Sports

JUNE 24, 2021

SPORTS

Little League 12U team falls to DeLand in district game

The Palm Coast Little League team lost the first game in the double-elimination tournament.

Palm Coast Little League’s 12-and-under baseball team had a tough loss at a district game on Saturday, June 19, to DeLand at the Indian Trails Sports Complex in Palm Coast.

With only a few errors on the field, the team struggled at the plate: They could not get DeLand’s pitcher out of their heads.

The final score was 12-1 ends, due to the mercy rule.

— JAKE MONTGOMERY

Coach Joe Rossheim, Kam Roberts and Justin Gardner

Photos by Jake Montgomery

Dylan Vanderbur

Jack Rossheim Jacob Niemann

Nick Pandich

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Robert Paxia, new FPCHS football coach.

Photo by Brian McMillan

A dream come true

Robert Paxia hired to replace Travis Roland as head football coach at Flagler Palm Coast High School

BRENT WORONOFF CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After coaching at six high schools during the past nine years, Robert Paxia thought he had finally found a place where he and his family could put down roots.

But then the vagabond football coach got a chance to come home.

On May 24, Flagler Palm Coast High School hired Paxia to replace Travis Roland as its head football coach.

Paxia graduated from FPC in 2008. He played football for the Bulldogs and won a state weightlifting championship. He met his wife at FPC and began his coaching career there while still in college.

Leaving Lakeland Lake Gibson after posting a 22-3 record over the past two seasons was difficult. But returning to FPC? That was a dream come true.

“This has been one of my goals since I started coaching football,” Paxia said in a recent phone interview. “Flagler impacted me a ton when I was a young man.”

Paxia applied for the FPC job after the 2016 season. Instead, the Bulldogs hired Roland, who went on to lead FPC to four straight playoff appearances and an undefeated regular season in 2017.

“Robert had a good shot at the

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“This has been one of my goals since I started coaching football. Flagler impacted me a ton when I was a young man.”

ROBERT PAXIA

job back then,” FPC Athletics Director Steve DeAugustino said. “Travis just had more experience.”

Ironically, Roland decided to leave FPC in April to take the vacant head coaching job at his own alma mater, Mainland High. As a senior linebacker, Roland helped lead the Bucs to the Class 5A state championship in 2003.

“When I didn’t get the job in 2016, I figured Travis would be there as long as he wanted to be,” Paxia said. “At that point, I put it out of my mind. I figured I’d find my place and do as good a job as possible.”

WINDING ROAD TO FPC

Paxia played on the offensive line at FPC and won a state weightlifting title in the 238-pound class. After a torn ACL ended Paxia’s freshman season at Webber International University, his high school coach, Steve Allen, convinced him to come back to FPC to coach.

“I learned so much that first spring from Coach Allen and all those guys I played for,” he said.

He was on FPC’s staff for four seasons while completing a bachelor of applied science degree in supervision and management at Daytona State College.

Over the next few years, Robert and his wife, Alexandra, got to know the U-Haul operators in several towns: In 2013, Paxia became offensive coordinator at Brooksville Central. In 2014, he moved to Bradford High as the defensive coordinator. He moved again the following season to Plant City, where he was the offensive coordinator in 2015 and the head coach in 2016, compiling a 6-3 record.

After losing out on the FPC job that offseason, he became an assistant coach at Villa Rica High outside of Atlanta. After two seasons at the Georgia school, Paxia became head coach at Lake Gibson. In 2019 he led the Braves to an 11-1 record a year after they finished 4-6. Their only loss was in four overtimes to Charlotte in the playoffs. This past season Lake Gibson went 11-2, advancing to the regional finals.

“It’s actually refreshing to see how he grew from four years ago to now,” DeAugustino said. “Robert always has been goaloriented. He’s always trying to improve.”

HOW MUCH YOU CARE

Paxia’s coaching philosophy is based on building relationships.

“The kids won’t care what you know until they know how much you care,” he said.

His FPC head coaching tenure began on June 7 when the Bulldogs started their summer lifting program. Paxia is retaining Brian Cox as his defensive coordinator. Cox led the program during spring drills.

Paxia doubles as his own offensive coordinator. His Braves led the state in scoring offense in 2020. His offense is heavy in runpass option, he said, adapting to his quarterback’s strengths.

“Our kids are going to be coached well, be physical and have really good film,” he said.

The Paxias have two children, ages 7 and 1. Robert and Alexandra’s parents live in Flagler County, and having all four of their children’s grandparents nearby was the No. 1 factor in their decision to leave Lakeland, he said.

“I had no intention of leaving Lake Gibson,” Paxia said. “But Flagler is home.”

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Marianne McNeil 1939-2021

Marianne McNeil, 82, of Palm Coast, FL passed away on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. She was born on May 17, 1939 in Hoboken, NJ, the daughter of Adolph and Anna Tansky. Marianne was a member of Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church in Palm Coast.

She is survived by her children: Jill (Paul) Johnson of SC, Jim (Mary) McNeil of NY, Nancy (Darren) Keenan of GA, and Glenn McNeil of FL; 5 grandchildren: Kevin and Austin Johnson, Jessica Stiles, Kristin Puente, and Samantha Domurat; 3 great grandchildren; one sister Dorothy (Chris) Guy-Denman, two brothers: Alan Tansky and Jerry Tansky, one niece Anna (Marc) Guy-Abis, and several nephews.

Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her childhood sweetheart and love of her life, her husband, James J. McNeil Jr. They were happily married for 54 years.

Marianne was an avid quilter and quilted with the group at Cut Up N Sew who taught her the craft. She loved to spend time with them and created many beautiful pieces. She served on the Board of Friends of A1A, Scenic A1A Pride for many years in her community. Traveling and seeing the country was one of her delights. She loved her family, grandchildren and great grandbabies more than anything and was very close to them. Second to that was Christmas and she spent the year looking forward to it. It was her most favorite time of the year and she will always be with us in spirit at every Christmas gathering. She had a caretaker’s

She loved her family, grandchildren and great grandbabies more than anything and was very close to them.

heart and will be greatly missed by all. She leaves behind many wonderful memories to all those that knew her.

May the Lord Bless her and keep her, may He make His face to shine upon her.

She will be cremated and buried with her husband at a future date in Concord, MA.