Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 12-29-15 Edition

Local
10th Annual Bridging The Gap Community Event Held
College Sports
North Carolina A&T Crowned HBCU National Champions
Aggie outruns the defense of Alcorn State University.
On Saturday, December 12th, members of several or- ganizations gathered at the Sulphur Springs Baseball Complex. The purpose of the gathering was the 10th Annual ‘Bridging The Gap’ Commu- nity Event.
More than 200 residents were on hand to witness the annual softball game involving officers from the Tampa Police Department, the Tampa Fire Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and members of the Derrick Brooks Charities Crime Pre- vention Youth Programs.
Mayor Bob Buckhorn at- tended the event hoping that either the Tampa Police De-
partment or Tampa Fire De- partment would bring home the trophy. He wasn’t disap- pointed because the Tampa Fire Department claimed it this year. Tampa Fire Chief Thomas Forward was also on hand to accept it for the win- ning team.
The games were playing consisting of three teams. However, each team was re- quired to have both residents and local youth on the team. The event is designed to “Bridge The Gap” in a fun and festive atmosphere. Members of the Derrick Brooks Chari- ties Youth Programs partici- pated in all of the activities.
After the game ended, the
participants took part in a safety forum and each agency made a presentation.
Afterwards, members of both law enforcement agen- cies and the fire department made a presentation that of useful information such as se- curing their homes, scams being used during the holiday season, and what action to take when something seems out of the ordinary.
Tavarese Blackmon, a member of the Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Program said, “Overall, it was an exciting event because we got to know the police officers and I was on the winning team.”
Lt. Karl Davis, of the Hillsborough County Sher- iff’s Office, is shown with Mayor Bob Buckhorn at the event.
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn joins Derrick Brooks Charities youth Programs, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Tampa Fire Department, and members of the community at the 10th ‘Bridging The Gap’ Community event.
The year was 1999.
That was the last time North
Carolina A&T won a national championship. Sixteen years later, they are national cham- pions again.
The Aggies’ 41-34 victory over Alcorn State in the first- ever Celebration Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday, Dec. 19th, solidified their place in history as the 2015 HBCU national champi- ons in the final BOXTOROW Coaches Poll of 2015.
“It’s great to be national champions and I’m proud of our players, staff and adminis- tration,” said A&T fifth-year head coach, Rod Broadway. “We’re glad to win it. We had a good team and the players got everything they deserved.” A&T received all but one first- place vote.
Alcorn State, the back-to-
back SWAC champions and the 2014 BOXTOROW na- tional champions, finished second.
The Aggies, MEAC co- champions for the second year in a row, sat atop the poll for six weeks. Their only two losses of the season were to FBS opponent North Carolina and to fellow MEAC co-cham- pion North Carolina Central who finished No. 5.
The third MEAC co-cham- pion was Bethune-Cookman who finished No. 3.
Grambling State was the other top five team and fin- ished No. 4.
In its seventh year, the BOX- TOROW HBCU FCS Coaches Poll is administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW and is voted on by the HBCU Football Championship Subdivision coaches.
Mayor Bob Buckhorn poses with Ms. Passion Warren, left, and Tavarese Black- mon, right, who are members of the Der- rick Brooks Charities Youth Program.
Patrick Oden, left, and Alvin Young, III, is shown with Major Rocky Ratliff, of the Tampa Police Department.
Tampa Police Major Rocky Ratliff, left, and Event Coordinators Harold Hart and Earl Silas, are shown pre-
Members of the Tampa Police Department’s senting the winning trophy to Tampa Softball team participated in the event. Fire Department Chief Tom Forward.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13