The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Big Bass!

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(Courtesy of John Medvid)

Land O’ Lakes resident Chris Neatherly won the South Pasco Bassmasters’ Big Bass award after hauling in a 5.08-pound bass with topwater bait during a January tournament, at the Butler Chain of Lakes in Windemere. Neatherly and his fishing partner, Steve Gallette, finished second in the tournament with a total haul of 10.01 pounds. The next tournament is Feb. 16, at the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes. For information, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.

Local all-star!

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(Courtesy of Heather Henderson)

Sunlake High senior linebacker and team captain Grant Henderson last month competed in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) All-Star Game at The Villages High School. Henderson was one of 76 players statewide invited to participate, playing for the North squad.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Henderson during this past season registered 110 tackles, six sacks, 12 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries for Sunlake. Wiregrass Ranch High senior receiver/safety Dorien Green was the only other area player named an FACA All-Star.

Saint Leo gets new volleyball coach

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The Saint Leo University athletics department has named Jason Skoch as head coach of the women’s indoor volleyball program.

Jason Skoch (Courtesy of West Texas A&M University Athletics)

Skoch comes to Saint Leo via Division II West Texas A&M, where he guided that program to a 276-88 mark in 10 seasons as head coach. Before that, Skoch was head coach of Division II Truman State (Missouri) University, where he posted a 137-22 mark.

Altogether, Skoch is a five-time conference coach of the year, has nine 30-plus win seasons, 13 conference titles, and 11 NCAA postseason appearances with five NCAA Elite Eight appearances. He also has guided 68 all-conference players and 34 All-Americans at Truman State and West Texas A&M.

Skoch takes over the Lions indoor program from coach Erik Peterson — who, in an interim role in 2018, steered the team to a 17-15 mark and a seventh-straight NCAA appearance, following the late offseason departure of longtime coach Sam Cibrone. Peterson will remain on staff as assistant coach for the Saint Leo beach volleyball program, according to a Saint Leo athletics news release.

Skoch is a former club volleyball player at Penn State, Memphis and Oklahoma State universities. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in statistics.

Conference champs

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(Courtesy of Paul Wyrick)

The Pine View Middle School boys soccer team was recently crowned Eastside Athletic Conference champions after going a perfect 8-0 during the 2018-2019 regular season. It marked the program’s first championship since 2006. The team is coached by Robert Craven.

Wiregrass Ranch football product named All-American

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Chris Faddoul (Courtesy of Florida A&M University athletics)

Former Wiregrass Ranch football star Chris Faddoul, now a sophomore punter at Florida A&M University, recently picked up first-team AP FCS All-American honors for the 2018-2019 season. Faddoul led the nation (Division I FCS) — and set a school record — in punting average at 46.8 yards per kick. Of his 41 punts, 16 were 50 yards or longer (including a long of 67 yards) and 17 were pinned inside opposing teams’ 20-yard line.

At Wiregrass Ranch, Faddoul was a multi-sport standout, playing football, soccer, tennis, and also competing in track & field. His senior year on the gridiron, Faddoul guided the Bulls to a state playoff appearance, as the team’s starting quarterback, kicker and punter.

Local football signings

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A handful of athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area participated in early national signing day for Division I football for the class of 2019:

  • Carrollwood Day School senior quarterback Chris Butash signed with Division I FCS Holy Cross.
  • Pasco High School/Auburn University transfer wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers signed with Division I Colorado State University.
  • Sunlake High School senior tight end Jonathan Hoback signed with Division I FCS Stetson University.
  • Zephyrhills High School senior wide receiver/defensive back Ja’Quan Sheppard signed with Division I FBS University of Cincinnati.

Shining at states

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(Courtesy of Habib Fayiz)

Wesley Chapel Martial Arts Academy had a strong showing at last month’s Florida Tae Kwon Do Open Championships in Sarasota, with several youth members collecting individual medals. From left: Habib Fayiz, owner of Wesley Chapel Martial Arts Academy; Mathew McMahon, silver medals in sparring and forms; Jeremy McMahon, silver medals in sparring and forms; Zachary Cannon, gold medal in sparring, silver in weapons; Lynzi Sozine, gold medal in sparring, silver in forms; Kennedy Bruce, gold medal in sparring, silver in forms; and, Braydon Young, gold medal in sparring, silver in forms.

Local commitments and signings

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Jesuit High senior catcher Jimmy Clifford, a Lutz resident, has signed to play collegiate baseball at Division III Wesleyan University (Middletown, Connecticut). Clifford posted a .200 batting average and .429 on-base percentage; he also registered a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 11 games. Clifford grew up playing many years in Lutz Little League, and attended Lutz Elementary and Most Holy Redeemer schools.

Zephyrhills High senior receiver/cornerback Ja’Quan Sheppard verbally committed to play collegiate football at Division I Temple University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). A four-year varsity player, Sheppard wrapped up his prep career as one of the more decorated athletes in program history. In 43 career games, Sheppard tallied 34 touchdowns and 2,192 scrimmage yards on 87 receptions and 51 carries; he also registered 65 career tackles, five interceptions and 20 passes defensed. A consensus three-star prospect, Sheppard holds Division I FBS offers from the likes of Cincinnati, Kentucky, North Carolina State and South Florida universities, among others.

Volleyball standout earns collegiate honor

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Sydney Hiner (Courtesy of Chowan University)

Former Land O’ Lakes High School volleyball standout Sydney Hiner, now a freshman outside hitter at Division II Chowan University (Murfreesboro, North Carolina), recently earned Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s All-Rookie and All-Second team honors.

Hiner finished the season with 149 kills and 301 digs. She also finished 21st in Division II in aces per set (0.47), also the highest mark among all freshman.

During her senior year at Land O’ Lakes, Hiner earned All-Pasco County honors after registering 223 kills, 198 digs and 39 aces.

Local athletes sign with colleges

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More than two dozen local high school athletes ceremoniously signed their letters of intent to play college athletics on Nov. 14 — the beginning of the fall national signing period for every sport with the exception of football.

Here is a roundup of known high school athlete signings in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Academy at the Lakes
Softball
Lexi Kilfoyl —University of Alabama

Nine Land O’ Lakes High School senior athletes each signed a National Letter of Intent during a Nov. 14 ceremony. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School athletics)

Land O’ Lakes
Baseball
Ethan Frasca—University of South Carolina-Union

Nicholas Jennings—Saint Leo University

Cross-Country
Natalie Abernathy—Davidson College (Davidson, North Carolina)

Soccer
Lexi Fotopoulos—University of Florida

Softball
Trinity Duran—Ave Maria University (Ave Maria, Florida)

Callie Turner—University of Tennessee

Shelby Westbrook—Ball State (Muncie, Indiana)

Swimming
Taylor Ward—Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tennessee)

Volleyball
Shayna Heymann—Gulf Coast State College (Panama City, Florida)

Steinbrenner
Baseball
Bryce Leonhardt—Flagler College (St. Augustine, Florida)

Soccer
Landry Singleton—University of South Florida

Robert Soronellas—University of North Florida

Volleyball
Alexis Eaves—Lynn University (Boca Raton, Florida)

From left: Saddlebrook Prep’s Khavish Varadan, William Duquette and Simon Haas participated in a National Letter of Intent Day ceremony. Each signed college golf scholarships. (Courtesy of Saddlebrook Preparatory School)

Saddlebrook Prep
Golf
William Duquette—University of Kansas

Simon Haas — Texas A&M Commerce

Khavish Varadan—University of Alabama-Birmingham

Sunlake
Baseball
Dawson Place—High Point University (High Point, North Carolina)

Golf
Jordan Sarhaddi—University of Central Florida

Softball
Paige Maseda—Flagler College

Swimming
Elise Ballash—University of North Florida

Hanna Barton—University of South Carolina

Volleyball
Jordyn Schramm—Gulf Coast State College

Wiregrass Ranch
Softball
Miranda Perez—University of Tampa

Kimberly Cheung—St. Johns River State College (Palatka, Florida)

Zephyrhills
Softball
April Lorton—College of Central Florida

Published November 21, 2018