Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Eugenio Torrens

Senior Colin Roller continued his winning ways in leading the Land O’ Lakes boys tennis team past Ocala Forest 4-3 at home in the Class 3A regional semifinals on April 10.

Roller breezed through his No. 1 singles match 6-1, 6-0 for his team’s first point and clinched the victory with teammate David Dollbaum at No. 1 doubles, played as a pro set, 8-1.

The Gators (15-3) have become accustomed to the 6-foot-4 East Carolina University signee getting them at least two points.

“I know that he’s going to get us two points,” said Land O’ Lakes coach Jasalyn Gerazounis.

Despite his seemingly easy win, Roller said his singles opponent, Bradley Sanders, brought out the best in him.

“I play better against guys like him who are pretty good; pretty close to my level,” Roller said.

The Gators were also boosted by wins from freshman Dollbaum and sophomore Tyler Sanders at Nos. 2 and 4 to build a 3-1 lead with one singles and two doubles matches remaining.

“I actually didn’t play that well today,” Dollbaum said. “My serve actually was not that bad today. Overall, I played OK. Not great, not the worst.”

Dollbaum won the first set 6-1, but the second was more taxing. It took 7-5 to end the match.

By the time the Roller/Dollbaum pairing was due on the court there was little doubt about Land O’ Lakes’ chance at winning. The top doubles pairing was punctuated by Roller’s between-the-legs shot to set up match point.

The Gators were unable to get to a second state tournament as a team, falling 4-1 at home to Gainesville (17-2). The lone point came from Roller, who bested Cole Fiegel 6-3, 7-5.

The Hurricanes’ top player was up a break in both sets, including a 5-4 advantage in the second. Roller won the final three games including taking the match’s last eight points.

“He broke me to start the match, and from there I knew it was going to be tough,” Roller said. “I think it was one of the best matches I’ve played in high school.”

The win improves Roller’s record to 58-1 in the regular season, districts and regionals. Seconds after the match, Roller realized he would never play on Land O’ Lakes’ courts again.

“The last four years have been amazing,” Roller said. “It’s just hitting me now that this is the last time I’ll play here. It’s finally over. I can’t stop smiling remembering all the hours I’ve spent out here.”

The playoff berth is the Gators’ fourth in as many years, the last two coming with Gerazounis at the helm.

“I remember last year was supposed to be a rebuilding year, and we became No. 2 in the district season,” Gerazounis said. “This year I had three returning players, and we became district champs, won first round of regionals and lost to a great team. We couldn’t be more excited and happy for them.”

While Roller won’t be back, the rest of the players are freshmen or sophomores. The youth encourages Gerazounis about the program’s future.

“It’s very exciting, I’m sure, for everyone involved to come out and start playing tennis and do so well, especially when most of them play other sports,” Gerazounis said. “I don’t think they’re going to have the mentality we lose Colin, we lose it all.”

Roller will wear Land O’ Lakes gear in competition one more time at the 3A state tournament at Lake Brantley High in Altamonte Springs April 17 to 20. He will play in the singles and double with Dollbaum.

“I’m looking forward to taking Colin and David to state,” Gerazounis said. “I think they can do really well. They’re a nice doubles team because they’re both very good players.”

–Sports Editor Kyle LoJacono contributed to this report

 

By Kyle LoJacono

Wharton ended Wiregrass Ranch’s chance of making states for the third straight year, winning a pair of road matches on April 10 in the Class 4A regional semifinals.

The Wildcats boys (11-3) needed more than four hours to win 4-2, while the girls (14-3) were victorious 4-1 in just less than 90 minutes. The Bulls girls (15-3) reached states two years ago, while the boys (16-2) did last season.

 “I knew Wiregrass was an excellent team,” said second-year Wharton boys coach Glenn Alvarez. “I’m very impressed with the win.”

There was little suspense in all the singles matches except No. 3. Wiregrass Ranch No. 1 Courage Okungbowa won 6-0, 6-0 against Sam Chaffin, while his younger brother, Foresight, won the No. 5 point 6-1, 6-2 over Cesar Maeda.

Wharton countered with No. 2 Alek Crnogorac winning 6-1, 6-0 against Koustubh Ramesh and No. 4 Tommy Hwang taking a 6-3, 6-2 contest over Jaime Feliciano.

It was the No. 3 match between Wharton’s Marcel Betancourt and Wiregrass Ranch’s Alejandro Feliciano that gave the Wildcats momentum.

Betancourt needed nearly three hours to win the contest 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 7-5.

“I don’t know how I did it,” said Betancourt, a senior. “I was in such a bad mood. I know the kid I’m playing; I know his game and I was just not playing my game. I was doing a lot of unforced errors. I was able to run away with the first set 7-5, but 6-7 I don’t know. I was acting like a baby honestly, but I was able to kind of calm down and keep on pushing through.”

Chaffin and Crnogorac took advantage of the chance to end the match, winning No. 1 doubles 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. It is the first time the Bulls’ top doubles team of Courage and Eric Busch (14-1) has lost this season.

“I really wanted to win that point,” said Chaffin, a sophomore. “I wasn’t feeling that well today. My stomach was bothering me. I tried to fight through it. I took a break after singles, ate a little, got hydrated and stayed in the shade. I felt a lot better going into doubles.”

The Wharton girls claimed the Nos. 2-5 singles points to end the match without needing doubles.

“I’m very proud of them,” said fourth-year Wildcats girls coach Lori Miles. “We train on clay courts, and we knew we were coming to hard courts. We said we have to do what we can to win fast. They were practicing on hard courts all week.”

Wharton senior Diana Valencia, who won No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-0 against Leilani Cubero, has been on the team since her freshman year. The regional finals trip is her farthest in high school.

“When I was a freshman we certainly didn’t have this good of a team, and it’s amazing how much we’ve improved,” Valencia said. “It’s extremely special to get this far, especially because I’m probably not going to play in college.”

Plant ended the Wildcats’ run in the regional finals on April 12. The Panthers boys and girls both won 4-1. None of Wharton’s players qualified for states in singles or doubles.

The Wiregrass Ranch teams won’t be at states, but the Bulls will be represented. Courage qualified individually for the 4A tournament, where he will also play with Busch in doubles.

Star Makarome, who won No. 1 singles for the girls 6-0, 6-2 over Vanina Iordanova, also made states in singles and with Tiffany Garner four doubles.

“I know states is just Florida, but it feels so much bigger than that. It feels like some of the national tournaments that I usually play in the summer,” Makarome said.

Makarome, a freshman, improved her singles record to 10-0. She only lost one game all season entering regionals, but was expecting a tough match against Iordanova. The two have played in USTA tournaments.

“I really did not expect an 0 and 2 win honestly,” Makarome said. “I expected to lose more games. That was really good for me. It meant I was really sharp in that match. … I just wanted to play my game. I try not to let her dictate the points. On some points she did, which is too good, but (she) is a good player. You can’t have a perfect match.”

The 4A state tournament is at Lake Brantley High in Altamonte Springs April 15 to 18.

Andy Warrener

Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

The Carrollwood Day School (CDS) girls tennis team continued to make Patriots’ history in the regional semifinals on April 10.

After claiming the school’s first district championship in any sport a week before, CDS blasted through Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic 7-0. It is the first playoff win in any sport for the Patriots. The boys basketball team reached the postseason last year as a district runner-up, but was unable to advance.

 “We’re writing CDS history as we speak,” said Patriots coach Susan Most. “I’m beside myself right now.”

The Patriots swept all five singles and both eight-game pro set doubles matches without conceding a set.

The Fitz-Randolph sisters, freshman Jacquelyn and seventh-grader Lauren, took the Nos. 1 and 2 singles points, respectively, as well as No. 1 doubles. Both went 6-1, 6-0 in singles and won 8-1 in doubles.

The two, who were the Class 1A state runner-up in doubles last year, appear to be hitting on all cylinders.

“We have the same style,” Jacquelyn said. “We’re both aggressive. We know where the other one will be on the court.”

Sophomore Sarah Yaffe won No. 3 singles 6-0, 6-0 on the surgically repaired ulna in her forearm. She also paired with teammate Maddie Peek, a senior, to take No. 2 doubles 8-3. Yaffe made a wicked forehand service return to set up match point.

“It feels better than ever actually,” Yaffe said. “I feel like I’m overall better than I was before.”

Freshman McKenzie List took No. 4 singles 6-3, 6-1 and Peek won 6-3, 6-0 to win the No. 5 point.

CDS defeated Tampa Prep 5-2 in the regional finals at home on April 12, claiming the Nos. 1-3 singles and both doubles matches. The Patriots defeated the Terrapins to win the 1A-8 district title.

The 1A state team tournament is at Red Bug Lake Park in Casselberry April 17 to 20.

 

By Kyle LoJacono

Wesley Chapel girls track and field athletes Ravin Gilbert and Courtney Prengaman tasted nothing but championships at the Class 2A-District 9 meet at Berkeley Prep on April 13.

Gilbert won the 100-, 200- and 400-meters, while Prengaman captured the high jump crown. The titles earned 40 of the 70 points for the fourth-place Wildcats at the nine-team meet.

Gilbert, a Georgia State University signee, was seeded No. 1 in her three races and didn’t disappoint despite facing a steady wind all day.

“What she did today is a very difficult feat,” said Wesley Chapel girls coach Brian Colding. “She had the 100 and 200 prelims and then the three finals into this headwind. She ran a respectable time under hard circumstances.”

Gilbert first took the 100 by finishing in 12 seconds, winning by nearly 1.5. She followed that with a personal record 59.22 in the 400 and ended the day with a 26.43 in the 200.

The 100 and 400, which she won by 1.4, were won comfortably, but Gilbert bested Anclote’s Nashyia Griffin by only three tenths of a second.

“I knew she was there and she actually screamed at me,” Gilbert said. “I heard her and I was like ‘Oh my gosh she’s right there.’ I thought I had it coming off the curve, but in the last 20 meters she started coming on. I had to push it harder.”

It is the third straight 200 and consecutive 100 district titles for the senior, but she just began running the 400 competitively this season. Gilbert was in fifth during the third curve, but turned on the jets during the final 180 meters.

“I just thought OK, I can run the 400,” Gilbert said. “I felt really good. I’m just going to continue to work in the 400. It’s really helped me with my times in the 100 and 200. … In the 400 I want to see how far I can go and what time I end my season with.”

Gilbert said her biggest goal is placing better than seventh at states in the 100 and 200, which is where she finished in both a year ago.

“I just want to be able to say I gave it my all,” Gilbert said. “I definitely want to go to states but finish higher on the podium.”

Prengaman won the high jump by clearing 5-feet 7-inches, setting a new school record for the fourth time this year. Coming into this season her best was 5-02.

“It’s been a lot of strength training and working at it,” Prengaman said. “Biggest thing is getting past my mental blocks and believing I can do better.”

There was little doubt the junior would come away with the title. Prengaman bested the competition by nine inches, but she kept pushing the bar it improve her seeding and boost her confidence.

Brad Allen, who coaches the Wildcats boys along with the high jumpers and distance runners, said the mental aspect is Prengaman’s biggest hurdle. He had to convince her she could clear 5-06 and 5-07 even though she cleared both on her first attempt.

“The same thing happened when she won conference,” Allen said. “She thought she couldn’t get 5-06, and then she got it easily. When she cleared 5-06 again today she thought that was it. I think she can easily get 5-08.”

Prengaman added, “I’d love to get 5-08. That would be idle. I think that’ll give me a chance to medal at states.”

Wesley Chapel will send pole vaulter Abby Hudak (8), 1,600 runner Alyssa Turner (6:05.42) and the 4×800 relay team (11:06.21) to regionals with their fourth-place performances. The top four in each event qualify.

The boys qualified one athlete, freshman Mailyke Williams after placing fourth in the 110 hurdles (17.39). The squad was ninth as a team, earning 11 points.

Advancing athletes compete at regionals on April 19 at Titusville Astronaut at noon.

 

Last season Andrea Mauger became the first Academy at the Lakes track and field athlete to qualify for regionals with her third-place shot put at districts.

The junior continued making program firsts by capturing the Class 1A-District 8 title with a throw of 32-feet 5-inches on April 12 at Calvary Christian, besting the competition by more than two feet.

Mauger’s season started late because she is a forward on the Wildcats girls basketball team that reached the 2A final four.

“This year I’m stronger, just not as well prepared,” Mauger said. “Basketball season really cut into track. I’ve only been to four meets.”

Muager’s title earned the academy girls their 10 points on the day, good enough for eighth place in the nine-team district. Carrollwood Day School (CDS) took 28 to finish sixth.

Patriots’ senior Bailey Drury qualified in two events, placing third in the 400- and fourth in the 200-meter in 1 minute 0.80 seconds and 27.89 seconds, respectively. She also finished fifth in the 100, one spot from a regional berth.

She will be joined at regionals by teammate Lauren Meaney, a freshman, who placed second in the 3,200 (12:56.27)

The CDS boys send one athlete to regionals, Elias Earley after his runner-up performance in the 400 (53.51).

“(Elias) has made a great contribution to this team in just his first year out for track,” said Patriots boys coach Sal Cuono.

Cuono’s team scored 15 points to finish seventh.

Advancing athletes compete at regionals on April 19 at Orlando First Academy at 1 p.m.

–Kyle LoJacono

‘Canes send eight to regionals

Bishop McLaughlin’s boys and girls track and field teams competed at the Class 1A-District 9 meet at Lakeland Tenoroc.

The Hurricanes didn’t win any individual titles, but four boys and four girls each finished in the top four of their events, earning a regionals spot.

Camille Baumrucker’s long jump of 14-feet 8.25 inches was good enough for second place. She also took third in the triple jump (30-05) and 100-meter hurdles (18.57 seconds).

Discus throwers Rachel Verscharen (87-05) and Hannah Nyberg (84) finished second and third, respectively. Taylor McDonald took second in the shot put (32-06).

Four Bishop boys were district runner-up. Evan Barhonovich had a discus throw of 137-05, Andrew Beebe ran the 400 in 54.07, Shane Mendoza had a shot put of 42 and Christopher Pirrello ran the 3,200 in 10:26.65.

The girls finished with 49 points to earn fifth place, 119 behind Lakeland McKeel Academy’s championship pace. The boys’ 39 points was also good enough for fifth, 151 behind first-place Lakeland Christian School.

The advancing athletes compete at regionals on April 19 at Shorecrest Prep at 11 a.m.

–All results as recorded by the Florida High School Athletic Association

 

By Jeff Odom

Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

Steinbrenner pitcher Chris Williams walked off the mound with a sense of closure.

 The senior (6-0, 1.39 ERA), who started his high school career along with four of his baseball teammates at Sickles in 2008, allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one batter for his second straight complete game shutout, this time at George M. Steinbrenner Field on April 13. On the other end of that 8-0 win — the Gryphons.

It was the first meeting between the programs. Williams said the feeling of playing on a big league field against his former squad was priceless.

“It was pretty fun man,” Williams said. “It was just something different, and I hope we can do it again. This team has been together for awhile and it’s a great bunch of guys who started at (Sickles), but this team has a great chance to get to states. We’re a family.”

     Warriors baseball coach John Crumbley said Williams’ performance was enough to give his squad a chance to win.

    “I don’t think it was the best game he’s pitched in the last three or four games,” Crumbley said. “His curveball wasn’t where it’s been in other games, but his fastball has been live, his change-up has been outstanding and he gives us a chance even when we’re not swinging it.”

    Steinbrenner (15-6) began the offensive attack in the second inning, when Sickles (9-11) pitcher Corey Johnson walked Gerald Bautista to open the frame. After Sammy May’s base hit moved him to third base, a wild pitch allowed Bautista to take home for the early lead.

    Johnson continued to walk himself into trouble in the fourth, allowing a base on balls to Cole Gordon to lead off the inning. May delivered again with an RBI double down the third base line.

    Steinbrenner’s bats remained hot, adding two runs in the fifth and sending eight batters to the plate in the sixth inning. Dakota Carter reached on a single to center field and Kevin Merrell was hit by a pitch, followed by Christian Diaz’s RBI double to left field to extend the lead to 6-0.

Chase Turner followed through with a double of his own, scoring Merrell and Diaz to put the game out of reach.

 “It was a great feeling,” Diaz said. “It’s always fun beating the person that kind of started you off, and I wanted to come out here and make (Sickles coach Bob Pagano) really regret losing me.”

Crumbley, who was Jesuit’s coach during state titles won at Steinbrenner Field in 1994, 1997 and 2000, said the win on the Tampa Yankees’ diamond ranks high on his list of accomplishments because it was a learning experience for his players. He added it helps them judge if they can complete their journey for a championship in Port St. Lucie, also a professional baseball stadium.

    “This is great because our kids just realize if we work hard and we get to a final four, then this is the kind of venue that we’ll be in,” Crumbley said. “That’s what the whole purpose of this was.”

Crumbley hopes the two teams can return to the site in the future.

“They started hosting high school games three years ago and (Tampa Catholic) and Jesuit were the participants the first two years, and when they didn’t want to come again I jumped at the opportunity,” Crumbley said. “This happened to be the game that worked for us.”

    Steinbrenner travels to Robinson on April 17 before hosting Plant in its regular season finale on April 20. Both games start at 7 p.m.

By Kyle LoJacono

It’s not a constant discussion, but the fact does enter the minds of the Wharton baseball players — is this going to be the year?

The program has yet to make the playoffs in its 14-year history, but the Wildcats (14-8) have a different feeling this season.

“I thought our team chemistry would be good because most of the seniors have been here for four years,” said senior pitcher Shaun Rubin, who has signed to play at Harvard University. “We knew it would be tough, but we thought that team chemistry would help us win some more games. We may not have the best talent, but we gel well.”

Senior pitcher/shortstop Collin Woody said it would be a “big deal” to break through.

“If we could do that it would feel like we’re leaving a legacy; like we were the guys who did it,” Woody said.

It would also mean a lot to nine-year Wildcats coach Scott Hoffman. He has been working to build the squad into what he experienced while playing third base at Gaither, a program that has made the playoffs 11 times since Wharton opened.

“Everybody has a goal, and ours is to try and become like Gaither and be successful every year,” Hoffman said. “It’s a work in progress, and I think we’re going in the right direction.”

Hoffman said it’s taken some early-season wins to build confidence.

“The key is they believe in themselves now, and at the start of the year they didn’t,” Hoffman said. “We didn’t know what to do when things went wrong. Now we can grind things out and pull though in those games. … Everyone just has to do their job. When we get a guy on second we have to get him over and get him in. We have to catch the ball, and we need great pitching.”

Hoffman said the squad must do those things in order to compete in Class 8A-District 7, where five of the six teams are above .500. The grouping includes Alonso, the defending 6A state champs.

 

“We call it the Big East, the American League East and the SEC,” Hoffman said with a laugh. “I mean this district is brutal. We take a lot of pride in that. This is 8A. You can’t go any higher. We take it like a badge of honor because the teams we play all have guys who are Division I players.”

Wharton has navigated the schedule and is tied for second place in the 8A-7. Junior shortstop/third baseman Tuck Neuhaus, a University of Louisville commit, said that shows they can compete.

“In past years we’ve felt kind of overmatched,” said Neuhaus, who came from Steinbrenner as a sophomore. “This year it’s a battle. Whoever wants it most might win it, and I know our team wants it.”

Rubin said the players are mindful of what they do well and have to stay within their ability to be successful.

“We’re not going to out hit a team, and we don’t have real flashy guys like some other teams,” Rubin said. “We’ll win the close games by playing together. We’ve shown all year we can come back in games. We’ve won a lot of one-run games because of our pitching, defense and timely hitting.”

If they do that then a playoff spot might be the first major achievement for the Wildcats.

“I think a district championship is possible,” Neuhaus said. “From there a deep playoff run maybe. I do think whoever wins states is going to be from this district, and there’s no reason why it can’t be us.”

Wharton travels to Leto on April 17 at 7 p.m. The 8A-7 tournament is at Durant, with the championship on April 26 at 7 p.m.

–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches

By Jeff Odom

Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

Robert Woodard has resigned as Steinbrenner High’s girls soccer coach two months after leading the program to the Class 4A regional semifinals.

Warriors athletic director Eddie Henderson confirmed Woodard’s decision on April 10, but declined to comment further as to the reasons why he did so.

Woodard, who previously served as an assistant boys soccer coach at Jesuit and Bloomingdale in the mid-1990s, led the team to its third straight district championship with a 2-1 double overtime victory against rival Freedom.

Steinbrenner went 16-4-2 during Woodard’s first year at the helm, including an 8-0 victory over Bartow in the regional quarterfinals. The third-year program also won the Sarasota Holiday Tournament in December.

The opening means the Warriors must find their third coach in as many years. Woodard was hired last August to replace former coach Teresa Patterson, who retired from coaching in May 2011 to start a family.

Patterson led the Warriors to the 4A state title in 2011. She started the program in the 2009-10 season after spending one year as Gaither’s coach.

Steinbrenner loses only three seniors to graduation, but two of those are forwards Cici Gonzalez and Taylor Valley. The two had 16 and 13 goals, respectively, the most and second most of anyone on the squad.

–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

Four more Land O’ Lakes student-athletes made their college plans official on April 11.

Tennis player Colin Roller will attend Eastern Carolina University in Greenville, a Division I school in Conference USA. Football players Nico Watts and Rickey Boyles will attend Marietta College in Ohio, a Division III program in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while teammate Will Fairchild picked Carthage College in Wisconsin, a Division III program in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin.

Roller said signing took “a lot of weight” off his shoulders.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun to be able to represent Land O’ Lakes and East Carolina,” Roller said.

Roller spent four years as the Gators’ No. 1 player, losing only one singles match in the regular season, districts or regionals. 

“He was like the guaranteed two points for us,” said Land O’ Lakes boys tennis coach Jasalyn Gerazounis. “All we needed to do was find two more points somewhere on the team. He’s definitely a good leader, and he gave the other guys on the team something to aspire to.”

Roller, who reached the Class 2A state singles semifinals last season, said he didn’t realize he had the ability to play in college until his junior year.

“When I found out I could go to college and play tennis I knew that’s what I wanted,” said Roller, who plans to study business/economics.

The football trio pushes the number of Gators’ gridironers to sign this year to six not counting Jackson Cannon, who accepted a preferred walk-on spot with the University of South Florida.

“It’s an outstanding opportunity for them,” said Land O’ Lakes football coach Brian Wachtel. “The fact that they were able to find a place where they fit and has what they want in a school is an awesome opportunity. They get to go make a better future for themselves. They can grow and move on to impact other people’s lives positively.”

For Fairchild, going to Carthage is like a homecoming.

“I used to live up there,” Fairchild said. “I went to a few of their camps when I was in sixth grade, so I kind of had a connection, and I always considered them a place I wanted to go to.”

Fairchild said signing with teammates made the day even better.

“We’ve had a bunch of our players get to play at the next level,” said Fairchild, who plans to study criminal justice/law enforcement. “It’s just great to see so many of us getting to play in college, and maybe we’ll play each other later on too.”

Fairchild played guard and linebacker, compiling 57 tackles last season. He will stay in the linebacking core or move to strong safety in college.

Boyles and Watts, who play wide receiver, said the chance to play together will ease the transition.

“We’re going to work together and push each other to get better,” said Watts, who will study sports management. “Hopefully we do well and Marietta will come sign some more Land O’ Lakes players in the future.”

Watts had 12 catches for 274 yards and two touchdowns last season while adding 78 yards on six carries and another score. He also played defensive back, where he picked off six passes.

Boyles, who is undecided on his major, missed a few games due to injury as a senior, but managed five grabs for 56 yards. He said missing time last year was very difficult and is happy he gets the opportunity to play another four years.

“It’s been like a dream since I was little to play college football,” Boyles said. “Let’s see how these four years go, and maybe if I work hard I’ll be able to play after college.”

Girls soccer player Joelle Stewart has also committed to Webber International University in Babson Park. She is expected to sign in the next few days.

–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches.

 

By Eugenio Torrens

In a small room at Zephyrhills High, surrounded by family, friends, administration and reporters, Sarah Vande Berg’s middle school dream was realized.

Vande Berg’s goal of playing tennis in college became official on April 11 when Vande Berg signed a letter of intent to play at South Carolina Upstate.

“I’ve been looking forward to this day forever,” she said.

The Bulldog started her college pursuit by posting a video of her to a recruiting website.
She received a call from a coach at South Carolina Upstate and after a quick game of phone tag, an official visit was set up.

“I went up there and I loved the school,” Vande Berg said. “He made an offer and I waited a couple of weeks to see if that’s really what I wanted to do and decided that it was. So I called him and verbally committed.”

She cited a welcoming atmosphere, both with the campus and the tennis team.

“I was only up there two days for my official visit, but I already felt so close to (the team),” Vande Berg said.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Vande Berg will be the weather.

“She’s pretty warm blooded,” said her father, Todd Vande Berg, when Sarah was asked if she was ready for the climate change.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Vande Berg said with a smile.

The decision also came before the Class 3A state tournament, where Vande Berg is competing in No. 1 singles after defending her district title.

“She’s just been my rock on the team, and we’re really going to miss her,” said Zephryhills girls coach Lorraine Hinkle. “I don’t know if there’s really anything I could say that she’s going to have a hard time with. Maybe just being away from home, dealing with that. But I think if the school’s like she’s saying it is, I think she’s going to do fine.”

With the state tournament the final frontier in Vande Berg’s high school tennis career, she is ready to end it and continue living her dream.

“I’m so excited,” Vande Berg said. “It’ll be a new experience. I’m just so excited, I don’t know how else to put it.”