Sam Albuquerque

Orlando

High School Sports Reporter at The Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, SC)

Sports editor for the @OrangeObserver, @OrangeSportsOMG. Contact: [email protected] Formerly: @GoUpstate | @ESPNOrlando | @WDBONews

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Articles

Thomas Achey's no-hitter leads TFA baseball to back-to-back regional titles

4 days ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

The First Academy baseball won the Class 2A, Region 2 championship, its second consecutive regional title, after topping Lakeland Christian in five innings, 10-0, on the back of a complete game, no-hitter from pitcher Thomas Achey and a three-home run performance from the Royals' bats.
PHOTOS: Horizon softball wins regional quarterfinal game

4 days ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

After a lightning delay pushed the first pitch of Horizon High softball’s Class 6A regional quarterfinal game against visiting Tate High — then halted play in the top of the first inning — the Lady Hawks rallied from behind twice to top the Aggies, 8-6, and advance to the semifinals of the Region 1 playoffs.
PHOTOS: Ocoee’s Centennial Celebration

4 days ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

The city of Ocoee hosted its Centennial Celebration at the Ocoee Lakeshore Center and Bill Breeze Park May 9 to commemorate its 100-year anniversary. Filled with vendors, carnival games, a ferris wheel and much more, event-goers were treated to an evening of family fun, great food and incredible live musical performances by The Smoking Jackets and the Gerry Williams Band.
Olympia boys basketball's Jonathan Watts named to ESPN’s top 60 recruits list

6 days ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

Olympia boys basketball player Jonathan Watts has been named to ESPN’s top 60 recruits list for the class of 2027, as the No. 56 overall player. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound rising junior averaged 10.9 points, seven rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the Titans, helping lead the young team to an 18-11 record. Along with the overall ranking, Watts was also named a four-star prospect by ESPN, the fifth-ranked 2027 player in Florida and 12th-ranked power forward in the country.
Six members of West Orange girls lacrosse recognized as part of All-Metro awards

6 days ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

Six members of the West Orange High girls lacrosse team were recognized as part of the All-West Metro Conference awards for the 2025 season. Emily Noel was been named the Conference’s Coach of the Year, while senior defender Julie Reeth was named the Academic Senior of the Year. Reeth has a GPA of 5.309. Along with Noel and Reeth, four Lady Warriors were named the the 2025 All-West Metro Conference Team of the Year.
Sam’s 2025 spring football stops: Olympia Titans

1 week ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

It’s the second week of the 2025 spring high school football session, and that means the acclimation period is done-and-dusted, and players can strap on their helmets and shoulder pads and get physical. In the second edition of Sam’s 2025 spring football stops, we continue our 12-stop journey to take fans of West Orange and Southwest Orange high school football behind the scenes of the spring high school football.
Sam’s 2025 spring football stops: Ocoee Knights

1 week ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

It’s the second week of the 2025 spring high school football session, and that means the acclimation period is done-and-dusted, and players can strap on their helmets and shoulder pads and get physical. In the second edition of Sam’s 2025 spring football stops, we continue our 12-stop journey to take fans of West Orange and Southwest Orange high school football behind the scenes of the spring high school football.
Athlete of the Week: Gianna Landri, The First Academy track and field

1 week ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

It was clear when, as a sixth-grader, The First Academy’s Gianna Landri qualified for states in the 4x800 meter relay, she had what it took to be a special athlete. Now an eighth-grader, Landri is doing more than living up to her potential; she’s quickly establishing herself as one of the state’s top middle school runners.
West, Southwest Orange well-represented at 2025 Cure All-Star Girls Flag Game

1 week ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

The rosters for the 2025 Cure All-Star Girls Flag Football Game have been announced, and the West Orange and Southwest Orange areas were well-represented. Eleven area players and two coaches across the two teams were selected for the May 7 game at Dr. Phillips High. Three players from Horizon High were selected: Nyree James, Isabella Almarza and Mariangely Blanco. From Ocoee High, Jayla Wesier, Aliyah Morris-Law and Jayla Williams were selected.
Playoff pursuit: West, Southwest Orange high school softball postseason preview

1 week ago | orangeobserver.com | Sam Albuquerque

The spring high school sports postseason is now fully underway as the girls on the softball diamond are the last set of athletes to have begun their battles for state championship glory. As always, the West Orange and Southwest Orange areas are well-represented in the FHSAA softball regional tournaments, with five teams across four of the state’s seven classifications.