Melanie Rodriguez, #20, cans a free throw from the charity stripe in the win over Community Christian.
Ruskin Warriors sweep four last Friday
Full slate at home Jan. 10
By Steve Jackson
Ruskin Christian School (RCS) Warriors’ basketball teams swept all four games from Community Christian of Sarasota last Friday.
The boys clobbered the undermanned Community varsity 56-16. The Warrior girls’ varsity nipped the Community girls 29-28. On the JV level, the boys won easily 46-13 while the girls also won 24-18.
The Warriors’ boys’ varsity closed out 2018 with a game at Palm Grove Monday after press deadline. The varsity boys are back in action after the holiday break at Calvary Lakeland on Jan. 8. The next full slate of home games for all four Warrior basketball teams is Jan. 10 when Bell Creek comes to Ruskin with tipoffs at 3:30, 4:30, 6 and, finally, 7:30 p.m. for the boys.
Against Community Christian Dec. 14, the boys raced out to a 17-3 first quarter lead and a 38-10 halftime lead before swamping the visitors 56-16 as Assistant Coach Paul Northrop temporarily ran the team in the absence of Head Coach Micah Bonner.
Ruskin Christian School junior Jesse Mobley led the point parade with 14. Senior Noah Statham and junior Anthony Jacobs added 10 each. Caleb Statham, a sophomore, chipped in with 7 points. Other Warriors denting the scorebook were: Junior Gabe Hangen (4), sophomore Raymond Mobley, sophomore Bryan Parenteau, senior Dylan Northrop, and sophomore Gino Titus, all with 2; and junior Conner Kirk, 1.
The Community rout puts RCS at 7-3 overall and 5-2 in District 10, good for second place, heading into the Palm Grove contest Dec. 17, which the Warriors are favored to win for the fifth straight game. Stat leaders so far are: Points per game Mobley (16.2), Jacobs (9.9), and C. Statham (8.5). Top rebounders per game are Jacobs, 5.4; and Mobley, 4.8
As for the girls against Community, it was nip and tuck right down to the final buzzer, with the Warriors eeking out the 29-28 win under Coach Charlie Lewis and his assistant and wife, Coco Lewis. Junior Melanie Rodriquez came up big for the Lady Warriors with 14 points.
The varsity boys have already won over Bell Creek 60-38, Land O’Lakes 58-17, Central Baptist 70-52, Land O’Lakes, 55-29, Citrus Park 64-35, Providence 56-55. Losses have come at the hands of Providence 50-39, Grace 66-40 and Landmark 68-65.
Ruskin Christian School 2018-19 Varsity Boys Warriors, front row from left: Bryan Parenteau, Raymond Mobley, Caleb Strtham, Gabriel Hangen, Gino Titus. Back row: Jesse Mobley, Dylan Northrop, Anthony Jacobs, Noah Stratham, Sam Tuch, Conner Kick, and assistant coach Paul Northrop. (Missing: Head Coach Micah Bonner).
Ruskin Christian School 2018-19 Varsity Girls Warriors, front row from left: Aimee Gulotta, Lily Tyer, Emma Lewis, Mackenzie Vires. Back row from left: Head Coach Charlie Lewis, Sophia McDaniel, Kelsey French, Melanie Rodriguez, Klarissa Solis, Kristina LoRe and Assistant Coach Coco Lewis.
STEVE JACKSON PHOTOS
Ruskin Christian’s Anthony Jacobs, #25, hits a jumper over the outstretched arm of a Community Christian defender.
Noah Stratham, #22, pulls down a rebound in the Community Christian game last Friday.
Caleb Stratham, #14, completes a fast break for RCS in the win over the visitors from Sarasota.
