The Laker/Lutz News

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Steinbrenner athletes sign letters of intent

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Steinbrenner High School had its fall national signing day on Nov. 8. Pictured from left: Huston Richter, Noah Luke, Jordan Lala, Megan Pierro, Stephanie Balmer and Jennifer Bryant. (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School)

Six student-athletes from Steinbrenner High School signed letters of intent with various Florida colleges and universities, during National Signing Day on Nov. 8.

Baseball
Jordan Lala (University of Miami)
Noah Luke (Pasco-Hernando State College)
Huston Richter (Saint Leo University)

Softball
Stephanie Balmer (University of Tampa)
Jennifer Bryant (Lake Sumter State College)
Megan Pierro (University of South Florida)

Other local signings & commitments

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Wiregrass Ranch High’s Jeremy Handman has signed to play lacrosse at Southern New Hampshire University. (Courtesy of Eric Handman)

Jeremy Handman, a senior lacrosse player at Wiregrass Ranch High School, signed with Southern New Hampshire University, a Division II program in Hooksett, New Hampshire. Handman is just the second lacrosse player in school history to sign a scholarship— his older brother, Jeffrey Handman, being the other.

Caitlin Minor, a senior catcher at Gaither High School, signed with Ursuline College, an NCAA Division II softball program in Pepper Pike, Ohio. Last season, Minor posted a .246 batting average, with 14 runs and 20 RBIs.

Kendra Falby, a freshman outfielder/utility player at Academy at the Lakes, verbally committed to play collegiate softball at the University of Florida, an NCAA Division I program. As an eighth-grader on varsity last season, Falby posted a .537 batting average, with two home runs, eight extra base hits, 19 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Falby is ranked the No. 78 prospect in the state for the class of 2021 by FloSoftball.

Brendenn Flynn, a Lutz resident who attends Jesuit High School, verbally committed to play collegiate football at Lawrence University, an NCAA Division III program in Appleton, Wisconsin. The senior has been a varsity quarterback the past two seasons at Jesuit.

Saint Leo softball picked up a verbal commitment from Mitchell High School senior outfielder Bayley Williams. She posted a .368 batting average, with six doubles, 18 RBIs and 12 stolen bases last season.

State champs!

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(Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

Carrollwood Day School volleyball won its first-ever state title, sweeping Palm Beach Gardens Benjamin School in three sets (25-22. 25-19, 25-30) in the 2017 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 4A championship game on Nov. 16. The Patriots, coached by Eric Praetorius, finished the season with a 25-2 record.

PHSC volleyball ranks seventh at nationals

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(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Pasco-Hernando State College finished in seventh place at the 2017 NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championships, held Nov. 16 to Nov. 18 in Charleston, West Virginia. The Bobcats (25-9) went 2-2 at the 16-team tournament. Its seventh-place finish marks the second highest ranking in program history.

Local commitments & offers

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Steinbrenner High’s Noah Luke, left, with Pasco-Hernando State College athletic director/head baseball coach Steve Winterling. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Noah Luke, a senior catcher at Steinbrenner High School, has signed to play baseball at Pasco-Hernando State College, marking the program’s first 2018-2019 signee. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Luke batted .279, with one home run, five doubles and 11 RBIs last season.

Alonzo Sampson, a senior running back/linebacker at Zephyrhills Christian Academy has picked up a football scholarship offer from Mayville State University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) program in Mayville, North Dakota. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound athlete, who’s rushed for over 1,000 yards and racked up over 100 tackles this season, also has scholarship offers from several other NAIA schools, including University of Saint Francis (Indiana), Lawrence Tech (Michigan) University, Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) University, Culver Stockton (Missouri) College and Warner (Lake Wales) University.

Sam Pinto-Pannella, a senior offensive/defensive lineman at Land O’ Lakes High School, has picked up a football scholarship from Alma University, an NCAA Division III program in Alma, Michigan. The 6-foot, 215-pound athlete also is a member of the Land O’ Lakes High track team, competing in discus and shot-put.

Darin Green Jr., a 6-foot-4 junior shooting guard at Wharton High School, has picked up a basketball scholarship from Northern Arizona University, an NCAA Division I program in Flagstaff, Arizona. Green helped guide Wharton High to a 20-6 mark and Class 8A regional quarterfinal last season. He also has offers from several other Division I programs, including Rider (New Jersey) University, Florida Gulf Coast University, and California State University-Fullerton.

Saint Leo announces its women’s basketball schedule

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The Saint Leo University women’s basketball team will play 28 contests during the 2017-2018 season, under the leadership of second-year head coach Anthony Crocitto.

The Lions’ season kicks off with a Nov. 10 road game against Lee (Cleveland, Tennessee) University, as part of the Gulf South Conference/Sunshine State Conference Challenge tournament.

Saint Leo’s first home game, meanwhile, is Nov. 15 against Florida Southern University. It is one of 13 home slates for the Lions.

The Lions are looking to improve on last year’s 9-18 mark, which saw them go just 4-14 in the Sunshine State Conference.

The Division II program returns six players with starting experience, including captains Ragen Dotson and Gina Brierly, and Asia Royster, Nikira Hooks, Madelin Lang and Izabell Skoogh.

“Our young players need to develop, as planned, while our returners continue to build on their own careers in 2017-18,” coach Anthony Crocitto said, in a release.
“We will fight each and every game, and have goals of outworking our opponents, while doing all the hustle things that make this game so fun to watch,” he added.

Saint Leo women’s basketball home schedule:

Nov. 15: Florida Southern University (5:30 p.m.)

Nov. 22: Flagler University (7 p.m.)

Nov. 29: University of Tampa (5:30 p.m.)

Dec. 5: Ave Maria University (7 p.m.)

Dec. 12: Johnson & Wales (Rhode Island) University (7 p.m.)

Dec. 30: Lynn University (2 p.m.)

Jan. 10: Florida Tech (5:30 p.m.)

Jan. 17: Eckerd College (5:30 p.m.)

Jan. 20: Palm Beach Atlantic University (5:30 p.m.)

Jan. 27: Embry Riddle University (5:30 p.m.)

Feb. 7 Nova Southeastern University (5:30 p.m.)

Feb. 10 Barry University (5:30 p.m.)

Feb. 24 Rollins College (5:30 p.m.)

Another perfect season

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(Courtesy of Pine View Middle School)

For the second straight year, Pine View Middle School’s eighth-grade girls’ volleyball team finished with an undefeated record and, also for the second year in a row, the team captured the Eastside Athletic Conference title. The squad is coached by Cynthia Steel, who runs Club Steel Volleyball, an AAU program based in Land O’ Lakes.

She’s got the chops

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(Courtesy of Melissa Chaumont)

Kathleen Hassler, a 68-year-old resident of New Tampa, was one of four students from Lutz-based John Prevatt Karate Studios to earn a black belt during an Oct. 6 belt testing. The achievement was 2 1/2 years in the making for Hassler, a retired nurse who still volunteers at Moffitt Cancer Center. Other John Prevatt students who earned black belts were Miles Soden, Natalie Thomas and Ethan Wagner.

Dade City native Joey Ivie joins Atlanta Falcons

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Joey Ivie

Dade City native and Pasco High School/Florida Gators product Joey Ivie was signed this month to the Atlanta Falcons practice squad, marking the second NFL team he’s been with since he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Though drafted, the 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive tackle didn’t earn a roster spot with Dallas out of training camp in September.

On the Falcons’ 10-member practice squad, Ivie can earn a minimum of $7,200 per week during the regular season and postseason with no cap on the amount he can actually receive, per the NFL’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Before starring at Florida, Ivie shined as a multisport athlete at Pasco High, where he graduated in 2013. The Pirates football team went a combined 36-3 and captured three district titles in the three seasons Ivie spent on varsity.

PHSC men’s basketball starts Nov. 1

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The Pasco-Hernando State College men’s basketball team opens the 2017-2018 regular season on Nov. 1, with a home game against local rival Hillsborough Community College. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., on PHSC’s West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road.

The Bobcats are looking to improve on last season’s 12-14 mark, with several impact players on this year’s roster, including Wesley Chapel’s Theaplais Williams, a 6-foot-7-freshman center with a knack for rebounding.

“We have an impressive group of athletes who have the potential to be great,” PHSC basketball coach Michael Jones said, in a release.

The program is just two years removed from a 17-10 record, which included a top-eight finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 10 tournament.

The state college is a member of the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) and the NJCAA.

PHSC basketball home schedule:

  • 1: Hillsborough Community College (7 p.m.)
  • 4: Florida State College of Jacksonville (4 p.m.)
  • 13: Johnson (Tennessee) University (7 p.m.)
  • 28: St. Petersburg College (7 p.m.)
  • 5: State College of Florida (7 p.m.)
  • 6: Trinity College (7 p.m.)
  • 12: Oxford College of Emory (Georgia) University (7 p.m.)
  • 16: Florida College JV (7 p.m.)
  • 18: Trinity College (7 p.m.)
  • 29: Santa Fe College (7 p.m.)
  • 11: Ave Maria University JV (noon)