The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Local signings & commitments

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Former Wiregrass Ranch High quarterback Shane Bucenell (File)

• Wiregrass Ranch High product Shane Bucenell transferred from Division I FCS Charleston Southern University (South Carolina) to Division II Ohio Dominican College. As a freshman at CSU, the 6-foot Bucenell led the Big South Conference in touchdown passes with 15, helping lead the Bucs to a conference title and back to the FCS Playoffs. As a sophomore, however, Bucenell was in and out of the lineup throwing for over 700 yards and six touchdowns. Bucenell is a 2015 graduate of Wiregrass Ranch High School.

•Wiregrass Ranch High senior wide receiver/cornerback Daniel Biglow signed to play college football at Division I Florida Atlantic University. The 6-foot-2 Biglow was among the team’s leaders on offense (20 receptions for 346 yards, three touchdowns) and defense (33 tackles, two interceptions) in 2017. He transferred from Academy at the Lakes his junior year.

•Wiregrass Ranch High senior midfielder Ryan Al-Khatib has signed to play college soccer at NAIA Florida College in Temple Terrace. The 5-foot-8 Al-Khatib posted 11 goals and 32 points this season, helping the Bulls to the Class 5A regional semifinals and a 24-6-1 mark.

• Zephyrhills High senior quarterback Charles Harrison III signed to play college football at Division III Brevard College in North Carolina. This past season the 5-foot-11 signal-caller led the county in passing (over 2,300 yards, 47 total touchdowns) and helped guide the Bulldogs to its first 10-win season since 2002.

Heavy Haul!

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(Courtesy of John Medvid)

Land O’ Lakes residents Dave Panno, left, and Ken Willis teamed up to win the South Pasco Bassmasters (SPBM) Feb. 17 tournament on the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes.

The duo caught five bass with a total weight of 13.17 pounds; the largest bass weighed 3.42 pounds. They caught their haul with spinner baits, jerk baits and plastic worms, in 6 feet to 10 feet of water in Lake Winterset. The next SPBM tournament is March 17 at Lake Istokpoga, in Sebring. For information, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.

Local players participate in baseball tournament

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A handful of college baseball players with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are participating in the Russ Matt Collegiate Baseball Invitational in Polk County, the largest collegiate baseball tournament in the nation.

Sunlake High School product Zach Howard, now at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, is one of several local baseball players competing in the Russ Matt Collegiate Baseball Invitational in Polk County. (Courtesy of Embry-Riddle Athletics)

The 38-day tournament, which began Feb. 22 and runs through March 31, features various Division I through Division III programs, as well as teams from the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), Junior College and NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) ranks.

Players from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area in the RussMatt tourney:

Gideon Dunn (Steinbrenner High School) — Crown College (Minnesota)

Zach Howard (Sunlake High School) — Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach)

Jacob Rodriguez (Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School) — Greensboro College (North Carolina)

Blake Carroll (Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School)— Greensboro College (North Carolina)

Ruben Ramirez (Pasco High School) — Iowa Wesleyan University

Games are primarily played at Auburndale’s Lake Myrtle Sports Park and Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes Park. Other facilities, such as Warner University in Lake Wales, Henley Field in Lakeland and Polk State College in Winter Haven, will host some games, too.

For more information, visit RussMatt.com.

Local athletes sign with colleges

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Several local high school athletes signed their letters of intent (LOI) on Feb. 7 to various colleges and universities as part of National Signing Day, held annually on the first Wednesday in February.

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

Land O’ Lakes
Football
Matt Geiger — Florida Tech
Sam Pinto-Pannella — Plymouth State University (New Hampshire)
Tylor Winn — Lindenwood University-Belleville (Illinois)

Soccer
Morghan Craven — Eckerd College
Sydny Nasello — University of South Florida

Softball
Brianna Lindner — Queens University of Charlotte (North Carolina)
Ashley Smith — St. Petersburg College
Tia Williams — Nova Southeastern University

Volleyball
Sydney Hiner — Chowan University (North Carolina)

Wesley Chapel
Football
Andrew Brooks — Luther College (Iowa)
Chaz Neal — Florida State University

Soccer
Bella Jaramillo — Averett University (Virginia)
Victoria Mitchell — U.S. Naval Academy (Maryland)

Wharton
Football
A.J. Hampton — Northwestern University (Illinois)

Soccer
Caroline Delisle — University of Central Florida

Softball
Chloe Lee — Marshall University (West Virginia)

Lacrosse
Kelly Spence — Heidelberg University (Ohio)

Wiregrass Ranch
Football
Daniel Biglow — Florida Atlantic University

Soccer
Ian Flores — Oglethorpe University (Georgia)
Royce Luedde — Florida College
Rylind Robinson — Shorter University (Georgia)
Emily Leonard — University of Richmond (Virginia)
Maddie Noland — Glenville State College (West Virginia)
Jannae Davis — Hampton University (Virginia)
Bella Fiorentino — Lincoln Memorial University (Tennessee)

Steinbrenner
Football
Spencer Lee — University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Soccer
Haley Hernandez — Troy University (Alabama)
Jonathan Partlow — Coker College (South Carolina)

Track
Serena Gadson — Jacksonville University

Sunlake
Soccer
Santiago Esparza — Daytona State College

Softball
Riley Baxter — College of Central Florida
Isabella Huff — St. Petersburg College
Mariah Melendez — Ave Maria University
Emma Sica — Pasco-Hernando State College 

Pasco
Football
Cameron Smith — Heidelberg University (Ohio)

Soccer
Rachel Hilner — Florida Tech

Zephyrhills Christian Academy
Football
Evan Miller — Warner University

Zephyrhills High School
Football
Charles Harrison III — Brevard College (North Carolina)
Sterlin Williams — Lindenwood University (Missouri)

 

National Signing Day

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Four members of the Sunlake High varsity softball team participated in National Signing Day festivities on Feb. 7. Pictured from left: Emma Sica, Riley Baxter, head coach Nelson Garcia, Isabelle Huff and Mariah Melendez. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School)
Nine senior student-athletes from Land O’ Lakes High school signed their letters of intent to various college and universities as part of National Signing Day on Feb. 7. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School)

 

 

 

 

Solid season!

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(Courtesy of Jeff Olson)

The Wesley Chapel High School varsity girls soccer team earned its first district title in program history after downing Pasco High School 4-3 in the Class 3A District 7 finals on Jan. 26. The Wildcats’ playoff run ended two weeks later after an overtime loss to River Ridge High School in the Class 3A regional quarterfinals — finishing the season with a 16-5-2 mark. The Wildcats coaches are Mark Leonard and Meagan Cipolla.

Shannon Saile named preseason Pitcher of the Year

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Former Land O’ Lakes High standout Shannon Saile is now generating buzz at Florida International University. (File)

Former Land O’ Lakes High softball standout Shannon Saile, now a sophomore pitcher at Florida International University, has been named 2018 Conference USA (C-USA) Preseason Pitcher of the Year and to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Saile is a year removed from C-USA Freshman of the Year, First-Team All-C-USA and All-Freshman recognition.

In her 31 starts in 2017, Saile topped league pitchers with a 1.51 ERA, a .151 opponent batting average, 3.49 hits allowed per game, four saves, and 8.1 strikeouts per seven innings. Her eight shutouts, the most among the country’s freshman, tied the conference lead, while her 240 strikeouts were good for second, tying the school’s single-season record. Her presence in the circle, meanwhile, helped FIU set the school record for wins (46), win percentage (.754) and fewest losses (15) in a season en route to its third postseason appearance.

While at Land O’ Lakes, Saile was a four-year softball and three-year volleyball standout. As a senior, she earned Third-Team All-America honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Published February 7, 2018

AATL softball standout named best 2019 recruit

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Academy at the Lakes softball pitching sensation Alexis Kilfoyl has been named the top prospect for the 2019 recruiting class, according to one website.

FloSoftball.com recently ranked Kilfoyl the No. 1 player in its “2019 Hot 100” rankings.

In its player evaluation of Kilfoyl, the website wrote the following:

Academy at the Lakes ace pitcher Alexis Kilfoyl (File)

“Kilfoyl brings a presence to the infield when she steps into the circle and has established herself as one of the nation’s most dominant pitchers. Selected to the USA Junior National Team last year, she was the youngest player at the tryout — and she was the youngest-ever selected to Team USA. She was clocked at 68 mph (miles per hour) consistently last fall and commands a devastating arsenal of pitches. The most lethal pitch could be her outstanding drop ball, which some feel is the best in the nation.”

Kilfoyl, a University of Alabama verbal commit, returns to a Wildcats team that went 20-3 and reached the Class 2A regional finals in 2017.

As a sophomore last season, Kilfoyl posted a 0.85 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 115.2 innings, with a 16-3 record. At the plate, she batted .517 with five home runs, nine extra base hits and 36 RBIs.

Academy at the Lakes softball opens the 2018 season with a road slate against Wesley Chapel High School on Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.

Published February 7, 2018

FHSAA directors approve football playoff expansion

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An expanded playoff format is coming to Florida high school football next season, as the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to add two teams per region to the Class 1A-4A playoffs.

The action was made during a meeting on Jan. 29.

Beginning with the 2018 season, six teams will qualify from each region for football’s 1A-4A state series, increasing the playoffs from 16 to 24 teams.

In the first round the tournament’s third seed will host its sixth seed; and the fourth seed will host the fifth seed. The top two seeds will receive byes.

The change affects three schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area: Carrollwood Day School (Class 2A), Zephyrhills Christian Academy (Class 2A) and Cypress Creek Middle High School (Class 4A).

The expanded playoff format gained a green light earlier this month by the FHSAA’s Athletic Director Advisory Committee and Football Coaches Advisory Committee.

The FHSAA passed the original playoff system in September 2016, as a measure to base football postseason berths on a points system in Classes 1A-4A, rewarding teams for winning records and strength of schedule; Classes 5A-8A are still in districts and eight teams in four regions get into the playoffs.

Also of note: The board unanimously voted to make the golf season a 16-contest regular season, up from 14 contests.

Local youth earns runner-up at USTA tournament

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Sam Frizelle

Lutz resident Samuel Frizelle placed second at the USTA (United States Tennis Association) Florida Level 3 Boy’s 14 Singles Championships on Jan. 16, at the Hunter’s Green Sports Center in Tampa. Frizelle advanced to the finals, before falling in three sets to Solomon Giles, of Pembroke Pines. The tournament featured more than 60 players from across the state. Frizelle, an eighth-grade home-school student, trains at Eric Dobsha Tennis Academy at Van Dyke Farms. Tennis Recruiting Network lists Frizelle as a four-star prospect, ranking him as the No. 15 player in Florida and No. 119 nationally for the 2022 recruiting class.