The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Signings, commitments and transfers

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  • Former Sunlake High School softball star Gianna Basilone has signed with Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. In 2016, the power-hitting catcher batted .453 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs, setting the school’s career home run record with 15. Basilone also considered an offer to play softball at Oklahoma State University.

    Gianna Basilone has signed to play softball at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. (Courtesy of Nelson Garcia)
    Gianna Basilone has signed to play softball at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.
    (Courtesy of Nelson Garcia)
  • Sunlake High right-handed pitcher Tommy Mace has committed to the University of Florida. Last season, the 6-foot-7, 190-pound Mace had a 1.14 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 49 innings. Fellow senior teammate Colden Peeples, a second baseman, recently committed to the University of West Alabama in Livingston.
  • Audra Leipold, a rising junior point guard, has transferred from Academy at the Lakes to Seffner Christian Academy. The announcement came shortly after Karim Nohra stepped down as Academy’s girls varsity basketball coach after six seasons. Leipold — widely regarded as one of top prep guards in all of Tampa — averaged 24.8 points per game, guiding the Academy to the Class 2A Girls Basketball State Finals last season. ESPN.com currently ranks Leipold as one of the top 60 point guards in the nation based on her dribbling and passing skills, and mid-range shooting ability.
  • Zander Lemay, a rising junior defensive end, has transferred from Zephyrhills High School to Tampa Catholic High. Lemay totaled 47 tackles for the Bulldogs in 2015. His older brother, Brett Lemay, a defensive tackle, will play his senior season at Zephyrhills High.
  • Wharton High School’s rising senior shortstop Drew Ehrhard has committed to the University of Tampa, a Division II school. Ehrhard led Wharton in batting average (.418), doubles (7) runs (22) and stolen bases (10) last season.
  • Chris Butash, a rising sophomore quarterback, has transferred from Academy at the Lakes to Carrollwood Day School. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Butash joins the Patriots as an “athlete,” where he’ll likely play multiple positions. Carrollwood returns several top players from last year’s 7-4 team, including starting quarterback Raymond Woodie Jr., and wide receiver/defensive back Markeis Colvin.
  • Devon Connors, a rising senior, has transferred from Carrollwood Day School to Steinbrenner High School. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound outside linebacker/defensive end was second on the team in sacks (10.0) last season. Connors currently has a football scholarship offer from Florida International University.

A solid finish

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The Wesley Chapel All-Star tee-ball team finished second in the state tee-ball tournament in Bristol on July 8. On June 15, the group of 6-year-olds won the District Championship in Wildwood, Florida. The team is coached by Jeff Myers, Matt Como, Eric Piet and Brad Christensen.

Tee-ball roster:
Owen Andersen
AJ Arca
Jackson Buchanan
Wyatt Christensen
Joey Como
Joey Duvall
Jackson Frank
Tavin Groomes
Weston Jones
Jeffrey Myers
Ronan Piet
Parker Wease

Wesley Chapel All-Star Joey Como rounds the bases during a tournament game. (Photos courtesy of Matt Como)
Wesley Chapel All-Star Joey Como rounds the bases during a tournament game.
(Photos courtesy of Matt Como)
Weston Jones roams the outfield for the Wesley Chapel All-Stars
Weston Jones roams the outfield for the Wesley Chapel All-Stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wesley Chapel All-Star Jeffrey Myers hits off a tee during a state tournament game last month.
Wesley Chapel All-Star Jeffrey Myers hits off a tee during a state tournament game last month.

 

Sunlake cheerleaders earn All-American honors

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Six varsity and two junior varsity Sunlake High cheerleaders received individual All-American honors at the UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) Summer Camp at the University of South Florida on July 24.

(Courtesy of Pennye Garcia)
(Courtesy of Pennye Garcia)

The varsity team, coached by Pennye Garcia, also collected several additional awards during the camp, including overall Camp Champs for Extreme Routine and overall Game Day Champs. The team also placed second in both Game Day Sideline Dance and Game Day Band Dance.

From left: Brooke Hodge, varsity; Samantha Merola, junior varsity; Alicia Mitchell, junior varsity; Jillean Seaton, varsity; Taylor Broderick, varsity; Lauren Gobea, varsity; Mikiah Peeples, varsity; and, Mallory Mock, varsity.

Saint Leo golfers earn honors

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Three Saint Leo University men’s golfers were recognized as Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars on July 20. Liam Ainsworth, Ryan Gendron and Joey Savoie were among 91 Division II selections, including 14 from the Sunshine State Conference.

The trio helped the Lions capture the 2016 NCAA national championship in May in Denver, Colorado, defeating Chico State 3-2 in medal/match play. Ainsworth, Gendron and Savoie were teamed up with Hugo Bernard and Griffin Clark to capture the school’s first ever team national title. Ainsworth finished as a Division II PING Second Team All-American, and Savoie was a third team selection.

All three golfers were also named to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner’s Spring Honor Roll, where Gendron had the highest spring GPA (3.87), followed by Savoie (3.60) and Ainsworth (3.56).

Over the season, Ainsworth and Gendron led the team in rounds played (39), while Savoie was second on the team with 33 rounds. Savoie tallied a 71.21 stroke average on the year, which ranked 20th individually in the nation by GolfStat. Ainsworth had a 72.51 average, and Gendron recorded a 73.54.

To be eligible for Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar status, an individual golfer must be a junior or senior academically, compete in at least three full years at the collegiate level, participate in 50 percent of his team’s competitive rounds, have a stroke-average under 78.0 and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2.

Saint Leo softball camp

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The Saint Leo softball team will host a one-day camp on Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the University Softball Stadium. The camp, open to all softball players in eighth grade up through the junior college ranks, will include skill instruction in the morning session and live games in the afternoon. Athletes are asked to bring a lunch and a water bottle along with all of their softball gear. Water will be supplied in the dugout. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., on the morning of the camp. The registration fee is $125 per participant. For information, contact assistant coach Maddie Holub at (352) 588-7112 or .

Lutz Leaguerettes registration

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The Lutz Leaguerettes fast-pitch softball league, ages 6 to 18, is having open registration for both coaches and players for its fall season. Coach registration closes on Aug. 12, while player registration closes on Aug. 19. Tryouts begin on Aug. 29, with biweekly practices beginning on Sept. 10. The fall season will run from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12. For information, visit LutzSoftball.com, or email Mike Cook at .

Warrior Run II set for Aug. 20

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The Warrior Run II road race is set for Aug. 20 at Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The 5K run begins at 8 a.m., followed by a 1-mile run. Students can register for $15, while adults can register for $20. Proceeds from the race go to support the families of Xavier Johnson and Colt Exum. Johnson, a former Sunlake High football player, was involved in a tubing accident in 2015, leaving him in a coma. Exum, a sophomore football player at Hudson High, suffered a traumatic brain injury after an ATV accident in May. For information, email , or call (813) 469-8492.

Revolution Roller Derby recruitment

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Revolution Roller Derby will be hosting a recruitment open house on Aug. 8 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Astro Skate, 875 Cypress St., in Tarpon Springs. There will be an information session about what Revolution Roller Derby has to offer. Information will also be presented on required gear, gameplay rules and practice schedule. Both men and women are welcome to join; no experience is necessary. Revolution Roller Derby is a nonprofit roller derby league that formed in 2012. For information, email .

Bayonet Point’s medical program hits milestone

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Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has graduated its first physician from its internal medicine education program.

Dr. Katie Groff, an Ohio native, was officially recognized at Bayonet Point’s first commencement ceremony for its Graduate Medical Education (GME) Program in Internal Medicine on June 22.

Dr. Katie Lynn Groff, right, is honored by Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point as its first graduate from its internal medicine program. Dr. Michael Strobbe, medical director of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, stands next to Kitty Turner, Groff’s mother. (Photos courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)
Dr. Katie Lynn Groff, right, is honored by Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point as its first graduate from its internal medicine program. Dr. Michael Strobbe, medical director of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, stands next to Kitty Turner, Groff’s mother.
(Photos courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

In 2013, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) approved Bayonet Point to start an accredited Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Groff joined Bayonet Point as a second-year internal medicine resident in July 2014; she previously was a resident at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania.

“It was an honor to be the first graduate, and be able to grow and work with all the doctors that were so helpful to me, teaching me everything,” Groff said. “I think that being a part of the new program was a unique experience that not everyone gets.”

Groff, now working as a hospitalist at Bayonet Point, said her middle school anatomy classes first piqued her interest in pursuing a medical career.

While she acknowledged the residency consisted of a demanding work schedule, she pointed out her two years in the program went quickly.

“Even though it was long hours, it wasn’t as terrible as it sounds,” said Groff, who lived in Spring Hill throughout her residency. “There was a bunch of residents that I became really good friends with.”

Adhering to a well-rounded lifestyle helped, too.

“My No. 1 piece of advice would be to keep a balanced life,” Groff said. “You don’t want it to totally be about medicine, because otherwise you’ll start to resent it. Keep your hobbies, and keep your friends and family close.”

Dr. Joseph Pino, chief medical officer at Bayonet Point, referred to the commencement ceremony as a “milestone” for the medical center and its upstart GME program.

“It was the culmination of a lot of effort,” said Pino, a primary care physician for more than 30 years.

Bayonet Point recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents for its three-year GME program. There are now 30 physicians in the program, which began accepting residents in July 2014.
Bayonet Point recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents for its three-year GME program. There are now 30 physicians in the program, which began accepting residents in July 2014.

Six more residents are on track to graduate from the program in 2017, said Pino, who joined Bayonet Point in December of 2013.

Residents train on general medicine teams and specialty services, including the emergency room, which is a Level II trauma center — the only one in Pasco or Hernando counties. Moreover, the hospital has 290 licensed beds, including 70 critical care beds.

According to the Florida Department of Health, there is a critical statewide need for physicians.

A study by the American Medical Association shows nearly 30 percent of Florida’s physicians are at least 60 years old, but roughly only 10 percent of the physicians in the state are under the age of 35. The study suggests that without an influx of younger doctors, the state’s demand for physicians will even further outpace the current supply rate.

“There’s not enough physicians in training programs throughout the state to accommodate residents, and not enough places to accommodate people who need medical care,” Pino said.

The medical center recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents, bringing the GME physician total to 30. Pino said he expects future classes to hover around the same figure, but added Bayonet Point may introduce more specialty graduate programs in the future.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, known for its nationally acclaimed heart institute, has more than 350 physicians, 900 employees and 500 volunteers on its integrated health care delivery team.

Published July 27, 2016

No more slow-pitch softball for Lutz Leaguerettes

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After 37 years, the Lutz Leaguerettes girls’ softball organization has discontinued its slow-pitch leagues.

The decision was made due to dwindling registration figures, and an overwhelming preference for fast-pitch, which was first introduced in the spring.

A survey and questionnaire by players and parents showed a 92-to-4 vote in favor of fast-pitch over slow-pitch, said Mike Cook, president of the Leaguerettes.

After 37 years, the Lutz Leaguerettes has discontinued slow-pitch softball. The organization now offers only fast-pitch and T-ball leagues. (File Photo)
After 37 years, the Lutz Leaguerettes has discontinued slow-pitch softball. The organization now offers only fast-pitch and T-ball leagues.
(File Photo)

The nonprofit league only had about 20 girls registered for slow-pitch in the spring, compared to about 200 for fast-pitch.

At one point, the Leaguerettes had 400-plus girls playing in its slow-pitch leagues. But, that was before the rise in popularity of fast-pitch during the past few decades.

“The writing on the wall was that slow-pitch has pretty much fallen by the wayside,” Cook said. “The rest of the county and other areas don’t have slow-pitch available anymore, so we basically played among ourselves this past season.”

The Leaguerettes was the last recreational league in the county to offer slow-pitch softball to girls ages 5 to 18.

Other softball programs — the Brandon Leaguerettes, North Tampa Leaguerettes, Tampa Bay Velocity and FishHawk Miss Tampa Bay Softball — all transitioned exclusively to fast-pitch over the past few seasons.

“We found out how many other organizations were doing rec league fast-pitch, and we realized that we were able to compete against other organizations and other leagues,” Cook said. “It kind of gives the girls a different perspective.”

The league president said the introduction of fast-pitch was a strenuous one for the league’s board of directors, considering the significant variations in rules and regulations, age divisions and equipment.

“We had a lot to learn,” Cook said. “The move to fast-pitch had been brought up in the last few years, but logistically, it was a huge transition for us to make.”

Cook noted that over $2,000 worth of fast-pitch equipment was recently purchased, including softball pitching machines and catcher’s gear—leg pads, chest protector, mask and shin guards; protective face masks for all pitchers and infielders were also introduced.

One significant adjustment between fast-pitch and slow-pitch is the offensive strategy employed to try to win games.

In fast-pitch, the general offensive approach is to play ‘small ball,’ where bunting, slapping and hitting singles are heavily relied upon to generate runs. Conversely, offensive players in slow-pitch softball are often taught to hit the ball as far as possible, due to the relative ease at making contact.

“For us to learn the rules and transfer that information to the girls was a difficult task on the coaches, the player agents and the entire administrative portion of the league,” the league president said.

In the spring, 11 fast-pitch teams were formed across four age divisions — 8U, 10U, 12U and 16U.

“It probably exceeded expectations, because we didn’t really know what kind of response we were going to get,” Cook said.

The upcoming fall season may perhaps see an even larger response, since approximately 50 percent of the league’s current registered players will be new participants in the league.

While fast-pitch registration is open to girls ages 6 to 18, most of the league’s participants range from ages 10 to 14, Cook said.

“A lot of the girls, they think ‘fast-pitch’ is stressful competition, and they’re going to be playing with girls that are so far out of their skill level, but that wasn’t the case,” he said. “For probably about 70 (percent) to 80 percent of the girls, it was their first year playing fast-pitch as well.”

Jennifer Parry, the league’s secretary, told The Laker/Lutz News in January that the increased desire for young girls to play softball in high school has had a significant influence on the rise of fast-pitch.

“I think with the popularity of (former Olympic gold medalist softball pitcher) Jennie Finch, the Olympics and all these girls playing softball in college, it’s really changed softball for kids,” she said. “So many more kids want to play softball in high school, so they’re having to learn how to play fast-pitch.”

While slow-pitch will no longer be available, the league is bringing back T-ball leagues (ages 5 to 6) for the first time in several years.

“Basically it will be (softball) at a slower pace where we’ll be teaching them the fundamentals and the spirit of teamwork; it’s not about winning or losing at that age — it’s about learning the game and trying to have fun,” Cook said.

Refurbished fields will be another new feature this fall.

Cook said the five softball fields at both Oscar Cooler Sports Complex and Nye Park in Lutz are currently undergoing drastic renovations, including new clay field surface and new bases.

Player registration closes on Aug. 19, with fall practices starting Sept. 1. Opening Day is set for Oct. 1.

For more information, visit LutzSoftball.com.

Published July 27, 2016