The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Local gridiron star makes college announcement

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One of the area’s top football players plans to head north for his college career.

Jordan Miner, a rising senior defensive back at Wiregrass Ranch High School, has verbally committed to Penn State University, a Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) program in State College, Pennsylvania.

Jordan Miner

He made the announcement on July 6, during a broadcast on Spectrum Sports Florida television network.

“I want to win states, so (making a decision) would be extra pressure off my back,” Miner said during the broadcast.

He added that academics was one of the biggest factors in his decision.

The four-star recruit — who claims nearly 30 scholarship offers — chose the Nittany Lions over University of Maryland, University of Oregon, University of Tennessee and University of Florida, among others.

In a later statement, Miner wrote, “…I would like to thank all of the coaches that took a chance on me in this recruiting process, but after all this time and prayer, I have decided it is best for me to attend college at Penn State.”

Miner (6-foot-1, 177 pounds) is widely regarded as one of the best players in Tampa Bay and throughout the state, based on various recruiting publications.

According to 247Sports, Miner is the nation’s No. 30 cornerback and the No. 49 prospect in Florida, ranked among the top 300 prospects for the 2018 recruiting class.

Other outlets, including Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com, have likewise rated Miner among the nation’s elite.

Jordan Miner was one of the key pieces that helped guide Wiregrass Ranch to a 7-3 mark and playoff appearance last season — its first winning campaign since 2010.
He finished the 2016 season with 38 tackles, hauled in three interceptions and forced a fumble last season. Also a standout on special teams, Miner averaged over 33 yards per kick return. (File)

“Miner flashes impressive ball skills by high-pointing the ball, but also does a nice job of transforming into an offensive weapon once tucking it away,” a Scout.com evaluation report reads. “He also impresses with his ability to adjust and track the ball through the air. Miner has to continue to strengthen up his frame, but is a tough kid who is willing to come downhill with physicality. He does a good job of reading and reacting, and then closes on the ball in a hurry. Miner is not a blazer, but does a nice job of accelerating away from opponents.”

Miner, meanwhile, was one of the key pieces that helped guide Wiregrass Ranch to a 7-3 mark and playoff appearance last season — its first winning campaign since 2010.

He finished the 2016 season with 38 tackles, hauled in three interceptions and forced a fumble last season. Also a standout on special teams, Miner averaged over 33 yards per kick return.

He isn’t the only blue-chip football prospect in Wesley Chapel, however.

Isaiah Bolden, a rising senior at Wesley Chapel High School, is another highly rated, four-star cornerback prospect.

Bolden (6-foot-2, 175 pounds) verbally committed to the University of Oregon in April.
According to 247Sports, Bolden is rated as the nation’s No. 20 cornerback and the No. 37 prospect in Florida, and ranked among the nation’s top 200 prospects for the entire 2018 recruiting class.

If Miner ultimately signs with Penn State, he will join one of the nation’s most recognizable college football programs — and one that’s on the rise under fourth-year head coach James Franklin. Last season, Penn State went 11-3 and made a Rose Bowl appearance after winning the Big Ten Conference championship. (Courtesy of Penn State Athletics)

All verbal commitments are nonbinding until prospects sign national letters of intent or financial aid papers. This year, prospects can sign as early as Dec. 20, due to the new early signing period. That 72-hour window runs from Dec. 20 to Dec. 22.

If Miner ultimately signs with Penn State, he will be joining one of the nation’s most recognizable college football programs — and one that’s on the rise under fourth-year head coach James Franklin.

Last season, Penn State went 11-3 and made a Rose Bowl appearance after winning the Big Ten Conference championship.

And, Miner likely won’t be the only athlete from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area on the Penn State football roster come 2018.

Gaither High School product Amani Oruwariye is entering his redshirt junior season with the Nittany Lions, as a defensive back.

Followers of the Pasco County prep football scene may recognize the Miner name.

Jordan’s older brother, Jaye Miner, was an All-State linebacker at Wiregrass Ranch High School from 2011 to 2014. He later played college football at Florida Atlantic University, a Division I FBS program in Boca Raton.

Published July 19, 2017

Local pitchers delay pro careers for college

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Two of the area’s top pitchers are postponing their pro careers — for now.

Sunlake High School’s Tommy Mace and Steinbrenner High’s CJ Van Eyk — both selected in the middle rounds of June’s MLB Draft — have opted to forgo professional baseball contracts, and instead attend in-state Division I programs.

Sunlake High’s Tommy Mace, who was drafted in the 12th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, will pitch at the University of Florida.
(File)

Mace, drafted in the 12th round (347th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds, will pitch at the University of Florida, which last month won the 2017 College World Series — the first national title in program history.

Van Eyk, drafted in the 19th round (577th overall) by the New York Mets, will pitch at Florida State University, which reached the College World Series, but was later eliminated by Louisiana State University.

The draft-signing deadline was July 7; the draft featured 40 rounds and 1,205 picks in total.

Besides higher education, Mace and Van Eyk have a chance to further develop their pitching skillets with advanced college instruction.

Typically, that results in an improved draft stock — and larger corresponding signing bonuses.

Based on MLB guidelines, Mace and Van Eyk will be draft-eligible again in three years — players at four-year colleges and universities are eligible three years after first enrolling in such an institution, or after their 21st birthday (whichever occurs first).

Mace, a lanky 6-foot-7, 200-pound righty, was ranked by MLB.com as the No. 144 overall prospect in the 2017 draft.

The site lauds his projectable 94 mph fastball, and usable three-quarters breaking ball.

One of the more effective prep arms in the Tampa Bay area, Mace tallied a 1.29 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 70.2 innings, with an 8-2 record in 11 appearances — guiding Sunlake High to the Class 7A regional finals last season.

During his three-year varsity career, meanwhile, Mace won 19 games, posting a 1.65 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 165.2 innings.

Van Eyk was equally dominant throughout his prep career.

Steinbrenner High’s CJ Van Eyk, who was drafted in the 19th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, will pitch at Florida State University. (File)

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound righty was ranked by MLB.com as the No. 120 overall prospect in the 2017 draft.

In addition to a blistering 95-mile-per-hour fastball that displays movement and sink, Van Eyk features an effective curveball and changeup.

His senior season, however, was cut short due to arm soreness. In limited action, he posted a 0.73 ERA and 56 strikeouts.

But, throughout his three-year varsity career, Van Eyk was virtually unhittable, tallying a 0.60 ERA and 250 strikeouts in 173.2 innings, and winning 24 games.

Van Eyk surged onto the national spotlight last summer as a member of the USA Baseball 18-and-under team’s pitching staff, helping the squad win gold at the Pan American Championships.

Also in 2016, he led Steinbrenner to its first state baseball title in and was crowned the Florida Dairy Farmers’ Class 8A Player of the Year.

Van Eyk wasn’t Steinbrenner’s only drafted player.

His teammate, first baseman Patrick Morris, was selected in the 14th round by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Morris, however, opted to turn pro, inking a signing bonus in excess of $200,000.

Published July 19, 2017

Softball standout commits to Nova Southeastern

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Tia Williams

Shortstop Tia Williams, a rising senior at Land O’ Lakes High School, has committed to play softball at Nova Southeastern University, a Division II program in Fort Lauderdale. Williams, a three-year varsity player, has developed into one of the top hitters in Pasco County. She has a career .436 batting average, posting five home runs, 14 doubles, 58 RBIs and 73 runs total. She’s also racked up 27 career stolen bases.

Audra Leipold commits to Samford University

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Audra Leipold
(File)

Former Academy at the Lakes hoops standout Audra Leipold, now a rising senior at Seffner Christian Academy, has committed to Samford University, a Division I program in Homewood, Alabama.

Leipold, a 5-foot-7 combo guard, also held college offers from University of Tampa, Saint Leo University and Furman University in South Carolina.

Leipold was a four-year starter at Academy at the Lakes, until she transferred to Seffner Christian last July.

Regarded as one of the top hoopers in Tampa, ESPN.com ranks Leipold among the nation’s top 80 guards based on her dribbling and passing skills, and mid-range shooting ability.

She averaged 12.1 points, 4.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game last season.

Saint Leo names new women’s lacrosse head coach

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Caitlin Hansen is Saint Leo University’s new head women’s lacrosse coach.

Most recently, Hansen served as head women’s lacrosse coach at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, where she posted a 50-23 (.685) overall record in four seasons, including a 16-5 mark in 2017.

Saint Leo University has hired Caitlin Hansen to lead its women’s lacrosse program.
Hansen spent the past four seasons at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. (Courtesy of Johnson & Wales University)

She replaces Leslie Graham, who resigned in May to “pursue other career opportunities.”

During her six seasons of coaching Saint Leo, Graham compiled a 41-54 record.

Besides leading Johnson & Wales, Hansen has served as a coach with the Team Elevate New England club women’s lacrosse program since 2013. Based out of Providence, Team Elevate is one of the nation’s top club lacrosse organizations.

She previously served as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Bryant University, for the 2009 through 2011 seasons, where she was responsible for on- and off-campus recruiting, practice preparation, game film breakdown and opponent scouting reports, and travel logistics.

“We are excited to welcome Caitlin Hansen to our Saint Leo athletic community,” Saint Leo athletic director Francis X. Reidy said, in a statement. “We had a profile heading into this search, and Coach Hansen checked off each of the qualities we were looking for in impressive fashion. I know our women’s lacrosse team will be excited to be coached, work with, and be developed by Coach Hansen.”

 

Zephyrhills Senior Center gets kitchen makeover

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The Zephyrhills Senior Center has upgraded its kitchen.

The Pasco County Elderly Nutrition Division reopened the Zephyrhills Senior Center on June 5, after a nine-month kitchen renovation.

The facility, at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, 5855 16th St., closed in September after black mold was discovered next to a kitchen cabinet.

The Zephyrhills Senior Center is located at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, 5855 16th St. It officially reopened June 5, after a nine-month kitchen renovation. (Kevin Weiss)

A kitchen renovation project had been planned, but discovery of the mold expedited the process, according to Karen Blackburn, the center’s nutrition site attendant. “It had to be addressed right away,” she said.

The $33,000 in upgrades was completely funded by the church, which has a public-private partnership with Pasco County Elderly Nutrition, a division of Pasco County Community Services.

Improvements include several stainless-steel, commercial-grade appliances, including a dishwasher, fridge-freezer, oven range and hand-washing station.

Other notable features include newly installed cabinets and countertops, plus brick-style floors and fresh lighting.

From old kitchen to new, the transformation is “unbelievable,” Blackburn said.

“It’s like night and day,” said Blackburn, who’s worked at the senior center for about two years. “It was just like a little country kitchen that the church used that wasn’t designed to accommodate dozens of seniors.”

“It’s definitely 100 percent so much better,” said George Papadopolous, Pasco County Elderly Nutrition Division manager.

It’s also up to proper specifications.

Stainless steel, commercial-grade appliances are some of the improvements in the newly renovated kitchen.

“We have everything that’s required from the county, and it works out really well,” Blackburn said.

Senior center patrons are in awe of the new kitchen features.

Eighty-year old Tooty Quin is a fan of the enhancements.

She often assists Blackburn with serving and cleanup.

“It’s a lot better,” Quin said. “We’ve got more room; it’s more efficient.”

Fellow senior Gary Morgan agrees.

“They just did a super good job on it,” said Morgan, 71. “It seems like there’s more stainless than it was before. And, it’s just more convenient for the (workers).”

During the nine-month closure, seniors were redirected to the Dade City Senior Center for meals and activities.

Those are two of six facilities operated by Pasco County Elderly Nutrition Services. Others are located in Port Richey, New Port Richey, Land O’ Lakes and Shady Hills.

At each facility, hot, balanced meals are served five days a week, free to seniors age 60 and older.

About 1,000 seniors take part in countywide programs each day.

Nutrition site attendant Karen Blackburn checks the temperature on food arrivals at the Zephyrhills Nutrition Center. The congregate meals come pre-prepared by GA Foods, a vendor based in St. Petersburg.

The congregate meals come pre-prepared by GA Foods, a food vendor based in St. Petersburg.

The specialized maker of “highly nutritious meals” works closely with Wendy Perry, the county’s licensed dietician.

The meals are low in sodium, fat, cholesterol and sugar, while satisfying a third of seniors’ Dietary Reference Intake/Adequate Intake as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences.

Yet, efforts are made to ensure meals are varied and tasty.

“They’re always looking to make it more appealing and give them different flavors; a lot of the food has a nice flavor to it,” said Karen Ceccofiglio, Pasco County Elderly Nutrition Division program coordinator.

As opposed to cooking, the senior center kitchens instead are used for checking food temperatures, measuring portion sizes and post-meal cleanup.

The Zephyrhills Senior Center — like its counterparts — is about more than just eating, however.

Specifically, it offers a place for seniors to socialize and have a good time.

“It is so much more beneficial if they come together, have a meal, enjoy the activities, rather than being in the house for the whole day,” Papadopolous said.

Card games, bingo and puzzles are some of the regularly scheduled events at the Zephyrhills Senior Center.

Movies, live music and guest speakers are also presented each month.

“I come Monday through Friday; I enjoy it,” Morgan said. “It breaks the day up. It gives me something to look forward to every day.”

“I like the camaraderie,” Quin added. “We go over politics and news; there’s discussion groups and all kinds of things.”

The seniors even organize field trips, visiting regional museums and parks a few times a year.

Those opportunities, Papadopoulos said, “promote social, physical and emotional well-being, as well as encourage maximum independence and enhance quality of life.”
“It makes sense what we do, and it gives that dignity and respect to our seniors that they so dearly deserve,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pasco County Elderly Nutrition Services offers home-delivered meals.

They’re funded in part by the Older Americans Act (OAA) channeled through the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas.

Still, one out of six seniors are food-insecure in Pasco.

Moreover, there are currently more than 200 homebound senior citizens on the waiting list for one meal a day.

That may change, come Oct. 1.

According to Papadopolous, GA Foods is expected to begin producing meals on-site at the Land O’ Lakes Senior Center, to distribute to each of the other county facilities.

The contract — if finally approved by the Pasco County Commissioners — will result in a cost savings of over $100,000, and will decrease the home-delivered waiting list by more than 50 senior citizens.

Published July 12, 2017

Mosaic’s fertilizer footprint discussed at Chamber breakfast

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As the global population is slated to reach 9 billion by 2050, food production will need to increase by 70 percent, according to Mosaic’s Ron Yasurek, the general manager of the fertilizer producer’s Plant City phosphate facility.

Yet, only a small portion of those large-scale food needs —about 10 percent — can be solved from developing additional farmland.

“We’ve got to find a way to be more efficient and effective with the land that is currently in crop production,” Yasurek said.

“The land is just not there,” said Yasurek, the featured speaker at The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce July 6 breakfast meeting.

The general manager explained Mosaic’s history and what the company does.

Mosaic is the world’s leading integrated producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash, he said, noting the Minnesota-based company was formed in 2004 by a merger of IMC Global with the crop nutrition division of Cargill.

Mosaic’s Ron Yasurek was the featured speaker at The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce July 6 breakfast meeting. He said food production will likely need to increase by 70 percent by 2050. (Kevin Weiss)

Florida’s phosphate deposits — first discovered by an U.S. Army Corps of Engineers captain in 1881 — are the basis of an $85 billion industry that supplies three-fourths of the phosphate used in the United States.

Mosaic currently mines phosphate rock from 200,000 acres in central Florida, while potash is mined from four mines in North America, primarily in Saskatchewan.

Its products are processed into crop nutrients, and then shipped via rail, barge and ocean-going vessel to customers in major agricultural centers throughout the world.

The Plant City facility is involved in the production of phosphate fertilizers, combined heat electrical power and fluoridation ingredients. Finished products include Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP).

Globally, one of Mosaic’s ongoing initiatives is smarter agronomy — the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, fiber, and land reclamation—to meet the world’s rapidly growing needs.

The company has reclaimed 48,000 acres of mined land, of which 34,000 acres has been released completely, Yasurek said.

Today, Mosaic generates about $7 billion in annual sales.

And, much of its product flows through the Port of Tampa.

Mosaic represents about 71 percent of the Port’s business, while nearly 50 percent of the jobs associated with the Port are related to the phosphate business, Yasurek said.

Mosaic, meanwhile, employs nearly 9,000 people in six countries, including 3,700 in Florida.

Over 1,200 people are employed by Mosaic in Hillsborough County alone — and 400 at the Plant City facility — not including hundreds of support contractors for ongoing capital projects.

Statewide, Mosaic divvies up about $44 million in payroll annually.

Those figures soon could see an increase in the next three decades.

Yasurek said additional growth opportunities for distribution and production are likely to occur in either in Florida or internationally, particularly Brazil.

In December, Mosaic agreed to buy Vale Fertilizantes from Brazilian mining company Vale for $2.5 billion. The deal lands Mosaic 4.8 million metric tons of phosphate crop nutrient and 500,000 metric tons of potash capacity annually. Most of the assets are in Brazil.

“As food production increases, that’s one of the countries around the world that has opportunity, both from a land, and from an increasing yield perspective,” Yasurek explained.

Meanwhile, Mosaic is monitoring potential or active threats to the fertilizer industry, such as the organic product market and overseas phosphate production.

Organic food sales in the U.S. increased 8.4 percent in 2016, reaching $43 billion annually, according to the Organic Trade Association.

Organic food now accounts for 5.3 percent of all food sales in the U.S.

Still, it remains only a “minor threat,” Yasurek said.

“When you talk about the amount of food that needs to be grown, it can’t happen (organically),” Yasurek said, noting the farming yield of crops would be about 40 percent less, if not for fertilizers.

“I hope that folks can make some more crops from organic needs, but the reality is you’re not going to get away from using macroeconomic inputs in order to boost the production,” he said.

A greater threat, Yasurek said, is the expansion of phosphate and potash production in countries such as Morocco, China and Russia.

“…From an exchange rate perspective, those guys are killing us,” he said. “If China and Russia can produce and short-sale product into the U.S., then we’ve got a threat to our jobs here. Manufacturing in the U.S. — that is under a constant threat.”

Published July 12, 2017

Youth track club reaches nationals

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One local youth track club has reached the national stage — gearing up to compete against some of the sport’s best.

Speed Starz Track Club recently qualified for the 21st Annual AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) Club Championships, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

The Wesley Chapel-based club is sending five athletes, ranging in age from 13 to 17, for its first appearance in the national showcase, held July 11 through July 15.

The Speed Starz Track Club recently qualified for the 21st Annual AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) Club Championships, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. From left: Landon Williams, Gianna Levy, Melissa Mowery, Arielle Boone and Guadalupe Guerra.
(Kevin Weiss)

The club championships offer the last chance for athletes to qualify for the 2017 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Detroit, Michigan, July 26 to Aug. 5. The top eight finishers in each track and field event qualify for the Junior Olympics.

Representing Speed Starz at the national meet are a trio of athletes from Sunlake High School — rising seniors Arielle Boone and Melissa Mowery, and rising sophomore Gianna Levy.

Joining them are Guadalupe Guerra, a rising freshman at Wiregrass Ranch High School, and Landon Williams, a rising seventh-grader at John Long Middle School.

Since May, the five athletes — along with several others — have been training extensively with BB Roberts, the club’s head coach.

Roberts organized the Speed Starz in 2013 and simultaneously created a sports training company — Fast, Sprint, Quick Athletic Performance LLC.

The AAU circuit is regarded as more challenging than the high school and middle school levels. That’s because it has an increased number of elite-caliber athletes from every region of the country.

“It’s much more competitive,” said Guerra, a long-distance runner who last season was named 2017 Pasco County Middle School Girls Track Athlete of the Year.

“At the school level, there’s not as many people that have as much fast times, so (AAU) pushes you harder,” she said.

The athletes’ emotions have been swirling, leading up to the weeklong festivities.

“I’m happy, and I’m nervous,” said Boone, “because I’ve never been to a national event.”

“I’m kind of just anxious to see what happens,” added Levy. “I feel like this type of competition will give me motivation to really try hard.”

Williams, the youngest competitor at 13 years old, echoed similar sentiments.

BB Roberts is the club’s head coach. He organized the Speed Starz in 2013 and simultaneously created a sports training company — Fast, Sprint, Quick Athletic Performance LLC. (File)

“I’m a little nervous, but it will be exciting,” she said. “I just want to do my best, and beat my previous times.”

The national showcase, meanwhile, provides an opportunity for track athletes — particularly upcoming seniors — to catch the eye of college recruiters, who seldom attend regular high school meets.

“I tell kids all the time, ‘If you really want to get recruited, get involved with this stuff.’ I wish I had done it,” said Roberts. “(Recruiters) go to the state meets sometimes, but they always go to AAU meets every summer.”

Roberts also does his part to ensure the club’s athletes get noticed.

“He makes sure that we have our own portfolio…and he really pays attention when it comes to getting recruited,” said Mowery, who’s competing in the heptathlon.

Roberts, now 31, was a record-breaking sprinter at Wesley Chapel High School, and later at Coffeyville Community College, a junior college in southeast Kansas.

Today, he maintains his passion for track and teaching youth, of all ages and abilities.

“Track can help you do anything,” Roberts said, noting it translates well to other sports, including football and soccer.

His pupils come from all over Pasco, including Dade City, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass and Land O’ Lakes, over the last few years.

Roberts emphasizes proper running form.

He’s also an advocate of resistance training, utilizing Kbands and speed parachutes, among other products.

Those methods helped Boone set a personal record in the 200-meter dash (25.97).

“My first two weeks working with him, I PR’d by over half a second; it’s been a really big help,” said Boone, the 2017 Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) East Field Athlete of the Year and one of the county’s top jumpers.

It likewise helped Levy, a 2017 SAC East Second-Team All-Conference sprinter and hurdler.

A former gymnast, Levy acknowledged her running stride used to be “really bad.”

Intense, one-on-one work with Roberts quickly changed that.

“He’s really helped my arms, so now I don’t even think about the way I run,” Levy explained.

“He takes more time to develop you.”

No matter the group’s outcome in Orlando, each is laying the groundwork for next track season.

“If you compare their times back when they ran in March or February, there’s a big difference,” Roberts said.

“If you ask any professional track athlete, during the summertime is when you peak the highest. It’s why the Olympics are in the summer, and why they have tryouts in the summer.”

And, that summer grind has made the athletes eager for the possibilities ahead.

That’s especially true for Boone and her fellow Sunlake High comrades.

“It’s exciting,” Boone said, “because I know when we come back to the high school season, we’re going to do really good.

“We’ve been training all offseason — and that’s when you get better,” she said.

Speed Starz Track Club national qualifiers
Arielle Boone, senior, Sunlake High School
Events: Long Jump, Triple Jump, 200-meter dash, 100-meter dash

Gianna Levy, sophomore, Sunlake High School
Events: 400-meter hurdles, 200-meter dash, 100-meter dash

Melissa Mowery, senior, Sunlake High School
Events: Heptathlon (100m hurdle, 800m, 200m, high jump, long jump, shot put, javelin)

Guadalupe Guerra, freshman, Wiregrass Ranch High School
Events: 3,000-meter run, 1,500-meter run, 2,000-meter steeplechase

Landon Williams. seventh-grade, John Long Middle School
Events: 3,000-meter run, 1500-meter run, 800-meter dash, shot put

Published July 12, 2017

Softball pitcher earns national recognition

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Callie Turner, a rising junior at Land O’ Lakes High School, was recently selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-South Region First-Team.

Land O’ Lakes High pitcher Callie Turner was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-South Region First-Team. (Courtesy of Edwin Rodriguez)

The NFCA awards honor softball student-athletes from the association’s five regions with first- and second-team recognition; member coaches from each region’s respective committees selected the honorees.

Turner, a University of Tennessee softball commit, is one of 160 student-athletes representing 93 programs to receive 2017 NFCA High School All-Region accolades.

Besides Turner, just two other players from Florida received honors— Canterbury’s Danielle Romanello and Taylor Bump.

Turner, the Miracle Sports Class 6A Pitcher of the Year and one of the state’s most dominant aces, helped guide Land O’ Lakes (29-3) to its first fastpitch title in May.

She won 17 games, posting a 0.21 ERA and 249 strikeouts in 132.2 innings pitched.

In her 20 starts, Turner tallied 18 complete games, 10 shutouts and four no-hitters.

Also a standout hitter, she batted .319 with 14 RBIs.

Steinbrenner High baseball standout signs pro contract

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Patrick Morris, a 2017 Steinbrenner High School graduate, has inked a professional baseball contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, netting a signing bonus of $206,500.

Shortly after agreeing to terms, Morris was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays in Dunedin, the club’s rookie-level minor league affiliate.

Steinbrenner High’s Patrick Morris has signed a professional baseball contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. He’s been assigned to the club’s rookie-level minor league affiliate in Dunedin. (File)

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound power-hitting left-handed first baseman was drafted by Toronto in the 14th round of last month’s MLB Draft — the primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players, from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs.

Morris was ranked by Baseball America as the the state’s 89th best draft prospect.

Over the past two seasons at Steinbrenner, he displayed extra-base and home run power, tallying eight home runs, 17 doubles and 43 RBIs cumulatively. Also a solid pitcher, he posted a career 2.71 ERA, with 82 strikeouts in 95.2 innings.

Besides Morris, other draft picks from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area who have signed pro baseball contracts include: Nate Pearson (Odessa/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School/Florida International University/College of Central Florida), who signed with the Toronto Blue Jays; Kevin Merrell (Steinbrenner High School/University of South Florida), who signed with the Oakland Athletics; and, Josh Falk (Steinbrenner High School/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School/University of Pittsburgh), who signed with the Oakland Athletics.