The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Williams plays in Blue-Grey game

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Land O’ Lakes senior linebacker Shadow Williams closed out his high school career this past weekend when he played in the Blue-Grey All-Star game at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 14.

Land O’ Lakes senior linebacker Shadow Williams played in the Blue-Grey All-Star game on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium.

Williams played for the Gators during his senior and junior seasons after transferring from Freedom. He finished his two-year stint at Land O’ Lakes with 195 tackles, 14 sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defensed. While at Freedom in 2009 he posted 89 tackles, eight sacks and forced two fumbles.

The 6-foot, 221-pound Williams was named to the All-Sunshine Athletic Conference first team defense the last two years.

 

SR 54 widening project complete

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By Kyle LoJacono

A little more than 20 months ago the most expensive road project in Pasco County history began — the widening of SR 54 through Wesley Chapel.

The $105.2 million job was recently completed months ahead of schedule and brings with it the promise of a more connected county.

“It’s just part of what we’re trying to do to bring opportunities home,” said Pasco Commissioner Pat Mulieri. “We’ve been working to improve the roadways to get more people and goods moving from either side of the county. We’ve had businesses like T. Rowe Price who told us they’re coming to Pasco because of road projects like this one.”

Pasco Chief Engineer James Widman said all the actual construction was completed about a week ago.

“All that’s left is a little bit of cleanup and removing cones and things like that,” Widman said. “Really it’s faster than we expected and there weren’t any major issues with the job.”

The county’s Chief Project Manager Robert Shepherd added, “They got ahead of schedule fast and stayed ahead of schedule. It was as smooth as a major road job can be.”

The project was completed by Pepper Contracting Services, the same company that performed the widening of West Lutz-Lake Fern Road in front of Steinbrenner High in Lutz. Pepper had until April to finish the widening, but Widman said their people wanted to finish before then as they just received a contract for another job in Hillsborough County.

The newly improved roadway is now six lanes from I-75 to Curley Road, a stretch of about 3.2 miles.

The overall construction and planning/design was only $31 million, but cost to buy land along the state road cost Pasco an additional $74.2 million. Mulieri said the land was very expensive because several businesses had to be bought out to complete the job.

“We’ve learned from that mistake and now we have a new row-acquisition policy,” Mulieri said. “Development has to stay farther away from roads to account for future widenings.”

County workers and citizens alike can now smile at the freshly improved roadway, but several strange turns happened along the way to completion.

The project for a week closed the entrance to Curley from SR 54, one of the main routes toward Wesley Chapel High.

Another twist in the construction was the closing of all the gas stations within the 7-mile span of SR 54 from Morris Bridge Road/Eiland Boulevard in Zephyrhills to I-75 in Wesley Chapel.

Two of the stations had to be permanently shut down because of the widening, while the Hess near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Citgo on Boyette Road had to close for several months because of the safety hazard created by the large construction equipment near the gas tanks.

The project also caused the reduction in the speed limit on SR 54 from 50 to 35 mph through most of the construction zone, along with the general slowing of traffic during the last year and a half because of barricades, heavy equipment and stop/slow signs carried by workers.

Residents may be pleased to see the last cones and workers exiting the construction site, but more work is on the horizon for SR 54.

Mulieri said there are plans to widen the state road to six lanes all the way to US 301 in Zephyrhills. She said that project would likely cost much less because there are fewer businesses that would have to be bought out, but the actual size of the job could cause it to take longer than its recent predecessor.

“It’s about 10 miles, so our people have said it would just be a larger project to finish,” Mulieri said. “It is needed to continue that goal of making Pasco a bigger player economically in the region and the state.”

Running for the Bulls, Longhorns

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The annual Long Run at the Ranch returns for its sixth installment on Saturday, Jan. 21 in support of the athletic programs at Wiregrass Ranch High and John Long Middle schools.

The day includes a 5-kilometer and a 1-mile race at the middle school, 2025 Mansfield Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. It will also include a health fair for the first time.

The day is organized by Bulls cross country coaches Don Howard and Chris Loth. Howard began the event when the school opened six years ago and Loth joined when he became the boys coach the following year.

“I wanted to have a 5K event in the area to promote running in the community and to raise money for the athletic programs of both schools,” said Howard, who is also the Bulls girls track and field coach. “We have raised a total of approximately $12,000 in the first five years.”

The money is split between the two schools. Wiregrass Ranch uses the money to pay for some of the expenses during the cross country and track and field seasons. John Long’s goes toward the general athletic budget.

Howard said about 200 runners come out each year to the 5K, with another 100 running in the 1-miler. Awards are given for both races overall as well as for various age groups including the fastest male and female runner in elementary, middle and high school, as well as staff from either facility. Donated prizes will also be given out.

The 5K starts at 8:30 a.m., with the 1-mile run beginning at about 9:15 a.m. Those interested can sign up the day of the event until 8 a.m., or register at FitNiche at The Shops at Wiregrass on Friday, Jan. 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information, call (813) 404-6350.

 

Proposal set to protect troops’ jobs

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By Kyle LoJacono

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis can’t stand the idea of military veterans becoming homeless after serving and has introduced legislation to help protect their jobs when they return from deployment.

Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, is co-sponsoring a bill to keep troops out of unemployment statistics. H.R. 3670 would guarantee anyone called to active duty be given their job back when they return home, regardless if the position is in the public or private sector.

“When our National Guard and reservists are called to duty, it is our duty to ensure that they have the peace of mind of knowing that their jobs are secure when they return,” Bilirakis said.

There is already legislation, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), which protects soldiers’ jobs, but certain professions are currently exempt. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is one of those not required to follow USERRA.

The bill would likely be especially helpful to those in Pasco County, which currently is home to 54,000 veterans and their families, just less than 12 percent of the county’s population.

Bilirakis, whose ninth congressional district covers Lutz, Odessa, New Tampa and portions of northern Pinellas County and west Pasco, is the vice chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. He said he has been working toward adding protections like this for about a year.

“This legislation is a necessary step in supporting those who sign on to protect our nation and ensure our freedoms,” Bilirakis said.

Bilirakis never served in the military, but one of the bill’s co-sponsors is a 24-year Army National Guard veteran. Tim Walz, D-Minn., said protecting soldiers’ employment is something that crosses political party lines.

“The unemployment rate among our service members is already far too high,” Walz said. “Protecting the jobs they already have should be a top priority.

“A critical part of the obligation we have to support the troops includes ensuring a stable economic condition when they return from military service,” Walz continued. “When Americans are deployed with the armed forces, they should not have to worry that they might be fired simply for being away on duty. This bipartisan legislation protects the jobs of American service members by ensuring that a call to serve doesn’t amount to a pink slip for officers of the Transportation Security Administration.”

The bill specifically mentions the TSA.

“The TSA employs thousands of veterans, reservists and members of the National Guard who should not have to worry about losing their jobs when called to active duty,” Walz said. “They have earned and deserve this simple protection.”

The Military Officers Association of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have already supported the measure.

Raymond Kelley, legislative director of the VFW, released a statement stating, “This much-needed change in TSA policy sets a new standard in the federal government’s full support of our Veterans. The VFW was adamant about working towards this legislative fix after helping to discover this loophole.”

The TSA also released a statement stating it already complies with the legislation voluntarily. However, Bilirakis points out that at least two transportation security officers did not receive such protection during the last few years and lost their jobs while deployed.

“That has to stop,” Bilirakis said.

Church crowd shows compassion for homeless

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By B.C. Manion

 

A crowd of more than 200 jammed into Chancey Road Christian Church last week to weigh in on a church proposal for a 120-bed homeless shelter.

The vast majority of those attending the meeting support the church’s request.

Two additional meetings are set on the request for a conditional use permit. The Planning Commission will take up the issue on Wednesday, Feb. 8; and, the Pasco County Commission on Tuesday, March 6.

The church, at 34931 Chancey Road, has eventual plans to build a 7,600-square-foot structure to house the homeless shelter, said Clarke Hobby, the attorney representing the church.

The church has been operating a homeless shelter for about two years, with about 30 to 40 people staying there each night, including some families with children. It is the only homeless shelter on the east side of the county.

Tim Mitchell, pastor at Chancey Road Christian Church, said the church provides an “overnight, emergency, hand up, not hand out.”

A handful of neighbors voiced concerns at last Thursday’s meeting, but the overall tone was one of compassion for those needing the community’s help.

Lea McKenney, who lives in Lake Bernadette, said she walks her dog at Zephyr Park, where she has encountered people who stay at the shelter.

“I walk my dog every morning. One day, when I saw a family and some others huddled around a little barbecue that had fire going, to get warm, I felt I needed to talk with them.

“It was about 40 degrees, so I got some hot coffee and some hot chocolate for the four little kids, ages 2, 5, 8 and 15.

“I’ve interacted with those people every day since. They are, except for the grace of God, me. Every one of them.”

Kelly Lewis, who lives on Appaloosa Trail not far from the church, said she supports the shelter but is concerned about potential negative impacts on her neighborhood.

She said her mail has been stolen and she has seen drunken people walking down the block.

“I just want to make sure that it’s not going to spill over into our neighborhood,” Lewis said. “I have young children.”

Another woman, who said she lives nearby, characterized the church’s efforts as a noble cause. However, she said she is concerned attracting undesirables into the neighborhood.

That comment drew a retort from another woman, who chastised the speaker for labeling anyone as being undesirable.

The pastor acknowledged that the church gets lots of traffic from people needing help.

“There’s a lot that happens here,” Mitchell said. “We’re giving them groceries, we’re giving them hygiene products, we’re giving them job referrals, we’re helping them pay the rent, we’re helping them pay their phone bill.

The Samaritan Project has an office at the church, providing assistance with rent, utilities and job referrals, Mitchell said.

“People are hurting. Honestly, it could be anybody in this room. You could be next,” the pastor said.

Carol Scheckler, a board member on the Samaritan Project, has watched the evolution of the church’s mission to help the homeless.

“Back in ’09, when Tim first opened the cold-weather shelter, my husband and I did some volunteering. We had one person show up.”

The next time, she walked through a homeless tent city and invited people living in about 40 tents to come to the church for a warm dinner, warm bed and warm breakfast.

No one took her up.

“The ones that you are seeing, that are walking the streets drunk, are stealing and are doing all of the damage, are not the people in this shelter,” Scheckler said.

“You need to stop stereotyping homeless,” she said. “These children did not make this decision to be homeless. It was the hand that they were dealt.”

Doyle Springfield, who lives on Pinto Lane, applauds the church’s efforts.

“The problems that we’re having on Appaloosa Trail and Lanier aren’t coming from this church,” he said. “I’m a retired police officer. I’m a very nosy neighbor.

Some of the problems that people are witnessing stem from neighborhood residents, Springfield said.

“I’m not one of those, ‘Not in My Backyard,’ because, folks, this is my backyard. My hat’s off to the pastor,” Springfield said.

Hobby said the church wants to be a good neighbor.

“For those of you all that have concerns, please contact me, please email me, please call me at my office. I do want to hear specifics from you all. We may come up with a great idea, talking together, that will help alleviate some of your problems that you’ve had in the past or that you might have in the future,” Hobby said.

The attorney said church officials did not realize a conditional use was needed for its shelter until it began drawing plans for the new 120-bed facility. That’s when a county staff member informed the church’s engineer that the permit was required, Hobby said. The church didn’t realize a government permit was needed because it considers helping the homeless part of its core mission, he said.

The county first received complaints about the church operating a homeless shelter in June, according to county records.

The county issued a cease-and-desist order to close the shelter in December, after fielding complaints, but county staff did not enforce the order after Commissioner Pat Mulieri asked staff to look into the issue.

Mulieri said the shelter is being allowed to continue operating until the county considers the conditional use permit.

Mulieri, who chairs the county’s Homeless Advisory Board, also said she plans to push for a change that would allow cold-weather shelters to operate without permits when the temperature dips below 50 degrees. Currently, that standard is 36 degrees.

 

Wesley Chapel girls soccer in uncharted waters

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Wildcats clinch No. 1 seed, on pace for first postseason

By Kyle LoJacono

Success isn’t something Wesley Chapel girls soccer is accustomed to.

The Wildcats won just 10 games the last five years while piling up 65 losses. Since the school opened in 1999 the program has no winning seasons or playoff berths. In fact, the current group has yet to taste victory in a district tournament.

The Wesley Chapel girls soccer team has clinched the No. 1 seed in the upcoming district tournament, giving the Wildcats a real chance to make the playoffs for the first time in program history.

So it’s an understatement to say the current Wesley Chapel squad is surprising the area this season. The Wildcats (7-9) have posted a 6-2 record in Class 3A-District 7 play, clinching the No. 1 seed in the district tournament for the first time in program history.

“This year is a lot different,” said junior midfielder Kelsey Bare, who has seven goals this season. “In the past we kind of had the mentality of we’re a losing team so it doesn’t matter, but now we actually win.”

Part of changing that mentality has been the presences of second-year coach Michelle Clark, who came from Sunlake where she coached track and was a soccer assistant.

“For the past few seasons they had the losing record, and they kind of got used to it,” Clark said. “It gets in your head, and you hear it sometimes from classmates about the losing. I think that was the biggest struggle to change the mindset, because you can teach anybody the basics. You can teach them how to play and how to play hard, but getting past that losing mentality was really hard.”

Senior midfielder Tess Gemberling, who has a team-high eight goals, gives a lot of the credit to Clark.

“I think the biggest change is the coach,” said Gemberling, who has been on the squad since her freshman year. “She actually put it in us that we could win when before we were pushed just to play. … Coach Clark brings a lot of spirit to the team. Even if we’re not playing well she can bring it out of us to win a game. I’m just happy we’ve got her here.”

Clark’s goal has been getting her team believing, but a couple of wins against district rival Zephyrhills cemented that confidence. The Wildcats defeated the Bulldogs 1-0, scoring in the final minutes to beat their east Pasco County neighbors for the first time ever.

Wesley Chapel senior defender Taylor Doherty said the biggest difference with the current squad is the team chemistry.

For senior defender Taylor Doherty, it was their second victory against Zephyrhills that got her believing.

“We were down 0-2 and we came back and won 3-2,” said Doherty, who has played at Wesley Chapel the last four seasons. “In past years we wouldn’t have even come back from being down a goal, so that was big.”

The sweep of Zephyrhills was the first of three for the Wildcats against district opponents.

“We’ve beat Zephyrhills, Pasco and Sunlake each twice this year and Wesley Chapel had never beaten any of those teams before,” Clark said.

The Wildcats have piled up district wins, but still haven’t defeated Land O’ Lakes. The Gators (11-5-2) handed them their only two district losses this season, but strangely enough the central Pasco program and longtime coach Vicky King is a big reason for Wesley Chapel’s newfound success.

“They have a great team and I actually played for Vicky King,” Clark said. “I graduated from Land O’ Lakes in 1998 and I played for her for three years. That’s always been a wonderful program. Vicky has been a mentor of mine and I look up to her in how she coaches and how she leads her team. She makes them like a family and I think learning from her has helped me a lot.”

Junior midfielder Kelsey Bare has scored seven goals this season to help the Wildcats clinch the No. 1 seed in the Class 3A-District 7 tournament.

The Gators have secured the No. 2 seed for the 3A-7 district tournament, meaning they would meet the Wildcats for the district championship provided both squads win their first game in the event. Clark said it will take the whole team if they want to raise their first banner.

“We have to continue to have a strong defense, and we have to finish goals,” Clark said. “When we have opportunities we have to take advantage. A goal can change the game instantly. The other thing is we need to keep playing together. They don’t all have to be best friends, but when they’re on the field they’re going to work hard for each other.”

Doherty added, “This year it’s always about being there for your teammates. Our forwards come back and play defense and we’re playing together. I don’t know why, but these girls are just coming together.”

Next up for Wesley Chapel is the 3A-7 tournament at Zephyrhills Jan. 17-20.

The Wildcats play in the semifinals on Wednesday, Jan. 18 against the winner of the contest between Sunlake and Pasco. Wesley Chapel would clinch its first postseason appearance with a win in the semis.

The district championship is on Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m., but even if the contest doesn’t include the Wildcats Clark still sees a program ready to continue winning.

“It’s exciting and I hope it continues over the next few years,” Clark said. “This is only the beginning.”

Steinbrenner staying focused amid high expectations

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By Jeff Odom

Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

The Steinbrenner boys soccer team watched from the stands last season as its counterpart won the Class 4A girls state championship.

This year, the boys squad is using that memory as a motivating tool to make a little history of its own.

“It hurt, that should have been us,” said junior Enrique Barboto. “I feel like we should have also won (states), we should have been up there with them. Everyone makes mistakes and you got to learn from them and keep working to have a chance this year.”

The Warriors (10-1-2) went through a roller coaster ride last season, compiling a 15-5-2 record including a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Jesuit in the district finals and 2-1 loss to Lakewood Ranch in the regional semifinals.

Coach Chad Ebright talks with his team during warm-ups before a recent practice. The third-year Warriors coach changed the playbook this season to help his squad make a deep playoff run.

This year, coach Chad Ebright tweaked the playbook and moved many of his players to different positions in order to put them in the best spot to accomplish their goal of winning a state title of their own.

“Every year (our) expectation should be to win the state championship,” said Ebright, the only coach in program history. “That’s what our goal is every year and that’s what we want to achieve.”

Ebright moved the defenders to the forward and midfield positions as part of the playbook shuffle. Barboto, a defender last season and now a midfielder, said the switch is giving Steinbrenner more opportunities to score.

“We have our positives and negatives,” Barboto said. “We possess (the ball) a lot more than we did last year, and I feel like little switch ups here and there have made a big difference.”

Steinbrenner senior and team captain Conner Fleming pushes the ball up the field during a recent practice.

The move appears to have paid off through the first few months this season. The Warriors have shown they can compete on a consistent basis this season, with its only blemish a tie against nondistrict opponent Wharton to open the year.

The Warriors have already beaten Class 4A-District 8 rivals Sickles and Gaither, which both made the playoffs a season ago. Junior Logan Siben said that, despite the important district wins, it’s still a work in progress, and nothing is going to be handed to them when the district tournament rolls around.

“Our goal is just to keep winning and hopefully move on to win districts, regionals and states,” Siben said.

The 4-1 victory at Gaither on Dec. 6 was even more important for Steinbrenner’s mental state as it had lost the previous two games between the two programs and the Cowboys made the state final four in 2010-11.

“(Gaither) had beaten us the last two years and (they had the mindset that) they knew they could beat us, but we showed what we’re made of,” Barboto said.

Siben, who has been one of the team’s top scorers this year, is coming off a season derailed by a torn MCL in his left knee. He said while the injury took months to heal, his training and work ethic has helped him recover and return to form.

“I was out for about two and a half, three months and me and (Barboto) trained everyday and practiced my shooting,” Siben said. “Since then I’ve been keeping in shape and trying to get back to where I was (before the injury).”

The Warriors have their host of star power across the board. Along with Barboto and Siben is senior and team captain Conner Fleming, who was named to the All-Western Conference American Division first-team last year. Siben said their depth and new positions have them geared up to match the girls’ 2010-11 success this season.

“I personally believe as a team we can achieve that,” Siben said. “We can get a state title, and we can do it this year and next year.”

Barboto added there is a little rivalry with the girls that has brewed during the last year after winning Steinbrenner’s first state championship.

“(The girls) always talk a little smack here and there,” Barboto said. “(Their state title) is a big motivation for us because everyone is always talking about them and we made it to regional semifinals and didn’t get anything said about us, and we had a really good record also.”

The Warriors host Bloomingdale on Friday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. Steinbrenner hosts the 4A-8 tournament Jan. 23-27. The championship game is on Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.

Bulldogs’ record setter teaching the Bulls

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By Kyle LoJacono

Erin Dodd made waves playing soccer at Zephyrhills High and is continuing to make an impact as Wiregrass Ranch’s coach.

Dodd’s love for soccer goes back to her earliest memories growing up in Zephyrhills. She started playing in a league at age 4 but has pictures of herself kicking a ball when she was about 2.

Coach Erin Dodd has led the Wiregrass Ranch girls soccer team to a 36-7-2 record in her first two years at the helm.

“Or at least that’s what I think I was trying to do,” Dodd said with a smile. “Not quite sure at that age. … My older brothers all played, so whatever sport they were playing I was automatically interested in because I look up to both of them.”

Girls soccer was in its infancy during Dodd’s childhood and there were few opportunities to play while in elementary school.

“There weren’t any girls leagues, so I was playing in the boys leagues,” Dodd said. “In fifth grade I found an all-girls league in Temple Terrace.”

It was around that time Dodd started understanding the game in a way that separated her from those she played against.

“I love the creativity,” Dodd said. “It really is such a simple game, but you can be so creative with it especially if you work well with your teammates and the players around you. It’s a creative, beautiful game.”

Dodd scored 147 goals while playing midfield at Zephyrhills, setting the career record for the program.

“It was a great accomplishment to be able to set that record, but I think even more when I was playing girls soccer wasn’t very big,” Dodd said. “Soccer in general was just growing. For Pasco County and for Zephyrhills I think I was able to inspire some younger players and give them something to shoot for.”

Junior forward Berlin Waters said Wiregrass Ranch is in good hands with a knowledgeable coach like Erin Dodd guiding the program.

Dodd’s time at Zephyrhills was one of the most successful stretches in Bulldogs’ history. The squad won a pair of district championships and reached the Class 4A regional semifinals during her senior campaign in 1997, the furthest the program has gone in the playoffs.

Dodd was an all-Sunshine State Conference (SAC) selection every year in high school and earned a scholarship to play at the University of Memphis where she played striker.

“College was probably my best memories because of all the new people I met and the places I got to travel to,” Dodd said. “I got to see things I probably wouldn’t have been able to if I wasn’t playing soccer.”

After her playing career ended, Dodd started coaching to help young players realize their own talents.

“It was an opportunity to work with them one-on-one and as a group making sure they’re doing everything they can to be better not just as players but as teammates and people,” Dodd said.

She became the girls coach at John Long Middle six years ago. Dodd led the squad to a 4-3-3 record that season, the last time it would lose while she was at the helm. The Longhorns rattled off three consecutive perfect seasons, including 26 straight victories.

Dodd’s teams did not slow down when she became Wiregrass Ranch’s coach last season. The Bulls had won 22 games during the program’s first four years, but under their new leader they went 23-3-2 en route to winning a district championship and making the Class 4A regional finals.

Dodd was named the All-Laker/All-Lutz News and SAC girls soccer east Coach of the Year for her work last season.

“That entire year was my favorite memory coaching,” Dodd said. “I’d worked with a majority of the girls before, and being able to come back and work with them again and be successful was special. To see how truly happy they were and realizing how successful they could be for themselves was really great.”

Wiregrass Ranch sophomore defender Grace Olsen was not surprised what the squad has done with Dodd leading them.

“She’s been a huge part of the team,” said Olsen, who was coached by Dodd at John Long. “If you just look at the record the last two years you can see that. … She’s been really consistent. She also keeps things really entertaining. I haven’t gotten sick of her coaching even though she’s coached me the last four years. I always want to play, and I want to play for her.”

Bulls junior forward Berlin Waters was also excited with the prospects of learning from Dodd, who was her coach for a year with the Wesley Chapel Flames club.

“When I came to Wiregrass Ranch last year and heard she was going to be the coach it was nice to have someone I already knew,” said Waters, who has a team-high 18 goals this year. “It’s nice to know she can get the team working together and winning games. … She knows how to connect with the players, she knows what to do with the different positions and she knows how she needs to coach each of us individually.”

Dodd’s work with two players last year helped them get scholarships, the first Bulls soccer players to sign with a college in school history. Midfielder Sierra Monday and defender/midfielder Nicole Esposito signed with Brewton-Parker College and Polk State College, respectively.

“It’s great to listen to their experiences when they come back,” Dodd said. “It’s good for them because they start to see life in a whole different way. They’re having some of the same experiences I had, and it’s good to see.”

This season Wiregrass Ranch is 13-4, giving Dodd a record 66-10-5 overall.

Wiregrass Ranch played at Ridgewood on Jan. 10 but results were not available by press time. The Bulls’ next major challenge is the Class 4A-District 8 tournament at Freedom Jan. 17-20, where they are the No. 3 seed. Wiregrass Ranch must make the finals to earn a playoff spot, but Dodd sees good things in the future regardless of the outcome.

“I think it’s only going to keep growing,” Dodd said. “These girls in the community are starting to realize the capabilities they have and how far they can actually go. My goal is to build a program here that people want to be a part of. I think with this group we’re already on the way to doing that.”

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

 

Once a Cowboy …

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Jonas Bukh returns to Gaither for his senior season

By Kyle LoJacono

Gaither’s boys soccer team reached the Class 5A final four last season but lost its top two scorers to graduation.

The departures of Zach Wheeler and Jordan See, who scored 24 and 15 goals, respectively, last season, created major voids, but the Cowboys’ (12-4-1) losses went even deeper. Gaither racked up 75 tallies a year ago, but 58 of those were put in by players who have since graduated.

Cowboys coach Eric Sims was unsure where his squad’s offense would come from this year.

“I knew we had talented players, but yeah that’s a lot of goals we got from players who have graduated,” Sims said. “I knew we’d need to get offense from new people. I was a little worried because losing people like Jordan and Zach isn’t something you can just fix easily. … When I heard Jonas (Bukh) was coming back I thought he had a chance to help with the scoring.”

Gaither senior forward Jonas Bukh, right, is leading his squad with 13 goals after spending last year in Denmark.

Bukh has done just that, scoring a team-high 13 goals. His total is more than a third of Gaither’s total tallies. He is also setting up his teammates as illustrated by his seven assists, second most on the squad.

The senior forward played for the Cowboys his freshman and sophomore years but returned to his native Denmark as a junior. Sims said he learned Bukh was coming back not long before practices for the 2011-12 campaign began and was excited to see what improvements his returning pupil had made during his year in Europe.

“You could see he had a lot of skill his first two years here,” Sims said. “Getting back a kid like Jonas is a big plus for us. He’s come in and been a big threat to score. We were very fortunate to get him back this season. Not just for his scoring, but he goes about things in a very professional way. He’s a really good example for the younger guys.”

Cowboys senior goalkeeper Carlos de Oliveira was also pleased to see Bukh once again donning Gaither gear.

“He was my first friend here and he works really hard,” de Oliveira said. “He always scores and is really strong. He’s a really good player. … I’m so happy to have him back.”

Bukh said he was a bit nervous returning to a team that came two wins from the program’s second state championship a year ago.

“I think we’re doing pretty well,” Bukh said. “We’re going to have our ups and downs like any team. Even Barcelona has its downs, but we have to get up after losses and just move on.”

Bukh, whose first language is Danish, originally came to the United States while in the fifth grade, but that was not the first big move for him. His family moved to Kenya from Denmark when he was 2 and later went to South Africa and finally back to Denmark before coming to this country.

“Yeah I’ve lived in more countries than most kids in my classes have even been too,” Bukh said with a laugh. “It wasn’t too hard because I learned English when we moved to Africa and most people speak that there.”

The one constant for Bukh regardless of his location has been soccer. He can’t remember a time when he wasn’t kicking around the black and white ball up and down the pitch.

“I just love the sport,” Bukh said. “It’s a great sport and I just love the intensity. It takes a lot of skill. I grew up with it. Me and my dad (Per) would watch the World Cup or whatever, and I’d get caught up in it. He’d get excited and I’d get excited. Then we’d go play soccer after the game, and that’s what really motivated me to keep playing.”

Bukh has also done competitive swimming and judo, but neither gave him the same joy he has while playing soccer.

“Soccer is just such a great sport to play,” Bukh said. “I want to try and play in college and see where it takes me from there.”

The Cowboys host Jefferson on Friday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m.

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

 

Cohen powers Steinbrenner over the Bulls

By

Jeff Odom

Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

The Steinbrenner girls basketball team’s worst nightmare came true with less than 5 minutes to play in the third quarter at Class 7A-District 9 rival Wiregrass Ranch on Jan. 6.

Senior center Rebecca Cohen scored six points in the fourth quarter to power the Warriors over district rival Wiregrass Ranch on Jan. 6.

Freshman center Rachel Briere, who averages 11.1 points per game, yelled out in pain as she lay on the court holding her left knee. That’s when Warriors coach J.R. Allen turned to his bench and gestured for senior center Rebecca Cohen to go in.

“After Rachel went down, coach told me ‘we need you’ and everyday he told me I needed to be physical, but really it’s for the team and I’m a senior so I stepped it up,” Cohen said.

Cohen’s eight points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals gave the Warriors the late push needed to beat the Bulls 41-32 in a key district meeting.

For Allen, it was a moment 16 games in the making as he said Cohen, who scored six of her eight points in the fourth, got over a psychological hump that has plagued her all year.

“She has the physical gift, she knows that, I know that, but it’s all been a mental block for her, and for whatever reason she was able to shake that off,” Allen said. He then added, “It was huge and if she didn’t I feel like maybe the game goes the other way, and we don’t get it done because everything she did when she came in was a positive.”

The Warriors (14-2) found themselves locked in a tight game against Wiregrass Ranch (13-6) as shots didn’t fall for either team in the first half. Steinbrenner led 17-15 at the break thanks to a buzzer-beating layup by senior guard Alexis Wright.

Steinbrenner junior guard/forward Baylee Hooker put up a team-high 18 points in a 41-32 victory at Wiregrass Ranch on Jan. 6.

“You talk about poor shooting, I wanted to joke and ask if they put any lids on the rim before the first half because no shots were going in,” Allen said.

The Warriors defense picked up the offense, forcing the Bulls to settle for outside shots.

“We kind of communicated that the defense had to pick up (with the lack of offense), and it did tremendously,” Allen said.

In the second quarter, Steinbrenner junior guard/forward Baylee Hooker, who injured her head during a collision the day before in practice, began to set the pace offensively. She finished with a team-high 18 points.

“I had to push through it,” said Hooker of her injury. “I had to come out with the mindset that it wasn’t there and it wasn’t a big factor because the adrenaline in the game made it go away.”

In the second half, the Bulls kept chiseling away at the Warriors lead, which got as small as five before Briere’s injury. Allen said he’s not going to speculate on the extent of the injury, but did say Briere will have an MRI to check for any major damage.

In the fourth quarter, the Bulls kept it close as senior guard Kelly McCaffrey hit a pair of 3-pointers to keep Wiregrass Ranch within five late, but the Warriors defense stifled the comeback.

Bulls coach John Gant said while the loss hurts, he was glad to see his team maturing.

“We grew up a bit tonight,” Gant said. “I was really pleased with our effort on defense and we adjusted well on their pressure. We just didn’t play well on offense tonight, which was our Achilles heel. That’s why we didn’t win the game.”

Wiregrass Ranch junior forward Rico Kerney, left, and Steinbrenner junior guard Drake Wagner fight for position in a game Jan. 6. The two led their squads in points, Kerney with 36 and Wagner with 14.

On the boys side, Wiregrass Ranch got revenge against Steinbrenner, defeating the Warriors 91-69 to leap back into the district title conversation.

In the first meeting between the district opponents, Steinbrenner (8-5) won a shootout over the Bulls (7-7) at home 108-101.

Wiregrass Ranch adjusted from that game, and coach Jeremy Calzone said it was all about keeping the Warriors off the scoreboard.

“We’ve had trouble with our defense all year and I feel like we finally came together as a team,” Calzone said. “Just to see our guys come out and commit to playing defense, it was awesome.”

Steinbrenner coach Steve Williams said the Bulls adjustments made from then to now made a huge difference.

“I thought that we were just outplayed tonight,” Williams said. “It was a great ball game when we played them in our place, it went down to the wire, but tonight we just couldn’t make the shots like we did and they did a good job.”

Junior forward Rico Kerney led the Bulls with 36 points and junior shooting guard Drake Wagner led the Warriors with 14.