As of the end of May 2009, PRISM and freelantz will be forging their own independent paths as a means of furthering each group’s already impressive portfolio.

Do know that a great deal of respect and continued support goes out to Jessica Lantz, as she ventures out to establish her own site at www.freelantzsports.com.

Jason and Elle will meanwhile be continuing the PRISM name at www.prismpressgroup.org.  There you can find articles already published on this particular site, as well as new material as it becomes available.

Jason can be reached by email effective immediately at jason@prismpressgroup.org, while Elle is now at elle@prismpressgroup.org.

Thank you again for checking in and we hope to see you soon!

- Jason

As Jason and I pursue our individual interests, this site will be separating into two separate and distinct entities. 

Please visit www.freelantzsports.com to continue enjoying articles and photos from the Oklahoma area and beyond, provided by myself.

Here you will also find the ‘Player Perspective’ journal for Dylan Richter of Washington University in St. Louis.

Thank you for your interest in both PRISM and freelantz and we both hope to continue to provide optimum sports coverage for your enjoyment!

Best Regards,

Jessica
jessica@freelantzsports.com
405.326.2836

The Southern Indoor Football League enters Week 4 of the inaugural season with two games that are sure to be hotly contested matchups … and have a sense of familiarity for those involved.

The first game tomorrow night will feature the Austin Turfcats (1-1) hosting the Louisiana Swashbucklers (2-0) at the Travis County Expo Center at 6:05 p.m.

Austin is looking for their first home win of the season, after falling just short in their first attempt in the season opener against Acadiana, a 37-29 loss. Coach Chris Duliban is looking toward the Swashbucklers as a benchmark game.  “This game will be the toughest test for our team, and it will serve as a measuring stick as far how far we still need to go as a new franchise,” Duliban said.

Meanwhile, Louisiana coach Darnell Lee feels that the Turfcats match up well against his team.  “They’re very athletic,” said Lee. “Our organization does not underestimate anybody in the league.”  Lee is quick to point out the prior knowledge each team has of one another, primarily due to the large number of players and coaches who were part of the CenTex Barracudas in the Intense Football League and “a lot of our guys know a lot of their guys.”

This familiarity could lead to an intense battle between players and coaches alike as the Bucks work to earn their 21st consecutive win and the Turfcats seek the opportunity to end this streak.

The second game of the week will see the Houma Conquerors (0-2) make the short trek up I-49 and the Louisiana coast to match up against the Acadiana Mudbugs (2-0), with kickoff slated for 7:05 p.m.

The home team, under the direction of John Fourcade, “knows what’s at stake,” ensuring that the Mudbugs had their “focus on getting three hard practices in” prior to taking on the Conquerors.  Although Houma has started winless, Fourcade is “not taking them lightly” and feels this contest is “kind of a rivalry where we all know each other and want to beat each other.”  When looking at the matchup, Fourcade points out that Houma, “has made some offensive and defensive changes, so we’ll have to adjust to new people” but, “I feel like we’ve done everything we can” to prepare for this competition.

Conquerors’ head coach Franklin Thomas both played and coached under Fourcade, and is looking forward to an “exciting game, almost like the student versus the teacher.”  “I learned a lot from him,’’ Thomas said of Fourcade. “He’s a great mentor and you’ll probably see two teams that look identical on Saturday night.”  Thomas thinks this matchup “will be a great barometer to show everyone that we’re not just an 0-2 team” and that their hard work this week to work on “team discipline and cutting down on mistakes and turnovers” will help Houma garner their first victory.

This matchup will give someone in south Louisiana bragging rights and leave the other looking forward to a Week 9 rematch to even the slate.

If both currently undefeated teams emerge from this week’s action unscathed, they will face each other next week on May 16th to leave only one perched at the top of the SIFL standings.

http://www.southernifl.com/news/2009-05-08/week-4-games-bring-familiarity.html

Although the Houma Conquerors are starting out the season without a victory, the team has not been without the strong play and strong character shown by defensive back Derrick Patterson. 

Patterson, playing on his first indoor football team, returned an interception for a touchdown in the Conqueror’s first contest, scooped up a fumble recovery in the second and has amassed 82 yards on six kickoff returns.  These numbers put Patterson solidly at the top of the leaderboard, with one of two team interceptions, the only fumble recovery and the most kickoff yardage by any Houma player.

Patterson, who graduated high school in 2003, has gone down a winding path to get to Houma.  Following high school in New Orleans, he entered the workforce and started playing semi-pro football for the Louisiana Hurricanes, where he garnered Rookie of the Year honors.  After Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005, Patterson moved to Baton Rouge and began playing football with the Louisiana Eagles – making the All-Star team.

He then decided to try his luck at the college game, and played briefly at Victor Valley College in California before an ankle injury and an impending addition to his family prompted him to return home to Louisiana.  Meanwhile, at Conqueror tryouts on January 10^th, the coaching staff noticed the spry 5’8”, 165 lb. defensive back who prides himself on “playing like he’s 6”3’”. 

Head coach Franklin Thomas Jr. is quick to praise Patterson’s humble and gracious character, saying he “plays at a high level and we’re blessed to have a player like him” on the team and that he “hasn’t disappointed us yet”.

Patterson focuses on trying “to bring a lot to the team, to be a playmaker and to go hard every play”, all while training to “be the best” at what he does.  He hopes that his recent football successes with Houma will propel him even further in the world of professional football, with dreams of playing in the Arena Football League, the Canadian Football League – or someday – the National Football League.

 http://www.southernifl.com/news/2009-05-07/pattersons-character-a-plus-for-houma.html

All photos original work by and property of Jason Roberts

Additional images are available by contacting jason@prismfreelantz.org

The Sarasota Reds capped off a three-game home series against the Fort Myers Miracle Wednesday night with a 6-5 win, and take to the road tonight for the first of a three-game set against the Jupiter Hammerheads at Roger Dean Stadium.

The Reds, now tied with the Palm Beach Cardinals at the bottom of the FSL South at 9-17, were propelled to victory by a strong offensive showing in the first inning of last night’s game, with Sarasota batters tallying a total of four scores – two of which came off a two-run shot by outfielder Denis Phipps that sailed over the left field wall.

Sarasota would score two additional runs before the night was over, the first when left fielder Carson Kainer was driven home on a single to center field by Phipps in the bottom of the third, the other as catcher Devin Mesoraco grounded out in the fifth inning, but not before second baseman Alex Buchholz tagged up at third and beat the throw home.

Fort Myers looked to make this a competitive contest from the get go, with center fielder for the Miracle, Ben Revere, scoring in the top of the first, followed by a two-run set in the second coming off scores by third baseman Juan Richardson and center fielder Ben Revere.

The Reds pitching rotation held strong from the third through seventh innings, however, allowing only two Miracle hitters to reach base, one off a walk in the top of the fifth, the other after designated hitter Deibinson Romero was hit by a pitch from Sarasota’s Enerio Del Rosario.

Still, the Sarasota faithful got a bit of a scare in the eighth inning, this as Miracle right fielder Joe Benson and Richardson both reached home plate to bring the game within one run.  The Reds coaching staff quickly moved to replaced Del Rosario after the first score, bringing in reliever Ben Davis to close out the night.

Davis allowed one run before closing out the eighth inning, but then shut down Fort Myers in the top of the ninth inning, with only Robinson getting on base on a walk.

Left hander Travis Webb (1-2) of the Reds was awarded the win Wednesday night, pitching through five innings and surrendering three hits and three runs through five innings. Meanwhile, Miracle starter Deolis Guerra falls to 2-2 on the season following Wednesday night’s loss, throwing four innings, allowing 11 hits and six runs before being replaced by Steven Hirschfeld.

PRISM is proud to introduce the first player diary entry from sophomore wide receiver for the Florida Atlantic Owls, Brandon Zeeb.  Redshirted in his first year at FAU in 2006, Zeeb is part of what the school’s official athletic website refers to as “a deep receiving corps,” and here describes the push to see his first significant playing time on the field during the 2009 season.

My main goal this off-season was to stay healthy. Last year, a sprained MCL the week before pre-spring training kept me out almost all of spring camp.

During the off-season, I was able to achieve that goal, and got a little bigger, stronger and faster as well.

I came into spring camp hoping to turn some heads and surprise some people.  I found out, however, that my eligibility was in question because of changing majors. This took all my motivation away from playing; my performance suffered during the first two weeks of spring practice as a result. I figured I wouldn’t be able to play in the fall, so I didn’t really care.

At the end of the second week, though, I found out  the whole eligibility problem was a mistake and I was no longer in jeopardy of being considered ineligible.  This changed my whole attitude and outlook toward football.  My performance in spring camp increased dramatically and I was finally able to perform at a level near what I generally expect of myself,  turning heads in the process.  Consequently, I hoped to put myself in a position to battle for playing time heading into fall.  And while I didn’t really do as well as I’d hoped, I did improve and got myself into the mix.

Right now, it looks like my best chance at seeing playing time (while the game is still meaningful, that is) is to play special teams. And really, I don’t mind; I know that someone has to do the small things and sacrifice for the team.

My main goal this summer is to get my weight up to 200 pounds. In order to that, I’m aiming to gain about two pounds every three weeks by completely changing around my diet.  I’m trying to do it the right way and gain healthy weight, so far the results are not coming, but it’s still early.

All photos original work by and property of Jason Roberts

Additional images are available by contacting jason@prismfreelantz.org

The Sarasota Reds knew they faced a tough go of it during a three-game home stretch against the Fort Myers Miracle that began on Monday evening.

After nearly rallying from behind in the bottom of the ninth only to lose 8-6 the previous night, quickly let things get out of hand against their opponent in Game Two on Tuesday.

Sarasota looked like it might keep things close through the first three innings, but faltered badly in the top of the fourth with the score 2-0 in favor of Fort Myers when Miracle short stop Chris Cates, left fielder Ben Revere, second baseman Steve Singleton, and third baseman Deibinson Romero all scored on a total of six hits allowed by starting pitcher for the Reds, Luis Montano, and reliever, Joseph Krebs.

The Reds responded in the bottom of the fourth, when second baseman / short stop Alex Bucholz grounded out on a hit toward third base, but left first baseman Yonder Alonso already well on his way toward home plate.

Sarasota added two runs in the seventh inning, with Bucholz scoring from second base on a double by catcher Devin Mesoraco, then third baseman Neftali Soto tagging up from third and heading home on a sacrifice fly to center field by left fielder Daniel Perales.

Yet, by the start of the eighth inning, the Reds faced the insurmountable task of closing a five run lead by Fort Myers with the score 8-3.

The Miracle added to that lead in the top of the ninth, as center fielder Joe Benson knocked a two-run homer off replacement pitcher Philippe-Alexandre Valiquette, scoring both himself and right fielder Chris Parmalee.  Sarasota failed to respond in the their last at-bat, going three-and-out up against the pitching of Fort Myers’ closer, Henry Arias.

Starter for the Miracle, Carlos Gutierrez, was awarded the win having thrown seven complete innings and allowing only six hits and three runs; he also collected six strike outs for the game.  Gutierrez now moves to 1-1 for the year.

In contrast, the Reds sent four total pitchers to the mound in Tuesday night’s loss, with Montano leading off, then followed by Krebs, Steven Otterness, and Valiquette closing.

Fort Myers now leads the series 2-0 and maintains a single game hold on first place in the FSL South over second place Charlotte.

All photos original work by and property of Jason Roberts

Additional images are available by contacting jason@prismfreelantz.org

The first place team in the FSL South showed  Monday night why it’s gotten off to such a strong start this season (14-9 heading into last night’s contests against the Reds), with the Fort Myers Miracle, led by the hot bat of catcher Danny Lehman, lighting up the scoreboard at Ed Smith Stadium and pulling out an 8-6 victory over the Sarasota Reds.

The Reds made things interesting late, however.  Trailing by five runs in the bottom of the ninth, right fielder Dens Phipps doubled a line drive into left field and brought home both first baseman Yonder Alonso and second baseman Alex Bucholz.  Catcher Devin Mersoraco then singled on a fly ball, again to left field, which allowed third baseman Neftali Soto to score yet another run from third base.

Soto’s trip to home plate brought the Reds within two runs of tying the game at eight all, and, thanks to a single on a bunt by left fielder Daniel Perales, found the bases loaded with no outs.  Fort Myers’ relief pitcher,  Blair Erickson, was brought in immediately after Perales got on base to replace Spencer Steedly, and, facing Sarasota pinch hitter Jason Louwsma, center fielder Justin Reed, and designated hitter Carson Kainer, earned a save with two strikeouts and a line out by Reed to Miracle shortstop Chris Cates.

Jerry Gil, right-hander for the Reds, gave up nine hits and five runs over the span of six innings Monday night, while striking out four Miracle batters.  He now holds a 0-5 record as a starter.

Meanwhile, Michael McCardell of Fort Myers earned his third W on the year by pitching  a comparable six innings; for the night, he allowed six hits and three runs, while earning seven total strikeouts.

Following Monday’s victory, Fort Myers remains a game ahead of the Charlotte Stone Crabs at 15-3, while Sarasota sits seven games back from the Miracle with a record of 8-16.

All photos original work by and property of Jason Roberts

Additional images are available by contacting jason@prismfreelantz.org

Being new to USF baseball (okay, I admit it; I’ve not been much of a baseball fan – at least, until discovering the Bulls . . .), I didn’t think I would have gotten the least bit emotional when I arrived at Red McEwen field Saturday evening, just in time for the introduction of four players – Brandon Smith, Mike Consolmagno, Trey Manz, and Chris Rey – being honored as a part of the program’s annual Senior Night.

Parking spots were a scarce commodity for the second of a three game series between the University of South Florida Bulls and the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, thanks to graduation ceremonies taking place concurrently at the nearby Sun Dome.   Plenty of smiles and more than a few shed tears, however, were in abundance out on the diamond.

One thing that you’re taught as a media representative — never give a hint of your personal leanings toward one team or another when you’ve been asked to cover an event.
As such, I had donned gray cargo shorts with a long-sleeve white button-down shirt accented by red and gray pinstripes.  (Why the long sleeves?  Don’t ask me – I ended up sweating the whole evening not only because of the competitiveness of the game, but because the night refused to yield comfortable temperatures).  As usual, I carried an overly bulky camera bag (really, I don’t need all the stuff inside; it just makes me feel better about myself – except for the fact that the Bulls’ mascot, Rocky, seemed to find it amusing to continuously play pick-pocket with the bag, leaving lens caps and batteries strewn out near home plate), my trusty tool-of-the-trade, a Nikon D60 with a 200mm lens, and a USF media tag hooked to an ugly-as-sin blue and yellow lanyard I’d  picked up at an event in Orlando back in January.

The media tag, of course, read USF Bulls on the top.  Outside of that, however, there was little else to designate me as anything but an interested passer-by that decided to spend his Saturday night taking in the magic of a late-spring collegiate baseball game.

Still, as I got down on the field and watched as each senior was introduced one-by-one – accompanied by parents, each set nearly equally overwhelmed with pride as they took the short steps from the player’s access gate near the dugout toward the third-base line – I couldn’t help but start to feel a sense of delight myself in what each one of these young men had accomplished.

I began feeling a sense of connection that I probably shouldn’t have been harboring, especially considering I’d covered (and, yes, I admit it, watched) only one other USF baseball game – one week earlier, when the Bulls annihilated (is that an appropriate word?) the West Virginia Mountaineers, 11-2.

It was a connection which flowed naturally, without effort, not only to the senior players and their parents, proudly posing for pictures behind beautifully framed sketches of their sons in action at Red McEwen, but also to their underclassmen teammates, the coaching staff, and the administration for the USF Athletic Department.

It lured me in to the initial group photos taken after all four seniors and their families had congregated in a tight-knit unit halfway been third- and home base.  It caught me raising my index finger and pinky in unison while an incredibly appreciative and loving fan-base cheered for the respective players as they headed toward home plate for the ceremonial first-pitch.  Fathers unused to the spotlight, but accustomed to years of playing catch with their sons at nearby parks and in their own backyards, threw from the pitchers mound, much to the enjoyment of those on-hand to watch the contest between the Bulls and the Bearcats; I stood just to the left of the senior “catchers,” unable to control the ever-expanding smile which caused the corners of my mouth to turn upwards in what the cohort accompanying me at the game mentioned was an undeniable (and, she added, unprofessional, considering my status as a media representative) grin.

Fathers and sons then lovingly shared an embrace in what some might have thought an unusual public display of affection.

But then again, I thought, this wasn’t just any group of strangers; this was part of a family – the University of South Florida family.

I tried to recapture myself shortly after hearing the comments of my colleague.  She was right, I had a responsibility to maintain my composure, I thought, especially since I’d be shooting from just outside both the USF and Cincinnati dugouts, and didn’t want any form of retribution headed my direction as a result of my blossoming favor toward the Bulls.

Yet, as the game started and the Bearcats took an early lead in the first, I found myself, along with the crowd, for the Bulls to start hitting balls around Red McEwen in a manner similar to that put on display seven days earlier against West Virginia.

I continued to shoot from a variety of angles as the night went on.  Shooed away by security from an ideal position just to the left of home plate behind the netted backstop (yes, I can read the signs, sir, and I understand it’s for my safety, but I’m a member of the media, and I have to get these shots . . .) I traveled along the first- and third-base lines, then returned to the access gates just outside each team’s respective dugouts.

As one inning came to a close and the next one began, I found myself growing increasingly impatient – not something I generally find myself doing when covering a game from behind the half-inch by half-inch viewfinder serving as my window to the world as a sports photographer.  Cincinnati’s pitching was unflappable and deadly accurate; time-and-time again, balls eluded the majority of Bulls’ hitters, with only Peter Brotons, Jonathan Koscso and Manz – the only player honored this Senior Night – landing a combined total of five hits for the game.  USF simply didn’t seem to have the firepower capable of overcoming what was a red-hot Michael Hill from the mound; pitching a full eight innings, the boyish senior from Proctorville, Ohio struck out eight Bulls’ batters and allowed only two runs on a total of 115 throws.

My heart, of course, leapt up-and-down with excitement in the top of the seventh-inning, when, appropriately so, Manz drove a long-ball over the right-field score board – his sixth homer for 2009 – and brought the Bulls within two runs of the Bearcats with the score standing 4-2.

Still, the same sophomore starting pitcher I’d watched gun down West Virginia a week earlier, Derrick Stultz, proved too ineffective in the 4.2 innings he threw for the Bulls, giving up three runs over the span of 99 pitches and putting too much room between USF and their opponent.  Zack Pietryzk would take the mound in relief of what was clearly a dejected Stulz late in the fourth, but lasted just over one inning before giving up an additional run to the Bearcats and yielding pitcher’s duties for the last three innings to Joe Cole.

I remained hopeful, though tentatively so, as South Florida took to hitting one last time in the bottom of the ninth.

Surely, I thought, the Bulls losing their first Big East Conference home game this year couldn’t possibly be part of the script drafted for USF on this, the night their senior players were being recognized.

Yet, as Junior Carlin struck out looking to lead off South Florida’s final at-bat, Rey flied out to right field, and Manz popped the final hit of the game to third base, I stood near the Bulls’ dugout stunned and feeling as if I’d just been part of a very, very bad ending to a very, very bad dream.

As I took the field to grab a few final shots before packing up – the crowd seemed determined to beat me to the punch, as the stands emptied at an unnerving pace – I was struck by an unusual sound – silence.   Kids, oblivious to what had just taken place, expended the last reserves of their energy running the bases, a signature event which the head of Grassroots Promotions at USF, Rebecca Kaplan, had established as the norm throughout this season; yet, aside from this, there seemed little noise coming from the Bulls’ baseball diamond and dugout.  Players were intent on grabbing their gear and departing to the solace of the locker room, a short jaunt across the street from Red McEwen.  One or two players obliged adoring young fans with autographs, and did so with forced smiles, but the vast majority simply disappeared into the anonymity of the remainder of a warm Tampa Saturday night.

In talking to Amy Woodruff, Assistant Director of Communications for USF baseball, earlier in the evening, I’d requested the opportunity to interview the senior players about their perspectives on playing in one of the final home games they’d spend dressed in a Bulls’ uniform.  I was anxious to chat with Smith about his remarkable return from the field after a bout with a blood clot in his arm the previous season.  I wanted to talk to Manz and Rey about how they felt their legacy would be recalled five years down the road.

But most pressing in my mind?  I had a desire to engaged Consolmagno about comments he’d made in a player blog just a day earlier about the nature of “family” when it came to playing with his USF teammates and for such a distinguished coaching staff.

That opportunity eluded me.

What did not, however, was a realization that, despite my relatively short association with the Bulls’ baseball team this season, I’d come to my own understanding of what Consolmagno was referring to as being a member of the University of South Florida “family” – even in spite of a disappointing loss on Senior Night.

I was and remain, first and foremost, a sports reporter, lucky enough to cover the Bulls’ when they play at home.

But I also, from this point forward, do so with the clear recognition that, professional or not, I do so with a proud bias deeply shaded in green and gold.

No longer am I merely a media representative; thanks to you, University of South Florida, I stand, unabashedly so, a USF media representative, and one proud to, as I did the following day, take a moment from time to time to put down my camera and place in my pocket my media pass, grab a seat in the stands amongst the rest of the South Florida faithful, and join in the roar of crowd as we together cheer on our Bulls to victory.

All photos original work by and property of Jason Roberts

Additional images are available by contacting jason@prismfreelantz.org

The following is a sample of the photographic work done at the 2009 South Florida v. Cincinnati baseball game on Saturday, May 2nd.