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Sebring Sweeps Dixie Boys District Title

Matt Flowers/Highlands Today

Sebring players and coaches proudly show off their trophies after winning the Dixie Boys (age 14) District 8 championship on Thursday in Okeechobee.

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Matt Flowers

Published: July 7, 2007

OKEECHOBEE — It wasn't necessarily easy, but winning is winning; and win is the only thing the Dixie Boys (age 14) Sebring All-Stars did this week as they capped a tournament sweep and secured the District 8 crown with a 4-2 win over Okeechobee Thursday night at Okeechobee Sports Complex.

After a week of scorching heat, rain delays and a couple of close calls, Sebring found a way to not just win the title, but march through the six team, double-elimination tournament without suffering a loss.

Head Coach Scott Hoffner gives all the credit to the attitude and hard work his team has shown throughout the week.

"One thing about this team is they never get down," said Hoffner. "We don't have any pouters or cry babies and they always seem to stay up. All of these kids have confidence in each other and that's what I love about this team."

Hoffner also knows that his team will need to kick things up a notch or two if they are to make an impact at state.

With just two weeks until the Dixie Boys State tournament begins in Marianna, these Sebring All-Stars can most likely be found in the batting cages trying to improve on what was a less than expected week at the plate.

It was a stingy defense aided by stellar pitching that carried Sebring through the tournament, something Hoffner both praised and scorns.

"We pull it out every time," said Hoffner. "We always start off slow as well, but with the defense that we've got it's hard to worry. I know if we only score three or four runs we still have a chance to win the game. Our top batters struggled in this tournament. If they can pick it up and the rest of the team can as well, I think we can do pretty well."

Hits were definitely hard to find Thursday for Sebring, as they faced Okeechobee's ace, Branden Farless, who struck out six and carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning.

Sebring catcher Jesse Baker provided the first hit for the boys in blue with a double into left field.

Toby Solebello broke the scoring drought and drove in Baker with an RBI double to give Sebring a 1-0 lead.

Okeechobee answered quickly and loaded the bags in the bottom of the fourth behind a pair of walks and an Ethan McWhorter single.

Mikey McCoin picked up the fielders choice RBI that brought in Drew Selvey to tie the game at one.

Farless added to his big day on the mound with a run-scoring single that plated McWhorter to give Okeechobee a 2-1 lead.

The hard-throwing Farless recorded strikeouts nine, 10 and 11 in the fifth inning to keep the Okeechobee lead.

Sebring managed to find its offense in the top of the sixth inning.

Starting pitcher Evan Lewis got things started with a single into right field and Baker brought his big stick to the plate and sent a worm-burning RBI double down the left-field line.

With the game knotted at two, pinch-runner Brian Van Boven showed superb base running skills and eventually took advantage of a passed ball and came across for the go-ahead run.

With Sebring back on top, Solebello worked himself into scoring position after being intentionally walked.

Farless committed a balk to bring in Solebello for a 4-2 lead.

The Sebring defense put the clamps down in the bottom of the sixth, while Lewis capped off his complete game win with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh inning and the Sebring All-Stars celebrated a district championship with the classic water coolers and trophy shots.

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