Community sports | Manatee Wildcats send two cheerleading teams to nationals
Although Manatee County's Pop Warner Little Scholars football teams have been done for a few weeks, the county will send a cheerleading team to the national championship in Orlando this month.
The Manatee Wildcats pee wee and midget cheerleading teams took first place at the Southeast region championship Saturday, clinching a trip to Disney World on Dec. 9 to compete for the pee wee national championship.
The Wildcats also had their junior pee wee and junior midget teams at the region championship, with the junior midget squad claiming a fourth place finish.
Registration is also open for Manatee lacrosse. Boys teams are available in the U9, U11 U13 and U15 age groups. For girls, the Wildcats field elementary and middle school teams.
Turkey Trot trophies
While Bradenton was hosting its own Turkey Trot on Thursday, Sarasota ran its own and a Manatee County resident finished second his age group and won the bronze medal overall on Thanksgiving.
Calvin Drake, a 13-year-old from Bradenton, finished the 5K in 19:25 to be the runner-up his age group and finish third at the Turkey Trot. Drake's time was 1:47 behind 14-year-old Wyatt Sullivan's gold-medal time of 17:33. Sullivan also took
first in the 14-and-under age group.
Jingle Jam softball
The Jingle Jam, a USSSA qualifier and Miss Manatee softball tournament, begins at Lakewood Ranch Park on Saturday. Divisions will be fielded for 18U, 15U, 13U, 11U and 9U players with each team being guaranteed at least four games.
Snowbird Outlaw Nationals
Bradenton Motorsports Park first major event of the winter begins Friday when Bradenton plays host to the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals.
Testing begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday before races start at 1 a.m. on Friday and the Jet Jam Night of Fire headlines the weekend Saturday. The event finishes Sunday with bracket play starting at 9 a.m.
David B. Wilson, sports reporter, can be reached at 745-7057 or via email at dwilson@bradenton.com. Follow him on Twitter @DBWilson2.
This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 11:38 PM with the headline "Community sports | Manatee Wildcats send two cheerleading teams to nationals ."