The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Hobby farmers and suburbanites can count on Wilson’s Tractor

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In the 21 years that Bruce Wilson has owned his Dade City business, Wilson’s Tractor and Supply Co. has gone through several economic ups and downs.

Bruce and Junior Wilson
Bruce and Junior Wilson

Today Bruce is glad to report that his business is once again on the upswing with a steady demand for service and new sales of farm and lawn maintenance equipment.

Wilson’s Tractor and Supply sells top-name commercial and residential tractors and lawn equipment, including well-regarded brands such as Snapper, Snapper Pro, RedMax, Exmark, Ferris and TYM Tractors. Equipment ranges from enclosed, air-conditioned tractors to heavy-duty front loaders to commercial-grade chain saws, mowers, trimmers, edgers and leaf blowers.

“Our primary customer is the hobby farmer with 5 to 10 acres,” said Bruce. “We sell everything they need to take care of their horses and livestock and to grow and harvest hay, blueberries, peaches and other crops.”

Wilson Tractor also serves suburban homeowners with large lots. Bruce notes that his store is the closest location of quality, commercial-grade lawn equipment for residents in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Dade City.

“We are the closest store for people in east Pasco wanting durable, commercial- grade equipment that they can depend on and not worry about replacing every few years,” said Bruce.

Just as important as new sales is his service department. Bruce estimates that half of his volume comes from the shop’s service and warranty work.

“Unlike most equipment dealers, we will service any brand, not just those that we sell,” said Bruce. “We try to take care of our customers no matter who the manufacturer of their equipment.”

Bruce’s vow to take care of customers, no matter what the problem, is why 80 percent of his customers are repeat business.

An example of his superb customer service is Bruce’s insistence that every mower he sells is personally delivered to the customer, who is given detailed instructions on how to operate his new mower properly and safely.

You find this type of personal service in everything that’s done at Wilson Tractor and Supply. If Bruce isn’t in the store taking care of customers, then his son Junior is.

Bruce is obviously proud of his 18-year- old son, Bruce Jr., who graduates in May from Pasco High, the same Dade City high school both his parents graduated from in the 1980s.

“My son can fix anything,” Bruce said. “He’s studied welding at school, and his hands are calloused from working on stuff all day long.”

Also involved in the family business are Bruce’s wife and Junior’s mom, Jennifer, who teaches health occupation at Pasco High. The family’s younger son Aaron is a sixth-grader at Centennial Middle School. Jennifer helps with bookkeeping after school and weekends, and both sons work alongside their dad.

Before founding Wilson Tractor and Supply in 1992, Bruce worked for Managed Logistics Systems. After a corporate move to Albany, Georgia, Bruce and Jennifer decided to open their own business in their hometown of Dade City so they could raise their children close to family.

When Bruce first opened from his original location on the US 301 bypass, he worked on automotives, big trucks and farm equipment. In 2000, he moved his operation to his current store because it was more visible and easier for customers to get to.

As his business grew, Bruce began to focus more on farm and garden equipment and stopped servicing automotives and trucks. It was a natural evolution to add new equipment sales. Helping Bruce sell farm equipment is Fred Roenicke, an industry icon known fondly as Fred The Tractor Man.

“Fred has 45 years of experience and loves selling tractors. He’s 75 years old and is an expert on helping people determine what they need for their farm,” said Bruce.

“We invite folks to stop by and meet Fred, check out our equipment and learn how we can help them with new equipment and service their old.”

Visit Wilson’s Tractor & Supply Co., a 12410 U.S. 301, Dade City. Call them at (352) 567-5002.

This story was written by the advertising department.

A Lutz landmark closes its doors

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Customers say they’ll miss Hot Rod’s BBQ

 

By B.C. Manion

 

When Derwin Anderson, of Lake Bernadette, learned that Hot Rod’s BBQ & Grill was closing May 2, he made it a point to eat lunch there.

Anderson wanted to enjoy one last meal at the Lutz restaurant while he still had the chance.

“We used to come here and hang out with the college students from my church,” said Anderson, a former pastor at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church.

He moved away from the area for five years and now lives in Zephyrhills.

“I’m upset they’re closing,” said Anderson, now lead pastor of NorthBridge Church in Wesley Chapel. “The food is ridiculously good. It’s authentic barbecue. The people are just awesome.”

Hot Rod’s BBQ & Grill, a popular local restaurant that ceased operations on May 2 after the restaurant’s owner Rod Gaudin lost a court battle over debt. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Kim Adams, 31, was a regular at the barbecue joint while she attended graduate school at the University of South Florida. She now lives in Ohio, but was in town last week to visit her friend John Sawyer, who moved to Town ‘N Country a week ago.

“I said, ‘Well, let’s go to Hot Rod’s,’” Adams said. “I didn’t even know they were closing. … I’m really sad about it. I love coming here to eat. The food was always amazing.”

She enjoyed the atmosphere, too: “It’s down-home friendly. It was always a unique experience. If people came down to visit me from out-of-town, we would come here.”

A few hundred people turned out on closing night, said Rod Gaudin, who opened Hot Rod’s in 1998.

“We ran out of food, and we ran out of beer,” he said.

The restaurant began as a barbecue pit, which Gaudin set up next to the country store that he owned at the corner of Sunset Lane and Livingston Avenue.

As the pit’s popularity grew, Gaudin converted a wood-frame house into a restaurant, with an area out back for bands and parties.

Hot Rod’s developed a reputation for its colorful menu items and eclectic décor.

Throughout the years it served up such fare as lizard tail, which is a beef steak sandwich, and armadillo eggs that are actually cheddar cheese poppers.

Its most recent menu included redneck prime rib made with Spam and swamp bat, which state inspectors once told a Tampa Tribune reporter was actually quail.

Gaudin didn’t directly deny that inspector’s report, but he didn’t exactly confirm it, either.

“That’s what the inspector said,” Gaudin said. “So, let him say what he wanted to say.”

Visitors to Hot Rod’s entered the old frame house by stepping across a wooden plank porch and pulling on a water spigot door handle.

Once inside, they encountered walls and shelves decked out in a collection that Gaudin has been known to describe as “early clutter.”

The “spiders and dust,” he said, “are just a country accent.”

Even after most of the décor had been cleared out, there were signs remaining on closing day that conveyed a playful feel such as “Complaints to the cook can be hazardous to your health” and “Beware of Attack Waitress.”

And, sauces for sale included “Scorned Women,” “Endorphin Rush” and “Mosquito Blood — It sneaks up on you and you will (heart symbol) its sting.”

Hot Rod’s became a local landmark in a relatively short time.

It was a popular spot to listen to music and to have family parties.

It drew big crowds of construction workers and lawn crews for lunch, but those people disappeared when the housing market crashed and the recession set in, Gaudin said.

The restaurant’s last day came after Gaudin lost a court battle about debt, which he vows to challenge.

Meanwhile, the last helpings of ribs, cornbread pudding and swamp bat have been served at this restaurant, in a community which became very dear to the Gaudins.

They expressed their feelings on a menu, printed after the restaurant’s 15th anniversary.

“Through the years, we have built families and friendships nobody could fully understand or cherish as much as we do,” the menu reads. “Our lives have grown and been renewed by the people in Lutz, who have supported us and fully understand what a small town family business is all about.”

The menu goes on to read that they hope to continue their operation and maintain those connections for another 15 years.

It’s a wish that old regulars, such as Adams and Anderson, would’ve liked to have seen come true.

Pasco moves toward new sports complex

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By B.C. Manion

 

Pasco County commissioners have taken a step closer to creating a sports complex in Wesley Chapel aimed at boosting tourism by attracting national tournaments.

Commissioners voted unanimously on April 30 on a deal to accept 138 acres from the Porter family, with a deadline of signing the closing documents on May 7 or before.

The Porters had hoped for an April 30th closing, but commissioners pushed off the date at the recommendation of county staff.

Assistant county attorney Jane Fagen said the additional time was necessary to review contract language involving easements.

The Porter family, which has played a pivotal role in the development of Wesley Chapel, donated the land as part of a plan to create a world-class facility for sporting events.

Initially, the Porters had proposed building and operating the sports complex, but after skirmishes with the county, they backed off that idea and decided to donate the land instead.

It took months of negotiations to hammer out those details, with the county opting to reject a portion of the land that had initially been identified as part of the donation.

Fagen explained to county commissioners that it did not appear to be in the county’s best interest to accept all of the land that had been earmarked because a portion would be of limited use.

Once the county closes the land donation deal, it will resume negotiations with Blue Marble Strategic, a company that wants to develop the sports complex.

The Porters previously sold land used to develop The Shops at Wiregrass, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and various residential communities and shopping centers.

The family also donated land for the new Pasco-Hernando Community College campus under construction in Wesley Chapel. Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch is expected to open in January 2014.

Work begins on Veterans widening

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

The first widening project in the 19-year history of the Veterans Expressway got underway April 29.

The $386 million project will expand the entire 11-mile toll road in Hillsborough County from four to eight lanes, according to Christa Deason, public information officer for the Florida Turnpike system. The job will also reconstruct the 38 existing bridges on the Veterans while building three new ones.

Vehicles pass through one of the tollbooths on the Veterans Expressway. Widening on the highway has begun, and all booths will soon be replaced with electronic ones. (File photo)

“The widening is being done because 150,000 cars use the Veterans each day,” Deason said. “That’s 300 percent more than when it opened in 1994.”

The improvements are divided into three phases, with the area between Memorial and Gunn highways getting underway first.

The final stage, which is set to start in 2015, will widen the road between the Sugarwood Toll Plaza in Odessa and Van Dyke Road in Lutz.

Deason said the project will also replace all the tollbooths from cash collection stations to ones that either deduct money from a SunPass account or send drivers a monthly bill for using the highway.

“All the booths will be all-electronic by this time next year, and maybe before that,” Deason said. “Drivers who don’t have a SunPass will be charged a monthly service charge, so getting a SunPass will save drivers money.”

Deason said those with SunPasses will also save 25 cents while going through several tollbooths on top of not having to pay the service charge.

Deason said plans are in the works to widen the Suncoast Parkway from the W. Lutz Lake Fern Road exit in northern Hillsborough through Pasco County, but no details or funding have been set.

“We will be converting all the tollbooths on the Suncoast to all-electronic ones too,” Deason said. “That will get started once the resurfacing work in Pasco County is done. … That should be in the next week or so if we don’t get a lot of rain.”

The project in Pasco resurfaced the entire 20-mile stretch of the Suncoast in the county at a cost of $18.5 million. Deason said they will start a similar project in Hernando County in the next few months.

Deason said drivers on the Veterans should watch for lane shifting and various lane coursers throughout the project.

For up-to-date lane closure information, visit floridasturnpike.com/construction_update_CentralFla.cfm#7.

As temperatures rise, so does risk of injuries

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By Jeff Odom

 

The cool winter days are gone and warming temperatures are signaling the start of more outdoor activities.

However, with the changing of seasons comes the risk of something more than sunburn — serious injuries.

Dr. Stephen A. Hanff

Dr. Stephen A. Hanff, a board certified orthopedic surgeon at the Medical Center of Trinity, had a seminar May 3 called Weekend Warrior to discuss the most common types of traumatic and sports injuries to shoulders, knees and toes and what kind of procedures can be done to repair them.

 

Sprain or break

In the case of a sprain or simple fracture, there are different treatment options to choose from according to Hanff.

One of the easiest ways to help the injury heal is with a boot, in the case of a broken foot or leg, or a cast for six to eight weeks. In displaced or unstable breaks, major surgery may be recommended in which a plate and screws will be inserted to prevent the formation of arthritis in the bone.

In compound fractures, immediate surgery is required as well as antibacterial treatment to prevent serious infection that could require amputation. In some cases where the outside skin and soft tissue has been compromised, muscle flaps or skin grafts may be needed to prevent further injury and infection.

 

Achilles tendonitis

A severe case could mean time in therapy with the aid of a walking boot. However, it could be a much worse injury like an Achilles tendon tear. Hanff said if the tendon is torn, then surgery to repair it is recommended. It can even reduce the risk of rupturing the tendon again by more than 8 percent.

 

Knees

One of the most common injuries that athletes face is the tearing of the ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament. According to Hanff, most ACL tears are noncontact injuries and can usually be associated with a popping sound and immediate swelling.

Although the tear is repairable through surgery and months of rehabilitation, pain could linger long after the injury, and arthritis could form between the bones as a result. In the worst cases of arthritis, a knee replacement procedure might be recommended. Hanff said most replacements last about 20 years.

 

Hamstring rupture

A hamstring rupture can happen and go unnoticed for some time.

According to Hanff, “If you pop a hammy, you might not even realize it,” because it does not swell or hurt the same as an ACL tear. Usually, the first sign that the hamstring area is ruptured is bruising, which could get very bad. In unusual cases of complete hamstring tears, all four muscles that are attached to the bone come off, requiring surgery.

 

Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow

Lateral epicondylitis, also called tennis elbow, is an injury that occurs in most tennis players, because they use the muscles in that region most often.

In some cases, surgery may be needed, but it is rare.

In medial epicondylitis, or golfer’s elbow, much of the same symptoms can occur and the muscles that are involved with flexing the fingers and thumb become inflamed from overuse.

The best way to treat both injuries, according to Hanff, is to rest the areas for a long period of time to prevent future damage, which could be much more serious.

 

Chalk Talk

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Lutz students make Honor Society

The following students from Lutz were recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines: Parker Tobin, initiated at Elon University; Linda Passman and Jonathan Kalis, initiated at University of South Florida; Matthew Green, initiated at Florida State University.

 

Commissioner celebrates agriculture literacy day

Florida Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putnam celebrated the 10th annual Florida Agriculture Literacy Day by teaching schoolchildren about the importance of Florida’s farmers. The event celebrated the history of the state’s agriculture dating back to the 1500s. For more information about Florida Agriculture in the classroom, visit www.flagintheclassroom.com.

 

PHCC’s career-path summer camps

Pasco-Hernando Community College (PHCC) is offering two academic career-themed summer camps designed for students entering seventh through ninth grades.

The sessions, which will be at PHCC’s New Port Richey campus, will provide an opportunity for students to explore popular career programs offered at PHCC.

One camp will focus on business and technology careers and the other on health careers.

To find out more, visit www.phcc.edu/summercamp or call (727) 816-3244.

 

Saint Leo graduates more than 1,120

Saint Leo University awarded degrees to more than 1,120 graduates during three commencement ceremonies on April 26 and April 27.

Honorary degrees were awarded to artist Yankel Ginzburg and to alumnus and retiring Pasco County Administrator John Gallagher.

The bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of St. Augustine, the Most Rev. Felipe J. Estévez, was also honored during a special Mass.

 

Fishing tournament benefits PHCC Foundation

The seventh annual Pasco-Hernando Community College (PHCC) Foundation Catch and Release Fishing Tournament will begin at 9 a.m. on May 10 at Catches Waterfront Grille, at 7811 Bayview St. in Port Richey. An awards party will immediately follow the tournament. Skanska USA Building is the presenting sponsor of the tournament.

The tournament raises funds to benefit the PHCC Foundation, which supports programs at the college including scholarships, diverse academic programs, four campus libraries, faculty and staff development, instructional equipment and more.

To register an angler team or to partner as a sponsor, visit www.phcc.edu/gofish or call (727) 816-3410.

 

Staying safe behind the wheel

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) are urging student drivers to stay safe behind the wheel during prom and graduation season by not driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or other drugs.

Research from SADD and Liberty Mutual Insurance reveals that 23 percent of teenagers admit to driving under the influence.

 

Land O’ Lakes poet honored

Lisa Fabian of Land O’ Lakes won an honorable mention in the seventh annual Jacaranda Poetry Festival contest presented by the Pasco Arts Council.

The Pasco County Commission established the nonprofit Pasco Arts Council in 1979 to promote and preserve arts and culture in the county. To learn more, visit www.pascoart.org for additional information.

 

Land O’ Lakes Christian claims national honors

Students from Land O’ Lakes Christian School (LOLCS) achieved outstanding results in the 36th annual American Association of Christian Schools (AACS) National Competition in April at Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C.

Nearly 1,700 students and sponsors from 34 states participated in the AACS National Competition, qualifying to compete by winning top honors at state contests. The students, representing 200 Christian high schools, competed in 77 categories in the five basic areas of Bible, music, speech, art and academics.

The Bible competition included Bible quiz teams, preaching and teaching. The academic competition included academic testing and a science fair. Music students challenged each other in solo and group competitions for both vocal and instrumental music. The speech competition included such categories as debate, dramatic interpretation, original oratory, duet acting, plus other categories.

LOLCS students won third place awards in the following categories: Jared Mancini, World History; Tianna Hall, creative arts and digital media; Kristyn Engstrom, creative writing, poetry; Vickie Frazier, biology.

 

PHCC ranked among most affordable

Pasco-Hernando Community College (PHCC) was recently ranked as being among the 100 most affordable large community colleges in 2013 in a ranking done by Affordable Colleges Online.

Affordable Colleges Online reviewed data sets provided by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the NCES’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the Carnegie Foundation to create the ranking.

Specific criteria for list inclusion were two-year, public nonprofit schools serving 15,000 to 92,000 students with tuition less than $3,000.

AffordableCollegesOnline.org focuses on providing prospective college students with information about affordable college options, financial aid and cost saving ideas.

 

Faith Woodard defends her high jump championship

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Senior becomes first in program history to win states

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Faith Woodard faced nothing but pressure during the Class 4A state track and field meet May 4 at the University of North Florida.

The Freedom senior was the defending state high jump champion and entered as the only girl in Florida to have cleared 5-feet, 10-inches this season. Constant wind and rain during the meet added to the stress, but Woodard would not be denied.

Freedom senior Faith Woodard captures consecutive 4A state high jump titles by clearing 5-06. (Photo by Kyle LoJacono)

The 6-foot-2 Riverview transfer did not scratch until all of her competitors had been eliminated and repeated as champion by clearing 5-06. She is the first in the program’s 11-year history to win a state title.

“Not a lot of people can say that they’re a state champion, so to come back and defend and win two in a row is really exciting,” Woodard said.

Woodard said the weather did prevent her from building up the kind of speed she needs to put up her best performance, but was happy with what she did considering the elements.

“With the wind and rain I just wanted to be able to say I did my best, and I did,” Woodard said. “I believe that nothing happens by chance. If it’s raining, it’s raining. Can’t do anything about it.”

The title gives Woodard four state high jump medals after tying for sixth and finishing runner-up as a freshman and sophomore, respectively, while at Riverview.

The two-time state champion started running track while in sixth grade at Rodgers Middle.

“I did just straight running events in middle school,” Woodard said. “No high jump at all.”

She started high jumping at the suggestion of her mother Lora.

“She actually did high jump back in her day, and she said one day that I should do high jump,” Woodard said. “I figured why not. … When I started as a freshman my form was not the best. I was just jumping over, and it was not really good. Each year it’s gotten better.”

She ends her high school career with four district titles along with three Hillsborough County and regional championships.

“I never thought I could do this,” Woodard said. “I just came out as a freshman thinking I did track in middle school, so I’ll just keep doing it.”

Woodard, a Georgetown University signee for basketball, said states is her last track meet.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to juggle basketball and track and Georgetown,” Woodard said.

She said she was thinking a lot about it being the end of her high school career on the drive to Jacksonville.

“I was crying coming up here because I could not believe that this was my last high school event, period, not just for track,” Woodard said. “Just to know that this is it, and it’s here, it was definitely kind of scary.”

Woodard also helped lead Freedom basketball to the first final four appearance in program history and was named The Laker/Lutz News Girls Basketball Player of the Year following the season. She said her senior campaign was more than she could have hoped for.

“I wasn’t expecting all of this to happen,” Woodard said. “It exceeded everything I thought it would be. Didn’t know what I was walking into, but this has been by far the best year out of all my high school years.”

Fellow Patriots senior Sandra Akachukwu finished as the state runner-up in the high jump (18-05.25), which is her best placing at states in any event.

The Western Kentucky University signee ends her high school career with five state medals.

Freedom dethrones Chamberlain

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

Freedom senior pitcher/first baseman Katlin Hall had difficulty describing how much winning in the 11-year program’s first trip to the regional semifinals meant to her.

The Wharton transfer hit a two-run homer in the first inning and picked up the save to help the Patriots (20-3) beat the defending Class 7A state champion Chamberlain (21-8) May 2. The victory comes just weeks after Freedom earned its first playoff berth.

“There are no words to describe the feelings of the happiness I have,” said Hall, who is also playing in her first postseason. “I never would have thought I’d be a part of something like this.”

The contest started April 30, but two rain delays forced portions to be played May 1 and 2.

“I’ve been in games that went over 10 innings, but not three days,” said senior second baseman Caroline Whiteside.

Freedom never trailed in the semifinals despite the weather, magnitude of the game and the pressure of playing the defending state champs.

Freedom senior baseman Katlin Hall hit a two-run homer and pitched four and a third innings of scoreless relief in the regional semifinals at Chamberlain. (File photo)

“They’re 13 kids who want to win every day,” said Patriots coach Autum Hernandez. “We talked today before we got in the vans to come here about staying focused, and the same focus we had two days ago was what we needed today.”

Freedom got on the board in the top of the first inning thanks to Hall’s two-strike, two-out homer with Whiteside on second. Hall said she was targeting a specific pitch from Chiefs senior pitcher Rachel Dwyer, a University of Virginia signee.

“I was looking inside even though I know she likes to go outside,” Hall said. “She came inside on the first pitch, and I fouled it off, but then she came back inside.”

Patriots pitcher Grace Street worked around a leadoff single from Zalonzia Canady to get out of the first inning.

Freedom added to its lead in the second inning by drawing four walks from Dwyer. The decisive blow was dealt when Whiteside drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to score Kayla Maczuga to go up 3-0.

“I was just looking for my pitch to hit,” said Whiteside, a Hillsborough Community College signee. “It was a 3-1 count, and that’s definitely a hitter’s count. Rachel had walked two people in a row right before me. I wasn’t going to swing at just anything, and luckily it worked out that it scored that run.”

Whiteside said her hands were shaking as she stepped to the plate.

“Thought about it being the regional semifinals against Chamberlain and this could be my last high school game,” Whiteside said. “It was nerve racking, but it was a once in a lifetime thing, and we all wanted to take advantage of it.”

Chamberlain responded with two runs in the third inning. Hernandez brought in Hall in relief, who threw four and a third scoreless innings.

Freedom center fielder Rachel Carlson added an insurance run with an RBI double in the top of the sixth to score Elon University commit Ashley Wilson from second to take a 4-2 lead.

“That was a big run,” Hernandez said. “We’ve talked to Rachel about being aggressive and having a quicker bat. Rachel is a triple threat. She can bunt for a base hit, she can slap and she has power when she uses it. That was a huge inning for us, and it was again the bottom of our lineup coming through for us.”

Hall faced a major jam in the sixth inning when the Chiefs loaded the bases with two walks and a single, but the senior forced Canady to ground out to shortstop Caitlin Harper to end the threat.

Hall pitched a perfect seventh by inducing three ground-ball outs.

“In the beginning of the year we focused on offense, but lately it’s been our defense that has been carrying us,” Hernandez said. “That’s a great feeling to know when our bats aren’t carrying us our defense can pull us through.”

The Patriots and Chiefs split their season series 2-2, with neither team winning a home game. The Class 7A-District 9 rivals each scored 13 total runs in those four contests.

“Chamberlain is a great team,” Whiteside said. “I wouldn’t say that they’re better than us, and I wouldn’t say that we’re better than them. They were all close games.”

Chamberlain won the district title 4-2 by defeating Freedom April 18. The loss was more difficult for the Patriots because it was played on their home field, but all agreed they would rather have the regional semifinals win.

“They can have the district championship,” Hall said. “Winning districts would have been huge, but I’d rather have this win than that win.”

Freedom won its regional finals game at Sarasota 5-1 May 4 to earn a spot in the final four. Whiteside hit a two-strike, two-out grand slam, the first home run of her high school career, to break a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning.

The Patriots play Tallahassee Chiles May 8 in the 7A semifinals. The state championship game is May 9. Both games start at 7 p.m. and are at the Vero Beach Sports Village.

Walk-off win propels academy to regional finals

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

Academy at the Lakes softball fought back from a two-run deficit to defeat Deltona Trinity Christian 3-2 in the Class 2A regional semifinals April 30, winning the home contest in walk-off fashion.

The win advances the Wildcats (10-5) to consecutive regional finals.

“There was no panic when we were down,” said second-year academy coach Jerry English. “They knew they’d have a couple more chances to win this game.”

Wildcats sophomore catcher Skyler Boynton drove in senior Maria Aumaitre from third with a single through the right side of the infield with two outs in the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie. It is the academy’s first walk-off hit of the season and Skyler’s first in high school.

“I just wanted to make hard contact, because as long as you do that you never know what can happen and where it will go,” Skyler said. “Luckily we won the game because of it. … Once I saw that I got a hard hit I knew it was 50/50 that she would field it or not. I just ran to first, I saw Maria rounding third and the ball was still in the outfield. I knew we’d won, and it was exciting because I knew I’d done my job.”

Sydney Boynton talks with sister Skyler before the latter hit the game-winning walk-off RBI single for the Academy at the Lakes softball team April 30 in the regional semifinals. (Photo by Kyle LoJacono)

Sydney Boynton, Skyler’s older sister, gave her a pep talk just before the catcher stepped into the batter’s box.

“I told her just single contact is all we need, preferably to the outfield so Maria could score,” said Sydney, a senior pitcher. “I said that I’d done what I needed to do the inning before, and now it’s up to you, and she did.”

Sydney got the scoring started for the Wildcats in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly to score Katherine Smith to cut the Eagles’ (10-8) lead to 2-1.

“I was a little bit nervous because in my first at bat I did not do very well, popped up to the first baseman,” Sydney said. “I drew a walk in the second at bat, so going into that last at bat I didn’t have a lot of confidence and just wanted to get it in play so that we could score at least one of the runners.”

Senior first baseman Andrea Mauger tied the contest one batter later by bringing in Lauren Evans from third base with a ground out to Trinity first baseman Katherine Brunning.

“I just wanted to get the ball in play,” Mauger said. “I got out, but I knew if I put it on the ground to the right side, then Lauren would be able to score and tie the game.”

The victory allowed Mauger to play in her fifth regional finals game while in high school, the other four in basketball. She said she wasn’t nervous stepping to the plate before her game-tying RBI despite playing in her first softball season since age 10.

“Whenever I have a situation like that I just know I have to do it,” Mauger said. “I had to hit the ball if I wanted to win, so I went in with the mentality that I was going to hit the ball no matter what.”

Wildcats assistant Tom Haslam, who is also the school’s athletic director, used one word to describe Mauger — winner.

“She told me she would drive in that run when she was going to the plate, and I had no doubt in my mind that she would,” Haslam said.

Sydney worked all seven innings, recording six strikeouts to one walk despite having her changeup, which she calls her best pitch, inconsistent.

“When it’s on it sets up all my other pitches, and I was just lucky to get out of this game,” Sydney said. “The changeup was ending up in the dirt a lot, so I had to use my riseball a lot more and a little bit of my dropball, and also my screwball and curveball.”

The Wildcats hosted Quincy Munroe May 6, but results were not available by press time.

Wharton athletes bring home five state medals

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

Tyler Watson captured two individual medals and another in the 4×400-meter relay during the Class 4A state track and field meet May 4 at the University of North Florida.

The Wharton senior started her day taking seventh in the 100 hurdles (15.02 seconds) and added the other with a fourth-place finish in the 300 hurdles (45.26).

“It was a really good day,” Watson said. “Wish I could have done a little better in the 100 hurdles, but I’m really happy.”

Meet organizers opted to go with timed finals run with two heats in every event instead of prelims leading to finals because of bad weather projected for the evening.

Athletes had to quickly change mentality from simply advancing out of the prelims to running for a state title, with the 100 hurdles as the first track event.

“I just told myself to push as hard as I could because there’s no prelims,” Watson said. “I came here wanting to get three medals, and I had to win this one first to do that.”

Watson took seventh running out of the slow heat while dealing with steady wind and rain.

“I couldn’t really think about the weather because it was right to the finals, so I just had to go, go, go,” Watson said. “I just had to stay focused. I had to race against the clock because I was in the slow heat. I had to get out fast.”

Fellow Wildcat Mikayla Barber, a senior, took third in the 300 hurdles (44.35).

Wharton senior Tyler Watson earned state medals in the 300 hurdles, 100 hurdles and with the 4×400 relay. (Photo by Kyle LoJacono)

Barber and Watson have been near the top of every hurdles race they’ve competed in this year, including splitting the regional titles with Barber taking the 100 and Watson claiming the 300.

“This has been a great season,” Barber said. “It taught me a lot about competition with my own teammate, and that really made me better. Hopefully I’ll keep using those techniques as I go into college and better myself.”

Barber said she is usually stronger in the 100 hurdles, but she was unable to medal in the event after stumbling near the start. She said she came out “with a better mindset” in the 300 hurdles.

“It was hard to come right out and do timed finals, and then when I slipped coming out of the blocks and not being focused really hurt me,” Barber said. “I didn’t want that to happen again.”

Barber and Watson teamed with senior Stevondria Hardy and junior Kiana Outen to take sixth in the 4×400 (4:00.36), the meet’s final event.

Wharton’s other state medalist was Britainy Smith.

The senior pole vaulter earned her first state medal in her second state appearance with a fifth-place performance by clearing 11-feet, matching her personal record (PR).

“I’m really happy, especially considering the weather conditions,” Smith said. “I wanted to PR, but it didn’t happen. … Fifth place is definitely good today considering the number of attempts I took. It was a rough day, but I’m happy with the outcome.”

Pole vaulters began warming up around 12:30 p.m., but worsening weather forced the pit to be shut down for about three hours.

“I had warmed up a few times, and it was really hectic,” Smith said. “I’ve just been trying to relax and focusing on what I need to do. I think I did fairly well.”

Smith, who plans to walk on at the University of Alabama, won Western Conference, Hillsborough County and district titles and placed second at regionals this year.

“I had a really good season, and I couldn’t do it without coach (Wes) Newton helping me every step of the way,” Smith said. “I’ve only progressed since the beginning of this year and since my freshman year. I’m really excited for what will happen in college.”