The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Senate map rejected, House’s finalized

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Florida House of Representatives won’t have to worry about redistricting for another 10 years, but the Senate is back to the drawing board.

The Florida Supreme Court rejected the state Senate’s new map for its own districts by a 5-2 decision. The main objection was the new alignment did not follow the Fair Districts amendment passed last election cycle, which is meant to eliminate gerrymandering.

“We conclude that the challengers have demonstrated that the Senate plan, but not the House plan, violates the constitutional requirements,” reads the court’s majority opinion written by Justice Barbara Pariente. “We therefore declare the Senate plan constitutionally invalid and the House plan constitutionally valid.”

The court pointed out eight districts as being in violation of state law, none of which are in the Tampa Bay area. The Senate will have to come up with a new plan in time for the primary elections in August.

The Republican-controlled state Senate received criticism from Democrats almost as soon as it proposed the new lines late last year.

“The ruling by the Florida Supreme Court rejecting as unconstitutional the proposed Senate district lines underlined all of the warnings which went unheeded during the redistricting committee hearings and the ultimate vote,” said Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich. “The Supreme Court saw the same troubling issues of discrimination and favoritism as the Senate Democrats who voted against these maps, and which go against every fiber of the Constitution’s new anti-gerrymandering amendments overwhelmingly passed by the majority of Florida’s voters.”

The Fair Districts amendment prohibits lawmakers from drawing alignments to favor incumbents or political parties, requires the districts to keep minority voting rights and follow major boundaries like roads, waterways and city/community lines whenever possible.

The Senate’s map was challenged by the Florida Democratic Party, The National Council of La Raza, the League of Women Voters and Common Cause of Florida all on the grounds that they were created to keep Republicans in power.

The House’s districts were unanimously passed by the Court. State Rep. Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel), the redistricting committee chairman, was happy the lines were passed by the 7-0 vote.

“I am pleased the Florida Supreme Court agrees that the House redistricting map meets the requirements of Florida’s constitution and is legally compliant,” Weatherford said. “The House map is the product of an unprecedented level of public outreach, committee meetings with members on both sides of the aisle and a careful and thorough review of our constitutional redistricting requirements. Our map prioritizes sound principles over politics and I’m proud of my colleagues for producing a legally compliant map that accurately reflects the wishes of residents from around the state.”

All government district lines must be redrawn every 10 years to reflect changes in population found by the Census. Both Pasco and Hillsborough counties have passed commission boundaries, but the latter is being challenged by the Hispanic Democratic Caucus.

The House and Senate combined to draw the lines for Florida’s Congressional districts. The Court has not ruled on those alignments.

Steinbrenner takes district lead with win over Wiregrass Ranch

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By Jeff Odom

Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

The Steinbrenner baseball team knocked off Wiregrass Ranch 9-4 on March 23 to claim the Class 7A-District 9 lead.

Senior pitcher Chris Williams, a St. Leo University signee, went 5.1 innings while striking out four batters en route to his third win of the season.

Steinbrenner senior pitcher Chris Williams went 5.1 innings to beat district rival Wiregrass Ranch 9-4 on March 23.

“It’s about time,” Williams said. “It’s been a wild ride so far this year. I think we have a very good team and all of the guys are great and early on we struggled a little bit, but we’ve really pulled it together these past couple weeks.”

The Warriors (9-6) didn’t waste much time getting to Bulls (11-3) senior pitcher Ryan Kopenski (4-2, 2.67 ERA) as the hit parade began early in the third inning. With shortstop Stone Ramsey standing on third base, centerfielder Kevin Merrell busted a double down the first base line to score the senior and give the Warriors an early advantage.

Steinbrenner coach John Crumbley said the game plan was to take advantage of every scoring situation given to his team.

“What we’ve done the last two district games against Freedom and Wiregrass, is have a lot more quality swings throughout the game,” Crumbley said. “The little things that we try to work on have worked in situations, and the kids have come through.”

With his team up by four in the fourth inning, Williams faced a tough task with two runners on and one out. But after Bulls first baseman Joel Marin moved both into scoring position, Williams used a heavy dose of movement in his pitches sending his counterpart, Kopenski, back to the dugout with his third strikeout.

“I never have liked a 1-2-3 inning, ever, so anytime I get into the jam, I’m used to it by now,” Williams said. “I just told myself ‘take a deep breath and just make the pitch.’ That’s my mindset right there.”

In the top of the sixth, the Warriors would begin to pull away by tacking on four more runs and chasing two pitchers out of the game. Junior designated hitter Cole Gordon started the inning with a solo home run. It gave his squad momentum as Steinbrenner loaded the bases twice in the inning thanks to a pair of walks and two base hits.

Crumbley said his team knows it doesn’t have much time left to get wins before the district tournament in April and has to stay focused.

“I just think we’ve done the little things we preach in practice and we’ve done them better this week,” Crumbley said. “If you can’t be fired up to come out here and play the game, because it’s going to end for everybody sooner or later, then I don’t know what I can tell you.”

Williams adds the team has to stay consistent to keep its No. 1 seed.

“We definitely have to do the same thing we’ve been doing,” Williams said. “We have the guys who can hit the long ball, and we just have to get guys over. We didn’t do that at the first part of the season, but recently we have and we’ve been very successful with that.”

Steinbrenner hosts district rival Chamberlain, while Wiregrass Ranch travels fellow 7A-9 member Freedom on March 27. Both games start at 7 p.m.

–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches

Wharton High staffer wants to make a true difference in students’ lives

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By B.C. Manion

 

Leena Hasbini is seated at her desk, when a student in a ROTC uniform, approaches.

He wants to know if he can get a fee waiver for a college admission test.

She asks him a few questions, clicks her fingers across her keyboard, and in moments has him set up for the waiver he needs.

A little while later, a mother drops in to Wharton High’s Student Success Center. She wants to know how her twin sons can qualify for a Bright Futures scholarship.

Hasbini sets to work immediately, answering the woman’s questions and printing out information for her to take home.

The Wharton High assistant teacher then shifts her attention to a group of students who recently took a field trip to a college. She wants to see what they thought of the visit and whether any of them is interested in attending the college.

Those interactions – over roughly a half-hour — offer a glimpse into Hasbini’s daily quest to help students plug in to educational opportunities that may change their lives.

Her work to expand students’ horizons recently led to the 22-year-old being named Instructional Support Employee of the Year for Hillsborough County public schools.

“I didn’t expect it at all. I was somewhat in shock. I felt like other people deserved it,” said Hasbini, who began working at Wharton when she was 19.

“How do you differentiate from what I do and what a custodian does and what a school secretary does? How do you figure that out?”

She may be humble about the honor, but she’s enjoying the recognition.

“My house looks like a florist shop,” she said.

“It’s so amazing. I feel like they feel like I’ve cured cancer or something. I didn’t do anything that special. I just come to work and I do my job and I make it work.”

She’s pleased to bring honor to Wharton.

“I think it brings a lot of positive recognition to my school,” said Hasbini, who graduated from Newsome High at 17, received her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida at 19 and will receive her master’s degree in May.

For now, Hasbini plans to focus on school guidance work, but ultimately, she pictures herself in an administrative role at the district level. As a finalist for the district award, she met with schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia.

“When I interviewed with the superintendent, I told her: ‘Twenty years from now, I want your job.’ ”

While her official title is assistant teacher, around Wharton she’s known as the Success Center manager.

The center offers students assistance, including career readiness, career interest inventories and college applications. It has books students can check out to prepare for SAT and ACT tests and there’s a filing cabinet full of practice exams.

Hasbini said she works on the college readiness piece of Wharton’s school grade.

“Basically, I work with the seniors that either haven’t taken the SAT or the ACT or their scores are right below the cutoff and that impacts our school grade. The more kids that we have that go above the cutoff, the more points we get.”

She’s relentless in pushing students to take the test or to take it over. Last year, 98 percent of the juniors signed up for the test and 68 percent took it. This year, the goal is for 99 percent to sign up, with a completion rate of at least 75 percent.

Hasbini said she understands how education can change a life because her experiences have changed her. She said Joanne Brabham, her guidance counselor at Newsome High, was her hero during high school – and still is.

“She’s a really good motivator and cheerleader and supporter. When nobody else believed that I could do it, she said, ‘don’t listen to them. You can do it.’

“She encouraged me when a lot of other people didn’t,” Hasbini said.

“She just made a huge impact on my life and really reframed how I view education, how you can really make a difference in somebody’s life and how that change can multiply,” Hasbini added.

Besides helping her at Newsome, Brabham – who used to work at Wharton – was instrumental in helping Hasbini get her job.

“I tell her: ‘You helped me so now I can go and help other students and they’re going to help other people.’ It’s like paying it forward,” Hasbini said.

Seventeen-year-old Selena Fernandez, who transferred to Wharton last year, said Hasbini inspired her to change her attitude about school.

“When I came out here I was really lost and I was really unmotivated. I was super depressed. I really didn’t want to be in school at all. I was about to give up completely.

“I felt alone. When you come to a big school like this, you feel really lost.

“Now, I love Wharton because of her. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be in school. I was just about to give up,” said Fernandez, who wants to study broadcast journalism. “She really motivates me.”

Fernandez said Hasbini has helped her line up public speaking engagements that give her exposure and help her network.

In recommending Hasbini, Wharton High’s nominating committee praised her character and work habits. They describe her as “a highly intelligent, insightful and caring individual who approaches her work with an incredible amount of dedication and commitment.”

“When she discovered that our students didn’t have adequate test preparation materials for the SAT and ACT, she set out to build a lending resource library, not only writing and receiving a $700 grant through our school’s PTSA to purchase brand-new books, but also soliciting and attaining donations of materials to give away to students who truly needed them.”

Hasbini stepped in when Wharton’s college and career counselor took an emergency medical leave, “to make sure that our students and parents received the guidance and support they needed,” the nominating committee wrote. The committee also praised her for organizing events, recruiting volunteers, assisting classroom teachers and preparing materials for parents and students.

“Perhaps Leena’s most significant accomplishment is the development of our Edline Guidance page,” the committee wrote. “She has devoted the past three years to creating and maintaining an invaluable resource for our school community that matches that of professional for-profit organizations.”

You can see Hasbini’s handiwork at www.edline.net/pages/Wharton_High_School/CollegeCareerCounselor.

Sunlake High teacher is Pasco County’s teacher of the year

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Carla Nolan’s students are not surprised she won

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Carla Nolan’s affinity for teaching and drama began when she was quite young.

As soon as she could talk, she was teaching her dolls.

By age 5, she was directing neighborhood kids in musical variety shows.

Growing up as the daughter of an educator, Nolan recalls being at her mom’s school — arranging classrooms, creating bulletin boards and stuffing mailboxes – on teacher planning days.

She recalls the fun she had putting up seasonal decorations and remembers being attracted to the camaraderie of the teachers, and, of course, to the cinnamon rolls the kitchen staff baked on planning days.

The Sunlake High reading and drama teacher, this year’s Pasco County teacher of the year, now sets a positive tone in her Land O’ Lakes classroom.

During a recent reading class, students stood in a circle taking turns announcing sentences and clapping to the beat of each syllable. At another point, Nolan read aloud to students, probing them occasionally to relate themes in the book to their lives beyond the classroom.

Students play phonemic awareness games, learn Latin and Greek roots, go on scavenger word hunts for unfamiliar terms and use context clues to figure them out. Nolan also helps students sharpen their writing skills as part of a school-wide initiative to foster better writing.

Students in her intensive reading class said they know she wants them to learn.

“She’s taught me a lot,” said 17-year-old Angelique Dorsey.

“She explains things,” said 14-year-old Kaitlin Duenas. “If you repeat questions, she doesn’t get mad.”

“I think she really does care about us,” said Felicia Johnson-Rollock, 18: “I think she believes a lot in you.”

In her submission for the award, Nolan noted that she subscribes to Abraham Maslow’s theory known as the hierarchy of needs.

“I believe that students will respond if their basic physiological needs are met, they are physically safe in their surroundings, they feel a sense of ‘belongingness’ in the classroom, and they know that their interactions will be respected by their classmates and their teacher.”

She’s not married to time constraints and believes students should be involved in setting their learning goals, so they’ll be responsible for their learning and invested in the outcome.

“I do not believe that every strategy is appropriate for every student, and I work to provide options to my students to honor their learning styles, strengths, and needs,” she wrote.

Her drama students said that philosophy is apparent in her classes. Students do vocal warm-ups, work on improvisation, collaborate on scene development and learn the history and vocabulary of the theater.

During one class, students did a read-through of a play by Mark Kaufmann, a California writer. When the actors finished, the entire class offered comments in a vetting exercise aimed at helping Kaufmann improve his piece. The writer asked for the students’ feedback, after becoming acquainted with them last year when they rehearsed his play, “Betsy’s Inconvenient Garden,” Nolan said.

Nolan asked if the class could speak to Kaufmann to get a better understanding of his play, and the playwright agreed.

“We all came in on a Saturday and we Skyped with him,” Nolan said.

“We got clarification on the play and the characters and all that from him. He really liked the kids. They were very funny and creative in their questioning.”

That’s why he wanted to know what the kids think of his latest script, Nolan said.

The drama students said they’re not a bit surprised Nolan won the countywide honor.

“I thought she would get it sometime in her lifetime,” said 18-year-old Lucas Witthoeft. “She has zero tolerance for people slacking off,” said the second-year drama student.

Seventeen-year-old Jay Fernandez, another senior, said he was thrilled for Nolan.

“I let her know that she deserves it. To me, she’s more than a teacher. She’s a friend,” he said.

Eighteen-year-old Meghan Collins has taken drama all four years of high school, but didn’t transfer to Sunlake High until her junior year. She called the class a “delicious, helpful, fun soufflé.”

Cathy Lorenzo, 16, said Nolan is adept at working with students at every level.

“She can interact with her students and not let them feel stupid.”

Meghan Nolan, 14, who is in her mother’s drama class, is thrilled by her mom’s achievement. “It is awesome,” she said. “She loves what she does.”

Business Digest for March 21

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Microloan program

gets more support

Pasco County residents Tim and Patricia Tangredi have donated $10,000 to the Pasco Economic Development Council’s microloan program, designed to help small businesses get off the ground.

The Tangredi’s company, Dais Analytic Corp., was a startup in the Rensselaer incubator working on developing fuel cells when it decided to come to Florida in 1998. Pasco County incentives and assistance from the Pasco EDC helped them make the move. Dais Analytic has since grown to more than 25 employees and recently ranked no. 2 on the list of energy companies to watch in Forbes Magazine.

“There is a human side to getting involved in the microloan fund and that is knowing the assistance you are able to provide to deserving business people trying hard each and every day,” said Tim Tangredi. “Just a bit of financial assistance and good professional advice may mean the difference between success and failure.”

The microloan program lends money to small businesses located in Pasco County and offer entrepreneurs free technical assistance and training to help work through the challenges of starting or growing a new business. For more information, call (813) 926-0827.

 

People skills

Managers can hone their people skills at a seminar on Thursday, March 22 from 8:30-10 a.m. entitled “Why Don’t Your Employees Work As Hard As You?” The workshop is hosted by the Pasco Economic Development Council in conjunction with Career Central and the Pasco Hernando Workforce Board. Kelley Rexroad of krex consulting will lead the seminar at Pasco EDC, 16506 Pointe Village Drive, Lutz. There is a $5 charge for a light breakfast. To reserve a spot, visit www.pascoedc.com/events or call (888) 60-PASCO.

 

Change at the helm

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce board of directors announces the departure of Executive Director Kathy Dunkley, with appreciation for her 15 years of service. The chamber is seeking a local candidate who is passionate about the Central Pasco community. For information on job qualifications contact the chamber at . Candidates can email a resume and three references to Chamber President Dennis Esber at .

 

Parade of Homes grows

Nearly 90 model homes by 36 builders in more than 50 Tampa Bay communities will open to the public for the 2012 Tampa Bay Parade of Homes™ running through April 1 in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. This year’s parade boasts a 26 percent increase in entries from last year, and a 70 percent rise from the market bottom in 2009. Parade homes will display the latest designs and housing trends. Model homes will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday throughout the parade. For further information about TBBA, call (813) 571-TBBA, or visit www.tbba.net.

 

Builder acquires area home sites

Meritage Homes will open in four communities by April 1 as it launches a Tampa division, Brian Kittle, vice president of sales for Meritage Homes. The company recently acquired 31 home sites at Wellington Manor in Lutz, in addition to sites in The Estuary at Mobbly Bay in Oldsmar, and Crystal Preserve and Bella Casa in North Tampa. Kittle said Meritage will open model homes in April. For more information, call Brian Kittle at (407) 712-8641 or email .

 

Commercial Realtors get liaison at Pasco EDC

Tom Ryan is the new economic development manager for the Pasco Economic Development Council, responsible for working with the commercial real estate community to bring new developments, businesses and jobs to Pasco County. He will inform developers of cash incentives, fast permitting and opportunities available in Pasco. Ryan views the EDC as a local resource, adding, “We have a big toolbox.”

Ryan’s experience includes 16 years in commercial real estate in Central Ohio. He said he is excited to work on Pasco County’s behalf: “Our economy is improving and now is the time for new and existing businesses to plan for the future.”

 

Land sale in Odessa

Ross Realty Group has closed the sale of 14.97 acres on Lutz-Lake Fern Road. The seller was Stearns Bank and the buyer was Martha Korman.

 

Law firm adds shareholder

The Dade City-based law firm of Johnson, Auvil, Brock & Pratico, P.A., has grown,

Steven C. Pratico as its newest shareholder. Pratico graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 2001. His areas of practice include business and commercial litigation, contract disputes, foreclosure litigation, real estate law, employment law, and general litigation. Prior to law school, Pratico attended Rutgers University and Bucknell University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and economics. He also played football at both schools, and he remains involved with college football as a member of the Outback Bowl’s board of directors and team selection committee. Pratico sits on the bard of the Pasco County Ducks Unlimited chapter, the local arm of the largest non-governmental conservator of wetlands in North America.

 

Hospice adds interns

Gulfside Regional Hospice has added seven social work interns and one spiritual care intern for the spring semester. The interns will shadow Gulfside staff members to learn about their selected fields. The new social work interns are Kelly Beadle, Cheryl Maximo, Mandy Ronuckeo, Pearl Lamourt, Allana Fernandez, Jennie Pearson Yingling and Lee-Ann Losee, and Tedd Weiser, a spiritual care intern. Seven attend Saint Leo University, while Losee attends the University of North Dakota. Gulfside Regional Hospice serves more than 300 patients daily. For more information, call (727) 845-5707 or visit www.GRHospice.org.

 

Start a business

The Service Corps of Retired Executives, SCORE, will hold a seminar on “How to Really Start Your Own Business” on Thursday, March 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the New River Branch Library, 34043 SR 54, Zephyrhills. For more information, call (727) 842-4638.

 

Time to network

The East Pasco Networking Group has lined up speakers for upcoming meetings. On Tuesday, March 27, the speaker will Steve Van Gordon, principal of Zephyrhills High, president-elect of the Zephyrhills chamber and candidate for Zephyrhills mayor. The April 10 speaker is Roberta Cutting, candidate for Pasco circuit court clerk. On April 24, school board district 2 candidate Joanne Hurley will speak, and on May 8, Ron Oakley, county commission district 1 candidate, will speak. The starting time is 8:30 a.m. at the Village Inn, 5414 Gall Blvd.

 

Stone Creek sales

Mobley Homes has launched sales for the final phase of six townhomes in Stone Creek, a neighborhood of 78 townhomes off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in New Tampa. Stone Creek offers three floor plans ranging from 1,239 square feet to 1,552 square feet from the mid-$100s. The designs – all with water or nature views – provide two and three bedrooms, 2.5 baths and one- or two-car garages. The sales office is 19221 Stone Hedge Drive. For more information call (813) 293-1533 or (813) 416-6579.

 

Get a business loan

The Service Corps of Retired Executives, SCORE, will hold a seminar on “How to Successfully Obtain a Business Loan” on Tuesday, March 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway. For more information, call (727) 842-4638.

 

Women N Charge

April Saland will speak at the next Women N Charge meeting Friday, April 6 on “Top 10 Insurance Myths.” The meeting is at 11:30 a.m. at the Pebble Creek Golf and Country Club.

 

Hillsborough hires

economic development director

Hillsborough County has hired Ronald D. Barton as director of economic development. As executive director for Jacksonville’s Economic Development Commission, Barton was instrumental in attracting more than 6,400 jobs and $514 million in capital investment. Barton also has worked for the city of St. Petersburg as director of economic development and property management, and as a partner in real estate and hospitality consulting with KPMG. He holds a bachelor of science in real estate from Florida State University, and an MBA with an emphasis on economics from the University of North Florida. He starts March 5 at a salary of $125,000.

 

Medical assistant hired

Julia Barile has been appointed medical assistant for Florida Cancer Affiliates, a newly formed, community-based medical oncology and hematology practice. Barile comes from Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope, where she served as a medical assistant and phlebotomist. FCA is a partner of Moffitt Cancer Center and The US Oncology Network, one of the nation’s largest community-based cancer treatment and research networks.

 

 

While rebuilding, Steinbrenner eyes third straight district title

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By Jeff Odom

Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

For a squad that has taken home a pair of district titles in its first two years, the word rebuilding is unfamiliar to the Steinbrenner girls tennis team.

Steinbrenner sophomore Grace Korta is hoping to get back to the state tournament after finishing as an individual Class 2A state semifinalist a year ago.

The Warriors (8-1) lost their No. 2 Kaleigh Wagner and Taylor Brennan to graduation. However, the team adds a handful of new players and returns its No. 1 Grace Korta, who finished as a state semifinalist and was the All-Laker/All-Lutz News Player of the Year as a freshman.

Second-year coach Domenic Colangelo said the program is competitive across the board, and his team is buying into the necessary changes made after losing so many key players.

“I’ve really focused this year on bringing all the girls up, experience wise,” Colangelo said. “We’re trying to push them beyond what they thought they were possible of, and they’ve all reacted positively and have seen some great results.”

Korta adds that while the matches won’t get any easier, the family-like atmosphere around the team is enough to keep them in the hunt for victories.

Warriors coach Domenic Colangelo said he is more proud of his current squad than any he has been a part of.

“It’s amazing to be able to be No. 1 and support the team,” said Korta, a sophomore. “As a high school tennis player it’s mainly an individual sport because you’re out there by yourself, but having the team to come together and support one another it’s definitely a good experience.”

It will be a tougher road to the district crown, as the Warriors move into Class 4A-District 6 with Gaither, Freedom, Wharton and last season’s state champion Plant. Colangelo said the standards of success are set for the program, but knows the cards will have to fall in the team’s favor to claim the three-peat.

“Our goal is always going to be a district title,” Colangelo said. “But in the end, it’s all about the girls gaining experience and (the school) continuing to get recognized in the district and countywide that we are a force to be reckoned with.”

The fight that Colangelo sees in this team to get the big wins is something he said he’s never seen before.

“Every time girls have been out, the other girls have stepped up and saved the day,” Colangelo said. “We had a match against Tampa Prep that was rain delayed and was only halfway over and we were down. When we finished the match one week later, Erika Smitten our No. 3 and Kiernan O’Keefe our No. 4 both came from down sets and won their matches and we won the day. It was my Disney miracle. … That’s been the story throughout the season, and I’m so proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

Colangelo said even if the squad is denied its third consecutive district championship, the season will still be special to him.

“I have to say, out of all the years I’ve coached different sports, this squad is the squad that I’m most proud of,” Colangelo said. “I like to make a difference with the athletes that I coach and these girls have gelled, bonded and pretty much done whatever I’ve asked them to do and then some. If I had to retire today, I would say I had the best squad ever and that’s the one right now.”

Wharton hosts the 4A-6 tournament at Hunters Green Country Club starting on Monday, April 4 at 8 a.m.

Freshmen add new skill to talented Bulls squad

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By Kyle LoJacono

Two years ago the Wiregrass Ranch girls tennis team made the state tournament for the first time in program history, but could not get past districts last season.

The early exit has spurred the returning Bulls (8-2) to redouble their efforts, and two freshmen have added new talent to the squad looking to get back to the postseason.

Wiregrass Ranch freshman Star Makarome has dominated the local tennis scene, losing no matches as the Bulls’ No. 1.

“I’ve been practicing since the end of last season because I want the team to go really far this year,” said senior Leilani Cubero. She then added, “I think states is a possibility. I’m very confident in our team. I’ve seen how we all play, and I think we can go far.”

Fellow senior Jordanyné Fye was on the team with Cubero that reached states, and said the current squad is similar to the one that made a deep playoff run two years ago.

“I feel like we’re a step above last year,” Jordanyné said. “We’ve got three seniors in the top five, so we know what to expect. We’re helping the freshmen so they know they can do it and we can do it to get past districts.”

Freshman Star Makarome is a big reason Wiregrass Ranch has confidence. The 5-foot phenom is the Bulls No. 1 player, winning all five of her singles matches while dropping only one game. She has helped replace last year’s top player Hannah Still, who is playing at Huntingdon College in Alabama on scholarship.

Makarome announced her presence on Pasco County’s tennis scene on March 8 when she won 6-0, 6-0 against three-time state qualifier from Zephyrhills’ Sarah Vande Berg, who has lost only two regular season singles matches the last two years.

Wiregrass Ranch senior Jordanyné Fye works on her backhand during a recent practice.

Makarome plays many national junior tournaments. She said she enjoys the team format in high school tennis.

“I just go out and try to have fun,” said Makarome, who started playing around age 4. “Tennis is such an individual sport, but in high school you get to have a team. Here you get to cheer people on. … I don’t have any sisters, so I think of the team as my sisters. They’ve made the experience really fun. I love them all.”

Also adding youth is freshman Tiffany Garner.

“The older girls have been really welcoming,” Garner said. “A lot of times freshmen get treated badly in high school, but on this team they don’t care.”

Third-year Bulls coach Jewell Fye, Jordanyné’s mother, is thrilled for the future of the program.

“Two freshmen, No. 1 and No. 4, and they’re both great additions to the team,” Jewell said. “We really needed that after losing Hannah. I’m really excited about what they can do.”

Makarome has given Wiregrass Ranch a strong punch at the top, but it’s the overall depth of the Nos. 1-5 that gives the Bulls a chance in every match.

“You need to have a strong one through five,” Jordanyné said. “One cannot carry the match for the team. Even if you lose one, the others are there to back them up.”

The team’s depth is illustrated by the fact that Makarome has only been able to play in half of the team’s matches while working around her national tennis schedule. When she cannot attend her teammates play one spot above their normal rankings, giving them experience against tougher players while still winning consistently.

Only nondistrict Pasco and the Academy of the Holy Names have beaten Wiregrass Ranch, and both losses were 4-3.

The success has given the Bulls confidence playing in Class 4A-District 5, a grouping with five Hillsborough County schools. Wiregrass Ranch beat district rival Newsome, a team that has made the playoffs three of the last four years, 5-2 in the fourth match.

The win against the Wolves mixed with improvement in practice has the Bulls excited for the 4A-5 tournament.

“I think we can do really well,” Makarome said. “We’ve been working on our weaknesses and getting better every day. If we keep doing that and play hard we should all do really well.”

Newsome hosts the 4A-5 meet at Riverhills Golf & Country Club, 3943 New River Hills Parkway in Valrico, April 2-3.

Steinbrenner primed for first playoff berth

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Steinbrenner flag football team missed making the playoffs for the first time last year by chance — literally.

Steinbrenner junior quarterback Alexandra Fernandez threw for 1,157 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 320 rushing yards last year.

The Warriors finished in a three-way tie for the last two spots in the district tournament. A chance drawing sent Gaither and Wharton to the postseason, while Steinbrenner had to wonder about what went wrong.

“It’s something we’ve thought about a lot since then, and it’s the ultimate goal for the girls to get to the playoffs,” said first-year Warriors coach Gregg Puskas. “We were very frustrated with how it ended. The team this year has put forth the idea of being the first team to make the playoffs.”

One reason the postseason is in sight for Steinbrenner is it returns all but one player. Turnover is high in flag football as most girls don’t pick it up for a couple years or forgo their senior season if they have a college scholarship for other sports to not risk injury.

“I feel like we’re 10-times better than we were last year,” said junior linebacker Alysaa Dawson. “We’ve got a lot of players back who know the defense and the plays. We don’t have to learn things for the first time. We just have to polish things up.”

Steinbrenner junior quarterback Alexandra Fernandez fights to escape would-be tacklers during a recent practice.

Other key returners include all-Western Conference selections Morgan Melatti and Cary Anne Bame, along with junior quarterback Alexandra Fernandez.

“Last year I was figuring out the rules and learning the plays,” said Fernandez, who threw for 1,157 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2011. “Last year I’d go to the sidelines and coach Puskas would call the play and I wouldn’t get it. I’d have to think about what to do. Now I’ve called the plays so many times I know exactly what to do.”

Puskas is also accustomed to the program, spending last year as an offensive assistant.

The Warriors also add young talent, including freshmen starters Remi Brantley and Jessica Taylor.

“We have a bunch of girls who are really committed,” said Taylor, a wide receiver. “A lot of people think it’s a joke because it’s girls, but we’re a team and we care a lot about winning and each other.”

The squad had 45 girls attending 6 a.m. conditioning before school to prepare for the season.

“It was an awesome thing to have girls that committed to the sport,” Puskas said. “You know it means something to them. They aren’t out here going through the motions. They want to win.”

Steinbrenner has created a winning tradition in the school’s three-year history, including four district championships this year alone. That competiveness is rubbing off on the flag football program.

“I saw the girls basketball team win districts for the first time this year,” Dawson said. “I thought we can do the same thing this same year. We can put our year up there on the banner and come back in 20 years and see that we’re the ones who started it.”

Taylor added, “I think we have a good enough team for that to start this year. We just have to keep our heads up, grow as a team and strive to be the best. If we do that we will be the best.”

The Warriors have to navigate one of the toughest districts in the state. District 16 includes Freedom, which has two district championships and has made the playoffs every year since Hillsborough County sanctioned flag football in 2007. Gaither has also never missed the postseason.

District 16 also includes Alonso, which finished as the state runner-up the last two years.

“I talk a lot with Alonso’s coach (Matt Hernandez), and I use that opportunity to learn from him because he’s the best in the area,” Puskas said. “We want to get to that level not just this year, but every year.”

Fernandez said the tough district will make them stronger.

“If we played bad teams we won’t get better,” Fernandez said. “Playing the hard teams sets the bar high, and we have to keep going up and up to meet that.”

Steinbrenner opens the season hosting Plant on Tuesday, March 20 before traveling to district rival Leto on Thursday, March 22. Both games start at 7:30 p.m.

Gators poised for another late-season run

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Land O’ Lakes girls tennis team entered last year’s district tournament with an 8-4 record and rode late-season momentum to a runner-up performance.

Freshman Kavya Avancha has injected some new talent to the Gators squad, taking over the No. 2 position.

It was the only time in the last 10 years the Gators have made the postseason. The squad is currently 7-3 and appears ready for another surge as the crunch time nears.

“I feel like we have a better skill level this year,” said sophomore Cori Arndt. “We have some freshmen who are really good, and we work well together.”

One of those freshmen is Kavya Avancha, who has risen to the No. 2 position on the squad while showing an aggressive mentality not normally seen in high school tennis.

“Once you get a chance you should take it,” Avancha said. “You might hit a couple out, but you’ll beat better players by going for the shot.”

The squad is without last year’s No. 1 Wenyi “Wendy” Gu, who has graduated. Linzi Arndt, Cori’s sister, has taken over the top spot.

“Linzi has taken on that role as the leader,” said Land O’ Lakes third-year coach Samantha DelValle. “She just shows that leadership quality that Wendy had as a senior. I don’t think anyone can replace Wendy, but Linzi has done a wonderful job at No. 1.”

Linzi isn’t used to her spot on top of the Gators’ rankings.

Land O’ Lakes senior Linzi Arndt has risen to the squad’s No. 1 spot.

“I have butterflies; I’m nervous,” Linzi said. “I’ve never been No. 1 before. We have a really talented group of girls, so if we stay strong and keep it together as a team we have a good shot.”

Linzi said the squad’s depth is what may allow them to make back-to-back postseasons.

“I think our lower number players are even stronger than before,” Linzi said. “Wendy was really good at No. 1 but this year we have a really good 2 through 5 and that might push us over the edge. … We had a lot of heart last year, and this year we still have that and the bonus of some very talented freshmen.”

Land O’ Lakes’ record is similar to a year ago, but all three losses have been 4-3. Those close decisions, added to the squad’s late-season run a year ago past higher seeded teams, give the Gators confidence as districts approach.

“We lost two district matches to Central and Zephyrhills, but it was really close,” DelValle said. “Then we beat River Ridge 5-2, and we hadn’t beaten them in forever, so we talk about how things change every day. … Last year taught us to not underestimate ourselves. We went in (to districts) thinking the powerhouses from the year before were still going to be in place, so it showed us we can beat anyone. Don’t think we’re going to lose going into any match.”

Linzi said the team’s closeness helps them pull out tough matches. That togetherness is something created by DelValle’s methods.

“She’s very encouraging and fosters a team spirit,” Linzi said. “A lot of other teams don’t have that because tennis is a sport that you can really easily start competing against each other. You’re fighting for rankings, but with coach it’s about the team and cheering the team on. If one of your teammates is down they need you to help them get through. It’s not about you — it’s about fighting together.”

DelValle said she works to bring the squad together to battle the sometimes individualistic nature of tennis. It also helps relieve pressure created by competing for team rankings.

“Challenge matches can be uncomfortable trying to beat your teammates to climb in rank, so I try to make sure we’re all having fun, we’re laughing and I’m laughing with them,” DelValle said. “We don’t have to be serious all the time. I can laugh at myself, so they need to be able to laugh at themselves too to make it a fun atmosphere.”

The Class 3A-District 6 tournament is at River Ridge High April 2-3 starting at 8:30 a.m. both days.

 

New talent, same expectations

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By Kyle LoJacono

Freedom flag football has been one of the most consistently successful programs since Hillsborough County adopted the sport in 2007.

Freedom junior Missy Dunbar will likely see time at quarterback and running back this season.

The Patriots have reached the playoffs every year, won two district championships and also finished as runner-up twice. The program went 9-1 last season with the only loss coming in the district finals.

The expectation to win is constant for Freedom, but this year the positive pressure falls on a new cast of characters. The Patriots bring back one fulltime varsity player, junior slot receiver/defensive back Ashle Thompson.

“I have to be more of a leader,” said Thompson, who caught two touchdowns with three interceptions last year.

Thompson is used to being on successful teams at Freedom, playing for the volleyball and girls basketball programs that both made the playoffs the last two years.

“You don’t want to let your school down,” Thompson said. “You have to be on top of your game. We don’t lose much in flag football, so when we do people talk about ‘oh you lost.’ They expect us to be the best.”

Mackenzie Rick puts pressure on Taylor Mort during one of Freedom’s recent flag football practices.

One of the biggest voids the Patriots must fill is the production of Briahanna Jackson, the reigning All-Laker/All-Lutz News Player of the Year. In her senior season last year she racked up 18 passing and 18 rushing touchdowns while adding a program-record 1,023 rushing yards and 23 interceptions.

One option at quarterback is junior Missy Dunbar, who moved up from junior varsity at the end of last year.

“Bri was really good,” Dunbar said. “She focused on making us a team by working with everyone.”

Dunbar developed her ability to throw while playing softball with the Lutz Leaguerettes. She said she won’t be able to move the way Jackson did and will instead work to get the ball to her playmakers.

“She was really good, so I’ll just have to do my best and not try to be Bri,” Dunbar said.

Dunbar will have many young options to get the ball to.

“We haven’t had the quantity of freshmen with this kind of athleticism since one of the first years,” said Dennis Derflinger, the only coach in program history. “It’s interesting to see how they get used to the game pulling flags, running routes and the speed.”

Freedom has 11 underclassmen, including four freshmen, on the 15-member varsity roster. The Patriots will need those new options to replace graduates like Jackson, along with leading receivers Katie Cerillo and Lindsay Taggart who had 524 combined yards and nine touchdowns.

“We lost a lot of talent, but we tend to do that every year,” Derflinger said. “This year will be different because we only have three seniors on the roster, so this group should be around for a couple years. … We’ve got a lot of girls who can catch, and they seem to have a knack for getting open by running their routes. I don’t know if we’ve had that before to this level. Before kids would get open by just running away from defenders. I see them thinking about the routes.”

One of the new options is sophomore Hanna Seybold, who is playing flag football for the first time.

“The school has a good reputation for flag football,” said Seybold, who will likely play wide receiver and defensive back. “I hope we can continue that so more girls will come out and play too. Making the playoffs every year is a great accomplishment. We have such good coaching and our athletes are giving it everything we have to keep that up.”

Freedom lost key players from last year, but so did District 16 opponent Alonso including quarterback Carlee North. The Ravens made the state finals the last two years.

Derflinger sees the district, which includes area schools like Steinbrenner, Gaither and Wharton, as very competitive.

“Last year Alonso was the team to beat in our district, and we came on strong as the year went on,” Derflinger said. “There weren’t many extremely close games for either of us throughout the year. This year we’re looking at a lot of one-touchdown games, two at the most, with most of the teams in the district.”

Freedom kicks off the season hosting Lennard on Tuesday, March 20 followed by home games against Leto and Gaither on March 26 and 29, respectively. The Patriots’ first road contest is at Steinbrenner on April 2. All matchups start at 7:30 p.m.