The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Sunlake falls short of state title bid

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They were just one win shy from reaching the Class 7A state tournament.

Yet, as the performance in their first-ever region final would indicate, Sunlake’s varsity girls basketball team still has some work to get there.

The Seahawks (17-9) — the last girls hoops squad standing in Pasco County — suffered a devastating 66-24 loss to Orlando Edgewater (16-14) on Feb. 17 at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

Sunlake fell one win shy of reaching the Class 7A state tournament. However, they return all but one player for the 2017-2018 season.
(Kevin Weiss)

A sizable Seahawks crowd — loud and proud in pre-game warmups — was quickly silenced as Edgewater roared to a blazing 24-0 start, less than 7 minutes through the opening quarter.

The Eagles attacked Sunlake’s 2-3 zone, mostly by hitting 3s, drawing fouls and getting second-chance opportunities.

Edgewater’s well-rounded athleticism and on-ball traps, too, proved a problem for the Seahawks throughout the contest.

The first Sunlake points finally came with 51 seconds left in the first quarter — a three-point play by 5-foot-10 junior guard Elizabeth Moran, who led the team with eight points.

It was far from enough, though.

By halftime, Edgewater’s lead grew to 53-16.

A running clock ensued in the second half.

For the game, Edgewater made 18 three-pointers, and out-rebounded the Seahawks 27-12.

Edgewater, which has won four state championships since 2007, is now playing in the state tournament for the sixth time in 10 years.

Despite the lopsided defeat, Seahawks coach Reesa Hendrix Pledge remained upbeat.

“Sometimes you’re just not ready,” Hendrix Pledge said, honestly. “But, we’ll be ready next year. We’ll be back.”

There’s a solid chance of that, considering Sunlake has just one senior— guard Cheyenne Yucatonis — graduating from a team that returns five juniors, two sophomores and three freshmen.

“They’re babies,” Hendrix Pledge said. “There’s two of them that started last year, and the rest of them are just now playing.”

The 2016-2017 season, she noted, was more about “coming together as a team.”

“The greatest thing,” Hendrix Pledge said, “is they love each other more, and they fight for each other.”

Sunlake’s final basket of the season, fittingly, was scored by Yucatonis. The senior was subsequently pulled out of the game as a show of gratitude for her contributions to the program.

“She’s meant everything,” Hendrix Pledge said. “She’s worked hard, she’s been the first one to practice, she’s been the one that helps clean up, she’s (taught) them what it takes to work year-round and to get better.

“That’s what we needed this year — that leadership — and she showed it.”

Prior to the setback to Edgewater, Sunlake won four consecutive playoff games, defeating Springstead twice, Land O’ Lakes and Brandon high schools.

Elsewhere in our coverage area, the Carrollwood Day School’s varsity girls basketball team advanced to the state tournament for the first time in school history. Under first-year coach Karim Nohra, the Patriots (27-2) are heading to Lakeland to play in the Class 3A state semifinal, following a 51-43 victory over Orlando Christian Prep in the region final on Feb. 14.

Nohra previously guided Academy at the Lakes to the final four in five of his six years before departing to CDS in October.

The Patriots enter the state tournament with youth — and lots of it. The roster of 10 players includes just two sophomores, six freshmen, an eighth grader and a seventh grader. Additionally, all five starters are freshman, including top player Tiasia McMillan, a guard who averages 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Key returnees for Sunlake in 2017-2018

  • Andrea Wallace, junior center: 11.9 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 2.2 blocks per game
  • Mary Moran, junior guard: 9.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.5 steals per game (SPG)
  • Kasia Ramirez, junior guard: 8.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.1 SPG

Published February 22, 2017

Local hoopers to play in all-star game

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A pair of local basketball standouts were chosen to participate in the Tampa Bay Basketball Coaches Association East-West Senior All-Star Game. Wharton High School’s Dae’Son Barnes and Steinbrenner High’s Trey Williams will both represent the West squad. Barnes is a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, and Williams is a 6-foot-1 point guard. The game’s date and time is pending.

Area commitments

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  • Imani Thomas, a 6-foot power forward for Academy at the Lakes, will continue her basketball career at Hillsborough Community College. A reliable double-double threat, Thomas is the first player in the Academy’s history to log 1,000-plus career points and rebounds. ESPN.com ranks Thomas as a three-star recruit, and the nation’s 71st-best forward for the 2017 class. “She is incredibly intelligent, a very smart player,” Academy’s coach Todd Huffman recently told The Laker/Lutz News. “She understands the game, and reads and reacts to situations with split-second adjustment.”
  • Brett Bitter, a wide receiver for Steinbrenner High, has committed to play collegiate football at Liberty University, an FCS school in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 2016, the 6-foot-2, 165-pound wideout led the Warriors in receiving, tallying 43 receptions for 652 yards and seven touchdowns. He also added 35 tackles and two interceptions on defense. During his prep career, Bitter compiled 94 receptions, 1,479 yards and 13 touchdowns.
  • Nate Springfield, a right-handed pitcher for Wiregrass Ranch High, has committed to play baseball at St. Petersburg College. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior led the Bulls in ERA (1.30), strikeouts (49) and innings pitched (49.1) in 2016. The Bulls’ 2017 season began Feb. 21.

Local graduate earns collegiate letter

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(Courtesy of Luther College)

Darryus Lowe, a former Land O’ Lakes High School defensive lineman, earned his first collegiate letter as a member of the Division III Luther (Iowa) College football team.

Lowe, a 2016 graduate of Land O’ Lakes, made an immediate impact as a freshman defensive tackle, tallying 20 tackles and 2.5 sacks for loss. At Land O’ Lakes, the 5-foot-10, 285-pound Lowe was one of the more disruptive defensive players in Pasco County. As a senior in the 2015 season, Lowe racked up 67 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, four sacks and a forced fumble.

Golfer wins junior tournament

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(Courtesy of Premier Junior Golf Tour)

Jordan Sarhaddi, a sophomore at Sunlake High School, won the Premier Junior Golf Tour’s Crescent Oaks Junior Open on Feb. 12 in Tarpon Springs.In the Boys 16-19 Division, Sarhaddi finished plus-4, shooting a two-round total of 148 (79-69), five strokes lower than the second-place finisher. He made seven birdies during a final round, three-under par 69. The win earns Sarhaddi a Florida Junior Tour exemption.

Pitcher named preseason All-American

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CJ Van Eyk, a senior right-handed pitcher at Steinbrenner High School and Florida State commit, was selected as a 2017 first-team preseason high school All-American by Collegiate Baseball News.

Steinbrenner’s CJ Van Eyk
(File)

Van Eyk was one of several dozen players nationwide selected to the list.

The site says players on the list “represent not only amazing athletic ability and talent in their respective positions, but they also are among the most sought after players by pro scouts and college recruiters.”

It’s not the only outlet hyping Van Eyk’s abilities.

He also was named to Maxpreps.com’s 2017 preseason All-American team, which encompasses 30 prep players nationwide.

Last year, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound ace helped spearhead Steinbrenner’s Class 8A state title, compiling a 12-1 record on the mound, with 130 strikeouts and a 0.77 ERA in 91 innings.

In October, Van Eyk was one of 20 players across the country selected to the USA Baseball 18U National Team.

Scouts laud Van Eyk for his low-90s fastball, along with his power curve and changeup.

Managing challenges faced by teens

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From social media to social pressures, the challenges of a teen are unlikely to go away anytime soon.

The stresses aren’t going away for parents, either.

To help navigate those issues, the Steinbrenner High Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) hosted its fifth annual “World of a Teen” program on Feb. 7, inside the school’s auditorium.

An estimated crowd of more than 250 people attended, according to Laura Lopresti, vice president of programs for Steinbrenner High PTSA.

Those attending came from numerous areas public high schools, middle schools, as well as a public elementary, a private school and a public charter school.

The fifth annual ‘World of a Teen’ program took place Feb. 7 at Steinbrenner High School. More than 250 parents and children attended. In 2016, the program received the ‘Department of Education Family and Community Involvement Exemplary Program Award’ from Hillsborough County Schools.
(Kevin Weiss)

The award-winning program featured a panel of eight experts, who discussed topics ranging from drug usage and social media habits, to picking the right college.

During the 90-minute event, parents and guardians filled out questions on notecards, which then were read anonymously to the panel.

The answers were forthright, and panelists had plenty of advice.

“I think that a lot of people left here with a lot of questions answered — parents and children— and I think it gave them a lot of content to talk about at home,” said Edgar Guzman, a Tampa-based attorney, one of the panelists.

Drug usage, especially marijuana, was a frequently broached topic.

The panelists’ message to the audience: Stay away.

Lynn Posyton, community relations specialist for Drug-Free World, said she’s noticed the substance being abused “more and more.”

It’s also becoming more hazardous, she said.

Posyton noted the levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have increased over the past several decades. That’s the chemical that’s responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects.

Bob LeVine, former chairman of the Harvard Schools Committee for the West Coast of Florida, was one of the panelists during the ‘World of a Teen’ program. He is the founder of Selective College Consulting, which assists families in the college admissions process.

“It’s not the weed of the ’60s, ’70s or ’80s,” she said. “THC in 1981 was 2 percent. Now, it’s 17 percent.”

That sharp level, she said, affects individuals differently.

“It’s getting crazier and crazier, and harder for a child to understand what’s right and what’s wrong in terms of drugs,” Posyton said. “The most important thing is education of what drugs are. If you’re going to do something, you should find out about it before you’re going to do it.

She added: “Don’t listen to the people that say it’s not affecting them; do you look inside and see what’s happening to your liver?”

Guzman, meanwhile, said he’s seen marijuana’s harsh effects from a legal standpoint.

“It’s very dangerous,” he said. “It’s not worth experimenting; it’s really for nothing.”

Deputy Bill Sanders, a school resource officer at Martinez Middle School, warned parents about vaporizers and e-cigarettes, where cannabis oil can be added and sometimes go unnoticed.

“There’s a lot of sneaky stuff out there, and unfortunately a lot of our kids know how to get them,” Sanders said.

He also has noticed that kids are trying things at younger ages.

“Our kids are experimenting and doing things every year at a younger and younger age,” Sanders said. “Things we might’ve done when we were younger—but not as young — they are doing at a younger age.”

The proliferation of smart devices and popular apps — Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram — doesn’t help.

Social media makes youth more vulnerable than ever, panelists agreed.

Michelle Gonzalez, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said her office is seeing a rise in online sexual exploitation and cyber bullying amongst teens.

Those matters are becoming tougher to monitor, as new apps and devices come online, she said.

Teens ought to think twice before sending an inappropriate photo, Gonzalez advised.

“It can get away from you,” she said. “Once you take a picture and send it, it’s out there.”

To combat problems, Gonzalez said parents must better supervise their children’s app usage and Internet activity.

That includes access to all passwords and encrypted information.

“There should be no privacy—they’re not adults,” she said.

Students, meanwhile, must be cautious with whom they’re interacting with online.

“There’s nothing to monitor how old the kids are, and there’s nothing to monitor how old people are that they’re talking to,” Gonzalez explained. “Don’t give out personal details.

“If you haven’t met them in real life, you don’t know who they’re talking to,” she said.

Deputy Sanders’ rule of thumb for teens: Only converse online with somebody you’ve met face-to-face, and have had a daily conversation with for a school year’s length of time.

“You really need to know who you’re talking to,” Sanders said. “Really know who you’re dealing with online.”

On a softer note, post-secondary education was another point of discussion, during the event.

Several questions were posed about the admissions process, along with the transition to higher learning.

Bob LeVine, former chairman of the Harvard Schools Committee for the West Coast of Florida, said it’s an important to find an environment where each student can flourish.

He pointed out students learn in different ways, from auditory and visual learning, to interactive learning.

Finding available offerings at targeted institutions is paramount, LeVine said.

“It’s not about getting into a school; it’s about succeeding when you get there,” he said.

LeVine later instructed parents to stop worrying about what schools want, and focus instead on what “inspires and develops” children in the “best possible way.”

Additionally, overstressing about grade point average or exclusively taking advanced courses can be counterproductive, he said.

“The academics is important, but they will also weight things differently—sports, volunteering, family activities,” LeVine said. “Colleges want to see students undertake challenges, but not all the challenges.”

Panelist agreed it’s essential for parents and teens to maintain open lines of communication.

“Hiding, being quiet, or walking way isn’t the answer,” Guzman said.

Published February 15, 2017

Zephyrhills girls weightlifting shines at states

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The Zephyrhills High School girls weightlifting team can now lay claim as one of the top teams in the state.

Buoyed by the performances of two upperclassmen and an underclassman, the Bulldogs sprung into a tie for seventh place (out of 35 schools) at the FHSAA Class 1A girls weightlifting finals at Belleview High School on Feb. 3.

The Zephyrhills girls weightlifting team placed seventh at the FHSAA Class 1A state finals. The team is only losing four seniors.
(Courtesy of Joseph Rinaldo)

“I did not ever expect to be a top-10 team,” said Joe Rinaldo, in his ninth year at Zephyrhills. “That was surprising.”

At the same token, the 2016-2017 team is one of the best he’s ever had.

“I would take this team against any of those teams I’ve ever had. They were that good,” he said.

Three girls did the heavy lifting for the Bulldogs: senior Sara First (101- pound class), junior Jessica Guadarrama (183) and sophomore Abby Shaffer (unlimited).

In the 183-pound class, Guadarrama finished state runner-up with a 175-pound bench press and 175-pound clean-and-jerk for a 350-pound total. Those numbers were a sizable jump from her sophomore year at states, when she put together a 305-pound total (140-pound bench, 165-pound clean-and-jerk).

She credits her year-round training.

“I worked for what I got,” Guadarrama said, assuredly. “I had a lot of offseason time to practice.”

Her mindset during the state finals helped, too.

“When I went into the meet, I was focused on myself. I didn’t pay attention to the other (competitors) because that would mess my focus,” she explained. “I came here to do my own numbers and what I know I can do, and whatever place I can get with those numbers.”

In the unlimited class, Shaffer placed fourth (185-205—390). Meantime, First placed sixth (120-110—230) in the 101-pound class.

“At first, you look at it, and it’s like nerve-wracking because it’s like the best in the state get there,” Shaffer said. “But once you get into it, you realize it’s just like a normal meet — just more schools and more on the line a little bit.”

Rinaldo said he expected top-tier finishes for both Guadarrama and Shaffer. Yet, it was his senior—a first-time lifter— that surprised him the most.

“She was in a tough spot going into it, and between her lifting and other people failing ahead of her, she was able to move up and get on the medal stand,” Rinaldo said, of First.

“It was so amazing to see her journey from the start to the ending,” Guadarrama said. “I did not expect her to go to states; it was awesome.”

The team’s core development began last summer, when Rinaldo signed up several lifters to compete in a USA Weightlifting club affiliated with Fortitude Fitness in Trinity.

It went a long way toward improving lifting technique, especially for Guadarrama and Shaffer.

“We made a lot of changes in the clean-and-jerk technique,” Rinaldo said. “Learning to snatch helped immensely with their cleans. …It was hard at first for them, but once they picked it up and learned how to use it, it made their cleans that much better.”

In essence, small changes led to big increases, he said.

Guadarrama agreed.

“The majority of weightlifting,” Guadarrama said, “is more of technique than how much muscle you have. It’s 10 percent physical, and the rest is mental…””

Meanwhile, excitement is already building for the 2017-2018 season.

Credit the youth movement.

“There’s a lot of good girls that didn’t make it to states that are still young that are coming back,” Rinaldo said. “I’m only losing four seniors.”

Among those up-and-coming lifters are sophomore Savannah Sutton (110 pounds) and juniors Halee Karppe (129) and Chase Booker (139).

“I’m pretty sure there’s going to be more (state qualifiers) next year,” Guadarrama said. “As a team, I would like to see us go higher, like fifth place.”

“I think we could maybe get better,” Shaffer said. “Some of the freshman this year — they have potential.”

Some first-timers, too, could one day make a splash.

“The popularity of our team—probably the past few weeks—has grown,” Rinaldo said. “I’ve got people coming up to me in the hallways saying, ‘Hey, when do we start back up again? I’ve got girls that want to come out.’ I don’t know how good they are, but what we’re doing is speaking volumes right now.”

Other state results from area weightlifters

Bench press-clean-and-jerk—Total
Class 1A
101 pounds
Sara First (Zephyrhills High): sixth place; 120-110—230

139 pounds
Eliahnis Lewis (Pasco High): 140-125—265

183 pounds
Jessica Guadarrama (Zephyrhills High): second place; 175-175—350

Unlimited
Abby Shaffer (Zephyrhills High); fourth place; 185-205—390

Class 2A
101 pounds
Shelby Lewis (Sunlake High) 115-120—235
Zeena Zayed (Freedom High) third place; 130-135—265

139 pounds
Caroline Winstead (Sunlake High); 140-0—140

154 pounds
Tricia Clifton (Wiregrass Ranch High): 145-135—280

169 pounds
Josie Blew (Freedom High): 140-180—320
Alyssa Kremer (Land O’ Lakes High): 165-140—305
Veronica Salazar (Land O’ Lakes High): 160-145—305

183 pounds
Hailey Parks (Sunlake High): sixth place; 170-170—340

Unlimited
Micaiah Long (Sunlake High): third place; 215-185—400

Published February 15, 2017

 

Hockey Day in Tampa Bay Feb. 18

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The Tampa Bay Lightning’s annual “Hockey Day in Tampa Bay” will take place Feb. 18 at 9 a.m., at Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive in Tampa.

The morning starts with the Chase Street Lightning Tournament on Ford Thunder Alley.

Also, for the first time ever on Hockey Day in Tampa Bay, the Lightning Alumni, featuring former captain Dave Andreychuk, will take on the Boston Bruins Alumni, featuring Ray Bourque.

The day will conclude with the Lightning High School Hockey Championship game.

Schedule of Events

  • 9 a.m.: Start of Chase Street Lightning Tournament
    • Noon: Gear sale doors open
    • 12:30 p.m.: Regular doors open
    • 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.: Sled Hockey Game with Lightning alumni
    • 2:45 p.m. to 4 p.m.: LHSHL All-Star Game
    • 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Lightning Made Skills Competition
    • 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins Alumni Game
    • 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: LHSHL Championship Game

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. All proceeds for the event will go to the Ritchie Foundation and Lightning Sled Hockey.

CDS names varsity football coach

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Mark Jones, a former wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is Carrollwood Day School’s new varsity head football coach, according to a school announcement.

Jones served as the team’s interim head coach during the 2016 season after the previous coach, Lane McLaughlin, was ousted before the season last August.

Under Jones’ interim title, the Patriots finished 2-6.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mark Jones is Carrollwood Day School’s new varsity football coach.
(Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

Jones has been with Carrollwood Day’s football program since 2014, when he became head coach of the middle school football team.  In 2015, he led the team to its first undefeated season in team history.

“I am extremely excited to have Mark Jones take over the CDS football program,” CDS athletic director Baker Mabry said, in a statement. “Coach Jones brings a lot of energy and passion to the position. He also understands and supports our mission of developing student athletes not only on the field, but in the classroom and in their personal lives,” Mabry added.

In a statement, Jones said he is “honored and humbled” to be named the Patriots’ varsity coach.

“I will lead by example, and I will stand firm in my core values and beliefs that are centered around faith, family and relationships,” Jones said. “Our program will be built on the foundation of doing what is right to the best of one’s ability.”

Jones was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He went on to play six seasons in the league, including stints with the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers and Tennessee Titans.

A Pennsylvania native, Jones played college football at University of Tennessee, starring as a wide receiver, defensive back, and returner.

Spring football practices for high schools statewide begins April 24.