BCS Downs Shorecrest Prep in Spring Football Action

Panthers running back Avian Humphrey runs for four touchdowns in a 41-28 win over the Chargers.

There were some added bonuses for Bradenton Christian head coach Allan Gerber on Thursday night. Gerber wanted to see three things out of his team in Thursday night’s spring football game against visiting Shorecrest Prep. Those three qualities, along with the Panthers’ resolve, were apparent to Gerber after a 41-28 victory over the Chargers. "We went into spring with three goals," Gerber said. "We wanted our opponent to walk off the field and say, 'that was a tough football team that played with great effort and great discipline.' I’m pretty pleased with that. There was resiliency that we showed obviously with the opening play of the game (a 67-yard touchdown run by the Chargers’ Garrett Schulte). Our football team showed that (against …

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Athlete Of The Week

Athlete Of The Week: Hailey Dearlove, Bradenton Christian Softball

The sophomore two-sport athlete pitched a no-hitter in the Lady Panthers' 7-1 victory over previously undefeated Hernando Christian in the Class 1A-District 8 championship game.

Besides softball, what other sports do you play?: I play basketball. I'm the point guard (for the Bradenton Christian team). How old were you when you started playing each sport?: Oh gosh, I was 4 or 5. I don't know. I grew up with (softball and basketball). My mom (Julie) pitched in college, and she also played basketball. My dad (Keith) is really competitive and he played basketball, too. (Basketball) is something that is part of the family. My brother (Justin) and sister (Heather) played (basketball at BCS). It's just normal for us. Would you like to play one or both sports at the college level?: I don't know yet. What you would like study in college?: That's undecided. Right now, I just seek God and see what he wants me to do because …

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Our Troops

Rct. Kevin Kusler, U.S. Marines

Shining the spotlight on Bradenton-area troops.

Name: Rct. Kevin Kusler, U.S. Marines Age: 19. His story: Kusler, a Bradenton Christian School graduate, is currently in boot camp at Parris Island, S.C. Already named first squad leader, Kusler is expecting to graduate May 6 and then go to SOI (School of Infantry) at Camp Geiger in Jacksonville, N.C. When 9/11 occurred while he was still just a boy, Kusler said he wanted to enlist when eligible if the country were still at war. Personally: Kusler has always been physically active, playing youth football with the Manatee Wildcats and then in high school, first at Manatee High and then at BCS, where he transferred. He also placed 11th at a national weightlifting competition in Detroit as an eighth-grader under the tutelage of his coach, …

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Toni Whitt

7:58 pm on Sunday, January 1, 2012

Please feel free to upload the new photos and add them to this story. Give me a call about what Kevin is doing. We can do an update in the coming year. Thanks for keeping in touch.   more ›

Bayshore Girls Guzzle Smoothie King Championship

Spearrin's late steal helps clinch Bruins' win over Braden River in final.

Brooklyn Spearrin paused and tried to recall her game-changing steal that occurred just minutes prior, the theft with 15 seconds left that cinched a 40-38 win for Bayshore High. After a few moments, she giggled when she remembered the play: as Bradenton Christian attempted to tie, or take the lead, Spearrin snatched the ball away from the BCS point guard. Bayshore was fouled and sunk free throws in the final seconds. "The ball was there," Spearrin said, her hands demonstrating a ball swipe, "and I took it." In doing so, Bayshore (6-6) won the Smoothie King Classic girls title for the first time in the tournament's four-year history. Host BCS (9-3) won last season. Although Spearrin's defense flipped the game in the Bruins' favor, her 15 …

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BCS Boys Win Smoothie King Opener With Pickup Style

Fielding their ideal starting five for the first time this season, the Panthers beat Ilion (N.Y.) in the first round.

As far as the Bradenton Christian's boys basketball team was concerned, it may as well have been playing pickup basketball at nearby G.T. Park on Tuesday night. The Panthers threw together their five ideal starters for the first time this season for a 70-57 win over Ilion (N.Y.) in the first round of the Smoothie King Classic at BCS. "But it was fun," said sophomore forward Raleigh Alexander, who had 14 points. "You never knew what was going to happen." At least the tournament bracket is reliable. Bradenton Christian advanced to play Pinellas Park in today's 8 p.m. semifinal. Braden River, which defeated Palmetto 64-56, will play Lakewood Ranch, a 66-55 winner over Gulf, at 5 p.m. Bradenton Christian was led by Daniel Magley's 20 points. …

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BCS Coach Ready For Tournament, Learning 'Language Of The Day'

David Magley says he looks forward to many things when tournaments like this week's Smoothie King Classic roll around, and basketball is only one of them.

Go ahead. Slap Coach Magley some "dap." He won't even look at you funny. David Magley, longtime coach of the Bradenton Christian School boys basketball team, looks forward to many things when holiday tournaments such as this week's Smoothie King Classic at BCS comes around. Besides playing with an ideal starting lineup for the first time this season, Magley said he gets a chance to show his players he loves them, turnover or steal, made basket or brick, win or lose. Yet he especially cherishes the chance to stay young and learn the "language of the day." If, for example, a player tells the 6-foot-8 coach to "slap me some dap," Magley reads the lingo like Wilson on a basketball. "They know I'm not looking for spackling," Magley said. The …

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