McCallie's T.J. Kemp fights off a defenseman from St. Alban's, Washington D.C.Former McCallie athlete T.J. Kemp made his professional lacrosse debut Sunday, playing midfield for the Florida Launch of Major League Lacrosse. They lost 12-8 on the road against the Chesapeake Bayhawks.
The Launch are the only MLL team in Florida and they play their home matches at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
Kemp, who graduated in 2010 after playing football and lacrosse for McCallie, was a high school All-American and National Merit semifinalist who went on to play at North Carolina where he earned four lacrosse letters.
Mets sign Smoker
The New York Mets signed former Calhoun pitcher Josh Smoker to a minor league contract earlier this month.
Smoker is a former first-round pick of the Washington Nationals. The left-handed pitcher, released by Washington after injury sidelined him in 2013, has been playing for the Rockford (Ill.) Aviators. Last year while playing for the Aviators in the Frontier league, he posted a 1-0 record with a 4.03 ERA as a late-innings reliever.
He may still be in extended spring training as he is not yet listed on the Mets' high-A team in Port St. Lucie, Fla. or their Class A team in Savannah, Ga.
Ex-Bear Casteel in AAA
Former Bradley Central catcher Ryan Casteel has taken another step up the Colorado Rockies ladder, climbing to AAA where he is playing for the Albuquerque Isotopes. Still playing catcher but mixing in some first-base play, Casteel is hitting .350 through nine games with four RBIs.
It appeared that former Baylor standout Tyler Massey also would be in Triple-A after spending most of spring training with the Isotyopes. The day before the teams were to break camp, though, the parent club sent two outfielders to AAA, which bumped Massey to AA. He is batting .316 for the New Britain (Conn.) Rock Cats with three doubles, a couple of RBIs and four stolen bases.
Brainerd pair set to sign
Brainerd High School's Da'V Moore and Marques Tipton, who helped the Panthers reach the Class AA state tournament, will sign basketball scholarship papers today with Chattanooga State.
Moore, a 6-foot-4 all-state selection, averaged 16 points, 13 rebounds and four steals per game. Tipton, also 6-4, averaged 13 points, four rebounds and thee blocks in helping Brainerd claim 22 wins.
"They both have tremendous upside," Panthers coach Levar Brown said. "They meant everything to us this year, even doing all the little things that don't always show up, and I'm really glad I'll get to continue watching them play."