The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Flooding, lack of county action has Lutz man fighting back

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By Jeff Odom

 

When Tropical Storm Debby sat over the Tampa Bay area dumping large amounts of rain, Lutz resident Frank Muniz found the access road to his home and yard covered with standing water.

Muniz is still dealing with the storm’s aftereffects two months later.

Across the street from Muniz’s home on Crooked Lane is the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex. There, water has filled an area that was commonly used for warm-ups and team photos during the Little League baseball season.

The unpaved roadway leading to Frank Muniz’s Lutz home has continued to flood since Tropical Storm Debby. The cause of the repeated standing water is a damaged drain pipe at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex. (Photo courtesy of Frank Muniz)

A crushed culvert, or a drainage pipe that allows water to flow under roadways, blocked by a bag of cement is preventing the area from clearing.

When it rains in the afternoon, Muniz said the water spills through the chain link fence and over the dirt road in front of his driveway, killing parts of the vegetation in his yard, including an orange tree.

“It has nowhere to go,” Muniz said. “I’ve called the county multiple times and nothing has been done to fix this. There’s a mound of debris from when they removed an oak tree. It’s been piling up for two and a half years.”

Hillsborough County Public Works spokesperson Steve Valdez said the damaged culvert should have been taken out years ago and that the county is doing its best to fix it.

“That culvert has not been part of our storm water system for over a decade and should have been removed,” Valdez said. “We’re in the process to redesign and change elevations in that area and get all of that water moving west.”

Muniz said the pavement can be flooded with up to 10 inches of water at the turn off onto Crooked Lane from W. Lutz Lake Fern Road, making it invisible from a far distance. With no sign warning drivers, some usually speed around the corner.

“It’s a dangerous spot, especially with kids around here learning how to drive,” Muniz said. “There’s nothing to warn you. No sign, and you can’t see it until you’re right on it, and they think everything is fine.”

When Muniz attempted to contact Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist, District 2, to come look at the situation, he said there was no response. He added, other neighbors have done the same.

Along with the safety issue, Muniz is also worried that the ground will become so saturated that there will be problems with the septic tanks, which everyone on his block uses.

“I’m concerned at the raw sewage; where is it going to go?” Muniz said. “(The county has told others) that they’d get on it as soon as possible, but then they give a six-month timetable.”

With the rainfall levels so extreme, Valdez said the storm water system is only designed to take in a regular rain event. He added, the county will not pump out the excess water across from Muniz’s property.

“Everyone is dealing with a flooding issue of some kind,” Valdez said. “We’ve had 41 inches of rain to date. Our normal average is 21 inches.”

Muniz wants the county to take more action to help him and his neighbors now that the rainy season is coming to a close.

“We just want help,” Muniz said. “It’s started to go down a bit, but those aren’t even ditches anymore. They’ve become retention ponds.”

 

Budget avoids tax hikes, job cuts

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

The Hillsborough Commission has tentatively approved the county budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year without the fireworks seen in many neighboring local governments.

In fact, the spending plan is downright boring, and that’s the way Commissioner Mark Sharpe and the rest of the board wanted it.

“No tax increases and no job cuts,” Sharpe said. “That’s what we were hoping for.”

The board also didn’t have to tap into reserve money or issue furlough days to county workers to balance the budget despite a dip in property value by 2.19 percent. County Administrator Mike Merrill said sales and tourist taxes brought in more revenue than expected, which offset the reduction in property taxes.

Sharpe said Merrill, who was appointed in 2010, deserves much of the credit for the budget.

“He’s done a great job for the county,” Sharpe said. “He’s been really focusing on taking our local government from the old way of doing things to a new way.”

That new model included outsourcing many tasks traditionally done by county staff, such as maintaining landscaping at county parks, when the budget crises took hold. This resulted in 160 layoffs the previous two years while eliminating many vacant positions, but bidding out such jobs allowed them to keep services for Hillsborough residents.

“We didn’t think that somehow magically the economy would turn around and the cavalry would come over the hill, which is what a lot of cities and counties thought,” Merrill said. “So, now you have more municipal defaults than they’ve ever seen and more municipalities are cutting basic services because they bet wrong.”

Merrill said he also looked to eliminate duplications, which have helped reduce per capita cost of county services by 26 percent from five years ago.

The county administrator also pointed out that Hillsborough has kept its AAA rating, the highest possible, on its general bonds, which allows the county to borrow money at a lower interest rate.

“While other communities are seeing their ratings drop, ours are going up,” Merrill said. “So, what we were able to do then was to take some one-time money and invest it in some capital projects.”

Some of those projects include improvements to roadways. Funded jobs in the new budget include $8.5 million to make dangerous intersections safer and $1 million each for new sidewalks and road resurfacings.

The new budget also included a one-time bonus of $1,500 for county employees. Merrill said this was suggested because staffers have not received a cost-of-living raise in four years.

Commissioners are expected to give final approval to the budget this week. The spending plan must be in place by Oct. 1.

An oasis of beauty

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  • By B.C. Manion

     

    Maryhelen Zopfi is such an avid gardener that she’s filled up nearly every nook and cranny in her front yard with diverse plants, a koi pond and eclectic yard art.

    But she doesn’t stop there.

    Her passion spills into the backyard, where there are roses, orchids, crotons, fruit trees and grapevines. There’s even a stand of stately canna lilies in an old claw-foot tub. And, there’s a large koi pond out back, too. It’s much larger than the one in front. The backyard pond used to be the family’s swimming pool.

    Her property, on North Mobile Villa Drive in Lutz, is also a showcase for Florida-Friendly landscaping practices.

    Zopfi catches rainfall in a rain barrel to water a portion of a garden. She diverts runoff from her rooftop and pipes it into areas of her garden. She uses landscape beds to keep storm water from spilling out of her yard. And, she uses micro-irrigation to apply water where needed without wasteful spraying.

    She groups plants with similar water and maintenance needs, uses mulches that are environmentally friendly and welcomes birds and butterflies to her garden with her well-stocked birdfeeder and butterfly plants.

    Zopfi’s yard is considered to be such a fine example of Florida-Friendly landscaping that she was named the recipient of Hillsborough County’s 2012 Florida-Friendly Landscape Water-Wise Award. She collected her award from the Hillsborough Commission at its Sept. 19 board meeting.

    Visitors to Zopfi’s garden will find a place that awakens the senses.

    Walk along the garden path out front and you’ll smell the fragrance of white ginger, wafting into the air. You’ll see a cluster of orchids displaying gorgeous blooms.

    “It’s just like in the rainforest,” Zopfi said. “They hang out under trees and nature takes care of them.”

    Look in one direction to see colorful crotons. Peer another way to see massive staghorn ferns.

    Her front yard has plants everywhere. There’s shell ginger, pinecone ginger, spider plants, powder puffs, impatiens, bromeliads, coleus and roses.

    Maryhelen Zopfi poses in her garden, a place where she enjoys watching butterflies, cultivating plants and relaxing.

    She picks up some stock at plant sales. Other vegetation comes from swap meets. She gets cuttings from fellow gardeners and freebies at seminars.

    Some crotons are unique to her garden. Her husband of 43 years, Simon, grafted them. Others plants have found a new home in her garden after being transplanted from other yards. The bird’s nest fern, for instance, was once in her grandmother’s yard.

    Zopfi also gets a kick out of yard décor.

    She’s no minimalist when it comes to adorning her yard, and her definition of “yard art” is broad.

    Some decorations include a dangling pair of blue crocs, which her granddaughter outgrew; a lady bug created from half of a bowling ball; a bucket she turned on its side with rocks spilling out; and a dinner plate garden border.

    “I just set things around my yard,” Zopfi said. “When people don’t want something, they give it to Maryhelen.”

    Besides gifts from friends, she gets stuff at yard sales, from flea markets and by “ground shopping,” a term that describes her outings to find gems in other people’s discards.

    “I found these steps on the side of the road,” she bragged. They’re now her potting bench.

    She enjoys finding new uses for old things. An old mailbox in her front yard is now a storage place for garden tools.

    Her planters are creative, too. They include a pair of old wash tubs, a child’s red wagon, a hanging infant’s swing, an old race car tire and a collection of colanders.

    “I will plant in anything,” Zopfi said. “You give me something and I will plant in it.”

    When she adds or moves a plant in her garden, she pays attention to how it fares.

    “Plants will tell you where they want to be. You can hang that plant and if it looks wilty, it doesn’t want to be in the shade. If they’re comfortable, they do good,” Zopfi said.

    She credits her father, the late Sid Carter, for introducing her to the wonders of gardening.

    “My dad used to just throw sweet potatoes out in the backyard and let it grow,” she said.

    He also taught her to be resourceful.

    “He always told me,” Zopfi said, “I’ll give you all of your needs, but if you want something you’re going to have to build it or make it.”

    Zopfi said much of what she’s learned about gardening has come through “trowel and error.”

    She also belongs to several garden clubs and frequently attends plant talks at public libraries.

    Zopfi enjoys leaning and is happy to share what she knows. She said one of her favorite sayings is, “Those who know, teach. Those who don’t know, learn.”

     

    /glance  box

    Pasco winners

    Ron and Marian Riopelle, who live on Ninth Street in Zephyrhills, are Pasco County’s recipients of the Community Water-Wise Award for 2012. They will be honored at a future Pasco Commission meeting.

     

    /Sidebar box

    Florida-Friendly landscaping principles*

    Florida-Friendly landscaping principles include:

    —Planting the right plant in the right spot (visit floridayards.org for a database of Florida-Friendly plants)

    —Using water efficiently by designing a landscape that relies predominantly on rainfall

    —Fertilizing as necessary

    —Maximizing mulch to conserve moisture by applying a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch over the roots of plants and shrubs and in plant beds

    —Offering a place for wildlife by providing adequate food, water and shelter (visit hillsborough_fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/BWH.html to find out more)

    —Controlling pests responsibly by using fewer pesticides and allowing beneficial insects to help keep unwanted pests under control

    —Recycling grass clippings, leaves and yard debris to provide natural sources of mulch

    —Preventing storm water runoff by using rain barrels, gravel or mulch for driveways and paths and directing drainpipes onto gardens and lawns

    —Protecting the waterfront by planting native plants or noninvasive exotics near the shoreline and creating a buffer zone near the shoreline where no chemicals are applied

    *Source: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

     

Feeding America enduring serious food shortage

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By Jeff Odom

 

While summer months are typically slow for Feeding America Tampa Bay, this year has been like no other in the worst of ways.

Supply shelves inside the Suncoast distribution branch, 5829 Ehren Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes, are almost bare.

Only condiments and drinks fill the spaces behind the vacant produce and canned meal racks, which worries Kathy Mullen, who is the branch coordinator with the organization’s Suncoast Branch.

Kathy Mullen, branch coordinator with Feeding America Tampa Bay’s Suncoast Branch, sorts produce in the organization’s green room. (Photo by Mary Rathman)

“This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said Mullen, who has been with the food bank since 1996. “Right now, we are having to spend a lot of funding that should be handling other aspects of our job description and funneling that into trying to find food that’s available through other means.”

Mullen said the continuous economic struggles and severe drought conditions in much of the country are key factors in the lack of supply in Feeding America’s collection and distribution centers. The organization, which feeds more than 500,000 people in 10 Florida counties, is looking to local businesses and clubs to help fill the hole.

“Basically, the food just isn’t here in the country,” Mullen said. “We have increased impact in need and decreased availability of food. What we’re looking for is folks out in our community who will adopt months and drive food drives for us, starting June through October, because come November and December we do get a lot of help from the community. However, it will get bad again in January. … We want a constant flow of food in the food banks.”

Items that Feeding America needs the most are shelf-stable foods, such as meaty canned soups, tuna fish, pasta, nuts, peanut butter and canned fruits and vegetables.

Mullen hopes the community can put together food drives. She said a one dollar donation can go as far as five meals.

“I look forward to the phone ringing,” Mullen said. “We don’t need any kind of liquid or drinks or anything to that affect. We need food.”

For more information on Feeding America’s Suncoast Branch, call (813) 929-0200. To find other distribution centers and how to help, visit www.feedingamericatampabay.org.

 

Poor defense has SLU volleyball searching for answers in loss

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By Jeff Odom

 

The Saint Leo University (SLU) volleyball team didn’t have many answers for Lynn University in a matinee, as the Lions were dealt their second Sunshine State Conference (SSC) loss in as many nights 23-25, 25-23, 17-25, 23-25 Sept. 22.

Following a four set loss to Barry University the night before, the Lions (6-4, 0-2 SSC) had no answers for the Fighting Knights’ (9-2, 2-1 SSC) offensive attack, as five players finished with double-digit kills, led by Angie Caple with 15.

In the fourth set, Saint Leo looked poised to force a fifth in dominating fashion, leading 22-18. However, Lynn built momentum and rallied to score seven out of the final eight points to seal the victory.

“We just lost focus,” said Saint Leo coach Sam Cibrone. “Bottom line is, we thought we had the game in the bag, and we just let up and we didn’t play good defense. Balls hit the ground that shouldn’t have hit. … Sometimes it happens.”

SLU couldn’t manage a large lead in any set, allowing Lynn to hang around throughout most of the contest.

In the Lions’ only win in Set 2, senior Sami Vierk dominated on offense and Saint Leo never trailed.

Vierk finished the match with 15 kills. Her teammate, Lauren Campbell put down 12.

While offense was a nonissue, the defense was anemic despite Meghan Donovan’s three blocked shots. Only one other block was recorded for the Lions in the match.

“I think that will haunt us later on,” Cibrone said. “Our defense is really bad, and I felt like (Lynn) outhustled us, and that’s something we can control with our effort.”

The Lions will look for their first win in conference play Sept. 28 when they travel to Eckerd College. The match starts at 7 p.m.

Pro-Am unlikely without sponsorship

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By Jeff Odom

 

After 25 years, the Tampa Bay Pro-Am golf tournament appears to be coming to an end.

The PGA Champions Tour event, which is hosted by TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, is without a major title sponsorship for the first time. Without one, the tournament will not return in 2013.

Nick Price after winning the Tampa Bay Pro-Am. The annual event is without a title sponsor and is unlikely to happen in 2013. (File photo)

“We would like to express to you our commitment and passion for this charity golf tournament as we look to find a title sponsor,” said Chris Sullivan, Outback Steakhouse co-founder and Tampa Bay Pro-Am Foundation co-chairman in a release. “We are hopeful that we will be successful in finding the necessary level of sponsorship to host the tournament in 2013.”

In order to reduce expenses, the Pro-Am was forced to cut its entire tournament staff.

Encompass Insurance, the 2012 title sponsor, announced it would not return in the same capacity following last year’s event.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Ronde Barber, who has played as a celebrity in the Pro-Am since 1997, told The Laker/Lutz News in April he was hopeful a business would step up to fill the void.

“You really hope that it stays here, and it’s such a good event,” Barber said.

Tournament director Amy Hawk said she is grateful for the support the Lutz community has shown during the years.

“On behalf of the board of directors, tournament staff, volunteers and the Tampa Bay Pro-Am Foundation, we are humbled by the support that you have shown the tournament,” Hawk said.

Along with an estimated economic impact of $9 million added to the local economy annually, the Pro-Am has contributed more than $9 million to various Tampa Bay area charities since its inception, according to Hawk.

“We are hopeful that we can find a sponsor for 2013 so that our community does not lose an event that has given so much back over the past 25 years,” Hawk said.

For more information on the Tampa Bay Pro-Am, visit www.tampabayproam.com.

–Editor Kyle LoJacono contributed to this report

Sunlake senior’s run for new position

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Eddie Burgos’ transition to Seahawks’ backfield

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

The Sunlake football team’s backfield was loaded last year.

Not only did the Seahawks (2-1) have three running backs reach at least 300 rushing yards, all of which signed to play in college, but that trio also complemented each other.

Jerome Samuels (536 yards, six touchdowns) was the powerful, bruising back who helped them close out games. Mike Lopez (300 yards, four touchdowns) had a knack for converting short-yardage situations and could play in the slot. Rashaud Daniels (478 yards, four scores) had the speed to break huge runs and could split out at wide receiver.

Eddie Burgos is still getting plenty of chances to catch the football.

“We try to be a balanced offense between the run and the pass, but when all is said and done you still need to run the ball and run it with some physicality in order to play football,” said Sunlake coach Bill Browning.

Browning needed someone to help fill that gaping hole. So far, the answer has been 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior Eddie Burgos, who played wide receiver the last two years while on varsity.

“We had a need there, and of course he’s got excellent speed,” said Browning, who talked with Burgos about the move last spring. “He cleans and jerks 290 (pounds), so he’s extremely strong and explosive. We just thought he’d be able to work in the backfield, and we could use his physical attributes.”

Burgos didn’t need any convincing.

“I told coach Browning I could tote the mail,” Burgos said.

…

The backfield wasn’t completely new to Burgos.

He was a running back while attending Rushe Middle in seventh and eighth grade and said he prefers the position to wide receiver.

“The pounding and taking contact is quicker than at wide receiver,” Burgos said. “At wide receiver there isn’t much contact until you get the ball. … I guess I just like people trying to tackle me, and the chance to have that highlight moment, just the chance to make everyone open their eyes as wide as they can.”

Such highlights were almost squashed early.

Burgos started playing football at age 11 with the Tampa Bay Youth Football League (TBYFL) Town ‘N Country Packers.

“I had no intentions of playing football,” Burgos said. “My dad (Eddie) put that upon me. He said, ‘You’re playing football,’ and threw me out there. At first I didn’t like it and cried to my dad every day, typical little kid stuff. After awhile it just came to me, and I started loving the game.”

Burgos started playing defensive end and middle linebacker. He didn’t play offense at all until his family moved from Northdale to Central Pasco County.

Browning said he knew Burgos was fast enough to play the position. He captured Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) championships last year in the 100-meter (11.09 seconds) and with the Seahawks’ 100-meter relay team, but Sunlake’s coach said there is more to playing running back than pure speed.

“We had to make sure he could make a read and find a hole and make sure he wasn’t just a fast guy who could run outside,” Browning said. “He’s been running between the tackles extremely well; good second and third effort. … He’s been excellent, and I think he’s going to get nothing but better.”

And the production has been there.

Through the Seahawks first three games, Burgos has run for a team-high 374 yards on 40 carries, 9.35 per attempt, with four touchdowns. Entering this season he had a total of one carry for zero yards in his career.

…

Burgos was quick to point out that he isn’t the only reason he has more than 300 rushing yards in three games. He points to the five massive guys in front of him on every play.

“It’s all about the line,” Burgos said. “When the ball is snapped the line is the first ones to touch the ball, not me. It’s not I got the rushing yards; It’s my line got the yards. … Running behind them, I’m glad they’re on my team. They are fast and quick off the line. I love running behind them.”

Burgos said running backs coach Jimmy Bragg has been on him about the little things it takes to be a good ball carrier.

“Coach Bragg has been working with me on all the steps,” Burgos said. “He’s the one who’s been on me about how many steps I should take and how to move. He’s been pounding me for this. Everything with coach Bragg is so precise.”

Burgos is still seeing time at receiver, splitting about 50 percent of the time at slot and wide receiver and in the backfield. He had 22 catches for 369 yards and five scores last season and has already racked up 10 grabs for 95 yards and two touchdowns this year.

“Rashuad Daniels, he was kind of the guy I moved around last year in the offense and did some different things,” Browning said. “Eddie is doing that this year. Eddie can pop up at any one of about three or four different spots on offense.”

Senior quarterback Josh Zifer said that versatility makes Burgos dangerous even when he doesn’t have the ball.

“Teams try to line up to stop him, and we’ve got a lot of talent on our team like Ricardo Williams, Matt Watson, Brogan Ronske and Joe (Jean-Baptiste),” Zifer said. “They can catch too, so him playing running back helps spread out our offense.”

Burgos said he has received “strong interest” from Stony Brook University, a Division I program in New York. He said he wants to play in college and believes the ability to play several offensive positions will help accomplish that.

Burgos and Sunlake hosts district rival Mitchell Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

–Stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches

Cici Gonzalez lifts Spartans to last minute conference win

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

University of Tampa (UT) freshman forward Cici Gonzalez knew time was running out as she returned to the field after a break late into the second half against Sunshine State Conference (SSC) rival Saint Leo University (SLU).

The Spartans (7-2, 2-0 SSC) had dominated possession throughout the road contest Sept. 19, but had nothing to show for it through the first 89 minutes.

“I was just thinking we’ve got to get something,” said Gonzalez, a Steinbrenner High graduate. “The whole game I kept thinking it’s going to come, it’s going to come because we kept dominating and attacking.”

SLU freshman goalkeeper Abby Evans made three saves against UT on Sept. 19.

UT finally broke through with 33.4 seconds remaining.

Midfielder Laruen Moore took the ball up the left sideline and found forward Amber Pennybaker in the corner on a through ball. Pennybaker beat the SLU (2-5-1, 1-2-1 SSC) defender and fired a cross into the box that was hit home by Gonzalez to give her squad a 1-0 win.

“I know Amber is really fast,” Gonzalez said. “She’s really good at getting around people, so I thought she’d turn that corner. As soon as I saw her getting in front of the girl, I ran as fast as I could because I knew the pass was coming. I didn’t even see it go in. I just threw myself at it.”

Moore, a Gaither High graduate, said the game was one of the most frustrating of the season. Her squad outshot the Lions 19-4 and practically lived on the Lions’ side of the field.

“We try to keep fighting through that,” Moore said. “It’s what we work on a lot in practice is the fight. If you win all the 50/50 balls it’s going to come. After all that work, we know it’s going to happen. We just kept saying, ‘We’re going to win this game. We have to.’”

Moore, a sophomore, said she had a good feeling as she saw the game-winning play developing.

“I saw Amber making the run, and I thought if I play that ball and she makes that cross it was over,” Moore said. “We’ve scored on so many crosses before. In my head I just thought one more time. I looked at the clock, saw about a minute left, played the ball, she crossed it in and Cici made a great run to put it in. … The whole game was so frustrating. To end on that was just perfect.”

Pennybaker, a sophomore, said she was happy she could redeem herself after what she called a “bad” first half.

“When I was stepping on the field to sub in the game, I was thinking I didn’t have a really effective first half and I wanted to change in the second half,” Pennybaker said. She added, “Moore gave me a good ball, and I couldn’t waste it. I heard (Gonzalez) call my name, and saw her out of the corner of my eyes. I pulled it away from the keeper so she could have a chance to finish.”

UT coach Gerry Lucey said their game plan was executed on all levels up until it came to putting away goals.

“Sometimes we’d shoot the ball too early, not get the right angle or not make the right runs in front of the net to connect with somebody,” Lucey said.

Lucey was happy about the nature of the winning play.

“We work on a lot of things in practice, pattern things like that, so it’s nice to see some good soccer win it at the end, instead of just a lucky goal,” Lucey said. “It worked in terms of finding the right player, cutting in and Cici made a fantastic run. She showed great commitment to get inside the box and finish that off.”

SLU coach Ged O’Connor said he liked the fight out of his young squad that started seven freshmen.

“It’s the experience factor,” O’Connor said. “Unfortunatly we don’t have a lot of seniors who can go in and dominate. They’re learning on the job. We held on as long as we could. We knew we were playing a quality team in UT. It’s always a battle when we play them.”

Saint Leo continues SSC play at home against Eckerd University Sept. 26 starting at 5 p.m. UT plays at conference rival Lynn University Sept. 26 starting at 1 p.m.

Despite departures, Bulls focus on staying at the top

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

Fast rebuilding projects are something the Wiregrass Ranch boys cross country team has become quite good at.

Last year, the Bulls had to replace their top-four runners from a squad that won conference, district and regional championships.

Bulls senior Ben Hall competes during a cross country meet last season. (Photo courtesy of Chris Loth)

Despite the losses, Wiregrass Ranch managed to again sweep its conference, district and regional meets while placing sixth at the Class 3A state final, matching the best result in the program history.

“It was tied for the best performance, but we scored the least points, so it was our best team,” said sixth-year Bulls coach Chris Loth. “Last year was our best team.”

Three of Loth’s top seven graduated from that 2011 squad — Tyler Mattera, David Hill and The Laker/Lutz News Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year Sam Hippely.

The losses have been substantial, but those back from that sixth-place squad have no interest in taking a step back.

“The expectations were high last year because the team has won so much, but everyone thought we’d be worse than we were,” said senior Thor Alastre, who moved up to varsity last season with teammate Ben Hall. “It was fun, exciting to show people we could still do it.”

Hall, a senior, added, “We work really hard to win. This is one of the best sports teams at the school, and we want to keep that reputation. … Coming into last season I knew we’d lost a lot of great runners, and I was really nervous. I knew we’d have to all make up for what we lost, but I knew we still had really good runners.”

Loth said the squad still has plenty of talented runners on his 26-member roster, principle among them seniors Ermias Bireda and Patrick Hill along with Alastre and Hall.

“The top four seniors, we never missed practice this whole summer,” Alastre said. “We run no matter the weather, rain or the sun.”

Loth added that Alastre and Hall are taking over the leadership right now as Bireda and Hill recover from inflammation in their shins from over-training.

“The four seniors we have this year are awesome,” Loth said. “We just have to get them all in the same race, and that’s not going to happen for awhile. People are going to look at us and say we stink, and they’re not going to know what we’re really like and that we’re still a good team until conference when everyone is back. Conference, I think, will be the first meet where we’re all running together and all in shape.”

Loth’s said his confidence comes from the fact that his runners are not only talented, but also because they are completely committed to keeping Wiregrass Ranch at the top of every meet they enter.

“Being on this team has been the best part of my high school experience, really,” Hall said. “I got to meet so many great kids, and we’ve done a lot of winning, which makes it more fun of course.”

Hall, whose personal record (PR) in a 5-kilometer race is 16 minutes 52 seconds, said he had no interest in running before high school.

“I was kind of a lazy kid, but my friend Tyler said I should join the cross country team,” said Hall, who wants to cut his time to 16:30. “Once I did, I realized all my friends were on the team, and I really liked it.”

Alastre (PR 17:05, goal 16:30) added, “It’s an indescribable feeling being a part of this team. Our slower runners are faster than the top guys on a lot of other teams. It’s challenging because one week someone runs the best, and the next week it’s someone else. It pushes you to be your best.”

That push is currently coming from a group of young runners who want to secure a varsity spot while Bireda and Hill are recovering.

“We have our best group of freshmen in years,” Loth said. “We had two freshmen debut in the low 20s and Keval (Patel) is also right there, and I’ve got two more right behind them. I think by the end of this season those guys are going to push the other guys. I’m confident that we’re developing very well, and I expect to see a couple freshmen in the postseason for the first time in five years.”

The Bulls will compete at the FLRunners.com Invitational in Titusville on Sept. 29.

 

Wiregrass Ranch’s top-10 runners

Thor Alastre, Sr.

Ermias Bireda, Sr.

Brennan Cameli, Jr.

Stefan Dordevic, So.

Ben Hall, Sr.

Patrick Hill, Sr.

Andy Hippely, So.

Jarred Lanier, Jr.

Christian Suriel, Fr.

Collin Tifft, So.

Steinbrenner stays perfect against Freedom

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

The Steinbrenner volleyball team took a big step toward securing the No. 1 seed in the Class 7A-District 9 tournament with a 25-23, 25-19, 25-16 victory at home against Freedom Sept. 20.

The win not only moves the Warriors (8-3) to 2-0 in 7A-9 play, but also improves their all-time record against district opponents to 28-0. They also remain perfect in their five matches against the Patriots (8-4), who they beat for the district title last year.

The Warriors needed only three sets to defeat Freedom, but it was far from an easy night for the home team. The Patriots led for 32 of the 44 plays in the second set, but the Warriors were able to pull out critical points when it mattered most.

Ashley Wilson

“They were riding with us the whole time,” said Warriors junior outside hitter Rachel Mathison. “We had to really battle back a couple of times. … We’re so determined to win.”

Steinbrenner coach Laura Stegenga said the focus in recent practice has been on the frontline attack. The Warriors were averaging 20.2 kills per match entering the contest, but racked up 42 against Freedom. Mathison had a team-high 16, sophomore Avery Bradshaw posted seven and senior Madison Seuzeneau added five.

“Early we focused on backline defense and serve receive, and that’s been our strength,” Stegenga said. “We went back in the gym and had a purpose with our hitting, and I thought every time my hitters went up to swing tonight there had a purpose. That made their consistency so much stronger than what it’s been in the past.”

Steinbrenner sophomore middle hitter Lauren Heldt said the increase in the offense is a result of the backline and setters.

“The passing was perfect,” said Heldt, who had five kills. “(The ball) is where it needs to be, and it makes it easy for the hitters.”

Stegenga said another focus was blocking, especially on Patriots senior outside hitter Jasmyn Perry.

“We knew that Jasmyn was their key play and key hitter, so yesterday at practice we adjusted to her,” Stegenga said. “By having that double block shading in toward Jasmyn we were able to execute.”

Perry had 14 kills, but she was greatly limited in her attack by the 6-foot-1 Heldt.

“We’ve all worked really hard at blocking in practice, and we knew she was their big hitter,” Heldt said. “We knew we had to stay on her. I had Avery (Bradshaw) and Madison Powell on my right side. We just closed every time, and it was fantastic.”

Mathison said she knew Heldt would be able to hold Perry in check.

“We told her not to think about it,” Mathison said. “Just get her feet there and block. She doesn’t even have to jump to get over the net. She’s a brick house right there.”

Her team has yet to drop a set against a Hillsborough County opponent this year, but Stegenga said she wants to see her squad jump on opponents quicker.

“We always seem to have a slow start, and then all of a sudden we think we’ve got to play,” Stegenga said. “I’m going to come up with drills to start executing plays from the beginning. … I have a lot of athletic, good volleyball players who can play multiple positions. I might start experimenting with them to see how to maximize their potential.”

Freedom coach Kerry Short said she liked the fight from her team.

“We knew coming in and playing at Steinbrenner was going to be tough,” Short said. “They had the home court advantage, but I think we got a good look at what’s to come in the district finals.”

Warriors junior setter Casey McLean had 19 assists, while sophomore setter Brooke Royals recorded 17. Senior libero Natalia Campos posted 20 digs, Seuzeneau recorded 11 and Mathison had eight.

Steinbrenner played at Alonso, while Freedom hosted 7A-9 rival Chamberlain Sept. 24, but results were not available by press time. The Warriors travel to Wharton Oct. 1, the same night the Patriots host Alonso. All matches start at 7:30 p.m.