The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local Sports

Pasco County all-star football rosters announced

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High school football in December? It’s becoming a tradition in Pasco County.

Some of the county’s top senior high football players will get to experience Friday night lights one final time, at the 2019 Pasco County East-West Classic.

The fifth annual all-star showcase is slated for Dec. 13 at 7 p.m., at Sunlake Field, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Eighty of the high school seniors in Pasco County will square off in the 2019 Pasco County East-West Classic football game on Dec.13, at Sunlake Field. The annual showcase began in 2015. (Courtesy of Bob Durham, Fellowship of Christian Athletes)

The game, organized by the Pasco County Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), features some of the best senior players from 15 county high schools.

Players on the East squad will represent Cypress Creek, Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills, and Zephyrhills Christian schools.

Players on the West squad will represent Anclote, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic, Fivay, Gulf, Hudson, Sunlake, Mitchell and River Ridge.

Zephyrhills head coach Nick Carroll will lead the East squad and Fivay head coach Matt Durchik will lead the West. Team practices for the game begin on Dec. 2.

To select the rosters, coaches from every county high school gather in a “war room” and draft the players from every school and every position. After much deliberation, the all-star teams get whittled down to 40 players in the East and 40 players in the West.

Wiregrass Ranch garnered the most selections for either side with 10 picks, followed by Fivay (eight), River Ridge (seven) and Wesley Chapel (seven).

The idea for a countywide all-star football game was spearheaded several years ago by FCA area director Bob Durham, upon the suggestion of local FCA board of directors, who pointed to the success of long-established all-star games in both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

The game has since proven to be a hit among fans, drawing more than 2,000 attendees each year. The East team leads the all-time series 3-1, its lone defeat coming in 2016.

For many players, the showcase provides a chance to perform in front of college recruiters, many of whom attend the game from across the Southeast region.

While it may signal the last football game ever for some, the event also will feature athletes destined for big-time NCAA Division I FBS football, such as Pasco wide receiver Darrion Robinson (Western Kentucky University commit) and Zephyrhills Christian defensive tackle Malik Jones (Florida Atlantic University commit), among others.

In addition to the all-star game, players will be recognized at a banquet where character awards, courageous awards, GPA awards, and various skill awards will be distributed. A ‘Coach of the Year’ also will be named and voted on by county coaches.

An all-star cheerleader team also has been assembled for the showcase and will be announced at a later date.

Tickets are $10 and can be pre-purchased at any participating high school or at the gate at the all-star game. They also are available online at PascoAllStars.eventbrite.com.

For more information, visit PascoAllStarGame.com.

East team
Cypress Creek: Jovanni Anderson, Sebastian Bramonte, Noah Smith, Jalen Warren, Jehlani Warren

Land O’ Lakes: Ethan Forrester

Pasco: Desmin Green, Juan Herrera, Ivory Lopey, Jordan McLaughlin, Rubin Pickett, Darrion Robinson

Wesley Chapel: Isaiah Cole,,Tyson Gillott, Quay Jones, Brendan Maddox, Fletcher Martin, Steven Mira, Jelani Vassell

Wiregrass Ranch: Julian Gonzalez, Robert Gibb, Tyler Hayes, Josh Hood, Connor Lenczden, Isaiah Miller, Nate Miller, Dylan Ridolph, Jonavon Tillis, Keith Walker

Zephyrhills: A.J. Mathis, Bobby Reidenbach, Zion Williams, Demetris Wright

Zephyrhills Christian: Tyler Davis, Myles Francois, Cole Johnson, Malik Jones, Jose Martinez, Nick Whittington

East coaches:
Head coach: Nick Carroll, Zephyrhills
Tony Egan, Wesley Chapel
Anthony Hendrix, Land O’ Lakes
Mike Johnson, Cypress Creek
Mark Kantor, Wiregrass Ranch
Mike Smith, Zephyrhills Christian
Jason Stokes, Pasco

West team
Anclote: Brice Arit, Ricky Hall, Adam Hardy, Breon Jackson, Demetrik Jenkins, Alvin Williams

Bishop McLaughlin: Marcus Berreza

Hudson: William Akossou-Harvey, Dougie Blanton, Brad Kidwell, Ricky Stoffer, Josh Wood

Fivay: Elijah Colon-Gotwalt, William Denmark, Bryan Hair, Kellan Helt, Nicholas Lovino, Kenny Richards, Jaqueze Richardson, Nazavious Williams

Gulf: Kayn Clark,Eddie Petchulis

Sunlake: Anthony Daher, Hunder Fieden, Damian Riewold, Zach Spicer, Cayman Wiseman

Mitchell: Nick Garcia, Rob Graham, Noah Midthun, Johnathan Nelson, Ethan Phelps, Nick Voyer

River Ridge: Ryan Grosso, Travis Hawks, Desmond McBride, Dylan Nichols, Ryan Reiche, Anthony Roussos, Quinton Stedman

West coaches:
Head coach: Matt Durchik, Fivay
Gary Allen, River Ridge
Trey Burdick, Sunlake
Glen Hobbs, Hudson
Dan McLeod, Gulf
Jason Messamore, Anclote
Andy Schmitz, Mitchell
Joe Vaughn, Bishop McLaughlin

The East all-star team leads the series 3-1
2018: East, 29-22
2017: East, 17-14
2016: West, 27-21
2015: East, 14-2

Published November 06, 2019

Annual Hiking Spree features new trails, challenges

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Hillsborough County’s annual Hiking Spree is back, with some new twists, turns and challenges.

The hiking extravaganza, now in its fourth year, encourages people to exercise, explore the outdoors, and experience nature through the county’s numerous parks and preserves.

The 2020 Hiking Spree trail list features 24 trails at 21 locations throughout the county.

Five of those parks sit within The Laker Lutz News coverage area: Carrollwood Village Neighborhood Park, Lake Conservation Park, Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, Upper Tampa Bay Trail— Lutz Lake Fern, and Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve.

Lettuce Lake Conservation Park is included in this year’s Hiking Spree. It is one of 21 parks and 24 trails people are encouraged to try out this fall and winter. (File)

The Hiking Spree is designed to offer something for everyone from hiking rookies to seasoned outdoor enthusiasts. Hikers can walk paths near their homes, but also are encouraged to explore new terrain throughout the county.

Here’s how it works: Hikers who complete at least eight trails between Nov. 1 and March 31, 2020 can earn a patch, a medallion for a walking stick or a dog tag. Hikers may repeat any trail twice for credit provided they occur on different dates. Participants may hike on their own, with a dog, with others or on guided park staff hikes.

Most trails range from less than a mile to more than 4 miles, labeled from easy to strenuous.

To captivate more daring hikers, lengthier trails ranging from nearly 7 miles to over 9 miles are new this year — at Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve North and South locations in Plant City and Lithia, and Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve in Plant City.

Incorporating some longer trails was requested by Hiking Spree participants last year, said Hiking Spree program coordinator Chris Kiddy, who also works for the county’s conservation and environmental lands management division.

Said Kiddy: “We’ve introduced a lot of people to hiking over the last few years with this, and some of the feedback we were hearing from last year was, ‘Hey, I love this, but I’d really like some longer hikes.’”

The Hiking Spree has shown to be a hit since introduced in 2016 by the county’s parks and recreation department.

About 1,000 people participated in the inaugural year, growing to about 3,700 participants in 2018-2019. County parks and recreation officials this year are hoping for as many 5,000 participants.

Kiddy has witnessed the surge over the years, as he gets trails ready each year and participates in the hiking challenge himself.

He put it like this: “What we hear more than anything from people is that they’re just amazed by how many opportunities that they have to see nature in Hillsborough County. We have over a million people in this area and you kind of think that it’s just this huge, urban area, (but) we have these little hidden places all over the county that are just places you can go to escape and get in touch with nature.”

While most parks and preserves and trails are rotated in and out of the Hiking Spree each year, a few locations are constants because of their popularity.

That includes Lettuce Lake, one of the county’s most visited parks, at 6920 East Fletcher Ave., in Tampa.

More than half of the park’s property lies in the natural floodplain of the Hillsborough River, consisting of a hardwood swamp forest. The remainder of the park consists of hardwood hammocks and pine flatwoods plant communities.

Within the park is a 1.25-mile paved exercise trail and 3,500-foot boardwalk with an observation tower that provides scenic views of the Hillsborough River and the opportunity to see all sorts of wildlife, from wading birds and songbirds, to alligators.

Kiddy said of the spot: “Pretty much everything you can possibly see in nature you see right there in that small area, I think that’s why people enjoy that so much.”

Another hiking favorite is the 1.25-mile Singing Bluffs Trail at Edward Medard Conservation Park, 95256 South County Road 39 in Plant City.

“That’s another one where you see a lot of wildlife,” Kiddy said, “and that one is also really cool and unique because it uses some old phosphate mines as part of the trail, so there’s some elevation changes on that trail that people seem to really enjoy.”

Organizers this year also have added a new adventure challenge called “Trail Magic.”

Each week, hikers will be given clues and directions on the county’s social media accounts to locate a hidden “Trail Magic” spot on a trail and then become eligible for a free prize.

The hidden spot will rotate between each of the designated Hiking Spree trails and will have signs showing off the giveaway you could win, once you locate it. Giveaways will range from hiking supplies to massage gift certificates.

Kiddy said the concept derives from thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail to describe an unexpected act of kindness or goodwill that lifts a hiker’s spirits. In that environment, it’s often something as simple as being offered a snack or drink by a passing hiker or an onlooker offering a hot meal and a shower at their cabin.

“We just kind of wanted to play on that and approach providing some ‘trail magic’ of our own for the hiking spree,” Kiddy said.

This year’s Hiking Spree will be celebrated with a kickoff party on Nov. 9 at 9 a.m., at Upper Tampa Bay Park, 8001 Double Branch Road in Tampa.

The event will include games, nature arts and crafts, outdoor workshops, and classes on orienteering, knot tying, how to make your own hiking stick, and more. A variety of hikes will be offered, including a plant ID hike, birding hike, bug walk, and kids hike.

Registration for the Hiking Spree is available at hcflgov.net/hikingspree. Cost is free, though there is a $2-per-vehicle fee to enter some parks.

Also of note: The county is seeking volunteers to join its new Trail CATS (County Associated Trail Stewards) stewardship program, to help county staff maintain existing trails and explore new trail opportunities. Duties may include blazing and trimming trails, inspecting trails, installing signs, and other trail-related tasks.

For more information, email Chris Kiddy at .

Here is the list of parks and trails for the 2020 Hiking Spree:

Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Centers — short, paved, trails with water and facilities

  • All People’s Life Center: All People’s Fitness Trail (0.4 miles)
  • Branchton Neighborhood Park: Gray Fox Fitness Trail (0.75 miles)
  • Carrollwood Village Neighborhood Park: Laurel Oak Fitness Trail (1 mile)
  • Dover District Neighborhood Park: Arrowhead Fitness Trail (1.2 miles)
  • Jackson Springs Neighborhood Park: Conejo Fitness Trail (0.5 miles)
  • Ruskin/Baudette Neighborhood Trail: Quiet Pines Fitness Trail (0.5 miles)
  • Stephen J. Wortham Park: Bluestem Hiking Trail, Sand Pine Trail (3.1 miles total)

Conservation Parks — mid-range, well-maintained paths and trails

  • Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park: Two Rivers Loop, Rivers Edge Trail (2.2 miles total)
  • Edward Medard Conservation Park: Singing Bluffs (1.25 miles)
  • Eureka Springs Conservation Park: Peaceful Paths Trail (0.75 miles)
  • Lake Conservation Park: Tortoise Trail (3.2 miles)
  • Lettuce Lake Conservation Park: Limpkin Loop, Cypress Dome (2.2 miles total)
  • Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park: Bobcat, Eagle, and Otter Trails (1.7 miles)
  • Upper Tampa Bay Trail—Lutz Lake Fern: Robin Trail (3.3 miles)

Nature Preserves— No facilities, subject to daily conditions

  • Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve-North: Old Mine Trail (7 miles)
  • Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve-South: Chito Branch Trail (6.7 miles)
  • Alderman’s Ford Nature Preserve: Riverbend Trail (3.5 miles)
  • Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve: Ramblewood Trail (3.6 miles)
  • Camp Bayou Nature Preserve: River Ramble Trail (2 miles)
  • Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve: Cone Ranch Trail (9.5 miles)
  • Wolf Branch Nature Preserve: Salty Trail (2 miles)

For information or to register, visit hcflgov.net/hikingspree.

Published October 30, 2019

Youth league blends football, life lessons

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In this youth football program, life lessons are just as important as fundamentals of tackling, blocking or catching.

Winning is nice and all, but the Keystone Bills youth football and cheerleading organization is more about developing tomorrow’s leaders, officials say.

Coach Jermaine Clemons shares pointers on blocking techniques with several of his offensive players during a recent practice at Keystone Park in Odessa. In addition to coaching, Clemons also serves as the current athletic director for the Keystone Bills Youth Organization. (Christine Holtzman)

“We’re really trying to build young men and young women,” said Bills president/athletic director Jermaine Clemons, who’s in his fourth year with the group.

“It’s bigger than just football,” said Bills U14 varsity coach Juan Long, who’s been with the organization for 13 years.

That theme is emphasized in the organization’s three pillars — respect, community development and education.

The Bills offer flag football, tackle football, and cheerleading for ages 5 through 14. The organization was established in 1976, serving northwest Hillsborough County and Odessa.

It currently has about 160 players across five youth divisions, plus dozens of cheerleaders.

The organization has enjoyed its share of success in recent years, especially at the higher levels.

Under Long’s watch, the Bills won Tampa Bay Youth Football League (TBYFL) varsity titles in 2013 and 2017.

The team of 13- and 14-year-olds is enjoying another solid season, with a 6-2 mark.

While holding onto a roster, Coach Dave Saunders observes his offense players run individual drills, as they perfect their deep routes. Saunders was an all-conference receiver at West Virginia University in the late 1990s who went on to play nine years of arena ball. He is currently the varsity wider receiver coach for Gaither High School in Tampa.

“Juan really coaches it,” Clemons said. “He coaches his players up, and he’s very detail-oriented. He runs a defense almost like a college team. They run an offense almost like a college team. It’s not, ‘Line up and run right, run left.’ There are small details.”

But Long, also an assistant at Steinbrenner High, isn’t out there simply to win ballgames.

“I really don’t care about a trophy,” he said. “I care about if (kids) want to come back because they had a great experience, a great time with us.

“Every year I tell the parents, ‘My job is to make them better brothers, better sons, better husbands for the future.’ That’s the main goal, to establish more of the characteristics of these kids, as opposed to just being a football player. I know if we’ve done the other things correctly, we’ve done our job.”

Parent volunteer Jennifer Green witnesses it first-hand with her three sons, who each play for the Bills.

Green explained Bills coaches stay on players about their schoolwork and even offer tutoring sessions before regular Tuesday and Thursday night practices at Keystone Park in Odessa. Coaches also require players to face their teammates if they miss a practice or game due to a behavior or off-the-field issue.

“They’re 100% not just here to make your child a better football player,” she said, “They’re here to build men.”

It’s something 14-year-old Tre Wilson has grown to appreciate.

On the field, Wilson about has it covered, as a versatile athlete who can play running back, receiver, quarterback and returner. The Gaither High freshman also has the bloodlines, as father Eugene Wilson II is a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots who also played for the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an eight-year NFL career between 2003-2010.

But, it’s the mentorship from coaches that sticks out most to the younger Wilson.

Cheerleaders with the Midget Cheer Squad practice an extension pyramid, under the direction of Midget Head Coach Melissa Lindstrom. The squad is made up of girls, ages 11 and 12.

“They’ve shown me experiences about life, as I’m growing up,” he said. “Over the years, they’ve taught me not only about football, but being the best on and off (the field).”

Aside from life lessons of course, Bills coaches impart their fair share of football advice.

They’ve got the pedigree to do so.

Clemons was a running back at the University of South Florida in the late 1990s under head coach Jim Leavitt.

Long was a linebacker at Mississippi State University in the early 1990s, and had a brief stint in the NFL and played several years in the Arena Football League.

Another coach, Dave Saunders, was an all-conference receiver at West Virginia University in the late 1990s who has the third-most receiving yards in school history. He went on to play nine years of arena ball, including four season with the Tampa Bay Storm (2002-2005).

The experience resonates with players and parents alike, said Green, whose boys spent time in other youth football leagues in the Tampa Bay area.

“We’ve been drawn here by the level of coaching that is available,” she said. “The level of coaching here is a lot more intense. To have that level of experience out there, not every person can bring that out.”

The diverse and decorated football backgrounds help get kids to heed coaches’ principles, Long explained.

“You don’t need to be a former player in order to get credibility,” Long said, “but, at the same point in time, especially with today’s generation, you do at least get their attention.”

“We have that experience, so we can relate to the kids from that standpoint. They know, ‘Hey, these guys have been there and done it, they’ve seen things at the highest level, then maybe we should listen to them, because they’re trying to steer us in the right direction.’”

Published October 23, 2019

Local fisherman enjoys trip of a lifetime

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An August saltwater fishing adventure to the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana marked “a once in a lifetime trip” for Wesley Chapel’s Keven Barber.

Even better yet, it was all caught on national television.

Barber was featured as part of the Union Sportsman’s Alliance “Brotherhood Outdoors” television series on the Sportsman Channel.

Keven Barber hauled in a number of 40-inch long to 50-inch long redfish native to Louisiana. ‘Every fish I caught was a personal best,’ he said. (Courtesy of Union Sportsman’s Alliance)

The episode premiered on Oct. 8 and re-aired several times during that week. It can now be viewed anytime on MyOutdoorTV.com.

“Brotherhood Outdoors” is described as “a unique TV series that tells the stories of hardworking union sportsmen and women, and takes on them on the hunting or fishing trip of a lifetime.”

The Union Sportsman’s Alliance each year selects a handful of union members for the show. Selections are based in part on passion for the outdoors, union membership and involvement, volunteer efforts and more.

Barber, an ironworker affiliated with Tampa Bay-based Ironworkers Local 397, fit the profile of what showrunners were looking for.

The avid outdoorsman said he’s been fishing, well, “since birth.”

Growing up in East Pasco, Barber would fish with his father and grandfather on lakes throughout Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills. He hasn’t stopped angling since.

“I’ve always loved fishing,” Barber said, in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “When you go fishing, you get time to spend with your family. It’s innocent, quiet. You never know what you’re going to catch. You never know what you’re going to see.”

Barber conveys the same level of enthusiasm about fishing as he does in giving back to the community.

The father of four boys is a scout leader, and longtime area youth and high school football coach.

This year he launched the Wesley Chapel Coyotes Youth Football and Cheerleading League, with the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association.

He also was one of 65 labor volunteers who in May helped build a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk and fishing pier at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach.

The $800,000 project took nine days and 2,300 volunteer hours, and was the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s largest conservation project to date.

Barber said he hopes the new fishing pier indoctrinates a new generation of fisherman. The volunteer program also will include the donation of 500 fishing poles to youth at a Nov. 2 pier dedication ceremony.

Barber underscored the importance of fishing and getting outdoors for youth: “It definitely keeps them out of trouble, plus it gives them a hobby to do the rest of their life.”

He added: “The kids just need to be given a chance and opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, and (for) some of them, this will be the first time they’ve ever been out fishing — and hopefully they enjoy it and continue to do it throughout their life.”

As for Barber’s televised venture to Louisiana, it really couldn’t have gone better.

He joined Union Sportsman’s Alliance Conservation and Communications Director Forrest Parker for two days of redfishing and a night of bowfishing in the untamed marshes and swamplands of Venice, Louisiana. He celebrated his 40th birthday out on the waters, too. “I was like, ‘Man, this is awesome,’” Barber recalled.

Barber caught a number of Louisiana redfish that measured 40 inches to 50 inches long — considerably bulkier than the 15-inch to 20-inch redfish he often snags at the Skyway and Fort DeSoto fishing piers in St. Petersburg.

Louisiana is the natural habitat of redfish, he noted, hence the larger hauls.

“Every fish I caught was a personal best. It was unbelievable,” Barber said. “We used the popping rigs, and we were catching monsters in 8-foot of water that was murky. The water wasn’t even clear at the time.”

Besides landing giant redfish, Barber said fishing in Louisiana is “totally different” compared to the Florida’s Gulf Coast, noting there’s more inlets, canals, marsh and swamps.

“It was pretty neat. There’s a lot of good fishing out there,” he said.

Navigating Louisiana water wasn’t the only new first-time experience for Barber. Being in front of omnipresent television cameras for multiple days was another.

“I was kind of nervous at first with the camera, but after a while, it just becomes natural,” Barber said. “They said, ‘Do whatever, act normal, and we’ll edit out whatever we need to.’ I said, ‘I hope so, because there might be some bleeps in there!’”

“Hopefully, I didn’t embarrass myself too much,” he joked.

Published October 16, 2019

Charter sports league enjoying growth

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The Tampa Charter Athletic League (TCAL) started with just five middle schools when it launched in 2013.

In a few short years, the league has ballooned to 22 schools and nearly 5,000 athletes throughout Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Ten-year-old Agustin Aljure of Plant City, center, cheers on his older sister, Sophia, as she runs the track for the Tampa-based Trinity School for Children. His friend, 11-year-old Tyler Faucett of Tampa is on his right. (Christine Holtzman)

Of those schools, seven are in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area: Carrollwood Day School, Imagine School Land O’ Lakes, Learning Gate Community, Lutz Preparatory, North Tampa Christian, Sunlake Academy and Union Park.

Sports offerings include basketball, cross country, flag football, soccer, street hockey, track and field, and volleyball.

Other sports are on tap, with baseball and softball possibly next.

The upstart league is chaired and founded by Lutz Preparatory athletic director/physical education teacher Chad Mollick.

In designing the league, he envisioned something that would create more extracurricular activities for students and also foster some healthy competition.

The message spread quickly.

Simple “word of mouth” among other Tampa Bay area charter schools has grown the league where it is now, he said.

“It’s amazing to see just the massive amount of growth. I honestly never thought it would get to being this big,” Mollick said.

The league generally follows the rules and regulations of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) “with a couple of small twists,” Mollick said.

For instance, the TCAL allows schools to field multiple teams for a sport, so that a large group of students that try out don’t have to get cut. Another wrinkle different from traditional public schools — fifth graders are grouped in as middle schoolers, so they can join teams and get in on competitive play earlier on.

“The biggest thing for me is just having more opportunities for the kids,” he said. “We pretty much added one or two (new) sports every other year.”

Before the league formed, Mollick said there really weren’t any organized leagues for charter middle schools. A couple schools would scrimmage some Tampa Bay area private schools, but that was the extent of it.

“Six years ago, no one did anything. There was nothing, really,” he said.

A recent cross country meet at Lutz Preparatory School underscored the league’s expansion and reach.

Holding on to his megaphone, Coach Chad Mollick jokes around with one of the parents in the crowd, after the start of the Boys cross country race. Mollick is the athletic director and physical education teacher at Lutz Preparatory School, as well as chairman of the Tampa Charter Athletic League.

Roughly 300 boys and girls runners across a dozen schools (and at least another 100 spectators and volunteers) turned out for a regular season meet on a steamy Friday afternoon in September.

Mollick was on the front lines, working out race logistics with a walkie-talkie and golf cart and, setting up the course, corralling volunteers and getting everything else in order.

It’s the TCAL chairman pulling events together like that, which has impressed other charter middle school athletic directors.

“He does an incredible job,” said Bill Martin, athletic director/coach at Imagine School. “We all are really thankful that he’s able to do so much and really be able to keep things organized and everybody engaged. Every season’s always been successful. We make it work one way or another.”

Trinity School for Children athletic director/coach Kara White added this: “Chad puts in so many hours. I mean, we all do as athletic directors, but that man goes above and beyond, and if it wasn’t for him, this wouldn’t happen. We help, but he doesn’t get enough credit for what he does. I don’t think there’s anyone in the league who’d step up to do what he’s doing, and, teaching. It’s not easy. It’s a full time job.”

White, who’s been at Trinity for nearly two decades, also mentioned the league’s competition level “has come a long way” in the last few years.

“The schools that have been in it long enough now are understanding what they need to do to be competitive,” she said. “In different sports it varies, but I think it’s a pretty high level for middle school sports in Hillsborough County; I think we’re pretty far ahead.”

With the added competition, natural school rivalries have formed, also.

Lutz Prep and Imagine School is one of the more notable.

“We’re always battling for first or second place in two or three sports throughout the year,” Mollick said. “When you start seeing the competition in the championship games, it gets pretty intense.”

Meanwhile, Mollick said the “biggest issue” for the expanding league is finding enough gym and field space to put on events.

The league chairman said most charter schools don’t have their own gyms, so they have to go about renting county facilities which he said can cost anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour to put on sporting events.

“The hardest thing for us is facilities are hard to find,” he said. “These schools, every game they play, they’re paying to play.”

Aside from the league as a whole, Mollick has gone about increasing athletic participation within the Lutz Prep student body.

Mollick said roughly 90 percent of the school’s middle schoolers, or about 250 students, are now involved in some type of athletics.

Mollick also has developed an intramural sports program at Lutz Prep — including a running club for the school’s elementary student body, or grades one through four.

It’s something Lutz Prep parent Shelly Walsh appreciates, in getting students to take pride in the school and ingrained in sports programs.

“It’s a great way to get the kids to love it,” said Walsh, who has two sons at Lutz Prep. “They do a little bit of it in P.E., but not as much as coming after school, they get that feeling of, ‘This is fun, I like staying after.’”

That’s the way Lutz Prep sixth-grader Eva Hsi sees it. She plays flag football and soccer, and runs cross country for the school.

“I have fun,” Hsi said. “To get to meet the older kids and play with them, and not just stay with my grade, I enjoy it.”

So, too, does fellow Lutz Prep sixth-grader Declan Heuman, who runs cross country and track for the school, and plays baseball outside of it.

He said Lutz Prep “is really fun with all the sports we have here.”

He added cross country is his favorite because “I like how you get to run and meet all your friends doing it.”

Tampa Charter Athletic League schools

  • Avant Garde Academy
  • Carrollwood Day School
  • Classical Preparatory
  • Community Charter
  • Hillsborough Academy
  • Henderson Hammock Charter
  • Imagine School Land O’ Lakes
  • Learning Gate Community
  • Legacy Prep
  • Lutz Preparatory
  • New Springs
  • North Tampa Christian
  • Pepin Academy – Hillsborough
  • Pepin Academy – Pasco
  • SLAM Tampa
  • Sunlake Academy
  • Tampa Day School
  • Terrace Community
  • Trinity School for Children
  • Union Park
  • Village of Excellence
  • Woodmont

Published October 09, 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

Volleyball team seeks to avenge state title defeat

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The Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes volleyball team lost just one game last season — but, that loss came in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship.

The Hurricanes had won 30 consecutive games through the regular and postseason before losing to Doral’s Divine Savior Academy Sharks, in three straight-sets at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers.

The Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes volleyball team’s only loss last season came in the Class 3A state championship. They believe they’re up to the task to win the whole thing in 2019. (Courtesy of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Athletics)

The scores were 25-16, 25-16 and 25-22.

Much of the damage was done by Sharks then-junior Fabiana Castro, a Bryant University commit, who led all players with 24 kills.

If the Hurricanes had won, it would’ve marked the school athletic program’s first-ever team state crown.

“You know, everybody has their excuses about what happened, but what actually happened was they were better than we are. That was the bottom line,” longtime Hurricanes volleyball head coach Doug Chinchar said.

“They had one kid we could not stop and that was it,” he said.

As devastating as the Nov. 17 loss was , the coach has used the experience as a learning tool for this season.

He has challenged his team to become tougher mentally and physically, particularly when it comes to facing top-level teams in raucous environments — like the state title game.

“The other team threw the first punch and we didn’t punch back. That was the heartbreaker. I want to punch back,” said Chinchar, now in his 11th year at the school.

“If there’s one thing I worry about is how tough we are. How tough are we going to be when we go into some team’s gym and they’re all over all us,” he said.

To attack that concern, Chinchar has pursued the most challenging regular season slate possible, to gear up his team for another deep postseason run.

That includes road matches this season against Alachua Santa Fe, Clearwater Central Catholic, Carrollwood Day, Sarasota Riverview high schools and others.

Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes volleyball coaches Doug and Sara Chinchar lead the team through an early-season practice. Last season the Hurricanes went 30-1 and finished Class 3A state runner-up. (Kevin Weiss)

“We’re trying to schedule 25 losses. We want to play the best of the best,” the coach said.  Veteran players believe the team has grown from last season’s defeat and is on a restored track this year. The Hurricanes presently sit at 9-1, as of Sept. 16.

The team entered the new season more motivated and “wanting to work harder,” senior middle hitter Sarah Perciavalle said.

“I think we have more heart from last season, and more energy during our practices and games,” Perciavalle, of Lutz, said, “so I think we’re better in that sense.”

Last season’s end was “really upsetting,” she said.

“We were expected to win, going in undefeated, so it was definitely a hard loss,” she said.

Junior outside hitter Audrey Koenig said the team has gained more confidence and has learned “definitely to not underestimate a team and not to let big crowds affect you.”

The 6-foot-3 FSU commit and Wesley Chapel resident recalled it took her “at least a week” to get over that last year’s title game defeat.

She recalls being very sad about the loss, noting “everybody was expecting us to win, so like all the hype and momentum built up to it and then it just kind of fell.”

So it may seem like a tall task to top a nearly unblemished 30-1 campaign, but the Hurricanes insist they are even deeper this year.

Nearly all of the players are returning from last year, including four seniors.

They’ve also added a handful of talented freshman — paced by 6-foot-3 Maddie Snider and 6-foot-1 Ali Waldon, the daughter of former University of South Florida men’s basketball standout B.B. Waldon.

Height and offensive firepower figure to be an advantage again this season, as the group boasts three 6-footers and four other players 5-foot-9 or taller.

“We definitely have the intimidation factors,” said Koenig, who leads the team with 95 kills and 20 aces.

Added Perciavalle: “I think we’re definitely more powerful at the net. All of our hitters have definitely gotten stronger, so I think we’re definitely better.”

The team is also out for revenge this time around, in their quest for that elusive state crown.

“It’s kind of like redemption,’ Perciavalle said. “Like, we were so close last year that now we’ve got to finish it up.”

The Hurricanes coach imagines it can done, based on what he’s seen thus far.

“It should be a fun little run here,” Chinchar said. “We have a chance to go the whole way, that’s the most exciting part. Everybody wants to beat us, and we want to beat them.”

“We want the whole thing,” he said.

2019 Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes volleyball roster
Head coach: Doug Chinchar

  • Adrianna Lopez, junior
  • Alexandra Postlethwaite, junior
  • Ali Waldon, freshman
  • Audrey Koenig, junior
  • Autumn Martinez-Robinson, freshman
  • Cahley Woods, freshman
  • Ezzie Thompson, freshman
  • Gabriella Koenig, senior
  • Kayla David, senior
  • Maddie Snider, freshman
  • Sarah Perciavalle, senior
  • Terah Nejman, senior
  • Zina Grechniw, junior

Published September 18, 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