Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

Last season, the Gaither baseball team entered the district tournament as the No. 1 seed and favorite to win the championship, but was upset in the finals to King.

In that upset, the Cowboys (3-1) learned a team that works together is always better than a collection of talented players.

“Last year we were very talented, but I don’t think we were really a team,” said 26-year Gaither coach Frank Permuy. “I think there were times when guys were more worried about getting a scholarship then helping the team win. That team mindset was missing for us. When you’re in a close game or down by a couple runs late, it’s the team that stays together that can pull it out.”

Gaither went 21-5 in 2010 and was eliminated in the Class 5A regional quarterfinals. The Cowboys lost 12 seniors, including five who signed scholarships.

“Most people aren’t expecting much from us, but no one expected anything from King last year either,” said senior outfielder Zach Jackson. “We need to take what we learned from last year and understand that we have to play everyone as hard as we can. If we do that, we’ll be just fine.”

Permuy said the team only returns three starters, one of which is sophomore shortstop Oscar Mercado.

“Last year, it was great to start as a freshman, but it made me kind of nervous too,” Mercado said. “The shortstop is right in the middle of the field, so it feels like everyone is watching you. I don’t feel any of that now and I’m taking charge of the infield so we all know what we’re doing on every play.”

Mercado is stepping up as leader on the infield, but there is little question who is the captain of the Gaither pitching staff. Junior Alex Milne has been a starter on varsity since his freshman year and claimed No. 1 status last season, when he had an 8-0 record with a 3.13 earned run average (ERA) and 33 strikeouts.

“He’s been doing it for so long, I sometimes forget he’s only a junior,” Permuy said. “He’s a great type of leader because he knows when to be funny, when to be serious and doesn’t say too much in between.”

Milne, who committed to the University of Central Florida during last summer, throws a fastball, curveball and changeup. The lefty said his main goal is to be as effective late in the game as he is in the early innings.

“You want to be able to go the distance,” Milne said. “It makes it easier on the bullpen when they don’t have to come in for three or four innings. When they do come in, I know I can trust them because we’ve got a great pen.”

Dylan Hathcock was the Cowboys closer last year, posting five saves, a 1.71 ERA and a team-high 50 strikeouts, but he has graduated. Permuy said junior Eric Collier will be the closer this season.

“He has an arm that lets him pitch every day and has a good mentality for it,” Permuy said.

The outfield lost one of its most talented players to graduation from last year — centerfielder Drew Doty who posted a .361 batting average, 30 hits, 29 runs scored, 16 RBI and two home runs in 2010.

Cambridge Christian High junior transfer Hayden Kelley will fill the centerfield spot, while

Jackson, who is also a pitcher, will play right field for much of the season. Jackson posted a .404 batting average, 21 hits, 12 runs scored, 11 RBI and six steals last year.

It originally appeared junior Matt Frey would be the starting left fielder, but he had shoulder surgery in the offseason and will not be able to throw for several months. Frey, who hits left handed, will instead be the designated hitter, especially against right-handed starting pitchers.

Frey had the highest batting average at .490 for any Cowboy with at least five plate appearances in 2010, while adding 24 hits, 20 runs scored, 14 RBI and nine steals.

“I just try to put the bat on the ball and get on base,” said Frey of his approach at the plate. “Make contact and get on. Can’t score if you’re not on base.”

Permuy said Frey’s style will be a big help this year when the squad moves to more of a small-ball mentality.

“We waited for the homerun a lot last year because we had guys with power,” Permuy said. “I like manufacturing runs with bunts, hit and runs and steals. I think that’s exciting.”

Gaither next plays at home March 1 at 7 p.m. against Alonso.

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

By Kyle LoJacono

Top girls basketball players usually celebrate scoring 1,000 career points sometime in their senior season, but Kelly McCaffrey is not one to waste time.

The Wiregrass Ranch junior put up her 1,000th in her junior season this year, the second ever in program history to reach that mark. The point that pushed her into quadruple digits was in a win against First Baptist Christian, when she scored 25 points.

“It was an awesome feeling,” McCaffrey said. “My goal from the start of the season was to get to 1,000.”

McCaffrey, who plays both forward and guard, currently sits at 1,016 career points, behind only Regan Knapik’s 1,098 in program history. She poured in a team-high 386 points, 15.4 per game, to help the Bulls go 16-10.

“It was a really special thing to see,” said Wiregrass Ranch coach Greg Finkel, the only coach in program history. “She’s been a really good scorer since she started with the team as a freshman.”

“Kelly has matured every year and this was her first as a team captain,” Finkel continued. “It was the first year we asked her to do a lot more than score. She has been very valuable to our team. The thing about her is she’s very quiet and slick about what she does out there. She has a big heart.

“Attacking the basket is all about the defense in front of you,” McCaffrey continued. “If it’s man-to-man, you have a good chance of getting past the defender. If it’s zone, I look more to pass or for a screen to get me clear. If I’m double-teamed then I’ll always dish it because I’ll have a teammate open.”

McCaffrey was already one of the top scorers for the Bulls last season, but she wanted to take her game to the next level. She worked to get stronger during the offseason to become a better rebounder.

“All my coaches said I need to go to the basket more, and I needed to get stronger to do that,” McCaffrey said. “I worked with a personal trainer and just put more of a focus on going for rebounds.”

The work seems to have paid off. McCaffrey pulled down 186 rebounds this season, more than twice the 70 she had last year. That was the second most for the Bulls. This offseason she plans to focus on her footwork to get quicker.

“She’s put in a lot of work to get better, but her parents should get some credit too,” Finkel said. “You can tell she’s had very good upbringing.”

McCaffrey’s passion for basketball started in the second grade. She grew up in Chicago, one of the nation’s hotbeds for the sport. She moved to Pasco County before her freshman year.

“In Chicago there is a lot more pressure because basketball is more popular there,” McCaffrey said. “It was great to play travel ball there with all the hype, but it’s also nice here where you can be a little more relaxed.”

Wiregrass Ranch had zero winning seasons in its first two, but has not known one below .500 since McCaffrey joined the squad for the 2008-09 school year. The Bulls have gone 59-24, winning 71 percent of their contests, the last three years.

Wiregrass Ranch has also made two regional tournament appearances as the Class 4A-District 8 runner-up in McCaffrey’s freshman and sophomore years, but has yet to win a playoff game.

McCaffrey played softball growing up as well and was a third baseman for the Bulls her freshman and sophomore years, but gave up the sport to focus on basketball this year.

“I want to play in college, so I decided it was best to focus on one and get as good as I can in basketball,” McCaffrey said.

McCaffrey said she is not sure what career she wants to go into yet, but is very interested in film. Right now she is just focusing on getting the Bulls back to regionals and beyond in her senior campaign next year.

“We want to win districts for the first time next year and get some wins in regions,” McCaffrey said. “I also want to get to 1,500 points, but I’d take a district championship over that.”

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

Wiregrass Ranch still accomplishes program firsts

By Kyle LoJacono

The Nature Coast boys basketball team had been waiting for a rematch with Wiregrass Ranch since the Bulls won the Class 4A-District 8 championship two weeks ago on the Sharks home court.

Nature Coast (29-3) avenged that loss Feb. 22 at Wiregrass Ranch (22-8) to take the 4A regional semifinals contest 70-56.

“I knew that was going to happen,” said Wiregrass Ranch coach Jeremy Calzone. “They were mad. We celebrated on their home court a couple weeks ago and unfortunately we didn’t respond.”

The Sharks jumped out to an 11-point lead to start the game and did not let it get closer than seven all night.

“Them beating us on our home floor in the district championship, it struck a cord for us,” said Nature Coast coach David Pisarcik. “We knew how important this game was if we saw them again. We were focused all week. Bringing the intensity in practice and we brought that out to the game tonight. We were ready to go.”

“All week we were ready to play,” Pisarcik continued. “I mean we wanted to play yesterday. When they got off the bus and onto the floor, they were ready. You could see the aggressiveness, the intensity coming out. We had a great game plan to come out and neutralize their players and the kids executed.”

The Bulls came up two games shy of the final four, but they did things never before done in program history this year. They won the first district championship and the first regional tournament game in the quarterfinals Feb. 17 by beating cross-town rival Wesley Chapel.

Wiregrass Ranch, which has seven seniors on the roster, also beat Nature Coast for the first time for the program in that district title game, but could not make it two in a row.

“The kids are unbelievable,” Calzone said. “Those seven kids, I’ll never forget them. I told them in 20 years, 30 years I’ll tell my grandkids about these players. Not only are they good basketball players, they’re great kids. Great in the classroom, great around the community here. They don’t get into trouble and I don’t have to worry about bad grades.”

Wiregrass Ranch used a high-tempo offense this year to make up for lack of size, but it ran into a big obstacle in Sharks 6-foot-9 senior center Tyler Bergantino, who is three inches taller than any of the Bulls.

Bergantino put up 20 points, and his size made it difficult for Wiregrass Ranch 6-foot-6 senior center Michael Chase to work the inside, forcing the squad to take more outside shots.

“We didn’t want to do that,” Calzone said of shooting so many outside shots. “I think they did a better job on Michael (Chase) tonight. We had a hard time getting it into him. …We’ve told them all year if you’re open, shoot. I’m not going to tell them to stop shooting. It’s not my style.”

The Bulls had a small victory when they forced Bergantino to the bench in the second quarter.

“We got three fouls on Bergantino,” Calzone said. “We felt pretty good about it and as soon as he came out of the game, I think we relaxed for a second and that hurt us. Instead of pushing forward we said he’s not in the game. Now we can relax.”

Nature Coast went on a 6-2 run with their center on the bench to push the lead to 13 near the end of the second quarter.

“That little stretch in the second quarter hurt us,” Calzone said. “If we had limited that, we could have gotten it down to five or six at halftime. I was a little upset about that, but the game was won and lost in the first five minutes.”

The Sharks took a 13-2 lead to start the game. Senior guard Antwan Prince, who normally starts and averages 11.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, had to sit out the first quarter for missing a practice.

“He decided to miss a practice without calling somebody,” Calzone said. “I live by my rules. Unfortunately it happened in a regional semifinal game. Like I told the kids, I’ll take the blame if you want, but I’m going to stay by my rules no matter what the game is. That’s just who I am.”

The Bulls seemed to be lacking the spark that Prince usually adds.

“He’s an energy guy for us,” Calzone said.

Chase finished with a team-high 16 points in the semifinals, followed by sophomore Rico Kerney’s 14. Senior and team captain Tanner Carey put up 11 and senior Kingsley Boateng had seven.

Senior James Tringali had a team-high 14 assists. Kerney led the Bulls with nine rebounds, while Carey pulled down eight.

Carly Clark earns honor in New England

By Kyle LoJacono

Most central Pasco County soccer players spend four years on the pitch at Sunlake, Land O’ Lakes or Wiregrass Ranch high schools, but one has been showcasing her talents 1,500 miles north.

Carly Clark, 18, is a senior at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, Mass., but lives in Land O’ Lakes when the all girls college preparatory academy is not in session.

“A couple of my cousins went to private schools too in the area,” Clark said. “I wanted to go to a boarding school because it helps you get ready for college. It’s really good academically, but it also makes you ready for everything else. I’ve been living by myself for four years, so I can do my laundry and everything else that most kids have done for them at home.”

Clark has a 3.4 unweighted grade point average, and has also been a star for the Hurricanes in two sports. She has been a defender on the varsity soccer team since her freshman year and is the catcher on the softball squad for the fourth straight year.

“My whole family is really athletic,” Clark said. “We do a lot of things outside all the time. My brother (Zachary) played hockey and my mom (Kris) is a body builder. I also used to ride horses and played hockey too.”

Clark was a co-captain for Miss Hall’s soccer team, which completed its season with an 8-6 record in November. Soccer is a fall sport in the north to avoid playing in cold weather. The Hurricanes came in fourth out of 30 teams in the New England Prep School Soccer Association (NEPSSA) Western Division regular season, missing the playoffs by two spots.

Clark’s efforts on the Hurricanes backline earned her a spot on the NEPSSA Western All-Star team despite missing the first half of the season with a twisted knee.

Christie Higuera, Clark’s soccer coach, said opposing coaches vote on who they think was the best player on the other team after each contest. The players with the most votes make the all-star game, which was played Nov. 14.

“I loved that she made the team, especially because of her injury,” Higuera said, who is also Miss Hall’s assistant dean of students. “It was the first time she made the team and it’s well deserved for the work she’s done.”

Clark said of being an all star, “There were a lot of good players. It was really exciting to play against the best players, and my team won 4-0.

Higuera said the all-star appearance is a fitting end for Clark’s time with the team.

“I remember seeing her at the first tryouts her freshman year,” Higuera continued. “You could tell she was an athlete. She was fit and strong as a freshman and could do everything demanded of her. She was also a voice of reason. She would listen to what’s going on and say something that always made sense. She was a calming voice.”

Clark scored two goals and recorded five assists while leading the Miss Hall’s defense during her four years, starting 49 of 62 games during that time. Now her attention shifts to softball in the spring, which she believes is her best sport.

Clark said she wants to play softball in college. She would prefer to attend a university in the south and added a few schools in Texas and Tennessee have asked for video of her playing. As for academics, Clark plans to major in psychology, but she is an athlete at heart.

“I’ve loved playing both sports here,” Clark said. “I was really surprised to make the teams as a freshman and it’s been great.”

Jeff Ditman brings football discipline to Gaither track

By Zack Peterson

Laker/Lutz News correspondent

This past season, the Gaither boys track team added a new addition to their roster — coach Jeff Ditman, who spent the fall coaching the Cowboys offensive line on the football field.

“I feel that from football I take a sense of discipline,” Ditman said. “It’s all about the little things like starting on time. The kids know what’s expected of them and that’s important.”

With the expectation of a Class 4A-District 6 championship in mind, the team has ramped up their workouts according to the multi-talented athlete Shug Oyegunle, who was also Gaither’s starting quarterback this season.

“We’ve got a young team that’s looking good,” said Oyegunle, a sophomore. “Everyday we’ve working hard, pushing it with our all and giving 100 percent.”

To claim a district title, the Cowboys will have to contend with the reigning champion Plant and runner-up Chamberlain. Gaither finished fifth in the district meet last year, ahead of only northern Hillsborough County Rival Freedom.

For Ditman though, commanding this team looks to be an exciting and different experience.

“Track’s a different animal,” Ditman said. “With football, everything can be very compartmentalized. Here, there are multiple scenarios. It’s not all black and white.”

Strength is key for Cowboys

For coach Caitlin Clay and the Gaither girls track program, the emphasis in the off-season has primarily been on muscular training.

“It’s a building year, but we’ve got some great sprinters and jumpers who can lead the team,” Clay said. “We’ve also incorporated time in the weight room to build muscle strength.”

Last year the Cowboys finished fifth in 4A-6. Wharton was the cream of the crop last season, taking 250 points in the district meet. The Wildcats closest competition was Alonso, which posted 114.

Gaither put up 51 points, but did send its 4×800 team to the regional meet as well as Kiana Bryant in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash; Clay wants to replicate the results.

Along with the extra weight training came the extra coaching to bring Clay some relief.

“Now that we’ve split up the coaches, I can work more closely with the distance group while they focus on their particular area of strength,” Clay explained.

Warriors look to build on cross country success

The Steinbrenner boys track team is still a very young program in a state of building, but its solid core of middle and long distance runners has the Warriors expecting success in year two.

Those longer distance runners mainly come from the Steinbrenner cross country team that finished as the Class 2A state runner-up this year. One of those who competed in the cross country final is senior Dan Sarver.

“We’re a lot better already,” Sarver said. “Within the first race, almost everyone broke their PR’s [personal records] from last year.”

The Warriors squad finished ninth in the 11-team Class 2A-District 9, but did send its 4×800 meter relay team to regionals. Sarver was a member of that foursome that went to regionals, along with his twin brother Matt, and sophomores Matt Magee and Oliver Ortiz.

According to Sarver, with a “strong, young group of runners looking to step up,” anything is possible for the team, which aspires to be a strong factor in the district tournament at the end of the season.

After defeating Gaither with a score of 104-25 Feb. 23, they are off on the right path.

Steinbrenner takes aim at district title

Lead by Ladd Baldwin, the Steinbrenner girls track team strives to pick up where it left off last year and work their way to a district championship.

“We were runner-up last year and 90 percent of our team is back this year,” Baldwin said. “We have some nice additions and a good variety of athletes.”

The Warriors competes in 2A-9, which includes teams like Wesley Chapel, Pasco and the defending district champion Jesuit. To cope with last year’s near district title, the Warriors expanded its roster to boost their depth.

“The way to win is in the depth,” Baldwin said. “Your one, two and three runners are all important, but so are your four, five and six runners who are also scoring points.”

With a bigger team, Baldwin believes the team can do great things.

Improvements done just in time for the baseball season

By Kyle LoJacono

B.E. Smith played on what is now John F. Clements Field at Zephyrhills High and thanks to his efforts the current Bulldogs squad will have well-kept turf for the season.

A few weeks ago he decided to step in and improve the field he once played on just in time for the start of the baseball season. He and the crew from Silverado Golf & Country Club, 36841 Clubhouse Drive in Zephyrhills, trimmed some trees, cut out a new infield and laid down new gravel from left to right field along the infield.

“My mother (Tillie Reutimann) graduated from Zephyrhills in 1928 and I have grandkids there now, so I wanted to put something back into the school,” Smith said.

The labor took about three days and the materials cost about $800. Smith said a crew of four or five guys, including Silverado’s superintendent of the golf course Jeff Sweet, went to the school after a full day of work to do the job.

“It takes a lot of that gravel to make a level warning track 14-feet-wide like we have,” said first-year Zephyrhills coach Rickey Anderton. “It looks very good now. Three or four of the kids said to me now we feel like pros with this field.”

The improvements were done in time for the Bulldogs first game Feb. 15.

Smith and the Silverado crew are also working to build level batting cages for the Bulldogs.

“He worked so hard and didn’t ask for anything,” Anderton said. “He’s always helping us. He said we can use the banquet hall at Silverado at the end of the year for our awards. He really takes care of the kids.

Smith, who graduated from Zephyrhills in 1958, was a right-handed pitcher and shortstop for the Bulldogs. He said baseball was always his favorite sport.

“I go to a lot of the practices and I hope to get to all of the home games,” Smith said.

Smith is not done with helping the baseball team.

“This is a long-term project,” Smith said. “One thing I would like to do is make the infield from first to third base clay instead of grass like it is now. Some of the players tell me they catch their spikes when running and I think it will just look better with a clay infield. ”

Anderton said he still cannot believe how much Smith does for the program.

“Anything we need he just does without having to be asked,” Anderton said. “He doesn’t ask even for a thank you. He gives his time and his money to help us and we are very lucky to have someone like him who loves his community so much.”

By Kyle LoJacono

Jordan See makes the grade

Gaither senior Jordan See is not just a leader for the Cowboys on the soccer field, he is also a standout in the classroom.

See, the team captain, has a 6.7 weighted grade point average and is in the top 1 percent of his graduating class. On the soccer field he is second for Gaither with 15 scores plus nine assists.

“I think preparing on the field and in the classroom is all about support,” See said. “Academically, I have the support of my family and friends. They say the right things when I’m too tired to study. The work ethic is the same. It’s fighting that urge to play video games and not drinking soda and eating bad. It’s the little things that make the difference.”

A normal day after school for See starts with practice, which ends at about 5 p.m. He then goes running for about five miles, heads to the gym and finishes back on the practice field for his club team Hillsborough County United. He does not get home until 10 or 11 p.m.

“After practice I go home and do homework and study, but a lot of the time I have to do it during lunch or whenever I have time,” See said. “It’s a lot of time management.”

See, who wants to be a doctor, has been awarded a presidential scholarship from the University of South Florida and has applied with Harvard University, Duke University, the University of North Carolina and the University of Pennsylvania.

Wheeler tops Gaither in scoring

Last season, Gaither senior Zach Wheeler had six goals and 10 assists, but has increased his scoring by nearly four times as many times this year, putting up 24 goals while adding 15 assists.

“I guess I just grew older as a player,” said Wheeler, who first started playing at age 6. “I just got more comfortable playing.”

Wheeler said he gained a lot of confidence when he scored three goals — a hat trick — in Gaither’s second game, a 5-1 win against Freedom High.

Additionally, last year’s leading scorer Jordan See had a pulled hamstring for more than a month and Wheeler said he felt he needed to score more to make up for that.

“See was basically our offense last year and when he hurt his leg I knew I’d need to fill that hole,” Wheeler said. “It’s been an amazing year for me. If you told me it would happen before the year, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

Coaching up the Cowboys

Coach Eric Sims has guided Gaither to the regional tournament nine of the 10 with the program.

“It’s a testament to the program and the players we’ve had,” Sims said. “It just seems like when playoff time comes, Gaither teams show up. We’ve had teams that weren’t the most talented that made regionals and I think a lot of it is expectations. The players expect to make regionals. To be a part of a program that has had a lot of success is something to be proud of, but we’d like to win some more state titles.”

The program has been to regionals 15 times in the school’s 26-year history, has made the state tournament five times and brought home the Class 4A state title in 2000 under former coach Adrian Bush.

Sims, a Jesuit High graduate and a goalkeeper, was playing professionally in Nashville when Bush called him about a new club team called Hillsborough County United. Bush left Gaither after the 2000-01 high school season and Sims agreed to take a job with the club team and also got the coaching gig with the Cowboys.

Sims has many fond memories of coaching with Gaither, but a few stand out.

“Until this year the best moment was getting to the final four in 2004,” Sims said. “I think the win in the regional finals at East Lake this year was up there as well. It’s as far as we’ve been since I’ve been here.”

By Kyle LoJacono

The Wiregrass Ranch boys basketball team won the first regional tournament game in program history by defeating Wesley Chapel 94-75 at home Feb. 17.

The Bulls (22-7) took a 52-26 lead into halftime of the Class 4A regional quarterfinals, but had to ward off a 30-point quarter by the Wildcats (13-16) in the third that closed the score to 72-56.

“I don’t think my kids believed what we were telling them in the locker room; this is Wesley Chapel,” said Bulls coach Jeremy Calzone. “It doesn’t have anything to do with the playoffs. It’s about being just three miles away. It’s always going to be a tough game for us. They always play us hard, especially when we beat them by 30 a week and a half ago. We knew they were going to be angry, but they didn’t believe it. They just decided not to play any defense.”

Wesley Chapel sophomore guard Christian Parra sparked that comeback with a 3-pointer on the opening possession of the second half. The Wildcats went on a 15-3 run to start the third, including nine points by Parra.

“He’s good. He’s excellent,” Calzone said of Parra. “He’s one of the best young guards in this county.…He’s their leader out there. When he got confidence, I got nervous because they feed off his confidence.”

Parra lead all scorers with 29 points and added seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. He is part of a very young nucleus for the Wildcats.

“Being in the playoffs is a great experience for us,” said Wesley Chapel coach Doug Greseth. “We

started two sophomores and two freshmen tonight and we’re only going to get better. I was very proud of the way we came out in the second half. We were down big in the first half and I couldn’t be prouder of the way they came back in the game.”

The Bulls got into foul trouble in the second half, including committing 10 team fouls before the fourth quarter started that allowed the Wildcats to shoot two free throws after every foul for the rest of the contest.

“It was a relief to get this win,” said senior James Tringali. “They snuck up on us in the third quarter. Coach Calzone said they would. They’re young and are hungry. We didn’t come out the way we should have in the third quarter, but we came out on top and get to move on. You’ve got to be happy and just go back to work.”

Tringali is one of seven seniors on the Wiregrass Ranch’s 14-man roster. The only starter who is not a senior is Rico Kerney, who scored a team-high 16 points and added 10 rebounds.

“Me being a sophomore, I wanted to win for the older guys,” Kerney said. “They’ve helped me get better and we want to keep this going for them.”

Seniors Michael Chase and Kingsley Boateng each added 13 points for the Bulls. Also scoring in double figures for Wiregrass Ranch were seniors Antwan Prince, 12; Tanner Carey, 11; Josiah Jones, 11; and Tringali, 10.

Tringali also had a team high 13 assists and pulled down eight rebounds.

The Bulls will next host district rival Nature Coast in the regional semifinals at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 22. Wiregrass Ranch beat the Sharks to win the 4A-8 district championship.

“In the back of our heads I think we knew and I think Nature Coast is going to be ready,” Calzone said of the rematch. “They’re going to be ready. We were celebrating on their floor with a district championship. I told my kids they better be ready to come play on Tuesday or it’s going to be a long night.”

Patriots go down in quarterfinals

The Carrollwood Day boys basketball team played in the first regional tournament game in school history Feb. 17, but could not get past Naples Seacrest Country Day.

Mike Filer led all Patriots (15-9) scores with 11 points, but Carrollwood Day could not match the Stingrays offense, losing 68-36 in the 1A regional quarterfinals.