The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Williams building Warriors into contender

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By Jeff Odom
Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

As Steinbrenner boys basketball coach Steve Williams follows his team onto the Warriors’ home court for pregame warm-ups, a blank basketball banner hanging along the gym rafters catches his eye.
What’s missing is a year marking a district championship season.
For two seasons, the Warriors found themselves at the basement of their district with only seven total wins. They sat quietly behind county powerhouses Jesuit and Robinson.
But now, everything has changed.

Warriors coach Steve Williams would like to see his squad’s banner loaded up with district championship seasons in the near future.

Steinbrenner (8-6) has made big improvements and has clinched the No. 3 seed in Class 7A-District 9 tournament, which is at Chamberlain Feb. 7-10.

Williams credits the players’ individual efforts on and off the court to their success.
“The guys have really committed to developing the basketball program,” Williams said. He then added, “We’ve tried to convince them that if they become better individual players during the offseason, and if they commit to becoming a team during the season, the outcome of a lot of the ballgames will be more positive.”
There were a lot of question marks coming into this season as the Warriors moved up in classification and lost a host of graduates. That left Williams, a member of the University of Florida men’s basketball team from 1970-74, and assistant coach Rob Wagner with a roster filled with holes. But they knew with the returning players in leadership roles, a transition would be easier.
“I thought last year that Tobi Antigha and David Chiles provided senior leadership and got us on track,” Williams said. “And this season, (Joey Maloney and Isaiah Goncalves) have taken charge and they’ve done a good job not only leading on the basketball court, but off the court as well. They’re leading by example and actually putting forth the effort in practice and it’s carrying over to the game as well.”

Warriors senior guard Isaiah Goncalves drives past a Freedom defender this season.

Steinbrenner has already nabbed victories over district foes Gaither, Freedom and Wiregrass Ranch to begin their ascent to the top of the district early on.
Williams says those big wins and the ability to deal with the pressure situations helped his young squad know it can compete on the same level as top area schools, which could be a boost headed into the district tournament.
“We believe that it’s going to be a wide open tournament,” Williams said. “I think that all of the teams are very competitive and it’s going to make for a very interesting tournament. … Anyone can win that tournament.”
The Warriors have found themselves in a rough stretch lately, with five losses in six games. But Williams says the team has what it takes to break out of the slump with talent across the board, including 6-foot-5 freshman Jack Frank, who is averaging 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds.

“I think that Jack has the potential to be an outstanding basketball player,” Williams said. “I can see a big time talent in him. He’s working hard, and I believe he’ll be very recruitable when it comes to his junior season. … He’s an excellent student, he’s a smart young man and very tough.”

For the seniors, the success the team has reached this year is three years in the making. Maloney, who has a team-high 14.6 points per game this year, has used the first two losing seasons as motivation for more success during his senior season.

“I think after we won our first couple of games, it made everyone want to compete more,” Maloney said. “We’ve always been the underdog since we opened, so we’re used to that, but this is such an even district and we’re happy with that. We just want to swoop in for the win and shock everyone.”

For Williams, seeing the team winning its first district championship and putting up its first banner would be special, but he’s building for something much greater down the road.

“It would mean a lot to me, but more so to this basketball program especially these graduating seniors,” Williams said. “We took those guys as sophomores and we’ve been very patient with them and we’ve put a lot of pressure on them. We’ve told them from day one, every time we lace up our sneakers we’re preparing to win a state championship, and that’s my goal by the end of the fourth year.”

Maloney added, it’s been difficult losing throughout his high school career, but he hopes to go out a winner in his final season.

“Since freshman year (at Gaither), I’ve wanted to be a winner,” Maloney said. “I haven’t been able to do that and I want to leave here on a good note.”

The Warriors host Wharton on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m.

 

 

Wildcats boys out to claim some spotlight

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Academy at the Lakes boys basketball team watched as their girl counterparts won a district championship and reached the Class 1A regional finals a year ago.

The deep playoff march came a season after the girls went 0-15. The Wildcats (11-6) boys heard all the talk and praise directed toward the other side of their gym, which helped inspire them to the best start in the program’s six-year history.

Academy at the Lakes freshman guard Ethan Haslam has a team-high 18 points and 3.7 steals this season.

“You bet it spurred them,” said third-year academy coach Tom Haslam, who is the school’s athletic director. “It puts a little pressure on you to work harder. For one thing they get all the articles written about them; get a lot of pats on the back. I think our guys wanted that. It also showed them they can go from being not very good to very good in a short period of time.”

Freshman guard Ethan Haslam, Tom’s son, added, “We used what the girls did as an example. Going from 0-15 to regional finals is just unheard of. Change can happen, and you just have to believe.”

The Wildcats went 7-18 last season, but they feel a fast turnaround is possible given a new commitment to the program.

“I thought we’d be better because this past summer was the first time we played in a summer league,” Tom said. “Our nonfootball players played in a fall league, so just by getting them together more I thought we’d be better. Our numbers are a lot better, too. We’ve got 16 players between varsity and JV now, and the most we’d ever had was 12.”

The squad only lost one player to graduation and got a few new players, including Freedom transfer Abaz Igwe, a junior forward/guard.

Wildcats junior guard Abaz Igwe puts up a shot during his squad’s game against Cambridge Christian this year.

“We’re really starting to connect and run plays in game,” said Igwe, who is averaging 9.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 steals. “We’re going to be great I think. Having time together in practice is already helping, and I see us getting better.”

Tom said six of their players also played six-man football for the academy’s squad that reached the state quarterfinals. Having to practice without some starters threw the Wildcats into a bit of early disarray.

“We got our football players back and played a game two days later,” Tom said. “Then we had Thanksgiving, midterms, Christmas, so with our whole team we haven’t had a lot of practices and our execution wasn’t there yet.”

Senior guard Jarrett Harvey, who has 8.6 points per game, is one of those football players. The running back came to the private school last year and helped get the football team to a 10-2 record this season and to back-to-back postseasons.

“I feel like everything is getting better with sports here,” Harvey said. “Not just football and basketball, but soccer, baseball, everything. This whole program is changing and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Things may already be turning for the Wildcats. The squad defeated Zephyrhills 48-43 in overtime on Jan. 5. Ethan, who is posting a team-high 18 points and 3.7 steals, hit a 3-pointer as time expired to send the game to the extra period.

Ethan, Igwe and Harvey said they felt things starting to click in that contest.

“We came back to tie it at the end and won in overtime,” Harvey said. “Ethan hit a big shot. I think everyone started to get their basketball mojo going.”

Tom wants to see the offense flow better but thinks it will with more practice and as the young squad matures.

“We have two seniors, and only Jarrett gets significant playing time,” Tom said. “We’ll be young again next year. Our first seven guys have one senior and one junior. The rest are freshmen and sophomores.”

Tom knows the squad has a long way to go if it is to reach its first postseason, but has difficultly hiding his excitement when talking about what is possible.

“Everything is great right now,” Tom said with a huge smile. “We’re in a lot of games and we’re going to win a lot more games. The last two years I loved the kids, but it was hard to go out and get beat the way we were losing. We got beat badly a lot of nights, and that’s not happening now. It’s just a different atmosphere, and the kids feel better about themselves.”

The academy is ranked second in Class 2A-District 8 behind only Cambridge Christian (16-2). The Wildcats host the district tournament Feb. 7-11. The championship is on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

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

Luxury apartments being built at Livingston Road and SR 54

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By B.C. Manion

The Altman Companies, a Florida-based luxury residential rental developer, is building a multimillion-dollar apartment development at the southwest corner of SR 54 and Livingston Road.

The development, Altis at Grand Cypress, is under construction on a 60-acre site which will include apartments, a lake and a forested cypress preserve. The community will feature 17 two-story apartment buildings, with private entries for each of the 258 apartment units.

Joel Altman, chairman of The Altman Companies, expressed optimism about the Pasco area in a news release by PR Newswire.

“We believe the Pasco County area has its best days ahead and we are looking forward to being part of it,” he states in the news release.

Altman reiterated that positive outlook last week, in an email responding to questions about the project from The Laker/Lutz News.

He cited these strengths for Pasco County: “Its location, access to metro area, the natural beauty of the area, the available land for development and the new employer opportunities.”

The apartments will have designer-style kitchens and energy-efficient appliances. Rents for the one- to three-bedroom apartments will range from $860 to $1,550, depending on market conditions, Altman said. Pets will be allowed, with restrictions.

Amenities will include a clubhouse with a billiards table, a kitchen/coffee bar area, a business center and a large fitness area with an adjoining fun and study room for children. Other amenities include a resort-style swimming pool, a private sunning deck, an outdoor lounge bar with TVs, a fireplace, multiple picnic and barbecue areas and a large playground.

The project is expected to bring more than 100 jobs to the county during the course of construction. It also will result in six to seven permanent jobs, as well as numerous outside vendors, once the development is completed, Altman said.

The first units are scheduled to be completed in July. Leasing is expected to begin in May.

The project is financed by an $18.4 million loan through City National Bank of Florida, with equity provided through Sarofim Realty Advisors and Altman, according to the report published in PR Newswire.

Altman Companies, based in Boca Raton, has developed, constructed, acquired and managed in excess of 20,000 multi-family units in Florida, Michigan, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas and North Carolina. Altman said the company plans additional projects in the Tampa Bay area in 2013.

Altis at Grand Cypress is the company’s fourth development in Tampa. The others are Lakes of Northdale, Mallory Square and Preserve at Tampa Palms.

 

 

Hearing on proposed high school in Lutz expected in February

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New school would be off Sunset Lane, near US 41

By B.C. Manion

 

Learning Gate Community School wants to expand its brand of environmental education into high school and is proposing a new school near Nye Park, off Sunset Lane.

A public hearing on the request had been set for Jan. 23, but school officials have asked for a continuance until 6 p.m. on Feb. 20. That hearing will be at County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd in downtown Tampa.

More time is needed to continue addressing neighbors’ concerns, said Patti Girard, the founder of Learning Gate, a charter school that began as a private preschool in 1983 and became a public charter school in 2000.

Learning Gate draws students from many communities in Hillsborough and Pasco counties, including Lutz, Trinity, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

The school has an elementary campus on 27 wooded acres at 16215 Hanna Road, and leases space for grades seven through nine in an office building at 15316 N. Florida Ave.

It boasts a number of environmental awards, including the first modular school building in the country to achieve the platinum designation in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Schools program.

The proposed charter high school, which would open at its new location in two years, would be called Gates Senior High. It would serve students in grades seven through 12, Girard said, noting the high school program will added a grade a year until it has freshmen through senior classes.

The proposed school draws its name from its five areas of emphasis: Global outreach, the arts, technology, environment and sustainability in all ways, including finances.

Girard said she understands that neighbors are concerned about the new school’s potential impacts.

“When you think high school, you think of a typical (high school) – like Gaither – coming out there. That’s not the case at all,” Girard said.

The proposed charter school would have a maximum of 1,000 students on a 66-acre campus, which has extensive wetlands, Girard said.

“We don’t have one big huge building,” she said. Instead, there will be several buildings with smaller footprints, scattered across campus.

The goal is to use energy-efficient materials and to produce enough energy on site, through such sources as solar, wind and water — to avoid needing an outside source of electricity, Girard said.

Gary Schutz, who lives in the Windemere subdivision, said he applauds what the school is trying to do, but he is concerned about the traffic congestion the project will create and potential safety hazards.

The project will overload Sunset Lane and could lead to traffic hazards on US 41, as cars attempt to make U-Turns to turn around, Schutz said.

Girard said traffic appears to be a key issue.

To minimize impacts, the school will require carpooling and will use two entrances – one off Sunset Lane and the other off US 41, she said. It also will stagger school starting and ending times to reduce congestion.

Access to the site will affect about1 percent of the site’s wetlands, Girard said.

“There’s no way for us to get to (US) 41 without impacting the wetlands to some degree,” she said.

A suggestion was made to bridge the wetlands, but that option would cost about $1 million, which the school cannot afford, Girard said.

Denise Layne, of the Lutz Civic Association, said the association hasn’t decided yet whether it will support or oppose the proposed high school. Progress has been made on the traffic issues, but there are still concerns about environmental impacts, Layne said.

Neighbors have also voiced worries about potential flooding, Girard said.

However, she said the school must meet the county’s requirements to prevent that from occurring. She also noted that the school plans to use porous concrete and pavers – which allows water to be absorbed, rather than sheeting off.

Girard said she planned to meet with neighbors again on Monday, to continue working on their concerns.

“We want to be good partners. We’re really trying to listen,” she said. “I think some of them are still learning to trust me and what I say. Believe me, I understand,” she said.

 

 

New school building opens to rave reviews

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Students, staff and parents thrilled by new facility

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Kids and parents were jazzed last week, as they toured the new elementary school building housing Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes.

“This, to me, is like we’re finally home,” said Magarida Wainraich, who has been on the school’s staff school since Day One.

“I’m jumping out of my skin, I’m so excited,” she said. “This has been a long time coming — after trying to get into so many different places and the sites just always fell through.”

The school previously was located in a professional office park, with classes held in individual buildings.

“It’s a wonderful day – to see the smiles on everyone’s faces,” said Principal Kathy Helean, as people trooped past her during the open house.

“They’ve been waiting 3 ½ years, but I think it has all been worth it.

“By all being under one roof, I think the culture of the school changes because we feel more unified. Teachers see each other in the hallways. Kids see each other in the hallways,” Helean said.

In the school’s media center, something it didn’t have at its former location, a parent congratulated Helean and praised the school’s look and feel.

“It’s so functional. It just looks beautiful,” said Jacki Hudnall, whose 7-year-old daughter Paige attends the school and whose other daughter, Adyson, will attend next year.

The new gym was a huge hit with the kids, who wasted no time in breaking it in.

Hudnall said she understands why the children are so excited about having an indoor gym: “Can you blame them? Three years of 95 degrees heat in that sun.”

Teacher Aimee Wynacht also noted other advantages of having the gym. For one thing, it doubles as a lunchroom and is more spacious than the lunchroom at the previous location.

It also provides a great place to have school assemblies, she said.

“If we have any holiday shows or presentations for parents, we have some place we can hold that now,” said Wynacht, who teaches writing and social studies to kindergartners through second-graders.

She’s also delighted to have interior hallways.

“Where we were before, rainy days were quite a challenge,” she said.

The new school building boasts other new features, too.

“Art and music have their own designated rooms,” Wynacht said.

The school also has a science lab and a media center, said Jennifer Whitten, who teaches mathematics and social studies to children in kindergarten through second-grade.

“We’ll be able to send kids to the library to study and read. We’re very excited about that,” Whitten said.

Wainraich said the new facility enables the school to do more for its students.

“It’s all about the kids and making things easier and more accessible for them. This new facility lets us do that,” Wainraich said.

The charter school serves students in kindergarten through eighth-grade. It draws students primarily from Trinity, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, but also has some students from as far away as Spring Hill, New Port Richey and Riverview, Helean said.

It is authorized for up to 584 students this year, and has about 20 seats available at various grade levels.

The school has grown in size every year since it opened and hopes to get approval for 650 to 660 students next year, Helean said.

It can accept children from Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

For more information about the school, call (813) 428-7444 or visit www.imagineschoollandolakes.com.

 

 

Land O’ Lakes teenager wins national star search

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Gabrielle Giguere signs on with the Jonas Group

 

By B.C. Manion

 

While most teenagers would be thrilled to get the lead in the school musical, 14-year-old Gabrielle Giguere is the star in a music video written and produced by Nick Jonas.

The Land O’ Lakes teenager flew out to Los Angeles a few months ago to film the video, after winning the grand prize in the Quaker Chewy Superstar contest. (To watch the video go to www.ChewySuperstar.com).

The Steinbrenner High student became the first young vocalist to be singled out in the nationwide talent search, open to contestants ages 8 through 14. The star search hit the road last summer with mobile recording studios making stops in metro areas from New York to Los Angeles.

Since the mobile studio didn’t stop in Tampa Bay, Giguere did her vocal audition on a video filmed at the family’s Land O’ Lakes home.

A panel of judges selected the top 35 videos, based on vocal performance, performance aesthetics and showmanship. Jonas then narrowed the pool to the top five, with a nationwide vote to choose the winner. The Quaker Oats Company and MTV Networks sponsored the contest.

At the outset, Jonas – who rose to fame as part of the Jonas Brothers — told MTV News that he was looking for someone with “the overall star power and star qualities of Willow Smith, with the artistry of a Greyson Chance.”

After Giguere won, Jonas said “Gabrielle’s passion, determination and sheer talent shows me she’s ready to become the first Quaker Chewy Superstar.”

Giguere recalled how she heard the news.

“I was hearing screaming coming out from my kitchen,” she said. “I thought something was wrong.”

She went to check it out, and she heard her mom, Sara, saying, “Are you serious? Are you serious?”

That’s when Giguere found out she’d won the grand prize.

Giguere flew to Los Angeles to work with Jonas on a video showcasing the song, “My Time,” which Jonas wrote for her.

Part of the video was recorded at EASTWEST Studios, the same studio used by Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson and the Rolling Stones.

Film crews began shooting as soon as Giguere arrived, she said. They wanted to embed raw footage into the video, the 14-year-old said. The video shows scenes of her arriving at the airport, riding down a Los Angeles highway, doing some sightseeing, shopping and having her hair and makeup done.

And, of course, it showcases her vocal abilities.

Besides going to EASTWEST, she also did a photo shoot with famed celebrity photographer Jay Silverman.

Despite the excitement, when Giguere returned to her Land O’ Lakes home she couldn’t tell a soul until she was officially announced the winner on Nov. 10.

Next, she jetted to New York, where she and Jonas made the rounds doing interviews.

Her video also was included in Quaker Chewy commercials that aired on CMT, VH1 and Nick at Night, from Nov. 10 to Nov. 13.

This is the teenager’s second major recognition. She won second runner-up in an international singing competition in Los Angeles that featured 400 singers between the ages of 5 and 25.

So, what’s next for the aspiring vocalist?

She doesn’t know, but she’s excited about the possibilities.

Kurt Browning resigns as Secretary of State

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May seek Pasco superintendent’s post

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning is stepping down from his post, effective Feb. 17.

He announced his decision last week.

“I need to come home,” Browning said, on Jan. 11, the afternoon he made his announcement.

He said he has tired of making the trek back and forth to Tallahassee, and wants to spend more time with his wife, Kathy.

Browning said he made the decision to leave for purely personal reasons.

“There is no bad blood. I wasn’t forced. I wasn’t cajoled. I wasn’t encouraged to get out,” said Browning, who added that he’s pleased that Gov. Rick Scott allowed him to stay in his post to oversee the statewide presidential preference primary on Jan. 31 and have the vote certified before leaving his post.

The word that he’s interested in running for superintendent of Pasco County public schools “is going around like wildfire,” the 53-year-old said.

“It’s an option,” he acknowledged, but he said it is not the reason he decided to leave Tallahassee.

However, he also noted “there have been a number of folks throughout Pasco County that have been encouraging me very strongly (to run for superintendent),” he said.

Browning was named Florida’s Secretary of State by Scott in January 2011, after serving in the same post under former Gov. Charlie Crist, from December of 2006 to April of 2010.

Before that, he spent 26 years as Pasco County’s supervisor of elections.

Browning has an extensive record of community involvement, including volunteer work with the Boy Scouts of America and Pasco County United Way and a stint as president of Downtown Dade City Main Street Inc., according to his bio on the Florida Department of State website.

Wiregrass Ranch not slowed by big changes

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By Kyle LoJacono

Question marks surrounded the Wiregrass Ranch girls basketball team entering the 2010-11 season.

The Bulls lost five seniors, including four of their top five scorers from a year ago. The departures accounted for 61 percent of the Wiregrass Ranch points.

Wiregrass Ranch senior guard Kelly McCaffrey has a team-high 19.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, four assists and four steals per game this season.

To add to the uncertainty, the squad lost coach Greg Finkel. The only coach in program history resigned following a Florida High School Athletic Association investigation that found 10 violations within the program centering on the recruitment of guard Briahanna Jackson.

The squad finished with a 14-12 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

In stepped a new leader for the sixth-year program — John Gant.

Gant was a shooting guard in high school for a state champion team in Georgia. He also coached high school and AAU ball for about 10 years.

“My goals were to gel as a team,” Gant said. “Any time you have a new coach it’s a different system. They have to learn new defenses and offenses. Not that one is better than the other, but it’s different, so that throws the program into psychological disarray. The goal was to try and make the transition as smooth as possible.”

There have been few rough patches this year, as Wiregrass Ranch has posted a 15-6 record. The Bulls are also 4-2 in Class 7A-District 9 play, losing only to Steinbrenner.

“We’ve exceeded my expectations,” Gant said. “We were picked by a lot of folks not to do very well at all probably because of the changes. We lost a lot from a senior-laden team from last year. Yet I set our goals really high for the girls so they can develop. I’ve never said to them we’re not going to be good. We’re in pursuit of excellence, and we have a lot to live up to because they’ve been very successful in the past.”

Sophomore center Logan Seoane said Gant’s coaching is different from Finkel’s, but just as effective.

“He’s brought in a lot of different drills, which is good to have a different way of doing things,” said Seoane, who averages 7.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. “They’re both great coaches, so we’ve been lucky.”

Bulls freshman forward Amanda Melosky goes up for a layup during 65-55 win against River Ridge this season.

Gant said the key to the turnaround this year has been the play and leadership of Kelly McCaffrey. The senior guard, who is closing in on 1,500 points for her career, is posting 19.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, four assists and four steals per game.

“She’s the heart and soul of this team,” Gant said. “The good thing is we don’t have to have her score 25 points a night for us to win. It’s letting her do other things, and right now she’s leading our district in rebounding. That’s really key for her development as a player. She’s also a leader on and off the court.”

McCaffrey played forward for most of last year, but an influx of younger players allowed her to move to her more natural position. One of those newcomers is freshman Amanda Melosky, who is averaging 10.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and a team-high four steals in her first year in high school.

“Amanda has really been a big help for us this year,” McCaffrey said. “We’re really glad she came in. She’s a really strong player. I don’t know where we’d be without her.”

Melosky wasn’t intimidated with the prospects of playing in high school as a freshman.

“I really wasn’t that nervous,” Melosky said. “Being a freshman I wanted to see how I was going to fit in. I guess I’ve been doing OK, and I’m surprised to be playing as much as I am.”

Melosky, Seoane and junior forward Kristin Ibison have given Wiregrass Ranch a bigger advantage down low than in past years. The Bulls are pulling down 39.3 rebounds per game this year, more than any other 7A-9 squad.

“They have really given us an inside presence,” Gant said. “That frees Kelly up to shoot and that makes us a lot better. Their development has been key. Logan has really improved. I had a preseason chat with her about what she can mean for this team and she’s done it. We’re being successful because of those girls who have committed to doing their job.”

Gant said he is very pleased with the squad’s performance, but knows the players will have to continue to improve if they are to make it back to the postseason.

“It’s a tough district with Steinbrenner and Freedom,” Gant said. “To play with those teams and beat those teams we have to play our very best. We can’t turn the ball over. Every possession counts. … If we do that we can play with them.”

The 7A-9 tournament is at Steinbrenner Jan. 31-Feb. 3. The championship is on Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Wiregrass Ranch is currently in second place in the district.

The Bulls played at Sunlake on Jan. 16, but results were not available by press time. Wiregrass Ranch travels to district rival Freedom on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m.

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

Freedom boys soccer regaining playoff form

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By Kyle LoJacono

Three years ago the Freedom boys soccer team got one step away from the ultimate goal of any high school program — winning a state championship.

The Patriots (6-6-1) reached the Class 5A state finals in 2009, but fell to Palm Harbor University 2-1 to finish with a 17-3-5 record. Freedom lost 10 seniors from that runner-up season, and the program has been fighting to get back to championship contention ever since.

Sophomore goalkeeper Nate Brown has been part of the resurgence of Freedom boys soccer this season.

The Patriots went 8-8-2 in 2009-10 followed by a 6-12 campaign. They missed the playoffs both seasons, ending a six-year streak that started in 2004 when the school was in its second year.

“It’s been difficult,” said Dennis Derflinger, the only coach in program history. “We have a number of good players here, so it’s not a matter of getting players on this team. It’s about getting them all buying into the same philosophy. They’re all coming from different clubs. It makes it a little difficult to one, get them to know how to play with each other and two, play with the style of play we want them too.”

That’s not to say the players haven’t had the drive to get back to the final four and beyond, especially the seniors who were freshmen on that 2008-09 squad.

“I remember our defense was really strong that year,” said senior defender Connor Limburg. “I remember from the finals game I got to play for a minute and a half because one of our guys got a yellow card. I always remember that.”

Senior forward/midfielder Evan Kruk has even better memories. He scored the winning goal in the state semis to send Freedom to the finals.

“That’s been the highlight of my time playing here,” Kruk said. “I got a through ball from Deion Jones, who was a senior, and I just onetimed it to the back post. Luckily the keeper couldn’t get his hand on it. Everything was in slow motion when I shot it, and then the crowd just erupted.”

Senior midfielder Michael Sacco said he took the deep playoff march for granted as it was his first season.

“Being a freshman then, my perspective is a lot different than where I’m at right now as a senior,” Sacco said. “It’s weird that we’re the seniors now. We have to assume the responsibility to take this team.”

Derflinger and his players had high expectations coming into this season.

“I felt we were going to be a lot better from last year,” said sophomore goalkeeper Nate Brown, who has 63 saves and three shutouts this year. “Everybody is getting older and better. We’re working better together and that aspect is going to help a lot, and our new freshmen are really good too.

“Last year it was difficult at the beginning because I broke my (right) shoulder, so throughout most of the year I was just watching,” Brown continued. “When I got back I gave it my best, so did everyone else, but we just couldn’t pull it out in districts.”

Freedom senior midfielder Michael Sacco is one of several Patriots who were on the 2008-09 squad that reached the Class 5A state finals.

Injuries derailed Brown’s season last year and more medical problems threatened to do the same to the Patriots this year.

“We’ve had some serious injuries coming in that we weren’t expecting, so we got off to a rough start,” Derflinger said. “We were scrambling around to find people to fill those positions. I feel like we can compete and bring back another district title. We just have to play the way we’re capable of. … My assistant coach and I were talking and reflecting on the season, and there were only three games where we weren’t missing four or more starters.”

One of those games the Patriots were playing with most of their lineup was at district rival Gaither on Jan. 4.

The Cowboys (13-4-1), who reached the 5A final four last year, have eliminated Freedom from playoff contention the last two years, but that did not deter the Patriots. They defeated Gaither 1-0 to secure the No. 2 seed in the Class 4A-District 8 tournament. Kruk scored the lone goal in the contest set up by Sacco, and Brown made 10 saves to preserve the shutout.

“I think it gives us some confidence because Gaither is a quality team, and they always have a quality program over there,” Derflinger said. “To get that win it helps us out, but then again you can’t look at it too deeply because we may have to play them again in districts. We have to take it for what it’s worth and improve a little more over the next couple of weeks.”

The 4A-8 tournament is at Steinbrenner Jan. 24-27, with the championship game on Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. As the No. 2 seed in the six-team district Freedom earns a bye to the semifinals, meaning one victory in the tournament would clinch a playoff berth.

The Patriots travel to Robinson on Wednesday, Jan. 18 before closing out the regular season at Brandon on Thursday, Jan. 19. Both games are at 7 p.m.

–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches

Land O’ Lakes aims for deep playoff run

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Land O’ Lakes boys soccer team has been a constant in the playoffs since any of its current players was born.

The Gators (13-2-2) have reached regionals in 13 of the last 14 years, missing out only during the 2002-03 season. Land O’ Lakes has also captured seven straight district and five consecutive Sunshine Athletic Conference championships.

The Gators’ program has been as dominating in the regular season as any Tampa Bay area squad, but the regional tournament has been a bit of a challenge in recent years. The Gators have not advanced past the second round of the postseason since 2005, but the 2010-11 squad has plans of changing that trend.

Gators senior forward/midfielder Nathan Dalton has a team-high 16 assists while adding four scores this year.

“The first goal is to win districts and after that get through regionals,” said senior forward/midfielder Nathan Dalton. “We’re capable of it, but we just break down every year and it’s frustrating.”

Last year epitomized that recent frustration for Land O’ Lakes. The Gators entered the regional quarterfinals with a 23-1 record, but lost to Pasco 1-0 at home. The defeat stung even more because the central Pasco County squad had beaten the Pirates during the regular season.

“The players know that we’ve stumbled the last few years in regionals, especially last year when we lost to a team we had previously beat,” said 16-year Land O’ Lakes coach Mark Pearson. “The players just need to step up on the night. Sometimes we don’t take advantage of our opportunities; sometimes we just have a mental breakdown. We just have to make sure that doesn’t happen this year.”

Pearson said that stinging loss last year helped the returning players understand the importance of playing their best in every game.

“We’ve won a lot of games this year, but we know going into districts, which we have every year, that records don’t really mean much on any night,” Pearson said. “We’re very conscious of that.”

The squad has 10 seniors, but also lost 10 graduates from last season.

Among the departures are midfielder Justin Lyles and goalkeeper Kody Parker, who received scholarships to play at Thomas University and the University of Tampa, respectively.

“With losing a lot of guys we wanted the returning players to stand up and work harder for each other,” said senior midfielder Jake Frahm, who has five goals and 12 assists this year.

Land O’ Lakes senior forward/midfielder Andy Garcia has recorded 14 goals and three assists this season.

Losing Parker, who was named the All-Laker/All-Lutz News boys soccer Player of the Year last season, left a big void as he was a three-year starter between the pipes. He recorded 95 saves and 15 shutouts in 2010-11.

Moving into the net is junior Mitch McCuen, who told Pearson he wanted to give it a try at the end of last year.

“He’s working hard to get better,” Pearson said. “I told him what he needed to do, and to his credit over the summer he did everything he needed. He’s done very well.”

McCuen has 1.1 goals against average this year while recording four shutouts.

Graduation left an opening at goalkeeper, but the tradition-rich Gators seem to always have established returning players. Dalton, Frahm and senior forward/midfielder Andy Garcia have all been on the squad the last four seasons.

“We were just looking to build off all the talent we already had,” said Garcia, who has scored 14 goals while adding three assists. “We just want to keep the winning record going. Losing all that talent is hard, but we still have a lot of good players.”

Dalton said having so much talent also pushes the players to continually improve.

“You have to always be on your game,” said Dalton, who has a team-high 16 assists while adding four tallies. “You can never slip up. If you do mess up you know there’s going to be someone there to replace you.”

Pearson said having such talent is a luxury for the team, but added they will have to play great defense and capitalize on scoring opportunities to reach their goals.

“We need a lot of effort on defense every night,” Pearson said. “I’m a big believer in defense winning championships, so we have to be incredibly organized and have a lot of commitment to that.

“In terms of scoring goals, we have a lot of guys who can do that,” Pearson continued. “Josh Davis, Miguel Laliberte, Andy Garcia — we’ve probably got a dozen players with 10 or more points. We have a lot of firepower, but I’d like to see a bit more work ethic. You can get a little bit lazy when you play teams that you think you can just walk on the field and beat. That hurts the style of game we’re looking for. Hopefully we’ll have the right motivation for districts.”

Senior forwards Davis and Laliberte are leading Land O’ Lakes in scoring with 18 and 13, respectively.

Land O’ Lakes hosts the Class 3A-District 7 tournament Jan. 24-27. The championship game is on Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.

The Gators travel to Fivay on Wednesday, Jan. 18 before hosting Mitchell on Friday, Jan. 20. Both games are at 7 p.m.