The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Michael Murillo

Wildcats not down, not dejected after winless 2013

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Last season the Wesley Chapel Wildcats lost all of their games.

They were shut out four times and only scored seven points or more in two contests all year. In half of their games, they lost by at least 30 points.

With another year of experience under their belts, Scott Edwards, left, and Ryan Robinson are expected to help turn around Wesley Chapel’s fortunes in 2014. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
With another year of experience under their belts, Scott Edwards, left, and Ryan Robinson are expected to help turn around Wesley Chapel’s fortunes in 2014.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

But in the locker room and at practice, no heads are hanging. Players aren’t dejected or going through the motions. In fact, there’s plenty of optimism and enthusiasm as they prepare for a new season.

And while head coach Tico Hernandez would loved to have registered some wins, he’s not ashamed of his team’s effort last year.

“The scoreboard didn’t go our way, but there are a lot of great things that we did do,” said Hernandez, now entering his second year as the school’s head coach. Participation “numbers up, kids behaving, academics up. Those are some important things that we take pride in.”

As a result, the Wesley Chapel High School administration and team parents have supported Hernandez’s efforts to build a program with a strong foundation.

Off-field production is important to Hernandez. In addition to his coaching duties at Wesley Chapel, he works with students who are in danger of not graduating, and helps them get back on the path to earning a diploma.

But he also wants to see improved results on the field, and feels that another year of experience will help his team take a step forward in 2014. The team should have around seven offensive starters returning, including their quarterback and four offensive linemen.

Hernandez believes having that consistency in the huddle will translate into a more efficient and effective unit.

Their confidence should get a boost as well. Returning quarterback Scott Edwards credits their coach for keeping the team calm and focused as they struggled through a difficult season in 2013.

“I think it was coach Hernandez’ attitude. He’s got a really positive attitude about the whole season, and I think that helps us out,” Edwards said. He believes that last year’s experience coupled with some competition will help him up his game this year.

Ryan Robinson, who plays on the offensive line, said that returning so many linemen from last year also will make a big difference. He believes that it’s up to him and his teammates on the line to step up and create opportunities for the offense.

“We play the biggest role if you ask me,” Robinson said. “Without us, none of this happens.”

Hernandez also feels good about the team’s defense. While they gave up a lot of points in some games, he said those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Mistakes on offense, special teams scores and other mental miscues often put the defense in difficult situations, and contributed to some lopsided defeats.

He has confidence the Wildcats will have a good showing on that side of the ball.

While there’s a lot of optimism headed into the season — the team feels good about their participation in seven-on-seven competition this summer — nobody is willing to make concrete predictions about the upcoming season. Hernandez acknowledges there’s a lot of talent in Class 5A-District 7, and their non-district schedule isn’t any easier, with matchups against schools like Pasco and Sunlake.

Despite the challenges, the coach believes they’re building a strong program and looks forward to seeing how his team has progressed since struggling through a winless season last year. However things turn out, Hernandez feels privileged to have the opportunity to work with the team, play a role in their growth and be part of the game he enjoys.

“I love it. I’m blessed,” Hernandez said. “Every day I’m thankful. I’ve got coaches who believe in each other, the administration is fantastic and community support’s up.

“We play a game that these kids have played since they were little kids. We’re blessed every day to be able to come out here with great health. It’s a great opportunity to play football in the state of Florida.”

Wesley Chapel Wildcats:
LAST YEAR: 0-10
0-5 in district play
Sixth place in Class 5A-District 7

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Scott Edwards, quarterback
Ryan Robinson, offensive line, defensive line.

PLAYER TO WATCH
Tre McKitty, wide receiver, tight end, defensive lineman
“I love his excitement. He challenges himself every day. He’s still a younger kid, but he looks (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) like he’s ready for college right now.” — Coach Tico Hernandez

2014 Wildcats Schedule
8/29 — at Zephyrhills
9/5 — Lecanto
9/12 — Pasco
9/19 — at Hudson
10/3 — Ridgewood
10/10 — Sunlake
10/17 — at River Ridge
10/25 — Anclote
10/31 — Gulf
11/7 — at Wiregrass Ranch

Published August 20, 2014

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Pasco wants to build on challenging 2013 season

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After three straight undefeated regular seasons, Pasco High School slipped to 7-3 in 2013. They failed to win their district, making the playoffs as a runner-up in Class 5A-District 6.

That record would represent a great season for many schools, but expectations run high at Pasco. And it’s a drop in production from what the Pirates have usually accomplished under Tom McHugh.

The Pirates hope their hard work at practice will help them contend for a district title this season after finishing runner-up in 2013. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
The Pirates hope their hard work at practice will help them contend for a district title this season after finishing runner-up in 2013.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Still, don’t expect the head coach to be disappointed in that outcome.

“Last season with the things that happened within the team internally and the players, I think that we actually overachieved,” McHugh said. “I was proud of the way everybody reacted.”

The team’s starting quarterback was dismissed from the team early in the year, causing an entire overhaul of the offense. The Pirates had planned to run a read-option scheme, where the quarterback reads the movement of the defender on the edge, and either gives the ball to the running back or keeps it himself, based on what he sees. But the team had to shift to a more traditional offense once the season started.

Abandoning the game plan you had all off-season with a full schedule ahead of you would be a challenge for any team. Add in more dismissals and injuries, and the Pirates simply weren’t the team they thought they had at the start of the season.

As a result, they went 2-3 to start the year, including 0-2 in the district. But as the players settled into their new scheme, the Pirates closed the regular season with five straight wins and kept their playoff streak alive by beating Zephyrhills High School to claim the runner-up spot in the district.

Now, with a full off-season to prepare their quarterback Grant Starling for the lead role, McHugh feels like they can not only run their offense more efficiently, but add a few tweaks to make it more effective.

“Now that we’ve run it, we can put some chrome on it now,” he said.

Starling believes having the off-season to work as the starter has already paid dividends with regard to his confidence and effectiveness.

“It really helped a lot,” Starling said. “I feel a lot more comfortable. The players feel more comfortable around me. We’ve worked together more so we have more chemistry.”

The game, he said, is slowing down for him, and he’s doing a better job of reading defenses than he did last season.

The defense also should be in good shape, with the defensive line mostly intact from last season and a strong point headed into 2014. The defensive backfield also stood out and impressed McHugh in seven-on-seven competition over the summer.

“I was really happy with those guys,” he said. “They worked well together.”

Despite some losses on the offensive line, the coach said they also have some returning playmakers and expects that part of the team to be in decent shape.

The Pirates will have some time to get things in order before facing their district opponents. After a preseason game, which McHugh said will be used to evaluate who’s in shape and how the team reacts to in-game situations, Pasco starts the season with three non-district contests.

But there’s no reason to ask McHugh about them, because he has no idea who they are. The coach doesn’t look past the first game — figuratively or literally.

“I know it sounds like I’m making it up, but I don’t ever look ahead,” McHugh said. ”I couldn’t tell you who the second game of the season is until after we play Sunlake.”

While the coach is looking to get back to his accustomed level of success and have fewer struggles than last season, he’s not sorry it happened. He said that the younger players have now learned that they can’t just step onto the field and expect everything to go their way. After fighting through last season and still finishing with a winning record and a playoff berth, McHugh hopes his athletes can apply the lessons from 2013 to have a stronger campaign in 2014.

“Sometimes you can get kind of complacent and you think it’s (winning games) just going to happen, and sometimes a swift kick in the butt will help you,” McHugh said. ”No one likes to lose, so I think in a way it’s probably a good thing that things like that happen once in a while.”

For his part, Starling knows that just being a quarterback for Pasco High School comes with expectations. But he feels the team has the ability and chemistry to live up to them.

“If you go around town, everyone knows Pasco football,” he said. “They expect a lot from you, so you’ve got to show up for them.”

PASCO PIRATES:
LAST YEAR: 7-3
4-2 in district play
Second place in Class 5A-District 6

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Bowman Archibald, tight end, defensive end
Andrew Ivie, defensive tackle

PLAYER TO WATCH
Jamal Mention, offensive line
“He’s got the football mentality. When he gets his hands on you, it’s a tough thing. I’m looking forward to seeing what he’ll do.” — Coach Tom McHugh

2014 Pirates Schedule
8/29 — Sunlake
9/5 — at Fivay
9/12 — at Wesley Chapel
9/26 — at Nature Coast Tech
10/3 — at South Sumter
10/10 — Weeki Wachee
10/17 — Hernando
10/24 — at Central
10/31 — Zephyrhills
11/7 — River Ridge

Published August 20, 2014

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Finally, honoring some of the area’s early pioneers

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Every city has cemeteries. It’s a natural part of life, and the end of it.

People go there to visit lost loved ones and reflect, and you’ve probably seen the well-manicured grounds, rows of granite headstones, and elaborate tributes to friends and family.

The signage is really the only thing that lets you know that this piece of land off Ehren Cutoff is the Mount Carmel Cemetery. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
The signage is really the only thing that lets you know that this piece of land off Ehren Cutoff is the Mount Carmel Cemetery.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

There are many cemeteries like that in the area. The Mount Carmel Cemetery isn’t one of them.

The African-American cemetery, located off Ehren Cutoff, is a throwback to a different time — a time of segregation, and later, a time of neglect. It’s in better shape now, thanks to the Pasco County Black Caucus, but it’s clear that this is not a modern burial site. If you drove past it, you’d probably never know what it was.

First, a little history.

The community of Ehren — yep, that’s where the road’s name comes from — was a sawmill town in the late 1800s. There were white mill workers and African-American mill workers. They had separate living areas, separate churches, and separate cemeteries.

The Mount Carmel African Methodist Episcopal Church was one that served the African-American community, and they had their own cemetery. So workers and their families would attend the church and were eventually laid to rest there.

In 1920, a fire destroyed the sawmill. Back then, that usually meant the community was destroyed with it. The church eventually closed, but many African-Americans stayed and worked at nearby mills or companies.

They had the Oak Grove Baptist Church to serve their spiritual needs, but the old A.M.E. cemetery was still used as a burial site.

The Oak Grove Baptist Church itself closed a couple decades later, and the last person was buried at the Mount Carmel cemetery in the mid-1950s. And by the looks of things, that was the last anyone thought of the cemetery for several years. It wasn’t maintained, cows from a nearby pasture would trample the headstones, and fallen trees would just lie there rotting.

It wasn’t a cemetery the way you’d think of one today. It was a forgotten piece of land that was supposed to be a place where loved ones wouldn’t be forgotten.

That was basically how things stood until 2006, when a cleanup and preservation project finally got underway.

Think about that: A decade ago, it was still ignored and overrun. It took more than a half-century after the last burial for somebody to finally get around to maintaining it.

During the cleanup work, the county found broken headstones and other debris littering the ground. But they got it cleaned up, documented what remained, and even did radar tests to confirm that there were more burials there than are marked currently.

Today there are supposed to be seven headstones in the cemetery — it’s locked so I couldn’t go inside to verify — but dozens more are laid to rest there. Exactly who they all are, nobody can say. We don’t even know how long they’ve been there.

Some documentation suggests there were graves decades before the sawmill came into existence, meaning the use of the land as a cemetery predates the town proper. But most headstones were made of wood, and have since decayed away.

The few stone headstones that do exist stick up from the ground like broken teeth, and many of those only hint at who lies at rest there. Some have names but no legible dates. One has a name with a single date, so we don’t know if that’s the date of birth or death.

Another is an infant from the Horton family. And there are many more beneath the earth. They all have stories; we just don’t know what they are.

Unfortunately, this isn’t one of those “go see this place” stories. The gates are locked. Barbed wire designates the cemetery’s boundaries, and there’s nowhere to park but the open field by the side of the road.

If you were to walk up to it and didn’t read the signage, you’d have no idea it was a cemetery. There are no benches and no pathways. I think in the very back you can see one of the headstones, but driving by in your car it would just be a blur of trees and grass.

It’s more than that, of course. It’s the final resting place of hard-working people who lived during a difficult time, kept their faith, and were buried close to where they lived. And it’s good that the cemetery is finally cleaned up, designated and protected.

But you get the feeling that those laid to rest there deserved better over the years. The decades weren’t kind to the Mount Carmel Cemetery, and the situation only improved a few years ago.

The word “Ehren” is of German origin, and it means “to honor.” But when it comes to the deceased buried at the cemetery, it took decades to begin to live up to that word.

Published August 13, 2014

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‘D’ stands for ‘discipline’ at Wiregrass Ranch

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After back-to-back 0-10 campaigns, the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls turned things around in 2013 with a respectable 4-6 record.

As a result, they lost the losing mentality that comes with winless seasons.

Yori McMillan, left, and Austin Stroup will be part of the offensive line assigned to protect quarterback Shane Bucenell this season. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Yori McMillan, left, and Austin Stroup will be part of the offensive line assigned to protect quarterback Shane Bucenell this season.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Heading into 2014, however, they’ve lost something else: their head coach.

Mike Lawrence parlayed his successful year with the Bulls into a position with Bethany College in Kansas. That leaves Arturo Meza at the helm, who was co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Bulls last year. Before that, his resume includes Zephyrhills, East Bay and Spoto high schools.

And the United States Marine Corps. Meza said his background will factor into the Bulls’ philosophy this season.

“We have a saying, ‘Discipline is the key.’ You have to say it, you have to think it, you have to believe it,” Meza said. “Discipline is going to be a big thing in continuing to move forward.”

The players already believe it as they move forward with their preparations. At Wiregrass Ranch High School, practice includes a lot of whistles, horns and players rotating to different sections of the field, working hard at drills and remaining in constant motion. And last week, Meza had representatives from the Marine Corps visit the team to instill some mental toughness and add a little something to their physical regimen.

According to Austin Stroup, a senior who plays on the offensive line, the team is feeling the effects of Meza’s approach.

“We run so much,” he said. “We run more than any team I’ve ever been a part of. Everyone’s going to be so disciplined. There are going to be less mistakes.”

Mistakes and a lack of conditioning are part of what prevented Wiregrass Ranch from turning a respectable year into an excellent one last season. Close games and early leads turned into disappointment as the team failed to keep up with their opponents as the games progressed.

“In the Steinbrenner game, we just fell apart,” said senior quarterback Shane Bucenell, recalling how a 17-7 halftime lead against the Warriors turned into a 27-20 defeat last season.

“We have to put in the work every single day and make sure that we finish all our conditioning drills.”

Yori McMillan, a senior who also will protect Bucenell on the offensive line, believes Meza is the right coach to make sure the team puts in the necessary effort to limit errors and advance as a program.

“Coach Lawrence was big on discipline, but Coach Meza, he really wants to enforce that we don’t make mistakes,” McMillan said.

In addition to the Steinbrenner defeat, Meza pointed to the game against Gaither High School as a missed district opportunity, which they lost by 20 points. While the Bulls went 4-6 last year, they were 0-5 in Class 7A-District 7.

One of the team’s goals is to become a force in their district, where they haven’t won in three seasons.

To achieve their goals, Wiregrass Ranch will need steady production from their offense, which Meza considers to be improved over last year, but suffered some losses due to graduation. Meza isn’t as concerned with the offensive line, which lost a few starters, and he has confidence in his quarterback and receivers.

But he admits the running game lost quality players who will be a challenge to replace.

“The running back position is the question mark,” Meza said. “That’s where we’re trying to solidify some things.”

The Bulls’ off-season program has included elements of CrossFit training for strength and conditioning, agility drills and plenty of running. And while it hasn’t been easy, the players have bought into the hard-work philosophy, and are confident in the results it can bring.

Even if they don’t like all the running while they’re doing it.

“I hate it,” Stroup said. “But I know at the end of the season I’m going to be looking back and be like ‘I’m glad we did that.’”

WIREGRASS RANCH BULLS:

LAST YEAR: 4-6
0-5 in district play
Sixth place in Class 7A-District 7

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS:
Jay Minor, linebacker and wide receiver
Austin Stroup, offensive line and defensive line
Yori McMillan, offensive line and defensive line

PLAYER TO WATCH:
Shane Bucenell, quarterback
“He has prepared and studied very hard for the upcoming season, and we expect big things out of him.” – Coach Arturo Meza

2014 Bulls Schedule
8/29 – Gulf
9/5 – at Hudson
9/12 – at River Ridge
9/19 – Tampa Bay Tech
10/3 – Gaither
10/10 – at Ridgewood
10/17 – at Steinbrenner
10/24 – at Sickles
10/31 – Freedom
11/7 – Wesley Chapel

Published August 13, 2014

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Lutz player is simply all soccer, all the time

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Robbie Soronellas is never too far from a soccer ball.

At practice, the 13-year-old is working on drills. In games, he’s the center-midfielder, directing the ball to the teammate with the best chance to advance the attack.

Soronellas’ bedroom is a tribute to his love for soccer, from his bed to his medals to his heroes on the wall. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Soronellas’ bedroom is a tribute to his love for soccer, from his bed to his medals to his heroes on the wall.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

And when he’s at his home in Lutz, he’s usually kicking around a smaller, toy version of a soccer ball.

Soronellas usually earns a lot of praise for his skills. Except when his parents catch him doing it in the house.

“They’ll get mad at me because I might break stuff,” he said.

When it comes to soccer, Soronellas is more likely to break records than home furnishings. He was part of Tampa Bay United’s U-13 team that won the Florida state cup for their age group, and competed in the regional finals in June. The team fell in the regional championship to the Georgia state champion by the score of 2-1.

It wasn’t his first state title — he also won that honor with the Lutz Rangers when he played for the U-11 squad — but Soronellas admits to feeling some pressure in the regional championship.

“I was really nervous going into that game,” he said. “The other team was really big, so I was thinking, ‘Man, it’s going to be really hard to beat them.’”

When it comes to sheer size, big players will always have an advantage over Soronellas. At 5-feet tall and 85 pounds, he won’t tower over any opponents. But he uses his coordination and skills to out-maneuver the other side, and said that smaller players also can pick up extra fouls when players clash.

His team’s success has translated into championships and successful runs in tournaments, but that doesn’t mean a lot of goals to add to his personal statistics. Soronellas didn’t score in the regional tournament or the state cup, and he’s fine with that. As long as the team is doing well and he has space to deliver passes to the team’s scoring threats. It’s more important to put team goals ahead of individual ones.

“My dad always tells me that,” he said.

His father, Frank Soronellas, knows a bit about winning soccer himself. A center-midfielder in his playing days, he helped bring a junior college national championship to Miami-Dade College, and later played for the University of Central Florida.

Soronellas admits his son would have had an edge over him at that same age. He takes pride in watching Robbie play, and notes that it’s his aggressive mindset toward the position that has led to great success.

“He’s a tenacious player,” Frank said of his son. “When he’s on the field he’s not going to let you by.”

That kind of playing style can frustrate opponents, which is exactly what the younger Soronellas wants. Even large, talented players can make mistakes if they’re taken out of the game mentally. It’s part of his team’s strategy, and Soronellas said it becomes obvious when the strategy is working.

“They start yelling at each other and they basically break down,” he said. “Sometimes when you start beating a team really badly, they start getting mad at each other.”

Soronellas tends to stay calm during matches, though he admits to throwing a few tantrums when he was younger (he started playing soccer when he was 4). As he got older, he learned discipline and can now put tough losses in perspective: He’s proud of what Tampa Bay United accomplished in the regional tournament and was excited to see the United States advance to the knockout stages at the World Cup last month.

Perhaps the only time Soronellas gets agitated is when he’s not able to include his favorite game. When there are no matches or practices, he’ll go see his brother Steven play soccer or practice for Steinbrenner High School. Or he’ll do some running at a local community center.

He might even play a soccer video game. And sometimes he’ll grab a smaller ball and do what young athletes have done as long as parents have worried about nice things breaking at home.

“Sometimes around the house I have a mini-soccer ball and I’ll start juggling it,” he said.

Published August 6, 2014

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Zephyrhills coach focused on playoffs, not Pasco

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Three years ago, a late-season loss to Pasco High School derailed the Bulldogs’ chances at the playoffs.

The following year, it happened again: The Pirates won, and Zephyrhills High School stayed home for the postseason.

From left, Tyler Kirby, Ty Tanner, Jalen Pickett and Jackie Tucker will drive the Zephyrhills Bulldogs’ offense in 2014. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
From left, Tyler Kirby, Ty Tanner, Jalen Pickett and Jackie Tucker will drive the Zephyrhills Bulldogs’ offense in 2014.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Last season the division rivals played again, with both sides needing a victory to make the playoffs. And just like the previous two contests, Pasco came out ahead and Zephyrhills was left out.

The rivalry might have fans circling this year’s matchup on their calendar, but to Zephyrhills head coach Reggie Roberts, it’s still just another game on the schedule.

“It’s not something I sit around and think about,” Roberts said. “Contrary to what people believe, I’m not worried about Pasco. We have a lot of games. If we lose all our games and win the Pasco game, we’re still not in the playoffs.”

Making the playoffs is the next step for the Bulldogs and Roberts, who is now entering his fifth year as the school’s coach. The team has finished with a winning record for three straight years, but has fallen short of the postseason each time in Class 5A-District 6.

To build on their success and make the playoffs, Zephyrhills will need to improve over last year, and Roberts likes what he’s seen so far. The team has been working out hard, getting stronger and faster, and has impressed in seven-on-seven drills.

In particular, Roberts thinks the Bulldogs will be known as a defensive force.

“They swarm to the football,” he said. “They’re very speedy, but these guys are strong, too. They’re very strong guys who will hit you.”

But Roberts expects a more dynamic offense on the field as well. With playmakers at the receiver position like Jackie Tucker and Tyler Kirby, Roberts wants to see the offense stretch the opposing defense and not allow them to focus on the running game.

Zephyrhills also will benefit by having more players focus on just offense or defense instead of having to play both ways, Roberts said. In the past, with perhaps just 26 or 27 players on the team, there simply wasn’t enough talent to let athletes concentrate on one side of the ball. This year the coach wants to suit up 40 players, allowing them to stay fresher during the games and focus on where they can best help the team.

He thinks that change alone will make a difference for the Bulldogs this season.

“That was our problem the last three or four years, ever since I took over this program,” he said. “That always hurts when kids have to go both ways.”

It also hurts when a team loses talented seniors, and Roberts admits the Bulldogs took a hit on the offensive line. They lost four seniors at that position, and other players will need to step up and fill those roles.

Roberts feels optimistic about the team’s ability to take the next step, however, in part because he’s been able to change the attitude in the locker room. With a tenure that’s eclipsed a high school athletic career, all the players on the team know Roberts, his philosophy, and his expectations.

They have years of winning under their belts (Zephyrhills has gone 20-10 in its last three seasons) and Roberts has installed an attitude that winning is not only attainable, it’s expected, when they give their best effort.

“Every year is getting easier, I’ll be honest with you,” he said. “It was a little easier last year. It’s hard to change a locker room and the kids from my first year are gone. Right now these kids have the attitude that we can win every time we get on the football field.”

One goal for the Bulldogs is to get off to a strong start (three of their first four games are at home) so they aren’t scrambling for wins later in the year. If it comes down to beating a rival, the team will give it their all, Roberts said.

But he expects the team’s fortunes to be set before they face Pasco at the end of October in their last district game of the year.

“I have a feeling that the playoffs are going to be set long before that game,” he said.

ZEPHYRHILLS BULLDOGS
LAST YEAR: 7-3
4-3 in district play
Third place in Class 5A-District 6

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Ty Tanner, quarterback
Jalen Pickett, running back/wide receiver/safety

PLAYER TO WATCH
Jackie Tucker, wide receiver
“I guarantee you Jackie Tucker is going to be known after this year. He’s a tall kid who’s already gathering a ton of attention.” – Coach Reggie Roberts

2014 Bulldogs Schedule
8/22 – Wesley Chapel
9/5 – Gulf
9/12 – at Mitchell
9/19 – South Sumter
9/26 – at Weeki Wachee
10/10 – Nature Coast Tech
10/16 – Central
10/24 – at Hernando
10/31 – at Pasco
11/7 – at Sunlake

Published August 6, 2014

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Browning, Sunlake eye district title in 2014

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Sunlake High School has come a long way since head coach Bill Browning led the Seahawks onto the field for their inaugural season back in 2007.

They started out by losing 21 out of their first 22 games, and didn’t win a district contest until their third season.

Running back Nathan Johnson, left, and linebacker Austin Yeloushan will be key to Sunlake’s fortunes in 2014. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Running back Nathan Johnson, left, and linebacker Austin Yeloushan will be key to Sunlake’s fortunes in 2014.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Now they’re enjoying a run, which includes two playoff appearances and just five regular season losses in the past four years. They have playoff appearances, plenty of wins, and a reputation as a tough team to beat in Class 6A-District 6.

But something’s missing.

In all that time, the Seahawks have never won a district title. Three times in their history — including last year — they lost just one game during the regular season, but that game was to the eventual district champion.

And the players want that title for themselves in 2014.

“We’re planning on doing that this year,” said Austin Yeloushan, a senior who plays middle linebacker and tight end. “We’ve been working hard in the weight room.” The team also got in a good deal of game experience against quality opponents at a recent football camp at Stetson University, he said. Those performances give Sunlake confidence heading into their first game, an Aug. 29 road tilt against the talented Pasco Pirates.

While it’s not the only thing on his mind, Browning also wants to see a district title on the team’s resume.

“It’s missing right now, but it really just provides more motivation for us,” he said.

Since last year’s losses were so close — the total time remaining when their opponents took the lead was less than one minute for both games combined — Browning feels the Seahawks are on the right path.

To continue, Sunlake will have to overcome some heavy losses due to graduating seniors. Their defense will be retooled, with nine out of last year’s 11 starters gone from the team.

But Yeloushan, one of the two remaining starters from last year’s defense, believes the changes in personnel won’t hold them back. In fact, he expects them to surprise their opponents with their ability once the games start, and that includes contributing on the scoreboard.

“I think a lot of defensive touchdowns are going to happen this year. We have a lot of playmakers,” Yeloushan said.

Sunlake’s running game should continue to be a strong point, with star running back Nathan Johnson returning for duty. Johnson is ready to build on last year’s successful season — in more than 250 attempts, he lost just one fumble. But Browning believes a good running game is about more than a skilled runner in the backfield.

“He’d be the first one to tell you that the offensive line will be key, of course, in determining the kind of season he has,” Browning said.

Turns out, that’s exactly what Johnson said.

“I love my offensive line. I had 1,500 yards last year, and I couldn’t have gotten any of that without them,” he said.

While the line lost two starters from last season, Johnson believes their replacements are actually better players, and is excited to see what they can accomplish in 2014.

While Sunlake might be considered a run-first team, Browning said they have enough skill at quarterback and receiver to avoid being one-dimensional. The team will welcome back quarterback Dayton Feidon, who went down with an injury last October.

The coach also expects big things from returning receiver Nick Valdes, who has had an impressive offseason.

While Browning can look back at his tenure at Sunlake and note the considerable progress, it’s not in his nature to be happy just winning a lot of games and having a respectable finish each year.

“You always want to take it to the next step,” he said. “As a coach and as a competitor, you’re never satisfied where you’re at.”

SUNLAKE SEAHAWKS
LAST YEAR: 9-2
3-1 in district play
Second place in Class 6A-District 6, lost in first round of playoffs

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Austin Yeloushan, middle linebacker/tight end
Logan Wolfe, outside linebacker and fullback
Nick Valdes, wide receiver

PLAYER TO WATCH
Nathan Johnson, running back
“He was our workhorse last year. Very rarely goes down on first contact. A physical football player.” – Coach Bill Browning

2014 Seahawks Schedule
8/29 – at Pasco
9/5 – River Ridge
9/12 – at Anclote
9/19 – Springstead
9/26 – Ridgewood
10/3 – at Mitchell
10/10 – at Wesley Chapel
10/17 – at Land O’ Lakes
10/31 – Fivay
11/7 – Zephyrhills

Published August 6, 2014

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Steinbrenner feeling optimism with new gridiron roster

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When a high school football team has to replace 22 graduating seniors, it can be devastating to their prospects the following year.

But in Steinbrenner High School’s case, it might be just what they needed.

Andres Bautista is serious about providing leadership in his senior season, and working hard to get Steinbrenner High School’s football team into the playoffs. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Andres Bautista is serious about providing leadership in his senior season, and working hard to get Steinbrenner High School’s football team into the playoffs.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“The attitude and mentality of everybody is that they want to come and work hard. They saw what we struggled with last year, players just giving up,” said Andres Bautista, who plays on the defensive line. “Those seniors, they’re gone, so now we feel we have a better chance of achieving goals.”

Bautista, now a senior himself, is just one of two players who are entering their fourth year with the Warriors, and he believes the roster changes will improve their fortunes. Too many seniors didn’t give it their all, didn’t respond to challenging times, or simply didn’t perform up to their ability, he said.

As a result, the team finished a disappointing 3-7 overall, and 2-3 in the district last season.

Head Coach Andres Perez-Reinaldo, now entering his third year at the helm, isn’t too concerned with dwelling on last year’s fortunes. He’d rather take what he can from the past and apply it toward a more successful future.

“Every year is different in its own way,” Perez-Reinaldo said. “We look at last year’s successes and struggles, learn from them, and work on the new team and the new year.”

The Warriors gave up a district-high 303 points, but they had problems on both sides of the ball. The offense also struggled, both failing to score and committing turnovers, which put the defense in bad situations.

And when put in those situations, coverage issues allowed the opposing team’s offense to capitalize, Bautista said.

But that doesn’t mean Steinbrenner didn’t have significant bright spots. The Warriors were ranked second in kickoffs and punt returns. Not second in the district, nor the region. Steinbrenner was ranked second in those categories ahead of nearly every other school in the state.

Perez-Reinaldo believes that gives the team a significant advantage and can help improve their record in 2014.

“We hope to continue that,” Perez-Reinaldo said of the high special teams ranking. “If you can win those two — special teams and defense — everything else will fall into place.”

Perez also believes his receiving corps will be difference-makers this season. He credits Coach Michael Bosco for his work with the unit, and believes the wide receivers complement each other well.

While it’s too early to know how everything will fall into place, Perez-Reinaldo likes what he’s seen so far. A good work ethic and some success on the field have given him some optimism headed into the regular season.

“I think it’s important for kids to learn how to compete and then learn how to win,” he said. “This off-season, our team has really come together through workouts and seven-on-seven tournaments. We won our first seven-on-seven tournament ever at Steinbrenner this summer, and I see that as evidence that our team is learning how to win.

“Now it’s a matter to translating that to Friday nights.”

Bautista is looking forward to getting back to playing on Friday nights as well, because he missed a few of them last season. A torn meniscus in his right knee ended his 2013 campaign after just five games, and he had to watch the team struggle from the sideline. Now, after a successful return in a spring game (Bautista says his knee is 100 percent), he’s looking forward to providing the senior leadership he feels was lacking last season.

And Bautista believes the best way to provide that leadership is to show that he’s dedicated to seeing Steinbrenner reach the postseason for the first time in his high school career.

“That’s one of our biggest goals, is making the playoffs,” Bautista said. “I’m going to play how I’ve been playing since freshman year: Playing hard and going 110 percent.

“I love football.”

STEINBRENNER WARRIORS

Last Year: 3-7 (2-3 in district play
Fourth place in Class 7A-District 7

Key Returning Players
Andres Bautista, defensive line
Zack Deitz, linebacker

Key Addition
Quentin Poteralski, quarterback
(was a backup last season)

Player to Watch
Kezio Snelling, wide receiver
“Had a breakout year, and he is definitely a guy to watch,” said Coach Andres Perez-Reinaldo.

2014 Warriors Schedule
8/22 – Sunlake
8/29 – at Plant City
9/5 – at Alonso
9/12 – Spoto
9/19 – Sickles
10/2 – at Tampa Bay Tech
10/10 – at Wharton
10/17 – Wiregrass Ranch
10/24 – at Freedom
10/31 – Gaither
11/7 – Jefferson

Published July 30, 2014

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Special needs recreational classes struggling to stay afloat

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Megan Burgess loves to paint and sing.

She looks forward to her weekly art and music class, designed for people with special needs, which are Thursday evenings at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on Collier Parkway. But if it doesn’t get more support, she might lose that opportunity.

Megan Burgess paints at her weekly art class at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex with art teacher Angela Dickerson looking on. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Megan Burgess paints at her weekly art class at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex with art teacher Angela Dickerson looking on.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

And that loss would be felt by both Megan and her mother.

“It would be horrible. You want the kids to be socializing,” Violetta Burgess said.

Her daughter Megan, 21, has low-functioning autism. She has trouble communicating verbally, but her enthusiasm for the class is clear: When Violetta tells her it’s time for art or music, Megan goes to find her shoes. She knows where she’s going that night, and has a fun time singing, using percussion instruments, painting and participating with everyone else in the class.

The problem is that “everyone” was just five students this past session. And for VSA Florida, the state branch of Very Special Arts — an international nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding art opportunities for people with disabilities — five is simply not enough.

“It does put the program in jeopardy, because if we don’t keep our numbers up, we’re not able to keep it going,” said Wendy Finklea, VSA Florida’s director of programs. “We aren’t at the point where the class is sustaining itself.”

The class requires at least seven students to break even, but really needs a steady roster of 10 or more students to be financially viable long-term. The $40 per month that participants pay not only compensates the teachers who direct the classes, but also covers a nominal fee the organization pays the recreation complex.

Since classes moved from the University of South Florida to Land O’ Lakes in January, attendance has ranged from four to eight students. Those figures have required VSA Florida to keep it going with other funds, Finklea said. They also provide scholarships based on need for families who cannot afford the monthly cost.

While the class is caught in a numbers game, Finklea said the benefits go way beyond the balance sheet.

“They learn self confidence, they learn teamwork, collaboration, tolerance, understanding,” she said.

And since the students are often asked to describe or explain their art, they learn to express themselves in a variety of ways.

While the Land O’ Lakes class attendance is troubling, that location isn’t alone. Many of their locations struggle with attendance, Finklea said. She believes there are several reasons why the programs don’t always gain traction, from a lack of societal emphasis on the arts, to scheduling conflicts, to parents not even knowing the classes exist.

But the ones who attend appreciate the program, and Finklea said the training the teachers receive to work with special needs students contributes to the positive feedback.

While Finklea and VSA Florida are disappointed with the turnout so far, they aren’t giving up. VSA Florida will continue advertising and promoting the classes, and is working with a consultant to find other opportunities to get the word out to the community.

After a scheduled summer break in August, the classes will begin again in September, and Finklea said they’ll have roughly six months to get the program running at a higher capacity before some tough decisions have to be made.

Right now she believes many people with special needs are missing out on the benefits of the class, and if it has to be cancelled or relocated, the existing students will join them.

“They’re probably missing out on a huge chance for creative expression and probably a chance to enhance their cognitive and social outcomes, which ultimately develops a stronger quality of life,” Finklea said.

That outcome would disappoint Megan, and her mother would have a tough time replacing the activity and the enjoyment she gets out of it.

“My daughter would lose out because I don’t know what I would do,” Violetta said. “She’s older, and it’s hard to find something for her that’s close.”

Siblings of special needs students also are encouraged to join and participate with them in the classes. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information about VSA Florida, call (813) 974-0715, or visit VSAFl.org.

Published July 30, 2014

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Land O’ Lakes resident wants return of Flapjack Festival

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For nearly 30 years, Mark Ballard had a routine when it came to the Land O’ Lakes Flapjack Festival.

“The kids would go to eat the pancakes in the morning, then we would go and spend pretty much all day on the rides,” he said. “Then we could go home and come back again at night.”

The Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest doesn’t have a parade, but it does have rides, games and entertainment for area residents, as well as providing fundraising opportunities for local organizations. (File Photo)
The Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest doesn’t have a parade, but it does have rides, games and entertainment for area residents, as well as providing fundraising opportunities for local organizations.
(File Photo)

Ballard lives on what was once the festival’s parade route, and he would take his children — and later his grandchildren — outside with chairs to see it every year.

For more than three decades, even before Ballard moved to Land O’ Lakes, the Flapjack Festival was a community event that included a parade, pageant and rides. Businesses had booths, food trucks served customers, and children played games.

And everyone ate flapjacks.

Over the years it became an annual staple in the community and was a popular destination for area residents. In a way, it was too popular: The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce decided to move the festival from the Land O’ Lakes Community Center on U.S. 41 instead to a place that could accommodate its growth and parking needs. In 2008, the Flapjack Festival flipped over to the Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City.

But the public didn’t support the festival at the new location. A year later, it shut down for good. And Ballard still isn’t happy about the move that ended an annual tradition.

“If somebody came down there and took the Gasparilla parade away from Tampa and said they were going to move it to New Orleans, people would say ‘what’s going on there?’“ he said.

The Flapjack Festival was more than a community event. It was a community fundraiser, with local schools and churches benefiting financially.

The year after the festival left Land O’ Lakes, one of the recipients of those funds decided to fill that gap in the schedule. The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club began an event that’s now known as the Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest, held at the same location and also with rides, games and an opportunity for local organizations to make some money.

But there’s no parade and no flapjack theme. It’s a smaller event as well. But according to coordinator Doug Hutchinson, that’s the way they want it.

“Swamp Fest is more like a community fair, more so than the Flapjack Festival,” he said.

Hutchinson believes that a smaller event can still be a fun destination for residents, but not get so big that it might grow out of its current location. Hutchinson, a member of the booster club for decades, was also a coordinator with the Flapjack Festival during its heyday. And like Ballard and others, he didn’t want to see it moved to Dade City back in 2008.

“In my opinion, you can’t have a community event and not have it in the community,” he said.

But now that it’s gone, Hutchinson feels Swamp Fest maintains a strong area presence like its predecessor.

Ballard believes that others share his desire to see the Flapjack Festival return, even if it means just seeing the name and theme make a comeback. But Hutchinson said they’ve worked to create something the community could embrace, the event is growing, and they never considered adopting the Flapjack Festival name.

“Flapjack was Flapjack. We wanted our own identity and our own little event,” he said.

Ironically, Swamp Fest itself is in jeopardy this year, and the venue is again the issue. Scheduled to begin Oct. 31, that timeframe could coincide with much-needed improvements to the Land O’ Lakes Community Center the county has budgeted and planned.

While the upgrade should be good for Swamp Fest and other area events in the future, Hutchinson isn’t sure if it will go on as planned this year, possibly facing cancellation until the work is completed. His organization should have a clearer picture of the county’s plans next month, he said.

Ballard has attended Swamp Fest, and said many elements of the Flapjack Festival are still there. But it’s not the same to him, and even though it’s been several years and a replacement is in place, the loss of the Flapjack Festival has left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“It just seems like the identity was stolen from the community,” he said.

Published July 23, 2014

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