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Highlands Today

Eight Of Highlands County's Own Have Found A Home With The Panthers

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Panther sophomore Steve Levine is a former Lake Placid star pitcher and is now one of the leaders for SFCC.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: January 25, 2008

WHO ARE THEY?
Hailing from throughout Highlands County, these players have played together since childhood:
Avon Park
Johnny Sedlock Matt Devlin
Taiwan Perry
Sebring
Ryan Thorlton
J.T. Tomlinson
Corey Ritter
Chaz Abeln
Lake Placid
Steve Levine

AVON PARK — Think back to high school baseball last season.

Picture Avon Park's Johnny Sedlock's curve ball striking out batter after batter or Sebring's J.T. Tomlinson getting a timely hit. Or remember Blue Streak hurler Chaz Abeln pitching a complete game to get his team into the state's final four.

Now picture all those kids and more from the area making the same plays for the South Florida Community College Panther team.

"That's magic," said Sebring's Corey Ritter.

It just might be.

SFCC head coach Rick Hitt has always prided himself on recruiting the best available talent no matter where they live, and this season, he didn't have to go too far to get some of the best.

"I go out and recruit the best I can for this Panther team," Hitt said. "It just so happens that some recruits live here in the area. Obviously, you'd like, as a coach, to recruit a whole team from the area, but that isn't realistic.

"This speaks volumes about the rise in talent level of the players coming out of the area."

Eight Panther players are from Highlands County — the most since the Panthers' first season back on the field in 1997.

Avon Park's Johnny Sedlock, Matt Devlin and Taiwan Perry, along with Sebring's Ryan Thorlton, J.T. Tomlinson, Corey Ritter and Chaz Abeln and sophomore Steve Levine from Lake Placid have all played together since childhood.

"I've played with these local boys for years and having all of them on the roster does help with chemistry," Levine said. "They come to me for advice and I try to school them on some things, but they'll have to experience a lot for themselves."

The addition of Abeln was unexpected, but a welcomed surprise coming into the season. The former Blue Streak hurler was recruited by Florida International University and enrolled at the school in the fall, but a coaching change over the summer and changes in his role on that team gave him a moment of pause.

"[FIU] just didn't feel right when I got down there," Abeln said. "I wasn't Coach Turtle's guy, and I didn't feel it was the right situation for me.

"I'm glad to be here back at home and its been an easy transition. I've played with these guys most of my life. It'll be nice to have the home crowd and bring some of the magic we had at Sebring last season."

Coach Hitt is happy to have Abeln's arm and bat in his lineup.

"Something changed Chaz's mind when he got down to FIU," Hitt said. "It could've been to keep his draft options open or the coaching change down there. No matter the reasons, he's a nice addition to this pitching staff and I'm really excited he chose us."

The transition to college ball has numerous personal landmines that can trip a player up — and not all of them are on the field. Acclimating to the higher level of academics can be just as hard as acclimating to a college-level fast ball.

"It's a lot more demanding than it was in high school," Ritter said. "The mandatory study halls have really helped, and you have to make time for your school work. This is what being a student-athlete is all about."

Tomlinson said his transition has been more of a physical journey for him than a mental one.
"Conditioning was the biggest hurdle for me to overcome," Tomlinson said. "We run a lot more than we did in high school, which is good. It helps us prepare for the longer schedule we have to endure.
"It does feel more like a job."

Ritter got a glimpse during fall baseball of what to expect from the talent he'll be facing on a daily basis at this level.

"You can't just show up and expect to do good like you could in high school," the SFCC reliever said. "At this level, everyone can hit and play at a high level. It wasn't like that in high school."

Still, when you see these local boys on the field tossing the ball around and going through practices, there are signs of a cohesive unit. They're by no means separate from the rest of the team, but they share a bond that isn't easily broken.

"There's definitely a comfort level having so many local guys on the team," Sedlock said. "Having the home fans will add some excitement to Panther baseball this season. Playing at the college level is a new challenge for me, but I try to stay on an even keel and do what I've always done.
"Just go out and pitch and get guys out."

The magical season that the former Sebring Blue Streaks shared during their march to the Class 4A state final four was just that — magical. But talk swerved away from those times they had together just a few shorts months ago and onto Panther baseball, with Abeln summing it up best for the group.

"That chapter in our lives is over," Abeln said. "Its time to start something different."

SFCC kicks off the baseball season today at Panther Field against the defending Suncoast Conference champion St. Petersburg College at 5 p.m.

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