Tonight (5/12) the Sunshine Athletic Conference met for the spring sports All Conference nomination and vote. Gulf softball came away very well represented. Former coach Rick Hohenthaner was able to place a total of 6 Buccaneers to All Conference teams. Nikki Sedivy was the unanimous choice for 1st Team All Conference catcher, Haley McCarthy, 1st Team All Conference outfield and Tarra Rice, 1st Team All Conference utility player. But the fun didn’t end there. Rachel Gardner narrowly missed 1st Team selection but came in as a 2nd Team All Conference infield. To round out the excitement, Madison Morlan concluded her stellar career at Gulf with a 3rd Team All Conference selection as pitcher. As it was last season, the voting was very close between 1st, 2nd & 3rd teams for the pitching position. Brittney Pressler completes the 6 pack of outstanding Buccaneers with her 3rd Team choice for infield. This marks her second selection in as many years for the sophomore pitcher and infielder.
The six selections sets a new high for the amount of players voted on and chosen by the 13 Pasco county schools. The previous high was five as recent as 2013.
This evening also produced one additional award. Coach Rick Hohenthaner was voted 2014 Co – Coach of the Year. The award was shared with Coach Scott Bisbie from Mitchell. This marked the first time in his 12 years of coaching in the SAC that Coach Hohenthaner was voted with this honor. 2014 also was the first year in the fast-pitch era that Gulf held a piece of the SAC title.
For the underclassmen, Brittney and Haley, the path is clear now. You have been a part of something very special and now you know what is needed to continue. Congratulations to each of you. 2015 will come quickly, be sure you have your team ready to follow in your footsteps of success and they too may be selected.
The seniors who are leaving, Madison, Nikki, Rachel & Tarra, thank you for the memories. In your 4 years you established a precedence of winning that is envied by many. Overcame obstacles both on and off the field and showed the underclassmen what it takes to be a varsity player for Gulf softball. 2013 5A-8 District Champion, 2014 SAC Co-Champion, both done for the first time in the fast-pitch era. Now you can leave, head high, because the coaches in Pasco county have validated your success by naming each of you to the 2014 All Conference team. I couldn’t be more proud than I am today. Best wishes and GO BUCS!
Coach Rich Hohenthaner
(Photos provided by Coach: Gardner, McCarthy, Morlan, Pressler, Rice, Sedivy)