By Pete Vining Halpatiokee (Seminole for “Alligator Water”) Park in Stuart was the setting for the fall Martin County Shootout last weekend.  Located adjacent to I-95 Exit 101, the facility is another in the growing number of excellent venues across Florida, and if you were so inclined, a beautiful canoe trip on the St. Lucie River awaited you.  Check out http://www.southriveroutfitters.com/ for guided tours or you can simply rent your own. [vslider name=”mcso”] Back to lacrosse.  Wow!  By FLN’s count, 52 teams from 23 travel clubs from all over the state suited up in six different divisions.   Representative clubs included the following (in more or less alphabetical order): Aces Barracudas Bay Area Sand Sharks Blue Devil Elite Brevard Jays Chamber Elite Crashers (Actually Wedding Crashers – a fun U15 group from Miami getting an early start…) Florida Elite Florida Phoenix Ft. Lauderdale Hammerheads LCO Loggerhead Miami Stone Crabs Miami Thunder Palm Beach Storm Praetorians Riptide Select River Rats Stampede LC Tampa Elite Team 22 Warpigs LC Xtreme The tournament instituted a modified Braveheart tiebreaker featuring a four on four format.  Lacrosse is a fast paced, exciting sport (apologies to baseball and the high scoring soccer), but nothing beats a Braveheart for spectator thrills.  FLN was lucky enough to witness two Bravehearts: Riptide Select’s win in pool play and Palm Beach Storm’s U13 Select team win in its division’s final for the championship. Congratulations to the division winners: U11 – Xtreme U13 – Palm Beach Storm U13B – Palm Beach Storm U15 – Aces HSB – LCO HSA – LCO FLN will be on the scene again this weekend across the state at the Derek Piper tournament.  Play your best and have fun!