Saints XC coach takes leave of absence
Cross country coach Ken Vinal, who has led Trinity Prep to three consecutive Class 2A boys state championships, has taken a leave of absence from the school and a program that could tie an area record if it wins its fourth consecutive state title in November.
“I’m taking time off to deal with personal issues, with full support of the school,” Vinal said on Wednesday. “I’m blessed. Trinity Prep has been wonderful.”
The Saints race against top teams from all classifications in Saturday’s FlRunners.com Invitational Race of Champions at Chain of Lakes Park in Titusville. Trinity Prep will host the 2A, District 8 meet on Oct. 20 to start its postseason run for the state meet.
“Hopefully, I will be back with the team before the state meet, but there’s no set date for my return,” Vinal said. In his absence Saints girls coach
Sara Dowdy and assistant Mike Hopkins are in charge of the program. Trinity Prep will run on Saturday without key senior Patrick
Salas, who will be taking the SAT subject test.
The massive FlRunners meet begins Friday with eight races.
MLB’s area flavor
Former Boone football/baseball standout Cody Allen recorded his 30th save with a game-ending strikeout as his Cleveland Indians wrapped up the American League Central Division by beating Detroit 7-4 on Monday.
One of Allen’s teammates is shortstop Francisco Lindor, a Montverde Academy grad. The other former area players on teams who have clinched MLB postseason berths are: Texas Rangers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (Umatilla), Washington Nationals pitcher A.J. Cole (Oviedo),
Loaded lineup
This weekend’s Qdoba Tournament of Champions, hosted by Circle Christian at Providence Golf Club in Davenport on Friday and Saturday, has the first and second place finishers from the 2015 boys golf state tournament in all three classifications.
The reigning state champs are Lake Mary (3A), Ponte Vedra (2A) and Lake Mary Prep (1A).
The field for Friday’s 18-hole girls division includes reigning 3A state champ Lake Mary and 1A powers Windermere Prep, Circle Christian and First Academy, which is 23-0 this year.
Delayed drama for golf
Monday’s girls golf showdown between Lake Mary Prep and First Academy, both undefeated, was postponed due to a lightning lockdown at TFA late in the school day.
The teams will now play twice next week. TFA hosts a 9-hole match at MetroWest Golf Club on Tuesday and LMP, hosts a rematch on Thursday at Timacuan Golf Club. TFA played without 2015 Class 1A state champion Kelsey Zeng on Tuesday and still managed to compile a school-record four-under-par 136.
Quick hits
The Florida High School Athletic Association girls volleyball state finals will be played at West Port High School in Ocala, Nov. 10-12. There will be two finals on Thursday night (4A, 5A) and Friday night (2A, 3A) and five Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. in the new nine-class format.
Apopka’s boys and Circle Christian’s girls, reigning state championship bowling programs, will put perfect records on the line in Saturday’s Kegel High School Challenge in Lake Wales.
Lake Minneola (0-4, 0-2) hosts rival East Ridge (2-2, 0-1) in a 7A, District 4 football game tonight.