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Land O' Lakes Sports

Academy at the Lakes poised for breakout season

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After three consecutive losing seasons in the eight-man football ranks, Academy at the Lakes looks to make a splash in 2017, under fourth-year head coach Shawn Brown.

The Wildcats are coming off a 2-8 mark in 2016, after finishing 4-7 and 3-5 the prior two seasons.

But now — with a fruitful combination of talent, depth and experience — the Wildcats appear primed for a breakout year.

Academy at the Lakes running back/linebacker Danny Gonzalez is one of a dozen seniors on the 2017 squad. He was named to the Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) All-State team in 2016.
(Courtesy of Joe Winn, Winning Photography)

“This is the first year we have everybody coming back since I’ve been here,” Brown said, during a late April spring practice at the Lake Padgett Estates East Sports Complex.

After having no seniors in 2016, the Wildcats expect to field a dozen on the 2017 roster.

Among them is Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) All-State linebacker Danny Gonzalez, who registered 165 tackles in 2016, the highest among all Florida eight-man players.

Doubling as a tailback, the 6-foot, 205-pound team captain was also the Wildcats leading rusher (608 yards, 10 touchdowns).

And, throughout his sensational 2016 campaign, Gonzalez received some national recognition, becoming a three-time nominee for MaxPreps/USA Football Player of the Week.

His performance has drawn the attention of multiple college scouts, including Millsaps College (Jackson, Mississippi), Florida Tech University (Melbourne, Florida) and Hillsdale College (Hillsdale, Michigan).

Impressive, considering Gonzalez didn’t begin playing football until his freshman year.

Instead, he played basketball through the eighth grade.

“He has come a long way,” Brown said. “He’s just turned into a pure football player in the last four years.”

Understanding football’s nuances was foremost to his development as a player, Gonzalez said. He acknowledged he “didn’t know a single thing” about the game when he first signed up.

“I think a lot of it was just learning the game a little bit more,” Gonzalez said. “Coach Brown was always helping me at the linebacker position, just teaching me.”

Seeing Gonzalez’s triumphs have encouraged other Academy at the Lakes students give football a shot.

Currently the 2017 squad has nearly 30 players, about a dozen more than last year.

“All the other kids have come out,” Brown said, “because they see Danny didn’t play before, and he’s been successful.”

Beyond the gaudy statistics and football skillset, Gonzalez’s best quality is his work ethic, the Wildcats coach said.

“Everything he does is at 100 percent. He doesn’t take plays off,” said Brown.

That mindset, too, translates to the classroom, where Gonzalez boasts a 3.8 grade point average.

“He’s a perfectionist, so he doesn’t like to fail at anything,” Brown explained. “I think that shows in his grades. If you say we’re going to play basketball one-on-one, he’s going to do everything to beat you. If you play pool, he’s going to try to beat you. If you play chess, checkers — I think it’s that he takes everything so seriously.”

Yet, Gonzalez doesn’t figure to be the only Wildcat filling up highlight reels.

The 2017 squad features several other impact players, including senior wide-out Isaiah Smith (28 receptions, 592 yards, seven touchdowns), junior tailback/defensive back Jamaal Johnson (702 all-purpose yards) and freshman quarterback Jalen Brown, who started as an eighth grader in 2016, passing for 1,116 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

“I think we have a good group where a lot of guys can make some plays,” Shawn Brown said. “Now we have the experience, we shouldn’t have as many mistakes in games, and we should win more games.”

His star pupil concurs.

“We’re just all trying to come together as a team this year,” Gonzalez said. “We’re just working together and make sure everyone works as hard as the next guy…”

Besides shedding tackles, the Wildcats look to shed perceptions about eight-man football, where games are played on a compacted 40 by 80-yard field.

“Some people give eight-man a bad rap,” Shawn Brown said. “They’re like, ‘kids can’t get recruited,’ but I look at a guy like Danny Gonzalez. A lot of colleges will recruit (eight-man) because it’s a skill-based game.”

To Brown, “football is football,” whether it’s six-man, eight-man or the standard 11-man.

“We do everything everybody else does,” he said.

The Wildcats will wrap up spring practices on May 25 with a jamboree against other FCAPPS programs.

Published May 10, 2017

Wesley Chapel High softball reaches first regional appearance

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The banner season for Wesley Chapel High softball isn’t quite over.

The Wesley Chapel High varsity softball team has advanced to its first regional appearance. They face the Robinson Knights (22-5) in the Class 6A Regional Quarterfinal on May 3 at 7 p.m.
(Courtesy of Wesley Chapel High Softball)

At 18-6, the Wildcats already have secured the program’s best record — and first winning season — in its 10-year history.

Now comes the school’s first playoff appearance.

The team is set to face the Robinson Knights (22-5) in the Class 6A Regional Quarterfinal on May 3 at 7 p.m.

The game, at Robinson High School in Tampa, looks to be an intriguing matchup, as both squads sport potent offenses and legitimate aces.

A slightly better offense statistically, the Knights average 7.3 runs per game, with a .344 team batting average; the Wildcats average seven runs per game, and bat .337.

In the circle, Wesley Chapel will rely upon freshman Jordan Almasy (2.91 ERA, 121 strikeouts). Robinson, though, has multiple starting pitcher options, and could turn to either junior Cassidy Renninger (0.78 ERA, 64 strikeouts) or senior Sammy Conlan (1.39 ERA, 51 strikeouts).

The main difference between the squads is experience.

Outside of one senior, the Wildcats roster consists entirely of freshman and sophomores.

The Knights, however, employ a handful of juniors and seniors, plus Conlan and Renninger.
Beyond matchups, the bigger question for Wesley Chapel is maintaining confidence after its nine-game winning streak was shattered on April 26 — an “emotional” 10-0 loss to Land O’ Lakes High in the District 7-6A finals. (Both the district champion and district runner-up qualify for regionals.)

“It was very tough on them,” Wesley Chapel head coach Steve Mumaw said, describing the impact of the defeat. “They were disappointed they didn’t play as well as they know they could’ve played.”

Land O’ Lakes High also advanced to regionals, after winning the District 7-6A title on April 26.
(Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High Softball)

Since the setback, Mumaw and his staff have strived to ensure the team doesn’t waver psychologically, during the most critical point of the season.

“I think with any athlete, you want to try to stay on an even keel as much as possible, and not be on that (emotional) roller coaster — but especially with a young team,” Mumaw explained. “That’s something that we’re trying to teach them, so that they can learn that everything doesn’t just ride on one game.

“It’s difficult for them to learn, but it’s something that as they learn and mature, then it’s going to make them a lot better in the future,” he said.

Besides the mental aspect, shoring up the team’s defense — “just all over”— and putting balls in play — “with authority”— are other priorities.

In the Land O’ Lakes loss, Wesley Chapel committed three errors, and cobbled together just four hits against Gators sophomore standout Callie Turner (0.21 ERA, 200 strikeouts).

On the upside, the Wildcats struck out just seven times against Turner, who averages about 13 strikeouts per start.

Another positive, Wesley Chapel should have more depth entering regionals, as sophomore outfielder Cassidy Middleton (broken finger) is expected to make a full return to the lineup.

Prior to her midseason injury in March, Middleton was the team leader in RBIs (10).

“She’s a very valuable outfielder,” the Wildcats coach said. “We’re just now starting to get her back where she can swing the bat without a splint on.”

No matter its playoff outcome, Wesley Chapel’s 2017 season won’t soon be forgotten.

Until now, the school’s varsity softball program never experienced a winning record.

Coaching instability and talent deficiencies yielded paltry results since the program began in 2007.

In its first five years, the Wildcats went 1-15, 2-20, 2-21, 1-22 and 2-21. Ensuing seasons were similarly frustrating, as the team went 5-14, 0-24, 2-22 and 7-17.

“It’s just incredible,” Mumaw said, of the 2017 season. “Once the season is over, I’m sure they’ll look back on it and realize all of the things that they’ve been able to accomplish this year.”

Considering the youthful makeup of the roster, Wesley Chapel figures to be competitive against each school in its district — chiefly Land O’ Lakes and River Ridge — for the next several seasons.

Future aside, the Wildcats’ focus is squarely on this week’s playoffs.

“We’re going to play as hard as we can,” Mumaw said, “and see how long we can play in it.”

Other regional softball teams in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:
Class 8A: Steinbrenner High (17-5); Wharton High (16-5)
Class 7A: Sunlake High (18-6); Gaither High (15-8)
Class 6A: Land O’ Lakes High (24-3)
Class 3A: Carrollwood Day School (10-6)
Class 2A: Academy at the Lakes (19-2)

Published May 3, 2017

Going out on top

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Pennye Garcia, the longest-standing cheerleading coach in Pasco County is retiring — and she’s going out on top.

Sunlake cheer coach Pennye Garcia, left, is retiring at the end of the school year. For the second consecutive year, Garcia was named SAC East Cheer Coach of the Year. Also pictured: Sunlake principal Michael Cloyd and senior Mallory Mock, who won SAC East Cheerleader of the Year.
(Courtesy of Pennye Garcia)

Garcia, who’s coached at Sunlake High in multiple stints (2007-2008, 2013-2017), was recently crowned Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) East Cheer Coach of the Year, for the second consecutive year.

It, too, marks the second straight year one of Garcia’s cheerleaders — senior Mallory Mock — was awarded SAC East Cheerleader of the Year. (In 2016, then-senior Amanda Slozer won the honor.)

Moreover, eight of Garcia’s cheerleaders from this season were selected to the SAC East All-Conference teams, the most of any east Pasco school.

One of the premier cheerleading coaches in the area, Garcia maintained a successful track record at Sunlake — four consecutive state appearances — by instilling discipline, consistency and purpose. She also maintained the quality of cheerleaders she would select for her varsity squad.

She, too, is regarded for her diligent preparation.

“I like to do things way ahead of time,” Garcia said, “so that there’s no surprises.”

Other coaching stops during her 15-year career included Academy at the Lakes, Hudson, Mitchell, Land O’ Lakes and Wiregrass Ranch high schools.

Yet, some of her most impressive accomplishments occurred during her tenure at Sunlake.

In the 2013-2014 season, she led the Seahawks to a state title in the Class 1A Medium Division.

Sunlake’s inaugural 2007-2008 season was memorable, too.

Under her tutelage, a group consisting of six freshman and no seniors advanced to states, finishing seventh out of 24 teams.

Under Garcia, Sunlake has been one of the top cheerleading programs in Pasco County. She is the longest-standing cheerleading coach in Pasco County, at 15 years. Garcia previously coached for Academy at the Lakes, Hudson, Mitchell, Land O’ Lakes and Wiregrass Ranch high schools.

“I had a really young team,” Garcia said, of the inaugural team. “When they announced the teams to go to finals…I was totally shocked.”

Besides the competitive cheer success, Garcia will miss Friday night high school football games, along with the countless relationships she cultivates each year.

Over the past few weeks, it’s been a teary-eyed farewell tour, of sorts.

“It’s just very emotional,” Garcia said, “because…I love what I did and I have special (feelings) for my kids.”

Garcia, too, wants to be remembered as a coach who cared for her athletes, wanting to see them improve, both on and off the floor.

“She’s just an amazing coach,” Mock said. “She’s made me the person that I am today. She’s taught me strength, determination, and how to set examples.”

Over the years, Garcia has remained “real close” with many of her former cheerleaders.

Some of them, likewise, have made significant coaching strides.

For instance, Hudson High coach Chelsea Hatcher, the 2016-2017 SAC West Cheer Coach of the Year, is one of Garcia’s former cheerleaders.
So, too, is Sophia Fluellen, the head cheer coach at Pasco-Hernando State College, a program that has won five College Co-Ed Level 6 division titles in the past seven years.

While there’s no indication yet who will replace Garcia, one thing’s for sure: the new coach is taking over a program with a solid foundation.

“I’ve got everything all set,” she said. “We’ve got uniforms; they don’t have to really fundraise too much.”

And although she’s retiring from coaching high school, Garcia’s not completely saying goodbye to the sport.
Garcia will still organize private instructions, and teach lessons at Mary Jo’s Performing Arts, in Tampa.

She also plans to judge at various Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) competitive cheer competitions.

She said she might even publish a book on cheerleading coaching, providing tips on tryouts and formations, especially for new coaches.

“I’ll miss the thought process of putting (cheerleaders) into groups and doing the brain work, because I do that constantly,” Garcia said.

Mock, too, plans to stay involved with the sport, after she graduates in May. One possibility is auditioning to be a Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) staff member. Another is joining University of South Florida’s Coed Cheer Team.

Published March 22, 2017

Sunlake girls weightlifting well-represented on SAC awards

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The dominance of the Sunlake girls weightlifting program remained apparent at the annual Sunshine Athletic Conference (East) Awards.

The Sunlake girls weightlifting team was well-represented in the SAC East Awards. Denise Garcia won SAC East Coach of the Year honors, and 10 lifters were selected to the SAC East All-Conference teams.
(Courtesy of Denise Garcia)

Seahawks coach Denise Garcia won her second consecutive SAC East Girls’ Weightlifting Coach of the Year Award, and 10 of her lifters were named to the 2016-2017 SAC East All-Conference team, announced on March 6.

A mix of youth and experience, Sunlake won all of their Eastside Conference meets, placed second at the Class 2A Regionals and had three top-10 finishers at the state finals.

The season also saw a few milestones for the girls’ program, including its first 400-pound lifter.

Senior Micaiah Long set that mark at the 2017 Class 2A state meet, with a 215-pound bench press and a 185-pound clean-and-jerk, placing third in the unlimited division.

The previous school record was a 385-pound total, set in the 2015-2016 season by Brianna Anderson, who won a state title in the 183-pound division.

Senior Micaiah Long became Sunlake’s first 400-pound lifter during the Class 2A state meet. The mark was good enough to place third in the unlimited division.

Long, a first-year lifter in the Sunlake program, added a combined 65 pounds to her lifts since the first meet of the season.

Her strategy? More lifting.

“I just worked hard,” Long said. “I went in and worked out more, got extra reps in.”

“She started at 335 (pounds), and she improved with her work ethic,” Garcia said. “She put so much into it. She had the passion to do it, she had a goal she set for herself, and she was going to do it.”

Garcia, too, credits Long for being coachable throughout the season.

“She listens and takes everything I tell her,” the coach said. “She’s like a sponge.”

In the meantime, Long won’t soon forget the weightlifting experience.

“It was exciting. I accomplished my goals,” said Long, who’s also on the Sunlake track and field team.

“I was shy, and I think it brought my personality out.”

The 400-pound feat wasn’t the only Sunlake record shattered during the season, however.

Denise Garcia, right, won her second consecutive SAC East Girls’ Weightlifting Coach of the Year award. Senior Micaiah Long was selected First-Team All-Conference.
(Kevin Weiss)

In the 101-pound class, senior Shelby Lewis set a school and conference record with a 130-pound clean-and-jerk; she later finished ninth in the state meet.

Without Lewis and Long, Garcia’s 10th season could prove more challenging, as the Seahawks also lose two other state qualifiers in seniors Hailey Parks (sixth place in 183-pound division) and Caroline Winstead (19th in 139-pound division.)

For Garcia, it’s no matter.

With five non-seniors representing Sunlake on the All-Conference list, the Seahawks coach isn’t concerned about a possible rebuilding-type year for the 2017-2018 season.

Instead, she relishes the task.

“I coach who’s in front of me,” Garcia said. “My job is to give them the confidence, to show them the skills, and then we go from there.”

“I have confidence in my girls,” she added.

One lifter to watch out for next season, Garcia said, is freshman Antoinette Farmer.

Competing in the 183-pound division, Farmer increased her lifting totals from 195 pounds to 285 pounds over the course of the season.

Garcia heaped high praise on Farmer, noting she could one day surpass Brianna Anderson’s totals.

“She’s hungry,” Garcia said. “To have somebody like that—the whole package—it’s rare to find that.”

2016-2017 SAC East All-Conference Girls’ Weightlifting
Coach of the Year: Denise Garcia, Sunlake High
Athlete of the Year: Jessica Guadarrama, Zephyrhills High, junior

First-Team All-Conference
101-pound: Shelby Lewis, Sunlake High, senior
110-pound: Savannah Sutton, Zephyrhills High, sophomore
119-pound: Lizbeth Estrada, Zephyrhills High, senior
129-pound: Loah Castro, Sunlake High, sophomore
139-pound: Caroline Winstead, Sunlake High, sophomore
154-pound: Tricia Clifton, Wiregrass Ranch High, senior
169-pound: Alysa Kremer, Land O’ Lakes High, freshman
183-pound: Jessica Guadarrama, Zephyrhills High, junior
199-pound: Yarixa Casasnovas, Sunlake High, junior
Unlimited: Micaiah Long, Sunlake High, senior

Second-Team All-Conference
101-pound: Sara First, Zephyrhills High, senior
110-pound: Maria Espinal, Sunlake High, sophomore
119-pound: Caitlyn Elling, Pasco High, sophomore
129-pound: Mariah Melendez, Sunlake High, sophomore
139-pound: Isabella Garcia, Sunlake High, freshman
154-pound: Katelyn Ortiz, Sunlake High, senior
169-pound: Veronica Salazar, Land O’ Lakes High, sophomore
183-pound: Hailey Parks, Sunlake High, senior
199-pound: Tatyana Cole, Zephyrhills High, junior
Unlimited: Abby Shaffer, Zephyrhills High School, sophomore
Honorable Mention: Abigail Monticco, Wesley Chapel, junior

Published March 15, 2017

 

Sunlake falls short of state title bid

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They were just one win shy from reaching the Class 7A state tournament.

Yet, as the performance in their first-ever region final would indicate, Sunlake’s varsity girls basketball team still has some work to get there.

The Seahawks (17-9) — the last girls hoops squad standing in Pasco County — suffered a devastating 66-24 loss to Orlando Edgewater (16-14) on Feb. 17 at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

Sunlake fell one win shy of reaching the Class 7A state tournament. However, they return all but one player for the 2017-2018 season.
(Kevin Weiss)

A sizable Seahawks crowd — loud and proud in pre-game warmups — was quickly silenced as Edgewater roared to a blazing 24-0 start, less than 7 minutes through the opening quarter.

The Eagles attacked Sunlake’s 2-3 zone, mostly by hitting 3s, drawing fouls and getting second-chance opportunities.

Edgewater’s well-rounded athleticism and on-ball traps, too, proved a problem for the Seahawks throughout the contest.

The first Sunlake points finally came with 51 seconds left in the first quarter — a three-point play by 5-foot-10 junior guard Elizabeth Moran, who led the team with eight points.

It was far from enough, though.

By halftime, Edgewater’s lead grew to 53-16.

A running clock ensued in the second half.

For the game, Edgewater made 18 three-pointers, and out-rebounded the Seahawks 27-12.

Edgewater, which has won four state championships since 2007, is now playing in the state tournament for the sixth time in 10 years.

Despite the lopsided defeat, Seahawks coach Reesa Hendrix Pledge remained upbeat.

“Sometimes you’re just not ready,” Hendrix Pledge said, honestly. “But, we’ll be ready next year. We’ll be back.”

There’s a solid chance of that, considering Sunlake has just one senior— guard Cheyenne Yucatonis — graduating from a team that returns five juniors, two sophomores and three freshmen.

“They’re babies,” Hendrix Pledge said. “There’s two of them that started last year, and the rest of them are just now playing.”

The 2016-2017 season, she noted, was more about “coming together as a team.”

“The greatest thing,” Hendrix Pledge said, “is they love each other more, and they fight for each other.”

Sunlake’s final basket of the season, fittingly, was scored by Yucatonis. The senior was subsequently pulled out of the game as a show of gratitude for her contributions to the program.

“She’s meant everything,” Hendrix Pledge said. “She’s worked hard, she’s been the first one to practice, she’s been the one that helps clean up, she’s (taught) them what it takes to work year-round and to get better.

“That’s what we needed this year — that leadership — and she showed it.”

Prior to the setback to Edgewater, Sunlake won four consecutive playoff games, defeating Springstead twice, Land O’ Lakes and Brandon high schools.

Elsewhere in our coverage area, the Carrollwood Day School’s varsity girls basketball team advanced to the state tournament for the first time in school history. Under first-year coach Karim Nohra, the Patriots (27-2) are heading to Lakeland to play in the Class 3A state semifinal, following a 51-43 victory over Orlando Christian Prep in the region final on Feb. 14.

Nohra previously guided Academy at the Lakes to the final four in five of his six years before departing to CDS in October.

The Patriots enter the state tournament with youth — and lots of it. The roster of 10 players includes just two sophomores, six freshmen, an eighth grader and a seventh grader. Additionally, all five starters are freshman, including top player Tiasia McMillan, a guard who averages 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Key returnees for Sunlake in 2017-2018

  • Andrea Wallace, junior center: 11.9 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 2.2 blocks per game
  • Mary Moran, junior guard: 9.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.5 steals per game (SPG)
  • Kasia Ramirez, junior guard: 8.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.1 SPG

Published February 22, 2017

Academy softball player makes national team

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Academy at the Lakes’ Alexis Kilfoyl is a softball prodigy, of sorts.

She’s been a varsity star since the seventh grade.

Alexis Kilfoyl, a sophomore at Academy at the Lakes, was selected to join the 2017 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Training Team, along with just 23 other athletes nationwide. She is the youngest of the group. Last season, the 6-foot-1 ace won 11 games, compiling a 1.36 ERA and striking out 163 batters in 103 innings.
(Courtesy of John Faith)

She was a freshman when she committed to the University of Alabama, which is perennially one of the nation’s top softball programs.

As a sophomore, she’s already one of the area’s top pitchers and hitters.

Now, she’s among elite company.

On Jan. 3, the 6-foot-1 ace was selected to join the 2017 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Training Team, along with just 23 other athletes nationwide.

Ten of the chosen athletes will be competing with their NCAA Division I universities, while 14 players will still be a part of their respective high schools prior to the summer team.

Of those qualifying, Kilfoyl is the youngest.

She made the team following a two-day selection process in Clearwater.

Using her signature drop-ball pitch, Kilfoyl said she felt “very confident” following tryouts, despite matching up against older peers.

“I definitely knew it wasn’t going to be just a cakewalk,” said Kilfoyl, who’s played softball since she was 8 years old. “But, what made me think I could make the team was I pitched strong…in all the late innings I pitched.”

In June and July, Kilfoyl and others will compete in a training camp and exhibition games in Oklahoma City at the World Cup of Softball XII. From there, the final roster for the 2017 USA Softball JWNT will be narrowed down to 17 players. The 17-player roster will then compete at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Junior Women’s World Championship from July 24 to July 30 in Clearwater.

Alexis Kilfoyl, on committing to the University of Alabama as a freshman:
“When we showed up there, the whole culture of everybody was so different. We showed up, all the coaches were there. They all dedicated their time to us, and they were really…focused on you, and not just anything else.”

The summer experience will give Kilfoyl the opportunity to receive additional top-level coaching, from the likes of Oregon State head coach Laura Berg, Arizona State head coach Trisha Ford, University of Texas-Arlington head coach Kristie Fox and University of Kansas associate head coach John Rittman.

Furthermore, it’s all just another step in Kilfoyl’s dream of playing in the 2020 Olympics.

“That’s a very high projection,” she said, acknowledging the lofty target.

For Kilfoyl, however, the goal seems attainable.

Diane Stephenson, first-year coach at Academy at the Lakes, said the Junior Nationals should take Kilfoyl’s “mental game to a totally different level.”

“I think she’ll be even more dominant,” Stephenson said, “because of that experience of being around people that are all as good as her.

“So many times, when you’re an elite athlete, you don’t have the opportunity to be around and be challenged by other people.”

Perfecting the emotional and cerebral side of the game, Kilfoyl agreed, will be a major emphasis this season.

“We’re really going to try and focus on my mental game,” Kilfoyl said. “I feel like it will go really well with my physical (abilities).”

Meanwhile, Stephenson, who coached for two decades at Indiana University and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame last October, knows she has quite the difference maker in Kilfoyl, at the Academy.

“It’s really only the very elite, elite athletes that are making (college) commitments in ninth and even eighth grade,” Stephenson said, referring to Kilfoyl’s verbal commitment to Alabama.

“The best schools in the country are trying to solidify their roster as soon as they feel like someone is developed enough that they can make a difference in their program,” the coach said.

The new Academy coach also commended Kilfoyl’s personal pitching instructor, Kaci Clark Zerbe, who pitched on UCLA’s 1995 national title team.

“She’s been pretty instrumental in (Kilfoyl’s) development over the last two years…and helping to get where she is,” Stephenson said. “There’s a lot of very talented people, but if you don’t have great coaching, you don’t make something like the (Junior National) team.”

Meantime, Kilfoyl is looking to build off what was an eye-popping freshman campaign — both in the circle and at the plate.

Last season, Kilfoyl won 11 games, compiling a 1.36 ERA and striking out 163 batters in 103 innings.

“I just kind of have to get a feel for the hitters — where their strong spots are, where their weak spots are,” Kilfoyl said of her pitching strategy.

At the plate, Kilfoyl batted a team-leading .561, hitting three home runs, along with six doubles and 20 RBIs.

The Wildcats open the 2017 season with a preseason tournament — Springstead Invitational — on Feb. 9. Their first regular season game is at Carrollwood Day School on Feb. 16.

Practices began on Jan. 23.

Stats compiled using maxpreps.com.

Varsity Stats
Freshman
Pitching: 11 wins, 1.36 ERA, 163 strikeouts in 103 innings
Hitting: .561 average, three home runs, six doubles, 20 RBIs

Eighth grade
Pitching: 12 wins, 0.72 ERA, 111 strikeouts in 87.1 innings
Hitting: .458 average, four home runs, eight doubles, 25 RBIs

Seventh grade
Pitching: 14 wins, 2.61 ERA, 118 strikeouts in 115.1 innings
Hitting: .309 average, four doubles, 12 RBIs

Published January 25, 2017

More girls pumping iron at Academy at the Lakes

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When Academy at the Lakes began its girls weightlifting program, there was just one girl on the team.

That was in 2014, and the sole lifter was senior Kennedy Van Zandt Lachiotte.

Since then, the program has grown steadily.

Academy at the Lakes basketball standout Imani Thomas is a first-time member of the Wildcats weightlifting team. Second-year coach Marla Oliver believes she has potential to reach states this year.
(Photos courtesy of Winning Photography)

Participation (and expectations) is up under second-year coach Marla Oliver, who took over in 2015 after John Castelmare’s retirement.

And, despite the exit of three graduating seniors — Maggie Hult, Natalie Davis, Grace Faith — the weightlifting coach has managed to increase from seven a year ago to 12 for the 2016-2017 roster.

How does the coach do it?

It starts with an open invitation, followed by encouragement.

“Either they like it and want to stay with it,” Oliver said, “or, it’s not for them, and it’s no pressure at all. I always tell them that.”

However, she added: “Most of the girls end up liking it.”

That includes the school’s senior basketball sensation Imani Thomas, to whom Oliver one day suggested that she give weightlifting a chance.

Thomas — who according to Oliver possesses “natural strength”— fell in love with the sport, instantly.

“I’m…drawn to weightlifting,” Thomas said. “The environment, the intensity that people have around you — it’s pretty nice.”

She, too, enjoys the camaraderie aspect of weightlifting.

“We have this team that will cheer you on no matter what,” Thomas said, “even if you’re struggling.”

Another positive: it’s boosted her performance on the hardwood.

Sophomore Victoria Yanez sets up for a clean-and-jerk at a recent weightlifting meet.

“I’ve gotten a little bit more stronger in the paint,” said Thomas, who’s averaging 10.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.

Other lifters, like sophomore Victoria Yanez, are bullish to the sport because of its obvious health benefits.

“I was really into personal fitness and being really healthy,” Yanez said, “and I wasn’t really feeling like I was getting that out of collective sports like volleyball or softball. We tried (weightlifting) in one of our gym classes in the weight room, and it was so invigorating and so much fun.”

Yanez, like Thomas, appreciates the sport’s “supportive community” often apparent at meets.

“We’re there cheering on other teams that might be our biggest competitor,” Yanez said, “because you see these girls and you see how hard they’re working, and you know how hard they’re working…because you go through that.”

That mindset often trickles to coaches from opposing schools, she added.

“Their coaches will help you and they give you pointers because they want real competition,” Yanez explained. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, let’s let them slip away and win.’”

Being a smaller private school, winning meets against larger public schools is a substantial hurdle, however.

So, too, is fitting in workouts for girls like Thomas, who have other sports and extracurricular obligations.

“It’s about trying to get them in the weight room with so much going on,” Oliver said. “There’s everything from auditions for a play, to girls in cheerleading…”

Second-year weightlifting coach Marla Oliver has steadily increased participation among girls at Academy at the Lakes.
(File Photo)

To compensate, the Wildcats coach schedules intensive full-body workouts, striving to master each lifter’s technique for the bench press and clean-and-jerk.

“With the time that we have,” Oliver said, “we can’t really do a leg day, or an arm day.”

That’s fine for Yanez, who’s just looking to improve her lifting fundamentals as the season progresses.

“I look at technique specifically,” Yanez said, “because that’s one thing that definitely helps you. It’s not about pure grit and throwing up weights; it’s about how you go about doing it.”

The Wildcats coach, meanwhile, believes as many as five Wildcats can qualify for regionals, based on past invitational and district results. A few — like Thomas— even have potential to reach states someday.

“I’m just happy right now that we are putting up points,” Oliver said, “and, the girls are increasing their numbers.”

As she continues to elevate the program, Oliver feels the sport’s popularity, especially among the girls at Academy at the Lakes, lies in weightlifting’s ability to serve as a “confidence boost.”

Yanez agrees.

“You can go from being this meek, timid person to being someone who grows confidence,” Yanez said, “because (girls) are like, ‘I can do this and I can accomplish so much more if I set my mind to it.’”

Academy at the Lakes girls weightlifting
Haven Blinder-8th grade
Brooke Blankenship-8th grade
Rori Gerstner-8th grade
Christin Harris-Freshman
Isabella Lyons-Freshman
Jessica Mott-Freshman
Amber Nadeau-Freshman
Haneen McNamee-Sophomore
Victoria Yanez-Sophomore
Melissa Feingold-Junior
Julia Davis-Senior
Regan McCormick-Senior
Imani Thomas-Senior

Published December 21, 2016

Thomas leads makeshift AATL hoops team

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Imani Thomas has had to adapt —and lead — in the face of mass exodus.

The Academy at the Lakes senior, like others, wasn’t even sure if the private school would field a basketball team prior to the 2016-2017 season.

Senior Imani Thomas has helped guide an Academy at the Lakes team with a new coach and a bevy of young, inexperienced players.
(File Photo)

The program had lost its uber-successful coach — Karim Nohra— who “retired” then wound up at Carrollwood Day School. It lost its most prolific scorer — junior Audra Leipold (24.8 points per game) — who defected to Seffner Christian Academy. As if that wasn’t enough of a blow, the program, too, lost a pair of battle-tested seniors — Janise Cassanello, Lulu Santiago — from last year’s 2A state runner-up squad.

“It’s basically a new team, a new environment,” said Thomas, a two-time Florida Association of Basketball Coaches All-State selection. “It’s very different.”

“It’s more pressure on the (players) that came back,” she added.

Including Thomas, the team returns Nini Chester and Loren Wells, also seniors.

Everyone else — including head coach Todd Huffman — is new.

So, too, is the style of play — slower and more deliberate.

They’re finding a way to make it work, however.

Despite the turnover — and just seven healthy players — the team stands at 6-2 (as of Dec. 9).

Much of that record can be attributed to the efforts of Thomas, a 6-foot power forward many consider as one of the premier frontcourt players in Tampa Bay.

ESPN’s high school girls basketball recruiting service — HoopGurlz—pegs Thomas as a three-star recruit and the nation’s 68th best forward for the 2017 class.

Dan Olson, proprietor of Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, describes Thomas as a “strong, physical interior prospect with nimble footwork and soft touch in the block.”

Others suggest it’s Thomas’ ability to rebound and score consistently that makes her such a force in the paint.

“She’s just really dominant,” Chester said. “She knows how to keep the ball in her hands and keep pushing through any type of defense. She’s willing to get that ‘And-1.’”

AATL’s first-year coach is equally effervescent in his praise of Thomas, citing her back-to-the-basket skills and on-court leadership.

“She is incredibly intelligent, a very smart player,” said Huffman, a former assistant men’s basketball coach at Hillsborough Community College. “She understands the game, and reads and reacts to situations with split-second adjustment.”

That comprehension of the game is a rarity, he added.

“There are players that…either have sense like that or don’t,” Huffman said, “and she possesses both the skill sets that you can develop as a coach and from a teaching standpoint to make her better.

“She has a lot of that ingrained in her DNA, so to speak.”

Considering half the Wildcats roster is new to the sport, Huffman acknowledged his first season has had its share of challenges.

But, having core players — like Thomas — has made the transition run more smoothly.

“The kids that are out there…have done a fabulous job of developing chemistry and really working hard to do what we as a coaching staff have asked of them,” said Huffman. “I just think they’re such a joy to coach, regardless of who has experience — like Imani’s experience — versus some of the other players that may not have played before.”

The work is starting to show.

Since early setbacks to Carrollwood Day School (63-to-19) and Bishop McLaughlin (48-to-46), the Wildcats have reeled off six straight wins, including a 25-point victory over Land O’ Lakes High School on Nov. 28.

“We kind of lost our confidence in the beginning,” Chester said, “but, we’re starting to come back around.”

That starts with Thomas, who averaged 12.6 points and 12.8 rebounds per game last season, and has over 1,000 career points.

“She has had to take a leadership role,” Chester said, “and be patient with the younger girls who are trying to learn…”

Thomas, meanwhile, has her sights on playing basketball at the U.S. Naval Academy next year.

Until then, she has one goal.

“Make it to states,” she said.

Published December 14, 2016

 

Pickleball is popular among local seniors

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Don’t let the strange-sounding name fool you.

It’s called pickleball. And, it’s becoming increasingly popular, especially among seniors over 50.

Bill Castens, 71, gets ready for a pickleball match at the Northdale Recreation Center. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)
Bill Castens, 71, gets ready for a pickleball match at the Northdale Recreation Center.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)

There are more than 2.5 million pickleball players in the United States, according to a report by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA).

In Florida alone, there’s more than 370 pickleball sites, a USA Pickleball Association database shows.

More recreation centers, like the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, are adding pickleball as part of their regular weekly programming.

A racket sport, pickleball incorporates elements from other sports, like tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong.

It’s played with a rectangular-shaped paddle —smaller than a tennis racket but larger than a Ping-Pong paddle — and uses a hard rubber ball filled with holes. Courts (indoor or outdoor) measure 20-by-44 feet, with a 3-foot-high net across the middle. Though singles matches can be played, doubles play is more common.

The rules are relatively simple.

The ball is served with an underhand stroke. Points are scored by the serving side only, occurring when an opponent faults—fails to return the ball, hits ball out of bounds, or steps into the non-volley zone (seven feet from the net). The return of service, meanwhile, must be allowed to bounce by the server before it can be volleyed. Matches are typically played to seven or 11 points.

Bob Matthews, 76, organizes pickleball lessons and matches each Thursday morning at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.
Bob Matthews, 76, organizes pickleball lessons and matches each Thursday morning at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

Bob Matthews, 76, organizes pickleball lessons and matches each Thursday morning at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

A longtime tennis player, the Land O’ Lakes resident was introduced to the sport in July.

He’s loved it ever since.

“It’s fast and quick — I love fast and quick,” he said. “All you got to have, really, is eyeball-hand coordination. If you’ve got the slightest bit of that, you can play.”

In recent months, it’s become his go-to activity of choice.

“The great thing about it,” Matthews said, “is someone can really improve on this.”

That was the case for Linda Maniscalco, another Land O’ Lakes resident.

Maniscalco began playing the sport in September. Not “knowing anything,” she quickly learned the game’s strategy after just a few short lessons at the rec complex.

“It’s not super hard to play,” she said. “It’s fun; I’m addicted to it.”

At the Northdale Recreation Center, pickleball has been offered for several years. It’s become such an attraction that time slots are set aside five days a week and segmented into skill levels: learners, intermediates and advanced. Players are ranked, as in tennis, according to skill levels.

Bill Castens is one of the founders of the Northdale OWLS (Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors) Pickleball Club.

A five-year veteran of the sport, Castens, 71, said pickleball is ideal for seniors who’ve had pre-existing lower body injuries.

“For seniors with replaced knees or a new hip, you can still play,” Castens said, “because the court is so much smaller than a tennis court. You’re not running and stopping and all that stuff like tennis, but you still can get pretty competitive.”

The most challenging aspect of the game, he said, is grasping its nuances.

“The game is not standing on the baseline and trying to drill it,” Castens said. “The game is to keep (opponents) back, and eventually you want to dink the ball or lob the ball.”

Patience, too, is key to mastering pickleball, added Tom Murray, a Boston transplant who plays with Castens at Northdale.

“Ninety percent of points are not won, they’re lost,” said Murray, a retired Massachusetts high school athletic director who had knee replacement surgery about seven months ago. “When somebody screws something up, it’s usually because they try to make the point; you give people the chance to make the mistake.”

What does Murray, like others, enjoy most about pickleball?

“The exercise,” he said.

Published December 7, 2016

Record 3-point shooter adds new challenges

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Justin Dargahi, a record-holding three-point shooter, has added a few new challenges for 2016 and beyond.

First: Turn around the struggling Gaither High girls varsity basketball program.

Next: Set the world record for most three pointers made by a pair, in one minute.

Dargahi — the Guinness World Record for the most 3s made from NBA range (23 feet, 9 inches) in one minute (26) — first hopes to bring some cache to the Gaither High’s girls basketball program.

It won’t be easy for the former Land O’ Lakes High girls head JV (junior varsity) coach.

The Cowboys—which went a combined 5-38 the last two seasons—have had six straight losing seasons.

Yet, that doesn’t deter Dargahi, who will be the program’s fourth head coach in six years, once tryouts begin Oct. 24.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “I love proving people wrong.”

He relishes it.

“You have room to improve. If you take over a great team, what are you trying to accomplish?” he said.

“Hopefully, we can increase our win total a lot just this coming year alone.”

It will be tough, he acknowledged, considering Gaither High plays in a highly competitive eight-team district (Class 8A, District 8).

It’s one stacked with perennial prep powerhouses in Wiregrass Ranch, Plant, Freedom and Steinbrenner high schools.

“It’s hard to win and advance anywhere when you have four or five great teams out of eight,” said Dargahi. “Luckily, we have a good three weeks of practice before the first game (Nov. 15).

His blueprint starts with building around junior Janae Lyle, the team’s top returning player (7.6 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, 1.9 steals per game).

“It is a lot of specifying toward your players’ talents,” said Dargahi, a former basketball player at Cambridge Christian School. “I refuse to go into the first game not having specified positions.”

It also includes implementing a pressure man-to-man defense to help close out one-possession games.

“I love pressing,” he said. “I love getting steals, turnovers. That’s how you score points,” he said.

“I think the best (coaching) aspect is game management,” he added.

When not on the sidelines, meanwhile, Dargahi will be spending ample time at the three-point line. The new Gaither coach is teaming up with Teddy Dupay — a former Florida Gators basketball standout (1998-2001) and current boys basketball coach at Cambridge Christian School — to break the Guinness World Record for most three-pointers made by a pair in one minute.

The current record is 19, set by Harlem Globetrotters’ Cheese Chisholm and Ant Atkinson. The previous record (15) was set by NBA all-stars Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors) and Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks).

Though Dargahi hasn’t set an official attempt date, he figures it will “definitely be before Thanksgiving (Nov. 24).”

Dargahi, who claims he makes anywhere from 75 percent to 80 percent of attempted 3-pointers, said the feat largely boils down to each participant making 10 shots. It’s possible, he said, considering both his and Dupay’s shooting prowess. (Dupay ranks 10th all-time in Florida Gators history for career 3-point field goals made with 188.)

“We’re both very confident with our shooting,” Dargahi said. “The good thing about this record — both shooters have to be awesome. You can’t have one guy carry it.”

But the difficulty, he said, lies in get enough shots up in 60 seconds.

“I don’t even know how many shots we can get up, to be honest. I’m guessing 25 to 30, at the most,” said Dargahi.

The strategy, he added, will include court positioning — the wings or the top-of-the-key — and conserving energy across multiple attempts.

“I think we’ll at least try it for an hour, or an hour-and-a half,” Dargahi said.

Perhaps one aspect working in the duo’s favor: home court advantage.

“I’ve shot more balls at Cambridge than any other gym,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a comfort zone.”

Additionally, Dargahi has been approved by Guinness to attempt world records for most individual free throws in one minute (51) and most individual three-pointers in two minutes (44).

“The free throw one is tough,” Dargahi said. “I just tried it once just to see, and I didn’t even get up 51 shots. I definitely have to speed it up to shoot. If I could get up just 55 (shots), I like my chances.”

Published Oct. 19, 2016