Check This Out

Photo courtesy of Habib Fayiz
Three Wesley Chapel Martial Arts Academy students each won first place in their respective age groups at the 2016 Sun Coast Tae Kwon Do Championships on Jan. 23. From left are Andrew Levesque, 11, Joseph Levesque, 13 and Malike Campbell, 8, along with Habib Fayiz, master instructor.

Carrollwood Day School

Football
Zac Watson-Parcels — Jacksonville State University (Alabama)

Swimming
Lilly Kossoff — Butler University

 

Gaither High School

Softball
Carolyn O’ Neal — Jacksonville University

 

Steinbrenner High School

Boys Soccer
Jason Fishman — Spartanburg College (South Carolina)

 

Sunlake High School

Football
Bryce Cooley — Angelo State University (Texas)

Joe Russum — Black Hills State University (North Dakota)

Volleyball
Kelsey Riquelme — Barton College (North Carolina)

Megan Martinez — Bryan College (Tennessee)

 

Wharton High School

Football
Devontres Dukes — University of South Florida

Carrollwood Day School
Girls Soccer
Carli Gauthier — Francis Marion University

Gaither High School
Softball
Jalyssa Autie — Hillsborough Community College

Sammi Grat — State College at Bradenton

Bethany Kursch — Jacksonville University

Elizabeth Mason — Florida State University

Carolyn O’Neil — Jacksonville University

Kara Wilson — University of West Florida

Football
Shane McGough — Florida International University

Giovanni Munnerlyn — Campbellsville University

Mikey Rovellada — Jacksonville University

Land O’Lakes High School:
Girls Basketball
Kirby Osborn — High Point University (NC)

Makala Canada — Florida Southwestern State College

Gabriela Mils — Central Florida College

Girls Soccer
Victoria Cannata — University of Arkansas

Lacy Nasello — University of Tampa

Savanna Ronk — Saint Leo University

Glenn Johnson — University of North Florida

Softball
Shannon Saile — Florida International University

Tayler Holt — Rollins College

Kendall Tipton — Newberry College (SC)

Cross Country/Track
Austin Dotson — Mount Vernon Nazarene University (OH)

Steinbrenner High School:
Girls Soccer
Kirsten Russel — Nova Southeastern University

Softball
Loudes Hohnman — Ava Maria University

Boys Soccer
Michael Connell — University of North Florida

Football
Jay Dantley — Coffeyville Community College (KS)

Wharton High School
Softball
Destinee Elmore — Ave Maria University

Girls Soccer
Natalie Ferrin — Gwinnett University

Casey Grotz — University of North Florida

Taylor Hubbard — University of Alabama

Jordan Vitale — Gardner-Webb University

Wiregrass Ranch High School:
Girls Soccer
Hannah Erdman — Westminster College

Camille King — University of West Florida

Chloe Lipovetsky — Landers University

Zephyrhills
Softball
Skylar Graves— Polk State College

If you’d like to report a college signing that’s not on list, email it to .

Last week, we presented the boys’ teams for the Sunshine Athletic Conference East All-Conference Teams. This week, we’re presenting the girls’ teams.

Girls’ cross-country
Team champion: Land O’ Lakes High School
Coach of the year: Meredith Keppel, Land O’ Lakes High School
Runner of the year: Natalie Abernathy, Land O’ Lakes High School

First-team all conference: Natalie Abernathy, Land O’ Lakes; Jamila Cardwell, Sunlake; Amber Maxwell, Wesley Chapel; Brenna Moran, Wiregrass Ranch; Emma Skantze, Land O’ Lakes; Isabella Brown, Land O’ Lakes; Julia Blankenbaker, Wiregrass Ranch; Kelly Hutson, Land O’ Lakes, Lauren Payne, Wiregrass Ranch; and Lauren Hale, Land O’ Lakes.

Second-team all conference: Lindsey Weilant, Land O’ Lakes; Kerry Reilly, Wiregrass Ranch; Reis Ehman, Wiregrass Ranch; Maddie Traver, Wiregrass Ranch; Julizette Melgar, Wiregrass Ranch; Alexis Perez, Pasco; Katelyn Ortiz, Sunlake; Clare Hernandez, Pasco; Hope Velez, Sunlake; and Samantha Zaw, Land O’ Lakes.

Honorable mention: Josalyn Wingo, Zephyrhills

Golf
Team champion: Land O’ Lakes High School
Coach of the year: Jeff May, Land O’ Lakes High School
Golfer of the year: Kelly Harris, Sunlake High School

First-team all conference: Kelly Harris, Sunlake; Hayley Kirinsky, Sunlake; Dana Mumaw, Wesley Chapel; Morgan Powers, Wiregrass Ranch; and Maggie Schmook, Land O’ Lakes.

Second-team all conference: Emillie Alderman, Zephyrhills; Kacie Huber, Pasco; Miranda Bradley, Land O’ Lakes; Daniela Vasquez, Land O’ Lakes; and Alexis Lane, Wiregrass Ranch.

Girls swimming/diving
Team Champion: Land O’ Lakes High School
Coach of the year: Robin Hilgenberg, Land O’ Lakes High School
Swimmer of the year: Taylor Ward, Land O’ Lakes High School
Divers of the year: Julia Blankenbaker, Wiregrass Ranch High School and Antionia Beason, Land O’ Lakes High School

First-team all conference:
200 Medley Relay: Taylor Ward, Margarita Czupryn, Ashley Schrader and Romina McCloskey, Land O’ Lakes

200 Freestyle: Taylor Ward, Land O’ Lakes

200 Individual Medley: Lauren Conway, Wiregrass Ranch

50 Freestyle: Bryce McMenamin, Pasco

100 Butterfly: Madison Conway, Wiregrass Ranch

100 Freestyle: Romina McCloskey, Land O’ Lakes

500 Freestyle: Taylor Ward, Land O’ Lakes

200 Freestyle Relay: Amber Pritchard, Kaylee Bruce, Hanna Barton and Amanda Albrecht, Sunlake

100 Backstroke: Madison Conway, Wiregrass Ranch

100 Breaststroke: Lauren Conway, Wiregrass Ranch

400 Freestyle Relay: Amber Pritchard, Megan Thai, Elise Balish and Kara Wilkins, Sunlake

Divers: Julia Blankenbaker, Wiregrass Ranch and Antionia Beason, Land O’ Lakes

Second-team all conference
200 Medley Relay: Madison Conway, Lauren Conway, Daniela LaFlamme and Sydney Horn, Wiregrass Ranch

200 Freestyle: Sarah Massey, Pasco

200 Individual Medley: Daniela LaFlamme, Wiregrass Ranch

50 Freestyle: Makenna Larson, Land O’ Lakes

100 Butterfly: Sara Massey, Pasco

100 Freestyle: Emily Gelb, Pasco

500 Freestyle: Pierce Imperialbobis, Land O’ Lakes

200 Freestyle: Madison Conway, Lauren Conway, Daniela LaFlamme and Sydney Horn, Wiregrass Ranch

100 Backstroke: Pierce Imperialbobis, Wiregrass Ranch

100 Breaststroke: Sydney Bethel, Wiregrass Ranch

400 Freestyle Relay: Elizabeth Bobev, Rebecca Torres, Sydney Bethel and Daniela Laflamme, Wiregrass Ranch

Honorable mentions:
Emma Cutkomp, Zephyrhills
Renee Carpenter, Wesley Chapel

Volleyball
Team Champion: Sunlake High School
Coach of the year: Deann Newton, Sunlake
Player of the year: Kelsey Riquelme, Sunlake

First-team all conference: Kelsey Riquelme, Sunlake; Colby Coats, Sunlake; Gabriela Mills, Land O’ Lakes; Katie Noland, Land O’ Lakes; Austin Kopenski, Wiregrass Ranch; Gianna Basulto, Sunlake; and Nelly Diaz (Libero), Sunlake

Second-team all conference: Kamea Nash, Sunlake; Hannah Presson, Sunlake; Kenneesha Derrio, Wesley Chapel; Sara Buchanan, Wesley Chapel; Sydney Hindersman, Land O’ Lakes; Kiara Broner, Pasco; and Anna Olsen (Libero), Wiregrass Ranch

Honorable mention: Hannah Stacy, Zephyrhills

Published December 23, 2015

Saint Leo basketball off to strong start
The Saint Leo Lions pushed their record to 6-2 after a come-from-behind 91-89 victory over Florida Southern on Dec. 2. The win follows a 76-63 loss to Clayton on Nov. 29 and means the Lions still haven’t lost two games in row this season.

Their success is showing up in the rankings as well. In the Division II Sports Information Directors of America South Region poll (released before the victory over Florida Southern), Saint Leo was ranked seventh. At the time, Florida Southern was ranked fifth.

Bulldogs win first four in prep basketball
Starting the season with a four-game winning streak is good. Taking all four games against district opponents is even better.

The Zephyrhills Bulldogs boys basketball team ran its record to 4-0 after an 84-63 victory over Hudson on Dec. 1. Because all four games were against district opponents, they now sit atop Class 5A-8 with the same record.

Most of the contests haven’t been close. Aside from a 38-37 victory over Wesley Chapel on Nov. 24, Zephyrhills has won all of its games by more than 20 points.

Sunlake perfect after first 10 matches in boys soccer
The Sunlake Seahawks have reached the state final four in each of the past three seasons. If they want to make it four in a row, they’re going about it the right way.

With a 7-0 victory over Land O’ Lakes Dec. 2, Sunlake made it a perfect 10-for-10 to start the season. And aside from a 5-2 win at River Ridge on Nov. 11, no team has even scored on them. They hold a 62-2 goals advantage through their first 10 games, as well as an 8-0 record in Class 3A-8 play.

Two runners for Saint Leo stood out at the 2015 NCAA Division II championships, on Nov. 21 in Joplin, Missouri.

For the women, sophomore Colett Rampf finished 23rd overall. She was the only runner from her team to finish in the top 100 at the event.

For the men, senior Valentin Lenz finished 79th overall, setting a school record for the 10K race. His 31:08.3 time was nearly a full minute better than the previous Saint Leo record.

Academy at the Lakes, 2331 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, was named the top 2A private school athletics program in 2014-15 by the Florida Athletic Coaches Association. They earned the Carey E. McDonald Award for the first time in school history, which is given to the top school based on the results of 20 different teams.

While the award is for the best 2A private school, the Wildcats scored near the top of the rankings for the Florida High School Athletic Association Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports Award, which includes both public and private 2A schools. Academy at the Lakes finished third out of more than 100 schools for the 2014-15 season.

Under coach Kim Whitney, the Pasco-Hernando State College Lady Quistas have always qualified for their regional tournament.

Now, getting past that tournament and going to nationals is becoming a regular event, too.

PHSC (19-11) will head to Phoenix College in Arizona for the NJCAA Division II National Tournament that begins Nov. 19. They qualified for the second straight year (and sixth time under Whitney’s tenure) after taking the regional tournament in North Carolina Nov. 6 and Nov. 7.

The Lady Quistas will be seeded 11th, but their competition shouldn’t discount them. The team won the national championship under Whitney in 2010.

As a player, Zephyrhills head coach Reggie Roberts knew what it was like to beat Pasco.

Now he knows what it feels like as a coach.

It took six seasons into his tenure, but Roberts’ Bulldogs came out on top in the 9-Mile War with a 50-16 victory on Nov. 6. And while Zephyrhills (8-2) appears to be a better team than Pasco (4-6) this year, the Pirates didn’t make it easy for them.

After a scoreless first, Pasco actually led 8-7 in the second quarter and only trailed 14-8 at halftime. But Zephyrhills’ high-scoring tendencies came out in the second half, as they scored 40 or more points for the eighth time this year.

The season ended for Pasco with the loss, but there’s more football to be played for Zephyrhills. The Bulldogs will hit the road for a playoff game against Nature Coast Tech on Nov. 13.

The Wildcats bounced back from a 4-6 campaign in 2014 with an impressive 8-2 mark in 2015. It just wasn’t quite enough to get them into the post-season.

Their two losses, to Plant and Sickles, cost them in Class 7A District 8. Those two teams will continue on in the playoffs (despite having the same 8-2 overall record as Wharton), while the Wildcats will have to be content with a strong campaign.

Still, it was one of their best seasons, and first eight-win mark since 2012. Wharton also racked up 313 points, most in their district.

And even though they missed the playoffs, they finished strong, with a 42-0 win over Leto on Oct. 23 and a season-capping 38-22 win over Chamberlain on Nov. 6.