Special to The Laker/Lutz News

County animals blessed in annual tradition

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pet ritual hosted by churches in Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills

By Steve Lee
Staff Writer

LAND O’ LAKES — Father Jojo Tejada waited patiently for the Glaister sisters to still their collie for the Blessing of the Animals, an annual tradition at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Land O’ Lakes.
Other pet owners followed, lining up with their dogs, turtles and hamsters. Those pets, along with ducks in Zephyrhills and sheep in Wesley Chapel, were blessed in commemoration with the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.
St. Francis, a figure with appeal across religious and secular lines, is the Patron of Ecology. His deep love of all creation and sense of connectedness to all living things is reflected in the blessing ritual.
Atonement Lutheran Church of Wesley Chapel blessed the animals for a second straight year, only this time it took place outside rather than indoors like last year.
“Kids came with their dogs,” church member Frank Reams said. “I was a little bit concerned that one of them might have an accident, so this year we (blessed animals) out front.”
In Zephyrhills, people brought their animals to St. Joseph Catholic Church. The blessing there was followed by pet photos, pet treats and numerous prizes. Donations benefited the church’s music Ministry.
Reams echoed a sentiment shared by all who blessed the animals or brought their pets to a church to be blessed.
“It’s for the love of God,” he said. “It’s not only for humans, it’s for the animals too.”

Wesley Chapel Chamber boogies on disco night

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Awards and dancing highlight 11th annual banquet

By Steve Lee
Staff Writer
WESLEY CHAPEL — Talk about a time warp, a Saddlebrook Resort banquet room on Sept. 25 was filled with women in min-dresses and knee-high boots while men sported open shirts and tight pants.

Jeff and Laura Miller, of Charles Rutenberg Realty, were multiple winners at the Wesley Chapel Chamber Awards Canquet Sept. 25. They were Best Supporting of the Year; Laura was named Volunteer of the Year and Board Member of the Year; and Jeff was chosen as Ambassador of the Year. Photo by Faith Jordan-Masella, www.WesleyChapel.com.

Not to mention a couple of hippies, alias the Callarmans of Crown Trophy.
Those fashion statements — with some making louder and more colorful impressions than others — highlighted the 1970’s Disco Flashback theme for the 11th annual Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Awards Ceremony and Installation of Officers.
“It was a blast,” said Sheri Goldberg, the chamber’s executive director.
While several members actually have first-hand knowledge of that era, others in attendance were born after those days had gone by. Perhaps that is why many in the crowd danced the night away long after awards were doled out and directors were recognized.
“The demographics of the community and the chamber is for young professionals,” Goldberg said. “I guess they like to get up and dance. We saw a lot of energy at that banquet. The dance floor was packed.”
Before the dancers got in full swing, members applauded numerous award winners for their contributions to the chamber and community throughout the past year. Highlighting that list, along with their awards, were: David West, President’s; Anna Grover, Honorary Mayor’s; Cindy Fleming, Chamber Champion; Laura Miller, (2) Board Member and Volunteer of the Year; Jeff Miller, Ambassador of the Year.
A special award was presented to Jerry Sterner, who recently retired after 19 years in public relations for Florida Hospital Zephyrhills (formerly East Pasco Medical Center) and a week earlier had been recognized by the Zephyrhills chamber and given a key to that city.
“He’s an icon,” Goldberg said of Sterner, who plans to move to Tennesee. “We’re going to miss him.”
As for the top business awards of the year, that list featured: Cobb Theater and Hyundai-Mazda of Wesley Chapel, Large Business; Ierna’s Heating and Cooling, Small Business; Bay Insurors, and Jeff and Laura Miller of Charles Rutenberg Realtors, Best Supporting; Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, Non-profit Organization; The Shops at Wiregrass, Rookie.

Greg Lennars, general manager of The Shops at Wiregrass, and his wife Christie, accepted the Rookie Business of the Year award from the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Sept. 25. Photo by Faith Jordan-Masella, www.WesleyChapelFLA.com.

In addition to the award winners, the chamber announced its 2009-10 board of directors: Fleming, president; Debra Kaplan, vice president; Devin Collins, treasurer; pastor Jeff Olsen, secretary; Laura Miller, president-elect.
Remaining directors include: West, Michael Audino, John Negley, Richard Wendlek, Angela Bosler, Stephanie Watts, Mary Adele Cluck, Rob Kellog, Pat Ciaccio, Randy Stovall and Michael DeLessio.
Goldberg said the chamber lists a record-high 506 members.

Ierna’s Heating and Cooling won Small Business of the Year from the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Sept. 25. Pictured are Marketing Director Rob Kress with Wwners Charlene Ierna and Ronnie Ierna. Photo by Faith Jordan-Masella, www.WesleyChapelFLA.com.

New Freedom coach James Harrell is homegrown

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Kyle LoJacono
Staff Writer

NEW TAMPA — To help turn around last year’s 4-6 record, which included five straight losses, Freedom brought in James Harrell as the new coach.

Josh Tanner (No. 53), a junior two-way lineman, and his Freedom teammates take a water break during a recent practice. Photo by Kyle LoJacono.

Harrell, who spent nine seasons as a National Football League linebacker, had never coached a high school team, but was Plant’s defensive coordinator for four seasons. The Panthers were 38-4 in that span, including Class 4A state titles in 2006 and 2008.
“It was kind of hard to leave a school that you helped turn into a contender, but head coaching jobs don’t come around every year,” Harrell said. “I figured we won two titles, so maybe it was time for me to start my head coaching career.”
Harrell grew up in Tampa and played mostly linebacker for Chamberlain and the University of Florida. Then came his NFL career, eight with the Detroit Lions and one with the Kansas City Chiefs. In all, Harrell played in 89 games, starting 32, from 1979 to 1987.
That time spent playing and coaching defense shaped Harrell’s approach to football.
“If you can stop the other team from scoring your team has a better chance of winning,” he said. “It’s not that hard to figure out, but you also need to establish the run and be real physical. So the real key is to be physical on both sides of the ball.”
Harrell was not the only member of his family to come to Freedom from Plant this year. His son Anthony is a linebacker like his father was, but he also plays fullback and tight end. A junior, he has the advantage of playing in his father’s defense for the past two years.
“It gives me an advantage,” Anthony said. “I already understand his defense, because I am always with him. I really know what he wants me to do without him even asking.”
But there is a price to pay for being the coach’s son.
“The other guys when they go home don’t have their coach always looking at them,” the younger Harrell said. “He is always trying to push me to work harder. He’ll say ‘get up, go work out, why aren’t you studying’ and things like that, instead of me just sitting around.”
That pushing seems to be helping Anthony, who had 44 tackles and five sacks for the Panthers last season. Through two games this year, he had a team-best 21 tackles with a sack and fumble recovery as well.
It has not been all smiles for the father, either.
“First, when you coach your son it’s really difficult because your level of expectation is so high for him that it is more than he expects of himself,” Harrell said. “But you just try and teach him the fundamentals and teach him the importance of studying game film. I try and do that with all the kids, and play through them because I can’t take any more snaps.”
Another Freedom defensive standout is senior safety T.J. Mutcherson, who had 10 tackles through two games. Mutcherson also led the team with 204 receiving yards and 33 return yards.
“He has brought a lot of discipline to the team,” Mutcherson said of Harrell. “He also is a really good motivator and gets a lot out of us on every drill and play.”
Learning from an NFL veteran, Mutcherson said, is “a great experience. We know that what he tells us to do will really work because of that, and we have seen our defense get better. We are all flying around to the ball and making people pay for every yard they get.”
Mutcherson also praised quarterback Tyler Guy, a senior transfer from Zephyrhills. Guy is new to Freedom’s spread offense, but had for 432 yards and five touchdowns.
The Patriots got off to a 2-1 start, but will have to be better at home to make the playoffs. Freedom, which had not won at home since a 2007 game against Middleton, snapped that skid with a 30-12 home win over Gaither on Sept. 25.
“We knew we had to get that first home win to get our fans excited,” Anthony said. “We need the crowd support, but we needed to give them a reason to come out and cheer.”

BRING IT ON – Conflicted football fan

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono
Staff writer

I was at the Sept. 26 football game between Florida State and the University of South Florida, but unlike most people traveling from Tampa I wanted the Seminoles to win.
Growing up in Lutz and being a 2005 Gaither graduate, I have watched the Bulls since their inception in 1997. However, I went to FSU and spent many Saturdays watching the Seminoles battle at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.
It was hard for me to see FSU lose 17-7 in the first-ever meeting between those schools, but it was nice to see the Bulls establish themselves in college football. USF has been on the fast track, spending just four seasons in the former 1-AA before moving up to the top division.

Over that time the Bulls have had one coach, Jim Leavitt, who was born in St. Petersburg. The Bulls reached their highest national ranking in October, 2007 when they were No. 2. Many thought Leavitt might leave Tampa for a more established program, but he signed a two-year extension through 2014.
Even though USF is now a team that people outside of the Tampa Bay area know, the program cannot compare with the history at FSU. USF was founded in 1956, while FSU opened in 1851.
The Seminoles have two Heisman Trophy winners in quarterbacks Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke in 1993 and 2000, respectively.
USF has none.
FSU also has two national championships, the first in 1993 and the second in 1999.
USF does not.
The 1999 title was the first and only FSU team with a perfect season. That squad was celebrated before the Sept. 26 game.
It seemed like FSU would win the game easily as USF’s starting quarterback, Matt Grothe, tore his ACL the previous week and could not play. The Bulls started B.J. Daniels, who went to Lincoln High in Tallahassee and grew up a Seminoles fan.
So what happens? One former Seminoles fan from Tallahassee joins USF to crush the team he grew up rooting for while I watched, sickened in the stands.
“They just beat the heck out of us,” FSU coach Bobby Bowden said after the game.
They sure did, Bobby. Who’d have seen that coming?

Uptown Artist Gallery opens in Dade City

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Steve Lee
Sports Editor
DADE CITY — If a picture is worth a thousand words, there is a whole lot to be said about the Uptown Artist Gallery in Dade City.
The gallery is the dream of artists Karin Best, Mary Sears and Suzanne Desneux. It opened Oct. 3.
“This is what we want for Dade City; to be an art center like Ybor City,” Best said.

The co-owners met at various art shows before they decided to pool their resources and make a place for artists to display and sell their creations.

“We had no money,” Best said. “We had to dig very deep. We were literally broke. If we can do this, we can do anything.”
To get the ball rolling, Sears cashed in her life insurance, Best and her husband cleaned out their bank accounts, and Desneux used her property taxes. They found a supportive landlord in Otto Weitzenkorn and rented a building at the corner of Seventh Street and Ross Avenue.
The women claim that miracles happen every day to enable them to make their dream come true. Not the least of which includes woodworkers Greg Morwey and Allen Martel. The self-described “Sons of Cypress” paid for the gallery’s liability insurance.

Chico is set up in the Uptown Artist Gallery for visitors to feed the monkey with donations. Owners Mary Sears, Karin Best and Suzanne Desneux check the pot held up by Chico. Photo by Gary S. Hatrick.

Best, Sears and Desneux obviously enjoy one another’s company and working toward achieving their collective dream. They jokingly call themselves, in order, “the instigator, the aggravator and the agitator.”
The gallery is part of a co-op — artists pay $35 a month for a space to display their art. If they sell their art, they keep all the proceeds. Co-op fees are used to pay gallery expenses.
“When they sell something they keep it all,” Desneux said. “People can deal directly with the artist, not with the gallery.”
Added Sears, “If I sell a piece of my work, I don’t have to give the gallery a commission. All I have to do is pay my monthly co-op fee.”
The women say that this is much less expensive than what a gallery normally charges in percentages for a sale.
“When you think you’ve bought a $1,000 painting, the artist walks away with $500 and he still has to pay for his canvas, his paint, time and training,” Desneux said.
The trio is not only interested in painting, but in art such as handmade furniture of the Sons of Cypress, sculptures and photography displays. They would also like to have poetry readings and book signings in the future.
“What we want here is to have community involvement,” Sears said. “We want children to come in and be able to learn about art, and be able to paint. We want to have workshops, we want to have seniors come in, we want to involve the community in this. We’re flying by the seat of our panty hose.”

If you go
What: Uptown Artist Gallery
Where: 14449 7th St. in Dade City
When: Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week.
More info: Those interested in showing their work should call Best at (813) 312-3264.

Dogtoberfest celebrates dressed-up dogs Oct. 17

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Ashley Dunn
News Editor
WESLEY CHAPEL — On Oct. 31, children of all ages will don costumes and ask for treats. But kids aren’t the only ones who will be having all the fun this month.
The Shops at Wiregrass is inviting dogs and their owners to participate in Dogtoberfest, which will take place at the mall, located at SR 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, on Oct. 17 from 5 to 8 p.m.
“It’s one of those things — I think it’s going to be pretty big,” said Chad Doritan, the mall’s marketing director.
Dogs are allowed to stroll on the sidewalks of the outdoor mall, and Doritan said many pet owners bring their furry friends to the shopping center with them.
During the mall’s concert series from March to May, “the dogs were everywhere,” Doritan said, and many were dressed up. On a beach-themed night, one pooch wore a doggie wetsuit, flippers and had its own surfboard.
That’s how the idea for Dogtoberfest came about. People seemed to enjoy bringing their costumed pets to the mall, so mall officials figured why not have an event for that in October when temperatures are a bit cooler, Doritan said.
There will be a Doggie Costume Contest, during which more than $300 in prizes will be awarded. Costumes aren’t limited to a Halloween theme; dogs can be dressed in any outfit. All dogs in costumes will receive a medal courtesy of 365 Caffe Italiano. There will also be a live concert by The Rhythm Hounds, a professional photographer to take photos of the dogs, and dog adoption organizations. So far, The Shops at Wiregrass has teamed up with No More Homeless Pets, an all-volunteer adoption coalition based in Hillsborough County. Doritan said he is still trying to find dog-related vendors.
“It’s just a fun thing,” he said of the event. “Come out with your dog and listen to music.”
For more information about Dogtoberfest, visit www.theshopsatwiregrass.com.

Pets of the Week

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Eddie is a 3-year-old Rat Terrier. He loves running obstacle courses, peanut butter and riding on the boat with his family. Eddie’s proud owner is Nataley Riggs of Land O’ Lakes.

Daisy is a 7-year-old Shih Tzu, Fox Terrier mix. She goes crazy when she sees her owner put on her bathing suit because Daisy loves to float in her boat in the pool. She loves to chase squirrels and play ball. Daisy’s proud owner is Cheryl Ware, of Zephyrhills.

FROM THE FAIRWAY – Tee it up, ladies

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Derek Highley
Golf Columnist

Mark Twain described golf as a “a good walk spoiled,” but a more appropriate phrase might be “a game for a lifetime”. I want to help grow the game by encouraging women to take a proactive approach in taking up the game.

The most common reason I hear from reluctant people is their lack of ability. Well, you have to start somewhere. We all did. There aren’t many who picked up a golf club the first time and were good at it. Truth be told, there are more not-so-good golfers on the course on any given day then there are good ones.
As LPGA Hall of Famer Carol Mann said, “Golf can be difficult, if not impossible, to master, but it’s actually very easy to enjoy. With a few basic lessons and knowledge of some simple etiquette rules, you can enjoy all that golf has to offer — nature, fresh air and exercise — while socializing and networking with old and new friends.
The best way for women to get introduced to golf is by joining a ladies league. They offer a great way to meet other female golfers, stay committed and speed up your learning curve.
Playing with ladies of varying abilities provides an opportunity to learn from more experienced players, while allowing you to be comfortable knowing there are other novices aiming to improve. Leagues are designed to be inclusive, fun and provide friendly competition.
Leagues generally meet on a weekly basis with the number of participants ranging from a dozen to more than 50. Some leagues even offer nine-holer groups for novice players or those with tight schedules. Leagues vary in length from three months to year-round.
If you are new to the game I suggest signing up for lessons before joining a league. Learning will come through playing. So call around to a few courses, find one with a league that best fits your schedule and get out there. You’ll be glad you did.
While most activities become more difficult to participate in as we age, golf is different. It can be enjoyed at any age, truly making it a game for a lifetime.
Here are a few local contacts to get you started: Beacon Woods Golf Club – Gail Liberty 727-247-3723; Northdale Golf and Tennis Club – Jo Hoffman 813-792-8462; Lexington Oaks Golf Club – Jo Debolt 813-929-1906.

Derek Highley is a PGA member and managing partner of Global Golf Marketing. He can be reached at (813) 310-5122 or e-mail Derek @globalgolfmarketing.com.

Gators rout Gulf in pivotal Class 3A, District 7 game

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Steve Lee
Sports Editor

LAND O’ LAKES — In a pivotal Class 3A, District 7 matchup, Land O’ Lakes boosted its playoff chances with a 48-30 win that all but eliminated Gulf from the postseason race.

JGrant — Janarion Grant, a freshman running back, scored a touchdown for Pasco in a 48-7 win over Zephyrhills. The Pirates lead the all-time series 36-16. Photo by Anthony Masella Jr., www.DadeCityFLA.com.

The host Gators improved to 4-0 overall and share 2-0 district records with co-leaders Mitchell, Pasco and Sunlake. The Buccaneers fell to 3-2, 0-2 in 3A-7.
Land O’ Lakes held a slim 26-24 lead through three quarters before breaking it open. Stephen Weatherford threw touchdown passes of 63 and 13 yards to Alex Robinson and Tyler Peak before Will Irwin returned a fumble 33 yards for another score.
Gulf struck early, taking a 14-0 lead on Madison Burr scoring passes to Tom Polito and Will Burbridge. Burr figured in on two second-half scores, running for one touchdown and completing a 44-yard pass to David Ramirez.
Weatherford finished with four touchdown passes, including first-half strikes to Irwin and Jason Tello. Land O’ Lakes also got a scoring return by Jackson Cannon after a blocked punt. Peak added a 53-yard touchdown run for the Gators.
SUNLALE 47, ANCLOTE 0: Sunlake remained in the playoff hunt with a decisive home win over first-year Anclote. The Seahawks won two in a row for the first time in school history and posted their largest-ever victory margin.
Alex Rodriguez had a school-record 93-yard scoring run and Rashaud Daniels rushed for a game-high 120 yards with three touchdowns, including one on a punt return. Teammate Jacob Jackson ran for two scores.
MITCHELL 33, WESLEY CHAPEL 13: The Mustangs took a 31-7 halftime lead to remain unbeaten. Ricky Trinidad gained 163 yards and scored twice, while quarterback Matt Michaels ran for a touchdown and completed a 30-yard scoring pass to Dylan Buono.
Wesley Chapel got a 96-yard kickoff return from Devon Henry and a touchdown run from Jon Mahan.
RIVER RIDGE 28, CENTRAL 16: Quarterback Kenny Toce ran for a touchdown and completed scoring passes to Trevor Hooker and Zack Ford to lead the Royal Knights. Stavros Arianas gained 141 yards and added a touchdown run.
RIDGEWOOD 28, SPRINGSTEAD 17: In his first start at quarterback, Nick Martino ran for two touchdowns, scored on a punt return and had two interceptions to lead the Rams to their first win. Ridgewood also got a touchdown run from Cameron Rodriguez and recovered three fumbles by the Eagles.
BERKELEY PREP 38, HUDSON 21: Hudson fell behind 21-7 by halftime and never caught up. The Cobras got two touchdown runs from Dylan Luke and Zack Wynn threw a scoring pass to

Gaither fall 68-0 to Hillsborough

October 6, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono
Staff writer

NORTHDALE — It was not a good night for the Cowboys, who were thoroughly dominated by Hillsborough. The Cowboys fell into a 21-hole in the first quarter on Tarean Austin 1-yard sneak, Arthur Johnson’s interception return and a blocked punt scooped up by Jamie Knott.
Austin threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns, including 93 and a touchdown to Charles Lovett. Antonio Chow rushed for a game-high 94 yards and a touchdown. Knott added a touchdown run, while Aydric Brown had a 55-yard punt return for a score.
Gaither managed just 55 yards on offense and had two first downs compared to Hillsborough’s 402 and 15.
SICKLES 36, BRANDON 24: Hillsborough County’s leading rusher, Carey White, and Sickles’ triple-option offense made the Gryphons a winner again. White rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while John Melvin Hendrick passed for 151 yards and two scores.
The Gryphons clung to a 29-24 lead when White scored his second touchdown to put the game away. Chris Nahat had two touchdown catches and 140 yards.
White has 814 rushing yards and six touchdowns through five games in leading the Gryphons to their best start ever.
JEFFERSON 45, WHARTON 7: Jefferson took a 30-0 halftime lead and Wharton never recovered. Quentin Williams had touchdown passes to Eric Royster and Andre Davis, while LaDarius Moye ran for two scores. Will Watson scored on a 74-yard interception return.
The Wildcats’ lone touchdown came on Tanner Stocker’s 1-yard run. Shane McEwen rushed for 60 yards, but Wharton only managed 23 yards passing to Jefferson’s 270.
PLANT CITY 35, CHAMBERLAIN 6: Any chance of Chamberlain getting its first win went away quickly as Plant City led 28-0 by halftime.
Bennie Coney had 190 passing and touchdown strikes to Jordan Prestwood and Michael Harris. Coney also ran for a touchdown with Dazmond Patterson running for two scores.
The Chief got a 1-yard scoring run from Blake Bell. Chamberlain passed for 190 yards and rushed for 108, but lost three fumbles.