The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Cypress Creek football presents ‘great opportunity’

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In less than three weeks, a new high school football program will take the field in Wesley Chapel.

Like other Florida high schools, the Cypress Creek Coyotes are set to begin spring football practices on April 24.

Cypress Creek varsity football coach Mike Johnson speaks to prospective players and parents during a March 28 meet-and-greet at Wesley Chapel High School. Johnson, who was hired in January, is tasked with starting the school’s football program from scratch.
(Kevin Weiss)

But, the circumstances for this team are unique — particularly for new head coach Mike Johnson and prospective athletes.

The program faces logistical hurdles because Cypress Creek Middle High, which will pull students from both Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass high schools, is still under construction, off Old Pasco Road.

Current freshman and sophomores zoned for the school will be permitted to participate in spring football drills. But, those practices will be at Weightman Middle School, while Cypress Creek’s athletic fields remain under construction.

The weight room at the new school —measuring 2,273 square feet — likewise isn’t complete. Football equipment and protective gear hasn’t arrived, either.

Also, Johnson is the only paid high school football coach on staff.  The six assistant positions have not yet been filled.

Cypress Creek Middle High, located 8701 Old Pasco Road, will have nearly 1,500 students in grades six through 11 next year. That means no seniors in its inaugural football season.

Cypress Creek’s new football coach sees an “exciting opportunity” for the upstart program, he said.

“I think it’s an absolutely great opportunity — walking into something where you get to put your mark on it,” Johnson said. “These kids have every opportunity to do what they want with it; they can make it what they want.”

Johnson, currently a physical education teacher at Taylor Elementary, will serve as a graduate enhancement teacher at Cypress Creek during the 2017-2018 school year.

An Illinois native, Johnson moved to Florida in 2010. He most recently coached at Stuart Middle School, where the team went undefeated in his lone season. He previously had a two-year stint as an offensive line coach at Wesley Chapel High school, under former head coach Ben Alford; Alford stepped down in 2012 after going 11-19 in three seasons.

During a meet-and-greet at Wesley Chapel High School on March 28, Johnson provided program updates, while fielding football-related questions from parents and players.

Johnson’s message was optimistic: “The sky’s the limit,” he said.

Throughout the meeting, Johnson outlined pillars for the new team, along with his expectations for football families.

Academics, he said, will be a major emphasis.

So, too, is winning games and helping players reach “the next level.”

“We want to set high standards,” said Johnson, a former defensive back at Division III Eureka College in Illinois. “I’ve got to have students-athletes that want to work hard every day, and want to come to practice every day.”

Moreover, he said the program’s foundation will conform to the “5C’s”— Commitment, Consistency, Courage, Communication and Compassion.

“We will definitely develop an atmosphere, that everyone will be proud of,” he said.

Regarding offensive and defensive schemes, Johnson was relatively vague, but noted he’ll gear the Coyotes playbook towards the strengths of his eventual roster and coaching staff.

“We’ll figure that out when (the players) get out there. You’ve got to be versatile to what you have,” he said.

That includes taking suggestions from players, through his “open-door” policy.

“I want the kids to be able to come in and talk to me. I don’t want it to be where a player is afraid to come talk to me,” Johnson explained.

He added: “I want the kids to have some say in their program, how they want to start it, and how they want to build it, so they’ll be proud of it when they graduate.”

One thing he won’t do, however, is “play favorites.”

“The whole playing favorites thing is out the window. I’m going to put the best 11 on the field, and we’re going to play football.”

Cypress Creek varsity football will be designated for Class 4A for at least its first two years, according to Tim Light, the school’s assistant principal.
The team’s 2017 schedule was put together by Matt Wicks, the county’s athletic director, Light said.

A “patchwork” slate, it features teams that struggled in 2016 (Gulf and Pasco high schools), along with some perennial powerhouses (Tampa Catholic and Sunlake).

In September, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) passed a new system that bases football postseason berths on a points system in Class A-4A. The new format, beginning this season, is designed to reward teams for winning records and strength of schedule.

In the FHSAA’s biggest four classes (5A-8A), the district champion still automatically qualifies for regionals, with the remaining 16 spots decided by points.
While Cypress Creek Middle High won’t have seniors on its inaugural football team, Johnson said the school will “mold these (younger) kids into the leaders that we want them to be.

“It’s just a really good opportunity to get down to very basic stuff and get them to learn that, and not skip over anything,” he said.

Another parent meeting is expected prior to the start of spring practice.

For more information, visit CCMHS.pasco.k12.fl.us.

Other coaches hired at Cypress Creek:
Anthony Mitchell: Boys Varsity Basketball and Boys Golf
Joseph Neale: Varsity Baseball
Stacy Hill: Girls Varsity Basketball
Eliza Pasardi: Girls Cross Country
John Hoffman: Boys Cross Country and Boys Varsity Track

Cypress Creek Middle High School
Mascot: The Coyotes
School colors: Green and yellow

High School Varsity Football Schedule – Cypress Creek is 4A-Region 3
Preseason Classic — at Fivay (5A) 7 p.m.
Week 1 — Gulf (5A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 2 — Ridgewood (5A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 3 — at Hudson (5A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 4 — at Pasco (6A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 5 — Land O’ Lakes (6A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 6 — Bye
Week 7 — at Sunlake (6A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 8 — Tampa Catholic (3A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 9 — at Springstead (6A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 10 — Mulberry (4A) 7:30 p.m.
Week 11 — at Anclote (5A) 7:30 p.m.

Published April 5, 2017

PHSC Foundation establishes softball fund

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Brooke Gonzalez
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation has established a softball fund in memory of former student-athlete Brooke Gonzalez, who died after being struck by a car last April.

The Brooke Gonzalez Softball Fund, created after an initial donation from her family, will provide resources to support the women’s softball program at PHSC.

Gonzalez, who was 19 at the time, was reportedly returning to her apartment when she was struck by a car that drove onto a sidewalk along State Road 52.
Gonzalez, of Citra, Florida, was a key member of the 2016 PHSC softball squad, batting .415 with two home runs, 20 RBIs and 13 runs scored. She was also an honors student, set to graduate in May 2016 with a 3.5 GPA.

Contributions to the fund may be made through the PHSC Foundation office at PHSC.edu/foundation.

Swimmer named SSC Freshman of the Year

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Annie Lindstrom
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University

Following an impressive debut season, Saint Leo swimmer Annie Lindstrom has been named the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Freshman of the Year.

The Kristianstad, Sweden native became the second Saint Leo women’s swimmer to earn Freshman of the Year honors. (Nicole Weber was named Freshman of the Year in 2014.)

Individually, Lindstrom qualified for the NCAA Division II championships in the 50 Free, 100 Fly and 100 Free during the 2016-17 season after finishing in the top four in all three events at the SSC Championship. At nationals, she finished 16th in the 50 Free, 23rd in the 100 Free, and 27th in the 100 Fly. In relays, Lindstrom was a part of four Saint Leo school records, including the Lions’ 200 Medley Relay that finished Top-8 at the national championship meet.

PHSC cheer team fourth in nationals

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For the second straight year, the Pasco-Hernando State College cheer team finished fourth in the Cheer Ltd. Nationals at CANAM in the small coed collegiate division.

The 2016-2017 PHSC cheer team
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

The competition was March 17, at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Two years ago, in 2015, the team finished fifth in the event.
“I am extremely proud of the team’s hard work this season,” head coach Sophia Fluellen said, in a statement. “Despite a few mistakes during the competition, they pulled through and took home the fourth place national trophy.”

She added: “It takes a tremendous amount of dedication for these student athletes to work for seven months to perform a 2½- minute routine.”

The college’s cheer team captured the state championship title on Feb. 11 in the College Co-Ed Level 6 division at the Florida State Fair, for the fifth time in seven years.

For information about the PHSC cheer team, visit PHSC.edu/athletics/cheerleading.

PHSC Cheerleading roster:

  • Dealaney Allen
  • Adam Hall
  • Scott Howery
  • Elizabeth Stowers
  • Sarah Kahn
  • Kelli McKenna
  • Jasmine DeSierra
  • Nicole Ficarrotta
  • Amanda Kahn
  • Hailey Bishop
  • Marisa French
  • Miko Sharkey

Local commitments

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Randy Haynes Jr., a senior free safety at Wharton High School, has committed to play football at Ohio Wesleyan University, a Division III school in Delaware, Ohio.

A two-way player, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound athlete also played quarterback, running back and slot back throughout his Wildcats career.

Dylan Hohenthaner, a senior kicker/punter at Land O’ Lakes High, has committed to play football at Indiana State University, a Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) school in Terre Haute, Indiana. Last season, Hohenthaner averaged 38.2 yards per punt (42 punts) and kicked four field goals, including a long of 46 yards.

With Hohenthaner’s commitment, Indiana State features two players from our coverage area on its 2017 roster. Zephyrhills High alum Devin Brockington, a senior cornerback, joined the team in 2016 after transferring from Ellsworth Community College, in Iowa.

Softball pitcher has second no-hitter this year

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Mariah Melendez, a junior softball pitcher at Sunake High, fired her second complete game, no-hit shutout of the year, in a 10-0 win over Northeast High on March 28. Melendez (3.28 ERA in 47 innings) pitched five innings, striking out two batters, in what now marks her fifth career no-hitter at Sunlake.

Her last no-hitter came on Feb. 15, in a 10-0 win over Clearwater High.

Also a standout position player, Melendez is batting .447 with 12 RBIs and 20 runs scored.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, stand at 13-4, as of April 3.

Tampa YMCA Wins Treadmill Challenge

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On March 21, the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA won the Treadmill Tuesday Challenge, a second annual competition with the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast. About 1,630 Tampa Bay residents completed nearly 3,358 miles during the 12-hour event, surpassing the First Coast by about 21 miles.

For the First Coast, 1,580 residents logged 3,337 miles.
Together, the Tampa YMCA and First Coast YMCA leveraged a friendly competition to inspire community members to become more physically active and adopt healthier lifestyles.

Besides participating at their neighborhood YMCA, community members were able to join the competition from other locations via social media. Of the 3,210 total participants, 94 joined by uploading a post-workout photo.

Results of YMCA’s in our coverage area:
Bob Sierra North Tampa YMCA
226 Participants
556.11 Miles

Dade City Family YMCA
36 Participants
66.19 Miles

East Pasco Family YMCA
81 Participants
128.85 Miles

New Tampa Family YMCA
126 Participants
214.81 Miles

Teen isn’t defined by rare disease

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Remington Walls is just like any other 17-year-old.

Except that he can’t eat food.

Walls, a junior at Land O’ Lakes High School, suffers from a rare disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE).

Essentially, all food deteriorates his esophagus — and there is no cure.

Remington Walls, right, is pictured with Cameron Douglas, a childhood friend. Walls is a switch-hitting, leftfielder on the Land O’ Lakes Gators varsity baseball team. He suffers from a rare disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), in which all food sources cause inflammation in his esophagus.
(Courtesy of Stephanie Walls)

His only source of nutrition comes via a hypoallergenic amino acid-based liquid formula, called Neocate EO28 Splash.

It’s specifically designed for patients who are allergic to proteins.

Walls drinks the “shake” 15 to 18 times per day, about every two hours.

Moreover, he’s been drinking the same flavor — orange-pineapple — every day since he was removed from all foods at age 4. It is his only flavor option.

The teen, however, doesn’t let the disorder define him.

“You try not to think about it,” he said.

It also hasn’t prevented him from pursuing his passions, including baseball.

He’s currently a switch-hitting, leftfielder on the Land O’ Lakes Gators varsity squad.

“The only thing I can’t do is eat,” he said. “That’s how I look at it.”

And, over the years, he’s learned to cope with the realization he can’t enjoy any of the foods his peers consume on a daily basis.

“I’ve been around it so long it doesn’t bother me at all. I drink my shake, they have their food,” he said.

But, in recent months, a new hurdle has emerged.

Every year, Walls’ formula was fully covered through insurance — until now.

His mother, Stephanie Walls, says coverage was coming through Verizon, her husband’s employer. However, when Frontier Communications bought out the company in 2016, the insurance coverage changed under a policy with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Shown here is a photo of the Walls family. From left: Stephanie Walls, Mike Walls, Dalton Walls and Remington Walls. They are pursuing legislation, calling for mandated coverage for those who suffer from Eosinophilic disorders.
(Courtesy of Stephanie Walls)

As of Jan 1, the insurance company has declined any coverage of the formula.

The family has made multiple appeals, but has been denied each time — even after Anthem’s board of doctors deemed that Walls’ formula was medically necessary for “sustenance of life.”

Stephanie’s insurance plan, likewise, doesn’t cover the elemental formula.

“For Rem, his nutrition is like insulin for diabetics,” she explained. “How do you deny this? It’s not like it just came up over night. We’ve had this disease now since (Remington was) the age of 4. We are absolutely stymied that they are allowed to do this.”

Remington, too, is aghast by the situation.

“I was shocked,” he said, “because I knew insurance always said they covered it, and then they said they didn’t cover it. I knew it was expensive, but I didn’t know how expensive until the price is actually shown.”
The formula, on average, costs about $2,000 a month.

Stephanie predicts the monthly formula payments will become even pricier as her son grows.

On top of that, the family has travel costs from the seasonal visits they must make to the Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders, in Ohio.

“It makes me nervous,” she said of the looming expenses.

Fortunately, Stephanie said a private source has stepped forward to fund formula payments for the rest of the year.

But, the family is still battling the insurance company, trying to serve as a “voice for the voiceless.”

Remington Walls’ only source of nutrition comes via a hypoallergenic amino acid-based liquid formula, called Neocate EO28 Splash. He drinks the ‘shake’ 15 to 18 times per day, about every two hours.
(Courtesy of Neocate)

“We’re going to stand up for the injustice that’s taken place,” Walls said. “I don’t know if we’ll ever make progress, but we’re determined to get out there and make a difference, somehow.”
The family is now pursuing legislation, calling for mandated coverage for those who suffer from Eosinophilic disorders and need the formula to survive.

Florida law currently has a mandate to cover formula for those with Phenylketonuria, but not Eosinophilic disorders.

Stephanie — an eighth-grade language arts teacher at Pine View Middle School — has already reached out to U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis and to U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.

“We’re just trying to find the people we need to contact to get us in the right direction,” she said. “I have to do a ton of research and gather data before I can even move forward.”

She believes legislative efforts could take at least two years.

No matter how long it takes, she plans to keep fighting.

“It is imperative that we pass this legislation — something’s got to change,” she said. “What’s going to happen to all the kids and grownups that need this formula for later on in life?” she asked.

Between dealing with the insurance company and pursuing legislation, countless hours have been spent to help her son — and others like him.

“It’s absolutely mind-boggling the amount of time we’ve invested on this,” Stephanie said. “But, we felt forced to do it.”

Meanwhile, there has been a ground swell of community support for the Walls family.
A GoFundMe page was created on March 3 by Janeen Salzberger, a longtime family friend.

Word quickly spread after Land O’ Lakes High principal Ric Mellin passed along the information to the Pasco County School District.
As of March 27, $16, 617 has been raised. The goal is set at $40,000.
“It has humbled us greatly,” Stephanie said. “This is something we could not take on ourselves.”

To donate, visit GoFundMe.com/remington-walls.

Published March 29, 2017

Turning back the clock to the 16th century

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Every year, tens of thousands of people get a chance to transport themselves into the past and escape from the real world at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival.

A knight and rook battle it out on a large chess board during one of the human chess match events at MOSI’s Renaissance Festival.
(Fred Bellet)

Now entering its 39th season, the annual festival attracts about 80,000 people a year, according to the festival’s website.

Set in 1524 in the fictional English town of Fittleworth, the seven-week long Tampa festival creates a captivating medieval adventure, with no shortage of sights and spectacles.

From re-enactments of King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine Parr, there’s a litany of characters — peasants, gypsies and fairies — all of which never stray from using English accents.
At every turn, the festival offers amusement for children and adults, alike.

Besides an eclectic blend of renaissance-style mimes and madrigals, there’s archery contests, live-armored jousting and elephant rides.

Dawn Boone of Riverview uses her phone to capture the king and queen’s entrance into the Renaissance Festival grounds.

With modest beginnings in Largo, the jubilee relocated to Tampa in 2004, adjacent to the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), at 11315 North 46th St.

To accommodate its cult following and ever-growing demand, the festival expanded to seven weekends long.

Each weekend has a distinctive motif.

The weekend of March 18, for instance, was titled Shamrocks & Shenanigans, an ode to St. Patrick’s Day.

Festival Friday kicks off the final weekend, starting March 31.

That is followed by the pirate-themed High Seas Adventures, on April 1 and April 2.

Its attractions include a pirate costume contest, tattoo competition and pirate peg leg relay race.

For thousands of festivalgoers each year, dressing up in diverse medieval garb is a significant aspect of the event’s charm.

So, too, is meeting like-minded people with similar interests in renaissance culture.

Lutz residents, Scott Dorman, left, and his 8-year-old son, Nathan, portrayed members of a Scottish Clan, wearing a McLeod kilt and carrying hardwood walking sticks. Like father, like son, the two have attended every weekend of the event for the past three seasons. Nathan hopes to participate at the event as a re-enactor, someday.

“It’s fun. You get to know the people — the repeats,” said Niko Alissandratos, of Tarpon Springs, who was sporting Vulcan ears and a vintage drinking horn during the March 18 weekend.

Another patron, Alicia Askey, makes it a point to drive down from Ocala each year to attend the festival with her husband, Stephen.

Besides the varied food and entertainment offerings, she enjoys the ability to express herself, this year portraying an Anglo-Saxon from the 12th century.

“I like being able to dress up,” Askey said, “and no one looks at you funny.”

The same mindset can be applied to Lutz resident Scott Dorman, and his 8-year old son, Nathan.

Both portrayed members of a Scottish clan, wearing a MacLeod kilt and toting hardwood walking sticks.

Matching outfits aside, the festival’s choreographed human combat chess match is one reason the father and son have attended the show three years running.

Dorman, who grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons as a youth, said he enjoys “everything” about Bay Area Renaissance Festival.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” Dorman said. “Each year we come a little more often and get more into it.”

The Renaissance Festival appears to be a hit among vendors, too.

Queen Katherine Parr, portrayed by Catherine Jett, of Tampa, enters the staging area to watch the human chess match.

Amanda Stevens is the owner and operator of Krakens Chest, which produces on-site pirate rings and other jewelry.

Part of the festival’s appeal, Stevens said, is its leniency in portrayals from the entirety of renaissance period, which spans from the 14th century to the 17th century.

Unlike some other medieval-themed festivals, she values the ability to roam as any character, may it be a knight, a pirate, or a Greek warrior.

“I think a lot of people like this festival,” Stevens said, “because it’s not strict.”

“It’s more like a giant convention,” she added, “because you see people dressed up as everything here.”

A regular since the event’s Largo days, Stevens noted the renaissance festival does have a “different feel” since it moved to Tampa.

Nearby traffic on Fowler Avenue and other urban noises, she explained, can sometimes disrupt the festival’s ambiance, contrary to the wide-open, rural setting in Largo.

“You felt like you were transported back in time,” said Stevens, referring to the festival venue in Largo. “It was in the backwoods and you had to walk like half a mile to get to the (entrance) gate, so you really felt like you were in the Renaissance period.”

Fourteen-year old Marina Khimko, of Brooksville, who because of a rare birth defect lives life from a wheelchair, was overwhelmed when the re-enactors presented her with a Shakespearean-period, purple velvet dress with gold-braiding. She was there with her mom, Rebecca Smith, of Brooksville.

The proximity to the bustling Fowler roads, however, doesn’t disrupt the experience for Cat Desharnais, one of Stevens’ co-workers.

To her, it’s still a “getaway” from everyday life.

“I love it. It’s a fun time to be artistic and creative,” said Desharnais, of Tampa. “I meet a lot of crafty people and mobile artists; it’s very nice.”

For pop culture junkies, the festival incorporates some elements from Game of Thrones, the hit HBO television series.

Desharnais noted several attendees in recent years have dressed up as various characters from the show: “You’ll find a dozen Khaleesis just walking around.”

One of the best moments during the festival’s March 18 offerings came during opening ceremonies, when re-enactors presented a Shakespearean-style purple velvet dress to Marina Khimko, a 14-year-old who lives from a wheelchair because of a rare birth defect.

As the teenager from Brooksville, smiled ear-to-ear, her mother, Rebecca Smith, said described the gesture as being “spectacular.”

The Bay Area Renaissance Festival kicks off its final weekend on March 31 and concludes on April 2. For information, visit BayAreaRenFest.com. The popular seven-weekend long event is at MOSI, 11315 North 46th St., near the University of South Florida.

Published March 29, 2017

Erik Thomas relishes NCAA tournament cameo

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Erik Thomas’ illustrious collegiate career is over, but the former Wesley Chapel High basketball star has no plans to step away from the court.

On March 14, the University of New Orleans Privateers suffered a heart-wrenching 67-66 loss to Mount St. Mary’s in the First Four game of the NCAA Tournament.

Erik Thomas remains Wesley Chapel’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, leading scorer and rebounder with 2,138 points and 1,203 rebounds, respectively.
In his senior prep season, Thomas was named Class 5A Player of the Year after averaging a state-best 32.7 points per game and 16.3 rebounds per game.
(File)

The defeat was a bittersweet ending to what otherwise was a noteworthy senior season for Thomas, the 2016-2017 Southland Conference Player of the Year and the Privateers’ leading scorer (19.3 points per game), rebounder (7.8 per game) and shooter (58.9 field goal percentage).

Thanks in large part to contributions from the 6-foot-5 forward, New Orleans punched a ticket to the Big Dance for the first time since 1996. Moreover, it marked the team’s first 20-win season since 1996-1997, and its first winning season since 2008.

Despite the early exit, reaching the NCAA Tournament was quite literally “a once-in-a-lifetime experience” for Thomas.

“A lot of dudes don’t get to experience that,” Thomas said. “Just being able to make it to the First Four and represent the school, it was an excitement for all of us, and I was just happy to be there; it was a blessing.”

Along the way, Thomas, who remains Wesley Chapel’s High’s all-time leading scorer (2,138 points) and rebounder (1,203 rebounds), said he was inundated with messages of support from family and friends.

That included Doug Greseth, Thomas’ high school coach at Wesley Chapel High School.

In fact, Greseth made the 640-mile trek to New Orleans to watch Thomas’ final home game, on March 11.

“For him to come (to New Orleans), it meant a lot,” Thomas said. “It felt good to have the support there.”

Greseth, one of Pasco County’s longest-tenured boys basketball coaches, was awestruck by Thomas’ development since last coaching him during the 2012-2013 season.
That season, Thomas was named Class 5A Player of the Year after averaging a state-best 32.7 points per game and 16.3 rebounds per game.

“I got goose bumps watching him live,” Greseth said, “because I was just so proud of how much better, how much of a well-rounded player he is.

“He’s really become a complete player. He can play with his face to the basket, he can play with his back to the basket. He rebounds well. He’s always been an excellent passer, and his defense has gotten a lot better.”

Former Wesley Chapel High hoops star Erik Thomas helped lead the New Orleans Privateers to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1996. The 2016-2017 Southland Conference Player of the Year was the Privateers’ leading scorer (19.3 points per game), rebounder (7.8 per game) and shooter (58.9 field goal percentage). He is now focusing on a professional basketball career.
(Courtesy of University of New Orleans)

Greseth, too, complimented Thomas’ unselfishness, leadership, and improved shot selection and basketball IQ.

“He really worked hard to improve,” Greseth said.

With stints at Jefferson and Okeechobee high schools, Greseth acknowledged Thomas is one of the top “two or three players” he’s ever coached during his career, which spans more than 30 years.

At Jefferson High, Greseth coached Tarence Kinsey, who was named the state’s Class 4A player of the year in 2002.
Kinsey later played for the University of South Carolina and spent two seasons in the NBA (Memphis Grizzlies in 2006-2007, Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008), before embarking on a basketball career overseas.

Thomas, likewise, is mulling a professional hoops career.

The basketball star said he’s currently searching for a sports agent, as he works towards completing his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies.

In the meantime, Thomas is sharpening his hoops skills.

“I’m just trying to stay in shape and keep working on my craft,” Thomas said. “I’m always in the gym working. It doesn’t stop no matter what. Even after the season, I took a couple days’ break and then I was just back in the gym working out.”

Though the NBA appears to be a long shot, a basketball career internationally seems well within reach for Thomas.

“I definitely think he can play overseas,” Greseth said, confidently.  “I think he could play in Europe; I definitely believe he can do that.”

A four-year letterman at Wesley Chapel, Thomas helped lead the Wildcats to a combined 74-38 overall record, a 37-17 mark in district play and berths in the playoffs each year, including identical 24-5 marks with District 8-5A titles his last two years.

Despite the production and flashy statistics, Thomas was relatively overlooked as a Division I prospect out of high school.

He opted to play two seasons in junior college — East Georgia State College and Baton Rouge Community College — before transferring to New Orleans his junior season.

Many Division I schools, Greseth said, were initially concerned Thomas was too undersized to play in the frontcourt and lacked the qualities needed to transition to the backcourt.

“I’d say most Division I schools thought he was too small to play inside,” Greseth said. “I think they felt like he wasn’t a good enough shooter to play on the perimeter — I think that’s probably what got him.”

Yet, Thomas was able to augment his skills each year, Greseth added, later proving naysayers wrong.

“A lot of that is mostly him putting in the work to get better,” Greseth said. “Some kids — they don’t get any better, they peak at an early age. He just seemed to get better and better every year that he played.”

Regardless of what his future holds, Thomas said he wants to serve as a role model for others in the sport, particularly those forced to enter the junior college ranks.

“I just like to be a motivation,” Thomas said, “to everybody else that’s out there that goes through the JuCo route, or that’s gotten injured coming out of high school.”

That experience, however, served him well.

“I believe going through the process that I went through — it’s just made me a better player and made me work harder,” he said.

Published March 29, 2017