SECTION:Sports

PUBDATE:Thursday, February 9, 2006

HEADLINE:Preseason baseball classic begins today

TEXT:LYNN HAVEN

Mosley hosts the Bay County Preseason Baseball Classic today and Friday at Harry A. Frank Field.

Rutherford and Bay open the festivities today at 3 p.m. Also today, Mosley hosts Arnold at 6 p.m. On Friday, Arnold faces Rutherford at 3 p.m., while Bay takes on Mosley at 6 p.m.

Arnold opens its regular season against visiting Vernon on Monday at 6 p.m. Both Mosley and Rutherford start on Feb. 16. Mosley plays West Florida Tech at Okaloosa-Walton College in Niceville at 5 p.m., and Rutherford travels to Port St. Joe for a 5 p.m. CST encounter.

Bay’s opener, which also is the Tornadoes’ first District 2-4A game, is Feb. 17 at Tallahassee Rickards.

Brad Milner

PCST’s Faulhaber sets records

FORT WALTON BEACH

Panama City Swim Team member Kevin Faulhaber broke four meet records at the Rick Byers Memorial meet Jan. 27-29. He set records in the 200-freestyle (1 minute, 54.70 seconds), the 100 backstroke (1:01.56), the 200 breaststroke (2:29.31) and the 100 freestyle (53.05). His efforts helped him achieve a United States Swimming Organization AAA ranking in two events (100, 200 freestyle).

Brad Milner

FHSAA increases swimming qualifiers

GAINESVILLE

The Florida High School Athletic Association on Jan. 30 approved an increase in the number of qualifiers in the state swimming and diving series. The number of qualifiers from district to regional and regional to the state event increased from 16 to 24 athletes in individual events. Also, the top 16 places, rather than eight, will receive points in the district, regional and FHSAA Finals.

“The increase in participation is something that bubbled up from the coaches and participants,” FHSAA Commissioner John A. Stewart said in a press release. “The staff considered it to be a positive change as well, and we hope it adds to the overall experience of the student-athlete and the success of the events.”

Brad Milner