2023 Sunshine Athletic Conference Fall Awards

November 21, 2023 By Mike Camunas

The Sunshine Athletic Conference, which is made up of the 14 public high school athletic programs in Pasco County, announced its 2023 Fall All-Conference Teams and Players, voted on by the sports’ respective coaches. The awards are split into East and West divisions of the county. Here are the East Division first teams and the players and coaches of the year.

Wiregrass Ranch senior quarterback Luke Knight was one of Pasco County’s top offensive players, throwing for 3,872 yards, 43 touchdowns and just seven interceptions, while leading the Bulls to a 9-3 record and regional semifinals berth. (Mike Camunas)

Football

Team Champion: Zephyrhills

Offensive Player of the Year: Luke Knight, Wiregrass Ranch

Defensive Player of the Year: Milton Garcia, Cypress Creek

Coach of the Year: Nick Carroll, Zephyrhills

Offense

QB – Luke Knight, Wiregrass Ranch

RB – Malachi Askin, Cypress Creek

RB – Cody Gwinn, Land O’ Lakes

WR – Isaiah Riggins, Wiregrass Ranch

WR – D.J. Pickett, Zephyrhills

TE – Zach Merriman, Sunlake

OL – Jaeden Ortiz, Wiregrass Ranch

OL – Austin Slusher, Cypress Creek

OL – Christian Starkey, Wiregrass Ranch

OL – Juan Torres, Pasco

OL – Logan Lagrone, Zephyrhills

K – Cameron Canard, Cypress Creek

P – Trevor Harden, Land O’ Lakes

UTL – Tristan Lennon, Zephyrhills

Defense

DL – David Kirk, Cypress Creek

DL – D.J. Pope, Pasco

DL – Khalial Buckenroth, Wiregrass Ranch

DL – Khris Cruz, Land O’ Lakes

LB – Ola Omoloye, Wiregrass Ranch

LB – Coy Martin, Cypress Creek

LB – Lukas Colella, Zephyrhills

LB – Leroy Vickers, Pasco

DB – D.J. Pickett, Zephyrhills

DB – Milton Garcia, Cypress Creek

DB – Roman Sercu, Cypress Creek

Volleyball

Team Champion: Sunlake

Player of the Year: Brooke Ashkenase, Wesley Chapel

Coach of the Year: Elyse Garcia-Zapata, Sunlake

First Team

Brooke Ashkenase, Wesley Chapel

Annabella Grace Korta, Wesley Chapel

Izabella Horruitiner, Land O’ Lakes

Amelia Snider, Sunlake

Sofia Sierra, Sunlake

Emily Teets, Wesley Chapel

Zayda Thomas, Sunlake

Boys Golf

Team Champion: Wesley Chapel

Golfer of the Year: Connor Newbold, Cypress Creek

Coach of the Year: Josh Raskopf, Wesley Chapel

First team

Connor Newbold, Cypress Creek
Colin Mead, Wiregrass Ranch

Tien Do, Wesley Chapel

Carter Boynton, Wesley Chapel

Max Haines, Sunlake

Girls Golf

Team Champion: Sunlake

Golfer of the Year: Alyssa Mixon, Sunlake

Coach of the Year: Austi Dial, Sunlake

First team

Alyssa Mixon, Sunlake

Hailey Stricker, Sunlake

Skylar Lee, Cypress Creek

Darien Jeffrey, Pasco

Brooklyn Beckstead, Wiregrass Ranch

Boys Cross-Country

Team Champion: Sunlake

Runner of the Year: Will Poe, Zephyrhills

Coach of the Year: Randal Reeves, Sunlake

First team

Will Poe, Zephyrhills

Skylar Manatt, Cypress Creek

Dylan Powell, Cypress Creek

Sunlake High junior cross-country runner Cade Culpepper and senior runner Abigail Williams both named First Team honors in this season’s SAC awards. (Mike Camunas)

Christian Hindman, Sunlake

Cade Culpepper, Sunlake

Aaron Barnes, Cypress Creek

Joshua Hindman, Sunlake

Girls Cross-Country

Team Champion: Sunlake

Runner of the Year: Ava Schmitt, Wiregrass Ranch

Coach of the Year: Randal Reeves, Sunlake

First team

Ava Schmitt, Wiregrass Ranch

Abigail Williams, Sunlake

Katelin Wilcox, Sunlake

Natalia Gaona-Zelaya, Wiregrass Ranch

Lydia Vincent, Zephyrhills

Thalia Kushman, Land O’ Lakes

Kaitlyn Zabrocki, Sunlake

Boys Swimming

Team Champion: Sunlake

Swimmer of the Year: Cayden DeTillo, Sunlake

Diver of the Year: Blake Zevin, Sunlake

Coach of the Year: Guerby Ruuske, Sunlake

First team

200 Medley Relay – Cayden Detillo, Brayden Morsey, George Patrocinio, Connor Canfield, Sunlake

200 Freestyle – Cayden DeTillo, Sunlake

200 Individual Medley – Juan Benitez, Sunlake

50 Freestyle – Huy Duong, Sunlake

100 Freestyle – Connor Canfield, Sunlake

100 Butterfly – Juan Benitez, Sunlake

500 Freestyle – Jackson Porter, Wiregrass Ranch

200 Freestyle Relay – Owen Kerrigan, Braden Morsey, George Patrocinio, Connor Canfield, Sunlake

100 Backstroke – Cayden DeTillo, Sunlake

100 Breaststroke – George Patrocinio, Sunlake

400 Freestyle Relay – Huy Duong, Cayden DeTillo, Connor Canfield, Juan Benitez, Sunlake

Girls Swimming

Team Champion: Land O’ Lakes

Swimmer of the Year: Regan Bright, Sunlake

Diver of the Year: Emily Coss, Land O’ Lakes

Coach of the Year: Jill Hebert, Land O’ Lakes

First team

200 Medley Relay – Regan Bright, Reagan Faiella, Ava Edwards, Jena Ruste, Sunlake

200 Freestyle – Ava Edwards, Sunlake

200 Individual Medley – Regan Bright, Sunlake

50 Freestyle – Jordyn Rolle, Wesley Chapel

100 Butterfly – Regan Bright, Sunlake

100 Freestyle – Callie Trussler, Sunlake

500 Freestyle – Sadie Minich, Wesley Chapel

200 Freestyle Relay – Abigail Hahm, Katie Purcell, Emily Coss, Emelia D’Allesio, Land O’ Lakes

100 Backstroke – Kylie Naramore, Cypress Creek

100 Breaststroke – Sadie Minich, Wesley Chapel

400 Freestyle Relay – Regan Bright, Ava Edwards, Callie Trussler, Jena Ruste, Sunlake

Published November 22, 2023

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