Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Prep Swimming – Gators sweep conference championships

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Steve Lee

Sports Editor

LAND O’ LAKES — No fall sport unites high school athletes like Sunshine Athletic Conference swimming, which features boys and girls from 12 Pasco County schools at one pool.

Land O’ Lakes swimmer David Clark pushes off the wall in a freestyle race. Photo by Anthony Masella Jr., www.OurTownFLA.com.

Actually, two pools with swimming taking place at the New Tampa YMCA and diving at the New Port Richey Aquatics Complex.

A county-record was extended in the boys meet with Land O’ Lakes claiming a ninth consecutive SAC crown. In the girls meet, Land O’ Lakes made it a clean sweep by halting a two-year SAC championship run by Wiregrass Ranch.

Land O’ Lakes swimmer Carley Nelson touches up after completing her laps during a recent practice. Photo by Anthony Masella Jr., www.OurTownFLA.com.

That marked the second time in school history for a Land O’ Lakes sweep. The Gators also won SAC boys and girls titles in 2006.

Perhaps even more impressive is that both Land O’ Lakes squads won despite not being part of seven conference records set at this year’s SAC championships.

“We’re doing pretty good,” Land O’ Lakes coach Robin Hilgenberg said. “Once again, we don’t have that top-of-the-line swimmer, but our depth always carries us through.”

Land O’ Lakes coaches Barbara Hayes (boys) and Hilgenberg (girls) have coached numerous teams to conference and district championships. Both like where the boys and girls teams are headed.

“I think we have a chance to get a relay team to state this year,” Hilgenberg said.

Rounding out the top three boys teams at conference were Mitchell and Gulf, while the girls top three included runner-up Sunlake and Mitchell.

Zephyrhills placed fourth and Wiregrass Ranch sixth in both divisions. Part of the Bulls’ fall from first last year to sixth in the girls competition was the loss of Rebecca Pindral, who was out with a broken nose.

In diving, Zephyrhills’ Ken Betancourt-Reyes and Land O’ Lakes’ Meredith Diamond won SAC titles.

Betancourt-Reyes, who placed eighth in last year’s conference meet, ended a three-year stranglehold by 2009 Land O’ Lakes graduate Kody Kuhl. The Zephyrhills senior finished ahead of runner-up Austin Wachsman, of Sunlake.

The girls swimming competition featured a trio of dual-event winners. That group included Zephyrhills teammates Lindsay Gorgen (100-yard freestyle, 100 backstroke) and Nicolette Clark (200 free, 500 free), along with Land O’ Lakes’ Alex Pierovich (100 breaststroke, 200 individual medley).

“Club swimming’s been the key,” Hilgenberg said of Pierovich’s success. “She feels the water, so a lot of her strokes come naturally.”

Gorgen, a junior and the Bulldogs’ top swimmer, is aiming to qualify for state for the third time.

As for the boys, Mitchell freshman Devin McCaffrey was part of four SAC records. He swam the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke in record time, and joined teammates Gavin Hunt, Ian Ondrejka and Alex Wegener on two record-breaking relay foursomes (200 free, 200 medley).

The other record setters were Gulf’s Hunter Swartsel (50 free, 100 free) and Ridgeweood’s Joe Geschke (200 free, 500 free).

St. Jude’s Homeless Veterans Resource Center gives back on Veterans Day

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Rev. Morson Livingston asks for community help

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

LAND O’ LAKES — The recent economic situation has made it a struggle for many people to stay in their homes, and military veterans are no exception.

The Rev. Morson Livingston (second from the left, in uniform) helped organize a flag ceremony and barbecue on July 4 to help homeless veterans and their families in Odessa. Also pictured are other volunteers that participated. Special to the Laker/Lutz News.

“Veterans sometimes have a tough time adjusting to life after serving, and unfortunately, many end up homeless,” said the Rev. Morson Livingston, of St. Jude’s Church in Land O’ Lakes. “The current economic problems have caused even more of our brave men and women to the streets, and it just hurts me deeply when I see them struggling.”

Livingston, 50, is a retired Army Captain who served as a Chaplain in such places as the Bahamas, Hungary, Bosnia and Kosovo. He retired from the army in 2001 and moved to Land O’ Lakes in 2007.

“To help homeless veterans we decided to have a special day on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) to help them as much as we can,” Livingston said. “We’ll have a barbecue and clean water, portable showers, care packages, a barber, some clean clothes and fun activities like a fun station and a clown for the veteran’s kids. We’ll also have a flag ceremony to honor them and all U.S. veterans.”

Some of the many U.S. military veterans that attended St. Jude’s Homeless Veterans Resource Center’s first flag ceremony and barbecue for homeless veterans pose together on July 4 in Odessa. The center is hosting a similar event on Nov. 11 in Land O’ Lakes. Special to the Laker/Lutz News.

Livingston is the founder of the St. Jude’s Homeless Veterans Resource Center, which is sponsoring the flag ceremony. The event will be at the Rotary Concourse Pavilion in Land O’ Lakes, located at 15323 SR 52 near Safety Town.

The center had a similar event on July 4 in Odessa, where about 200 homeless veterans and their families from across Pasco County, including Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Dade City, Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel, attended. The center’s target is for 1,000 veterans and families to come to the Veterans Day event.

The center works by the slogan “veterans working for veterans” because many that work with the center are veterans, including center treasurer and program director John Carland.

“Unfortunately, many of these homeless veterans have just lost guidance in their lives after leaving the service,” Carland said. “In the service, we had a hard and strict schedule that everyone had to follow. Once a lot of veterans leave, they don’t have that anymore, and many don’t adjust well. So, we understand that and try to help them find that guidance as a friend.”

Carland is a retired Coast Guard Captain who served for 33 years before retiring in 1992. He lives in Holiday.

At the event, the center will help the veterans with their physical needs but will also put them in touch with organizations that can help them turn their lives around, which include: alcohol and substance abuse service centers; homeless shelters; the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System; and the VA James A. Haley Center in New Tampa.

“Outreach programs like the one St. Jude’s is doing helps connect homeless veterans with our center,” said Wendy Hellickson, supervisor for the Healthcare for Homeless veterans program at the VA. “At the center, we can offer a number of life and metal health councilors to assess how to help them best. It can take as many as two years to begin to help them depending on how willing someone is to trust us.”

For more information on the hospital, call their main office at (813) 972-2000.

The flag ceremony and barbecue will begin at 11 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. The center is looking for anyone willing to help during the event. Those interested should call Livingston at (813) 951-2288 or e-mail him at .

“We know times are tough for everyone, but when we look around, it is worse for these fellow human beings,” Livingston said.

Livingston is also asking for anyone who has an unused building that his church can use as a meeting place on Sundays and to store donated items for the veterans to call or e-mail. He said it is difficult for him to keep all the items donated in his home and would like a larger area for donations. He also is looking for more space to host his services.

While the church has already helped hundreds of homeless veterans and their families, one veteran made a special impression on Livingston.

“A man named Jessey, who is from Pasco County, came to our flag ceremony on July 4 and told me that no one else had ever cared about him after he left the service,” Livingston said. “He told me that we were the first ones who cared enough to help him and told us how much it meant to him. It was so sad and yet we felt so happy because we were able to help him at least a little.

“Helping these men and women on the days like Veterans Day lets them know we haven’t forgotten what they have done for

Lutz mother and son share writing award

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Suzin and Chandler Carr produced “I Choose”

By Steve Lee

Staff Writer

LUTZ — Suzin and Chandler Carr, of Lutz, have received plenty of recognition for “I Choose,” a book authored by the mother and illustrated by her 9-year-old son.

Their first writing award, however came on Oct. 24 at the Florida Writers Association conference in Orlando. The Carrs won a Royal Palm Literary Award, taking first place in the published children’s book category.

Suzin Carr and her son, Chandler, hold the Royal Palm Literary Award. They were honored by the Florida Writers Association for the book, “I Choose,” written by Suzin and illustrated by Chandler. Special to The Lutz News/The Laker.

Needless to say, Chandler’s mother reacted to the news a bit more enthusiastically than her son. Upon hearing they won the award, Suzin literally dragged her son to the podium.

“I dragged him down the red carpet,” said Carr, the Lutz Guv’na. “Poor Chandler was like, ‘Would you please let go of my arm?’”

Chandler chuckled at that recollection.

“She took my arm and took me down the red carpet. Then she ran fast,” Chandler recalled. “I said, ‘Mom. Mom. Let go. I haven’t seen you this excited since the Guv’na thing.’”

Asked if he was nervous accepting an award in front of about 300 people, Chandler responded, “Not really, because I didn’t have to do a speech.”

Chandler, a fourth-grader at Learning Gate, a charter school in Lutz, plans to take his illustrations to another level.

“I want to be a video game designer,” he said. “Drawing’s a big part in making video games.”

Next up for mother and son is a Veterans Day appearance on Channel 10’s “The Morning Show.”

Carr said she will probably be a bit more subdued on television than she was at the writers conference in Orlando.

“I was known as the jumper and the screamer,” she said jokingly.

Already, the Carrs have been recognized by Fox News, Tampa Bay Parenting magazine and Dr. Laura Schlesinger.

“I r-e-a-l-l-y like this one for kids. Frankly, I like it for adults too,” Dr. Laura said last May on her nationally syndicated radio show.

Having his book discussed on the radio, Chandler said, “was really neat for thousands of people to hear

Pet of the week

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

It wasn’t me!

Rylee is a Bassett Hound who will be five years old in December. She is extremely protective of her Sophie and sends out an alert if Sophie cries for more than two minutes. Sophie likes to crawl over Rylee, and her face shows that Rylee usually passes gas when she does! She has been known to push Sophie’s swing with her nose if her owner forgets to hit the reset button. If Rylee hears the word “bath” she howls and gets upset, but she sits perfectly still in the tub and acts like she enjoys it. Rylee was a gift to owner, Christina James of Wesley Chapel, from her husband Kipp.

Tank chews on everything that moves

Tank is a Bulldog puppy. He became a member of the Rogers family after the passing of their beloved English Bulldog, “Daisy.” Daisy was 12 years old and will be remembered by the many customers of Rogers Landscaping. Tank enjoys chewing on everything that moves. He is very sweet, so come by and meet him! His proud owners are Glenn and Cathy Rogers, owners of Rogers Landscaping Supply in Lutz.

Bring it on

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Giving ‘Big Uglies’ their due respect

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff writer

For every successful offense, there are five good offensive linemen doing the dirty work up front. Former National Football League announcer John Madden called them the “big uglies,” and they never seemed to get credit.

It is time for that to change. Time to give the “Big Uglies” their due before they come and crush little sports writers for ignoring them.

First up is Wharton center Blake Nold, the lone senior on his team’s offensive line.

Nold has acted as the captain of the line and an on-field coach for the young unit that lost three seniors from last year’s playoff team. The 6-foot-1, 275-pound Nold is gaining interest from colleges like the University of South Florida, Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky.

Moving north we find Pasco junior left tackle Chuck Wood. The first-year starter has grown eight inches and put on 60 pounds since starting high school.

Pasco coach Tom McHugh said Wood is one of the hardest workers and among the easiest to coach that he has ever had. He said Wood leads by example and never wants to let his teammates down.

Moving to Wesley Chapel, senior center Ray Nixon, who has started for three years, is the captain of the line.

Wesley Chapel coach John Castelamare never has to worry about anything when the 6-foot-5, 300-pounder is calling the cadence for the offense. The coach said Nixon’s work ethic and leadership come from a strong family and a lifetime of good parenting.

Finishing up Pasco County is Sunlake junior guard Matt Sanders. The two-year starter has been described by coach Bill Browning as a leader who is always looking out for the rest of the team.

Sanders still has some growing to do to fill out his current 6-foot-2, 230-pound frame, but Browning says he is already the most physical offensive linemen on the team.

Last is Carrollwood Day Prep senior guard Sarge Patel. Patel was not a big factor for the Patriots before this year, but he has made an impression on his teammates this year.

Wide receiver Matt Monteilh said Patel has stepped up his game and been an important part of the line. He said Patel always knows where to be to help the team make big plays.

Give it up for the “Big Uglies” who make the skill players look good.

Zephyrhills Homecoming

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Zephyrhills High lost its homecoming game, 29-7 to Gulf at Bulldog Stadium on Oct. 30. Nonetheless, the evening was highlighted by plenty of festivities including a parade down Main Street and announcements for King and Queen and the Homecoming Court. Photos by Gary S. Hatrick.

Cross Country – Wiregrass Ranch sweeps SAC championships

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Steve Lee

Sports Editor

WESLEY CHAPEL — Land O’ Lakes’ Matt Schwartz won the Sunshine Athletic Conference boys meet, but that individual effort was not enough to stave off Wiregrass Ranch’s first team title.

The Wiregrass Ranch boys cross country team won its first Sunshine Athletic Conference championship while the girls team from that school made it two SAC championships in a row. Pictured are: (top, left to right) Tyler Mattera, Sam Hippely, coach Chris Loth, Logan Selzer, Josh Reilly, Elliot Griffith and Ian Cassette; (bottom, left to right) Delonzo Sharp, mascot Shara, a 6-year-old Weimaraner, and Ryan Pulsifer. Special to The Laker.

It was not, however, the first cross country crown in that school’s three-year history. The Wiregrass Ranch girls defended the SAC championship they won last year.

Wiregrass Ranch, led by runner-up Ryan Pulsifer, placed four runners in the top 10 of the boys race at J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park. The three others were Delonzo Sharp, Logan Selzer and Josh Reilly.

“It’s kind of like a launching pad for the entire postseason,” Wiregrass Ranch boys coach Chris Loth said.

The team victory helped the Bulls get past last year’s disappointment when they finished just one point behind Land O’ Lakes as the conference runner-up.

“It was a tough pill to swallow for us, because we felt we could have won,” Loth said of last year’s race. “This year was redemption. That’s kind of the way we look at it.”

Schwartz, the meet favorite who earlier this season took first in the Mitchell Invitational, won the boys race in 16 minutes, 49 seconds. That extended the Gators’ stranglehold on the individual title. Felix Soto won three straight SAC runs after Steven Bell won the 2005 race.

Land O’ Lakes, which took third, was the only other boys team with multiple finishers in the top 10. Hendrix Lafontant was fifth and Zack Lonsway sixth.

In the girls race, Mitchell’s Kelli Williams posted a winning time of 20:19. Runner-up Nikita Shah, who finished just one second behind, was the fastest among five Wiregrass Ranch girls in the top eight. The others were defending SAC champion Ariel Grey, Taylor Hixson, Alex Diepholz and Kelsey Sturman.

As for the Land O’ Lakes girls, Renae Porsch, Morgan Keppel and Lailoni Kailimai cracked the top 10.

In the Prestate meet at Little Everglades Ranch that preceded the conference runs, Pasco’s Anthony Plourde placed seventh in the Small School division.

District tournaments

Class 3A, District 3

When: Nov. 5. Girls run at 4:30 p.m.; boys at 5 p.m.

Location: Crews Lake Park.

Local teams: Gulf, Hudson, Land O’ Lakes, Mitchell, Ridgewood, River Ridge, Sunlake, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills.

Class 2A, District 3

When: Nov. 4. Girls run at 4:30 p.m.; boys at 5 p.m.

Location Crystal River.

Local teams: Pasco and Wesley Chapel.

Class A, District 5

When: Nov. 5. Girls run at 10:15 a.m.; boys at 11 a.m.

Location: Taylor Park.

Local teams: Academy at the Lakes, Carrollwood Day Prep.

Volleyball – Gaither comeback leads to district championship

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Cowboys rally against Sickles

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

NORTHDALE — Gaither and Sickles have been on a collision course since the start of the season and met in the Class 5A, District 9 final.

Steinbrenner’s volleyball team, pictured with the Anclote tournament trophy, won the Class 4A, District 9 championship in its first season. Special to the Lutz News.

The Cowboys that took the title in five sets — 25-18, 25-27, 17-25, 25-18, 15-10.

“In a way, it was almost anti-climactic because both teams knew it would come down to this match,” Sickles coach Robert Brashear said. “They played very well and we had too many errors.”

The district crown was Gaither’s first since 2003. By making the championship match both teams advance to the regional quarterfinals. The title gives Gaither a home match in the first round of the playoffs, whiles Sickles be on the road.

“I’m so excited, because we haven’t won districts in like a million years,” said Jenna Clark, nearly hyperventilating with excitement after Gaither’s win. “We’ve worked hard for this as a team for years and (that) we finally win districts is so perfect.”

Gaither was the No. 1 seed entering the tournament with a 14-3 (6-0 district) record. Sickles was No. 2 with a 19-4 (5-1) mark. The Cowboys beat the Gryphons earlier this season.

“We knew we could win again, even though Sickles is a great team,” Clark said. “Sickles is a tough team, but we knew we could do it again.”

Steinbrenner co-captain Sam Drane had 20 assists in the district final, a three-set win over Lennard. Special to the Lutz News.

Gaither got to the title match be beating Freedom in straight sets, while Sickles handled Leto in three as well.

Clark had a team-leading 21 kills and eight blocks. Outside hitter and co-captain Laura Ackart put down 17 kills and had 10 digs, while Chloe New had eight kills. Libero Sarah Wood had 15 digs and setter and co-captain Emily Hussin had 40 assists.

Libero Brittany Johnson had a match-high 25 digs in the losing effort for the Gryphons. Co-captain and senior Lauren Ramsey had 20 kills and 16 digs, and fellow co-captain Brenna McTeer had 12 digs. Morgan Gola had 12 digs, four blocks and six kills, and Alexis Wilt had eight kills and six digs.

With Gaither up 10-9 in the fifth set, Ackart went for a kill from the right side. Both Sickles blockers went for the block, so Ackart casually tapped it just over their hands in the vacated area to earn the point that seemed to break the Gryphons’ spirits.

“That point was huge,” Gaither coach Timothy Boylan said. “She’s such a veteran and knows when to do things like that. Our team is mostly seniors and they usually handle pressure matches like this one well. This is a big win for us and I’m proud of them.”

CLASS 4A DISTRICT 9: In its first season, Steinbrenner went 21-4 (7-0) in the regular season and won the 4A-9 championship match over Lennard in straight sets — 25-7, 25-6, 25-8.

“It’s been an exciting time opening the new school and with the team doing so well this year,” Steinbrenner coach Staci Elies said. “Most of the girls had no experience playing varsity volleyball before this year, but they came together fast and their work has gotten them to this level.”

Libero and co-captain Cary Anne Bame had a team-high six aces and added six digs. Kiristen Liguori led the Warriors with seven kills, while setter and co-captain Sam Drane had 20 assists in the lopsided win.

“It’s great that we’re doing so well, but we always thought we could do this,” Bame said. “Our goal was to get here and now we have to keep playing to our ability at regions.”

CARES Adult Day Care Services provide save environment for older adults

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Christine Powers

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Adult day care centers are an excellent alternative for working caregivers or caregivers that just need a little time off for themselves.

CARES operates two adult day health service centers — one in Dade City at the CARES Crescent Enrichment Center, 13906 Fifth Street, and the other in New Port Richey at the CARES Claude Pepper Senior Center, 6640 Van Buren Street. However, before entrusting their loved one to an adult day care center, most caregivers want to make sure that they will be safe and receive appropriate care. We’d like to address that concern.

CARES adult day care centers are licensed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, which requires that all adult day care facilities be licensed. Inspectors visit the centers on a regular basis checking the facility, the food storage and preparation and the fire and emergency plans.

The Department of Elder Affairs and the Department of Agriculture makes sure that the kitchens are clean and that an approved menu is offered. Every year, the food menus must be approved by a registered dietician. The Pasco Office of Emergency Management must approve the centers’ emergency plans. The fire plans, also, must be approved and regular fire drills are required.

The licensing procedures include a review of the participant’s charts to insure that they are receiving proper care. The staff and operation of the facility, are also observed. The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas conducts periodic surveys of the centers to insure that they are meeting the criteria for state and federal grant funding.

Adult Day Services have evolved over the last few years from social programs to medical models to meet the needs of the aging population. CARES centers provide quality care that is validated by our outstanding survey results.

CARES Adult Day Services centers are places for older adults, who may be challenged in their everyday activities, to have a whole lot of fun, to make new friends, to play a game of cards or to learn something new all in a well regulated and safe environment.

For more information, call Christine Powers at (727) 863-6868

Christine Powers is the director of Adult Day Care Services.

Artifical bait has its rewards

November 4, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Capt. Ric Liles

Fishing Columnist

A client recently asked if I ever used artificial bait. While a majority of my guided trips are with live bait, I enjoy fishing with artificial baits more. I grew up fishing with nothing else tied on the end of the line.

Dave Thomas with a 34-inch redfish he caught while fishing with Capt. Ric Liles of Reel Simple Fishing Adventures.

On average, live bait produces more fish than artificial baits, but sometimes it’s more about the challenge. I think that is one of the attractions people get with fly-fishing.

As we talked about different lures I was also asked about choosing one bait to fish with in a tournament. That would depend on the target species, but I think the most versatile artificial bait for me would be one of the Berkley Gulp products.

They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. My personal favorite is the four-inch shrimp in the new penny color scheme. I have caught just about everything that Tampa Bay has to offer with this bait.

This line of baits can be fished in a variety of ways from jigging to dead-sticking, which is casting bait to the desired location and leaving it there. This can be productive, but boring.

Jigging is a lot more fun. Even though these baits would be my choice they are not my favorite artificial lures.

My favorite lure is the Zara Spook. It’s not always the most productive lure in the tackle box, but no one can argue the intensity of the strike it entices. When worked correctly with the “walking the dog” technique you can get some of the greatest top water action around.

I think the fun with a Zara Spook is the strike. These baits can cause such violent bites that an angler can be startled by the eruption on the surface of the water. They normally do not produce as many fish, but the ones they do produce bring better memories.

If you have never used either one of these baits, give them a try. I think you will have fun and catch some nice fish in the process. Until next time, good luck and be safe on the water. Remember: don’t let your kids be the ones that got away, take them fishing.