Michael Murillo

Swamp Fest returns, and so does the fun

October 28, 2015 By Michael Murillo

This weekend’s Swamp Fest has actually been two years in the making.

But the organizers weren’t behind schedule.

The event had to skip a year because of renovations underway at Land O’ Lakes Community Park, 5401 Land O’ Lanes Blvd.

Since 2009, Swamp Fest has been a local event, with games, rides and family-oriented fun. And according to organizer Doug Hutchinson, it will always stay that way. File photo — Since 2009, Swamp Fest has been a local event, with games, rides and family-oriented fun. And according to organizer Doug Hutchinson, it will always stay that way.
File photo

That $2.4 million project is now complete and the park is ready for Swamp Fest again, which will be held Oct. 30 through Nov.1.

This year, the festival will be held on new and improved grounds, and the event promises to deliver the kind of fun that has drawn thousands each year since it started in 2009.

“I think it’s just a nicer layout that they’re going to have,” explained Mike Walcott, recreation supervisor for Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. “The access to the facility is much improved.”

The disabled parking area is away from the dirt and grass, and a short walk from the parking lot to the Swamp Fest entrance means a paved area for vendors and less time walking through uneven areas.

Organizer and co-founder Doug Hutchinson is thrilled to bring Swamp Fest back.

“The improvements that they’ve made are fantastic. The park is beautiful,” Hutchinson said. “We’re really excited. We just missed it so much last year.”

They’ll make up for lost time with a full weekend of activities and entertainment. That itinerary includes several music acts with different styles, including Christian rock, classic rock and folk music. Dancers will be on display Sunday, and vendors representing a variety of businesses and groups will be open all weekend.

The midway also makes a return, with rides up and running throughout the event.

While the fun to be had would alone make the event worthwhile, there’s more to it.

A lot more.

The event actually is a fundraiser for various groups and organizations.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club hosts Swamp Fest, but funds are distributed across several local schools and clubs.

Various clubs help by selling unlimited-ride arm bands in advance, assist with parking and participate in other activities.

More than $20,000 went back to community organizations as a result of 2013’s Swamp Fest, according to Hutchinson.

So, it isn’t just a good event to attend, Hutchinson said. It’s also an event that does good for the community.

“We’re trying to make Swamp Fest more of a community fair-type event where all kinds of non-profit groups can come in,” he said.

In addition to Land O’ Lakes High School, other participants include Sunlake High School, Pineview Middle School, Denham Oaks Elementary School, Connerton Elementary School and Sanders Memorial Elementary School.

Tickets for Midway rides will be sold individually, or event-goers can purchase armbands for unlimited rides. For more information, visit LoLSwampFest.com. File photo — Tickets for Midway rides will be sold individually, or event-goers can purchase armbands for unlimited rides. For more information, visit LoLSwampFest.com.
File photo

This year the event will feature two contests that are expected to be popular.

Since the festival includes Halloween, a Halloween contest will be held on Oct. 31.

And, the Mr. and Mrs. Swamp Fest pageant, which includes a wide range of ages, will make a return as well.

The event’s website contains the quote “Always in Land O’ Lakes,” and it’s not there for decoration.

As coordinator for the Flapjack Festival years back, Hutchinson saw that event get moved to Dade City and then fade away when it left the community.

He pledges that won’t ever happen with Swamp Fest.

It’s supported by the area and will remain in the area.

“You can’t have a community event if you don’t have it in the community,” Hutchinson said. “It’s got to be Land O’ Lakes, or nothing.”

And Walcott agrees.

“It’s not a state fair or a county fair. It’s a Land O’ Lakes event. It’s for this community,” he said. “Obviously, we get people from all over the county that come to it. But it’s just nice to have something that you can kind of lay claim to, that this is yours.”

Swamp Fest is open Oct. 30 from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m., Oct. 31, from noon until 11 p.m. and Nov. 1 from noon until 6 p.m.

Admission is free and parking is available for a $5 donation.

Midway rides require tickets, which can be purchased individually or as part of an all-you-can-ride package.

Unlimited armbands cost $22 for Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 and $25 on Oct. 31, and can be purchased at the gate.

Pre-sale armbands cost $16, and are available from local businesses and groups.

For a complete list of groups selling armbands and for more information, including pageant applications, visit LoLSwampFest.com.

Published October 28, 2015

Sunlake boys’ soccer seeks a better finish this year

October 28, 2015 By Michael Murillo

The Sunlake High School boys’ soccer team has reached the state semi-finals in the playoffs for three years in a row.

And, in each of those years, they’ve lost to the eventual state champion.

From the outside, it looks like an impressive string of successes that have established Sunlake as a perennial force on the pitch.

But for coach Sam Holeduk, who has led the team since the school opened in 2007, it is both a source of pride and also of frustration.

Junior Sebastian Restrepo is used to dominating opponents with assists. This year he'll probably be asked to do more of the scoring himself. Michael Murillo/Staff Photo — Junior Sebastian Restrepo is used to dominating opponents with assists. This year he’ll probably be asked to do more of the scoring himself.
Michael Murillo/Staff Photo

“I think when you take a step back and look at it it’s amazing, our accomplishments. But at the same time, when you lose three straight years in the final four it’s a little frustrating,” Holeduk said.

This year’s team might be the one to end that frustration.

As they gear up for a new season, the coach believes his squad is as good as the ones that won nearly 90 matches over the past three years, while losing just five.

In some ways, he said, they’re better.

“Defensively, we’re probably the best we’ve been in years,” Holeduk said.

A big part of that defense is the goaltending. Danny Hrenko is now in his fourth year with the team, and the senior needs only a dozen more shutouts to set the national record.

That strong defense will be needed as the team tries to get back to the state tournament. Graduation affects high school teams every year, but the Seahawks lost a lot of firepower since last season.

Holeduk estimated that around 80 percent of last year’s scoring talent is gone.

To make up for those losses, the team will adjust its offensive identity. Previously it built its offense around spectacular players, and by making sure it had opportunities to score quickly and often. The team’s talent overpowered many opponents and let them cruise to lopsided wins.

This year, the coach expects a more balanced attack. Several players will be called upon to score goals, making it harder for opponents to predict which player will hurt them.

It’s a philosophy that best suits the team this season, but it’s not necessarily how things went when Koleduk was playing soccer. An athletic Hall of Famer at Saint Leo University, the former forward still holds the men’s career scoring record at the university.

He also played professional indoor soccer as well, and believes his own experiences as a player have helped create a successful program as a coach.

“You just pick up little things, things you can tell kids,” he said. “I tell them that’s how I got to the next level, by listening to coaches.”

Club soccer helps as well. All of his starters play at the club level, and many athletes on the junior varsity team participate, too. That extra coaching, experience and playing opportunity helps keep the high school team operating at a high level, Koleduk said.

While Sunlake has run into some talented teams at the state level, junior Sebastian Restrepo doesn’t mince words when explaining why they haven’t advanced to the state finals.

“We needed a lot more heart,” he said of last year’s semi-finals performance. “The other team wanted it more than us at one point.”

This year, he sees a team that’s more focused, works well together and has the synergy to go farther than previous seasons. Now in his third year on the team, Restrepo has become the county’s premier assist generator. But a new offensive attack means he’ll have to do a little more scoring himself, and he’s ready for the challenge.

“I’ll have to look for the goal now. Instead of giving them the easy passes for them to score, I’ll just take a shot here and there,” Restrepo said.

If those and other shots go in, Koleduk believes they’ll have another chance to advance one step closer toward a coveted state title.

Published October 28, 2015

Prep football news and notes

October 28, 2015 By Michael Murillo

• Sunlake fell to Mitchell, 21-14, in a 6A-6 district clash Oct. 23. It was the Seahawks’ first loss of the season, leaving them 3-1 in the district and 7-1 overall. Despite the loss, the results of other district matches helped clinch a playoff spot for Sunlake as no worse than district runner-up.

• Nine games into the season, Steinbrenner’s 2015 squad is officially the most successful in school history. With a 51-15 victory over Alonso Oct. 23, the Warriors pushed their record to 8-1, becoming Steinbrenner’s first eight-win team. And with a 5-1 record in 8A-6 district play, they’ll continue their successful year in the playoffs as well.

• With a 40-28 victory over Wesley Chapel, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs improved their record to 6-2, including 5-1 in 5A-8 district play.
They’re doing it with a high-powered offense. Through eight games, the team is averaging more than 43 points per game. With 346 points, they’re more than 80 points better than their closest district competitor. And their defense, with just 183 points allowed, is second only to undefeated River Ridge in their district.

PHSC volleyball team clinches spot in regional tourney

October 28, 2015 By Michael Murillo

The Pasco-Hernando State College volleyball team defeated State College of Florida 3-0 on Oct. 24. While it was a good win, there were bigger ramifications for the Lady Quistas.
With the victory, the PHSC squad raised its record to 14-9, with four matches remaining. That mark guarantees them a winning record, which automatically qualifies them for post-season action in District P.
While it’s an impressive accomplishment, it isn’t a surprising one. PHSC has never failed to qualify for its regional tournament during coach Kim Whitney’s 12-year tenure.

Shelter pets wait patiently for local families

October 21, 2015 By Michael Murillo

They’re very busy on Dogpatch Lane.

They’re so busy, that they have more business than they can handle.

If this were a regular company, it would be great news.

But at Pasco County Animal Services, it means dogs are coming in faster than they’re being adopted.

That’s not a good situation for the staff, the volunteers or the animals.

Lise Meinke runs the shelter. She relies on her staff and dedicated volunteers to help keep the animals clean and safe. She’s been known to take some of the shelter’s dogs home with her, when the animals require extra attention. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo) — Lise Meinke runs the shelter. She relies on her staff and dedicated volunteers to help keep the animals clean and safe. She’s been known to take some of the shelter’s dogs home with her, when the animals require extra attention.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“We’re beyond capacity. We have dogs in little crates next door,” said shelter supervisor Lise Meinke. The facility is designed to hold no more than 100 dogs, but it has 150 now and more are coming in every day.

The shelter is desperate to find homes for its current residents.

When dogs get adopted, Meinke said it’s not always happily ever after.

People bring dogs back, sometimes just days later, for reasons ranging from a disapproving landlord to excessive barking or chewing.

While she loves seeing the dogs leave to new homes, it’s heartbreaking to see them brought back.

When people adopt a dog, they need to realize that there is an adjustment period, Meinke said.

“The dog from a shelter doesn’t become a housebroken, trained dog overnight. It takes a lot of time and patience, and it’s a commitment. You need to work with that animal,” she said.

The county wants to see more people work with shelter animals, so they’re reducing some of the costs associated with pet adoption. Through the month of October, which is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, adopting a large dog (over 25 pounds and more than six months old) will cost just $15. The fee includes having them spayed or neutered, vaccines and a microchip.

Meinke hopes the promotion will help increase adoptions and help the facility maintain its “no-kill” philosophy.

No shelter is truly 100 percent no-kill, because some animals have medical or severe behavior issues, Meinke said. But, Pasco County Animal Services strives to maintain a 90 percent save percentage or better. Last year the shelter’s save rate was 94 percent.

If adoptions pick up, it will help reduce some of the overcrowding. But nobody expects it to go away completely.

“When are we not at capacity?” asked volunteer Max Sobel, as he cared for an animal in the small dog room. Max and his wife, Teri, have been volunteering at the facility for six years.

The Sobels help take care of the dogs while they’re waiting for a permanent home. While it’s sad to see them lined up in cages with nowhere to go, Teri said she knows that many of them are in a much better place than the negligent or abusive situation where they were before.

So, when a dog finds a new home, it’s a true cause for celebration, Teri said.

“That’s a really good feeling. That makes it all worthwhile,” Teri said. “We come to make life for the dogs as good as it can be while they’re here, and then the main goal is to get them a forever home.”

That forever home takes time, Meinke said.

Smaller, younger dogs are in greater demand, even though older and bigger dogs can be a great fit for many adoptive families.

Since things are so crowded, it’s not surprising that Meinke, who has dogs, cats, goats and a donkey herself, sometimes takes her work home with her.

She has taken home dogs that are scared or need a period of acclimation and attention. She’s also taken home kittens that need to be bottle-fed.

The shelter’s cat facilities are not overcrowded.

While Meinke admits it can be somewhat depressing to wait for the facility’s animals to find a loving home, she knows Pasco County Animal Services is doing everything it can to save their lives and make them better.

“It’s very rewarding, too, because I feel like I’m making a difference, and the team is making a difference,” Meinke said.

Pasco County Animal Services is located at 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes. For information about adoption, call (352) 521-5194.

Event:
What: ‘A Purr-fectly Paw-some Howl-o-Ween Party’
Where: Pasco County Animal Services, 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes
When: Oct. 24 from noon to 6:30 p.m.
No Tricks, just treats. Bring in some treats, and adoption fees will be waived. Dogs under 25 pounds, puppies under 6 months, and kittens are excluded. All adoptions include spay/neuter, microchip and vaccines.
Info: Call (813) 929-1212

Published October 21, 2015

More festivals and fun as Halloween approaches

October 21, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Previously, we published a list of up-and-coming Halloween and fall festival events designed to provide plenty of treats (and a few scares) in October.

Those events were fun, but there are others that also deserve attention. So prepare for more games, rides, costumes and maybe a couple of frights over the next couple of weeks.

Trinity Fest

Generations Christian Church, 1540 Little Road in Trinity, will host its “Trinity Fest” Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. The event will include a variety of activities across four days.

On Thursday, the midway carnival will be open from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Rides are $1 each.

On Friday, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., there will be a food truck rally, a disc jockey, line dancing, a mechanical bull, a rock-climbing wall and free hay rides. There also will be pumpkin decorating and cornhole tournaments. The rides will be open with a $20 wristband allowing unlimited access.

On Saturday, there will be a Generations on the Go 5K and fun run from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m., and a business and craft expo from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., there will be dancers, music, a petting zoo and a dominoes tournament. Trunk-or-treating will take place from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., and midway rides with $20 unlimited access will be available from noon until 5 p.m., and again from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.

On Sunday, an unlimited wristband will cost $15, and the carnival will be open from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.

For more information, call (727) 375-8801 or visit TrinityFest.info. To register for the 5K, visit GenerationsontheGo.org.

A Hillbilly Halloween
Hillbilly Farms, 10325 US Highway 98 in Dade City, will host its fourth annual “Harvest Festival” on Oct. 24. More than 400 people attended last year, and they’re expecting another good turnout.

Children’s activities include bounce houses, mini-train rides and games. There will also be horse riding, face painting and a pumpkin patch.

The Harvest Festival includes an annual pumpkin-painting event, and guests can either purchase a pumpkin on site or bring their own.

The event itself is free and parking is free, but individual activities may incur a separate charge. For $10, parents can purchase a wristband that allows their children to participate in various activities. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase.

The Harvest Festival runs from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. For more information, call (352) 567-7475 or visit the Hillbilly Farms Facebook page.

Macabre Mall on 41
The Haunted House on 41, an annual tradition at Land O’ Lakes Community Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, is back with a shopping mall theme.

Visitors will walk through the room to visit several creepy “shops” full of monsters, blood and assorted Halloween-themed gore. It only takes a couple of minutes to walk through it, but local students put a lot of time into its construction. In the end, they create a creepy attraction that brings in nearly 1,000 visitors each year. And, at a suggested donation of just $1, it’s an affordable fright.

The mall has a sneak preview evening Oct. 22 from 7:30 p.m. until 9 p.m., and is open Oct. 23 and Oc. 24 from 7:30 p.m. until around 10 p.m.

For more information, call (813) 929-1229.

Spooky Tails means treats for K-9 unit
The ninth annual “Spooky Tails” Halloween party and pet costume contest will be on Oct. 24 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The annual event benefits the Pasco Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit.

Previous fundraisers have assisted in the purchase of a bite suit to help train the dogs, and contributed to the K-9 dog retirement fund. The goal for this year’s event is to contribute to the retirement fund and make other purchases the unit needs during the year.

For Gail Cooper, owner of Parwick Kennels and the founder of Spooky Tails, taking care of canines that serve the community is the right thing to do.

“These dogs are these men’s partners. They have each other’s backs, if you will,” she said. “They’re part of the family.”

Ben Pumo, owner of Benedetto’s Ristorante Italiano and a supporter of Spooky Tails since its inception, agrees.

“They’re our officers without a voice,” Pumo said. “I think it’s important that the dogs get taken care of after their retirement.”

Pumo expects 40 to 50 dogs in costumes at the event.

Spooky Tails runs from noon until 4 p.m. The pet costume contests will be at 2:30 p.m. There will be more than a dozen vendors at the event, as well as games, music, food, and a special demonstration from the K-9 unit.

For more information, call (813) 480-0811, or visit Pasco-K9-Fundraiser.com.

Published October 21, 2015

Wharton volleyball caps dominant season, eyes playoff success

October 21, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Since taking over the Wharton High School volleyball program in 2009, coach Eric Barber has suffered just one losing season. It was the year he took over the squad.

The Wildcats have been winners ever since, with varying levels of playoff success.

Still, even Barber admits there’s something special about this particular group.

Eric Barber is used to having great volleyball seasons at Wharton since he took over in 2009. This year's team, with a 20-3 regular season record, is no different. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos) — Eric Barber is used to having great volleyball seasons at Wharton since he took over in 2009. This year’s team, with a 20-3 regular season record, is no different.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

“It’s just a team that has really been able to solidify over the last couple of seasons they’ve been together,” Barber said. “It’s one of those things where it all kind of comes together at the right point, and you play well.”

They have consistently played well, opening the year with nine straight wins and winning 17 of their first 18 matches. They closed their season with a 3-0 victory over Armwood and enter the 7A-8 tournament with a 20-3 record, a perfect 7-0 district record and plenty of momentum.

The team has a rare combination of talent and experience, Barber said.

He has great players who have come up through the system, and who now have the experience to go along with their abilities.

The team has also overcome setbacks.

Tyler Sroufe, their starting setter and a college-bound athlete, suffered a season-ending injury two weeks into the season. Wharton has absorbed that loss and continued winning, giving the team confidence that it can achieve great things despite missing such a talented player.

Players have stepped up on defense and blocking, which had already been a hallmark of Wharton volleyball since Barber arrived. This year, they have the top two blockers in the district in Lindsey Schaible and Allie Schneider.

Teamwork is another quality the Wildcats possess.

According to Barber, teamwork is the most important characteristic a team can have on a volleyball court.

“I don’t know of another sport that requires so much teamwork and so much focus as one unit as the game of volleyball. When it works like it’s supposed to, it’s wonderful to watch. It’s an amazing game to see,” Barber said.

Senior Chanelle Hargreaves likes what she sees from her team this year.

“I think this year, a lot of us are more mature. We all know what needs to be done to be successful,” she said.

In her four years on the team, Chanelle Hargreaves, left, has gone from being a nervous freshman to being a team leader, as a senior.

Part of that success comes from club volleyball, where most varsity players spend their time in the offseason. That means they’re thinking about the game nearly year-round and staying focused on improving their skills.

And, for those who play together at the club level, it creates even more synergy between the players that helps when they’re back playing for their school.

Hargreaves has played for the varsity team all four years of high school, and said that she’s matured along with the team.

“Freshman year, I was just very jittery and freaking out when stuff went wrong,” she recalled. “Now I think I’m more relaxed.”

As a team leader, Hargreaves is the one motivating her fellow players, reminding them they can rally from a bad point or game.

Not that Wharton has had too many bad points or games this season. But, Hargreaves doesn’t simply want a good record dominating easy opponents. The challenging matches are the best ones for the team, she said, because it keeps their communication skills strong. Against easier teams they might get away with winning based on sheer talent. But, if they’re going to do well against elevated competition in the postseason, they’ll have to be on top of their game.

If they can do that, Hargreaves thinks the team has bright prospects in the playoffs.

“We can win state, I think,” she said. “We have the talent on this team to go really far. We just need to stay working together as a team.”

Barber knows there are a lot of games between the regular season and that kind of success. No matter how far they get in the playoffs (Wharton reached the regional quarterfinals last year before losing to eventual state champion Manatee), he has confidence in his players, in the program, and in Wharton volleyball’s continuing tradition of success.

“We’re very grateful, and we feel very blessed with how we’ve grown as a program over the last six or seven years,” he said.

Published October 21, 2015

Prep Sports Board

October 21, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Oct. 12
Volleyball
Wiregrass Ranch 3, Zephyrhills 0

Oct. 13
Volleyball
Sunlake 3, Anclote 0
Freedom 3, Blake 0
Newsome 3, Wharton 2
Carrollwood Day School 3, Wiregrass Ranch 0

Oct. 14
Volleyball
Sunlake 3, River Ridge 0
Academy at the Lakes 3, Wesley Chapel 0

Oct. 15
Volleyball
Sunlake 3, Gulf 0
Wiregrass Ranch 3, Pasco 0
Freedom 3, East Bay 1
Wharton 3, Armwood 0
Fivay 3, Land O’ Lakes 1

Oct. 16
Football
Sunlake 36, Pasco 8
River Ridge 27, Zephyrhills 14
Land O’ Lakes 19, Springstead 17
Steinbrenner 38, Palm Harbor University 12
Mitchell 52, Wiregrass Ranch 18
Wesley Chapel 28, Anclote 19
Freedom 36, Leto 2
Sickles 20, Wharton 0

Oct. 21 to Oct. 22
Volleyball
Continuation of 6A-8 District Tournament (Sunlake, Land O’ Lakes)

Oct. 23
Football
Sunlake at Mitchell, 7:30 p.m.
Zephyrhills at Wesley Chapel, 7:30 p.m.
Pasco at Land O Lakes, 7:30 p.m.
Steinbrenner at Alonso, 7:30 p.m.
Gaither at Wiregrass Ranch, 7:30 p.m.
Freedom at Plant, 7:30 p.m.
Wharton at Leto, 7:30 p.m.

Sources: MaxPreps, various

Benefit for Mark Smith on Nov. 14

October 21, 2015 By Michael Murillo

San Ann Liquors & Lounge will host a golf tournament on Nov. 14 at the Abbey Golf Course at Saint Leo University, 33640 State Road 52 W., in St. Leo. The event will benefit resident Mark Smith, who was diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment.

The four-man scramble begins with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. The cost is $50 per player or $200 for a team, which includes dinner. A cornhole tournament, auction, firearm raffle and live music are also a part of the day’s events.

For information, contact Tammy Hunt at (352) 206-5543 or Jimmy Smith II at (813) 714-9937.

The Gators needed this one

October 21, 2015 By Michael Murillo

With a 2-4 overall record, and 0-1 in Class 6A-6 play, the Land O’ Lakes football team didn’t have much room for error in its Oct. 16 matchup against district foe Springstead.

It wasn’t easy, but the team came away with the win. A 19-17 victory on the road upped the Gators’ record to 3-4 on the year. More importantly, it raised their district record to 1-1, and means they still have a realistic shot at the playoffs.

Land O’ Lakes has two district games left, including what could be an important game against 2-0 Mitchell Oct. 30. Sunlake sits atop the district with a 3-0 mark. Pasco (0-2) and Springstead (0-3) are winless in the district, and the Gators face the Pirates at home next week.