noteworthy Charlotte crew, led in part by local legend Vivian "Cookie" Hall, taking on the best North Port had to offer (photos by Patrick Obley)

08/04/2024

In the second contest of the Allens Memorial Alumni Games, Port Charlotte and Venice's respective roll calls of glory hit the floor at North Port High. (Photos by Patrick Obley)

08/04/2024

There were three highly entertaining contests on Saturday at North Port as a part of the third annual Allens Memorial Alumni Games. Here's some action from the women's game between Port Charlotte and North Port alumni. More photos to come. Look for the story in Monday's edition of The Daily Sun (photos by Patrick Obley)

08/03/2024

FREE TO READ: Pine View alumnus Clark Dean will bring home an Olympic medal as part of the Men's Eight crew that took bronze in Paris.

Pine View alumnus Clark Dean and his Men’s Eight crew took home the bronze medal on Saturday, covering the 1,500 meters in a time of 5:25.28.

08/02/2024

"It’s not fair that we have to work so hard to get to the bottom of an issue or situation, but that’s the world we live in. We need to do that work, or else we’re just going to continue spiraling in the cesspool. I know it’s hard, especially when we have to fight upstream against algorithms that actively seek to keep us tribal."

BE CURIOUS, not judgmental.

08/02/2024

The Sun Preps region is loaded with must-see football talent this season. Be on the lookout for these ballers …

Every football season, there seems to be a particular position of strength across all the programs in the Sun Preps area.

07/31/2024

Venice's rising senior recounts her stellar ... ahem ... summer, and talks about what she expects from the Indians' volleyball team this fall.

One of the area’s top volleyball players contributed at a high level for the state of Florida at one of the more prestigious youth volleyball events in the country earlier

07/31/2024

It was Babcock's turn to hit the field on Tuesday afternoon, with the Trailblazers opening their inaugural fall camp under the steady drone of a nearby helicopter. More on the Trailblazers in Wednesday's edition of The Daily Sun or check later tonight at SunPreps.com ... here's some action from Tuesday's practice by Patrick Obley:

07/30/2024

You’ve seen the photos here, now go read the reports from Day 1 of football practice at six of the seven Sun Preps area programs in today’s Daily Sun and online at SunPreps.com (Babcock’s camp opens today)

07/29/2024

Port Charlotte's expectations were sky-high as fall practice began on Monday morning. For a complete roundup of Day 1 across the Sun Preps region, check out tomorrow's edition of The Daily Sun or head over to SunPreps.com. Here's some action by Tom O'Neill:

07/29/2024

North Port's football team hit the ground Monday with the goal of proving last year's breakthrough was no fluke. Look for a complete roundup of all the teams that were in action on Monday, the first day of fall practice, in tomorrows edition of The Daily Sun, or visit SunPreps.com. Here's some action from Tom O'Neill