Throughout the month of November, the Lakeland Magic and Florida Blue are asking fans to help virtually sell out the RP Funding Center and fill the bowl for those in need as they raise money to fight hunger in the Central Florida community.

The COVID-19 pandemic teamed up with Tropical Storm Eta to alter portions of last week’s high school athletic schedule.

Keymari Odum, a senior for the Ridge Community High School football team, moved from playing quarterback for the Bolts to wide receiver.

The Bartow High football program has had quite the turnaround over the past three seasons, capped by a decisive win over Lake Wales in the Yellow Jackets’ regular season finale Nov. 6.

The high school varsity football season has progressed similar to that of a long roller coaster ride.

The Lake Wales High boys and girls bowling programs were represented at the 2020 FHSAA state bowling championships.

The Bartow and Lake Wales varsity football teams remained undefeated last Friday, while Fort Meade reached the .500 mark the same night with its second straight victory.

The Winter Haven girls volleyball team celebrated the Class 6A-District 15 title after consecutive five-set victories over Harmony and Viera.

Bartow High School varsity football head coach Richard Tate won the Tampa Bay Buccaneers High School Coach of the Week award for Week Three on Oct. 3.

The first meeting of new Polk County rivals in the United Premier Soccer League went to the Florida Tropics.

The Frostproof Bulldogs hosted the Lake Placid Dragons on Oct. 2 and won 40-7, improving to 2-0 on the season.

Lake Region High hosted the Thunder Twilight event last Thursday, Oct. 1, with junior varsity and varsity five-kilometer races for boys and girls.

The FHSAA released girls volleyball district tournament brackets last Wednesday, Sept. 30. Member schools had until Sept. 18 to opt out of the state series, while a blind draw was utilized to determine the initial matchups.

While area high school football teams push through the regular season amid the pandemic, the Florida High School Athletic Association recently unveiled regional assignments on which the state playoffs will be based.

HAINES CITY – Winter Haven Police Department officers won first place in the “Hoops & Heroes” fundraiser basketball tournament, held Oct. 2 to benefit the Ridge Community High School Lady Bolts basketball team.

Freshman defensive tackle Gervon Dexter made the most of his playing time in the University of Florida’s 51-35 victory at Ole Miss last Saturday.

The All Saints Academy girls volleyball has started the season 5-4 and a big part of their success has been the play of Jenna Johnson. Johnson, who is a junior, leads the team in kills with 109 and has the highest percentage of kills on the team with 42.9%.

Lake Region High senior Michael Collins and his Thunder cross country teammates look to utilize a home-course advantage this week.

True freshman Josh Celiscar (Winter Haven) made a significant impact in his first collegiate game with the UCF Knights. Celiscar recovered a first-quarter fumble, registered his first career interception during the second quarter and had one pass reception for 11 yards in the fourth quarter …

The girls varsity volleyball season is progressing faster than a quick set.

For the first time in nearly 18 months, the Florida Tropics took to the outdoor pitch to defend their United Premier Soccer League national championship. The Tropics had a road game Sept. 19, after the time of publication, at the PSE Conquistadors.

Josh Celiscar a true freshman for the UCF football team and a Winter Haven High School alum, made a significant impact in his first collegiate game.

BARTOW — Tilon Simpson scored the first touchdown of the Bartow High School Yellow Jacket varsity football season Sept. 11 against the Lake Region High School Thunder.

Being thankful for the opportunity to play a high school football game outweighed the importance of wins and losses.

Zay Mathis turned in a career-best performance for All Saints Academy against City of Life Christian Academy, as he rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns in a 64-6 win on Sept. 4.

Warner University and Southeastern University picked up season-opening victories last Saturday.

Sept. 18 has emerged as a significant date when the Florida High School Athletic Association released its plan for the fall sports season.

Auburndale High School graduate Artavis Pierce was among 18 players waived last Saturday by the Chicago Bears, as National Football League teams reached the mandatory 53-player limit in preparation for the start of the 2020 regular season.

Heading into his final year on the gridiron at Winter Haven High School, Jakobe Lane is set to lead a relatively young team this season. Lane is one of four siblings to play football at Winter Haven High.

What will a fall season of local collegiate athletics look like during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Justin Stewart turned in a solid summer on the mound for the Leesburg Lightning, a team in the Florida Collegiate Summer League — a showcase and development league for college baseball players.

WINTER HAVEN – Organizers of an open bass tournament at Tanner's Lakeside on Sept. 12 want to create a college scholarship for young anglers.

Coming off of a solid summer for the Winter Garden Squeeze, Auburndale High alum Nicholas Shower is looking to continue that momentum into next spring in his final season at Ohio Valley University. For the Squeeze, Shower went 3-1 on the mound.

A partnership between local disc golfers and Polk County’s Parks and Natural Resources planning staff was recently awarded for its collaboration in creating a new disc golf course at Loyce E. Harpe Park, in Mulberry.

The Florida High School Athletic Association released the pause button last Friday and finalized a start date for the upcoming fall sports season.

Heading into her senior year at George Jenkins High School, Alicia Ruiz’s accomplishments separate as one of the top track and cross country runners in the state.

When the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors holds a much-anticipated meeting later this week at a hotel in Gainesville, a total of five months will have passed without sanctioned athletic competition.

The Florida Collegiate Summer League’s 2020 baseball season concluded last Friday with the Sanford River Rats defeating the host Leesburg Lightning 6-3 at Pat Thomas Stadium. Sanford swept the League Championship Series (two games to none) for the fifth title in franchise history.

JoJo Debree hit a grand slam in the semifinal of a travel baseball tournament earlier this summer, helping to lift the Winter Haven Elite travel ball team to the finals, where they would also win 11-9.

With each passing day last week, the probability that the Florida High School Athletic Association’s fall season would start in July faded. Eventually those hopes disappeared.

Sports change quickly and unpredictably during a health crisis, but so far the summer is allowing some baseball players like Jakob Runnels to resume their career.

WINTER HAVEN — Kris Dehnert’s colleagues affectionately call him “Promo.”

Nick Collins, who appeared in 11 games as a freshman during Polk State College’s shortened 2020 baseball season, was named the Florida Collegiate Summer League Week 2 Player of the Week (July 6-11).