Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Jeff Odom

There are times when one may think Wesley Chapel forward Erik Thomas has a Superman costume beneath his navy blue uniform.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound senior is leading all Pasco County in scoring this season with an eye-popping 32.7 points per game after averaging 21.7 last year.

“I’m just trying to get seen and play hard on the court,” Thomas said.

He hasn’t just been seen — he’s turned heads.

Twice this season, Thomas set career-highs in scoring for the Wildcats. First, a 41-point night against Fivay Dec. 7 and then, just four days later, he broke that mark with 45 against Gulf.

He set the program’s all-time points record by scoring 30 in a 67-29 victory over district rival Pasco on Dec. 4. Thomas has 1,566 during his time in high school.

Teammate Brian Rodriguez said they absorb the energy and leadership Thomas displays on a nightly basis.

“He’s a leader and a natural scorer,” Rodriguez said. “When he comes off the bench or when he comes on the floor, he just ignites us. His hard work demonstrates to us that that’s what it takes to do that, and we feed off of him a lot.”

And while those scoring numbers have impressed, another category he leads in is making Wesley Chapel coach Doug Greseth smile — rebounds.

For the 10th-year coach who preaches getting on the ball fast break and wearing out opponents with aggressive defense, Thomas’ 18.3 rebounds stand out more than anything.

“Quite frankly, I’m more impressed with his rebounding than his scoring. I mean, he’s had four games where he’s had 20 or more rebounds,” Greseth said. “You just don’t find that in high school, and we’ve had some injuries, some illnesses, some suspensions and he’s really filled in, and to get that many rebounds is unbelievable.”

Thomas is also contributing stats usually associated with guards. He is averaging 3.9 assists and 2.8 steals.

In the offseason, Thomas went overseas to work with the Argentinean national team during its run in the Summer Olympic Games. He said seeing how much different the game is was eye-opening.

“I was there for like half the summer and then I got back and injured my hand and just had to come back strong, worked out, did conditioning and just got back into shape,” Thomas said. “It’s a brand new, different game. Everything’s different, and it’s about teamwork and down to the structure of basketball. So, it was a great experience.”

Thomas has received interest from several Division II and III colleges, including Saint Leo and South Alabama. He said his hope is that he will one day play for a major university, but for now, it’s about being there to aid in his team’s quest for a district title.

“We have to keep our head straight and keep playing,” Thomas said. “It’s a new season. We have to come out and play hard and do our job on the court. Everything else will settle through and work its way.”

By Kyle LoJacono

The Academy at the Lakes boys basketball team set an expectation last season.

That year, the Wildcats (4-4) went 17-10, the first winning season in the program’s six-year history. They also made their first trip to the postseason and made the Class 2A regional finals.

The growth has been something fourth-year academy coach and athletic director Tom Haslam has been looking for.

“The first year we got drubbed,” Tom said. “In the middle of games, we were looking for a back door to sneak out of. We got beat thoroughly, and not because of lack of effort. We just weren’t ready. Second year got a little better, and then last year we made a big jump. We challenged for the district championship. To get to the regional finals you have to be a little bit lucky, but you have to be good too.”

Tom’s son Ethan Halsam, a sophomore guard, has been along for that growth the last three years.

“When I was in eighth grade we weren’t really expected to win,” Ethan said. “We wanted to give the other team a good game and not get blown out. This year we’re expected to win. It’s become part of the culture, and not just in basketball, but in every sport. It’s really exciting.”

The excitement comes with new pressures.

“It’s a lot different because in the back of our mind we don’t want to lay an egg,” Tom said. “We have a tougher schedule, and we’re playing a lot of big schools. The potential to not put up a good record is looking us in the face, but hopefully that makes us work harder. The idea is to get to Lakeland for the final four, and you’re not going to do that unless you’re battle tested.”

The academy brings back four of five starters, losing guard Jarrett Harvey (8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists*) to graduation. The squad gets a pair of junior transfers in point guard Malik Hall from Wiregrass Ranch and 6-foot-7 forward DeAndre Williams from Wharton.

“Those two new guys are potential starters, but losing Jarrett, his numbers weren’t huge but his leadership was,” Tom said. “As of yet we haven’t replaced that leadership.”

Hall gives the Wildcats a true point guard and Williams provides legitimate size, which they lacked last season.

“I played with Malik at Wiregrass for a couple years before I transferred here last season, so it was good to have some experience with him,” said junior guard Tony Arrington. “He’s a good player, and we got a big man, DeAndre, and he’s got good size and can catch down low and finish. We know how to give him the ball, and of course we’ve got a lot of shooters.”

Hall gives Tom more versatility with his lineup.

“Last year it was Ahkil McGill at point some nights and it moved around,” Tom said. “Malik really fills that role. He can score and plays at high level AAU in club. He also frees Ahkil up to play other positions, which he’s pretty good at.”

Williams playing more under the basket lets forwards Mikey Mauger and Evan Gordy stay more on the corners for easier rebounds.

“It takes a little bit of pressure off us to rebound too,” said Mauger, a sophomore. “It makes things easier.”

The additional size is something Tom welcomes, but he sees the squad’s strength on the perimeter.

“We’re still guard oriented, but we should be better on the inside, especially with defense,” Tom said. “We should defend better, but DeAndre has a lot to learn. He’s got a lot of talent, but he’s still new to the game. Once he starts to develop those instincts, he should be a force.”

Williams is averaging 9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds, but the majority of the Wildcats’ points come from the guards.

Ethan is leading the squad with 20.1 points per game while adding 4.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals. He had 864 career points before the academy started play in the Seffner Christian Tournament Dec. 21.

Hall is putting up 8.0 points and 3.1 assists, and guard Abaz Igwe is averaging 7.8 points and 3.3 rebounds.

“Our guards are interchangeable,” Mauger said. “They can all score and can handle the ball. It’s really fun to watch.”

Ethan said when those guards and post players come together, it’s something special to see.

“We’ve got a lot of new parts and new talents, and when they blend together it’s virtually unstoppable,” Ethan said. “We’ve got a good point guard, we’ve got good big men, we’ve got good shooters and we’re athletic and fast at every position.”

Tom said the team’s first goal is claiming the program’s first district championship, followed by a return to the regional finals.

“But to do that, we’ve got to get tougher,” Tom said. “Right now we’re not tough enough. We’ve got to defend and rebound tougher. We’ve got to be tougher on each other in practice. Right now we’re not doing that. We’re physically good enough, we’re tall enough, were fast enough. We have the skill to be a really good team, but if we don’t get tougher we won’t do anything.”

The academy starts play in the Shorecrest Prep Tournament Dec. 27. They will play in the Class 2A-Disrict 8 tournament Feb. 4 to 8 at Citrus Park Christian, with the final Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.

*Last year’s stats

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

By Jeff Odom

Wesley Chapel boys basketball coach Doug Greseth admits he was “pleasantly surprised” at his team’s performance last season.

The Wildcats (10-2) enjoyed their best year since 2003, a state final four season, winning 24 games and compiling an undefeated record on their home court. However, one thing eluded the team — a district championship.

Despite a Class 5A-District 8 best 13-1 record against league teams, Wesley Chapel couldn’t win the biggest game, losing in the finals to Hudson for the team’s only district loss. The season was abruptly ended one week later, falling at Nature Coast Tech in the regional quarterfinals.

“I did not really think we would win 24 games being as successful as we were,” said Greseth, who is entering his 10th season at the helm. “We really had good chemistry last year, had kids who worked hard, and I thought we improved a lot. … We had a real good bunch.”

This year’s group of players is making sure the program’s first district title since 2006 is No. 1 on the list of goals, but the Wildcats know it will take a lot more than talk to get them there.

Led by 1,500-point scorer Erik Thomas (32.7 points, 18.3 rebounds, 3.9 steals, 2.8 steals), guard Brian Rodriguez (9.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.8 steals) and guard Carson Emery (8.9 points, 3.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 2.3 steals), Wesley Chapel has carried over last season’s dominance of the regular season district standings with the hopes of pushing that success into the postseason.

“We’re looking forward to better things,” said Rodriguez, a junior. “We can’t end it where we did last year; we want more. You don’t want to settle. So, we always work hard and expect the team to work hard.”

Along with a fast-paced style of offense, Greseth has been focused on making sure his team plays tight defense. In practice, he challenges his players to scrimmages and takes a hands-on approach to guide them in the right direction, if they’re out of line.

“One of my philosophies is that I want guys to play hard, want to play good, solid defense and be unselfish and play together,” Greseth said. He added, “We’re getting a little bit better at it every day, and it’s kind of mindset and an unselfish thing to do for your team and that’s defense.”

Emery, a junior, said Greseth’s demeanor and play calling reminds him of NCAA Hall of Fame coach Bobby Knight, who was well known for his fiery style on and off the court.

“Coach likes to preach a lot of pressure and ball pressure like Bobby Knight,” Emery said. “(Greseth) makes us more energized, and it helps our guys run our offense off our defense and go.”

Greseth said the energy that he provides for the team can be turned into a district title and maybe more, but for now he would like to see it stay focused on each game and not look ahead.

“We’ve got to bring it every day,” Greseth said. “We’ve got to work hard every day to get better every day. We can’t take days off, we can’t take plays off. … I’m not so worried about where we’re going or anything. Right now we need to improve, not take any steps backward.”

Wesley Chapel hosts the Class 5A-District 8 tournament, with the final Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.

The Wildcats play three district games the week they get back from the Winter Break. They travel to Hudson Jan. 8, before hosting Gulf Jan. 10 and Pasco Jan. 11. All games start at 7:30 p.m.

By Jeff Odom

Wesley Chapel named Tico Hernandez as its third football coach in program history Dec. 17, crossing enemy lines to do so.

Hernandez, 34, is a Leto High and University of South Florida graduate, and most recently served as an assistant at Wiregrass Ranch. He was also the football coach at Weightman Middle and John Long Middle, where he is currently the Longhorns athletic director.

“We have a new motto at Wesley Chapel — building men for others,” Hernandez said. “I’m excited to be here, and I plan on being here for awhile.”

Hernandez takes over for Ben Alford, who went 12-18 in three years at the helm. He resigned his position last month to take a director job in Iowa.

“I’ve seen this team on the other sidelines for almost nine years, and I’m just fortunate to have this opportunity,” Hernandez said. “One of the biggest things I can do is be here for these kids and their families, and I want to make everyone a part of this process with the same passion and dedication that I have.”

One of the biggest goals Hernandez has is keeping the academic success of the program alive. He plans on rewarding players with a champions dinner cooked by fellow coaches for their academic performance.

Hernandez said getting everyone onboard is a major necessity to spark interest in the team, which finished last season 3-7.

“These kids have a bunch of people behind them,” Hernandez said. “Not just the coaches, but the campus and teachers. It’s going to take the entire community and local businesses and business leaders to get behind the team and help us.”

The Wildcats lose running back Dequan Caesar and leading wide receiver Jordan Primus to graduation, but return quarterback Ty Tanner and linebacker Nalu Fraticelli.

Hernandez was chosen out of a pool of 22 applicants, including Bishop McLaughlin offensive coordinator Micheal Burns, Steinbrenner offensive line coach Gregg Puskas and former Sickles coach Pat O’Brien. He is the second Wiregrass Ranch assistant moving to a coaching position, joining Mike Lawrence, who was promoted by the Bulls two weeks ago.

By Jeff Odom

Land O’ Lakes boys soccer coach Mark Pearson had some harsh words for his players at halftime Dec. 19.

Though the Gators (8-2) led by two goals over Wesley Chapel at the break, he questioned their effort and told them to step it up, or changes would be made.

His team responded with five goals in the second half to cruise to a 7-0 win against the Wildcats (4-10), clinching the No. 2 seed in next month’s Class 3A-District 7 tournament.

“We were lackadaisical for the first 20 minutes of the game,” Pearson said. “We didn’t really settle down until about the 30-minute mark. We addressed a lot of things, and it was a different half in the second.”

Led by senior midfielder Sean Young’s hat trick, with goals coming in the 15th, 70th and 71st minutes, Land O’ Lakes fought through lingering smoke from a nearby fire and mental fatigue from the rigors of exam week to pull off the victory.

Young said he sees the team progressing as it moves closer to the district tournament where the Gators hope to get past their cross-town rival and undefeated Sunlake, which beat them 3-2 in November.

“We still take the game seriously if they’re big or not, and we are trying to progress ourselves so we are ready for Sunlake (Jan. 10),” Young said. “We just came out like this game didn’t matter, and then our heads got kicked in the game, and we got ready to play.”

Wesley Chapel gave Land O’ Lakes some early jitters as the Wildcats notched a couple early shots, including one deflected off the foot of keeper Mitchell McCuen in the ninth minute. The Gators quickly rebounded for a pair of goals by Young and Erik Theilbar, who fired one in from 35-yards out in the 29th minute.

“It’s a hard time this time of year with exam week,” Pearson said. “These guys are all in (International Baccalaureate) and (Advanced Placement) and they’re taking lots of exams, so I don’t want to get too overly conscious. Just want to make sure we’re playing better.”

Land O’ Lakes stayed in the driver’s seat throughout the final 40 minutes as the offensive attack tallied 13 shots on goal.

Patrick Lawson chipped in a shot from Young in the 44th minute for the 3-0 lead, and added another just five minutes later off a pass from Blake Quarishi.

Theilbar belted his second tally from close range in the 59th minute to round out the scoring.

The Wildcats’ best chance at a goal came in the 53rd minute after Kyle Custer was brought to the turf on a foul. Andy Huynh sent the ensuing free kick straight toward McCuen, but the senior held on to preserve the shutout.

“We’re still young,” Pearson said. “We graduated eight seniors last year, and we’re still gelling as a team. We’re getting there bit by bit, and I’m seeing that in all of the players and the team overall and our goal is to obviously get to that district final. … I like our chances if we keep working hard.”

The Gators played at Mitchell Dec. 21, but results were not available at press time. They travel to Sunlake Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. before playing at Gulf Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

By Jeff Odom

Steinbrenner girls basketball coach JR Allen will be the first to admit his team hasn’t lived up to its full potential offensively in recent games.

The Warriors’ (14-1, 5-1) offense finally shifted out of neutral in a 62-49 win over Wiregrass Ranch Dec. 20 to secure at least the No. 2 seed in the Class 7A-District 9 tournament.

“That was a good game to finally clean the cobwebs off, man,” Allen said. “We’ve just been in a rut for awhile. … We’ve just not played well, and to come out tonight and execute great offensively, the score might not indicate it, but I thought we controlled the game from beginning to end, and I’m very pleased.”

Steinbrenner’s defense, led by senior point guard Justice Thigpen (nine assists, five rebounds, three steals), took command of the game early, helping the offense get into a rhythm.

On multiple occasions, the Bulls (9-6, 2-3) tried but failed to break into the Warriors’ lead, which got as large as 13 before halftime.

“Coach has been challenging us really all season with our defense,” Thigpen said. “He wants us to be the best defensive team in Hillsborough County, and that’s that we’re trying to do.”

Senior forward/guard Bailey Hooker (12 points) and junior guard Olivia Unger (11 points) helped Steinbrenner continue to roll in the second half, outscoring Wiregrass Ranch 16-10 before Allen pulled his starters with 5:27 left in the game.

The fourth-year coach said even though his team will have a first round bye in the district tournament, there’s still one more goal he wants them to meet.

“We still feel like we have a shot at the No. 1 seed, but we’re going to have to take care of business when we get a rematch with that team from the other side of the county,” Allen said in reference to Freedom, which dealt the Warriors their only loss this year. “We’ll see what happens, but we’re still gunning for that top seed.”

In the boys game, Wiregrass Ranch fought off a tough Steinbrenner squad and pulled away late for a 92-76 win.

The Warriors (6-6, 2-4) stayed close to the Bulls’ (9-2, 3-2) throughout the game despite missing their best defender in 6-foot-7 forward Bryce Nickles, who injured his ankle the night before in a loss to Sickles.

“The biggest disappointment was losing Bryce last night in that game because he protects the basket for us, and they saw that he wasn’t there and did a good job at attacking the basket,” said Steinbrenner coach Stephen Williams. “We just had too many turnovers.”

Wiregrass Ranch senior forward Rico Kerney had 25 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, along with 13 rebounds and five steals. Senior guard Chris Parra had 16 points and nine assists.

Bulls coach Jeremy Calzone said defense remains a question for his team, but he’s grateful for the result.

“I just wish we could play defense and stop fouling so much,” Calzone said. “Offensively, I’m very happy. If we can put our offense and defense together, I think we’ll be pretty good.”

Steinbrenner’s Keshawn Ingram led his team with 24 points. Christian Moore and Kendall Pearcey finished with 13 apiece.

By Zack Peterson

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

The Wharton and Gaither boys and girls soccer teams played to 0-0 and 1-1 draws, respectively, during the final games before the Winter Break on Dec. 20.

The boys contest was dampened by strong storms that blew in around halftime.

“It seemed more like a friendly game than a Wharton-Gaither game, which is a little disappointing to be honest,” said Gaither coach Eric Sims. “There wasn’t much intensity. No passion, no emotion.”

The girls squared off first under still clear skies, and the Cowboys (4-5-2) moved swiftly.

Wharton (11-2-4) coach Denis Vukorep said Gaither’s immediacy clearly affected the game, especially in the 13th minute when Nicole Hoban slipped a goal through the Wildcats’ defensive web for a 1-0 lead.

“They looked like they wanted to win more,” Vukorep said. “We didn’t have the killer instinct.”

Vukorep said his team controlled the ball well, but failed to organize powerful scoring drives — until the second half.

Wharton evened the score in the 49th minute when Ashni Deschenes capitalized on a free kick and laced a goal into the upper right corner of Gaither’s net. The senior forward recorded five tallies in the Wildcats’ 7-0 victory over Alonso two nights before and stands at 15 for the season.

Both teams struggled to break the other for the next 30 minutes. Deschenes felt unsatisfied with the tie, saying that the game was flat.

“We need to come out with fire every game,” Deschenes said.

Similar to the girls game, both boys squads floundered trying to break the other’s defense.

The clear skies turned to downpours after halftime, which soaked the field and slowed play.

Sims said the Cowboys (5-5-3), who out-shot and out-possessed the Wildcats (3-5-4), failed to capitalize on their opportunities.

“We were unlucky not to win,” Sims said. “We definitely had the majority of the chances.”

The other part, Sims acknowledged, was Wharton goalie Keenan Kushner’s performance. Time and time again, the senior dove, leaped and smothered rocket shots from the Cowboy’s offense.

“We were good defensively tonight,” Kushner said, but added that they could have stepped up offensively.

Wildcats coach Scott Ware agreed with Kushner, but said he was most proud of the fighting spirit.

“Even with the weather conditions, I still thought we had good energy,” Ware said. “Eric Sims is a good coach, and I thought it was an evenly matched game.”

Ware wanted his players to take the night’s result, remember them and take them into break in their minds.

“Over break, I want my guys to keep a positive attitude,” Ware said. “I want everyone who needs to recover to get healthy and know that we can compete with anyone in our district come January.”

Wharton travels to Steinbrenner Jan. 9, while Gaither plays at Jefferson Jan. 8. The girls start at 6 p.m. followed by the boys at 8 p.m.

By Jeff Odom

Steinbrenner football player Trey Johnson committed to Villanova University Dec. 8, becoming the first in program history to do so for a Division I program.

Johnson, who spent all four years at the school, chose the Wildcats over interest from other programs, including Iowa State, Ball State, Indiana and Bowling Green. He said there was no other choice after taking an official visit to the campus.

“I just liked the environment and the people that were up there,” said Johnson, who finished with 37 tackles and six passes defensed this season. “I got to meet the professors and tutors and realized how important education is. … They want me to be the best person I can be.”

Johnson, who also runs track and was a member of the boys basketball team for three years, said while academic rigor at Villanova is top notch, he was also drawn to the school because of its athletic success.

Outside of football, which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Colonial Athletic Conference, the school’s other programs are members of the Big East Conference. Its men’s basketball program has made the NCAA Tournament in 11 of the past 12 seasons.

“It’s definitely a dream come true,” Johnson said. “It’s always been a dream where I can go somewhere and my parents don’t have to worry about paying for college, and I’ll have a good education. … I’m doing it big, and it’s a blessing.”

Villanova finished the 2012 season 8-4, losing in the first round of the FCS playoffs to Stony Brook.

//Seuzeneau chooses Spring Hill

Steinbrenner volleyball player Madison Seuzeneau has committed to Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala.

The outside hitter, who was a first-team selection on The Laker/Lutz News all-star team the last two years, was a four-year varsity player for the Warriors and helped the team win four district titles and earn its first berth in the regional finals this season.

Spring Hill is an NAIA program playing in the Southern States Athletic Conference. The Badgers volleyball team went undefeated in conference play this season (14-0) and finished with a 30-7 overall record.