The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Hillsborough 2024 Active Life Games

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Players compete in the Active Life Games (Courtesy of Hillsborough County)

Registration is now open for the Hillsborough 2024 Active Life Games, a competition for adults aged 50 and older organized by Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation to promote physical and mental fitness, according to a news release. The games feature a range of activities from track and field to shuffleboard, pickleball, billiard and horseshoes.

Opening ceremonies will take place at 10 a.m., on Sept. 30, at the Barksdale Senior Center, with closing ceremonies at 11 a.m., on Oct. 11, at the University Area Community Complex, and individual competitions will be held at a variety of locations in Hillsborough County. Registration is available until Sept. 20, with a fee of $25 for one event or $30 for unlimited events, plus an additional $30 for the golf competition, which includes a cart.

The games also serve as a regional qualifier for the Florida Senior Games. 

For more details and to register, visit HCFL.gov/ActiveLife.

Local teen wins national pool championship

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Konnor McFadyen of New Port Richey (Courtesy of the American Poolplayers Association)

Konnor McFadyen, a 17-year-old from New Port Richey, won the 2024 APA Junior Pool Championship earlier this month. Competing against 258 participants, McFadyen emerged victorious in the event organized by the American Poolplayers Association (APA), according to a news release.

The championship, held from June 29 to July 1, featured players ages 7 to 18 from 32 states and Canada. McFadyen is a regular player in the local APA League in New Port Richey. The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri, sanctions the world’s largest amateur pool league, with over 250,000 members competing in weekly 8-Ball and 9‑Ball League play. The finals match was live-streamed and is available to view at Youtube.com/watch?v=rHjldr-gY8Q.

For more information on the APA and its tournaments, visit PoolPlayers.com.

Lutz softball team headed to World Series

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(Courtesy of Amanda Torres)

The 8u Lutz girls softball all-star team has won its first-ever state championship after winning the state tournament. Following their wins at the district and state tournaments, they are now headed to the World Series, which begins July 24 in Florence, Alabama.

TrophyCatch pink tag contest

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) TrophyCatch program has launched another pink tag contest, with biologists tagging and releasing trophy-sized bass with pink tags across various state locations, according to a news release.

The first prized bass of the contest, weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces, was caught by Harry Linsinbigler IV in Lake Rochelle. He will receive $1,000 in AFTCO Fishing Apparel & Tackle and a $1,000 check from sponsor 888-BOAT-LAW.

Bruce Doolittle Sr. caught the second pink-tagged bass of the season, marking the first from Porter Lake. 

The contest includes five locations: Lake Lochloosa, Lake Beauclair, Lake Okeechobee, Porter Lake and the Northwest Winter Haven Chain of Lakes. Multiple tagged bass are present in these waters, and the contest runs until Sept. 30.

To claim a prize, anglers must cut and keep the pink tag and follow submission instructions on the TrophyCatch website. The TrophyCatch program helps the FWC conserve Florida’s freshwater fisheries. For more information, visit TrophyCatch.com, or email .

Bruce Doolittle Sr. (Courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)
Harry Linsinbigler IV

Saint Leo basketball camps

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A camper is ready to attempt a buzzer-beater during Saint Leo University’s coed basketball camp on June 5. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Saint Leo University is hosting a coed basketball day camp for ages 6 to 18, July 29 through Aug. 1, on its campus at 33701 County Road 52, St. Leo. For more information and to register, visit SaintLeoMensBasketball.totalcamps.com/shop/product/310193, or contact coach Spencer Henke at 352-588-7311 or .

Tampa Bay Sun reveals jersey

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(Courtesy of Tampa Bay Sun FC)

The Tampa Bay Sun Football Club, the region’s first professional women’s soccer team, revealed its new jersey, according to a news release.

The front-of-kit partner and exclusive academic health system will be Tampa General Hospital (TGH), and they will serve as the Official Presenting Partner for the 2024/25 Inaugural Season.

It will be the first women’s pro sports jersey to carry the name “Tampa Bay,” the release says.

U.S. Navy sailor to compete in Warrior Games

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Navy Information Technician 2nd Class Ainesey “Iggy” Inguanzo (Courtesy of U.S. Navy)

Navy Information Technician 2nd Class Ainesey “Iggy” Inguanzo, of Spring Hill, will compete in the Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games Challenge, June 21 to June 30, at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, according to a news release. More than 250 seriously wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans will take part in the 10 days of competition that highlights “the exceptional physical skills and mental toughness” of its competitors, according to the release. Inguanzo, who suffered a serious foot injury, will compete in archery, indoor rowing, shooting, sitting volleyball and swimming. For more information, visit DoDWarriorGames.com.

Local tennis players to attend military academies, play in Olympics

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Two local high school seniors from the Saddlebook Preparatory tennis academy have received appointments to military academies, according to a news release. Ji Soo Oh will attend the US Naval Academy and Maya Michalski will attend the Air Force Academy, and both will play tennis for their respective academies.

Three additional players from Saddlebrook will compete in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games — Gaby Dabrowski will represent Canada in women’s doubles, Luisa Stefani will represent Brazil in women’s doubles, and Hubi Hurkacz will represent Poland in men’s singles, according to the release.

Ji Soo Oh will attend the US Naval Academy (Courtesy of Saddelbrook Preparatory School)
Maya Michalski will attend the Air Force Academy.

Tampa Bay Sun schedule release

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The USL Super League released its fall schedule for the 2024-2025 season. The first Tampa Bay Sun FC match will be on Aug. 18 against Dallas Trinity FC at Tampa’s Riverfront Stadium, according to a news release.

The regular season will consist of seven at-home and seven away games during both the fall and spring schedule, for a total of 28 games, followed by a playoff.

To view the full schedule, visit TampaBaySunFC.com/schedule. For tickets, visit TampaBaySunFC.com/tickets.

Cooper Hinson wins Wade Boggs Award

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The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners recognized Cooper Hinson of Bloomingdale High with the 18th annual Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award. The award honors a high school baseball player or team in Hillsborough County who displays outstanding athletic, scholastic and community achievements, according to a news release.

Hinson led Bloomingdale to the State Final Four this year, and is a two-time Perfect Game High School All-American and two-time All-Western Conference First Team, all while maintaining a 5.84 GPA and meritorious community involvement, according to the release. 

Two honorable mentions went to Demetrios Passalaris of Leto High and Blaine Rowland from Durant High.