Area fall football preview: Pasco County

The 2016 high school football season is just around the corner and several teams in our coverage area enter the year with intriguing storylines, standout players and must-see matchups.

Pasco Pirates
Coach: Tom McHugh (9th year)
2015 Record: 4-6
Spring Game result: 40-6 loss against Wiregrass Ranch

Land O’ Lakes Gators
Coach: Brian Wachtel (6th year)
2015 Record: 3-7
Spring Game result: 45-0 win over Gulf High

Sunlake Seahawks
Coach: Bill Browning (9th year)
2015 Record: 8-3
Spring Game result: 54-13 win over Hernando High

Wesley Chapel Wildcats
Coach: Anthony Egan (1st year)
2015 record: 2-8
Spring Game result: 54-20 win over Weeki Wachee

Wiregrass Ranch Bulls
Coach: Mark Kantor (2nd year)
2015 record: 2-8
Spring Game result: 40-6 win over Pasco High

Zephyrhills Bulldogs
Coach: Nick Carroll (1st year)
2015 record: 8-3
Spring Game result: 17-2 win over Crystal River High

Zephyrhills Christian Academy (ZCA) Warriors

Coach: Mike Smith (2nd year, 11-man)
2015 Record: 4-4
Spring Game result: 32-12 win over Lakeland Santa Fe

Three teams to watch:

 

Sunlake Seahawks
The Seahawks enter the 2016 campaign with plenty of momentum, especially after a 54-13 thrashing of Hernando High School in their spring game. The Seahawks look to build on that May 20 victory, as well as their 8-3 mark in 2015. Sunlake returns several key pieces on offense and defense, starting with pro-style quarterback Justin Hall, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior capable of filling up a stat sheet (1,729 yards, 17 TDs, 3 interceptions) Hall will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, led by scatback Justin Metzger (577 yards, 5 TDs) and three receivers with at least 20 receptions (Ryan Clark, Cris Galdos, Tyler Peretti.) On defense, three of the team’s top four tacklers return, led by Galdos, a senior linebacker who makes plays all over the field. One major question for the Seahawks is how quickly a makeshift offensive line will gel after the graduations of three anchors—Leo Baez, Bryce Cooley and Joe Russum.

 

Wiregrass Ranch Bulls
If not an improved team, Wiregrass Ranch High School should at least be an interesting one. The Bulls, who haven’t had a winning season since 2010, are stacked with Division I prospects — led by juniors Jordan Miner and Shamaur McDowell. Several new faces are expected to make an impact, as well, starting with former AATL two-way player Daniel Biglow, and A.J. Brown, a rangy wide receiver from Carrollton, Texas. Another player to keep an eye on is sophomore quarterback Grant Sessums, who’s opened eyes at various statewide football camps this summer. While a talented bunch, the biggest key to having more success is staying healthy all yearlong. Last season, Mark Cantor’s Bulls suffered 19 season-ending injuries, virtually crawling to a lethargic 2-8 finish.

Zephyrhills Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are entering the 2016 season with a first-time head coach and several unproven players. Nick Carroll — a longtime Sunlake High School assistant — has big shoes to fill in taking over for the revered Reginald Roberts (39-23 in six seasons). The pressure to win immediately will be elevated, considering the program’s recent triumphs. But, winning won’t come easy, considering the Bulldogs’ top offensive playmaker — running back Antwione Sims — will miss several games due to injury. Moreover, the Bulldogs must find more impactful reinforcements after the graduations of their top receiver (Jackie Tucker Jr.) and top three tacklers (Kevin Lee, Arttonyo Lee Jr., Leonardo Guzman) from last year’s 8-3 team. The team will also be without defensive end Zander Lemay (47 tackles, 3.5 sacks), who recently transferred to Tampa Catholic High School — forcing the new coaching staff to find yet another replacement heading into the season.

Three players to watch:

Zephyrhills senior running back Antwione Sims
Depending on when one the of the area’s most electrifying playmakers returns to the field, fans will surely flock to the stands to see the 5-11, 196-pound Sims (2,093 rushing yards, 24 TDs.) The senior is likely to miss “most of the season” after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in March, but a possible late-season return could prove vital for the Bulldogs down the stretch. Once he returns to the gridiron, it will be interesting to see if Sims still has the same quickness and speed he showed in 2015. A consensus three-star recruit, Sims has 11 scholarships offers, which includes Boston College and Navy.

Sunlake senior receiver/linebacker Cris Galdos
What Galdos lacks in measurables, he more than makes up for with his production. The 5-foot-7, 170-pound do-it-all playmaker is widely viewed as one of the most versatile football players in Pasco County. His offensive statistics (21 receptions, 224 yards, 2 TDs) coupled with his defensive prowess (81 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions) are a key to Sunlake’s continued success. His workout numbers are also impressive: 4.60 40-yard dash, 30-inch vertical jump, 290-pound bench press and 405-pound squat. Galdos recently received his first scholarship offer (University of Saint Francis in Indiana) and is likely to receive a few more by the season’s end.

Wiregrass Ranch junior defensive back Jordan Miner
Pasco County typically doesn’t produce many Division I football prospects on an annual basis, so it’s always worth noting when a player entering just his junior year already has five DI offers— Bowling Green University, Middle Tennessee State University, University of South Florida, University of Toledo and Tulane University. At 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, Miner has the size that major college programs crave in a defensive back. In seven games last season, Miner made an impact in both the secondary (35 tackles, 1 interception) and as a kick returner (34 yards per return.) It won’t be a surprise if Wiregrass Ranch foes avoid the passing game, considering one of Miner’s teammates in the secondary — cornerback Shamaur McDowell — is also a Division I prospect, with several offers. Naturally, football runs in Miner’s family — his older brother, Jaye Miner, is a linebacker at Florida Atlantic University, a Division I school.

Three games to watch:
Wiregrass Ranch @ Gaither (Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m.)

• Two teams loaded with college prospects face off in a late-season game that’s sure to bring several recruiters to North Tampa.

Mitchell @ Sunlake (Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m.)

• Sunlake looks for revenge at home after Mitchell handed the Seahawks their lone district loss last season. The matchup also pits two of Pasco’s top quarterbacks against each other in Mitchell’s Larry Dalla Betta and Sunlake’s Justin Hall.

Zephyrhills @ Pasco (Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m.)

• Though last season’s 9-Mile-War was lopsided in favor of the Bulldogs; this year’s matchup should be a closer affair.

Published August 10, 2016