Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

Shadow Williams is the kind of football player that gets attention fast.

His teammates quickly see him as a defensive playmaker, his opposition swiftly learns the power and speed he possesses and his coaches are fast to learn the difference he can make on any team.

Williams’ transition to college ball has been as speedy, as the former Land O’ Lakes and Freedom player has risen to No. 2 at middle linebacker on the defensive depth chart at the University of Arizona as a freshman walk-on.

“The first time I saw him I liked him,” said Wildcats defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jeff Casteel. “He’s got a lot of energy and has a nose for the ball. He’s very physical. … We gave him the opportunity for a few days and he showed he has some ability. He can develop into a good football player. Like any freshman, he has to get bigger and stronger, but he’s working. He’s a tough kid, and you’re always going to find a place for kids like that.”

Williams, who is studying sports management, is also starting on Arizona’s kickoff and kick-return teams.

He played for Land O’ Lakes as a junior and senior, where he compiled 195 tackles, 14 sacks, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. While at Freedom in 2009, Williams posted 89 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles.

Williams said his dream was to play college football from the day he took to the gridiron at age 5 with the South Tampa Boys and Girls Club.

“I knew I could play Division I football if I was given the opportunity,” Williams said.

The opportunity didn’t appear to be there a few months ago. Williams originally signed with Phoenix Community College and had offers from North Carolina Central and Bethune-Cookman universities.

Williams said he and his parents, Cliff and Nichole, were looking for a bigger program when the 6-foot, 226-pounder reconnected with a former coach.

Frank Davis, the strength and conditioning coach at Arizona, was an assistant at Freedom when Williams transferred to the New Tampa school as a sophomore and they kept in touch after returning to Land O’ Lakes.

“He told me I could come here and if I worked hard I might get a scholarship,” Williams said. “He always motivated me in high school, so that was a big push for me to come out here to see if I could get a scholarship.”

Williams lived in Arizona for three years with his family while in middle school.

“I kind of latched on to the University of Arizona when I was out here,” Williams said. “There was University of Arizona and (Arizona State University), but I really liked Arizona from the start.”

The Wildcats defense was also something Williams was used to. Arizona uses a 3-3-5 stack, three linemen and linebackers with five defensive backs, but the complexity of the system was beyond anything he’d been a part of.

“The biggest thing is the speed and the knowledge of the game,” Williams said. “Everything happens a lot faster. In high school we had a couple plays. In college we add in two or three plays a day.”

Williams said he was expecting to get some playing time on special teams this year and maybe get into some games at linebacker.

“After awhile you start to get used to it and catch up to the speed,” Williams said. “I guess I just caught on quick, plus I had a chip on my shoulder because I thought I could earn a scholarship but had to walk on. The coaches started liking me when I started making plays, and I started getting time at first team in practice.”

Casteel said one of Williams’ strengths is a desire to learn and get better.

“They did a great job with him at his high school, turning him into a pretty good football player,” Casteel said. “Hopefully he’ll end up with a good career here. He has a bright future.”

Williams said the coaches will discuss scholarships for next year at the end of the season, but he isn’t worrying about that right now.

“I just want to go out there and be a playmaker,” Williams said. “I want to go out there and make a name for myself and show I have what it takes to be a player for a big-time team.”

By Kyle LoJacono

By almost any measure, the 2011 Saint Leo University (SLU) women’s soccer team had the best season in program history.

SLU went 15-3-1 and claimed its first Sunshine State Conference (SSC) championship. The squad also rose as high as No. 5 in the Division II national poll, the highest ranking ever.

Now, as the No. 23 Lions enter their 12th season, the players are out to build on last season’s success.

“It meant a lot to the girls,” said seventh-year SLU coach Ged O’Connor. “I had a few different goals that we didn’t meet, but they achieved a lot.”

O’Connor’s disappointment is in how last year ended.

The Lions suffered an early exit in NCAA Division II National Tournament, falling to Lynn University 2-1 in the second round after receiving a bye into the contest. SLU also lost 3-1 in the SSC semifinals to the University of Tampa.

“Until preseason we still spoke a lot about last year, but now it’s a brand new bunch of players,” O’Connor said. “To be honest, I think the new girls are sick of hearing about what happened in the past. I’ve been telling them ‘It’s your turn to write their own legacy. The program is going to go as far as you take it.’ The great thing about the freshmen is they have no idea. They’re not scared; they’re not intimidated.”

O’Conner will have to rely on more freshmen this season after losing eight graduates.

Among the departed are the Lions’ top three goal scorers in Dari Alcantara (11 goals, five assists), Pia Soesemann (10 goals, three assists) and Cassie Barbaresi (seven goals, 10 assists). Soesemann has the second most career goals at SLU with 50, while Alcantara’s 23 tie her for fifth. Barbaresi’s 21 assists are fourth all-time.

O’Connor also lost his three starting defenders, which allowed just 201 shots and 18 goals in 19 games, including seven shutouts. Also gone is last year’s starting goalkeeper Lauren Carstens (0.69 goals against average, 57 saves), who decided to stay in her native Denmark.

SLU has lost a lot of talent, but the current players have no interest in taking a step backward.

“I hear them every day in my head and think about what those seniors instilled,” said junior forward and Gaither High graduate Ashley Acco. “They’re never going to be replaced, because you can’t replace those kind of players, but at the same time you can move forward with each day and improve.”

Senior midfielder Lise Nisja added, “Those seniors had so much respect within the team, so it was hard to imagine them being gone. Someone had to step up, and I feel as seniors (Andrea Lott) and I have tried to do that.”

Lott, a defender, said the expectations are high.

“Our coaches recruit really well and go overseas,” Lott said. “They get the players we need. On paper we’re amazing. We have great individual players. My freshman and sophomore years we couldn’t put it together to win games. That’s all we need to do is work as a team and we’ll win. If we have that mindset we’ll win.”

The offense does return some blossoming players, including sophomores Ariana Foreman (four goals, three assists) and Samantha Buterbaugh (two goals, one assist).

Buterbaugh said learning behind Barbaresi did a lot for her development.

“Ending last year I knew I had big shoes to fill because Cassie is such a great player,” Buterbaugh said. “You can’t replace a player like her, so just being able to play with her was a good experience, and I think that’ll help me this year.”

Last season, Foreman, who was named the SSC Freshman of the Year, was just recovering from major knee surgery that stole her true freshman season. She tore the meniscus in her right knee in the second day of preseason while playing the Mexican U17 national team.

Doctors later found she also had an older and more serious injury.

“I found out I had torn my ACL the junior year of high school,” Foreman said. “I had no idea. When I tore my meniscus the doctors just did an MRI to check. They did and said I had no ACL.”

Foreman said she is still coming back from the injury but said she feels encouraged knowing her knee has a full set of healthy ligaments. She is also happy to see fast improvement in the squad’s offense.

“We lost a lot, but I feel like the torch has been passed, so I have to teach what I’ve learned from those seniors to the freshmen,” Foreman said. “We do have other people who can contribute up top.”

Lott sees similar growth with the defense.

“We have a couple new players who are going to join the backline with the returners, and I think as a whole they all have potential,” Lott said. “As long as we work together for a common goal the four defenders can, maybe not immediately, but the potential is there to be a very strong backline.”

SLU opened the regular season with a 3-0 win at home to Warner University on Aug. 30. The Lions play at Webber International University at 1 p.m. on Sept. 3 before traveling to Georgia for the Bobcat Shootout Tournament.

By Andy Warrener

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

The graduation of long-time cornerstone Deuce Gruden left two major voids for the Carrollwood Day School (CDS) football team.

Gruden, who became the first player in program history to sign with a college when he inked with Lafayette College, was not only the Patriots’ quarterback the last two years but also the unquestioned leader. He completed 74-of-144 passes for 1,466 yards and 17 touchdowns last season while adding 507 yards on 105 carries and four scores.

If the offseason has been any indication, the leadership and talent voids have been filled.

Senior Dominiq Sicardo was set to take over at quarterback. His 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame gave him an advantage, but he was learning the position from scratch.

Enter Robinson transfer Vidal Woodruff, who started six games for the Knights last season. Now Sicardo moves back to tight end and Woodruff takes over as signal caller.

“Vidal has played quarterback all his life; he knows how to make his reads,” said coach Lane McLaughlin.

While the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Woodruff is the starter, opponents will see Sicardo under center in 2012.

“We don’t lose much when Dominiq steps in at quarterback,” McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin pointed out Sicardo’s 200-yard, three touchdown spring game against Cardinal Mooney as indication of what he can do.

“Who knows, maybe we will line up with two quarterbacks,” McLaughlin said.

Woodruff (564 yards, 10 touchdowns) is happy to find a place to play for his senior year after being dismissed from Robinson’s squad during the 2011 season.

Getting special assignment to another public school would be difficult and there was no chance to continue playing at Robinson. However, CDS was not an improvised option.

“I’ve always wanted to play here,” Woodruff said. “I am good friends with Nate (Lewis) and Robert (Davis). This was one of the first options I considered.”

Woodruff said he feels like he has to show he’s worthy of the position.

“No one thought I could play for CDS, and I am,” Woodruff said. “Now, no one thinks I can win at CDS. I definitely have something to prove.”

Woodruff said having a backup like Sicardo takes pressure off him while making sure he stays focused.

“It helps me because I know if I screw up there’s somebody ready to step in for me,” Woodruff said.

The only hang up is CDS does not accept senior transfers. Woodruff was left with no choice but to apply for athletic eligibility as a home-schooled student. He now takes classes online.

“I didn’t have much other choice,” Woodruff said. “I just wanted to play.”

Sicardo’s move to tight end is not solely for receiving purposes.

“We really need his size and blocking skills on the offensive line,” McLaughlin said. “We lose something without him at tight end.”

Sicardo seems fine with the move. He has been garnering interest from some Division I and II schools as a tight end. Additionally, working in tandem at quarterback has accelerated his learning curve.

“Both coach McLaughlin and Vidal have helped me learn so much more about the position,” Sicardo said.

The Patriots have an extraordinary number of senior skill players for a Class 2A school.

Running back Robert Davis is less than 2,000 yards from Hillsborough County’s all-time rushing record. Andy Embody has emerged as a top receiver and defensive back.

Nate Lewis will be one of the factors in the Patriots’ potential success in 2012. He can line up most anywhere on offense and defensive secondary.

CDS opens up district plays at home against Keswick Christian on Sept. 7 at 4 p.m.

–Stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches

By Kyle LoJacono

The Gaither football team won a season opener for the first time since 2006 with a last-minute 24-21 victory at Alonso Sept. 1.

The Cowboys (1-0) started their final possession on the 41-yard line with less than two minutes remaining. Gaither sophomore quarterback Alex McGough said he got some words of encouragement as he took the field.

“The defense believed that we were going to go down and score,” McGough said. “They got us the ball back with a couple minutes left, and as we were going on the field they said they knew we’d score. The trust was there.”

McGough guided the offense down to the six-yard line before calling Vu Le’s number in the huddle. The senior just ran across the goal line with 16 seconds remaining for his second score of the night.

“I couldn’t believe he got in,” McGough said. “I thought he was stuffed. He got grabbed at the three(-yard line). When I saw the touchdown sign I was overjoyed.”

The backfield combination of Jamari Cord, Shug Oyegunle and Le, all seniors, racked up 270 yards of total offense.

McGough finished the night 12-of-20 passing for 229 yards and a 66-yard touchdown to Oyegunle, while running for 50. McGough credited the offensive line for giving him time to throw and the backs holes to run through.

“We’ve built a lot of confidence with the offense,” McGough said. “We’ve been putting in a lot of reps at practice, and everything came together in that last drive.”

McGough said he was proud of how both the offense and defense stepped up in the season opening victory.

“It’s huge because last year there we games when we’d score like seven points and the defense would have to do everything, and then in the playoffs against Durant we had to score a lot to win,” McGough said. “This game the offense and defense were both clicking.”

Gaither hosts Leto Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m.

—The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent Andy Warrener contributed to this report

By Kyle LoJacono

No playoff berths or championships were claimed when the Wesley Chapel football team traveled to cross-town rival Wiregrass Ranch on Aug. 31.

Something more important was on the line — history.

The Wildcats (1-0) maintained their winning streak against the Bulls (0-1) with a 30-6 victory, pushing the all-time series record to 6-0. None of Wesley Chapel’s players wanted to be on the first squad to lose to Wiregrass Ranch.

“It’s everything,” said junior defensive end Josias Vizcaino. “The win at the beginning of the season against Wiregrass makes the season for us. It’s brightness for the rest of the season.”

The rivalry’s importance to the Wesley Chapel schools was evident by the turnout from the community. Wiregrass Ranch athletic director Dave Wilson said all 2,513 tickets for the contest were sold.

Wesley Chapel sophomore quarterback Ty Tanner received some advice from his brother Keegan, who graduated last year and played in the rivalry three times.

“My brother called me about an hour before the game,” Tanner said. “He told me to keep my composure, play your heart out and be a leader. … I told him I’m ready to kick their butt. We came in here, played hard and 30-6.”

The Bulls opened the scoring with 11:43 left in the first half when sophomore quarterback Shane Bucenell stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure and hit senior Ryan Shea in the end zone for a 27-yard strike on third-and-goal.

Junior Elijah Brooks-Davis put Wiregrass Ranch in prime field position for the game’s opening points by blocking a punt. The home team got another boost when junior Vinny Haider scooped up a fumble in Bulls’ territory, but the offense was unable to capitalize.

The Wildcats got on the board with 3:38 left before halftime when running back Daquan Caesar scampered for a 10-yard score to put his team up 7-6. The senior finished with a career-high 168 yards on 35 carries and two touchdowns.

“I’ve never had that many carries,” Caesar said. “I’m so happy to have a game like this. It’s the happiest I’ve ever been.”

The Wiregrass Ranch defense came out of the locker room fast. Senior linebacker Xavier Wilson recovered a fumble he forced on Wesley Chapel’s opening drive. Linemen Aaron Silcott and Christian Borak sacked Tanner on the second possession, and the Bulls turned the Wildcats over on downs with 3:07 left in the third.

Then came the play that swung control of the game for good.

Bucenell completed a pass to Giomani Davis. Cornerback Kuadiel Gomez put a big hit on the Bulls’ running back before he could turn up the field, popping the ball out at Vizcaino’s feet.

“I saw Kuadiel smack the guy and the ball fall out,” Vizcaino said. “The first thing I was thinking is touchdown.”

Vizcaino snapped up the loose ball and sprinted 42 yards to put Wesley Chapel up 14-6. The Wildcats got two more points on a safety when a snap sailed five yards over Bucenell’s head, and fullback Nathan Love ran for a score in the fourth quarter.

Wildcats third-year coach Ben Alford was happy his team racked up 294 yards of total offense, but was more pleased that his defense allowed only 147.

“We had one breakdown defensively, and it led to that one touchdown,” Alford said. “Besides that, defensively we did the job. … First game of the season you’re going to have those mistakes, but if we continue to push and get better each week I think they’ll be pretty good.”

The 24-point win is the largest margin of victory in the rivalry. The Wildcats picked up the win despite being outnumbered on the roster.

“It shows what Wildcat spirit can do,” Tanner said. “Every single one of these guys has that.”

Wesley Chapel hosts Orlando First Academy Sept. 7, while Wiregrass Ranch travels to Sunlake. Both games start at 7:30 p.m.

By Jeff Odom

For the first time in two seasons, the Land O’ Lakes football team can add one to its win total.

The program had to forfeit 16 wins from the 2010 and 2011 seasons after an internal investigation found former quarterback Ryan Bird was ineligible when he played with the program.

The Gators (1-0) shook off the sanctions imposed by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) and a rocky start to score 31 unanswered points en route to a 38-27 home win over Zephyrhills.

“We really didn’t think about (the offseason),” said sophomore quarterback Ethan Weilant. “We just wanted to win, honestly. We didn’t care about the past. It doesn’t matter now, and we really didn’t care about it tonight.”

The Bulldogs (0-1) had Land O’ Lakes playing catch-up early in the first quarter, taking advantage of two Weilant interceptions.

Bulldogs quarterback Mikey Smith caught the Gators secondary napping with a deep pass on fourth down. The risk worked, as Smith found Jarret Kelly in the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown.

Kelly also halted the Gators’ 13-play drive on the home team’s next possession, stepping in front of a receiver for an interception. He returned the ball 60 yards to set up another long passing touchdown from Smith, this time to Jaylen Pickett.

The momentum turned late in the opening period as Weilant found his game.

On Land O’ Lakes’ third possession, the first-year starting quarterback avoided pressure and heaved the ball 43 yards into the end zone to Kyle Forchion.

Linebacker Colin Irwin recovered a fumble on the Bulldogs’ 25-yard line two possessions later to give the Gators another shot at a touchdown. This time, Weilant called his own number for the 8-yard rushing score.

Weilant also hit Seth Galbraith for a 29-yard touchdown in the first half. He completed 4-of-10 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns while adding 50 yards on the ground with two more scores.

The signal caller said he felt pressure entering the game, but added it didn’t really sink in until he took the first snap.

“I mean, first quarter didn’t go so well, and then we got in the groove,” Weilant said. “We pulled it out, and that’s how we needed to start the season.”

Land O’ Lakes entered halftime leading 24-14 after Andrew Dowler hit a 32-yard field goal as time expired. The Gators went back to their original game plan coming out of the locker room — feed the running machine.

Senior running back Harrison Wood, who finished with 140 of his squad’s 228 rushing yards and a nine-yard touchdown, helped drive the ball down field while wearing out the Zephyrhills defense.

Land O’ Lakes took their opening drive of the second half 54 yards capped off by Weilant’s second rushing touchdown. Gators’ second-year coach Brian Wachtel was impressed with his young quarterback’s progression.

“He’s stepping up to the plate,” Wachtel said. “He’s still learning, there’s no doubt about that, but he hit some nice passes down there and he took off on those nice runs, and those were big plays for us tonight.”

Zephyrhills tried to come back in the fourth quarter, scoring a pair of late touchdowns, but the Bulldogs’ ineffectiveness to convert on two fourth downs in scoring position thwarted any hope.

Wachtel credited his defense for coming up big when it mattered.

“They worked hard,” Wachtel said. “They fought the entire time and they overcame the adverse situation, and I am very proud of them for that.”

Land O’ Lakes travels to Pasco on Aug. 7 at 7:30 p.m.

By Jeff Odom

Other than winning the turnover battle, the Steinbrenner football team didn’t find many positives in a 34-10 drubbing at Sickles Sept. 1.

Offensively, the Warriors (0-1) were held to just four first downs — three in the first half — and -31 yards rushing, an unusual stat for a team that averaged 187.6 yards on the ground last season.

“It shows how much work we have to do,” said first-year Steinbrenner coach Andres Perez. “At this point, it’s a tough loss because we had high expectations for ourselves, but hopefully we’ll wake our kids up.”

On the other side, the Gryphons (1-0) couldn’t have asked for a better way to kickoff their 2012 campaign. They used their rushing attack to perfection, wearing down the Steinbrenner defense, which couldn’t stop Ray Ray McCloud.

The Sickles running back had 125 yards on eight carries in the first half alone before being pulled for reserves in the third quarter.

The Gryphons had the Warriors playing catch-up early, scoring the game’s first touchdown on their second possession.

Steinbrenner senior kicker Michael Ruggles got his team on the board with a 26-yard field goal, but Sickles answered with a 13-play, 54-yard drive capped off by quarterback Nate Mills sneaking into the end zone.

The lone bright spot on offense for Steinbrenner came after McCloud fumbled on a 30-yard run, which the Warriors recovered. On the next play, junior quarterback Curtis Fitch found senior Jon Marc Carrier for a 77-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to four.

That’s as close as it got. The Gryphons scored again before halftime and pulled away in the second half with two more touchdowns.

“You gotta credit that defensive line over there,” Perez said. “They brought it all day and our offensive line, we’ve gotta work a whole lot harder and our backs have gotta hit those open holes.”

The Warriors failed to muster anything on offense in the third and fourth quarters as Fitch, who finished 4-for-10 with 119 yards and one touchdown, was sacked four times. The team gained just three yards during the last 24 minutes, earning one first down thanks to a pass interference penalty.

Steinbrenner couldn’t run the football either, trying a carousel of Jake Carroll, Kendall Pearcey and Shaheem Barthell. The three backs combined for only nine yards on 16 carries.

The Warriors play at East Bay on Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m.

By Cameron Valdez

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

It wasn’t the start to the 2012 season the Freedom football team was looking.

The Patriots (0-1) fell 57-7 at home against Durant on Sept. 1. First-year Freedom coach Todd Donohoe said everything has to improve for his squad to get on track.

“All three phases went wrong,” Donohoe said. “We have a long way to go.”

The night started off promising for the Patriots as they forced the Cougars (1-0) to a three-and-out on their opening possession.

Freedom was able to drive the ball down the field with back-to-back big runs by sophomore Johnny Rodicio and appeared to be in control until Durant’s defense forced a fumble to stop the drive short.

On the ensuing drive, Cougars’ quarterback Tyler VanDeGrift threw a 60-yard touchdown to Reggie Gainer.

Durant entered the second quarter leading 12-0 and added eight to its total after executing a fake punt on fourth-and-two. The trick play gave permanent momentum to the Cougars, who scored two touchdowns and added a field goal during the next three minutes to go up 37-0.

The Patriots did score late in the second quarter when backup quarterback DJ Grant ran in from nine yards out, but trailed 44-7 entering the locker room. Both coaches went to second- and third-string players after halftime.

Freedom travels to Plant City on Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m.