Lake County represented at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics

LEESBURG – Lake County will be represented at the start of the Olympics this weekend in Tokyo.

Two former area stars have secured spots on the U.S. Olympic track and field and baseball teams, joining more than 60 other Florida-related people who are expected to compete in the Games.

Former East Ridge High School sprinter Kaylin Whitney will represent the United States as a member of the women’s 4×400 relay team. In addition, the former Mount Dora Bible – now known to the Mount Dora Christian Academy – and Tavares High School catcher Mark Kolozsvary will compete for the US Olympic baseball team.

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This will be the first time either of them has represented the United States at the Summer Olympics.

Whitney secured her spot finishing fifth in the 400-meter at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. She clocked a career best time of 50.29 seconds in the final to secure her ticket to Tokyo.

Whitney has been selected as a substitute for the relay team and will earn a medal if she competes in a first round race or the final and the United States comes in first, second and third.

This was Whitney’s second attempt to secure an Olympic berth. She ran the 100 and 200 meters at the 2016 Olympic Trials, but failed to make the team after finishing 16th and 11th respectively.

Whitney burst onto the state athletic scene at 100 and 200 yards in the 2014 Florida High School Athletic Association State Finals. She was named high school athlete of the year in 2014. by Track and Field News.

The women’s 4×400 relay competition kicks off on August 5 at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium.

Kolozsvary secured his spot on the US Olympic baseball team after competing in the Americas qualifier. After the United States qualified for the Olympics on June 5 with a 4-2 win over Venezuela, Kolozsvary went 1-for-4 in the win and beat 0.417 (5-for-12) with two home runs and three RBIs in the tournament.

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He played for the Chattanooga Lookouts – a Double-A affiliate for the Cincinnati Reds – before starting his run to earn a berth for the Olympics. By the time he temporarily pulled away from the Lookouts, he was hitting .238 with four homers and 22 RBIs.

Before his professional career began, but after being selected by the Reds in the seventh round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft, Kolozsvary helped the University of Florida win the College World Series that same year. He hit .276 with three home runs and 26 RBIs in the Gators title race.

A wide receiver, Kolozsvary’s high school playing career began at Mount Dora Bible, before moving to Tavares ahead of his senior season in 2014. At Tavares, Kolozsvary hit .333 with four homers and was named the most player useful Bulldogs.

With the US Olympic team, Kolozsvary will play for longtime former Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia.

The United States team begins its Olympic race on July 30 against Israel at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohoma, Japan.

More than 11,000 athletes representing more than 200 countries are expected to participate in the Games, which were originally scheduled for last year but have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

East Ridge appoints interim football coach

Matthew Mendez was recently appointed interim football coach at East Ridge, according to an email from athletic director Ty Ensor.

Mendez replaces Martez Edwards, who was fired following a vote earlier this month by the Lake County School Board after it was determined he had falsified his application for employment with the district . Edwards appealed the decision, although Lake County Schools spokeswoman Sherri Owens said his status was “terminated subject to his right to appeal.”

A graduate of Orlando Lake Nona High School, Mendez received his BA from the University of Central Florida and an MA from the University of West Florida. He first attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he played wide receiver before leaving after a season to return to central Florida after injuries and surgeries derailed his career. player.

He has five years of coaching experience at the college level, including one season at Ave Maria University in Naples and four seasons at UWF.

His stint with the Argonauts included their run for the 2019 NCAA Division II National Championship.

Mendez also coached at his high school, where he excelled in football, basketball and track and field.