SIDELINES: FPC girls basketball freshmen take on leadership roles

It's not typical that freshmen are named captains of a high school sports team. But Flagler Palm Coast girls basketball players Alexandria Connerton and Carolyn O'Lear have been leaders since they began participating in the Bulldogs' offseason program as eighth graders.

"They've really set the tone with their work ethic," coach Anthony Wagner said. "They've worked hard since April when they were in eighth grade. They work hard with everything they do."

With senior Naria Hill out with an injury, O'Lear said she and Connerton have become more vocal.

"Our team captain is injured, so we've helped her out and stepped in a little bit. We're trying to lift everyone up, make sure everyone has their heads up."

— CAROLYN O'LEAR

"Our team captain is injured, so we've helped her out and stepped in a little bit," O'Lear said. "We're trying to lift everyone up, make sure everyone has their heads up."

"Even though we look up (to the seniors), they look up to us too, because we're team players," Connerton said.

The Bulldogs have won four games in a row, defeating each of those opponents by at least 35 points. They are 7-4 heading into the Tampa Christmas Invitational Dec. 28-31 at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex in Wesley Chapel. 

Connerton and senior Hannah Clark lead FPC in scoring. Clark had consecutive career-high scoring games last week with 22 points with four 3-pointers in a 54-19 win over Pine Ridge on Dec. 14 and 29 points with five 3-pointers in a 73-22 drubbing of Atlantic on Dec. 16.

Clark is now averaging 10.5 points per game, while Connerton is averaging 10.0 points per game. Junior Brynn Gifford is averaging 7.2 points, and senior Shy Leblanc is averaging 6.0 points. 

Connerton and O'Lear, who has grabbed a team-high 53 rebounds in 11 games, play together on the Flagler United Youth Basketball travel team, which will be joining AAU this year. The team won three tournament championships over the summer.

Connerton's moved to Flagler County from New Jersey before eighth grade. She said she's been playing on higher-level basketball teams since she was in third grade.

"In New Jersey the basketball is probably more fast-paced," she said.

"We have a mix of young girls who are hungry blending with veterans," Wagner said. "We're starting to hit our stride."

Titles for top-ranked Pirates

Matanzas, the top-ranked girls wrestling team in the state, competed in the Let Freedom Ring Invitational on Dec. 17 in Orlando, and came home with two individual championships.

Mariah Mills won the 110-pound title to improve her record to 12-0 on the season. She won her first three matches by pins and then handed Brittney Vincens of Fort Pierce Central her first loss of the season in the championship with a 9-2 decision.

Brielle Bibla won the 130-pound title, and is also 12-0 this season. She also won her title match over a previously undefeated wrestler, defeating Keyla DeLeon of Freedom, 7-3.

Christina Borgmann (8-1) placed third in the 120-pound class. Kendall Bibla (10-1) placed third in the 140-pound class, Gabrielle Proctor (9-5) placed third in the 145-pound class and Ani Brown placed sixth in the 235-pound class.

The Matanzas boys competed in the Johnny Rouse Invitational duals tournament Dec. 16-17. T.J. McLean (106 pounds) went 7-0 in his matches while Dylan Parkinson (152 pounds) went 6-1.

World-record holder

Bunnell powerlifter Kelly Schlobohm is an all-time world-record holder.

Although the numbers are not yet official, Schlobohm set a new deadlift record of 462 pounds for women age 50-59 in the under-148 pound class with a single-ply suit. She was competing in the King & Queen of the Platform, an RPS federation meet, on Dec. 10-11 in Port Charlotte.

Scholbohm weighed in at 143 pounds. Her other lifts were 430 pounds in the squat, 231 pounds in bench press, and a 1,123-pound total.

"My meet went very well, and I am happy with the lessons learned," she said. "There was some very strict judging and I struggled with my bench press, but I finished top tier."

Her next meet is April 16, 2023 at The Women's Pro/Am, in Cincinnati, which will be on a world stage.

"I will be working hard to bring my numbers up in the meantime, and also be looking for sponsors to help me with the process. It will be an expensive endeavor, unfortunately," she said.

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