Commentary | East Manatee Admirals a victory short of national youth hockey title
The lone Manatee County high school hockey team, the East Manatee Admirals, made a stirring run at this past week's USA Hockey National Championships in St. Louis. Playing in the combined high school division, the Admirals ran roughshod over the competition in their first four games.
Manatee made it to the semifinals, before Cherry Creek (Colorado) bested the Admirals, 6-4.
The Admirals ran through pool play by outscoring their opponents 18-2, and then defeated the Rushmore Thunder (South Dakota) 8-1 in the quarterfinals to set up Sunday's semifinal game against Cherry Creek, which ended up claiming the national title Monday.
David Tmej led the team with 14 points (nine goals, five assists). Other multi-goal scorers included: Chase Bafia (four goals), Ian Deckard (three goals), Rhett Rampinelli (three goals), Foster Burroughs (two goals), Patrick Kenefick (two goals) and Nicholas Walters (two goals).
Peter Morgan had the most assists with seven in the five games.
Deckard and Tmej had five assists, while Bafia, Burroughs, Kenefick and Rampinelli each record four assists apiece.
Men vs. women
A coed softball doubleheader is scheduled for this Friday at Palma Sola Park in West Bradenton.
The 70-plus Silver Bells, a women's softball team, is playing the Bradenton Se
nior Softball team, which is comprised of players 75 and older (two members are 86 years old).
The first game is slated for a 9 a.m. start.
The two sides split last year's tilt.
Top 10 finishes galore
Bradenton's Jonah Durst logged the best finish for Manatee County athletes in their age groups competing at Sunday's Sixth Annual Florida Beach Halfathon and 5K Race at Fort DeSoto Park. The 12-year-old Durst logged a time of two hours, 14 minutes and 31 seconds to take second place in the male 14-and-younger division. Other top 10 finishes included: Lakewood Ranch's Caitlin Camire (2:16:08, fifth place in female 15-19 year olds), Bradenton's Jenna Durst (2:38:21, 10th place in female 15-19s), Parrish's Michael Goreski (1:46:14, 10th place in male 30-34s), Bradenton's Kerseten Schroeder (1:42:13, fifth place in male 35-39s), Bradenton's Brooke James (1:53:47, seventh place in female 40-44s), Lakewood Ranch's Paul Zook (1:40:14, 10th place in male 45-49s), Bradenton's Lois Davis (1:57:04, sixth place in female 45-49s), Parrish's Tami Pippin (2:03:54, seventh place in female 50-54s) and Bradenton's Mark Berte (1:54:27, ninth place in male 55-59s).
Jason Dill, sports reporter, can be reached at 745-7017 or via email at jdill@bradenton.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason__Dill or on his Facebook page at Jason Dill Bradenton Herald.
This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Commentary | East Manatee Admirals a victory short of national youth hockey title ."