Article and Photography by ALICE MARY HERDEN
Hernando Christian Academy (HCA) had a solid win Thursday night against Cornerstone Academy. Cornerstone had one loss in 2018 (10-1) and went undefeated the year (12-0) before. The last time HCA played against them was back in 2016 at the semi-finals. HCA won 54 to 29. The Lions proceeded to the Championship only to fall to Geneva in a close game 36-39. HCA will face Geneva in Lakeland on October 18.
Article and Photography by ALICE MARY HERDEN
On Thursday night Sept. 5, Hernando Christian Academy held their first 6-man football game against Newberry Christian Community, and it was a glorious win for the Lions; 43-12.
There was an uncertainty of how the team would perform due to practice cancellations, but Coach Raley was pleasantly surprised by the team’s ability to pull it off.
Hurricane Irma is in the rearview mirror, but her impacts are still being felt. High school sports may be a low-level concern as the state recovers from the storm, however coaches and administrators are nonetheless scrambling trying to figure out how to move forward.
In Hernando County, where school and all activities had already been called off last Thursday through Saturday in preparation for Irma, prep sports have been shut down until Monday, when all schools will reopen. That means no practices and no games, even if they’re off campus or outside the county.
Back in February, Central’s football team dominated National Signing Day with four football players officially inking with college programs.
That quartet included the state’s leading rusher, De’Vonta Smith (Division I Appalachian State), defensive back Dominique Walker (D-I Florida Championship Subdivision FAMU), linebacker Josh Rivera (D-II Lincoln University in Pennsylvania) and safety Sam Garner (NAIA Webber International).
Those were far from the only signings among the six county schools, however, and they weren’t the only signees from Central, either.
On April 29th 2017, the Brooksville Police department received a complaint that alleged that multiple sex offenses were committed at a house in Southern Hill Plantation. An investigation led to the arrest of Bruce P. McAllister a staff member of Hernando Christian Academy on May 11th. The police report stated "that the husband of a principal at Hernando Christian Academy used a school sponsored foreign exchange program to lure victims to his home.
The field wasn’t as complete as originally intended, but for the Nature Coast boys and girls tennis teams, what turned out be a county invitational this week proved a rewarding experience.
While the boys went down to the wire to edge Weeki Wachee, the Lady Sharks dominated two other county squads, as both captured first place in the tournament that was held Thursday and Friday at Delta Woods Park.
BROOKSVILLE – For two out of three of the remaining Hernando County girls basketball squads, Thursday night will be one forever immortalized in the record books.
BROOKSVILLE – This one felt different. A year ago, it was all new, collecting the first district championship in team history.
But on Friday night, Hernando Christian Academy’s girls basketball team still had plenty to celebrate. The Lady Lions took control in the second half and rolled to a repeat, downing Ocala-St. John Lutheran in the Class 2A, District 4 final on their own court, 41-32.
A football team that has gone a combined 22-2 the past two seasons figured to draw plenty of interest for its head coaching vacancy.
No surprise then that Nature Coast received over 80 resumes for its opening this past month, which the school filled this week with the hiring of Kissimmee-Liberty headman Cory Johns.
“It was one of those opportunities I couldn’t pass up,” Johns said. “I’m not into bouncing around. I’m looking for a place to be for a very long time, or at least as long as they’ll keep me. This place looked like it.
Nature Coast’s girl weightlifting team continued its march toward the state meet on Saturday, at the Class 1A, Region 5 Meet hosted by Belleview.
The Lady Sharks, hoping to compete for a state crown after finishing as the runners-up a year ago, took second in this meet to Ocala-Lake Weir, 38-42.
