The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco’s push to save paper

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By Kyle LoJacono

Pasco residents still cannot recycle paper from their driveway, but the county’s recycling department is working to make it easier to save trees.

Pasco Recycling and the Pasco District School Board’s Conservation Department are joining up to put 25 new large paper bins at various locations throughout the county. The effort is called Bring It from Home, which emphasizes the initiative needed by citizens to save natural resources.

Pasco County has added 25 new bins to recycle paper products. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Seney)

“A person can reduce their curbside garbage by as much as 50 percent by recycling all paper products in their home,” said Jennifer Seney, Pasco Recycling coordinator. “This includes corrugated cardboard, thin cardboard like cereal boxes, newspaper, magazines, phone books, junk mail, office paper, paper bags and paper packaging.”

There are now 100 bins throughout the county, plus facilities to recycle at all of Pasco’s public schools.

“With close to 90 school campuses and Pasco County adding another 25 sites, we’ve achieved an amazing depth of coverage for paper recycling drop off,” said Karen Bryant, the Pasco School District’s recycling coordinator. “It is exciting that any citizen should be able to find a recycling drop-off site within a few miles of their home.”

Seney said the goal is to collect two to four tons a month from each container. The community paper recycling program earns money for fire stations, libraries, parks and schools.

“This program is a great way for someone to show their support for these community services,” Bryant said. “It’s a real win for everyone.”

The new bins were provided at no charge by U.S. GreenFiber, a paper recycler and re-manufacturer. GreenFiber will service the bins and turns cardboard, newspaper and other paper products into insulation at its plant in Ybor City. The insulation is marketed at local retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Seney cautioned users to follow the rules for recycling paper so unusable items do not contaminate the entire bin.

“You can recycle anything that’s paper fiber that’s not contaminated by human or food waste, which means no paper towels, napkins, paper plates, pizza boxes,” Seney said. “And no plasticized paper like menus.”

The paper recycling bins’ bright-green color and frog logos make them easy to find, according to Seney. The flattened cardboard boxes should go through the top of the containers and there are openings on the side to deposit the other paper products.

Seney said the new bins are in part due to increased demand from residents wanting ways to recycle paper easier. In Pasco’s 2010 resident survey, nearly 75 percent of responders said they wanted easier ways to recycle. Specifically, the more than 1,800 people who participated indicated they wanted the county to have small plastic bins for curbside pick as Hillsborough County and Dade City do.

Currently, Pasco residents must buy blue bags from area grocery stores if they want to recycle materials such as plastics, glass and metals. However, the county program does not include paper or cardboard pick-up.

Seney said there are no immediate plans to add paper to curbside pickup, or small bins to replace the blue bag system.

New area bins

–Fire station No. 16, 34335 Chancey Road in Zephyrhills

–Fire station No. 23, 21300 SR 54 in Lutz

–Fire station No. 26, 28229 Aronwood Blvd. in Wesley Chapel

–Fire station No. 37, 18015 SR 54 in Lutz

–Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes

–New River Library, 34043 SR 54 in Zephyrhills

–Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes

–Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 US 41 in Land O’ Lakes

–Odessa Community Center, 1627 Chesapeake Drive in Odessa

–Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel

–John S. Burk Memorial Park, 13220 Gene Nelson Blvd. in Dade City

–Samuel Pasco Park, 39835 Chancey Road in Zephyrhills

–Dade City Courthouse, 38053 Live Oak Ave. in Dade City

Recyclable paper products

–Corrugated cardboard

–Junk mail

–Magazines

–Newspaper

–Office paper

–Paper bags

–Paper packaging

–Phone books

–Thin cardboard like cereal boxes

Items not accepted in Pasco’s bins include anything contaminated by human or food waste, such as paper towels, napkins, paper plates and pizza boxes.

 

 

Pasco shifts jobs to prevent layoffs

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By Kyle LoJacono

Pasco County government will have to lay off 14 workers to make its budget for next year, but the total will not likely add to the area’s unemployment numbers.

County Administrator John Gallagher’s spending plan for the 2011-12 fiscal year is roughly the same as the current budget; just more than $1 billion. The proposal cuts 31 jobs, of which only 14 are currently filled.

Fortunately for those affected, the county will add 14 new positions in other departments with similar job descriptions. Those affect will be given first priority for those new jobs, according to Gallagher.

“Most of the jobs would be cut from departments that are paid for with property taxes, like the parks department,” Gallagher said. “The new jobs will be in utilities and stormwater departments. Those are paid for with fees.”

The proposed budget Gallagher presented is based on the assumption the county commissioners will not raise the property tax rate.

Pasco property appraiser Mike Wells said the value of property dropped 2.5 percent this year, but predicts the prices have bottomed out.

“I think we might be at or very near the bottom,” Wells said.

Also, for the fourth straight year, county workers will not receive a raise.

The proposal also calls for closing the remaining two public swimming pools, located in Land O’ Lakes and Hudson, to save $290,000 in annual operating costs and $100,000 in repairs. County Commissioner Jack Mariano said he will not vote for a budget that includes drying up the facilities.

“It’s vital that we have these pools open,” Mariano said. “I think we could work a deal to keep them open with private companies running them. That will keep the cost down.”

County parks director Rick Buckman said he has a tentative agreement with the Land O’ Lakes Lightning swimming club to operate the pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on Collier Parkway. He did not elaborate on any details, except the plan would include some public use. Buckman said no club has stepped up to help run the pool in Hudson.

The swimming and diving teams from Land O’ Lakes, Sunlake, River Ridge and Hudson high schools use the public pools for home meets and practices. Buckman said he will be meeting with the coaches from the schools to discuss further options.

While raises and pools may be on the chopping block, Pasco’s budget situation could have been a lot worse if the county hadn’t saved $4.2 million from the current fiscal year. Additionally, the state Legislature’s new requirement for government workers to contribute 3 percent toward their own pension plan saved another $5.6 million.

The proposed budget will continue to be discussed at various workshops and commission meetings before being adopted in September. It will need to be approved to go in place by Oct.1.

For more information on the Pasco budget, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net.

 

Martinez Middle named model for SpringBoard curriculum

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By B.C. Manion

Martinez Middle School will serve as a model site for schools throughout the nation that are implementing the College Board’s SpringBoard curriculum.

The school was notified of its selection in a June 24 letter to Principal Shaylia McRae from Pamela L. Nelson, vice president of SpringBoard.

The middle school is among the inaugural group of schools to be designated for the distinction. Strawberry Crest High, located in Dover, received the designation for high schools.

The two Hillsborough County public schools were the only schools in the Tampa Bay region to be among the 14 finalists considered for the distinction.

The award carries $10,000 worth of SpringBoard professional development services and also may include opportunities to pilot new and innovative products and services.

McRae is delighted by her school’s honor and she gives considerable credit for the achievement to her staff for the collaborative work they have done.

“It’s the teachers that are doing the work, day in and day out. They’re doing the planning, they’re monitoring the progress of students. They’re putting together all of the work that needs to be done,” McRae said. “They work together in professional learning communities, every grade, every subject.”

The essence of SpringBoard is to deliver a rigorous curriculum in a student-centered learning environment, McRae said.

Teachers do “backward planning” which involves looking at what they want students to know and figuring out how to get there, she said.

“We definitely have a very collaborative culture at the school. That’s what makes it work,” the principal said.

“You’re not on an island by yourself as a teacher. You’re working together, on a team of professionals to help the kids.

“They recognize each other strengths and they really build on that. They’re not afraid to help each other. They’re not afraid to share. They’re not afraid to get help,” said McRae, giving her staff 90 percent of the credit for the school’s accomplishment and granting 10 percent of the credit to herself for her leadership and support.

SpringBoard’s Nelson commended Martinez Middle in her letter: “The integration of SpringBoard into your school’s professional learning communities received high marks from our site selection team, and is representative of the quality of your implementation.”

SpringBoard aims to prepare students to perform well in Advanced Placement courses, in college and in other postsecondary experiences.

“The focal point is student learning, with high levels of student engagement with a rigorous curriculum. It starts right with sixth grade,” McRae said.

SpringBoard’s curriculum is the foundation for the Hillsborough County’s middle school and high school language arts program and serves as a supplement to the mathematics curriculum for those grades.

The curriculum includes numerous strategies that are intended to help students become more effective learners.

For instance, in language arts, one strategy involves making predictions about what information will be presented next. Another strategy calls for summarizing or paraphrasing material, and a third strategy calls for conducting timed writing exercises.

The “predicting” strategy “helps the reader to be actively involved, interested and mentally prepared to understand ideas,” according to SpringBoard materials.

The “summarizing or paraphrasing” strategy “helps students to comprehend or recall text.”

And, the “timed writing” strategy “accustoms students to writing under time pressures” which the student will encounter in state testing, placement exams and real-word situations, the SpringBoard materials state.

“It really is a good curriculum,” McRae said. “I know it was met with some hesitation. It is a little bit more prescribed than what we had been used to doing. It does take away a little bit of the autonomy. But, it’s a great curriculum.”

SpringBoard is the foundational instructional component of the College Board’s College Readiness System and is used by more than 1 million students in more than 1,000 schools nationwide.

Tracking history from Ten Cent to Wesley Chapel

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WHAT’S IN A NAME

By Kyle LoJacono

This week will look into how Ten Cent Road, Tommytown, Trilcoochee, Trilby and Wesley Chapel got their names.

(1) TEN CENT ROAD dates back to the Great Depression. At the time, Work Projects Administration (WPA) workers built a road about 5 miles long that stretched from Ehren Cutoff to connect with Pump Station Road in Land O’ Lakes. Those workers where paid 10 cents per hour, which is where the name comes from.

(2) TOMMYTOWN was named after Tommy Barfield, who owned much of the area in Dade City after World War II. Barfield bought the land with Dorothy Lock, which was just next to what was then called the Pasco Packing Association and was later named Lykes Pasco. Barfield worked in the plant and also helped build many of the block duplex apartments in the area.

The land also included what would eventually become Lock Street, also known as Calle De Milagros, which is named after Dorothy Lock. Today, Tommytown is generally associated with the area along Lock between 14th and 21st streets.

(3) TRILCOOCHEE is the area between Trilby and Lacoochee north of Dade City along CR 575, also known as Trilby Road. The center of the community is along US 301. It is sometimes spelled Trilacoochee locally, but appears as Trilcoochee on most maps.

(4) TRILBY was named for George du Maurier’s Trilby, which was published serially in Harper’s Monthly in 1894. It was released as a book for the first time in 1895 and sold 200,000 copies in the United States, a large number at the time. The popularity of the book is what caused the community’s naming. Today, the area is normally associated with the area north of Dade City along CR 575, also called Trilby Road, around US 98.

(5) WESLEY CHAPEL is the area between Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills/Dade City in east Pasco County. The community was originally called Double Branch after the twin creeks that flowed across the area. Its named was changed after the opening of the Methodist chapel on the corner of SR 54 and Boyette Road. That church was named for John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement.

The name Wesley Chapel first appeared in Hernando County school board records from 1877-1878, before Pasco separated from the county to its north. A post office operated in the area from 1897-1902. The post office was called Wesley on maps during that period.

The area was considered part of Zephyrhills for most of the 1900s, until the current Wesley Chapel post office opened in 1997. Today the town has nearly 45,000 residents. If it was an incorporated city, it would be the largest municipality in Pasco.

For additional information on these areas and how they got their names, visit www.fivay.org.

*The Laker and the Lutz News series on how historic places were named will continue throughout the summer. Information is provided by interviews with Pasco County historian Jeff Miller of Fivay.org and the West Pasco Historical Society. See how Lutz got its name next week.

Small trees for small spaces

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By BJ Jarvis

So many times beautiful trees are crammed into small spaces on a residential lot or narrow commercial property. Stately live oaks that grow 100-feet tall and wide are often planted in communities ill equipped to handle such a large tree.

What is a gardener with a small space to do? No garden is complete without the grace and beauty of trees. Relying on pruning to keep a large plant in bounds is not a sound approach. Don’t even think about living without beautiful trees. Instead focus on plants that will thrive in a confined space.

Choose plants that are perfectly suited to smaller gardening spaces and those that will naturally mature into a height and width that fits your garden space.

Outstanding small trees well suited for this region’s conditions include:

–Butterfly cassia

–Chaste-tree

–Crape myrtle

–Fringe-tree

–Hong Kong orchid tree

–Hornbeam

–Loquat

–Loropetalum

–Magnolias

–Redbud

–Sweet acacia

–Taiwan flowering cherry

Each of these grows no more than 25 feet tall or so and no more than 25 feet wide.  Residents can be assured that plantings won’t be out of scale with the home and that the tree doesn’t take over the whole block.

Here are few extra tree-planting pointers:

–Don’t plant anything too close to the foundation. Use a garden hose to create a circle the size of the full tree width to get a better feel for future dimension.

–Stay 20 feet from house. For safety sake, position trees so they do not obstruct view of street or driveway.

–Often smaller trees have the more compact root system, but they generally don’t perform well in that skinny slice of green between the sidewalk and road.

–Groundcovers or perennials may be better suited so trees aren’t blamed for lifting the concrete later.

–When planting, make the hole two to three times wider than the tree’s container. Don’t go any deeper. Instead, keep the root ball1-2 inches above the landscape’s soil line.

–The bigger the tree at planting, the longer it takes to properly establish in the ground. Water is key. Without rainfall, water daily for the first one to two months, then three times per week for another one to two months and finally, weekly until established.

No fertilizer is needed for at least four to six weeks after planting because growers typically apply a slow-release fertilizer before plants leave the nursery.

For many of us, residential landscapes require careful selection of trees to provide a balanced landscape that don’t require lots of extra work.  For more information about small tree for small landscapes, visit Pasco.ifas.ufl.edu/gardening.

–BJ Jarvis is the Pasco Cooperative Extension Director and Horticulture Agent.  Extension is a partnership between the University of Florida, Pasco County government and the USDA. Readers can contact BJ at .

 

Bulls linemen shine at area competition

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By Kyle LoJacono

The high school football season is still weeks away, but the Wiregrass Ranch football team already scored its first victory of the year.

From left are coach Jim Jensen, John Coyne, Ben Botteron, Jacob Sniezyk, Edmond Boateng, Travis Manecke and Justin Scamardo with the 2011 Northside Christian Lineman’s Challenge title.

The Bulls took first place at the third annual Northside Christian Lineman’s Challenge on June 11 at the St. Petersburg private school’s campus. It is the second time Wiregrass Ranch has claimed the title at the event, following a win in 2009.

“We knew what events to expect because we’ve been in it before, but this was an entire new lineup of players, so they were unaware of how it worked,” said Bulls football coach Jeremy Shobe. He then added, “We’re proud of these young men and knew that they would do well. We know their true potential and it is a good confidence boost for us going into this season.”

Shobe said he likes the Northside Christian event because it gives the linemen a chance to have real competition during the summer. The skills position players can play against other teams in the 7-on-7 summer league, but the players up front go months without any real opposition from the spring game in May until summer workouts in August.

“We focus on every group and develop each unit to their full potential, but we wanted to give the linemen some love because they don’t get to play 7-on-7 and have fun all summer like the skill players,” Shobe said.

Wiregrass Ranch sent six players to the challenge: Edmond Boateng, Ben Botteron, John Coyne, Travis Manecke, Justin Scamardo and Jacob Sniezyk.

Seen from left are Wiregrass Ranch players Travis Manecke, Ben Botteron, Jacob Sniezyk, John Coyne and Edmond Boateng at the Northside Christian Lineman’s Challenge.

“It was really nice to get out there and show what we can do,” Boeteng said. “It was really good to get a chance to work together there. We all love being around each other and this just shows what working hard does. Everyone has been working hard to get better this summer.”

The event measures player’s skill, strength and ability to work as a unit. Some of the competitions at the challenge included bench press, five-man sled drive, plate stack, farmer carry, tire flip, medicine ball toss and team relay.

The victory comes as a bit of a surprise, as the Bulls are replacing several linemen, including Noah Ravenna who signed the program’s first Division I scholarship to play at Jacksonville University in the fall.

Boateng, a senior-to-be, was named the Most Valuable Lineman at the event despite it being the first time he had participated in the challenge.

“That was very humbling,” Boateng said. “It shows me that I can do this as long as I keep pushing.”

Shobe said of Boateng’s work at the challenge, “I’m happy for Edmond and it’s good for him to see what we expect from him, and what he can become if he believes in himself, his teammates and works hard.”

Both Boateng and Shobe predict the victory may give the Bulls momentum going into the fall season. Wiregrass Ranch moves up in classification into Class 7A-District 7 this year with five Hillsborough County teams.

“We know the challenges that lie ahead for us and are working hard and are anxious to compete in our tough schedule and new district,” Shobe said. “We believe in each other and will always work to be our best.”

Wiregrass Ranch will play its kickoff classic preseason game on Friday, Aug. 26 at home against St. Petersburg at 7 p.m. The Bulls first regular season contest is at cross-town rival Wesley Chapel on Friday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

 

Planting seeds for future success

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By Kyle LoJacono

On a hot summer day in Lutz, football players run through drills, hit blocking pads and sprint as fast as they can to be the first in every race.

Bobby Thomas, 9, runs through agility drills while Steinbrenner players Daniel Fernandez (wearing hat) and Tyler Hampton (with clipboard) and Warriors assistant Michael Bosco look on.

The scene is a familiar one for the Steinbrenner football team, but this time the Warriors players are the ones holding clipboards, taking notes and giving tips.

Several Steinbrenner players and coaches got up early for two weeks to help coach the Lutz Chiefs summer football camps.

“I wanted to be able to teach the younger kids, who may be the future of Steinbrenner,” said senior-to-be Daniel Fernandez, a cornerback. “I want to help get them ready for their career in football. It’s a good way to give back.”

The players did not mind getting to the field by 8 a.m. each day, even though they were also participating in the program’s 7-on-7 football sessions later each day. They see it as an investment in Steinbrenner’s future.

“We’re starting to prepare them with not only the drills and skills they’re going to need, but also the work their going to have to put in,” Fernandez said. “It’s helping them see what it takes on their body to play football. It’s going to mentally prepare them for junior varsity and varsity football in high school. They will be able to help Steinbrenner at a younger age if they know what it’s going to take.”

The camps were June 20-24 and June 27-July 1 at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex in Lutz. The first session was for kids ages 7-10, while the second was for 11-15. Junior-to-be running back Kendall Pearcey said he was surprised the younger kids were able to give as much effort despite the heat.

“They have a lot of energy,” Pearcey said. “The sun doesn’t really faze them. They just want to have fun and love playing football. It makes it really fun for us.”

Bobby Thomas, 9, was one of the players who participated. He also played for the Lutz Chiefs last year.

“They helped me a lot,” said Thomas of the coaching he got from the Warriors players. “They showed me how to do a lot of things and different forms.”

Steinbrenner starting quarterback Curtis Fitch throws passes to campers as they work on their routes.

This is the first year Steinbrenner football coach Floyd Graham has led the camp since the school opened in 2009.

“We wanted to do this because Steinbrenner really is a community school and a lot of my players first played football with the Lutz Chiefs,” Graham said. “We wanted to give back to the youth program and hopefully get a lot of kids excited about Steinbrenner football.”

Fernandez was among those who learned about football with the Chiefs.

“It’s been great this week,” Fernandez said. “It kind of takes me back to come out and help on these fields because I played with the Chiefs growing up.”

Sophomore-to-be quarterback Curtis Fitch said the benefits to the program will show up when the campers decide to play in high school.

“We’re such a new high school, so the players wanted to show that we really do care about the young kids coming into our high school,” Fitch said. “We want them to want to play here so they are comfortable when they are freshmen in a couple years. A lot of them are telling us they’re going to come to our games this year, so it’ll help us fill our stadium.”

Pearcey said there will also be an immediate boost to the Warriors program this year.

“Camps like these help us bond more and be more comfortable with each other,” Pearcey said. “That will help us in games this year because we can trust each other to follow out their assignments. It will help us bring home more wins.”

 

 

Casey leads Bulls past Wildcats

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By Kyle LoJacono

Wiregrass Ranch junior-to-be lacrosse player Leo Thomas Casey Jr. stood at centerfield with the Bulls tied with cross-town rival Wesley Chapel 6-6 at the Summer Shooters game on June 18.

Leo Thomas Casey Jr. as he scored the braveheart goal that put Wiregrass Ranch past Wesley Chapel.

Casey was picked to take the braveheart, where each team has one player and a goalie, to try and break the tie. All he had to do was get past the one defender and score on the Wildcats goalie and the Bulls would leave victorious. However, Casey is a defenseman who hadn’t ever even attempted a braveheart before.

“My teammates chose me to go in for the braveheart tiebreaker,” Casey said. “As I took the field I thought this should be interesting because I had never even taken a face-off before. The whistle blew, and I knew I only had one shot at the goal. I was too tired from playing the full game to run back down the field to defend the other player’s shot.”

Casey got the ground ball and took off toward the net.

“This would be my only chance to score,” Casey said. “I dodged right, took the shot and   hoped for the best.”

Casey started his approach to the net and got past Wesley Chapel defender Gordon Rouche and found an opening in the lower left corner of the net and put a shot past goalie Marc Ward.

“I heard screaming and yelling, so I turned around and my entire team was running at me and tackled me into a dog pile and were going crazy because I made the shot,” Casey said.

Casey also plays for an elite travel team called the Tampa Tribe, which plays at Wesley Chapel District Park. He plans on playing long pole defense for the Bulls lacrosse club next season.

 

Wiregrass Ranch fines reduced

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has reduced the fines levied against Wiregrass Ranch High involving illegal recruiting within the Bulls girls basketball program. FHSAA spokesman Seth Polansky said the school will only have to pay a total of $6,275.

Wiregrass Ranch was originally fined $12,525 for 10 violations. Principal Ray Bonti sent a letter to the FHSAA that included six corrective actions his school was taking as a result of the investigation into the Bulls’ program. The letter asked for leniency in the fines, but did not appeal any of the findings by the FHSAA.

Polansky said FHSAA executive director Roger Dearing and associate executive director Denarvise Thornton cut the fines because of the actions taken by the Bulls, which included new policies to use Wiregrass Ranch facilities as well as members of the athletic program taking compliance seminars.

Wiregrass Ranch was originally given four $2,500 fines, a $400 fine and had to pay back the FHSAA $2,125, which is half the money spent to conduct its investigation. The new total fine of $6,275 includes the money needed to probe into the Bulls’ program.

The investigation into Wiregrass Ranch girls basketball involved the illegal recruitment of Briahanna Jackson, who attended the school at the end of her junior and beginning of her senior years. She has since graduated from Freedom High in Hillsborough County.

Jackson will attend IMG Basketball Academy in Bradenton on a full scholarship this year, which will allow her to continue growing as a basketball player while taking classes designed to help on college entrance exams, according to her mother Cathleen Grippe.

Of the violations, Wiregrass Ranch girls basketball coach Greg Finkel, who has coached the program since the school opened five years ago, was found to have falsified information given to the FHSAA and was not fully cooperative with the investigation.

Finkel resigned as the Bulls coach on July 7, but will remain as a driver’s education instructor. He said he has been a coach for the last 20 years.

Wiregrass Ranch’s athletic program is on probation for one year, ending June 1, 2012. The Bulls girls basketball program received two years of probation, ending June 1, 2013, and was also forced to forfeit two games Jackson played in during the 2010-11 season.

Lutz Juniors perfect through districts

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Lutz Little League Junior baseball all star squad went 3-0 en route to claiming the District 25 championship hosted by Land O’ Lakes June 25-30.

The Lutz Little League Junior all stars after claiming the District 25 title without a loss.

Lutz Juniors defeated North Seminole, New Tampa and host Land O’ Lakes twice to win the championship.

“When we held our first all star practice I told the boys that we had the talent to do something special this all-star season,” said Lutz coach Andy Stofanik. “I told them that if we did not win the district it would be a huge disappointment and it would have meant that we really underachieved.”

Andy knew his team had the talent to win, but bringing a group of all stars together as one team is sometimes a challenge.

“You know the most difficult thing about coaching an all-star team is that everyone is used to playing shortstop and batting in the three hole,” Andy said. “Some shortstops have to play outfield and others have to play catcher. Fortunately everyone has accepted their role on this team.”

Lutz allowed 11 runs in its four games during the event, thanks in part to pitching and defense.

“The pitching performances we got out of Drew Stofanik, Anthony Rocca and Ryan Nagel were unbelievable,” Andy said. “The three of them came up huge for us down the stretch.

“Miguel Rodriguez was a beast in centerfield,” Andy said. “He ran down some shots that just ended up being long outs. He was a game changer. … Anthony Rocca played very well at shortstop. At times it felt like he was making every out on the field.”

Andy also praised his catcher Nagel, who did not allow a passed ball in the tournament.

The all stars won their opening game against North Seminole 10-3 behind the pitching of Al Alberger and Nagel. Drew drove in two runs, while Nagel helped his own cause by adding one RBI.

In the second contest, Lutz defeated Land O’ Lakes 8-4. Drew had a perfect game through three innings. Rocca pitched two frames in relief and Nagel closed the last two. At the plate, Lutz was led by Drew’s two hits and four RBI.

Lutz played New Tampa in game three, an 11-1 win. Drew and Rocca each pitched three innings. Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a double while driving in one and scoring another. Alberger had two hits, one RBI and scored a pair of runs. Joining the hit parade were Rocca, with one hit, two RBI and one run scored. Jesse Reinhart had a hit and also scored once, while Stofanik added a hit, scored a run and drove in a pair. Nagel and Matt Berube also each posted one hit and one run scored.

Land O’ Lakes fought back to make the championship game June 30, but the boys from northern Hillsborough County had just a little more and defeated the central Pasco County squad 4-3 in eight innings.

Lutz got a five-inning pitching performance from Drew. Then Rocca came in to slam the door shut allowing no hits in three frames of work while striking out five.

Land O’ Lakes threatened in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and two outs, but Rocca picked off the runner on second to end the frame.

Reinhart hit a single in the eighth inning with one out and the score tied 3-3. He stole second base and advanced to third when the ball got away from the catcher. Reinhart scored what ended up being the winning run on a passed ball two pitches later.

Brandon Furr had two hits, including a double, while scoring two runs and driving in one in the title game.

By winning the district, Lutz will play in the sectional tournament in Haines City starting July 22, where the squad can qualify for states.

“It is going to be a great experience,” Drew said. “Every year all stars start up, you dream about winning the district tournament and this year we did it. If we play like we did in the district tournament, we have a shot to win sectionals and go to state.”

Lutz Junior all stars

  • Al Alberger
  • Matt Berube
  • Matthew Cerreta
  • Cody Cox
  • Chris Day
  • Alex DiFante
  • Brandon Furr
  • Kyle Handerhan
  • Ryan Nagel
  • Jesse Reinhart
  • Anthony Rocca
  • Miguel Rodriguez
  • Drew Stofanik
  • Austin Wentz
  • Andy Stofanik, coach
  • Barry Anderson, assistant
  • Gene Cox, assistant
  • Bob Day, assistant
  • Joe Reinhart, assistant