Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

The Steinbrenner boys and girls soccer teams handled Freedom at home Nov. 14 in their Class 4A-District 8 opener.

The Warriors boys (5-0) won 6-1, while the girls (3-4) picked up a 7-1 victory.

The win was especially big for the girls, who had dropped their last three games before the Patriots (1-4-2) matchup, all by 2-1 scores to Newsome, Plant and Wharton.

“The girls had their heads down after the few losses that we had, but this brought our confidence back up, and we’re ready to go out and get more wins,” said junior midfielder Dani Eule.

Steinbrenner went with three forwards instead of its normal two to try and get quicker production after giving up the first goal in all but one of its games this year.

“All we talked to them about was that we have to have the first goal of this game,” said first-year Warriors coach Angela Gillisse. She added, “Some of our attacking players needed that feeling because they haven’t had a goal in a few games.”

Steinbrenner got on the board in the 10th minute when a cross from Kirsten Russel was buried home by Danielle Darius. The freshman forward found the back of the net less than 30 seconds later for her first multi-goal game in high school.

“It was great,” Darius said. “Using the 4-3-3 formation really helped. We’ve been starting slow, but today we really jumped out fast.”

Eule said it was good to see Darius get a couple of tallies because the players see her goal-scoring ability in practice.

“She’s really helped us out,” said Eule, who finished with two goals and two assists. “I think she was timid at first. It’s hard coming into high school as a freshman, but she really broke out in the Plant game and ever since then she’s attacking and being more aggressive.”

Gillisse said the 4-3-3 formation is something that fits the personnel right now because they are down three starting defenders because of injury: Miranda Gonzalez, torn hamstring; Kelsey Huntzinger, pulled quadriceps; Nicole Hollifield, torn ACL.

“We have the girls who like to get forward and we have the speed up top,” Gillisse said. “Once we get some healthy players back in our back four I think that will really solidify the lineup.”

Steinbrenner scored two more times before halftime, the first from Jessica Taylor in the 17th minute followed by Eule heading home a corner kick taken by Alexis Bredeau in the 19th.

Taylor and Eule each added another goal after halftime, while Bredeau netted her team-leading ninth tally of the year.

Freedom goalkeeper Jackie Vaughan recorded 13 saves in the contest.

The only blemishes for the Warriors was a goal by Dana Jones with about 10 minutes left in the game and being called offside 14 times.

“Smarter play, and the ones who were getting called off were the younger ones,” Gillisse said. “My freshmen were getting called off all night. They just see the ball and they don’t see anything else.”

The boys took the opposite approach from the girls, falling behind the Patriots (1-5) when Daneill Thorpe scored in the sixth minute.

Freedom, which was without starting goalkeeper Nate Brown, maintained the lead until Jason Collister one-timed a corner kick from Logan Siben in the final minute before halftime.

“There was nobody guarding the front post, and at practice we always talk about getting someone to attack that front post,” Collister said. “I did and just put it in. … It gave us momentum.”

Steinbrenner coach Chad Ebright said the work wasn’t being put in by his squad for much of the first half.

“We weren’t putting out the effort that Freedom was, and it showed up in the way we played,” Ebright said. “It wasn’t until things started getting a little rough near the end of the first half that the boys woke up. We weren’t doing anything technically wrong. We just weren’t playing hard enough.”

The Warriors came out firing in the second, picking up goals by midfielder Austin Labban in the sixth and seventh minutes. The first tally came off a cross from Michael Connell and the second on a penalty kick.

“We all knew that we were playing like crap in the first half,” Labban said. “We had to come back fast in the second half.”

Labban found the back of the net again with about 15 minutes left in the game for his first career hat trick, followed by goals from Enrique Barboto and another from Collister.

Steinbrenner hosts Robinson Nov. 30, while Freedom play district rival Wiregrass Ranch at home Nov. 27. Games start at 6 p.m.

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

By Jeff Odom

The Sunlake boys soccer team defeated Class 3A-District 7 and cross-town rival Land O’ Lakes 3-2 Nov. 14 despite a valiant second half effort by the host Gators.

The Seahawks (6-0) dominated the first half with their defense, not allowing Land O’ Lakes (1-2) a single shot on goal.

Their offense was a force too, scoring in the 19th minute as forward Cobi Shermihamid headed in a rebound off keeper Tommy Koen’s hands for the early advantage.

With two minutes left, Sunlake made the Gators pay for a costly yellow card when Austin Goble redirected the ensuing free kick from Conner Gilboy in front of the goal for the 2-0 advantage.

Gators coach Mark Pearson said he felt that his guys made costly errors in the first 40 minutes, which — along with poor field conditions — pinned them into a corner.

“The goals we conceded in the first half were unfortunate,” Pearson said. “Tommy couldn’t hang on to the first goal in the sand, and I thought he did as well as he could in that area. The second goal we lost our mark on the back post, and that’s inexcusable.”

Still, Land O’ Lakes would not go quietly.

Less than a minute into the second half, the Gators swarmed the Seahawks’ net and Patrick Lawson sent a cross to Sean Young who found the back of the net to bring the score within one.

Land O’ Lakes hit pay dirt again when Mike Moran tied the game at two off another assist from Lawson, swinging momentum to the Gators.

“They were definitely the better team in the second half for sure,” said Seahawks coach Sam Koleduk. “We’re so evenly matched. I feel like we just had to survive.”

And survive they did.

With time winding down, Sunlake sophomore Conner Spencer hustled his way into scoring position, deked through a defender and fired a laser past Koen for the game-winning goal and his eighth of the season.

“We really knew that we had to step it up,” Spencer said. “I got the ball, turned with it, saw an opening, took (the shot) and ended up scoring.”

The Gators had two more chances to score late, but their opponent’s defense stood tall. The Seahawks blocked a free kick and cleared a shot on a wide open net in the 72nd minute to seal the victory.

“It’s huge,” Koleduk said. “It keeps us undefeated and undefeated in the district. It’s going to be a dog fight for the No. 1 (district) seed. … This was good for us.”

Sunlake hosts district rival Wesley Chapel Nov. 26, the same night Land O’ Lakes is at 3A-7 opponent Zephyrhills. Both games start at 7:30 p.m.

By Kyle LoJacono

Faith Woodard had trouble fighting back tears while talking to her family and teammates in attendance during her signing ceremony Nov. 14 in Freedom High’s gym.

The 6-foot-2 forward snapped back to basketball mode just before inking her name to a letter of intent to play at Georgetown University.

“This season is something we’re going to look back at and be happy with because we are going to states,” Woodard said, which was answered with thunderous cheers.

Woodard transferred last summer from Riverview, where she averaged 21.4 points, 11 rebounds, four steals, 3.1 blocks and three assists as a junior.

She has played only two regular season games for Freedom, but her presence has already been felt. Woodard has put up 55 points for the 2-0 Patriots and sits at 1,439 for her career.

Woodard had 15 to 20 offers to play in college, but said the combination of scholastics and athletics at Georgetown won her over.

“It’s such a prestigious school academically,” Woodard said. “It’s one of the best schools in the country. I just couldn’t say no.”

Freedom coach Laurie Pacholke said Georgetown is getting more than just a top-notch basketball player.

“They’re getting a phenomenal kid on and off the court, and they’re getting a great family to go along with it,” Pacholke said. “She has the potential to be the face of a program. She’s the whole package.”

Woodard started playing basketball in second grade and called her sister Erica, who played at the University of Tampa, her basketball inspiration.

“I always wanted to be like her and try to break her records,” Woodard said.

Woodard said having her college plans set is like “a big elephant” off her back. She is unsure about her major, but is looking at biology or prelaw. She added that it still hasn’t completely sunk in where she will play next year.

“It’s not really hitting me that I’m going to Georgetown until today,” Woodard said. “It’s a great opportunity for me to play in the Big East, which is one of the best conferences.”

Pacholke has had at least one player sign with a college every year she’s had a senior on her roster. She said Woodard is the program’s second Division I signee and first to ink with a school from one of the so-called power six conferences.

“It’s really exciting for Freedom High School basketball and for Hillsborough County,” Pacholke said. “The talent in the county is getting better, and when you have a kid like Faith sign with Georgetown it brings more attention to the area.”

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

By Kyle LoJacono

Mallory Etcheberry has written her name in Academy at the Lakes history despite being a Wildcat for less than two years.

The golfer became the first academy student-athlete to sign a letter of intent to play for a Division I college after inking with the University of Akron.

“I’m so excited,” said Etcheberry, who plans to study accounting. “I feel like all that hard work paid off.”

Etcheberry, who started playing golf at age 8, came to the academy when her family moved from the Clermont area last year. She played in one tournament while at her old high school, meaning she couldn’t compete with the Wildcats in 2011 because of Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) transfer rules.

She made up for lost time this year, winning individual district and regional titles and tied for 29th at the Class 1A state tournament as the academy’s only girls golfer.

“It’s been pretty crazy,” Etcheberry said. “I haven’t played high school golf for a long time. It’s something new. It’s nice to play for my school.”

Etcheberry said playing college golf wasn’t a dream when she first picked up a club, but said it is “a great opportunity” to join the program in the Mid American Conference (MAC).

“It’s a great school,” Etcheberry said. “I love the coach and the team. I knew it was a good fit for me.”

She added that being the first from the academy to sign with a Division I program made the signing even better.

It’s cool to be the first to go D-I,” Etcheberry said. “I’m sure they’re going to have many more.”

Wildcats athletic director Tom Haslam sees it as the first of many academy student-athletes inking with major college programs.

“It’s just another step in our progression to build a top-notch athletic program,” Haslam said. “We’ve had some signees in lower division and NAIA, and those were all big steps. This is that next step, and I love it for Mallory because she’s such a great kid. She’s so dedicated to her craft.”

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

By Kyle LoJacono

Stephanie Frances’ power is something that can’t be ignored by opponents, and it is also a big reason why the Sunlake softball player signed with Jacksonville University Nov. 15.

Frances, who will play first base for the Dolphins, is second all-time with seven home runs for the sixth-year program and is just three from surpassing the record owned by Samantha Dittman.

“The last couple of seasons she’s always been the one to make the big play,” said Seahawks coach Jami Finan. “The power alone is big, but then her play in the infield is solid as well.”

Frances hit .563 last year with 34 RBI, 29 runs, 11 doubles and six home runs while slugging 1.000. She said power has always been a part of her game since picking up the sport at age 7.

“I was never the fastest kid,” Frances said. “Hitting was always my thing.”

Being such a hitting threat comes with one set of frustrations. The opposition rarely gives Frances a good pitch to hit, but she takes the treatment as a compliment.

“It’s definitely flattering,” Frances said. “Every time you go up you want to hit the ball, but to see a team pitching around you or a coach telling his players to back up is a good feeling.”

Frances, who plans to study sports management, said she liked everything about Jacksonville when she visited.

“It’s a great school all around, and then their softball team has done some tremendous things the past few years,” Frances said. “The coaching staff is phenomenal, and they made me feel like part of the family.”

Jacksonville, which went 31-25 last year, is a Division I program in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Frances said the chance to play in college is “the greatest opportunity” of her life.

“My parents said school comes first, and if softball is that ticket to get it paid for, then that’s a bonus,” Frances said. “To be able to not only go to a good school and have it paid for, and then play a sport that I love is really awesome.”

Finan said the Dolphins are getting “the whole package” in Frances.

“She’s a hard worker and very dedicated,” Finan said. “She’s committed to academics. She’s a leader on the field. … She will be missed after this season.”

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

Shortstop officially a Seminole

By Jeff Odom

Gaither shortstop Oscar Mercado signed a letter of intent Nov. 16 to continue his baseball career at Florida State University.

“It feels good, like a lot of hard work has paid off for me,” said Mercado, whose .370 average and 29 RBI helped the Cowboys to their second straight district title last season. “I’m thankful to the program. This has been my life for the last four years and means a lot to me.”

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Mercado, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 middle infielder by ESPN for the 2013 MLB Draft, was pressed into service for Gaither as a freshman.

“The guy that was supposed to be our shortstop had transferred in and got in some trouble, and I had to dismiss him from the team and Oscar was the backup,” said Cowboys coach Frank Permuy. “He was nervous, but he took everything in stride, did whatever we told him, batted ninth the whole year and got himself on base a lot and played defense a lot.”

Mercado worked on his swing in Gaither’s batting cages every day during the offseason while also helping fellow teammates improve their game.

“I tried to do my best even with a lot of superstars on the team,” Mercado said. “I would do my best to try and help out, be that guy. Just a little bit of help towards (my teammates).”

Permuy said someone of Mercado’s ability and leadership doesn’t come around very often.

“I don’t think we could have won those two (district) championships these last two years without someone like a leader by example,” Permuy said. “If he’s not the best leader, he’s one of two I’ve ever had, and I think that’s why he’s gained the respect of so many people.”

Permuy compared Mercado to two-time World Series champion and Gaither alum Kevin Cash, who also attended FSU and spent time catching with the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays among others.

“We’re hoping Oscar can be our third guy (to go professional) and be one of the guys that we retire his number and put it on the outfield fence,” Permuy said.

Mercado will likely be taken in the first round of the MLB draft, which will give him the option to forgo college and jump right the professional ranks.

“When the time comes, I’ll make that decision,” Mercado said. “It should be a fun experience, but right now this is my only choice, and hopefully we will have a good season with Gaither and hopefully we’ll make it far.”

If he does go to FSU, academics shouldn’t be a problem as Mercado has a 5.0 weighted grade point average.

By Jeff Odom

Three Steinbrenner athletes will continue their careers at the next level after signing letters of intent Nov. 16.

Girls basketball’s Bailey Hooker (Southeastern University), baseball’s Chase Turner (Florida Gulf Coast University) and softball’s Jillian Lewis (Coker College in South Carolina) participated in the Warriors’ early signing day in front of teammates, family and friends.

Hooker, who is the program’s first college signee, said she chose Southeastern over five Division I and II offers to stay close to her family. She added that it was amazing to have the support of current and past teammates who came to see her sign.

“Although it’s not a big Division I school that I dreamed of, I definitely knew right when I got on campus that it was for me,” said Hooker, who led the team with 19.4 points per game during its district title run last season.

Hooker’s coach JR Allen said her signing is a testament to hard work on and off the court.

“It is a special day just because you’re seeing the results of a young lady that’s put in a lot of time, a lot of hours, a lot of work and has been rewarded for it,” Allen said. “It makes it special because she is the first one for our basketball program.”

For Warriors baseball coach John Crumbley, Turner (.354 average, nine RBI) is the third player from his team in as many years to sign with a Division I program. However, he strikes a personal connection to his first baseman’s choice.

“That’s where my son (J.J.) played four years and graduated from, and I was a volunteer assistant (coach) his senior year,” Crumbley said. “When we started this four years ago, Chase was a freshman on varsity with no seniors and we expected big things. He’s worked hard to get to that next level.”

After years spent with travel softball teams and three years at Steinbrenner, Lewis said it took one email and a visit to the school for the choice to be clear.

“My cousin went there and played basketball and soccer and she really liked it,” Lewis said. “So, I emailed the coach and he had me come up there for a tryout, and I scrimmaged with their team and he called me three days later and he said, ‘I really like you. I really want you up here.’”

Lewis helped the Warriors to a runner-up finish at the Class 7A-District 9 tournament, falling only to eventual state champion Chamberlain.

By Jeff Odom

Bishop McLaughlin baseball players Tanner Koch and Colton Nussel have done nearly everything together in their four years on the high school diamond.

Now, the pair will move on with each other to the next level.

Both Koch and Nussel signed their letters of intent Nov. 14 in front of teammates, friends and family to attend the University of Montevallo in Alabama, where they will continue to pitch.

“It’s a definite honor,” said Nussel, who went 6-2 with a 2.53 ERA last season. “I’m really looking forward to going up and playing with him. I’ve been playing with him since I was like 12, and it’s definitely going to be a fun time in college.”

Nussel instantly hit it off with his teammate when he moved to the area from Bradenton. Koch (6-4, 1.45 ERA) said it’s a friendship that means the world to him.

“It’s a special feeling that not a lot of people get,” Koch said. “I’ve been provided with the opportunity to take my baseball career to the next level and do it with my best friend. He’s been there for me all four years and since he moved here. … It’s been a cool experience.”

The Hurricanes went 18-10 last year and advanced to the playoffs as the Class 3A-District 8 runner-up.

‘Canes coach Tom LoSauro, who is also Bishop McLaughlin’s athletic director, said he is proud of the pitching duo and added the two have brought a spark to the program.

“As a coach, probably the proudest moments you have is when your team does well and when your players get to fulfill their dreams,” LoSauro said. “Their skill levels speak for themselves, but these guys are more than about skills. These guys have tremendous character and they’ve got a blue collar work ethic and they’re tremendous leaders.”

Koch said when he and Nussel played a tournament near the campus, the reaction they got from coaches made their decision easy.

“The main thing was the relationship with the coaches,” Koch said. “They’re just nice, and once me and Colton committed, they just showed that they were really ecstatic and it was a great feeling for us to feel loved and it was just a good family feeling.”

Montevallo is a Division I program in the Peach Belt Conference. The Falcons went 25-28 last season.

–Stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches.

By Jeff Odom

Land O’ Lakes baseball player Dylan Harris signed a letter of intent Nov. 14 to continue his career at Saint Leo University while sporting a wide grin.

The second baseman and pitcher said it felt like all of his worries were out the window once he signed his name to become a Lion.

“It’s a big stress that I don’t have to deal with anymore,” said Harris, who plans to study business or sports business at the school. “I finally know where I’m going and I’m just excited to get there.”

Gators coach Calvin Baisley and assistant Jeff May were by Harris’ side as he made his college plans official. Baisley said it speaks to the talent of Harris and his program, which finished runner up in Class 6A-District 10 with an 18-10 record last season.

“I’m happy for him,” Baisley said. “It’s something he really wanted to do and he’s turned out to be a heck of a player, a heck of a kid, and he’s a good student. Saint Leo is going to be a good fit for him.”

Harris, who batted .412 with nine RBIs and one home run last season, added that the chance to get away from home while still staying nearby was key in his selection.

“It’s close and my parents can come see me play still,” Harris said. “I can live on campus; I feel like I’m away, but I can still get home when I need to. … It’s pretty cool being the only one to be signing right now, but hopefully we’ll get more kids on the team that will be able to sign by the end of the year.”

Saint Leo is a Division II program in the Sunshine State Conference. The Lions went 22-23 last season.

–Stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches.