The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Fastpitch National Champs

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(Courtesy of Jill Peterson)

From left, Pasco County’s Callie Turner (Land O’ Lakes High School), Neely Peterson (Cypress Creek Middle-High School), Alexis Kilfoyl (Academy at the Lakes) and Jordan Almasy (Wesley Chapel High School) were members of the Georgia-based East Cobb Bullets fast pitch travel softball team that won the Triple Crown Sports/USA 18U National Championship in Atlanta earlier this month. The Bullets went 10-0 to win the title among 64 of the top 18U teams across the country.

Sunlake golfer shines at prestigious tournament

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Sunlake High senior Jordan Sarhaddi earned a top 10 finish at the 69th annual Press Thornton Future Masters golf tournament in Dothan, Alabama, firing a combined 2-under par over three rounds (69-70-69—207) to finish in a three-way tie for eighth place in the boys 15-18 division.

Sunlake High’s Jordan Sarhaddi
(Courtesy of Darla Sarhaddi)

Sarhaddi was among 240 golfers in his age group to compete in the prestigious event at the Dothan Country Club, held June 28 to June 30.

Sarhaddi, along with Plant High’s Carson Moran (also 2-under par) represented the highest finishers from the state of Florida.

The Future Masters serves as one of four major tournaments that is held for junior golfers every year. The list of PGA Tour players who have competed in the Future Masters includes Patrick Reed who won the masters this year, Bubba Watson who is the first player on Tour to have three wins this year, and many others.

Undefeated!

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(Courtesy of Dennis Castellano Jr.)

Land O’ Lakes’ Pasco Piranhas 12U baseball club last month won the Cal Ripken ‘Iron Forge’ Experience tournament, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, going a perfect 9-0, besting teams Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Ohio, Canada and Georgia. In the championship game, the Piranhas defeated the Big Stix Gamers, of McDonough, Georgia, 4-3.

All-American!

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(Courtesy of Eric Handman)

Wiregrass Ranch High School attacker Jeremy Handman has been named a 2018 U.S. Lacrosse All-American, a first in program history. As a senior, Handman helped guide the Bulls to a 13-3 mark this past season—its first season as an FHSAA-sanctioned varsity lacrosse club. He scored 46 goals and had 26 assists. Handman, who graduated from Wiregrass Ranch in May, will play collegiate lacrosse this fall at Division II Southern New Hampshire University, in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Saint Leo finishes fourth for Directors’ Cup

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For the third time in four years, Saint Leo University finished in the top 10 of the Division II Learfield Directors’ Cup. It earned fourth place out of 268 schools in the 2017-18 final standings that were released June 14 by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

The Lions totaled 695.25 points, scoring in seven of the spring championships, including a runner-up finish in men’s lacrosse and third place in softball.

Saint Leo tallied 428.75 points in the spring from men’s lacrosse (90), softball (83), men’s golf (72.75), women’s golf (51), men’s tennis (50), women’s tennis (50) and women’s track (32).

The Lions added their spring points to their 119.50 winter points and 147.00 fall points.

This marked the 17th Directors’ Cup standings (Sears, NACDA, US Sports Academy or Learfield) in which the Lions have ranked. It was the second-highest finish in school history.

“We have an incredible staff and student-athletes who strive for excellence,” Saint Leo athletic director Francis X. Reidy said, in a release. “Our five-year run of great finishes is a remarkable feat when you consider where Saint Leo was just a short time ago. We are proud of our two top-five finishes over the last three years, as we strive to be one of the best all-around programs in Division II.”

Saint Leo’s Directors’ Cup mark also is tops in the Sunshine State Conference, ahead of fifth-place finisher Florida Southern (673.35 points).

California Baptist University, in Riverside California, won the Directors’ Cup title, with 905 points.

The Learfield Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in NCAA Championships.

Division II Learfield Directors’ Cup final standings
Top 5

California Baptist — 905 points

Grand Valley (Michigan) State — 834.75

West Texas A&M — 772.50

Saint Leo — 695.25

Florida Southern — 673.25

Tripletail and sheepshead regulations in effect

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced the following changes to the management of tripletail and sheepshead, effective as of July 1:

Tripletail:

  • The minimum size limit will increase to 18 inches total length.
  • The FWC’s recreational and commercial regulations for this species will extend into federal waters (including only allowing the use of hook-and-line gear and the new size limit).

Sheepshead:

  • The recreational bag limit will be lowered to eight fish per person, per day year-round.
  • There will be a recreational vessel limit of 50 fish per vessel, per trip during March and April.
  • FWC’s recreational and commercial regulations for this species will extend into federal waters (including the new bag and vessel limits).

According to the FWC, the new regulations will help conserve both fisheries for current and future generations. For more information, visit MyFWC.com/fishing.

 

Lutz Independence Day 5K

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The annual Lutz Independence Day 5K is set for July 4 at 8 a.m., at the Lutz Community Center, 101 First Ave., North, in Lutz.

Preregistration cost is $25 per person, and includes a T-shirt.

Race day registration cost is $30 and begins at 6:15 a.m., inside the Lutz Civic Center.

The race starts on Lutz-Lake Fern Road, west of the intersection at First Avenue.

Awards will be given to top male and female finishers; all finishers will receive a finisher ribbon.

In-person registration is available through June 30 (Monday through Friday during regular business hours) at Big Fred’s Automotive Repair, 19301 U.S. 41 North, in Lutz.

For information or to register online, visit tinyurl.com/y9o96scr.

Hefty hauls!

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Allan Dorman, left, and Kristofer Sampson teamed to win first place at the South Pasco Bassmasters’ June 16 tournament, hauling in five bass for a total weight of 18.32 pounds at Lake Tarpon. Their haul also included the biggest bass of the tournament, weighing 6.45 pounds. The duo caught the bass using topwater frogs in pepper grass and deep water brush piles. The next tournament is July 21 at Lake Parker, in Lakeland. For information, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.

Soccer champs

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The Benito Ladies were crowned champions of the 2018 NewAPSL Women’s Spring Soccer league after defeating the Spring Hill Goal Diggers 1-0 in the May 20 final at John S. Burks Memorial Park in Dade City. Members of the championship-winning team: Nicki Booth, Colleen Corkery, Reece Corkery, Zoey Garcia, Laura Kopicki, Anahi Meillon, Jordyn Rad, Alex Riano, Kelsey Stein, Caitlin Valentine, Meghan Willhelmsen. For information on NewAPSL (Adult Premier Soccer League) and its recreational soccer offerings, visit NewAPSL.com.

Hall of Fame adds members

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The Land O’ Lakes Gators Athletics Foundation inducted five new members to the school’s athletics Hall of Fame during a dinner ceremony last month.

From left, Land O’ Lakes High School athletic Hall of Fame members William Gebauer, Don Meredith, Karla Walsh Graziano, Jeff Hendrix and Dr. Kirk Peterson.
An induction ceremony was held at the school May 22. (Courtesy of Michael Williams)

The inductees for the 2018 class were: William Gebauer, a longtime administrator and varsity coach for football, track and wrestling; Jeff Hendrix, a three-sport athlete from 1979 to 1981 who became the first Land O’ Lakes football player to receive a Division I scholarship; Don Meredith, a three-year letterman in football and wrestling from 1988 to 1990 who later became a standout offensive lineman at the University of North Carolina; Dr. Kirk Peterson, a three-sport standout in soccer, football and track in the late ’80s; and Karla Walsh Graziano, a three-sport athlete from 1979 to 1981 in volleyball, basketball and track, where she qualified for the state meet and set the school’s jump record.

The May 22 ceremony marked the school’s sixth Hall of Fame induction class, which began in 2013 after the Gators Athletics Foundation was established as a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Anthony Becht, a former NFL tight end and current ESPN college football analyst, was the keynote speaker for the event.

The foundation’s purpose is to “raise funds through donations and fundraising events for the direct benefit of the athletic programs at Land O’ Lakes High School.”

Funds raised through the booster club are currently being allocated to build an athletic field house at the school, perhaps within the next five years.