The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Dade City commissioners set tentative tax rate

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The City of Dade City has set its tentative millage rate at 7.14 mills for fiscal year 2020-2021 — the same property tax rate established the past several years.

Dade City commissioners voted unanimously to set the rate at a July 28 virtual meeting.

At 7.14 mills, ad valorem tax revenues in the city’s general fund are anticipated to generate about $2.04 million — an increase of $106,710 from last year, due to new construction, higher values due to property improvements, and so on.

Under state law, once a tentative millage rate has been set, the city cannot raise it before the start of the fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The commission does, however, have the option to reduce the rate before then.

Traditionally, the commission has voted to use the rollback rate as the proposed millage, while instructing city staff to later set a lower rate for a particular fiscal year; the rollback rate is the millage rate that would collect an equivalent level of ad valorem taxes in the next fiscal year as in the current fiscal year.

However, this year’s rolled-back rate  — 6.354 mills — is lower compared to prior years.

In effect, by setting the tentative millage rate at the higher 7.14, the city is able to help make up ground after a hospital property was taken off the tax rolls, which decreased the general fund upwards of $95,000 last year, explained Dade City Manager Leslie Porter.

Porter said the 7.14 millage rate “will help bring us back to where we were (revenue-wise) a couple of years ago.”

What usually is a rather laborious process to get commissioners to agree on a tentative property tax rate was a cut-and-dry scenario this time around, Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez pointed out.

“Traditionally, this has been a very long conversation because the numbers didn’t look like they do here this evening,” Hernandez said.

Meanwhile, commissioners have scheduled virtual workshops on Aug. 11, Aug. 18 and Aug. 25. Each meeting will begin at 4 p.m.

A tentative budget public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10 at 5:30 p.m.

Milestones recognized
Commissioner Scott Black was informally recognized a few months ago for his 30th year serving on the Dade City Commission.

Dade City Police officer Pete Emerson was recognized for 25 years of service. (Courtesy of Dade City Police Department)

The Florida League of Cities (FLOC) have since acknowledged Black’s milestone, sending a formal letter to the municipality, as well as mailing him a resolution and a service pin.

Normally, a FLOC representative will make a presentation during a commission meeting, but not this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Black, who’s been on the commission since 1990, thanked his colleagues for the additional recognition. “It’s been a pleasure to serve,” he said, “and it seems like just yesterday I started.”

Another career milestone also was shared during the meeting — as Dade City Police officer Pete Emerson was recognized for 25 years of service with the city.

Emerson is currently in his second stint as a school resource officer (SRO) at Pasco High School. He was the school’s SRO from 1997 to 2002, then returned to the role last year after having served in other department roles, including detective.

Underscoring Emerson’s longevity — newly sworn-in Commissioner Knute Nathe noted he was a student at Pasco High when Emerson was SRO.

The mayor took time to congratulate both Black and Emerson on their respective accomplishments: “Those are huge numbers and something very special and to be proud of, so thank you for your service to your community, and in Emerson’s case, keeping our young people safe over there (at Pasco High).”

Published August 05, 2020

Lawmaker talks state budget cuts, COVID-19

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State Rep. Randy Maggard made a special appearance at a Zephyrhills City Council meeting last month — updating constituents on issues that included state budget cuts, the COVID-19 pandemic, return-to-school plans and more.

During his talk, Maggard, who represents District 38 in the Florida House of Representatives, bluntly said East Pasco was fortunate to secure state funding for two projects.

Randy Maggard represents District 38 in the State House of Representatives. He spoke on a number of issues, during a special appearance last month at a Zephyrhills City Council meeting. (Courtesy of Florida House of Representatives)

Those projects survived, while other projects fell by the wayside as a result of $1 billion in budget cuts, achieved through line-item vetoes by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The governor made those cuts because state revenues were lower than expected, due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.

The approved $92.2 billion budget, however, does include about $5.5 million for the Lacoochee industrial area right of way improvements and about $2.3 million for intersection improvements at U.S. 301/Pretty Pond and Medical Arts Court.

“We’re just happy to get what we did,” Maggard said. “At the end of the day, we felt we fared well compared to most (other districts).”

Other budget wins in Maggard’s book included the $500 million to increase teacher salaries across the state and the approval of the most comprehensive water bill in Florida history. That water bill includes: $322 million for Everglades Restoration; $50 million for springs restoration; $160 million for targeted water quality improvements; $40 million for alternative water supply; and, $25 million to combat harmful algal blooms and red tide.

Maggard said he hopes the state doesn’t need to undergo yet another round of budget cuts due to COVID-19, hurricane season or some other setback. Luckily, state reserves could help withstand some expected shortfalls, he said.

Maggard said the Legislature’s foresight to build up a reserve in the past has come in handy now.

He added: “What we’re praying is that we don’t have a bad hurricane season. Just having another knockout punch would not be good for our economy, and that’s what we’re concerned about, at the time.”

On the COVID-19 front, Maggard acknowledged the pandemic “just seems to be dragging on,” but noted a sliver of a silver lining.

The positivity rates for COVID-19 through Florida have hovered in the 10% range to 12% range, while experiencing marked decreases is some instances.

Maggard said Florida made headlines across the country when it recorded nearly 15,300 new coronavirus cases on July 12. That set a national record for any one-day period.

What media outlets failed to mention, Maggard said, is about 142,900 people were tested — representing a positivity rate of about 10.7%.

A few days before that, the state had reported 11,343 positive COVID-19 cases among 93,500 tests — correlating with a higher positivity rate of 12.1%, he said.

“It was a big number that dropped, but we’re testing more,” Maggard said, regarding the July 12 report.

“If you look at just the pure numbers, you would think, ‘Wow, this thing is spreading worse, and we’re in trouble,’” he said.

But, when “you look at it percentage-wise,” he said, “it’s not growing like the numbers sometimes show.”

And, that, he said, represents “a little bit of good news.”

The freshman lawmaker added the “largest spread” of the coronavirus comes from Florida bars and small breweries, so temporarily closing down those institutions was “just something that had to be done,” he said.

He also acknowledged the economic impact the decision had.

“It is affecting small business, and we understand that,” he said.

Maggard also emphasized  the importance of mask wearing and social distancing: “If you talk to your doctor, they will tell you. If we can just keep that practice, we can get over this hurdle, we really can just get it to stop. I think we can get out of this mess, and then we just need to pray for a shot like we do for the flu, then I’ll think a lot of this will just go away.”

On the much-debated topic of return-to-school plans, Maggard assured state leaders are studying “the smartest way” to handle an ever-changing situation, adding decisions are “based on science and numbers, and not emotion.”

However, he added there’s been “overwhelming” support to reopen brick-and-mortar school campuses for the 2020-2021 school year, particularly among Florida high schoolers.

“It’s funny, the majority of high school students we’ve reached out to are like, ‘Yeah, we want to go back to school,’” Maggard said. “Maybe staying at home with parents is not as fun as it used to be at the time; high school students are definitely for it.”

He also addressed one of the more well-documented issues that surfaced early in the wake of COVID-19: the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s difficulty in managing the massive volume of unemployment benefit claims.

Many of those problems have been resolved, Maggard said.

“There’s some people out there we’re still dealing with, but overall that number’s dropping, which has been good for us,” he said.

Published August 05, 2020

Zephyrhills sets tentative millage rate

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Zephyrhills property owners won’t see an increase in their ad valorem tax rate for fiscal year 2020-2021.

The Zephyrhills City Council on July 27 unanimously voted to set the tentative millage rate at 6.35 mills — a rate the municipality has maintained for several years.

Public hearings on the proposed property tax rate have been scheduled for Sept. 14 and Sept. 28.

Under state law, once a tentative millage rate has been set, the city cannot raise it before the start of the fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The council does, however, have the option to reduce the rate before then.

A mill represents $1 in tax for every $1,000 worth of a property’s taxable assessed value.

In Zephyrhills, maintaining a rate of 6.35 mills would levy about $5.32 million in property taxes — a revenue increase of nearly $380,000 compared with last year.

The figures are based on the total city’s property value of nearly $838 million, an increase of $63.8 million over last year. Of that increase, $28.7 million is attributable to new construction.

The city’s tentative budget is typically set by Aug. 1 each year. However, staff requested to delay the deadline until Aug. 7, because the city is awaiting various revenue estimates from the state.

In other news, council members received an update on the Sarah Vande Berg Foundation’s outreach plans, in the midst of COVID-19.

The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, at 6585 Simons Road, won’t open its doors until mid- or late September, but inroads are being made to grow the sport among local youth.

The outreach will be done through the Sarah Vande Berg Foundation, a nonprofit that subsidizes tennis equipment, lessons and afterschool programs to underserved community youth, in partnership with the forthcoming tennis facility.

Nick Walton, the foundation’s program director, explained that the foundation had partnered with West Zephyrhills Elementary School to offer an afterschool tennis program in the spring, but that the program had to be postponed until the fall because of the pandemic.

In addition to partnering with individual schools, including West Zephyrhills Elementary, Walton said the nonprofit also will host a series of free afterschool programs available to all youth in the community during the 2020-2021 school year — regardless of whether students attend brick-and-mortar schools or take virtual classes.

The afterschool program likely will be held around 3:30 p.m. or 4 p.m., on weekdays, Walton said.

“We’ve secured enough funding right now to secure us through the entire school year, so you guys will be seeing me, hopefully trying to raise more, and get into more schools and have more programs running,” Walton told the council.

The nearly $5 million tennis complex features 11 regulation outdoor tennis courts, eight pickleball courts and four padel courts, as well as a state-of-the art indoor health and wellness center, among other amenities.

The facility is a public-private partnership between the City of Zephyrhills and Pascal Collard, a longtime tennis pro and instructor serving as the facility’s CEO.

Virtual meetings set for audio upgrades
In the last several weeks, Zephyrhills city government meetings have mostly returned in-person amid COVID-19, but citizens still have the opportunity to listen and participate through a telephone call-in number.

The Zephyrhills City Hall council chambers is being outfitted with a new computer system to enhance audio quality for broadcasting virtual meetings. (File)

As staffers and council members have begun conducting semi-virtual meetings at the City Hall council chambers, some audio quality issues have arisen for those who listen in on the phone in real time.

That’s because the chamber room’s communications system wasn’t originally designed to accommodate in-person meetings that could also be broadcasted remotely.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said those issues should be sorted out in time for the next scheduled council meeting on Aug. 10, as the city’s IT department is working to retrofit a new computer system that will provide for better sound processing.

“We’ve heard complaints about people being able to only hear every third word or being muffled,” Poe said. “Hopefully, we’ll have something in place, and hopefully it’ll work for the next meeting.”

With that, council president Charles Proctor expressed his appreciation for Mike Panak, the  city’s IT director, for helping set up a virtual meeting system on the fly, over the course of the shutdown.

“I’m sure this has been difficult for him to run all of this, and get all this, and I’m sure this has been a nightmare for him, and I really appreciate the fine job done, especially when we were meeting virtually,” Proctor said.

The council president also thanked the city’s entire staff for its dedication and its work to keep the municipality running over the last several months.

“This has been one of the most difficult times in our country’s history, and we have such an amazing group of employees that are so faithful. They show up to work, do an amazing job, even through all this nightmare that we’ve all been living.

“From the guy on the back of the truck to our police and city manager, I’m just so thankful that we have such an amazing team,” Proctor said.

Published August 05, 2020

Local golf standout swings into senior year

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When Norah Catlin showed up for Wiregrass Ranch High School girls golf tryouts in 2017, it wasn’t long before coach Jeremy Calzone realized a special talent had entered the program.

The longtime Bulls coach originally wasn’t aware of the then-incoming freshman’s background winning countless junior tournaments; being named the Greater Tampa Junior Golf Association’s player of the year; qualifying for the Drive, Chip and Putt Championships at the Masters; and first picking up the sport at the age of 4.

Wiregrass Ranch High School rising senior Norah Catlin stands alongside head coach Jeremy Calzone at the 2019 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state championships.
As a junior last year, Catlin finished tied for 17th at the Class 3A championships, firing five-over par (74-75—149) in the two-day tournament.
(Courtesy of Kim Catlin)

Moreover, the timing couldn’t have been better.

The team had just graduated a strong senior class buoyed by Morgan Powers, Alexis Lane and Lexy Frenchko.

With that, Calzone figured the 2017 season would be a retooling year. “We were like, ‘Man, it’s going to be a struggle this year,’” he recalled.

Little did the coach know the most accomplished female golfer in school history had walked in the door, and she’d guide the program to three straight conference championships and district titles.

At tryouts when Calzone asked which of the newcomers had ever golfed before, Catlin meekly raised her hand, speaking softly without much conviction.

Assuming she was mostly a novice with the sport, Calzone unwittingly placed her with a beginner’s group, instead of with some of the team’s more experienced returnees.

He soon discovered a mistake was made.

“It took me two shots to realize, ‘Ok, you need to be in that (top) group with those other girls…,’” Calzone chuckled. “I joke with her all the time, like, ‘You could’ve told me you were like one of the elite players in the area.’ …It was a good surprise to have, obviously.”

The rest is history.

“She’s definitely by far the best (player) we’ve had,” Calzone said of Catlin.

Since entering the Wiregrass Ranch hallways, Catlin has laid claim to the county’s top female

golfer. She is a three-time Sunshine Athletic Conference Player of the Year and three-time state qualifier.

Her freshman year she became the first female golfer in school history to qualify for the state finals, held annually at the Mission Inn Resort & Club, in Howey-in-the-Hills.

As a junior last year, Catlin finished tied for 17th at the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 3A state championships, firing five-over par (74-75—149) across the two-day tournament.

It represented the best showing among female golfers from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. The next top score among locals was Steinbrenner High’s Posie Farrelly, who carded nine-over par (79-74 — 153)

Entering her senior campaign, Catlin is looking to build on her past accolades and then some, if and when the already-delayed Florida prep sports season gets underway due to COVID-19.

In addition to trying to secure top county honors and a strong state finish a fourth time, her main goal is to finish undefeated in the dozen or so regular season matches scheduled.

“It’s something that I’ve gotten very close to the last three seasons. I want to be able to do it at least once before my high school career is over,” she said.

Catlin, too, hopes her accomplishments inspire her younger teammates and the next generation of female golfers: “Honestly, I really hope somebody sees what I’ve done and wants to beat it, because that’s how you get better.”

‘A mental game’
On the course, Catlin takes pride in her short game, particularly her chipping ability. It was a skill she began mastering at a young age, using her family’s backyard to practice various angles and distances.

To shore up her accuracy, Catlin’s father would give her $1 every time she hit a tree from a particular position. “We had to stop that very quickly because I’d bankrupt him,” she quipped.

Catlin’s chip shot proficiency, too, has awed Calzone over the years: “It’s crazy, she’ll be five or 10 feet within the pin, ready for birdie almost every time, and if she’s not, it’s almost like you’re shocked, you know.”

The mental side of the game is another of Catlin’s strengths. She makes a point to not let a bad shot or two ruin an entire round — a common theme for some golfers. Instead, she tries to stay level-headed and keep her composure throughout.

Catlin detailed her mindset: “The biggest mistake that some golfers make is when they hit one bad shot, they get very upset, because they think their day is ruined, whereas their attitude towards the situation is what ruins their round. By keeping a level head and telling yourself, ‘Golf is a game, at the end of the day,’ it’s a lot easier to hit the next shot and bounce back.”

Better prepared
Each summer, Catlin travels to St. Petersburg, Russia, to visit family members on her mother’s side.

Catlin doesn’t pick up a golf club during that period, which admittedly leaves her rusty for a couple weeks in advance of the season.

Norah Catlin said one of her main goals as a senior is to be undefeated in all regular season matches. She’d been close to achieving that feat in the past.

The pandemic, however, cancelled the teen’s annual Russia trip.

From a golfing standpoint, it could prove a blessing in disguise.

That’s because she has used the extra downtime in town to hit the links with more fervor — and should yield a more polished version of herself  by the start of the season, whenever that is.

“I think all this extra practice that I’ve been able to do is really going to help me,” Catlin said, adding she’s fortunate golf courses have stayed open during the pandemic, as the sport’s been deemed an essential recreational activity by state and local governments. “It’s been nice to still have my sport running, and it gives me something to do every day.”

More prepared than usual for the start of a season, Calzone acknowledged Catlin could put forth her best showing of her prep career.

“If she’s been playing all summer, look out,” the coach said. “She’s never disappointed me, so my expectations are always pretty high for her, because I know what she’s going to do.”

Promising future awaits
Catlin has multiple offers to golf collegiately, but she hasn’t yet decided if that’s a path she’ll take.

One of the top students in her senior class with a 4.5 GPA who takes a heavy dose of Advanced Placement (AP) and dual-enrollment classes, Catlin aspires to study political science in college and attend law school. She also is passionate about environmental issues, recently completing an online environmental justice fellowship amid the pandemic. Studying abroad in Russia and becoming fluent in the language are some other lofty objectives.

When it comes to higher education, Catlin said, “I just want to focus more time on my school and focusing on my GPA.”

In either case, golf will still be a lifelong hobby for her, whether she’s playing competitively or not.

“It’s definitely going to be in my life, probably for the rest of my life,” Catlin said. “I genuinely like it because it gives me time alone, time to think, and it’s as much of a mental game as it is a physical game. …Also, it’s just a nice way to get fresh air.”

Whatever Catlin winds up doing, Catlin’s high school coach is sure she’ll find success.

“She’s just an unbelievable person,” Calzone said. “She’s just a great, all-around person. Her grades, she’s very polite, she’s well-liked by all the teachers, the kids at school. Just a great, unbelievable person. I mean, she’s unbelievable at golf, but I think she’s just an unbelievable, all-around student-athlete.”

Published August 05, 2020

FHSAA delays fall sports start date

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The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) postponed the start date of fall sports until Aug 24, after FHSAA Board of Directors last month voted 11-4 to do so.

The move comes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FHSAA supervises and regulates interscholastic athletic programs for high school students at member public, private and charter schools. Head­quartered in Gainesville, it is the official governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida.

The association’s staff is working to come up with alternate plans for the 2020-2021 school year and will present such a plan to the board during the week of Aug. 10.

In corresponding action, the Pasco County school district has gone a step further — announcing it has pushed back the beginning of all fall sports to Sept. 7, meaning tryouts for all middle school and high school sports won’t begin until then.

The Hillsborough County school district moved the start of its fall sports season to Aug. 10.

Fall sports affected include bowling, cross-country, football, golf, swimming and diving, and volleyball.

Saint Leo men’s hoops alum goes pro

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Saint Leo University men’s basketball recent graduate Kyran McLure has signed an overseas professional contract with Omladinski Kosarkaski Klub (OKK) Novi Pazar, a Serbia-based basketball club.

(File)

The 6-foot-2, 170-pound guard led Saint Leo in scoring the last two seasons, including averaging 20.8 points per game in 2019-2020 and 17.1 in 2018-2019.

McClure, a two-time All-Sunshine State Conference selection, ranks inside the top 10 in Lions history in three career categories — free throws made (second, 451), three-point field goals made (fourth, 193), and assists (ninth, 276), while sitting in 11th all-time in points scored (1,374). He also holds two program records for a single season mark, including free throws (207) and three-pointers made (96), both set during his senior season.

McClure played three seasons for Saint Leo, transferring from Navy after his freshman year. He is a native of Concord, North Carolina.

McClure joins an overseas club that is coming off a 17-9 record Basketball League of Serbia, along with an 8-14 mark in ABA (Adriatic Basketball Association) League 2 play.

Saint Leo fall sports postponed

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The 11-member Sunshine State Conference, which includes Saint Leo University, has postponed its 2020 fall sports season. (Courtesy of Sunshine State Conference)

Saint Leo University’s member athletic conference — the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) — announced it has postponed all scheduled competitions in the fall sports season, due to COVID-19.

The decision, made by the SSC Presidents Council, affects men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s cross-country, women’s cross-country, and women’s volleyball.

It also affects any fall schedules for the spring sports of men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s golf, women’s golf, baseball, softball, and women’s rowing.

A news release says another decision will be made no later than Oct. 1 regarding whether the winter sports of men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s swimming, and women’s swimming can compete in the fall 2020 semester.
As of now, the conference is planning to conduct competition for the fall sports and the spring sports in the spring 2021 semester.

During postponement of competition, student-athletes will be able to do conditioning, strength training, and have other practice opportunities in all sports during the fall 2020 semester — as long as health and safety conditions allow such activities.

Saint Leo is one of 11 member institutions in the NCAA Division II Florida-based conference. Other Tampa Bay area schools in the SSC include Eckerd College (St. Petersburg), Florida Southern College (Lakeland) and the University of Tampa.

Check out these locals during 2020 MLB season

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The 2020 MLB (Major League Baseball) season will be unlike any other it has experienced,  thanks to COVID-19.

The condensed 60-game schedule is believed to be the league’s shortest season since 1878. Fans will have to watch the games on TV, online, or listen to the radio — as stadiums will be off-limits to them, at least initially.

There also will be myriad other social distancing and health and safety protocols, and some new rules — such as the universal DH (designated hitter) and extra innings beginning with a runner on second base.

The season kicked off on July 23, four months later than expected, after MLB elected to postpone play in early March because of the pandemic.

Though later than anticipated, and with far fewer games than expected, baseball fans will get a chance to watch their favorite teams and players battle for a postseason spot and World Series crown.

Meanwhile, a handful of players (and a manager) with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area look to take on prominent, even starring, roles with their respective MLB franchise this season.

Here’s a closer look at some of the locals to watch.

Austin Adams, Seattle Mariners, pitcher
Local tie: Zephyrhills High School
Fully recovered from offseason knee surgery, the 29-year-old right-hander is expected to make a sizable impact for the Mariners bullpen, sliding into the team’s late-inning pitching or even as a closer.

Seattle Mariners left-handed pitcher Austin Adams, a Zephyrhills High School product (Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media/MLB.com)

Since being traded to Seattle from the Washington Nationals last May, Adams registered a 3.77 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 51 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched across 29 games. The breakout 2019 campaign was cut short after a stomach-churning moment where he suffered a torn ACL and meniscus. It happened while trying to avoid a near-collision fielding a play at first base in a late September game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Adams grew up in Zephyrhills, playing little league at Sam Pasco Park. He went on to earn four letters in baseball (and one in basketball) at Zephyrhills High School from 2006 to 2009. He posted a 2.43 ERA and 80 strikeouts in his Bulldog career.

Adams’ high school success led to a baseball scholarship at the University of South Florida, a program that had its first Big East Championship final in 2012, during his junior year.

Adams signed with the Los Angeles Angels later that year after being selected in the eighth round of the 2012 MLB Draft.

His road to the big leagues was a lengthy one, having thrown more than 250 innings across five minor league seasons before making his MLB debut in 2017 with the Nationals (from where he was traded to by Los Angeles in late 2016).

Also, Adams joins a respective list of former MLB players from the Zephyrhills area, joining Dave Eiland (1988-2000) and Domonic Brown (2010-2015).

John Gant, St. Louis Cardinals, pitcher
Local tie: Wiregrass Ranch High School
Entering his fifth big-league season, the 28-year-old right-handed pitcher is projected to slot in as the Cardinals’ setup man or late-inning option, after a strong 2019 campaign where he won 11 games and posted a 3.66 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched.

St. Louis Cardinals right-handed pitcher John Gant, a Wiregrass Ranch High product (Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media/MLB.com)

Gant is known for having one of the most unique windups in baseball, whereby he takes a couple left-footed toe taps, then pauses before firing off a pitch. He’s also regarded for sporting a five-pitch repertoire, including a changeup nicknamed “The Vulcan” — gripping the ball between the middle and ring fingers, garnering its name from the Vulcan salute used by Spock in the Star Trek series.

Gant moved to Wesley Chapel when he was 11, from Savannah, Georgia. He wound up starring on the Wiregrass Ranch High varsity baseball team from 2008 to 2011 — striking out over 200 batters and suffering just three losses in four years.

Gant wasn’t only involved with baseball, though.

He was a member of the Wiregrass Ranch basketball and swimming teams, and also served as scorekeeper for the girls basketball program, which was coached by his father, John Sr., then a science teacher at the school.

Gant signed with the New York Mets out of high school after being selected in the 21st round of the 2011 MLB Draft. After four years in their minor league system, Gant was traded to the Atlanta Braves, where he made his MLB debut in 2016. He was traded offseason to the Cardinals, where he has been since.

Gant has customarily spent parts of his baseball offseason training in and around Wesley Chapel.

Oscar Mercado, Cleveland Indians, outfielder
Local tie: Gaither High School
The 25-year-old Mercado is penciled in as the Indians starting centerfielder. That follows a showy 2019 rookie season where he batted .269 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs in 119 games, adding 70 runs scored, 25 doubles, three triples and 15 stolen bases.

Cleveland Indians outfielder Oscar Mercado graduated from Gaither High School in 2013. (Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media/MLB.com)

A native of Columbia, Mercado and his family emigrated to the United States and settled in the Tampa area when he was 7 years old.

He became a four-year starter at shortstop at Gaither High School from 2010 to 2013, leading the program to back-to-back district crowns.

As a Cowboy, Mercado was something of a prep prodigy. He was named ESPN’s No. 1 middle infielder in the nation and dotted multiple high school All-American lists — Under Armour All-American, MaxPreps Underclass All-American and Perfect Game All-American Classic and Underclass All-American.

In addition to his skills on the diamond, Mercado had a 5.0 weighted GPA at Gaither and originally planned to attend Florida State University on a baseball scholarship. That all changed when he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round of the 2013 MLB, electing to sign with the club for a $1.5 million signing bonus.

Mercado spent nearly six years working through the Cardinals minor league system until he was traded to the Indians in July 2018. He made his MLB debut on May 14, 2019, against the Chicago White Sox.

Also noteworthy, Mercado became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018.

Nate Pearson, Toronto Blue Jays, pitcher
Local tie: Odessa native, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School
Widely considered one of the game’s top prospects, the 6-foot-6 flame-throwing righty is expected to make his MLB sooner rather than later this season with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitcher Nate Pearson, an Odessa native and Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School alum. (Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media/MLB.com)

Reports out of Summer Camp indicate the 23-year-old Pearson is indeed ready for The Show, having refined breaking pitches to complement a fastball that regularly touches triple digits.

Born and raised in Odessa, Pearson starred at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, helping the program to the Class 3A state semifinals as a senior in 2015. He wrapped up his prep career with a career 1.24 earned run average and 144 strikeouts in 101.2 innings pitched, with a 12-1 record.

Pearson went on to play college baseball at Miami’s Florida International University, then transferred to the College of Central Florida in Ocala. There, he was named the Rawlings/Perfect Game JUCO Pitcher of the Year, and subsequently selected by the Blue Jays in the first round (28th overall) of the 2017 MLB Draft, signing with the team for a $2.45 million bonus.

Pearson has proceeded to shine at each level of the minors, boasting a combined 2.19 ERA,

0.87 WHIP and 119 strikeouts in 123.1 innings from rookie ball through Triple-A.

The budding major leaguer spent a portion of the leaguewide shutdown in Tampa, training with other professional athletes at Yo Murphy Performance.

Matt Joyce, a New Tampa resident (Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media/MLB.com)

Matt Joyce, Miami Marlins, outfielder
Local tie: New Tampa resident/business owner
Through born and raised in Brandon, the 12-year MLB veteran has since made New Tampa home, living in the Hunter’s Green area and recently opening an F45 Training fitness center chain at The Walk at Highwoods Preserve neighborhood shopping center.

The left-handed hitting corner outfielder is the quintessential journeyman, having played for seven different MLB franchises, his longest tenure coming with the Tampa Bay Rays from 2009-2014.

He’s mainly played a platoon role throughout his career, almost exclusively getting action against right-handed pitchers. In recent years, he’s taken on a lesser role, as a spot starter and pinch-hitter.

The 35-year-old Joyce begins the 2020 season on the 10-day injured list, due to an undisclosed condition and having not participated in the team’s July Summer Camp activities. In more than 1,300 MLB games played, Joyce has accumulated 145 career home runs and 482 RBIs, along with a .243/.343/.432 slash line.

 

 

Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays, manager
Local tie: Gaither High School
Before enjoying eight years as an MLB catcher and now manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, the 42-year-old Cash fine-tuned his baseball skills and acumen in Lutz, playing at Northside Little League and Gaither High School.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash grew up in Lutz, playing at Northside Little League and Gaither High School. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays communications department)

He spent his younger days growing up in the Valley Ranch Drive neighborhood, situated across from Lake Park.

Cash first hit the national scene in 1989 — then a 12-year-old second baseman for a Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series.

Cash would go on to later play college baseball at Florida State University and earn spots with six different MLB franchises from 2002-2010 — including earning two World Series rings with the 2007 Red Sox and 2009 Yankees, respectively.

Once his playing career concluded, Cash ventured into coaching and has been the Rays manager since 2015. He’s widely regarded as one of the game’s best for leading a Rays rebuilding effort that embraces outside-the-box strategies, such as platoons, shifts, and openers, combined with strong leadership skills in dealing with players.

Baseball is undoubtedly in his blood, as his father and uncle both played professionally, the latter reaching the big leagues in the 1970s.

Published July 29, 2020

Local signing

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Ludcheel Colas (Courtesy of Kim Scheid)

Sunlake High graduate Ludcheel Colas signed a track and field athletic scholarship with Southern Wesleyan University, an NCAA Division II program in Central, South Carolina. Colas helped set two school track records at Sunlake, as a leg of the boys 4 x 400- and 4 x 800-meter relay squads. He also was a member of the school’s varsity football team, playing running back and outside linebacker.

Saint Leo men’s hoopers earn national academic honor

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Isaiah Hill (Courtesy of Saint Leo University Athletics Department)

The Saint Leo University men’s basketball program saw two of its student-athletes earn National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court recognition for the 2019-20 season —  senior guard Isaiah Hill and junior guard Gintaras Bartaskas.

Hill and Bartaskas were two of just 23 Sunshine State Conference players among the 2019-20 NABC Honors Court. Nationwide, 1,350 men’s collegiate basketball players made the list.

Gintaras Bartaskas

To be a part of the Honors Court, a student-athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria. The qualifications are, academically a junior or senior and a varsity player; cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher at the conclusion of the 2019-20 academic year; matriculated at least one year at their current institution; and, member of a NCAA Division I, II, III or NAIA Division I or II institution with a NABC member coach.

Hill, a computer information systems major, concluded his athletic eligibility in 2020 after three years on the Lions squad. The Richmond Hill, Georgia, native concluded his career 19th all-time in program history in scoring, with 1,091 points. He also etched his name into the record book in career assists (276) and steals (138).

Bartaskas, a business management major, wrapped up his second year on the squad this past season. The junior from Utena, Lithuania, played in 28 games on the year, averaging 5.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game