• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

       

Click to join our weekly e-newsletter

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
    • Reasons To Smile
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices
    • Browse Notices
    • Place Notices

Land O’ Lakes crushes Wesley Chapel 49-3

October 18, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Offense and defense show up big in victory

By Kyle LoJacono

Land O’ Lakes High needed just seven plays to take a lead it would never give up against Class 3A, District 7 rival Wesley Chapel High in a 49-3 win Oct. 15.

While the Gators (6-0) offense is averaging 46 points per game, it was the defense that set a school record in the 46-point win by recording 13 sacks against the Wildcats (2-5).

Land O’ Lakes linebacker Jackson Cannon brings down Wesley Chapel quarterback Devon Henry for one of the Gators school record 13 sacks.

“That was pretty impressive,” Land O’ Lakes coach Matt Kitchie said of the sacks. “We had an 11-sack performance earlier in the year and 13 tonight and you can’t really do that without the whole defense working together. We had a lot of players step up and make plays.”

Junior weakside linebacker Shadow Williams had four sacks in the game, doubling his total for the year.

“You just have to read the guards and read the tackles,” Williams said on how he was able to get to the quarterback. “You can tell by how they’re setting up and watching which way they’re going.”

Junior linebacker Jackson Cannon added two more sacks. The Gators are averaging more than six sacks per game.

The third sack on Wildcats freshman quarterback Alex McGough knocked him out of the game with an apparent knee injury.

Williams and the entire defense took pride in not allowing a touchdown to the Wildcats and holding them to just 75 yards.

“It’s really good for our offense because it gives them good field position and keeps them on the field so we can get points on the board,” Williams said.

Land O’ Lakes senior quarterback Stephen Weatherford said, “Our defense is unbelievable. They’re as good as our offense if not better. I can throw a pick and I know our defense is going to get the ball back to us.”

Stephen Weatherford

While the Land O’ Lakes defense was setting up shop in the Wesley Chapel backfield, the Gators offense was having a party of its own. They took the opening drive 49 yards down the field ending with a one-yard touchdown run by Weatherford.

“I felt like our passing game has been off for a couple games,” Weatherford said. “I felt like our running game clicked and our offensive line has been doing a lot better too and that opens things up in the passing game. I felt good about our whole offense tonight.”

The Land O’ Lakes signal caller finished 14 of 23 passing with 337 yards and four passing scores while adding another 65 rushing yards. Weatherford has 1,661 passing yards this year and 24 touchdowns. His 276.8 yards per game is the third most in Florida.

Weatherford threw a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver Will Irwin and tight end Jason Tello, both seniors. The longest was a 63-yarder to Irwin.

“Stephen and I, we have a lot of chemistry,” Irwin said. “We’ve been in practice every day going on four years now. He knows where I’ll be and I know where to go. He knows when to throw it and he knows I’ll be there for it.”

Weatherford did throw one interception in the game and senior wide receiver Matthew Carper saved him from another. Late in the game a Wesley Chapel defender got his hands on a pass and looked like he completed the interception, but Carper pulled it away and made a would-be turnover into a 13-yard completion.

“I’ll have to buy him lunch or something for saving me from that one,” Weatherford said jokingly.

The Wildcats lone score came on a 27-yard field goal by junior Cody Hodgens. The points were set up by a muffed punt recovered by Wesley Chapel on the Gators 40-yard-line.

“We’re a really young team,” said Wesley Chapel coach Ben Alford. “A lot of those guys on the other sideline have been together for three and four years. We’re playing three or four freshman each game. It makes it difficult, but they’ll learn from these kinds of games.”

The Gators are currently tied for the district lead with Pasco High and Sunlake High.

Pasco has won the district the last three years and beat Land O’ Lakes 28-16 last year in Dade City, their only loss of the regular season. Kitchie has the score hanging on the Gators locker room door to remind them. The rematch with the Pirates is this Friday, Oct. 22 in Land O’ Lakes at 7:30 p.m.

“I think we’re really prepared for them,” Kitchie said. “Obviously the wounds are still fresh and that’s been up there on our locker room door since the Monday after we got beat so they see it every time they hit the practice field.”

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Reddit
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Sponsored Content

WAVE Wellness Center — Tampa Bay’s Most Advanced Upper Cervical Spinal Care

September 5, 2023 By Mary Rathman

Tampa Bay welcomes WAVE Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art spinal care clinic founded by Dr. Ryan LaChance. WAVE … [Read More...] about WAVE Wellness Center — Tampa Bay’s Most Advanced Upper Cervical Spinal Care

Only a Few Homes Remain — It’s Your Final Chance to Build Your Home in Del Webb Bexley

August 29, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Time is running out on your chance to live at Del Webb Bexley. We’ve built the ideal active adult community to suit your … [Read More...] about Only a Few Homes Remain — It’s Your Final Chance to Build Your Home in Del Webb Bexley

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

10/03/2023 – Drawing Workshop

The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host a Drawing Workshop: Exquisite Corpse, on Oct. 3 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., as part of its Museum + Art Series. Participants can learn about the exquisite corpse drawing method and create a drawing inspired by surrealist artists. Registration is required; call 727-815-7126. To learn more, visit MOMA.org/collection/terms/exquisite-corpse. … [Read More...] about 10/03/2023 – Drawing Workshop

10/03/2023 – Halloween Games/Crafts

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host Teen Halloween Games and Crafts on Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m., for ages 13 to 17. Supplies will be provided. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 10/03/2023 – Halloween Games/Crafts

10/03/2023 – Library Book Sale

The Friends of the Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host a porch book sale on Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to noon, featuring all genres of books including novels, nonfiction, biographies, sewing, cooking, self-help, and more. The porch sale takes place every Tuesday. Call 813-929-1214 for information. … [Read More...] about 10/03/2023 – Library Book Sale

10/04/2023 – Garden Club Field Trip

The Orange Blossom Garden Club will visit Cindy’s Secret Place on Oct. 4. Guests should meet at the Lutz Community Center, across from the Lutz Library, at 9:30 a.m., to carpool north. RSVP by Oct. 1 to Lee Brown at . … [Read More...] about 10/04/2023 – Garden Club Field Trip

10/04/2023 – Harry Potter Club

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host a Harry Potter Club on the first Wednesday of every month at 3 p.m., for wizards, witches and muggles in grades five to eight. The next meeting is Oct. 4. Fans can gather to create replicas of popular items from the series, while discussing the books and movies. Participants do not have to read the books. Register online at bit.ly/PCLSEvents. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 10/04/2023 – Harry Potter Club

10/04/2023 – Houseplant Discussion

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host a master gardener discussion about houseplants on Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. Registration is required. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 10/04/2023 – Houseplant Discussion

More of What's Happening

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2023 Community News Publications Inc.

   
%d bloggers like this: