A few more sports-related thoughts as the month of April winds down in Polk County…

Kyle Meadows helped set the tone for All Saints Academy’s boys lacrosse team on its journey to an 11-5 record this season.

Piecing together sports news as high school football nears the start of spring practice…

Polk State women’s soccer rallied from a 2-0 deficit to soar past the Daytona State Falcons 4-2 April 17 in Lakeland. The Falcons rank No. 14 in NJCAA D1.

After devoting articles to the recent NBA G League bubble season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, it is fitting to mention the recent developments regarding now-former Lakeland Magic head coach Stan Heath.

Ten-year-old Cal O'Connor, of Winter Haven, participated in the Cypress Gardens “All American” Water Ski Tournament on Saturday, April 10, on Lake Silver in downtown Winter Haven.

Piecing together some sports items as we emerge from the Easter holiday…

The Florida Tropics exited the Major Arena Soccer League playoffs the same way they entered it – still looking for their first-ever postseason win.

The Ridge Community High softball team hosted Lake Wales Thursday, April 1, and the host Bolts fell to the visiting Highlanders 18-5.

WINTER HAVEN — When the COVID-19 pandemic shortened the Polk State softball team’s season in 2020, Osheiauna Phifer was bummed out — as were thousands of athletes near and far.

WINTER HAVEN — The Winter Haven High boys lacrosse team hosted and defeated the Lake Wales Highlanders Wednesday night, 13-5, in an east Polk showdown at Denison Stadium.

Of the area high school programs with the potential to play championship-caliber softball this spring, two in particular are leading the charge.

A seventh-inning rally by Haines City kept host Lake Region High from claiming top honors at last week’s Thunder Spring Classic.

WINTER HAVEN — The Winter Haven High baseball team hosted Lakeland Christian on Wednesday, March 24, as part of their 2021 Blue Devil Classic.

The tradition-rich Lake Wales football program will take a step back in time with the Florida High School Athletic Association’s recent vote for a one-year reclassification cycle.

On March 17, the Winter Haven Blue Devils girls lacrosse team hosted the nearby Discovery Spartans, of Lake Alfred. The game was also Senior Night for the home team.

LAKELAND — In the end, the Bartow Yellow Jackets didn’t just repeat as FHSAA Class 6A State Champions — they were dominant in doing so.

LAKELAND — The Bartow High boys basketball team dominated Ocala Forest in the FHSAA Class 6A State Semifinals Thursday night, topping the Wildcats 63-24 at the RP Funding Center.

For a second consecutive season, the Winter Haven High School girls basketball team’s season ended in the Final Four in Lakeland.

The Bartow High boys basketball team enjoyed its trip last year to Lakeland for the FHSAA Final Four so much that the Yellow Jackets are going back.

The staff for the athletics department at soon-to-be-opened Davenport High School continues to take shape.

On Sunday, Feb. 28, Winter Haven native Trey Mancini received a standing ovation during his first live at-bat after missing the 2020 season while recovering from Stage 3 colon cancer.

WAHNETA — Aguilar Boxing Club started out as a few pieces of plywood on the ground and a some punching bags hung up in a carport.

Polk State third baseman Rohsean Riley has gotten off to a great start this spring, batting .327 with 14 runs driven in and an on-base percentage of .581 through 14 games this season.

Auburndale High senior Emily Hart winning a state weightlifting championship on the Valentine’s Day weekend certainly seems fitting, doesn’t it?

Milestones abound at Discovery High after the school satisfied the conditions of provisional membership and earned full membership in the Florida High School Athletic Association for the 2020-21 season, but the Spartans’ boys basketball program is a particularly feel-good story.

Sports are in full swing for Polk State College, with several home dates upcoming for the Eagles various teams competing this spring.

The All Saints Academy boys soccer team is 14-1 so far this season, earning themselves a first round bye in the district tournament.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship presents “Knucklemania” on Friday, Feb. 5, at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The event will be broadcast live on Pay-Per-View in addition to streaming through FITE.TV with a starting time of 9 p.m.

A strong start to each half powered Bartow High’s boys varsity basketball team past Providence School of Jacksonville last Saturday. Tyrone Smith (five 3-pointers) and Amarion Frazier scored 17 points apiece in the Yellow Jackets’ 54-45 victory. Bartow, which improved to 14-4 overall, outsco…

A healthy appetite for high school athletic competition remains, but Polk County has a noticeably full plate this week.

The Florida Tropics saw their undefeated start to the Major Arena Soccer League season come to an end Sunday, as the host St. Louis Ambush took a 8-4 win over Florida.

Polk County Public Schools staff announced Wednesday, Jan. 27, that the school district will limit attendance at athletic events for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year in an effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

Three of Polk State College’s five athletics programs returned to action within the past week, with a fourth set to begin play this week.

The RP Funding Center in Lakeland hosted the FHSAA Competitive Cheerleading State Championships this past weekend, with a pair of Polk County teams winning state titles.

Novel coronavirus-related issues continue to be the norm – especially for tournament organizers.

Florida High School Athletic Association regional meets involving area schools are scheduled for this week: Class 3A-3 (Jan. 30 at St. Cloud High), Class 2A-3 (Jan. 28 at River Ridge High) and Class 1A-4 (Jan. 30 at Lemon Bay High).

LAKELAND — The Florida Tropics have started their 2021 season 4-0 after winning back-to-back games against the Kansas City Comets this past weekend.

On the heels of a holiday break that featured no competition, the next phase of the 2020-21 high school varsity basketball season tipped off last week.

Ridge Community High School's Chris Davidson has been named the 2020 High School Coach of the Year by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

University of Kansas sophomore guard Zakiyah Franklin (Winter Haven) scored 15 points in the Jayhawks’ 78-59 women’s basketball victory over New Mexico State on Dec. 29 at Allen Fieldhouse. Franklin, who was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team last season, also scored in double figures (10…

The NBA G League announced Jan. 8 that the 2021 NBA G League Season will tipoff in February on a single-site location at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando.

The RP Funding Center in Lakeland will host the 2021 Florida High School Competitive Cheerleading State Championships on January 22-23.

After a quiet debut the day prior, Major Arena Soccer League star Ian Bennett erupted for three goals in the second half Jan. 3 to lift the Florida Tropics to a 7-5 win over the St. Louis Ambush Sunday at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Polk County Public Schools staff announced last week the district is temporarily suspending all athletics programs in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

WINTER HAVEN — On Dec. 14, the Winter Haven City Commission voted to again partner with the Polk County Board of County Commissioners to expand Chain of Lakes Park surrounding the AdventHealth Fieldhouse.

When the pandemic set in, Winter Haven resident Yvette Fox couldn't go to the gym to workout, so she took some old weights out of storage and converted her garage into a gym.

Courtney Blastic has helped play an important role in the Winter Haven High girls soccer team’s 3-1-1 start this season. Blastic plays forward and has been on varsity since her freshman year. She is currently a junior.

Winter Haven High School girls basketball standout Trinity Hardy announced her commitment to further her education and basketball career at the United States Military Academy at West Point on November 21.

The Auburndale boys basketball team swept all four games it played last week, including wins over nearby Winter Haven and a well-regarded Windermere team out of Orange County, to improve to 8-0 on the season.