High School

Homecoming Queen scores a touchdown for Palm Harbor University

Former flag football star makes a splash with Palm Harbor University's boys' varsity football team

Gary Adornato

Homecoming Queen scores a touchdown for Palm Harbor University
Homecoming Queen scores a touchdown for Palm Harbor University /

DUNEDIN, FLORIDA – Palm Harbor University High School's Esther Breitling, who was recently named her school's Homecoming Queen, made a big splash this fall when she made the leap from flag football to tackle with Palm Harbor University's varsity squad.

Breitling made an even bigger splash, Friday evening, when the senior wide receiver/defensive back scored a touchdown, one a 1-yard run, early in the second half of the Hurricanes' game at Dunedin.

Breitling, a senior biomedical student, made the decision to tryout for the varsity squad at the suggestion of her long-time friend Mykel Bobert, who also plays on the team. Bobert, ironically, was named Palm Harbor's Homecoming King back in October, making the two not only teammates but school royalty.

Sports crowns and shoulder pad, friends Mykehl Bobert and Esther Breitling, were named Homecoming King and Queen at Palm Harbor University on October 20, 2023. Friday night, Breitling scored a touchdown in the Hurricane's game with Dunedin.
Sports crowns and shoulder pad, friends Mykehl Bobert and Esther Breitling, were named Homecoming King and Queen at Palm Harbor University on October 20, 2023. Friday night, Breitling scored a touchdown in the Hurricane's game with Dunedin / Photo courtesy of Fox13 News

With her team leading 33-0, early in the third quarter in it's regular season finale, Breitling helped put the running clock in place when she scored the first touchdown of her career.

The Hurricanes would go on to win, 47-0.

(Below, last spring Esther Breitling hauled in this 20-yard touchdown reception for school's girls flag football team.)

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Gary Adornato
GARY ADORNATO

Gary Adornato began covering high school sports with the Baltimore Sun in 1982, while still a mass communications major at Towson University, and in 2003 became one of the first journalists to cover high school sports online while operating MIAASports.com, the official website of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association. Later, Adornato pioneered market-wide coverage of high school sports with DigitalSports.com, introducing video highlights and player interviews while assembling an award-winning editorial staff. In 2010, he launched VarsitySportsNetwork.com which became the premier source of high school media coverage in the state of Maryland. In 2022, he sold VSN to The Baltimore Banner and joined SBLive Sports as the company's East Coast Managing Editor.

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