This page includes details on the participating teams in the 2012 HSBN Preseason Challenge from Palm Beach County. Click on team names to view that team’s site within the HSBN network.
| Palm Beach Teams |
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AMERICAN HERITAGE STALLIONS -DELRAY The Stallions have learned it doesn’t matter if you beat a rival in the district title game if you can’t beat them in the regional semifinals. Heritage defeated District 13-2A foe King’s Academy in the district title game each of the past two years but lost by a run to the Lions in the second round of the regionals. Under Carm Mazza, the Stallions have been in the regionals all but one year (2002) since 2001, when the school changed its name from All-Star Academy. Heritage reached the state semifinals in 2006 and 2007 and lost both times. Atlantic Eagles The Eagles have been to the regional tournament 12 times since 1974, reaching the state level three times. Atlantic got to the title game in 1976 but lost to Tampa Catholic 9-4. The Eagles haven’t made the postseason since they won their last district title in 2002. That was the last year Atlantic played in a district championship. KING’S ACADEMY LIONS King’s has a rich playoff history over the past two decades. Under former coach Wayne Sewell, the Lions were in the regionals every year but one (1996) from 1992-2002 and won state titles in 1992 and 2001. The Lions have continued their success under current coach Doug Magaw, reaching the regionals in 2003, and advancing to the regional semi-finals in both 2010 and 2011. PALM BEACH CENTRAL BRONCOS The Broncos were a powerhouse right off the bat under veteran coach Scott Benedict, debuting in 2004 with a trip to the state seminfinals where they lost 9-1 to Rockledge. Central has missed the regionals only twice since — 2008 and 2011, and it lost in the regional finals three years in a row from 2005-2007. Two of those losses were to Flanagan. PARK VISTA COBRAS Park Vista beat defending national champion Flanagan last season in the regional final to get to the state semifinals for the third time in four years. The Cobras fell 7-5 to Tampa Alonso. Park Vista, like Palm Beach Central, is another Palm Beach power that has been solid since the school opened. Larry Greenstein left Santaluces to guide Vista to a regional appearance in the school’s second year in 2006. The Cobras again reached the regional quarterfinals in 2007 before the team got to the state final four in 2008 and 2009. Park Vista lost in the state final in 2008 and the state semifinals in 2009. WELLINGTON WOLVERINES Before Benedict guided Palm Beach Central to playoff success, he made positive things happen at Wellington, where his teams reached the state final four five times (1993, 1995, 1999, 2000 and 2001). The Wolverines played for a state title three times and won it in 1999. But Wellington, which lost to district foe and eventual state champion West Boca in the regional semifinals last season, has been in the regionals just three times in the past decade (2002, 2008, 2011). |
