The Laker/Lutz News

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Land O' Lakes Sports

Pine View football duo readying for prestigious tournament

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Two Pine View Middle School seventh-graders are gearing up for one of the nation’s most prestigious youth football events.

As members of FBU (Football University) Team Tampa, center Niko Spilotro and quarterback Jayce Nixon will participate in the annual FBU National Championship tournament in Naples, beginning Dec. 7.

Pine View Middle School seventh graders Niko Spilotro, left, and Jayce Nixon will participate in the annual FBU (Football University) National Championship tournament in Naples, beginning Dec. 7. They are members of FBU Team Tampa, which features the Tampa Bay area’s top middle-schoolers. (Courtesy of Toni Spilotro)

The 32-team tournament is described as “youth football’s biggest event,” uniting all-star athletes and elite-level prospects of all backgrounds from across the United States. Pine View Middle is in Land O’ Lakes.

National champions are crowned for sixth, seventh and eighth grade divisions.

The team’s first game is against FBU Jacksonville. If Team Tampa wins, it will vie for the Florida region championship, against the winner of the Dec. 8 game between Team Central Florida-Team Southwest Florida.

The Florida region winner then would advance to Championship Week, which is Dec. 15 to Dec. 19, where the team could potentially face other FBU all-star teams from across the country, beginning with the Southeast region winner (either a team from Georgia, Mississippi or northwest Florida), and on from there.

Hundreds of FBU national alumni have gone on to play in the NFL and Division I college football. Some notable names include Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Joey Bosa, New York Jets safety Jamal Adams, and Clemson University quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Getting to compete against the nation’s best and likely some future big names thrills the two 12-year-old teammates and friends.

Spilotro called it “a great honor” to be on Team Tampa and participate in the national showcase.

“I love to be able to compare myself to other great players to help enhance my game more,” he added.

It’s likewise a “pretty big” deal for Nixon, a left-handed pocket passer.

He put it like this: “I get to tell my friends I’m one of the kids (on Team Tampa) and I get to play with Niko, and I get to meet all these new kids.”

Plus, he said: “I also get to go against better competition that’ll make me better in the long run.”

Besides being Pine View teammates, the fact that they are the team’s center and quarterback makes their Team Tampa journey all the more unique, they agreed.

“It’s very special,” Spilotro said. Having been on the same team, they are familiar with how each of them plays, which will work to Team Tampa’s advantage.

Nixon said the Team Tampa coaches have praised the duo for their cohesion during snap exchanges and other drills during regular practices at Jefferson High School.

The team’s head coach is Carlo Thompson. The assistant coaches are also high school coaches and former college players.

“The coaches said we work really good together and (they) could tell that we’ve played together before,” Nixon said. “We developed that trust with the team, so having (Niko) there is always good.”

The 32-team FBU National Championship tournament is described as ‘youth football’s biggest event,’ uniting all-star athletes and elite-level prospects of all backgrounds from across the United States. Champions are crowned in sixth, seventh and eighth grade divisions. (Courtesy of Football University)

With FBU games being streamed online at FloFootball.com, it also could give the duo some more national exposure and get them on the radar of scouts and college coaches. A few games may even air in select television markets.

It’ll be a new experience, Nixon said.

“I really never played in a league like this where people are going to play on TV and stuff,” he said.
When it comes to the pigskin, both of these boys are serious.

The 6-foot-tall Spilotro plays hockey and basketball to improve his footwork, balance and hand-eye coordination in the offseason.

But, that’s all in a quest to enhance his football skills as an offensive and defensive lineman .
“Football is definitely my favorite sport,” he said.

He loves that it’s a team sport and requires the entire team to perform well.

He also likes to measure his personal progress.

“I love to see how far I have come and how far I’m going to be able to go. I really love just how you’re able to kind of let loose and play aggressive,” Spilotro said.

Nixon, meanwhile, started running track last year to improve his speed and agility.

He picked up the new sport “not to become a running quarterback, but just have the ability, if the pocket does break down, to get out and make a play.”

He also regularly plays flag football and in 7-on-7 football leagues to hone his overall quarterback skills.

The two boys took different routes to Team Tampa, which is coming off back-to-back seventh grade FBU national championships, which they claimed in 2017 and 2018.

Spilotro last year attended an FBU mini-combine in Naples, then attended an FBU regional camp in Orlando, where he was selected to the 2019 FBU Top Gun Showcase, in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

The South Carolina event is an annual national showcase designed to highlight the country’s middle school and prep student-athletes in an intense position-specific test of technical skill and ability.

He performed well enough at the showcase to be named a Class of 2025 All-Top Gun Team selection.

And, he carried that momentum into Team Tampa tryouts, where he made the roughly 25-member squad that features the Tampa Bay area’s top seventh-graders, with players from as far away as Avon Park and Bartow.

It hasn’t all come easily for the athlete, however.

Spilotro has overcome a rare eye disorder called congenital nystagmus, a condition where the eyes make repetitive, uncontrolled movements, which can result in reduced vision and depth perception. A Shriners hospital patient, Spilotro had surgery to correct the condition about two years ago.

“Physically, he’s had to really overcome some things to get to the level where he’s at,” his mother, Toni Spilotro, said. “He just didn’t walk into this world being a big, tough boy. It’s something he’s had to learn over the years and overcome his own challenges.”

Nixon, meanwhile, didn’t go through the FBU camp circuit. He instead was discovered by a rival coach while playing for the Bay Area Packers in the Tampa Bay Youth Football League (TBYFL). The signal-caller impressed enough to make Team Tampa after being invited to a tryout.

His new team has opened his eyes to the amount of talent in the Tampa Bay area.

“With my other (youth football) teams, it’s usually about one or two really good kids, but with this team, it does feel as a step up,” he said.

Published December 04, 2019

Land O’ Lakes cheerleaders win ‘Best of Pasco’

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After a long history of struggles, the Land O’ Lakes High School varsity girls competitive cheerleading team is finding its groove.

The Gators won the prestigious ‘Best of Pasco’ Sunshine Athletic Conference Cheerleading Competition on Nov. 16.

At the event, hosted by Land O’ Lakes High, the Gators claimed a score of 78.4, defeating 12 other county high schools. The school’s crosstown rival, Sunlake High, scored 76.2, to earn second place.

The Land O’ Lakes High School varsity girls competitive cheerleading team won the ‘Best of Pasco’ meet on Nov. 16. (Courtesy of Ashley Linden)

The last time Land O’ Lakes won a ‘Best of Pasco’ meet was so long ago that Gator cheerleaders and coaches can’t be sure when it was.

“It’s a very big deal for us,” said third-year coach Ashley Linden. “It’s been a very long time,” she added, noting it’s been at least since the early 2000s.

Senior team captain Sarah Spitzig thinks it might have never happened before.

In any case, it marks a striking accomplishment for a program that had not garnered much of a reputation through the years.

Spitzig said it’s the first competition the Gators have won during her four years in the program. “We’re all super excited about it. It’s just boosted the team’s confidence a lot,” she said.

The coach added of the ‘Best of Pasco’ achievement: “Seeing them be successful is just the best feeling, because some of them have been there for competitions where they didn’t do so great, and they still stuck it out and still kept coming back.”

Like other cheer programs, the Gators 2½-minute routine combines an array of acrobatic and athletic tumbling, stunts, cheers and dances — to the sound of upbeat music.

Linden described the team’s routine as “creative” combined with “a lot of really great tumbling.”

Many of those advanced skills were fine-tuned at summer Universal Cheerleaders Association camp, Linden said.

The offseason reps must’ve helped, as Linden said the team’s execution of the routine was “clean” and “sharp” at the countywide meet.

The team’s newfound taste of victory extends beyond just technical skills, however.

Linden said it also can be explained by better attitudes and coachability overall, plus more pronounced leadership from a quartet of team captains (Spitzig, along with seniors Laura Madison and Gabriela Miller, and junior Emma Runkel).

The Gators competitive cheer routine combines an array of acrobatic and athletic tumbling, stunts, cheers and dances, all to the tune of upbeat music.

All those qualities, the coach said, “makes or breaks a team.”

“Everything has just taken like a huge turn for the better,” said Linden, a former high school cheerleader herself with experience coaching All-Star and recreational teams. “This group of girls is just different; they want it this year.”

It’s an assessment Spitzig can agree with.

“It’s less about the skills sometimes, but more about the attitudes,” the cheerleader said. “We won even without the highest skills that we could’ve been doing; it was more just about attitude coming together and working for it.”

Hand in hand with that is a stable and dedicated coaching staff, as Linden and assistant Gators cheer coach Karlee Roach have been working in tandem for three years to rebuild the program; Roach actually served as the team’s head coach the previous two seasons, then reversed roles with Linden this year.

When it comes to their efforts, the coaching duo goes the extra mile, cheerleaders say.

Runkel noted that the coaches “care so much for us.”

She added: “Personally speaking, I had such a negative attitude my freshman year that they really helped me grow as a person, and personality-wise, I’ve grown so much from them. “They’ve always been there supporting us, on and off the mat,” she added.

Spitzig concurred: “We’ve all just developed into more of a family having them here. They give up so much time, we just appreciate it.”

The signs of a budding 2019-2020 campaign were in the works toward the end of last year as the Gators placed fifth in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 1A medium division state championships.

At the beginning of the season, Linden felt the team had the opportunity to build on that.

She was optimistic despite the fact that 13 seniors graduated and the team would be relying heavily upon four freshman flyers.

The current 25-member roster consists of five seniors, 13 juniors, three sophomore and five freshman.

“I’ve been saying it since the beginning of the season that, ‘This is our season,’” Linden said.

“People probably thought we were going to be in a rebuilding year, and here we came. To win (‘Best of Pasco’), no one expected that. We kind of came out from under.”

And, what made the ‘Best of Pasco’ victory even more special — was earning bragging rights over a Sunlake cheer program that for years has been a local powerhouse.

“They’ve always been out for us and always proved that they’re better than us, but this year we’re actually coming up on top of them,” Runkel said.

“I’ve heard they’re coming back for us — but we’re coming back for them,” Runkel said.

2019-2020 Land O’ Lakes competitive cheer roster
Head coach: Ashley Linden
Assistant coach: Karlee Roach
Team manager: Mayah Ocasio

  • Christina Agovino
  • Mia Allen
  • Lexi Brown
  • Ariana Butler
  • Aysiah DeBernardi
  • Peyton Fields
  • Elizabeth Harmon
  • Alex Heck
  • Grace Huff
  • Maddy Huff
  • Lauren  Jones
  • Madelyn Macaluso
  • Laura Madison
  • Gabriela Miller
  • Leah Mixson
  • Gianna Ocasio
  • Katy Quandt
  • Paige Randall
  • Emma Runkel
  • Skyler Sander
  • Sarah Spitzig
  • Camryn Steele
  • Alyssa VanMeter
  • Nevaeh Vercellona
  • Kaitlyn Wall

Published November 27, 2019

Prep football midseason review

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The 2019 Florida high school football regular season has reached the midway point. Here’s a closer look at how teams and players are faring from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Gaither Cowboys are off to a blistering 5-0 start and are ranked among the state’s top 10 teams in Class 6A.
(Courtesy of Gaither Athletics)

Perfect performers
At the midway mark, there are three programs sporting undefeated records — Academy at the Lakes, Gaither and Steinbrenner. What do each have in common? Potent offenses backed by efficient, veteran quarterback play.

  • Academy at the Lakes is averaging over 39 points per game. Junior quarterback Jalen Brown, a fourth-year starter, has completed 55% of throws for 785 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also the team’s leading rusher (445 rush yards, six touchdowns).
  • Gaither is averaging over 38 points per game. Senior quarterback Tony Bartalo, a two-year starter, has completed 63% of throws for 1,320 yards, 19 touchdowns and three interceptions. He currently boasts multiple Division I offers.
  • Steinbrenner is averaging over 48 points per game. Senior quarterback Haden Carlson, a three-year starter, has completed 64% of throws for 783 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception. He is a FIU (Florida International University) verbal commit.

Also notable: Wiregrass Ranch (5-1) has received stellar quarterback play from sophomore Rocco Becht, who’s posted a 56% completion rate, 936 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Land O’ Lakes Gators went 7-3 last year, but have struggled much of this season with a 1-5 mark thus far. (File)

Surprising struggles
Entering the 2019 season, Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills were expected to build off winning seasons and compete for a playoff spot in their respective classifications. But early season struggles has all dampened those hopes for both teams.

  • The Gators finished 7-3 last season — its first winning campaign since 2013. But, they’ve hobbled to a 0-5 start before finally securing a 44-0 win over Freedom last week. A team thin on seniors and an anemic running game has magnified the struggles.
  • One of the most consistent and dominant programs in Pasco County in recent years, the Bulldogs haven’t lost four or more games since 2012 and haven’t missed the postseason since 2013. But after losing 22 seniors from last year’s 11-1 squad, the Bulldogs have shown less bark this season. They lost their first three games, but have begun to show life with recent road wins against Wesley Chapel and Tarpon Springs, respectively.

New coaches finding their way

  • Sunlake has jumped to a respectable 3-3 mark under first-year head coach Trey Burdick, holding his own in assuming the role previously held by one of the county’s winningest coaches in Bill Browning. Under Burdick, the team is on pace to surpass the 4-6 mark the program has had each of the past two seasons. Better yet, Burdick, a longtime assistant under Browning, steered the Seahawks to a 34-23 victory over crosstown rival Land O’ Lakes in the annual ‘Butter Bowl’ showdown.
  • New Pasco head coach Jason Stokes already has led the struggling program to as many wins as it did all of last season. And while the 2-4 mark doesn’t seem all that great, the Pirates have battled hard in one possession losses to Sunlake and Springstead, respectively. With that, this year’s “9-Mile War” rivalry game against Zephyrhills should provide some more intrigue; Zephyrhills has won the past four contests. Stokes is no stranger to being a head coach in the Tampa Bay area — he steered Gaither to three playoff appearances between 2011 to 2016, and also had stints at Bloomingdale and Middleton, respectively.

Stat stuffers
Here’s a look at a top statistical performer from each high school in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Hillsborough County

  • Reggie Johnson II, Carrollwood Day, junior defensive end: 15 tackles, three sacks
  • Hussein Hafiz, Freedom, senior linebacker: 12 tackles (five for loss), three sacks
  • Deveon Knighton, Gaither, senior receiver: 28 receptions, 431 yards, six touchdowns
  • Deon Silas, Steinbrenner, junior tailback: 828 all-purpose yards, 11 touchdowns

Pasco County

  • Adrian Leverette, Academy at the Lakes, junior tailback: 379 scrimmage yards, five touchdowns
  • Jack Miller, Bishop McLaughlin, freshman receiver: 19 receptions, 502 yards, three touchdowns
  • Jehlani Warren, Cypress Creek, senior quarterback: 57% completions, 515 passing yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions
  • Ethan Forrester, Land O’ Lakes, senior quarterback, 39% completions, 790 passing yards, seven touchdowns, four interceptions; 336 rushing touchdowns, five touchdowns
  • Gabriel Barnes, Pasco, junior linebacker: 49 tackles, 20 hurries, three sacks
  • Mark Anderson, Sunlake, junior receiver: 475 all-purpose yards, three touchdowns
  • Brenden Maddox, Wesley Chapel, senior fullback/linebacker: 269 rush yards, four touchdowns; 45 tackles (six for loss)
  • Keith Walker, Wiregrass Ranch, senior receiver: 735 all-purpose yards, 10 touchdowns
  • Tyler Davis, Zephyrhills Christian, senior tailback: 616 rush yards, six touchdowns
  • Zyree Roundtree, junior tailback: 483 rush yards, four touchdowns

Schools in Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their current 2019 records)

Hillsborough County:

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots (0-5 overall)
  • Freedom High School Patriots (1-4)
  • Gaither High School Cowboys (5-0)
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors (5-0)

Pasco County:

  • Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man) (4-0 overall)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (1-5)
  • Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (2-3)
  • Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (1-5)
  • Pasco High School Pirates (2-4)
  • Sunlake High School Seahawks (3-3)
  • Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (2-3)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (5-1)
  • Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (3-2)
  • Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (2-3)

Published October 2, 2019

New sports complex expected to attract national events

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With concrete footers poured and steel beams heading vertical, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is a step closer to its much-anticipated opening.

The $44 million sports complex is targeted for a mid-July 2020 soft opening — more than two years after a celebrated groundbreaking ceremony that marked the beginning of construction at 3211 Lajuana Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Once completed, the 98,000-square-foot indoor space will feature a multipurpose sports layout that accommodates up to eight basketball courts or 16 volleyball courts, plus a separate competitive cheer and dance studio, fitness and athletic training center, and other amenities.

Concrete footers and steel beams represent construction progress on the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. The 98,000-square-foot facility is anticipated to be a regional and national draw for youth and amateur sports. (Courtesy of RADD Sports)

Besides primarily basketball, volleyball and cheer offerings, the Pasco County-owned facility also will be able to accommodate martial arts, wrestling, gymnastics, curling, badminton, soccer, lacrosse and pickleball.  Secondary uses of the complex will include conventions, banquets, exhibits, concerts and so on.

Originally, the facility was expected to open later this year.

But, the project experienced some delays.

“That goes with a major development project like this,” said Richard Blalock, president and CEO of RADD Sports, the private sports management company tasked with operating and managing the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex.

Those delays included inclement weather, permitting issues and redesigns of the facility to make it hurricane-resistant, Blalock said.

“When you’ve got as many moving parts that’s involved in this project, it’s just a matter of getting all the contracts lined up, and the contractor online and bids opened,” he said.

The facility is being promoted as a regional and national attraction.

The indoor gym on weekdays will operate as a community-based sports center where local youth, adults and seniors will be able to practice and play.

Weekends, meanwhile, will be set aside to play host to national travel tournaments, competitions and other events to generate hotel stays and tax revenues for the county.

The facility’s first weekend tournaments aren’t expected to be booked until around October 2020, Blalock said.

The target is scheduling roughly 25 to 30 weekend events during the first full year and then grow it from there, Blalock said.

He mentioned RADD Sports already has received numerous inquiries from youth and amateur sports organizations asking about the facility’s availability.

“We’ve got ‘em lined up now, wanting to sign,” Blalock said.

The complex also will host a series of weeklong sports camps each July or August, which Blalock said otherwise is a slow period in the travel sports marketplace.

Those camps would allow for local school sports teams to get advanced instruction and match up against teams from all over the country, Blalock said.

“They’re not going to have to travel very much and we’re bringing all the competition in, so it’ll be a good marriage,” he said.

Not unlike nearby AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex figures each year to draw hundreds, if not thousands, of youth and amateur travel sports teams and their families.

The $44 million Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is scheduled to open in mid-July next year.

Officials are excited about the prospects for Pasco County tourism.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who chairs the county’s tourist development council, suggests the facility will be “a huge boon for the local economy.”

Said Moore, “People travel from all over the nation to go these tournaments and these facilities. They all have to stay in hotels, they’re all eating in restaurants, they’re all buying the gas.”

Moore said projections show the facility will generate annual revenues of roughly $4 million to $4.5 million each of first five years or so in operation, not including additional hotel and retail tax revenues generated.

The commissioner emphasized that it’s key for those traveling visitors to stay overnight locally instead of heading to Hillsborough County. It’s something he’s assured will happen, pointing out the county already has 38 hotels “with more coming.”

Moore explained: “Previously, when there’s a lot of tournaments that came into the county, a lot of the families were staying in Hillsborough County, so a lot of the local businesses didn’t see that revenue. Well now, we can handle those families, we can handle these tournaments.”

To take it another step further, Moore said the county’s tourism department is developing a marketing campaign to encourage the myriad sports travel teams and visitors to explore the county’s other offerings, outside the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. The county’s tourism arm officially rebranded itself as “Florida’s Sports Coast” earlier this year.

Said Moore, “We want them to take the day and maybe go rent a boat and go kayaking or go fishing with one of our guides, or hit some of the islands. That’s another benefit for the families coming — great activities outside of the sports or watching their kids play.”

Outdoor offerings on tap, too
The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex will be more than just an indoor space.

The complex eventually will include seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground. There also will be an adjacent 128-room Marriott Residence Inn built with private funds by Mainsail Development Group.

Many of those features are expected to be finished in Phase II of the project, about a year or so later, officials say.

The entire complex is being built on 80 acres of land donated years ago by the Porter family, developers of Wiregrass Ranch.

Several proposals for some type of sports facility on the land fell apart over the years, including one for a baseball complex in 2015.

But, with the mix of indoor and outdoor components, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex provides “the biggest bang for our taxpayers’ buck,” Moore said.

“It’ll be a really big thing for the area,” the commissioner said. “When you think about the area, there’s really nothing like this around here at all. And, if you see how well similar facilities do, this is going to be strong.”

He added: “It’s nice to obviously see the progress that’s being made. It won’t be long. It’ll be done before we know it. It’ll sneak right up on us.”

Meanwhile, the complex adds to a growing list of premier sports offerings in the East Pasco area — with construction underway on a multi-million tennis center in Zephyrhills and preliminary plans for a multi-million outdoor aquatics center in Land O’ Lakes. Even Cypress Creek Middle High, in Wesley Chapel, with its a state-of-the-art rubberized running track and field space has been highly regarded for hosting events.

Blalock underscored what all that could mean for the county’s quest to position itself as a sports tourism destination: “For the most part, we’ll be able to run any type of Olympic event in a short radius, and it’s crazy. There’s nowhere I’m aware of in the southeast, or anywhere in the country really, that can really do that.”

He also posited this: “If everyone in the community pulls together and we work together, and all the facilities work together, it could really, truly become an amateur sports destination that equals nowhere else.”

Published September 25, 2019

Local softball stars soak in national exposure

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It’s a rare feat when any local athlete — or any athlete for that matter — makes a national team.

More uncommon is when two athletes from the same hometown earn such prestigious designation together.

Academy at the Lakes product Lexi Kilfoyl was a member of the USA Softball U-19 Women’s National Team and is now a freshman righthanded pitcher at the University of Alabama. (Courtesy of USA Softball)

But, that’s what recently happened to Academy at the Lakes product Lexi Kilfoyl and Land O’ Lakes High School product Callie Turner.

Both pitchers earned state champions for their respective schools. Now they can also say they were a part of a World Cup championship team.

Back in December, the Land O’ Lakes natives were two of just 20 athletes nationwide chosen to the USA Softball U-19 Women’s National Team.

Fast forward to this summer, and both 2019 high school graduates competed together on an international stage representing Team USA.

Following a weeklong training camp in June in Houston, Texas, the U-19 squad competed in a series of international tournaments and games that took them to Paris, France; Dublin, Ireland; Atlanta, Georgia; and, Columbus, Georgia.

The team then was whittled down to 17 players and three alternates, in advance of August’s WBSC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup in Irvine, California.

Kilfoyl made the 17-player final roster, while Turner was named an alternate player.

The USA Softball U-19 Women’s National Team recently won its third straight WBSC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) World Cup. They went undefeated and beat Japan 4-3 in the championship game.

Rather than travel with the club for the World Cup, Turner opted to return home to Land O’ Lakes to train for her upcoming freshman season at the University of Tennessee.

Though Turner, a 5-foot-10 lefty, participated in only a few tournaments, throwing a handful of innings, she cherished the chance to represent her country.

“It was definitely an honor,” said Turner, a former Florida 6A Pitcher and Player of the Year  who guided Land O’ Lakes to a state title in 2017. “You definitely have like this pressure on your back, but it’s kind of like a good pressure that everyone’s rooting for you and not for the other team, so it feels like you’re just getting so much confidence when you’re wearing that uniform, and it’s so nice.”

Naturally, Turner watched and supported the national squad from afar, as it proceeded to go undefeated and win its third straight World Cup. “I was cheering them on the whole time,” she said.

She said competing with fellow elite-level softball peers in her age range was a beneficial experience that showed her “to keep working hard…to get better.”

Kilfoyl, meanwhile, provided a more crucial role for Team USA as it went 10-0 in the World Cup tournament that featured 15 other countries.

The two-time state champion and 2019 Florida Gatorade Softball Player of the Year went 2-0 in the circle with eight strikeouts and no runs allowed in 7.1 innings pitched — facing Czech Republic, Canada, Chinese Taipei and China, respectively. She also added a three-run pinch-hit home run in a 15-0 win over Botswana.

The 6-foot-2 righty was eager to provide a bigger contribution to the junior national team this time around, compared to when in 2017 she was the squad’s youngest member as a 16-year-old high school sophomore.

Land O’ Lakes High School product Lexi Turner was a member of the USA Softball U-19 Women’s National Team and is now a freshman lefthanded pitcher at the University of Tennessee.

“Last time I felt like I was a supporter on the bench the entire time, (so) it was a lot better being able to say that I was part of winning the whole thing,” said Kilfoyl, now a freshman at the University of Alabama.

“Playing against every country was different, because they all like play the game very differently, and being able to see how other people do it was really cool; seeing it and preparing for it was definitely a nice experience.”

Also playing alongside Turner for a portion of the early summer made the experience even better, Kilfoyl said.

“It was definitely unreal,” Kilfoyl said. “Not many people can say that that they’ve done that, that they’ve started playing with one of their childhood best friends that has literally been there since Little League and pretty much make it to the highest of the highs in the softball world playing for USA Softball…”

Kilfoyl’s favorite moment actually came in a game where she didn’t get any action.

It happened to be Team USA’s 4-3 come-from-behind, extra-inning, walk-off win over Japan in the World Cup championship game on Aug. 17.

With Japan leading 3-0 after the top of the eighth, pinch hitter and Oregon State player Francesca Hammoude tied it on a home run. University of Florida’s Charla Echols followed with a two-out triple and scored the winning run on a base hit by University of Oregon’s Jasmine Sievers.

“The last game, that was really crazy,” Kilfoyl recalled. “I thought at one point we were losing 3-nothing and then when (Hammoude) hit that home run, it completely brought us back in the game. She was actually one of the players that didn’t have much (playing) time, so it kind of went to prove that it doesn’t have to be done by someone that’s been in the lineup every single game.”

With the national team run over, Kilfoyl and Turner have turned their attention to preparing for their respective inaugural college campaigns in the powerhouse Division I Southeastern Conference.

For Turner, that consists of improving pitch location and managing expectations as a young college player.

“You can throw as hard as you can, but they can still hit it further, so if you hit your spots more, it’s more effective to where you can get them out, so I really worked on that the last couple months,” Turner said.

“I think I just want to be the best that I can be, don’t put too much pressure on myself because I know in the end that’s just not going to help me. So, go in with an open mind knowing that I am going to get hit, I am going to have some bad games, but it’s just how you get better from that experience.”

Kilfoyl said she is looking to add velocity to her 68-mph fastball and fine-tune the rest of her repertoire.

“I definitely want to get stronger and throw harder,” she said, “and for sure want to work on really being able to command my pitches, so I can get some starting time.”

Published September 11, 2019

Academy at the Lakes football aims for third state crown

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The Academy at the Lakes (AATL) Wildcats varsity football team undoubtedly feels it has a target on its back in 2019.

And, why not, when you consider the team has won 20 consecutive games en route to back-to-back eight-man state titles in 2017 and 2018.

Academy at the Lakes junior quarterback Jalen Brown returns for his fourth season as a starter. Last season he posted a 58% completion rate, 1,105 passing yards, 28 total touchdowns and seven interceptions, to go along with a team-leading 672 rushing yards. (File)

But, it’s something the team is used to of late, players insist, even back to when the program was mired through three straight losing seasons from 2014 to 2016.

“We’ve had a target on our back since we were 2-8 (in 2016),” said junior quarterback and fourth-year starter Jalen Brown. “Ever since we were not that good, everyone’s wanted to beat us, but now I think if they beat us, it just means more.”

“Everybody’s impact game this year is us,” said senior defensive end/left guard Elijah Freedman. “Everybody wants to come get a piece of us, because we never had any respect in the past. We were that team that everybody was hoping to play to get that easy win, and now we’re the team that everybody’s coming after to try and take down.”

The team’s quest for a third straight title may prove to be its most hardy.

This season, the Wildcats will play in a new eight-man league within the Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC) after the Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) all but folded its eight-man offerings this offseason. The new SSAC league features 14 teams across three divisions, meaning a regular season facing almost entirely new competition.

Their first regular season game is Sept. 6 against Duval Charter.

The Wildcats enter the league relatively thin on numbers, even for eight-man, with 22 players.

Making matters tougher, projected starting tailback/fullback Sean Saccomanno suffered a broken leg in a 20-18 preseason win over Lakeside Christian on Aug. 23.

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats football coach Shawn Brown

Wildcats head coach Shawn Brown acknowledged the junior’s loss to injury “is huge” for the team and “will hurt a little bit,” but noted adjustments will be made, possibly by incorporating more spread looks and quarterback designed runs.

Said coach Brown, “Hopefully some other kids step up to play running back, I think (junior running back) Adrian Leverette could play a little bit. I don’t know if he can handle 20 reps, but I think he can do it.”

A key injury to an impact player isn’t the only depth blow to the team.

The Wildcats no longer have the services of a trio of All-State performers in linebacker Dylan Price, defensive back Jullian Jennings and two-way lineman Andrew Kilfoyl; Price (99 tackles, 17 sacks in 2018) and Jennings (eight interceptions, six passes defensed) have graduated, while Kilfoyl, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound left tackle, transferred to Gaither High School for his junior season.

Because of that, the coach said the team’s “biggest test” is figuring out “who’s going to step up on the defensive side of the ball.”

One such option is Freedman, a team captain who registered 44 tackles and four sacks last season, who the coach said has stepped up as a leader this offseason.

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats football is seeking its third straight eight-man football title. They’re on a 20-game winning streak that dates back to September 2017.

Freedman said he wants to make the most out of his final year of high school football, with aspirations of being named All-State.

“This is my last time to make it count, so I really want to make that time worth everything,” Freedman said. “I’m just trying to get in the weight room, trying to get more strength, more agility, more endurance every day. I’m just trying to put in my work every day, encourage my teammates, because I’m going to put my all out there.”

While questions remain on defense, it’s the team’s “strong” offense that has the sixth-year Wildcats coach encouraged by the possibilities in 2019, even with the loss of Saccomanno.

In addition to the coach’s son, Jalen Brown (58 percent completion rate, 1,105 passing yards, 28 total touchdowns, seven interceptions, 672 rushing yards), back under center, the Wildcats seemingly have no shortage of pass-catching options in Leverette, senior Cole Lallanilla and juniors Caleb Yann and Tayshawn Pendleton.

Said Shawn Brown, “We got our main key players back, all of our skill positions. We lost a lot with Andrew (Kilfoyl) transferring to Gaither…but we still have our core quarterback and receivers.”

The Wildcats veteran quarterback likewise is poised about this year’s offensive unit.

“I love my group this year,” Jalen Brown said. “It’s going to be a scary sight when people see us running our full offense.”

Each pass catcher has their own strengths, Jalen Brown said, whether it be route running, elusiveness, speed, size and so on.

“I think we never really had a receiving corps who are all different and really good at what they do, which makes us really good on offense this year,” he said.

And, perhaps just as important, Jalen Brown said, is this year’s squad is more tight-knit on and off the field compared to past seasons.

“I would say this year is probably the group that’s been closest together,” Jalen Brown said.

“Before, we’ve never hung out as a team, but this year we’ve done stuff as a team. I think we have a closer bond, so that we know when we step in between the lines that we each got each other’s backs. …I think we got lucky with a great group of kids here who all like the same things, and we all get along.”

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats 2019 roster

Head coach: Shawn Brown

  • Adam Zarak, junior
  • Adrian Leverette, junior
  • Caleb Yann, junior
  • Carter Kienast, freshman
  • Cole Lallanilla, senior
  • Denzyl Downing, senior
  • Devin Lam, junior
  • Dwight Downing, junior
  • Elijah Freedman, senior
  • Gavin Zeng, junior
  • Hunter Price, sophomore
  • Ian Curry, eighth grade
  • Jalen Brown, junior
  • Jay Qian, senior
  • Jonathan Brink, freshman
  • Matthew Martin, senior
  • Quinn McCormick, freshman
  • Reese Reed, freshman
  • Samson Brend, junior
  • Sean Saccomanno, junior
  • Sebastian Sosa, senior
  • Tayshawn Pendleton, junior

2019 regular season schedule

  • Duval Charter (Sept. 6, 7 p.m.)
  • at Harvest Community (Sept. 13, 7 p.m.)
  • Real Life Christian Academy (Sept. 20, 7 p.m.)
  • First Baptist Christian Academy (Sept. 27, 7 p.m.)
  • at Master’s Academy (Oct. 4, 4 p.m.)
  • at Eastland Christian (Oct. 10, 7 p.m.)
  • Lakeside Christian (Oct. 18, 7 p.m.)

Published September 4, 2019

AATL gets new softball coach

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Coming off back-to-back state titles, the Academy at the Lakes Wildcats varsity softball team will have a new face leading the successful program.

Wildcats coach Diane Stephenson stepped down after the 2019 season to accept a position closer to her home at St. Petersburg’s Admiral Farragut Academy. A two-time Class 2A Softball Coach of the Year, Stephenson posted a 65-14 mark in three seasons with the Wildcats —steering the program to three straight district titles, three straight region finals and two state championships, respectively.

Academy at the Lakes’ new softball coach Elizabeth Munn (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes Athletics)

Replacing her is Elizabeth Munn, a veteran prep coach from the Midwest who also boasts NCAA Division I coaching experience.

The 36-year-old Munn spent the past three years as head coach at York High School in Elmhurst, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She posted a combined 54-41-1, including a 28-14-1 mark and Illinois High School Association state semifinals appearance in 2018.

Prior to her stint at York, Munn held assistant coaching gigs at Division I Stanford, North Carolina State and Northwestern universities, respectively, primarily working with outfielders, and strength and conditioning. She also was a head coach at South Suburban College, a junior college in South Holland, Illinois.

Her college playing career likewise has taken a windy path, to multiple countries, in fact.

Beginning at St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota, Munn transferred to Queensland, Australia’s James Cook University, then finished her playing career as a walk-on at Indiana University.

The blend of high school and college experience makes Munn an ideal fit for Academy at the Lakes, said Tom Haslam, the school’s athletic director.

“Her resume is outstanding,” he said. “She’s done well, had success at a rather large suburban Chicago high school, and just all that good looked.

“We think she’s going to do an excellent job.” he said.

Munn arrived on Haslam’s radar after her York teams faced Academy at the Lakes in Florida  spring break tournaments the past two seasons. Munn also was recommended as suitable replacement by Stephenson herself, Haslam said.

Moreover, the Wildcats athletic director said Munn’s coaching philosophy aligns similarly with the private school’s culture.

Haslam said Munn embraced the school’s no-cut policy and its philosophy of encouraging players to participate in multiple sports and extracurricular activities.

By the same token, Munn brings a winning mindset, the athletic director said.

“She’s certainly not daunted about taking over a successful program. I think she’s ready for it,” Haslam said.

“I think she’s structured and I think she’s organized, and I think she’s going to hold their feet to the fire about hard work and showing up and things like that…but, she also understands that it’s not a school where you’re going to have 75 kids go out and you cut all but 20 of them; it’s just not that way here.”

Munn, meanwhile, is poised to take the reins of a Wildcats program that has tallied eight straight winning seasons between Stephenson and former coach Jerry English (2011-2016).

She recalled being impressed by the Wildcats program when her York team visited on March 27 —  even though Gatorade Florida Player of the Year (and current University of Alabama freshman) Lexi Kilfoyl wasn’t pitching that day.

Munn’s team ended up winning that game 15-2. Her team lost the previous year to the Wildcats, 3-1.

The Academy at the Lakes Wildcats varsity softball team won back-to-back Class 2A state titles under former head coach Diane Stephenson, who stepped down to accept a position at Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg.

She described the Wildcats program as “phenomenal” and “a powerhouse.”

“They were a great team all-around, so I’m really looking forward looking to developing and seeing these girls play together again,” Munn said, in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

Munn likewise was impressed by Academy at the Lakes upon flying down for an in-person on-campus visit, meeting with various faculty and students. Munn will be teaching health/physical education at the school.

“I felt like right at home, right away,” she said, “just because everyone makes you feel so welcome and that you’re a part of what they’re building there in that community.”

Munn, naturally, is eager to trade in blistery northern Illinois winters for Central Florida sunshine.

“Oh yeah, you have no idea,” Munn said with a laugh. “I’m excited to leave it in the past for sure. I see myself not moving back.”

Munn said her initial focus in her first year will be building camaraderie and goal-setting, noting she’s been given some beneficial pointers from Stephenson along the way.

“It’s not just one person, it’s the team,” Munn said. “You can have all the talents in the world, but unless everybody comes together to have that bond and team chemistry — that’s what really helps with building a team to win state championships.

“Just bringing everybody together so everybody understands each other and communicates with each other, I think those things are really essential,” she said.

That being said, Academy at the Lakes is headed for some rebuilding in 2020.

Besides the graduations of Kilfoyl and outfielder Tristen Gittens, the program also could be without other names on last year’s 15-player varsity roster.

Even so, Munn said she expects to be competitive, “being over .500, maybe more, depending on the talent we have coming in.”

Published August 28, 2019

State title winners head off to regionals

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In his 15 years of coaching Land O’ Lakes Little League, Daniel Broderick can’t recall the last time one of its youth baseball teams won a state title.

“I’ve been coaching a long time, and I’ve never been a state champion,” Broderick said, during a recent interview.

The last time a Land O’ Lakes Little League baseball team won a state championship was in 2002, league officials say.

Earlier this month, Land O’ Lakes claimed the 2019 Little League Baseball Senior League Florida State Championships in Bradenton by besting seven other teams from all across the state.

The Land O’ Lakes Little League senior division all-star team recently won a state title in Bradenton. The group of 14- to 16-year-olds has now advanced to the Little League southeast regionals in Safety Harbor. (File)

They defeated Jacksonville San Mateo Little League 12-3 in the state championship game.

Before advancing to and winning states, the team of 14- to 16-year-olds mowed through districts and sectional tournaments held in Tampa, Land O’ Lakes and Plant City, respectively.

“This is a big deal for ’em here,” said Broderick, who manages the team. “For me, you can never take a state title away from them (the players). It means something. It’s a big deal for them, and I think they’re embracing it pretty well.”

The all-star players echo those spirits. Especially since Land O’ Lakes qualified for the state tournament the past two years, but came up short each time.

The manager’s son, Dylan Broderick, is a 16-year-old pitcher on the team.

Winning states — and therefore entering Land O’ Lakes Little League lore — was “like a dream come true” for the player, who also plays for Sunlake High School’s baseball team.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “I’ve been playing since I was 4 years old and, up until now, we’ve never won states, and the dream of just winning states and moving on is amazing, and for us to actually do it and we faced a hard team.”

The state title run didn’t come without challenges.

Playing in round robin, double elimination formats, Land O’ Lakes lost initial games in sectionals and states, forcing them to play from behind and win multiple games in same days to claim the respective tournaments. They went 7-2 in all three tournaments combined, outscoring opponents by a 57-27 margin.

“We took a hard road,” the team’s manager said. “We had to dig for it, which made it better. Nothing was easy. There’s no easy teams, so it was good competition, which is going to help us going forward. There were no gimmes.”

He added: “It was emotional. Just the way we did it, and the group of parents and kids that we had, made it better. …Our guys and our team just maintained composure.”

Land O’ Lakes now has advanced to the Little League Southeast Regional in Safety Harbor. The tournament runs through July 24 and features all-star squads from six other states — Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The regional winner then advances to the 2019 Senior League Baseball World Series in Easley, South Carolina.

“You’re coming from a very good baseball state, so we’ve got a shot,” the manager said. “You always have a shot.”

About half of the senior all-star team plays high school baseball, including players at Land O’ Lakes High, Sunlake High and Cypress Creek Middle High.

They pride themselves on being a scrappy bunch that relies on pitching depth, sound defense and situational hitting.

“Everybody can play. We just have a bunch of studs,” Dylan Broderick said, adding the team can “make the plays that need to be done.”

Beyond that is the all-star squad’s intangibles and its ability to gel as a group.

“I feel like we have a good group of kids, good attitude, good effort, and that’s the best thing you can ask of anybody,” Dylan Broderick said.

“Everyone just likes each other,” said first baseman Cade Knouse. “Even if you go 0-for-4 in a game, there’s always people there to support you. A lot of it’s just the chemistry, with the team and parents.”

“We just bonded well together, not that we didn’t in past years, but this year just worked a little differently,” added 16-year-old catcher Nick Ketterer, who’s wrapping up his third season on the senior all-star team. “I think just getting to states the last two years just made us more hungry to get further.”

Ketterer also pointed out this year’s on-field success has brought the team even closer.

“When we won districts and we won sectionals, those were confidence boosters. We come together more, we get to play more together,” he said.

As for regionals, the group is poised for a strong, deep showing, and maybe more.

“A lot of it’s just keep doing what we’re doing,” Knouse said. “We’ve definitely got to get the bats alive as we keep moving on because offense wins games.

“We’re definitely the kind of people to capitalize off errors and mistakes, and put the ball in play when needed to.”

However it ends, the all-stars will cherish each moment, as for many it will be their last season playing Little League. (The cutoff age for Little League is 16 years old.)

“I don’t want this thing to end, because I love Little League,” 16-year-old pitcher/first baseman Hayden Woods said. “If it would go up to 30 (years old), I would probably go up to 30.”

Land O’ Lakes Little League Senior All-Stars

Manager: Daniel Broderick
Assistant coaches: Mark Folkman, Patrick Cummings, Julie Ketterer

  • Aidan Santana
  • Alex LaVare
  • Cade Knouse
  • Connor Kurrack
  • Damian Lampe
  • Devin Canter
  • Dylan Broderick
  • Francis Rodriguez
  • Hayden Woods
  • Logan Larscheid
  • Luis Nunez
  • Max Folkman
  • Nick Ketterer
  • Nicolas Hauth
  • Kennen Ayala
  • T.J. Whales

Published July 24, 2019

Lexi Kilfoyl named Florida’s best — again

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One of area’s most dominant softball players ever has again proved she’s tops in the entire Sunshine State.

Academy at the Lakes (AATL) senior pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl has been named 2019 Gatorade Florida Softball Player of the Year, given to the state’s best softball player, regardless of classification.

Academy at the Lakes senior Lexi Kilfoyl repeated as Gatorade Florida Softball Player of the Year. (File)

When it comes to receiving the notable distinction, the Wildcats star is on familiar ground.

The 6-foot-2 right-handed ace and first base slugger won the award last year, too, making her just the third two-time winner from the state, joining Dunnellon’s Kasey Fagan (2009-10) and Spruce Creek’s Kelsi Dunne (2006-07). Kilfoyl is the only Pasco County softball player to have ever won the award.

The Gatorade State Player of the Year award was established in 1985 “to recognize the nation’s most outstanding high school student-athletes for their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character.”

The program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross-country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one national player of the year in each sport.

The honor is surely deserved for Kilfoyl, who’s set to join the University of Alabama softball program on scholarship this fall.

Equipped with a powerful arm and bat, Kilfoyl buoyed Academy at the Lakes to a 19-7 mark and its second straight FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 2A state title last month in Vero Beach.

In the May 21 state championship game — an 11-0 shutout over Mount Dora Christian Academy — Kilfoyl fired a six-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the circle, and drove in two runs and scored another on two hits at the plate.

Kilfoyl also pitched a one-hit, nine strikeout complete game shutout in the Class 2A semifinals win over Palatka Penel Baptist Academy, while adding in four runs on two hits of her own.

The state finals were a microcosm of sorts for Kilfoyl’s senior campaign and her entire Wildcats career, for that matter.

She registered a 14-1 record with a 0.48 ERA, striking out 134 batters in 72.2 innings pitched, while allowing just 15 hits in 2019. She also produced the best hitting season of her varsity career, posting a .563 batting average with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs, compiling a .653 on-base percentage and a 1.188 slugging percentage.

Making it all the more impressive: Kilfoyl did it all while nursing a trapezius strain, which forced her to abstain from pitching for about a month in the middle of the season.

Because of that, Kilfoyl actually wasn’t expecting to repeat as state player of the year.

“It definitely was kind of a shocker,” Kilfoyl said, “because my pitching stats weren’t the greatest compared to other pitchers that had that month to get their stats up that much more, so I definitely was very surprised and it almost felt very relieving to know that missing one month can’t kill you.”

What Kilfoyl may have lacked in total innings pitched, she more than made up for with the bat, notching career highs in virtually every statistical category.

The month of pitching missed allowed her to better fine-tune her approach at the plate, she said.

“I think because hitting was mainly the only thing I could do, that was my main focus, and I think definitely had something to do with it,” Kilfoyl said, of her batting numbers.

The 2019 season puts a bow on what’s been a lengthy varsity career at AATL, one that began when Kilfoyl was in the seventh grade.

In her previous five seasons combined, Kilfoyl had a 76-15 record, with a 1.13 earned run average and 842 strikeouts across 571.1 innings pitched. She also generated a .466 batting average with 17 home runs, 38 extra base hits and 129 RBIs in 104 games.

For most of her career, Kilfoyl has been widely regarded as one of the nation’s top prep pitchers and college prospects, being named the No. 5 recruit overall in the Class of 2019 by Softball America.

Kilfoyl and Land O’ Lakes High School senior pitcher Callie Turner are among just 20 athletes nationwide who’ve been selection to the 2019 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Training Team. Kilfoyl also made the junior national squad back in 2017, then the team’s youngest member as a 16-year-old sophomore.

Reflecting on her prep career, Kilfoyl said: “I feel like I did accomplish everything that was possible. I definitely feel like I’ve done everything that I could, and couldn’t have done it any other way, no better way to end it.”

And, helping the AATL softball program win its first state title last year goes down as her all-time favorite moment. It was an 11-inning, rain-soaked pitcher’s duel in which the Wildcats defeated Monticello Aucilla Christian 1-0.

“Winning states last year was the most memorable,” Kilfoyl said. “The game was such neck-and-neck, and we didn’t know if we were going to win.”

Kilfoyl, who also was a standout volleyball and basketball at AATL, isn’t the only high-profile athlete in her family, remarkably.

Her older brother, Darin, is a 6-foot-8 right-handed pitcher at Division I University of North Florida. He previously starred on the baseball diamond at AATL and St. Johns River State College. Their younger brother, Andrew, is a rising junior offensive lineman at Gaither High School, who is already garnering Division I interest as a 6-foot-5, 275-pound left tackle. Andrew transferred to Gaither after earning All-State honors in the eight-man football ranks at AATL each of the last two seasons.

Kilfoyl said the family regularly works out together, challenging one another for athletics accomplishments.

“We definitely push each other,” Kilfoyl said, “but then there is also kind of a little bit of competitive side to us, like, ‘Oh I did this better than you,’ just how like siblings are.”

Lexi Kilfoyl – 2019 stats

Pitching: 72.2 innings pitched, 12-1 record, 0.48 ERA, 134 strikeouts, 15 walks, .061 batting average against, .122 on-base percentage against

Batting: .562 batting average, 12 home runs, 12 doubles, 37 RBI, 21 runs, 45 hits, .653 on-base percentage, 1.187 slugging percentage

Published June 19, 2019

Stephenson steps down

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Academy at the Lakes’ Coach Diane Stephenson gives a pep talk to batter Kacey Atkins during a regular season game. (File)

As Lexi Kilfoyl gears up for the college ranks, the Wildcats softball program will take on even more of a new look next season, as Head Coach Diane Stephenson, who was named Florida Dairy Farmers 2019 Class 2A Coach of the Year, steps away from the program to accept a job at St. Petersburg’s Admiral Farragut Academy.

Stephenson took over the Wildcats program in 2017 after a lengthy Division I coaching career that took her to Indiana, Purdue and Iowa universities, among other stops.

In three seasons at AATL, Stephenson steered the program to three straight district titles, three straight region finals and back-to-back consecutive state championships, to go along with a combined 65-14 mark.

Aside from Kilfoyl and Stephenson, however, much of the 2019 15-player roster could return next season. Outfielder Tristen Gittens was the team’s only other graduating senior.