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Land O' Lakes Sports

Sunlake notches winning season, playoff berth

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Sunlake coach Bill Browning isn’t one to make excuses when his team doesn’t win. But a quick look at the injury list shows that the Seahawks’ team wasn’t at full strength when it fell to Vanguard on Nov. 13 by a 40-12 margin.

Take Sunlake’s starting receivers, for example. They weren’t on the field.

Two of Browning’s top wideouts were nursing broken collarbones. Another had a broken ankle. And those guys only made up part of the injury list, which included linebackers, linemen, special teams players and even a couple of players who were lost before the season even started.

The Sunlake Seahawks fought through assorted injuries, but reached the playoffs before falling to Vanguard. (Courtesy of Kendall Browning)
The Sunlake Seahawks fought through assorted injuries, but reached the playoffs before falling to Vanguard.
(Courtesy of Kendall Browning)

“We had five broken bones this year. I’ve never had five broken bones in a year, I don’t think,” Browning said. “By the end of the season, the injury bug had really gotten us bad.”

The end of the season also provided the toughest part of the schedule.

After Sunlake raced to a 7-0 start despite some injuries, they found tough competition at the end of the year. Losses to district champion Mitchell and St. Petersburg were followed by a 1-point win over River Ridge to finish the season 8-2.

By the time Vanguard (the team Sunlake beat 24-6 in last year’s playoffs) defeated the Seahawks, the team had dropped three of its last four games.

Still, Browning’s healthy athletes gave it all they had.

They played the Knights tough early, cutting the lead to 14-10, at one point in the game. But, their opponent proved to be too powerful to compete against at anything less than full strength.

“They’re a very good football team this year. They’ve got excellent speed, and they’re big and athletic,” Browning said of Vanguard, who fell to Gainesville, 35-28, on Nov. 20.

“Our kids gave great effort on the field,” Browning said.

That effort didn’t result in a playoff win, but it did mean another season with at least eight wins, the sixth straight for the program. Playoff berths have become common, and the team is recognized as a force in 6A-6, considered a challenging district with Mitchell, Springstead, Pasco and Land O’ Lakes.

And while it might be a bit early to speculate on 2016, Browning acknowledged he’ll have some important players coming back next year. Two-way athletes Ryan Clark and Cris Galdos will join quarterback Justin Hall as they try to build on this year’s success.

But, they’ll have to do it with a new offensive line. That unit was made up of seniors, which means it will be Browning’s main building project before the regular season.

The team has a history of setting high goals and reaching them. Sunlake claimed its first district title last season. And, Browning said he’d like to see them eventually get farther than the second round — the school’s best.

Browning realizes that such achievements are not possible every year, especially when players don’t stay healthy. In many cases those injuries could mean a lost season, but at Sunlake it still resulted in a playoff berth.

Despite the early exit from the playoffs, this year is still recognized as a successful season, and is a source of pride for a coach who wants to see his team give it their all, no matter the circumstances.

“They battled the whole way,” Browning said, referring to his athletes. “We went as far as we could go this year.”

Published November 25, 2015

Sunlake boys’ soccer seeks a better finish this year

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The Sunlake High School boys’ soccer team has reached the state semi-finals in the playoffs for three years in a row.

And, in each of those years, they’ve lost to the eventual state champion.

From the outside, it looks like an impressive string of successes that have established Sunlake as a perennial force on the pitch.

But for coach Sam Holeduk, who has led the team since the school opened in 2007, it is both a source of pride and also of frustration.

Junior Sebastian Restrepo is used to dominating opponents with assists. This year he'll probably be asked to do more of the scoring himself. Michael Murillo/Staff Photo
Junior Sebastian Restrepo is used to dominating opponents with assists. This year he’ll probably be asked to do more of the scoring himself.
Michael Murillo/Staff Photo

“I think when you take a step back and look at it it’s amazing, our accomplishments. But at the same time, when you lose three straight years in the final four it’s a little frustrating,” Holeduk said.

This year’s team might be the one to end that frustration.

As they gear up for a new season, the coach believes his squad is as good as the ones that won nearly 90 matches over the past three years, while losing just five.

In some ways, he said, they’re better.

“Defensively, we’re probably the best we’ve been in years,” Holeduk said.

A big part of that defense is the goaltending. Danny Hrenko is now in his fourth year with the team, and the senior needs only a dozen more shutouts to set the national record.

That strong defense will be needed as the team tries to get back to the state tournament. Graduation affects high school teams every year, but the Seahawks lost a lot of firepower since last season.

Holeduk estimated that around 80 percent of last year’s scoring talent is gone.

To make up for those losses, the team will adjust its offensive identity. Previously it built its offense around spectacular players, and by making sure it had opportunities to score quickly and often. The team’s talent overpowered many opponents and let them cruise to lopsided wins.

This year, the coach expects a more balanced attack. Several players will be called upon to score goals, making it harder for opponents to predict which player will hurt them.

It’s a philosophy that best suits the team this season, but it’s not necessarily how things went when Koleduk was playing soccer. An athletic Hall of Famer at Saint Leo University, the former forward still holds the men’s career scoring record at the university.

He also played professional indoor soccer as well, and believes his own experiences as a player have helped create a successful program as a coach.

“You just pick up little things, things you can tell kids,” he said. “I tell them that’s how I got to the next level, by listening to coaches.”

Club soccer helps as well. All of his starters play at the club level, and many athletes on the junior varsity team participate, too. That extra coaching, experience and playing opportunity helps keep the high school team operating at a high level, Koleduk said.

While Sunlake has run into some talented teams at the state level, junior Sebastian Restrepo doesn’t mince words when explaining why they haven’t advanced to the state finals.

“We needed a lot more heart,” he said of last year’s semi-finals performance. “The other team wanted it more than us at one point.”

This year, he sees a team that’s more focused, works well together and has the synergy to go farther than previous seasons. Now in his third year on the team, Restrepo has become the county’s premier assist generator. But a new offensive attack means he’ll have to do a little more scoring himself, and he’s ready for the challenge.

“I’ll have to look for the goal now. Instead of giving them the easy passes for them to score, I’ll just take a shot here and there,” Restrepo said.

If those and other shots go in, Koleduk believes they’ll have another chance to advance one step closer toward a coveted state title.

Published October 28, 2015

Academy at the Lakes reaches new highs in volleyball

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When Academy at the Lakes volleyball coach Brian Gonzales came to the school four years ago, he had never suffered a losing season coaching at any school or club level.

The Wildcats, on the other hand, never had much success on the court.

Something had to give.

Unfortunately, it was the coach’s winning streak.

“I don’t like having losing seasons,” Gonzales said, recalling the taste of defeat.

It took a few seasons, but varsity volleyball coach Brian Gonzales has built a winner at Academy at the Lakes. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)
It took a few seasons, but varsity volleyball coach Brian Gonzales has built a winner at Academy at the Lakes.
(Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)

But that’s exactly what happened for the first few years of his tenure.

Still, he tends to take a longer view.

Gonzales knew he had a rebuilding project on his hands, so he put in younger players and let them grow into their roles.

Eighth-graders were facing high school seniors, and they lost matches.

Athletes who didn’t fully understand the game faced off against experienced teams with plenty of club-level experience, and they lost more matches.

But Gonzales knew that over time, the effort would yield good results.

In 2015, it’s paying off in a big way.

Academy at the Lakes won its first seven matches this season — without dropping a single set — and compiled a 16-3 record through September.

Now, the team is winding up its winning season (and best in school history) and will enter the 2A-8 district tournament later this month with the regionals in its sights.

The Wildcats are heavy favorites to reach the district final, which means the team would advance to the regional playoffs as either the top or second seed.

For Gonzales, it’s been a long road since those first matches with players who barely knew their roles on the court.

“I got here, and I was talking volleyball with my girls, and it’s like I was speaking Chinese to them. They didn’t have a clue what I was saying. So we had to go back to step one and build it from there,” he said.

Over time, his players learned both a passion for, and intelligence about, the game, and those characteristics are showing up in their play.

Seven of the team’s 10 girls now play club volleyball, meaning they’re immersed in the game nearly year-round. And with Gonzales’ aggressive style, they’re not afraid to take chances and make mistakes.

Gonzales wants them to be aggressive and to play with intensity, and to learn from their mistakes.

“I don’t dwell on mistakes,” Gonzales said. “An aggressive error, in my mind, is fine as long as they don’t keep making the same one over and over.”

Aside from Tampa Bay HEAT, a team comprised of home-schooled athletes, Academy at the Lakes has torn through their district opponents, often limiting them to less than 10 points in each set.

The HEAT has defeated the Wildcats and is the team’s main competition in the district right now.

Gonzales has gone out of his way to schedule challenging competition for the independent private school, such as matches against traditional public schools like Wesley Chapel High School and Pasco High School.

The academy won both of those matches.

The improvement is gaining attention.

When Gonzales first started, they might have 15 people in the stands for their games, and those were mostly parents. Now that the team is winning, word is getting around the academy, and students want to see them play. Their Sept. 24 match against the HEAT drew nearly 200 fans, Gonzales said.

Since nobody outside the HEAT in their district has captured a set against them, much less a match, a trip to the playoffs looks very probable. But this isn’t a one-year payoff for the coach’s hard work. He’s already building for the future in a way that makes future losing seasons seem unlikely. The core of his team are just sophomores, which means they’ll be even more experienced and seasoned players in the coming years. The school now has a junior varsity volleyball program as well, and many of those players also participate in club volleyball.

However things turn out this season (Gonzales sees the potential to make some noise in the regional tournament if they get there), he’s happy to see the program blossom from a struggling team to a successful group of motivated, talented players.

“They’re still young kids, but they don’t play like it,” Gonzales said. “They play like seasoned veteran players, and that’s exactly what I was hoping for.”

Wildcats’ remaining 2015 schedule
Oct. 8 vs. Brooks Debartolo Collegiate, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 13 at Gulf, 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 at Wesley Chapel, 7 p.m.
Oct. 19-23 2A-8 District Tournament

Published October 7, 2015

High goals, hard practices for Sunlake volleyball

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Deann Newton has taken the Sunlake volleyball team from perennial also-ran to state title contender.

And, she did it in just two seasons.

So, what’s the team’s reward for its third season? Really challenging practices.

“We don’t have a lot of down time in practice. We keep them going,” Newton said.

With a healthy number of varsity and junior varsity players — practice in Sunlake's gym is loud, crowded and focused. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
With a healthy number of varsity and junior varsity players — practice in Sunlake’s gym is loud, crowded and focused.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

The team goes hard the entire time at practice, with the junior varsity squad on one court and the varsity squad on the other. Athletes are yelling out communication to each other as volleyballs are being served at top speeds. Occasionally, a team takes a lap or two around the gymnasium, or one side of a court breaks into push-ups or crunches.

Players also focus on mental toughness, getting past mistakes, overcoming adversity and making adjustments on the fly.

Easy practices would be counterproductive to Newton’s goals, which is to keep building on the team’s success.

During her first season, the Seahawks logged its first winning season in school history, and in their second it made the state semifinals.

Now, players know they’re on a good team. The problem is, so does everybody else.

“After having success and going to state, everybody we play is going to be up for us,” Newton said. “Everyone’s going to be ready for us, everyone’s going to have their best match on us.”

To counter that new reputation, the coach wants to keep her players humble, challenged and hard at work.

All of the varsity girls play on club volleyball teams, and Newton is giving them even more work for the high school campaign.

She has scheduled a difficult preseason tournament, and has more booked where the team will face higher classes than their 6A status, which is an upgrade from last season. Since the team will face talented teams if it reaches the playoffs again, Newton wants her players to be ready to compete against the best well before the team’s district tournament.

Playing at a high level means also paying attention to statistics. Their serving, for example, should be at an 85-90 percent success rate according to Newton. Even though they opened their regular season with a 3-0 win against Fivay on Aug. 25, their serve success rate was at just 78 percent, which means it can get better over the course of the season, even as the team racks up victories.

And opponents can expect Sunlake to pile up quite a few victories, since the team didn’t lose many players from last season. Just two athletes, Sarah Sprague and Shaira Sanabria, were lost to graduation.

But those were very good players.

Both are playing volleyball at the college level, Newton said.

Also, losing two players means more than just filling two holes in the lineup. The coach has tinkered with the positions to field the strongest team possible, which means experienced players might need to learn a new role.

If those changes and rigorous workouts will equal greater success, the players are on board. Junior Nelly Diaz said the team is already putting in the effort.

“Each practice, we come in working 10 times harder than we did the last,” she said.

Part of that stems from a desire to overcome a sense that they didn’t play their best at the end of last season.

Although Sunlake reached the state semifinals, and the team was proud of their accomplishments, Diaz said the 3-0 defeat to Merritt Island was not a true reflection of the team’s talent.

Now, players are ready to get back to the postseason and prove they’re capable of achieving more.

Diaz knows the tough practice sessions are designed to make them stronger when they’re facing competitors and every point counts.

“As our athletic director (Reesa Pledge) and our coach say, ‘If you can’t take the heat in the gym, you can’t take the heat in the game.’ So we make sure that we are in condition and working hard 100 percent,” she said.

Newton also is giving 100 percent as coach, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. She became a coach after playing college volleyball at Western Oregon University.

After that, she took 10 years off to start a family.

Now that she’s back, she’s ready to build a winning program, get behind it and stay there. That could be bad news for opponents, because it means Sunlake should have a formidable team for several years to come.

In fact, she’s already recruiting several years in advance.

“I’m not going anywhere. My daughter (Taryn) is in third grade, and I plan to be here for the time she graduates and have her play for me,” she said.

Sunlake Seahawks volleyball schedule
Aug. 25 Sunlake 3, Fivay 0

Aug. 27 Sunlake 3, Wiregrass Ranch 1

Sept. 1 Sunlake 3, Land O’ Lakes 1

Sept. 3 Sunlake 3, Pasco 0

Sept. 8 vs. Springstead, 6 p.m.

Sept. 9 vs. Wesley Chapel, 6 p.m.

Sept. 11 Academy of Holy Names tournament

Sept. 12 Academy of Holy Names tournament

Sept. 15 at Mitchell, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 22 vs. Land O’ Lakes, 6 p.m.

Sept. 23 vs. Ridgewood, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 29 at Springstead, 6 p.m.

Oct. 1 at Zephyrhills, 6 p.m.

Oct. 6 vs. Mitchell, 6 p.m.

Oct. 9 Wharton Harvest Tournament

Oct. 10 Wharton Harvest Tournament

Oct. 13 vs. Anclote, 6 p.m.

Oct. 14 at River Ridge, 6 p.m.

Oct. 15 vs. Gulf, 6 p.m.

Oct. 20 District tournament at Sunlake begins

Published September 9, 2015

Gators’ goal: A return to its winning ways in football

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The Land O’ Lakes High School football team dipped to 4-6 record last year, after posting an 8-2 record the year before.

Head coach Brian Wachtel doesn’t blame bad luck or a lack of talent for the decline. He said it came down to execution.

Senior safety Colton Smith is ready for a leadership role this season.

“I don’t think we reached our potential last year,” Wachtel said. “There were a couple games that were close, but we just didn’t execute well in a half of that game, and that put us in the position that we were in at the end of the game.”

Half of the team’s six losses last year were by a touchdown or less, and only two were by more than 10 points.

The Gators also suffered some injuries last season, but Wachtel isn’t interested in excuses. He preaches a “next man up” philosophy, with the next player expected to contribute when the starter is unavailable.

And that philosophy will be put to the test this season at the most prominent position on offense.

James Pensyl, the standout lefty who helped Land O’ Lakes rank No. 1 in the district in passing yardage last season, graduated and signed on to play for Eastern Michigan University. That leaves Spencer Childress as the next man up, and Wachtel understands that means changes for his offense.

“As a coach you’d better adjust, and we’ve adjusted offensively,” Wachtel said. “We want to put our kids in a position to be successful. We’re going to put in our quarterback this year and play to his strengths.”

Land O’ Lakes coach Brian Wachtel focuses on limiting mistakes when his team suits up, including during hard-hitting practice drills. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

While he doesn’t have Pensyl’s name recognition, the coach said Childress is an effective runner, which adds another dimension to his skill set.

Wachtel expects Childress to manage the game effectively, and they’re looking for a high completion percentage to keep the offense on the field.

The coaching staff also will rely on the team’s returning players to provide leadership.

Seniors, like Colton Smith, feel up to the task.

“The maturity level has risen for all of us, especially the seniors who have been here for day one of freshman year,” Smith said.

Being a leader for Smith means holding players accountable but not having a negative attitude toward his teammates. The safety and the rest of the players will depend on each other to get through the season successfully, and he wants to do that by staying positive and helping raise the bar for everyone.

“You see some people who just yell, yell, yell. And sometimes that doesn’t fix it. You’ve got to give them some confidence,” Smith said. “It’s all about making sure that they’re going to do what it takes, and not get them more angry with themselves so that they do worse.”

Now entering his fifth season as head coach for the Gators — and around 11 years in coaching overall — Wachtel still has the enthusiasm of a newer coach.

The offseason, the game film, the seven-on-seven practices and the daily drills still keep him engaged and eager to see his younger players develop, and his older players execute and reach their potential.

“I love doing it. It’s exciting to me. I love seeing the guys be successful. You get them for four years, and it’s fun to watch them grow,” he said.

Sometimes the progress is dramatic.

Wachtel singled out Jordan Ferrante, a defensive end who graduated last season, as an example of watching a player develop into something special.

When he entered the program, Ferrante weighed 130 pounds. But hard work and a lot of time in the weight room became a ticket to continuing his football career.

Ferrante will suit up for William Jewell College this fall, a school with a Division II football program in Missouri.

Wachtel’s current team might have other players who follow that path, but he isn’t letting them think about it just yet. They aren’t thinking about the playoffs, either. He wants them focused only on what’s ahead of them each week, so they can limit mistakes and realize their full potential this season.

“We’re just going to take it one game at a time, because we know where we want to be when it’s all said and done. But we also understand what we have to do to reach that, and its all about the process and taking the little steps to reach the end goal,” Wachtel said.

Land O’ Lakes Gators regular season schedule
(all times at 7:30 p.m.)

Aug. 28 at Wesley Chapel

Sept. 4 vs. River Ridge

Sept. 11 at Anclote

Sept. 18 at Sunlake

Oct. 2 at Lakeland Christian

Oct. 9 at Tampa Catholic

Oct. 16 at Springstead

Oct. 23 vs. Pasco

Oct. 30 vs. Mitchell

Nov. 6 vs. Fivay

Published August 26, 2015

Sunlake eyes return to playoffs

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Now that high school football teams are allowed to practice, the Sunlake Seahawks are running routes, conducting seven-on-seven drills, sprinting and diving to the ball.

Sunlake coach Bill Browning leads the Seahawks in practice. They'll try to defend their Class 6A-6 district title this season. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)
Sunlake coach Bill Browning leads the Seahawks in practice. They’ll try to defend their Class 6A-6 district title this season.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

They’re working hard, but head coach Bill Browning isn’t ready to hand out any awards just yet.

“Seven-on-seven in the summer plays a role, but it’s nothing but glorified PE (physical education) football,” Browning said. “I’m looking for reliability over ability right now.”

Browning’s seen too many quarterbacks and running backs who shine in drills, but lose their luster once the pads come on. So while he’s pleased with his team’s effort so far, he knows the Seahawks have a long way to go to match their recent string of success.

The success they’ve enjoyed includes the school’s first-ever district title last year and no less than eight wins in each of the past five seasons.

Living up to that standard won’t be easy.

Sunlake, like all teams, lost talented players to graduation. Guys — like Nathan Johnson, who paced the offense from the running back position — aren’t there to carry the load anymore.

They’ve also lost players to other issues, Browning said.

It's early in the practice schedule, but the Seahawks aren't taking it easy as they prepare for the season to start later this month.
It’s early in the practice schedule, but the Seahawks aren’t taking it easy as they prepare for the season to start later this month.

Three expected starters on defense won’t be with the team due to accidents on jet skis and motorcycles, as well as lingering injuries.

There won’t be any excuses at Sunlake, however.

Expectations are high, and Browning is looking for players to step up and fill those roles.

“We have some puzzle pieces to put together. We’re far from being polished yet,” he said.

“It’s our job as a coaching staff to get somebody else to replace them who’s a very good football player, and we’re working on that,” Browning said.

Some guys are hard to replace. Browning expects to use a committee approach to handle running back duties, in place of Johnson.

And, he feels good about the offensive line. The unit is mostly intact and experienced, and should be a strong point for the team, which will need them to provide protection for the quarterback, and open up holes for the running game.

“They’re all seniors. They all started last year, they all eat weights, and they all play physical football,” Browning said of the offensive line.

One of those linemen, Bryce Cooley, also sees his position as an important one for the team.

“Without an offensive line, I really think you can’t do anything on offense,” he said. “Seven-on-seven doesn’t mean anything, until you get the big boys out there.”

At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Cooley is one of those big boys who will be out there. Now in his third year with the team, he’s comfortable taking more of a leadership role. That means leading by example mostly, he said, but he’s not above calling out a teammate if they aren’t giving it their all.

Still, the Seahawks are more about camaraderie than calling each other out, Cooley explained. They spend time together away from the field and have developed friendships that make the team closer. He expects that synergy will help them when the season starts.

Until then, Cooley knows there’s a lot of work to do. But he said he loves it, and feels confident in what Sunlake can accomplish if everyone puts in their best effort.

“We’re just going to defend the title, hopefully, and do what we have to do,” he said. “I’ve got faith in these guys.”

Sunlake still has a little time before their preseason game against East Lake High School on Aug. 21, and the start of the regular season on Aug. 28 against Gulf High School. There will be preparation required before the team is ready, but Browning is no stranger to hard work. He’s taken the Seahawks from a winless squad in 2007 to a perennial playoff threat today. He also doesn’t take much time off when the season ends, and now looks forward to replacing top players and pushing the team to meet the high standard he’s set for Sunlake football.

“It makes me thrive. I like these challenges,” Browning said.

Sunlake Seahawks regular season schedule
(all games at 7:30 p.m.)

Aug. 28 vs. Gulf

Sept. 4 vs. Zephyrhills

Sept. 11 at Wiregrass Ranch

Sept. 18 vs. Land O’ Lakes

Sept. 25 at Lakewood Ranch

Oct. 2 at Springstead

Oct. 16 vs. Pasco

Oct. 23 at Mitchell

Oct. 30 at St. Petersburg

Nov. 6 at River Ridge

Published August 12, 2015 

Carroll vaults to top spot in Sullivan Award competition

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As a champion gymnast and pole-vaulter, Nikki Carroll relies on her superior balance. But when she found out that she won the Amateur Athletic Union High School Sullivan Award, she became uncharacteristically shaky on her feet.

Nikki Carroll was a little unsteady after hearing she won the AAU's High School Sullivan Award, but she earned it through her extraordinary balance and skill in pole vaulting and gymnastics. (Photos courtesy of Nikki Carroll)
Nikki Carroll was a little unsteady after hearing she won the AAU’s High School Sullivan Award, but she earned it through her extraordinary balance and skill in pole vaulting and gymnastics.
(Photos courtesy of Nikki Carroll)

“I was just so shocked. I couldn’t even believe what she was saying,” Carroll recalled about the phone call confirming she won the award. “I had to hold onto the table that was next to me. I almost fell on the floor.”

While the AAU hands out the award to four male and four female athletes around the country, just one of each wins the top prize of $10,000 in scholarship money. Carroll, who lives in Land O’ Lakes, beat out hundreds of applicants around the country to take the top female athlete prize.

Her athletic accomplishments are impressive – she’s a two-time high school state pole vaulting champion, and she took the top all-around position for gymnastics at the AAU Junior Olympic Games.

But, it takes more than physical skill to win the top Sullivan prize. In addition to participating in at least one AAU sport, athletes are also judged on academics, leadership and character, and had to prepare essay responses on the application.

In those areas, Carroll also compared favorably to her peers. She maintained a 3.7 grade point average in high school, coached younger athletes over the summer and volunteered at Feeding America Tampa Bay, where she sorted food and distributed it to the needy.

She won’t win any medals by volunteering, but Carroll said the result is rewarding just the same.

“It’s such a great feeling, being able to help other people,” she said.

Nikki Carroll is ready to put away her medals and focus on competing for the University of South Florida, where she earned a full scholarship for her pole-vaulting skills.
Nikki Carroll is ready to put away her medals and focus on competing for the University of South Florida, where she earned a full scholarship for her pole-vaulting skills.

Helping young athletes learn new skills was particularly rewarding, Carroll said. Perhaps that’s because she used to be one of those young athletes herself. She’s been doing gymnastics since she was around 5 years old, and her dedication to two sports has required much of her limited free time. At Tampa Catholic High School, Carroll spent several hours a day after school on gymnastics, whether it was beam, bars, floor or vault work. Weekends meant a trip to Merritt Island to practice pole vaulting at Pole Vault City.

And that doesn’t count the out-of-state traveling. As an AAU participant, Carroll travels to places like Iowa and New York to compete in gymnastics and pole vaulting events. She’s been to the Big Apple several times just this year, she said.

She has enjoyed competing against athletes from different states.

She also has had the chance to meet coaches, too, who have provided valuable advice and critiques on her form. She’s even planning to attend a camp run by a coach she met at a competition.

Now that she’s graduated high school, Carroll’s schedule will change.

But it won’t get easier.

She’ll miss gymnastics, but pole vaulting will become a priority, since it earned her a full scholarship to the University of South Florida.

Her academic studies will focus on integrative biology in pursuit of a career in either trauma medicine or forensics.

And the $10,000 in scholarship money won’t hurt, either.

While the monetary prize and the state champion accolades are nice, Carroll is most proud of not just being named a Sullivan winner, but in taking the top female spot out of all eligible high school athletes.

“This is on a whole other level than everything else that I’ve done,” Carroll said.

Published July 15, 2015

Four Sunlake athletes choose college teams

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Four different athletes. Four different sports. Four different colleges.

And one very proud high school.

From left, Jake Roberts, Logan Wolfe, Cobi Shirmohammad and Justin Pipes all signed on with colleges at a ceremony at Sunlake High School on April 30. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
From left, Jake Roberts, Logan Wolfe, Cobi Shirmohammad and Justin Pipes all signed on with colleges at a ceremony at Sunlake High School on April 30.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“Seeing them sign to continue their sports career while they’re continuing their education — it’s like the best thing,” said Sunlake High School athletic director Reesa Pledge. Pledge helped moderate a special signing event in the school’s gymnasium on April 30, where four students earned praise from their coaches and cheers from their friends and families.

And then they signed commitments to play their sport of choice at the next level.

Basketball at PHSC
Justin Pipes wasn’t thinking about college basketball when he started playing the game at age 6. But now that it’s his future, he feels grateful for the opportunity.

“I’m just truly blessed,” Pipes said.

He’s blessed with a full scholarship to Pasco-Hernando State College, and blessed with talent at the shooting guard position.

But he’s aware that the competition is tougher at the college level than what he faced during high school.

To prepare for the extra difficulty, he’s already making some changes to prepare for his college career.

For instance, he’s hitting the gym every day to put on 20 pounds or more of muscle as he prepares to face bigger and faster players, and to take advantage of opportunities to score for his new team.

But the opportunities in the classroom are also important to Pipes.

He plans to study business in the classroom even as he studies his opponents on the court. He chose PHSC because they have a strong program, and he’s looking forward to the task of facing college-level players and matching his growing skills against theirs.

“It’s a challenge, but I’m willing to face that challenge and make myself better as a person, and as a player,” he said.

Golf at Trinity Baptist College
Jake Roberts’ golf swing is taking him to the next level. He enjoys the pressure — and the risk — that comes with an individual sport like golf.

“I like it better than team sports, because if you mess up it’s all on yourself. It’s no one else’s fault,” Roberts said.

It’s also on the individual when they succeed, and Roberts’ talents will bring him to Jacksonville’s Trinity Baptist College on a partial scholarship. Now he’ll face longer, harder courses than he tackled in high school. Roberts plans to face them by focusing on his own improvement, spending hours practicing and working with a personal trainer to stay in shape.

He’ll study sports management in college, and would like to consider broadcasting opportunities as well. But he won’t be thinking much about his college competition. The key to his success has been managing his own game rather than his opponents on any given day.

“I just think about myself. I don’t ever think about anybody else. I just think about playing the course every day,” Roberts said.

Football at Southeastern University
Logan Wolfe was a standout fullback and outside linebacker at Sunlake, and he’ll be playing football for Southeast University in Lakeland.

But not at either of those positions. He’ll be playing safety.

“It’s exciting,” Wolfe said about his new job on the gridiron. “Safety’s a position I’ve always wanted to play because my idols like Sean Taylor (the Washington Redskins player who passed away in 2007) and Ed Reed (longtime Baltimore Raven) played safety. So it’s pretty exciting to get a chance to play what they played.”

To play that position, he’s adding some weight in order to match up better with the competition.

His eventual goal is to become a firefighter. But until then, Wolfe will be playing defense at the college level.

That might be intimidating to some incoming freshmen, but he feels like the Seahawks’ football success has prepared him well to tackle the new challenge. The coaches worked him and his teammates hard, he said, and they expect a lot out of each player. He might not have realized it at the time, but it got him ready for the next stage of his career.

“I did not know that it would prepare me to play at this level, but now I realize all the stuff they did, and I’m forever grateful for all my coaches and what they did for me,” Wolfe said.

Soccer at Corning Community College
Cobi Shirmohammad’s first long journey is an important one. He’ll be attending Corning Community College in New York.

“I’ve lived here for 18 years, and I’ve actually never been on a plane before, so it’s going to be a trip,” Shirmohammad said.

Just getting back on the pitch will be a trip for the midfielder/striker, since he’s been out of commission since breaking his collarbone in the state semifinal. He’s already back up to 95 percent movement and was cleared to play a couple of weeks ago, which is just a few months after the injury. The time of the field hurt in terms of not getting in time with the Rangers, his club team. But it did let him focus on studying which college opportunity would be right for him, getting his schoolwork in order and taking care of business away from the game. In college he plans on studying sports medicine.

Now that he’s ready to return, he plans on making sure his stamina and conditioning are up to par, especially since he’ll be dealing with a colder climate. But he’s excited about playing college soccer, and hopes his community college time turns into another opportunity at a four-year school.

“I think it should take me to the next level after this to complete my college career, and hopefully move forward from there,” Shirmohammad said.

Published May 6, 2015

Land O’ Lakes softball completes dominating season

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After going 13-13 in his first year coaching the Land O’ Lakes High School softball team, there was probably an expectation of improvement and becoming more competitive in his second season.

But nobody expected a 24-3 record. Not even the team’s coach.

I knew we’d be a lot better. I didn’t know our record would be this much better,” said Mitch Wilkins.

But the Gators really were that much better.

Softball coach Mitch Wilkins will say farewell to four seniors, but has an undefeated junior varsity team full of talent to find replacements. (Courtesy of Edwin Rodriguez)
Softball coach Mitch Wilkins will say farewell to four seniors, but has an undefeated junior varsity team full of talent to find replacements.
(Courtesy of Edwin Rodriguez)

It took players just 14 games to match last season’s win total, and they capped off the regular season with 10 straight victories. After beating Fivay 15-0 to open the district playoffs, Land O’ Lakes dropped a 2-1 decision to River Ridge. All three of the team’s defeats were by just one run.

The team’s success was no accident.

The coach, a retired police officer who has been coaching for more than 30 years, took his role seriously.

Wilkins — who has coached with the Lutz Lightning and the Lutz Leaguerettes — found out which of his players also played on travel ball softball teams, and he went to watch them play, including the junior varsity players.

He also created a travel ball team for the junior varsity team, so they’d get in extra work over the summer.

As a result, the junior varsity team had one loss and one tie last season, and went undefeated this past season. That provides not only a good foundation for the softball program, but a talented reserve that Wilkins can use to replace graduating seniors on his varsity squad. It also helps to create a true team atmosphere that fosters camaraderie.

“The girls get used to playing with each other. They understand the brand of ball that we play. And they enjoy it, or they wouldn’t still be there,” Wilkins said.

That style of ball doesn’t include a lot of power hitting. Instead, the Gators try to remain unpredictable, combining strong pitching with stealing, bunting and hitting to overwhelm their opponents. And with seven shutouts and eight games where they scored double-digits, that style is working.

It’s also working for junior Gaby Santiago, who has played with the team since her freshman year.

Santiago notices a big difference in the team since Wilkins came on board.

“Since coach got here, team unity has gotten better,” Santiago said. “My freshmen year it was kind of a mess, but coach really brought us together over the past two years.”

Wilkins showed the team that he cared early on, Santiago said. By showing up to their travel ball games, it was clear that he was serious about building a strong program and getting the most out of his players. Team meals have also become a regular part of game day, which has also improved team unity.

Another activity Wilkins introduced to Land O’ Lakes is what he calls “positives.” After each game, the team gathers and gives positive feedback to each other, noting what their teammates did well during the game.

“We always end with positives. After the game we circle up and everybody’s got to say something positive that somebody else did during the game,” Wilkins explained. Allowing players to hear praise from their teammates helps keep things in perspective, softens the blow when things don’t go well and lets the team end each game on a high note, regardless of the score.

With a successful season in the books and a strong foundation in place, the future also looks to be promising for the Gators. They’ll lose four seniors, but have a skilled junior varsity squad to find replacements, and a team mindset to help the new players fit in.

And even though they didn’t go as far as they wanted this season, Wilkins is pleased with their effort and success.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Wilkins said.

Published April 29, 2015

Land O’ Lakes girls reach state soccer finals

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The Land O’ Lakes girls soccer team might have surprised some people by reaching the Class 3A state finals. But it didn’t surprise their coach.

“I said at our parent meeting (last October) I have high expectations. I expect to be in the state finals in February,” said coach Vicky King.

The Land O' Lakes girls soccer team reached the state finals with an attacking offense and stifling defense. (Courtesy of Vicky King)
The Land O’ Lakes girls soccer team reached the state finals with an attacking offense and stifling defense.
(Courtesy of Vicky King)

And if King believes something, there’s good reason to take her at her word. After 28 seasons coaching the team, including a state title in 2003, King has established herself as a good judge of talent. And King was right on the money last October, leading the Gators to a perfect 8-0 record in Class 3A-8, a 1-0 victory over Matanzas in the regional final and a close 2-1 victory over Ponte Vedra in the state semifinal that ended with penalty kicks to determine the winner.

Land O’ Lakes eventually fell in a 2-1 overtime loss to defending state champion American Heritage. But they were right where King said they’d be in February and finished with a 24-2 record.

King knew early on she had the talent to go far in the playoffs. In fact, she said this was the most talented Land O’ Lakes team that she’s coached. And they weren’t just dominant in one part of the game.

“It’s a very well-rounded team,” King said. “We’ve always been very good defensively, but we produced a lot more off this year and had a lot of offensive threats.”

There were a few minor setbacks along the way, King said. Late buses, rescheduled games and a late start to pre-season tryouts were just a few obstacles they overcame. But they had some good luck, too, like avoiding major injuries. All 22 players who started the season were available in the state final.

Throughout the season, they played the same attacking style regardless of opponent, and it served them well. Although they were ahead most of the time, they did come from behind in a couple of games during the year. Those comebacks showed perseverance, King said, and an ability to work through difficulties as a team without pointing fingers and blaming each other.

The coach credits the team’s juniors and seniors for keeping expectations high and teaching the program’s philosophy to the younger players. It’s up to them, King said, to be leaders and take ownership in their success on the field.

“I coach them, but it’s their team,” she said.

One of those players is junior Tori Cannata, who has already committed to playing at the next level for the University of Arkansas. She believes that even though the players are the ones on the pitch, the coach is a big part of the team’s success.

“What makes coach King special is the way she runs the program,” Cannata said. “Everyone just respects her completely.”

To show that respect, players give their best effort to prove they belong on the team, and practice hard so as not to let up on the program’s momentum.

This year’s momentum also meant some well-deserved accolades for the coach, as well. King won the 2015 Florida Dairy Farmers Girls’ Soccer Class 3A Coach of the Year award.

While she said it’s an honor to be recognized and appreciates the award, it’s clear she doesn’t like too much attention directed at herself, but instead thinks it should be on the team. She’s won awards before, but when asked for details she preferred not to elaborate on her personal accomplishments.

“If you really need it, I can tell you how many times (she’s won coach of the year awards), but whatever,” King said.

Instead, she likes to focus on the team and maintaining a quality program. She’ll lose four seniors (two of whom are starters), so most of the team should remain intact. And with good depth to help replace the players they’re losing, they should continue to be a competitive team.

While they fell just short of a state title, King can look back on this past season as one of the best.

“We have to consider it one of our most successful seasons as far as level of play, the dominance, going it to the final four, winning the semifinal on (penalty kicks),” she said. “Those were all great deeds.”

Published April 8, 2015