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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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2017 Hillsborough County All-Western Conference Baseball

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The 2017 All-Western Conference baseball teams are selected solely by Hillsborough County’s public school head baseball coaches. Only players from public school programs are eligible for the teams.
Athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were represented in both the American and National divisions.

American Division
First Team
Catcher — Danny Gutcher, Jr., Gaither High
Infielder — Chipper Holland, Sr., Gaither High
Infielder — Jose Cadenas, Sr., Gaither High
Pitcher —CJ Van Eyk, Sr., Steinbrenner High

Second Team
Outfielder—Cam Coakley, Sr., Steinbrenner High
Outfielder—Jordan Lala, Jr., Steinbrenner High

National Division
First Team
Infielder—Drew Ehrhard, Sr., Wharton High

Second Team
Pitcher-Austin Appel, Sr., Wharton High
Infielder—Leo Alfonzo, Jr., Wharton High

Local commits and signees

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Ryan Russell
(Courtesy of Kyle LoJacono)

Wharton High senior Ryan Russell has signed a letter of intent to run track for Boston College, a Division I school in Boston, Massachusetts. Russell is expected to compete in both the 200-meter dash (PR 22.06) and 400-meter dash (PR 50.01).

Freedom High product Taylor Emery has verbally committed to play women’s basketball at Virginia Polytechnic University, a Division I school in Blacksburg, Virginia. The 5-foot-10 shooting guard most recently was named national junior college women’s basketball player of the year after leading Gulf Coast State (Panama City, Florida) to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I championship as a sophomore in the 2016-2017 season.

A four-year varsity starter at Freedom, Emery averaged 36.4 points per game in her senior prep season, and set Hillsborough County’s all-time scoring mark (2,689 career points).

Taylor Emery (Courtesy of Freedom High)

Emery signed with Tulane University (New Orleans, Louisiana) out of high school, but elected to transfer after her freshman season.

Wesley Chapel High junior Isaiah Bolden has verbally committed to play football at the University of Oregon, a Division I school in Eugene, Oregon. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound defensive back previously committed to Florida State University last June.

Isaiah Bolden (Courtesy of Scout.com)

A highly touted four-star recruit and consensus top-200 player for the 2018 recruiting class, Bolden holds nearly 30 scholarship offers.

Saint Leo softball claims conference title

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The Saint Leo softball team won its second consecutive Sunshine State Conference title on April 28.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo Athletics)

The 14th-ranked Saint Leo softball team won its second consecutive Sunshine State Conference title, and third in five years, after posting a 17-7 record in conference.

Saint Leo (37-13) won their final series over Rollins College on April 28 to push to the top of the SSC standings.

The Lions, who are currently ranked No. 1 in the South Region, will receive the conference’s automatic qualifier to the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Lions’ 37 wins mark the 17th time in program history the team has eclipsed 30 wins in a season and the 11th time they have recorded 35 or more wins.

Area athletes join National Football League

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Joey Ivie (File)

Pasco High product Joey Ivie (University of Florida) was picked by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round with the 228th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 301-pound defensive tackle, who was one of eight Florida Gators selected in the draft, registered 26 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 11 games last season. Ivie graduated from Pasco High in 2013.

 

T.J. Mutcherson

Freedom High product T.J. Mutcherson (University of Central Florida) has signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Houston Texans. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound safety tallied 73 tackles and two interceptions in 13 games last season. Mutcherson, who graduated from Freedom High in 2010, also played for Iowa State University, but was dismissed in 2015 for violating team rules.

Wiregrass Ranch boys tennis finish state runner-up

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The Wiregrass Ranch High varsity boys tennis team finished state runner-up at the 2017 FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 4A State Finals, at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs on April 27.

The Bulls defeated Fleming Island High (4-1) and Steinbrenner High (4-1), before falling to Douglas High (1-4) in the championship match.

The tournament marked Wiregrass Ranch’s fifth consecutive state appearance and first runner-up title after winning state championships in 2014 and 2015.

The 2017 season also marked the Bulls’ ninth conference title, eighth consecutive district title, and fifth regional title.

Sunlake golfer wins junior match play tournament

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

Sunlake golfer wins junior match play tournament Jordan Sarhaddi, a sophomore at Sunlake High, won the Greater Tampa Junior Golf Association’s annual HAM Match Play Championships on April 23 at the Countryside Country Club, in Clearwater. At the three-day tournament (April 21 through April 23), Sarhaddi outlasted 15 other golfers to claim the Boys 16-18 Division Championship. The annual match play event is dedicated to a former junior member, Harris Armstrong, who died in 2008 of cancer at the age of 12.

Area commitments

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Brooke Blankenship, left, with Academy at the Lakes coach Diane Stephenson.
(Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)

Brooke Blankenship, an eighth-grade shortstop at Academy at the Lakes, has verbally committed to play softball at Florida State University.

Through 20 games this season, Blankenship is batting .542, with five home runs and 31 RBIs and 36 runs scored. Blankenship joined the Wildcats varsity team last year, as a seventh grader.

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Penix

Dade City native Mike Penix, a rising senior quarterback at Tampa Bay Tech, has verbally committed to play football at the University of Tennessee.

Penix, who transferred from Pasco High School after the 2015 season, is ranked as one of the nation’s top 25 pro-style quarterbacks for the Class of 2018, according to multiple recruiting outlets.

The 6-foot-1, 182-pound left-hander chose Tennessee over offers from, among others, Arizona, Oregon, Rutgers and South Florida.

Last season, Penix threw for 2,078 yards, 31 touchdowns with just one interception; he completed 56 percent of his passes.

Pasco County all-star baseball game

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The inaugural Pasco County All-Star Baseball Game, presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is slated for May 20 at 4 p.m., at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, 13651 Hays Road in Spring Hill. The game features the top senior players from each of the 15 high schools in Pasco County. Tickets are $10; parking is $5. For information, contact Bob Durham at (813) 784-4410 or .

East and West team rosters are listed:

East Team
Land O’ Lakes High School
McCabe Sargent
Troy Klemm
Dustin Harris
Max Law
Brayden Lyman
Kyler Roy

Pasco High School
Corey Mills
Zach Balogh
Jackson Fiorelli

Sunlake High School
Tommy Mace
Jacob Ortiz
Michael Wu
Colden Peeples

Wesley Chapel High School
Jovy Diaz

Wiregrass Ranch High School
Kyle Cooper
Logan Mercado
Jose Spence
Ryan Capagrosso
Nate Stringfield

Zephyrhills Christian Academy
Hunter Barber

Zephyrhills High School
Dalton Gold
Marcus Gonzalez
Austin Putz

West Team
Anclote High School
Brock Decker

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School
Paul Coumoulos
Chris Berglund
Dillon Morton
Zack Berglund
Manny Sado

Fivay High School
Elijah Hauck

Gulf High School
Mike Smith

Hudson High School
Jordan Nutting
Justin Morgan

Mitchell High School
Trevor Foggia
Kyle DeJesus
Ryan Del Negro
Blake Parry

Ridgewood High School
Pedro DeLos Rios
Anthony Malave
Joel Squillante

River Ridge High School
Trevor Hawks
Sean Murtha
Dalton O’ Toole
Landon Fish

Saint Leo to host 2021 NCAA XC Championships

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Saint Leo University and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission have been selected to repeat as hosts for the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships, at The Abbey Golf Course, 33625 State Road 52 in San Antonio.

Both groups were also selected to host the 2020 and 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country South Region Championships, at the golf course.

Saint Leo University, in partnership with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, has been selected to repeat as host for the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships, at The Abbey Golf Course.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

The Saint Leo and Tampa Bay Sports Commission partnership previously hosted the NCAA Division II Cross Country South Region Championships in 2015 and 2016, as well as the 2016 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships.

“Being selected to repeat as a co-host for these NCAA Division II cross-country events in 2020 and 2021 is a tremendous honor for all of us with Saint Leo Athletics,” Saint Leo Athletics Director Francis X. Reidy said, in a release. “We have a great partner in the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, and I want to thank Rob Higgins and his team for their efforts to celebrate and enhance the Division II championship experience…”

Other Sunshine State Conference institutions were named NCAA championship hosts in the sports of men’s and women’s cross-country (Florida Southern, 2018 and 2019 South Regionals), men’s and women’s soccer (University of Tampa, 2020 and 2021 championships), men’s and women’s tennis (Rollins College, 2019 and 2022 championships), and women’s volleyball (University of Tampa, 2021 championship). SSC provisional member Palm Beach Atlantic was also named a host institution for men’s golf (2021 championship) and women’s golf (2019 championship).

Area college signings

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Wiregrass Ranch High School

Football
Inside linebacker and defensive end Jason Winston signed with Stetson University, a Division I Football Championship Subdivision school. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder tallied 67 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2016.

From left: Jason Winston, Chris Faddoul, John Pease and Connor Nixon. All four Wiregrass Ranch student-athletes have signed with Division I schools.
(Courtesy of Casie Pease)

Kicker/Punter Chris Faddoul signed with Florida A&M University, a Division I Football Championship Subdivision school. Faddoul averaged 45 yards per punt in 2016.

Soccer
Goalkeeper John Pease signed with Jacksonville University, a Division I school. Pease compiled 0.857 goals against average and 50 saves during the 2016-2017 season.

Defender Connor Nixon signed with Presbyterian College, a Division I school in Clinton, South Carolina.

 

Wesley Chapel High School

Sam Schneidmiller (basketball), left, and Tyler Rover (golf) signed with Oglethorpe University.
(Courtesy of Tyler Rover)

Basketball
Sam Schneidmiller, a 6-foot-2 guard, signed with Oglethorpe University, a Division III school in Atlanta, Georgia. The four-year varsity player and three-year starter averaged 16.6 points per game and 6.2 assists per game as a senior, earning SAC First-Team All-Conference honors.

Golf
Tyler Rover, a four-year letterman, also signed with Oglethorpe University. Rover played the No. 1 position on the Wildcats varsity golf team his entire high school career, and earned SAC All-Conference honors his sophomore, junior and senior years. Rover will play for Jim Owen, who’s coached golf at Oglethorpe for over 35 years.

Wesley Chapel High football standout Donovan Willingham signed with Lane College.
(Courtesy of Tyler Rover)

Football
Defensive tackle/outside linebacker Donovan Willingham signed with Lane College, a Division II school in Jackson, Tennessee. The 5-foot-8, 225-pound defensive stalwart tallied 58 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2016.