Florida Sports Wire

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.  - The Southeastern Conference announced its 2015 SEC Football Legends class, a collection of former football standouts who will be honored at events surrounding the SEC Football Championship Game in Atlanta in December. The 2015 Football Legends Class includes 14 former stars who excelled on the gridiron and helped write the rich history of the sport at their respective institutions. This year's class includes All-Americans, All-SEC selections and Academic All-Americans as well as NCAA and SEC record holders. The group represents teams that won National and SEC Championships and are represented in state, school and college football halls of fame. Taylor, a standout running back from 1994-97, earned first-team All-America honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation and was named All-SEC his senior year, leading the Gators in rushing that season with 1,292 yards on 214 carries and a team-high 13 touchdowns.  Taylor had eight 100-yard rushing performances a

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The rain would not go away and despite what the box score read, neither did the Jacksonville University men's soccer team. In its midweek nonconference finale, Jacksonville invited UCF to Southern Oak Stadium where it put forth a strong showing but fell, 3-2. Allan Morgan and Ejiroghene Mrabure scored for JU while Matias Pyysalo had an impact on all three of UCF's scores with a goal and a pair of assists registered on the night. "We're getting tested all the time but we're battling back," said Head Coach Mauricio Ruiz. "We're still making individual mistakes but for the third game in a row we were the better team. We're just not finding a way to get the result." There was plenty of action in the first 10 minutes of play and much of the momentum sided with the Dolphins. The home team recorded two shots and earned a corner kick but it was the Knights who took the early lead on a shot by Hadji Barry (11:45). The Do

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville Armada FC owner and CEO Mark Frisch announced on Monday the dismissal of general manager Dario Sala and head coach Guillermo Hoyos along with assistant coaches Edison Ibarra, Rafael Perez Niño and Sebastian Fabres. The Armada currently sits in last place in the North American Soccer League Fall and Combined Season standings and has been held scoreless in their last five matches and 498 minutes of play. In addition, the team has yet to win a single game on the road, with a record of 0-2-11 (W-D-L). "Since the inception of the Armada FC, I have made it clear that I have a very high standard for performance on and off the field. To achieve success in this league, and win championships, we must defend effectively, attack relentlessly, score goals and win games - both at home and away from home - on a consistent basis. We have not done this," said Frisch. "Following an in-depth analysis of the team and operations, I am confident that a n

By FRED SEELY JAX SPORTS NEWS We almost have reached the bottom of college basketball. We aren't there yet, but it's in sight. If you are a college fan, you're in the wrong town, pal. You may have two Division 1 schools but they aren't making it easy for you to watch their games and, considering the opposition, you probably won't want to bother. The main culprit is Jacksonville University. It has a bad team, a terrible home schedule, poor promotion, plays in the near-worst conference and a dumpy place to play in a not-so-hot part of the city. Don't let the University of North Florida’s appearance in the NCAA tournament last year fool you. It has a so-so team, a terrible home schedule, poor promotion, the same near-worst conference and an arena that's nothing special. Playing downtown? No games from these two. If you must see basketball in the Veterans Memorial Arena, you'll have to settle for an NBA exhibition and a doubleheader

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -  The Jacksonville Armada FC mounted a series of opportunities against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Wednesday night at Lockhart Stadium, but it wasn't enough to get the Armada on the scoreboard as they fell 2-0. Armada goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo finished with six saves. In only their second meeting of the year, the Armada (3W-2D-8L NASL Fall, 6-5-12 Combined) and Fort Lauderdale (5-5-2, 8-7-7) took to a wet rain soaked pitch.  Jacksonville will return to action at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 when it hosts the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Community First Park next Saturday Sept. 26. The Armada will host a tribute to Jacksonville's original NASL club, the Tea Men, and also celebrate Hispanic Heritage Night. Tickets, starting at $12, are available by calling 1.844.2.Armada or visiting armadafc.com.

By FRED SEELY JAX GOLF NEWS The World Golf Village has a big weekend ahead. It's October 2-4 and there's something for everyone in what they're calling a Golf Festival. It starts with a golf tournament, includes a chance to visit with two Hall of Famers, and there's also lots of family activities. Here's the deal: Oct. 2: A scramble tournament on the Slammer & Squire. It's $200 includes what they say is a $100-value gift bag. The shotgun is at 1. Oct. 3: A big demo day from noon-4. In attendance will be Hall members Nancy Lopez and David Graham. Then, from 4-6, there's a Family Fun Zone with foot golf, a putt-putt course, free 9-hole rounds of golf for families, bounce house, face painting, and a Pitch, Chip, & Putt Challenge for juniors. Oct. 4: They'll have an Adult-Junior competition starting at 1 that includes a gift bag and dinner. For those who aren't playing, the museum is open at no charge and the Tour Academy will have

By FRED SEELY JAX SPORTS NEWS Peter Bragan gave himself a grand farewell this month as he ended his family's 30-plus year ownership of the Jacksonville Suns. What we lose is a good businessman, one who fought the system and won. Bragan made a lot of money, certainly in the seven figures each year, because some greedy big shots in town tried to pull a power play on him. Here's what happened. Around 2002, some of the city's self-proclaimed big shots decided they wanted Triple-A baseball to go with the new Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville when it opened in 2003.  Mayor John Delaney went along (after all, politicians don't argue with the big shots.) Bragan was a pain in the derriere and getting rid of him would be a bonus . Getting rid of Bragan wasn't like getting rid of a pimple on the butt. He is a fiercely protective person who won't back away from a fight. He may be crass, cheap and hard-headed, but he ain't dumb. But, why wouldn

NEW YORK -- Minnesota United FC extended its unbeaten streak to six games and the New York Cosmos upped their regular-season home unbeaten run to 18 games in North American Soccer League (NASL) Fall Season on Saturday night. United and the Cosmos are tied on points (22) in the Fall Season Standings - three points behind Ottawa Fury FC. Minnesota spotted the Carolina RailHawks an early tally before scoring three unanswered goals to end up on the right side of a 3-1 result, while Raúl's sixth goal of the year helped the Cosmos defeat 10-man Jacksonville Armada FC. In Saturday's matinee match, Ottawa, which boasts the league's top defense, stymied one of the league's top offenses in a 0-0 draw against the visiting Fort Lauderdale Strikers. First-place Ottawa, however, has only taken 3 of a possible 12 points in its last four home matches and plays its next three games away from home. The San Antonio Scorpions, behind two goals from Rafael Castillo, blanked visitin

PAWLEY’S ISLAND, S.C. – Jacksonville University’s men’s golf team has won the 2015 GolfWeek Program Challenge with a three-round score of 30-under 834, and JU’s David Wicks won the individual medal thanks to a three-round score of 13-under 203. “It was a nice way to open up the season,” said Head Coach Mike Blackburn. “After losing the lead briefly on the front nine, the boys rallied with a six-under back nine to secure the win.” Wicks won the individual medal, but it took a team effort to win the tournament. Franck Medale also had an incredible three rounds, carding ten-under 206 to tie for third place. Raul Pereda tied for 17th overall at four-under 212, Ryan Jahn tied for 35th overall at one-over 217, and Prem Samritpricha rounded out the championship team with a score of eight-over 224. It took quite a lot for Wicks to win the individual title. James Madison’s Ryan Cole was in first place at 12-under 204 while Wicks was still out on the course, and Wicks had to par the final

NEW YORK -- The Tampa Bay Rowdies celebrated the club's 40th anniversary by defeating their long-time rival New York Cosmos, 2-0, on Saturday night before 5,630 fans at Al Lang Stadium. Corey Hertzog and Darwin Espinal each found the net for Tampa Bay, which used the victory to put itself back in the top four of the NASL's Combined Standings in the race to The Championship, the league's four-team postseason tournament. The Rowdies snapped the Cosmos' eight-game unbeaten streak and dashed their hopes of overtaking Ottawa Fury FC for first place in the Fall Season Standings. The Cosmos have already clinched a berth in The Championship by virtue of winning the Spring Season. In Indianapolis, local product Zach Steinberger scored twice as Indy Eleven erased a four-game winless streak with a complete performance and a 3-0 win over Jacksonville Armada FC. Defending champion San Antonio finds itself at the bottom of both the Fall Season and Combined Standings after d

NEWARK, Del. – Jacksonville kicker Brandon Behr kicked two second-half field goals and linebacker Justin Horton recovered a fumble in the end zone with 2:09 to play as the Dolphins beat Delaware 20-14 Friday. Behr, from Fleming Island, Fla., connected from both 42 and 41 yards as the Dolphins won a second half field position battle to capture their season opener. JU punter Ryan Giaratano kept the Blue Hens (0-1) bottled up with some pinpoint efforts which led to Behr's 42-yarder with 3:15 to go in the third. The Dolphin defense stifled Delaware and JU punt returner Terrance Bryant returned a kick 34yards  in the fourth quarter that led to Behr's 41-yard field goal and a 13-7 lead. Horton, from Clermont, Fla., then recovered a fumble by Blue Hen quarterback Joe Walker in the end zone on a hit by defensive lineman TJ Jenkins. "Our special teams were big time,'' JU coach Kerwin Bell said. "Special teams coach Kerry Webb does a great job,  Giaratano d

By FRED SEELY Jacksonville Golf News The Palatka Golf Club team won the Jacksonville Area Golf Association's Club Team Championship played last month at Timuquana Country Club. The team consisted of pro Paul Trettner and amateurs Ron Jerin, Ron Millis and David Perkins. The winning score was 29-under-par 115 and there were three teams a stroke behind: Deercreek, Atlantic Beach and Fleming Island. The reason for the low scores: the new rules which allow professionals to carry a handicap. This is a recent trend to equalize the professionals in a pro-am competition, and strokes are now awarded starting with players on the forward most tees. For instance, Charles Raulerson of Fleming Island is one of the state's best players and he was given five strokes.  The complete results: 115: Palatka Golf Club (Paul Trettner, Ron Jerin, Ron Mullis, David Perkins.) 116: Deercreek (Tom Maxwell, Arch Copeland, Lee Fields, Mark Rutland); Atlantic Beach (Spencer Brown, Joe Fitzgera

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The No. 8/10-ranked Florida State football team continued preparation for the season-opener against Texas State on Tuesday with a two-hour practice in full pads at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility. The Seminoles transitioned in and out of the indoor facility because of weather, but still got plenty of solid work in to get ready for the Bobcats, who went 7-5 last season and are picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt Conference. “We did a lot of work today,” Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We got in, had to go back inside for the weather and then got back out. It was good to get that transition and get back outside…Good solid work week and we’re getting ready to play on Saturday and I like where we’re at.” Texas State returns eight starters from an offense that averaged 464.4 yards per game in 2014, including preseason second-team All-Sun Belt quarterback Tyler Jones (2,670 passing yards and 22 touchdowns last season).  The Bobca