<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1WyDOT_1H35rDLB00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1WyDOT_1H35rDLB00" width="1800" height="1200" ><figcaption>Coach Beets in the PHSC dugout taken in 2016. [Photo credit: Alice Mary Herden]</figcaption></figure>For generations, Larry Beets has been one of the most prominent names on the local high school baseball scene.As the coach at New Port Richey’s Ridgewood High School and Hudson High School for a combined 33 years, Beets had a legendary career. He was the first baseball coach in Pasco County history to reach 500 career wins and retired with a then-Pasco County record 571 victories. Since his retirement as a head coach, Beets has been as an honorary assistant coach at Pasco-Hernando State College and an assistant coach at Land O’ Lakes High School.Beets’ legacy is continuing this week with the 6th annual Beets Classic. That’s a fall baseball tournament for high school teams from Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties — Hernando High, Tampa Catholic, Northside Christian, Plant, Alonso, Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes and East Lake. The tournament runs from Nov. 10 through the championship game at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 19. All games will be played at PHSC’s Withlacoochee River Electric Co-Op Park in New Port Richey. The Bishop McLaughlin Catholic boys cross country team placed seventh in the Class 1A-District 3 championships last week with an average time of 22 minutes and 21 seconds on the 5K course. Sophomore Luke Gedraitis led the Hurricanes by finishing in 26th place in 20:25. Sophomore Alexander Reiser (22:03) and freshman Caleb Traves (22:23) were the other top finishers for Bishop McLaughlin. On the girls side, the Hurricanes didn’t place as a team. But juniors Jenna Deehan (27:06) and Reyin Luba (29:35) were among the top 50 individual finishers.The Bishop McLaughlin girls soccer team got a huge game out of Kylee Smalley in an 8-0 season-opening win against Fivay on Nov. 3. Smalley scored six goals and recorded an assist. But the offense for the Hurricanes wasn’t nearly as prolific in a 5-0 loss to Calvary Christian on Nov. 5. The Bishop McLaughlin boys soccer team posted a 3-2 win against Fivay on Nov. 3. Joseph Guerrero led the Hurricanes with two goals and an assist. Kaoni Granado scored both of Fivay’s goals. Fivay bounced back with a 3-2 win against Weeki Wachee on Nov. 5. Sophomore Kay’vian Guzman scored two goals for the Falcons and junior Yordan Navarro added the other goal.Bishop McLaughlin’s Wyatt Deaton finished ninth in the 100-yard fly Class 1A-Region 3 boys swimming championships on Saturday. Deaton swam a personal-best 58:31 in the finals. Deaton also placed 22nd in the 500-yard free event.Saint Leo University women’s soccer player Chloe Froese was named third-team All-Sunshine State Conference. Froese, a sophomore, scored four goals and had one assist while leading the Lions to a 6-9 record and a berth in the SSC Tournament.The Saint Leo women’s softball team continues to ride the wave of its 2026 NCAA Division II national championship. With a recruiting profile that’s higher than ever, the Lions have received a verbal commitment from Madison Bergeron, an infielder at Davenport High School in Polk County, according to her high school coach, Gus Mendoza. Bergeron, who will graduate from Davenport in the spring of 2027, led the Broncos to a 10-9 record in 2026 while hitting .333 with three home runs, four doubles, three triples and 20 runs batted in. She fits the profile of the type of player Saint Leo has built its program around. Saint Leo coach Erin Kinberger is not a big believer in the transfer portal and has continually brought in high school players — most of them from the state of Florida — and kept them for four years.The Saint Leo women’s cross country team finished in sixth place at the Sunshine State Conference Championships on Saturday at Holloway Park in Lakeland. Sophomore Amirah Johnson led the way for the Lions by finishing in 33rd place with a time of 23:54.2 on the 6K course. Other top finishers for the Lions were junior Eden Brumer (24:15.7), freshman Madeleine De LaCoste (24:45.6) and sophomores Delaney Glynn (24:53.50) and Jasmine Fajardo (25;03.8). On the men’s side, Saint Leo finished in seventh place in the team competition. Sophomore Jevin Luna ran the 8K course in a personal-best 26:10.3 to finish in 29th place. Sophomore Santiago Rodriguez (26:53.9) also ran a personal best and finished in 46th place.The Saint Leo women’s golf team is drawing some national attention after finishing a strong fall season. Grace Outhavong was named to the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Freshman of the Year watchlist. Her coach, Lyndsey Bevill was named to the Jackie Steinmann WCGA National Coach of the Year watchlist. The Lions will start their spring season in February.PHSC sophomore volleyball playerAvery O’Cull was selected to the Division II All-Sun Lakes Conference second team. O’Cull led the conference with a .350 hitting percentage. The Bobcats finished the season with a 9-21 record and went 4-18 in conference action. Emma Cornelius led the Bobcats with 361 digs and freshman Barbar Luckert had a team-high 219 kills.The PHSC men’s basketball game split a pair of games in the Florida Southwestern State College Tournament in Fort Myers last week. The Bobcats opened the tournament with an 80-76 win over Miami-Dade College on Friday. But PHSC lost, 99-76, to Florida Southwestern State College in Saturday’s championship game. Senior Peyton Wheatley scored four goals to lead the Pasco High girls soccer team (2-0) to a 7-1 win against Central on Nov. 4. Audrina Corona, Catalina Medrano and Olivia Martinez-Vasquez each added a goal for the Pirates. The Pasco boys soccer team posted a 7-2 victory against Hernando on Nov. 4.The Pasco High boys golf team placed eighth in the Class 2A-Region 8 Championships at Metrowest Golf Club in Orlando on Nov. 2. Sophomore Parker Sumer led the Pirates by shooting 76 (four over par) over 18 holes to finish in a tie for 10th place. Pasco’s other top finishers were Brandon Jernigan (82) and Curtis Hogaboam (86).</div></body>

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For generations, Larry Beets has been one of the most prominent names on the local high school baseball scene. As the coach at New Port Richey’s Ridgewood High School and Hudson High School for a combined 33 years, Beets had a legendary career. He was the first baseball coach in Pasco County history to reach 500 career wins and retired with a then-Pasco County record 571 victories. Since his retirement as a head coach, Beets has been as an honorary assistant coach at Pasco-Hernando State College and an assistant coach at Land O’ Lakes High School.

North Pasco Sports Notebook: 6th Annual Beets Classic

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For generations, Larry Beets has been one of the most prominent names on the local high school baseball scene. As the coach at New Port Richey’s Ridgewood 

North Pasco Sports Notebook: 6th Annual Beets Classic

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