Hernando High School

(BROOKSVILLE)- June 25, 1992 was a tragic day for all those who knew of former Philadelphia Eagles’ great Jerome Brown.

At the prime, young age of 27, Brown died in an automobile accident in Brooksville and his death hit Hernando County, Philadelphia and the National Football League hard. This past Sunday would’ve marked Brown’s 53rd birthday and with the Eagles playing the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, Philadelphia delivered the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ it’s first championship.

(Brooksville)- It has taken a full five seasons, but Hernando is finally back in the postseason. 

The last time the Leopards qualified for the FHSAA state playoffs was in 2012 under then coach Dwayne Mobley. The end result ended up being Hernando being ousted in the opening round 60-3 by Gainesville. Hernando isn’t looking to have a similar result occur when they welcome Green Cove Springs Clay into town Friday night for a Class 5A, Region 2 quarterfinal matchup. 

BROOKSVILLE- There hasn’t been a game in quite some time that’s quite caught the attention of prep football fans in Hernando County like Thursday night’s Class 5A, District 7 meeting between Hernando and Nature Coast at Tom Fisher Stadium. 

The last time Nature Coast lost to an in-county opponent was 2014 against Springstead in a 23-20 affair early in the regular season. Fast forward to 2017 and the Sharks are in a precarious spot after losing a crucial district contest to Inverness Citrus 37-27 on the road. It’s made this Thursday’s game that much more meaningful. 

Trevor Foley has already helped his Hernando High cross country team collect one trophy. On Saturday, Foley and the Leopards will try for another at the Class 2A, Region II Meet in Ocala. Taking it easy with a hip injury, Foley still crossed the finish line first in last week’s 2A-District 7 Meet at the Weeki Wachee Preserve, running 17:19.55, which is actually his slowest time in two years on the prep level.

There were times when Ali Bronson wondered if she’d ever make it all the way back, whether she could return to the form that made her perhaps the county’s most dominant volleyball player the past two years. As a freshman, she had 118 kills. Then came another 289 as a sophomore. Each year, her Hernando High team won a district championship.

Pierce Kimbrough nearly didn’t play high school golf at all this year. He’s a baseball player first and foremost, and he hadn’t even picked up a club in preparation for the start of the current season. “I’ve done it for three years, why not one more?” Kimbrough said.

Friday night in Hernando County, it was good to be a running back named Smith. A debate could probably go on for days over just who had the superior performance: Nature Coast’s DeShawn Smith or Central’s De’Vonta Smith.

The Hernando High football squad is in the second year of its rebuild under head coach Bill Vonada, and the veteran mentor will assuredly need to lean on his upperclassmen. That’s where players such as senior defensive end Tyson Libengood come into the equation. “His experience on the defense and in the heat of battle makes him a natural leader,” Vonada said. “He has some of the best physical potential on our defensive front… He works extremely hard in the weight room, and is willing to do the extra things. He is one of our best cover guys on punt.”

So far, Austin Sternberger's prep career has gone far from smoothly. First the Hernando High left inside linebacker broke his collarbone two summers ago, costing him his entire sophomore season. Then he broke it again last spring, and though it didn't officially cost him any games, it certainly had an impact.

"I had to overcome a lot. I was smaller than everybody, weaker than everybody," Sternberger said. "I was out a total of 25 weeks. I really never got back to my top strength until way into my junior year.