Local Sports

Standout catcher paces Wiregrass Ranch softball

March 9, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

From her powerful bat to her leadership behind the plate, Kameron Aitken’s talent is evident the moment she steps on the Wiregrass Ranch softball field.

So evident, in fact, that several major in-state universities—South Florida, Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast and North Florida — showed interest in the junior catcher last season.

Aitken opted to verbally commit to Florida International University (FIU) in Miami on Dec. 1, 2015 — after visiting the campus on an unofficial visit and quickly realizing the school “just felt like home.”

Wiregrass Ranch junior catcher Kameron Aitken is one of the top players in Pasco County. She has a verbal commit to play softball at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami after she graduates in 2017. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch Softball) — Wiregrass Ranch junior catcher Kameron Aitken is one of the top players in Pasco County. She has a verbal commit to play softball at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami after she graduates in 2017.
(Photos courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch Softball)

“I felt like I could go to the team and be welcomed right away,” Aitken said about choosing FIU, a Division I school. “I had been looking at it for two years. The coaches made me feel like that’s where I wanted to be.”

A varsity softball player at Wiregrass Ranch since her freshman year, Aitken broke out as a sophomore, batting .379 with 17 doubles and 39 RBIs.

“I’m a lot stronger player now than I was my freshman year,” Aitken said about her development. “I’ve learned to recognize pitches better.”

Through 10 games this year, the slugger is picking up right where she left off, batting .379 with a team-leading two home runs and 13 RBIs.

“She’s a big, strong girl. A very intelligent player,” said Tyler Finn, assistant coach for Wiregrass Ranch. “Thank God we’re going to get her for another year.”

Teammates describe Aitken, who bats cleanup, as a player that provides vocal leadership and contributes in critical moments of games.

“Her offense is a big key. She really comes through in big situations,” said senior third baseman Tylah Remaley.

“She is a clutch hitter, and gets those hits that you need that help you out in the end of games,” said junior second baseman Alexis Ridolph.

“She pushes others. If you’re struggling, she’ll say, ‘Hey, keep your head up, and just keep going,’” junior Samantha Hiley said.

In addition to her hitting ability, Aitken provides a calming influence as a catcher, where she works closely with a young pitching staff that includes three freshmen.

“She has great leadership and is always communicating with her teammates,” said Wiregrass Ranach head coach Yamani Vazquez. “She’s a catcher, so she’s the brains of the operation. She’s what you would expect from a catcher, basically.”

Coach Finn echoes Vazquez’s sentiment, calling Aitken a “tremendous, tremendous catcher.”

Kameron Aitken’s production at the plate skyrocketed as a sophomore, when she batted .379 with 17 doubles and 39 RBIs. Aitken is picking up right where she left off this season with a .379 batting average through 10 games.

“She’s been a catcher her whole life. She’s a leader behind the plate. She’s got a rocket arm that’s accurate,” the Wiregrass assistant explained. “She’s going to play Division I (softball) for a reason.”

While Aitken is a natural playing softball, she is always trying to improve — even during the course of a ballgame.

According to Vazquez, in a recent game, Aitken struggled in her first at-bat, and had her mother record the plate appearance so she could analyze her swing mechanics for her next time up to hit.

As it turned out, Aitken figured out the problem. She had “dropped her shoulder” during her swing path.

“I’ve never seen that — just trying to better yourself in the same game,” her head coach said.

Aitken’s willingness to correct mistakes on her own—and handle it with a positive attitude—is what makes her special, Vazquez added.

“She has that drive. She has that intrinsic drive that you can’t really teach,” he explained. “It comes from just knowing what you want and knowing your goals. And that’s what she has going on. She has that intrinsic drive to get better more than anyone else on this team, I would say.”

Published March 9, 2016

Cash is becoming accustomed to leading role

March 9, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

After taking over for highly regarded manager Joe Maddon in 2015, Kevin Cash feels more comfortable as he enters his second season as manager of the Tampa Bay Rays.

He’s established relationships with the roster and front office. He’s been battle-tested on in-game decision-making.

He’s also learned from rookie managerial mistakes after the club ended last season with an 80-82 record, missing the playoffs, and finishing fourth in the five-team American League East division.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash returns for his second season. The youngest manager in baseball led the team to an 80-82 record in 2015. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays) — Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash returns for his second season. The youngest manager in baseball led the team to an 80-82 record in 2015.
(Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays)

The 38-year-old Cash, the youngest manager in baseball, often found himself relying on his coaching staff for help in critical moments of ballgames.

“That first year, you really lean on your coaching staff, and kind of take their opinions because the bulk of our coaching staff had years of experience working for Joe (Maddon),” Cash said. “You try to listen to their opinions, and get their thoughts on specific players and specific things on how they were done, and formulate your own ideas a little bit.

“It’s no secret that first month, there was some stuff that popped up where I really had to rely on my coaching staff,” the manager said. “As the year went on, I was able to learn from experiences that happened a week before or a month before, and make some better decisions.”

With 162 regular season games under his belt, Cash has more of an appreciation of how important communication is in the job description of being an MLB skipper.

“You have to communicate on a daily basis, on a weekly basis, and that’s with everybody,” the second-year manager said.

If that happens, relationships will build and evolve, Cash added.

In reflecting on his first season, he said the “most challenging aspect” was developing those relationships with “everybody you’re going to see on a daily basis.”

With just a few new players set to don a Rays uniform, Cash already has laid the groundwork.

That familiarity will definitely have its benefits, Cash said.

“Already having the relationships with the guys, and knowing (third baseman) Evan Longoria and (starting pitcher) Chris Archer, and what those guys stand for and how they go about their business, that helps. It also helps to get the new players acclimated,” he said.

While some coaches or managers would feel pressure taking the reigns from a wildly successful predecessor, Cash is grateful he had the opportunity to follow in Maddon’s footsteps.

The former Rays’ manager guided the team to the playoffs four times in eight years before accepting the Chicago Cubs’ managerial job in 2015.

“He’s a huge part of this organization, and a reason why they’ve been so successful, along with (former general manager) Andrew Friedman,” said Cash, who played for Maddon in 2005. “Matt Silverman (Rays’ chief of baseball operations) and I came into a situation that had great culture, really good players, and there was a great foundation. I’m just extremely appreciative and thankful that I got to follow him.”

In fact, Cash views Maddon as an influence in his own managerial style, along with other successful skippers including Terry Francona, of the Cleveland Indians and Buck Showalter, of the Baltimore Orioles.

“You try to take something from a lot of different managers. You have a lot of respect and admiration for anybody that fills this role,” Cash explained. “You try to take little bits of information and form your own style, but to get your own style, you’ve got to look and see what some other people are doing sometimes.”

With the offseason additions of hitters Corey Dickerson, Logan Morrison, Hank Conger, Steve Pearce and Brad Miller, the Rays figure to enter the season with a more versatile and balanced lineup.

“The front office has done a tremendous job of adding to our lineup,” Cash said. “We brought in some guys that we feel can really help us out and lengthen us out a little on a daily basis.”

After battling injuries nearly all of last season, he’s looking forward to having a roster of healthy players entering.

“Every team has injuries, but (staying healthy) definitely helps. It’s not realistic to say we’re going to be healthy for 162 games,” he said.

As for improving in the win-loss column and possibly clinching a playoff berth, Cash acknowledges the responsibility to show progress falls square on his shoulders.

That starts with properly handling tight situations late in games.

“We’ve got to find a way to win close ball games. We play a lot of close ball games, and as a manager, it goes back to putting your players in a position to succeed in the eighth and ninth innings, and extra-inning games,” he explained. “That’s going to be a focal point for me personally—to have some questions and try to get a read on the guys, and how they feel in those situations better.”

Making History
The Tampa Bay Rays will play an exhibition game against the Cuban National Team in Havana, Cuba on March 22. It will mark the first time since 1999 that an MLB club has visited the country. The Rays will fly to Cuba on March 20. The following day, they will stage a clinic before they finish their trip by playing the exhibition at the Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana. President Barack Obama expects to be in attendance.

2016 Tampa Bay Rays
New additions:

Leftfielder Corey Dickerson
First baseman Logan Morrison
Outfielder/Infielder Steve Pearce
Catcher Hank Conger
Shortstop Brad Miller
Reliever Ryan Webb

Key Returnees:

Starting pitcher Chris Archer
Starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi
Starting pitcher Drew Smyly
Third baseman Evan Longoria
Second baseman Logan Forsythe
Centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier

Published March 9, 2016

Zephyrhills basketball wraps up historic season

March 2, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

The Zephyrhills High boys basketball team’s historic season has come to an end.

After reaching the state tournament for the first time in 50 years, the Bulldogs fell to the Poinciana (Kissimmee) High Eagles 70-52 in the Class 5A state semifinals at The Lakeland Center on Feb. 25.

Zephyrhills (26-5) shot just 36 percent from the field, including a porous 1-for-15 mark on three-point attempts.

Zephyrhills basketball coach Alan Reed cuts down the nets after the Bulldogs advanced to the state tournament for the first time in 50 years. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills High School) — Zephyrhills basketball coach Alan Reed cuts down the nets after the Bulldogs advanced to the state tournament for the first time in 50 years.
(Courtesy of Zephyrhills High School)

Bulldogs head coach Alan Reed said his team was overmatched by the Eagles’ lethal combination of physicality and quickness.

“Their defense took us out of what we were trying to do,” he said. “We got some shots, but we didn’t get real good shots. The game was a very physical game…I had no problem with that; it’s just we didn’t respond to it offensively.”

At halftime, the Bulldogs trailed 33-16, before “playing even” with the Eagles (25-5) in the second half.

“We played them head-to-head…in the second half, but we created that (deficit) in the first half…and we weren’t able to gain ground,” the Reed said.

“We’ve been facing deficits like that all year, but we haven’t faced a team of that caliber all year to overcome the deficit.”

Coming into the season, Reed felt his team had a chance to have a very successful season, especially since the roster featured a bevy of seniors, including leading scorer Jeremy Oppenheimer (22.5 points per game.)

Reed noted Oppenheimer’s improved defensive awareness—understanding passing lanes—as a catalyst for the team’s deep playoff run.

“Jeremy’s a very good player, and he was a very good on-court presence,” Reed said “He scored a lot of points, but a lot of times he distributed the ball. He led us in steals (4.9) and also led us in rebounds (8.2).”

The team’s “unselfishness” was another factor in the Bulldogs advancing to the state tourney.

“We really, for the most part, played together as a team, played together as a unit, and I thought that was one of the biggest things for us,” Reed explained. “Each person performed to their abilities and didn’t try to do things they weren’t really good at when the lights were turned on.

“We had a couple of kids that were very good defensive players and rebounders, and that’s what they did.”

Reed, 68, hasn’t made a decision if he’s going to coach the team next year.

Seven players expect to return.

“All of them played some, and all are capable of stepping up,” Reed said. “The biggest thing is replacing Jeremy’s scoring ability. That’s going to be tough.”

Published March 2, 2016

New coaching staff leads Wiregrass Ranch softball

March 2, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Wiregrass Ranch High made a coaching change for its softball team at the end of its last season, following complaints from parents and players about the “loosey-goosey” structure of the team.

The new head coach, Yamani Vazquez, and assistant coach, Tyler Finn, have spent the past several years coaching rec league and travel softball in Wesley Chapel.

The first-time high school coaches are using their respective military and law enforcement backgrounds to implement a culture change—better organization, more positivity and more discipline.

The Wiregrass Ranch softball team has two first-time high school coaches in Yamani Vazquez, left, and Tyler Finn. They have spent the past several years coaching rec league and travel softball in Wesley Chapel. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo) — The Wiregrass Ranch softball team has two first-time high school coaches in Yamani Vazquez, left, and Tyler Finn. They have spent the past several years coaching rec league and travel softball in Wesley Chapel.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

Coach Vazquez said he’s incorporated “little things,” such as having players do more fieldwork, having players hustle in between practice drills, and ensuring players remove their headgear before shaking hands with opposing teams at the end of games.

“I have to say they’ve been very receptive and welcoming of our system,” said Vazquez, an eight-year military veteran who currently teaches science at John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel. “It’s definitely a change from last year.

“One of the things (Wiregrass Ranch principal) Robyn White mentioned was the amount of (negative) emails she got from the softball side more than any other sport, and we were like, ‘Okay, we’re going to change that.’ It was a great opportunity for us, because we knew the state of the program and how it was left, so we felt we could get it back up, and change a few things.”

Junior Samantha Hiley, one of the Bulls’ top hitters, said the new coaching staff is paying more attention to details, such as making sure the team’s uniforms are clean, the field is maintained better and team is better equipped.

Junior catcher and Florida International University softball commit Kameron Aitken said the new coaches “have done everything to make our experience better.”

“They’re great coaches,” Aitken said. “They work well with us.”

While the team “practices a lot more,”—five days a week—than prior years, Bulls players enjoy the new staff’s willingness to listen, and value their input on team matters.

“These coaches listen to our opinions and they take into consideration some of the things we say,” junior second baseman Alexis Ridolph said. “They are much friendlier.”

“I really like how they’re open to letting us play how we want to. It’s not, ‘You must do this, this and this,’” said senior third baseman Tylah Remaley, a Florida Tech softball commit.

Junior centerfielder Jaime Valenta noted the new coaches are “really nice and funny” and “listen to us a lot more.”

Finn, a retired New York state trooper and former Saint Leo University baseball player, said taking over the program and working alongside Coach Vazquez has been a “thrill” and a “dream.”

“The great thing for me is I’ve coached almost every one of these kids since they were little,” said Finn, who has two daughters, Karlye and Taryn, on the roster.

“When you get to the high school level, especially with the talent here, you’re not doing a heck of a lot of coaching.

“These kids are seasoned players. We just sit there and guide them, and call the offensive plays when they get up. …These girls are extremely talented, and very bright athletes,” he said.

With a 3-5 record as of Feb. 28, the team is not off to the start they expected.

One reason for the slow start can be attributed to the departures of ace pitcher Lindsey Snyder and three of the top four run producers from last year’s lineup.

With the loss of Snyder, the new coaches have been forced to use three freshmen in the pitching circle, with shaky results.

“We’ve tried out a bunch of young pitchers that are being tested a little bit,” Finn said. “We had no experienced pitchers. Lindsey was a workhorse; we don’t have that right now.”

Alexis Ridolph added the youthful pitching staff is trying to “get into a rhythm.”

“I know the pitchers are working really hard,” the second baseman said. “It’s just the fact they’re young and aren’t as experienced in high school situations. But, I think they’ll be better by the end of the year.”

As the Bulls go through some early season growing pains with the green pitching rotation, they’ll be forced to rely on their hitting prowess to pick up the slack.

Six players currently sport averages of .300 or better, including sophomores Kacie Lemanski (.471), and Keanna Harris (.417). Hiley (.458), Aitken (.364), Remaley (.348) and Ridolph (.304) are the others.

“Hitting is our fine point. There’s no doubt about it,” Finn said.

As the pitching staff gets more comfortable, the team feels they have a legitimate shot to win their conference and district.

“I know the girls believe it. We’re not going to settle for being a .500 team,” Finn said. “We see good things in the future,” Finn said.

Published March 2, 2016

Sunlake’s Anderson captures weightlifting title

February 24, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

After finishing third at the state weightlifting meet in 2015, Sunlake High’s Brianna Anderson set her sights on winning a state title in her senior year.

That’s exactly what she did on Feb. 6, when she placed first in the 183-pound division in the Class 2A Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Girls Weightlifting Championships.

Anderson recorded a 165-pound bench press and a 220-pound clean-and-jerk for a total of 385 pounds — 20 pounds more than the second place finisher, Kendall Chavarria of Charlotte High.

Sunlake High’s Brianna Anderson, right, is pictured alongside weightlifting coach Denise Garcia. Anderson won first place in the 183-pound division in the Class 2A Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Girls Weightlifting Championships on Feb. 6. (Photos courtesy of Denise Garcia) — Sunlake High’s Brianna Anderson, right, is pictured alongside weightlifting coach Denise Garcia. Anderson won first place in the 183-pound division in the Class 2A Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Girls Weightlifting Championships on Feb. 6.
(Photos courtesy of Denise Garcia)

“I was really emotional, because it was like I finally accomplished a goal that I had since sophomore year, and all the hard work just paid off,” Anderson said about the result.

In addition to the state title, Anderson’s 220-pound clean-and-jerk was her highest mark ever recorded.

“It took her four months to go from 190 (pounds) to 220 (pounds),” said Denise Garcia, head coach of the Sunlake weightlifting team. “I think she probably would’ve had 230 (pounds), but she did her personal best, and she went out with a bang.”

Over the past three years, Anderson made significant gains in the clean-and-jerk once she was being taught the front squat method of lifting.

She also got used to the feeling of falling down after a failed attempt.

“Most people are afraid of falling or getting hurt, so if you get used to falling, that’s really half of it,” Anderson said about being successful in the clean-and-jerk.

“It’s all about dropping under the (bar) and getting your elbows up.”

As she prepared for the state meet, Anderson lifted twice a day during the school week, and mixed in some weekend training sessions, as well. When she wasn’t lifting, Anderson could be found at basketball practice or working on homework.

“I don’t even know how I did that,” Anderson said about managing two sports simultaneously. “I just put my mind to it. I knew that since I wanted to play both sports, that’s just something I had to do.”

Garcia admired Anderson’s ability to keep her composure and juggle her busy schedule all season long.

“Even as tired as she was, she went with it,” the coach said. “Sometimes, she would come to practice, looking at me, and I’d say, ‘Take 15 minutes. Have a little snack, regroup and get your mind set.’ The hard work she put into it paid off.”

Anderson credits Garcia for her development since joining the team as a sophomore, when she could barely clean-and-jerk 100 pounds due to spotty fundamentals.

“She taught me all I know about weightlifting,” Anderson said about Garcia’s influence on her success. “She’s pushed me. She’s really caring, and she knows how to win. She knows what workouts to do, and she knows how to teach good technique.”

Sunlake High’s Brianna Anderson won first place in the 183-pound division in the Class 2A Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Girls Weightlifting Championships. She recorded a 165-pound bench press and a 220-pound clean-and-jerk for a 385-pound total.

For Garcia, replacing Anderson’s combination of production and leadership will be a tall task, as the decorated senior leaves behind a legacy similar to former Sunlake weightlifter Alexandra Ruiz, who won a state weightlifting title in 2013 at 119 pounds.

“Brianna is one of those student-athletes that you don’t get all the time,” explained Garcia, who’s in her 10th season coaching at Sunlake. “She’s so good, and everybody loves (her). She’s well-liked and respected by everyone — teachers, administration, peers — and she’s a leader.”

Garcia hopes someone on the roster can step up and become a leader for next season.

“Every year, you have girls that will come up to the plate, just like Brianna and Alex Ruiz did,” Garcia said. “I’m sure there’ll be someone else.”

Perhaps that girl is junior Hailey Parks, who finished in fourth place in the 169-pound division at the state championships.

The three weightlifters who bested her 335-pound total—Navarre’s Olivia Brahms and Hanna Vernetti, and Lake Mary’s Courtney Coyle—are all seniors, pegging Parks as a likely favorite in 2017.

Garcia believes a state title for Parks is within reach, as long as “she’s willing to put the work in.”

“It all depends on (her) work ethic,” the weightlifting coach explained. “She needs to challenge herself every meet, set goals and not worry about whatever another girl is lifting.

“I know she can. It’s about her wanting to do it,” Garcia said.

Published February 24, 2016

Academy falls short in state final

February 24, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

A sluggish start was too much for the Academy at the Lakes girls basketball team to overcome in the Class 2A state championship, as it fell to Tallahassee FAMU Developmental Research School 55-40 at The Lakeland Center on Feb. 17.

The Baby Rattlers’ full-court pressure proved to be problematic for the Academy early on, as the Wildcats faced a 20-6 deficit after the first quarter.

The Academy at the Lakes girls basketball team finished runner-up in the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 2A Finals, losing 55-40 to Tallahassee Florida Agricultural & University University (FAMU) Developmental Research School. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos) — The Academy at the Lakes girls basketball team finished runner-up in the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 2A Finals, losing 55-40 to Tallahassee Florida Agricultural & University University (FAMU) Developmental Research School.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)

“In the first (quarter), we were really out of our element. That’s not how we play,” said Wildcats coach Karim Nohra, whose team committed 13 turnovers in the first quarter. “Once we settled in, we broke the press and got layups, even though we missed a few layups.

“Had we come out in the first quarter like we did the third and fourth, it would’ve been a totally different game,” Nohra said.

The Wildcats double-teamed FAMU’s top player, senior Jazmine Jones, the entire game, but it wasn’t enough to stop her from collecting a double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds).

“Jazmine Jones makes all the difference in the world,” Nohra said. “You take any 2A team that was here and you put Jazmine on that team, that team wins state. She is the difference-maker.”

Jones, a University of Louisville basketball commit, was also a pest on the defensive end, collecting seven steals.

“(Coach Nohra) told us not to throw the ball towards Jazmine Jones, and some of the mistakes were because we did throw the ball towards her, and because she’s (lengthier) than all of us,” said Wildcats junior forward Imani Thomas. “She got the ball and that (led to) quick fast breaks for them.”

Making matters more difficult for the Wildcats was losing Thomas (7 points, 13 rebounds) for most of the second quarter after she sustained a blow to the stomach.

“You’re talking about Imani and (sophomore) Audra (Leipold) being the leaders of the squad in terms of scoring and people relying on them, so when one goes out, it works on the psyche a little bit,” Nohra explained.

“It was definitely tough,” said Leipold, who led the Wildcats in scoring with 20 points. “She’s like my go-to girl, and I’m her go-to girl. “But, it was good to learn the leadership in a way and how to take (the team) in control.”

The Academy (26-4) has reached the state tournament five consecutive years, only to fall short of a title, losing to FAMU four times during that span.

“It’s a nice squad,” Nohra said about FAMU, which has won four state titles since 2012. “Not many 2A teams have beaten them. Do they deserve it? Absolutely.”

Leipold added that FAMU’s “athleticism and the way they run the floor” has been the challenge in facing them in recent years.

While the Academy will lose seniors Janise Cassanello and Lulu Santiago, they’ll return their top four scorers in Leipold, Thomas, Loren Wells and Nini Chester.

“It’s very exciting,” Nohra said about next year’s prospects. “My goal is always to get to state. I tell my kids, ‘We’re going to win our district. We’re going to be one of the best teams in our county, and I want to get to state.’”

With FAMU’s top player graduating, Thomas is confident the Wildcats will have a better showing next season.

“I think it’s going to be a great experience, and next time, we’ll win the whole thing,” Thomas said.

In preparation for next season, Leipold plans to work on “pretty much everything” to take her skills to the next level.

“I need to get more shots up, so I can get prepared for the depth perception at (The Lakeland Center). And, definitely finishing, creating off the dribble more, creating space,” she said.

Published February 24, 2016

Zephyrhills High gets new football coach

February 17, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

One of the challenges that will face Nick Carroll as the new head coach at Zephyrhills High will be to lead a program that’s been in the midst of turmoil.

The team was successful in the win-loss column, but its former coach was replaced after a report surfaced about an on-campus sex scandal implicating some members of the football team.

According to a Zephyrhills Police report, the alleged sexual assault occurred on Sept. 1, and involved one female and several members of the football team after class hours on school property.

On Oct. 20, the female dropped the case after having difficulty remembering details regarding the incident, records show.

Nick Carroll recently was named the new football coach at Zephyrhills High School. He is pictured with his wife, Jill, and two sons Zacary, left and Maison, right. (Courtesy of Nick Carroll) — Nick Carroll recently was named the new football coach at Zephyrhills High School. He is pictured with his wife, Jill, and two sons Zacary, left and Maison, right.
(Courtesy of Nick Carroll)

On Dec. 18, the case was closed after the Dade City State Attorney’s Office recommended no petition be filed because “the facts and circumstances do not warrant further prosecution,” records show.

Carroll, who graduated from Zephyrhills High, replaces Reggie Roberts, who amassed a solid 39-23 record in six seasons, including an 8-3 mark in 2015.

Carroll is excited about his first-time head coaching gig, which happens to be at his alma mater.

“It’s a great feeling, because I used to walk these hallways, and I used to walk into the same locker room,” said Carroll, who was a member of the school’s 1996-97 playoff team. “I can still imagine all the great times that we had.”

Prior to his current appointment, Carroll was as an assistant coach at Sunlake High for nine years.

Working under Sunlake head coach Bill Browning, Carroll was responsible for coaching defensive backs, wide receivers and special teams.

After “paying his dues” at Sunlake, Coach Browning feels Carroll is well-suited to lead the Zephyrhills football program.

“He’s a knowledgeable coach,” Browning said. “He has a passion for the game, and he works very well with the student-athletes.”

Also working in Carroll’s favor is his understanding of the “makeup of the Zephyrhills community,” Browning added.

However, the challenge of appeasing the football-crazed community won’t be an easy task, especially since Carroll is replacing a beloved coach in Roberts.

For Carroll, there’s pressure to be successful immediately – to silence doubters.

“Zephyrhills is notorious for having good football teams; you’ve got to win games,” said Carroll, who played college football at Mayville State University in North Dakota. “I take that as a great goal for me. …We’re going to do things…in a positive way, to where we can get the kids to play the best game possible.”

Since taking over on Feb. 9, Carroll has a lot on his plate. He’s currently juggling his duties as the school’s physical education teacher and the implementation of his football program.

In between classes, Carroll has been meeting with current members of the football team, analyzing last year’s game film and filling out his coaching staff.

“I’m taking it one day at a time,” he said. “I’m working my way around, trying to make relationships with these (players). I’m waiting until I get my staff in place until I have an actual players’ meeting. …That way we can get going in the weight room.”

Carroll has already spoken extensively with the team’s top returning player in running back Antwione Sims, who rushed for 2,093 yards in 2015, setting a single-season record for his team.

The prospect of utilizing Sims’ talent intrigues Carroll as he deliberates what type of offense he wants to construct for the 2016 season.

“He’s a great running back. He’s very determined,” Carroll said about the 5-foot-11, 196-pound rising senior. “If you watch him on film, his feet are always moving. His legs are real thick, and as the game progresses, (defenders) start to fall off his legs.

“He’s a very hard runner,” he said.

The opposite side of the ball won’t lack for playmakers either, as rising junior Zander Lemay and rising senior Brett Lemay will anchor a stout defensive line.

While ZHS returns a solid crop of playmakers, Carroll must find a way to replace several key seniors from last year’s squad, including wide receiver Jackie Tucker, offensive linemen Austin Larkin and Jonah Thomas, and linebackers Artonyo Lee and Kevin Lee.

The departure of several players will force the newly minted head coach to rely on youth in his first season.

“There’s a lot of young guys that are ninth and tenth graders that are going to play integral roles in the development of this team,” he said. “We’ve got to get these kids to believe.”

The development process starts with offseason workouts, Carroll said.

“The weight room is a huge, huge part of building success,” he said. “Discipline is a huge part of that, and making sure the kids are held accountable.

“That’s very important to me.”

Published February 17, 2016

Carrollwood soccer beefs up talent, schedule

February 17, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Jim Harte has seen a massive turnaround of Carrollwood Day School’s boys soccer program since he became head coach four seasons ago.

The Patriots varsity soccer program was just four years old when Harte arrived, and the team had been struggling mightily.

The team was winless in its first three seasons and had just won five games the year before Harte arrived.

Carrollwood boys varsity head coach Jim Harte (left) pictured with the team’s trainer, Dudu. (Courtesy of Denise Pironti) — Carrollwood boys varsity head coach Jim Harte (left) pictured with the team’s trainer, Dudu.
(Courtesy of Denise Pironti)

Under Harte’s tutelage, Carrollwood has amassed an impressive 55-24-14 mark in four seasons.

Harte left a cushy gig at Clearwater Central Catholic—winning six state titles in 25 years—to help lead the turnaround of Carrollwood boys soccer.

Harte relished the challenge, but also saw the program’s long-term potential.

“I thought, ‘Why not give it a shot? Why not take this blank canvas and see what we can do with it?’ I felt very confident the people coming up into the program were going to make it special,” he said.

Via his annual Marauder Soccer Camp—the longest running soccer camp in the Tampa Bay area, Harte was able to witness Carrollwood’s up-and-coming talent firsthand.

“A lot of CDS (Carrollwood Day School) kids came to my camp as second- and third-graders, and they were good players,” Harte, 59, said. “There was percolating talent in the school that just needed to be harnessed.”

To help steer Carrollwood soccer in a positive direction, Harte enlisted the help of several assistants, including a former Brazilian professional soccer player by the name of Dudu.

“Dudu played in Brazil with some of the greatest soccer players ever. He came up in the time that Pele was coming up,” Harte said. “He’s forgotten more soccer than all of us will ever know.”

The Carrollwood boys soccer program has thrived under the leadership of Coach Jim Harte. Since taking over four seasons ago, the Patriots have a combined 55-24-14 record. In building the program, Harte has focused on scheduling tough nonconference competition.

The Patriots finished the 2015-2016 season with a 15-8-2 record, but were 9-0 in conference play. Despite injuries to key seniors and a young roster that underwent growing pains, Harte said the season was “one of the most rewarding in my coaching career.”

While the team lost eight games — the most in a single year at the school since Harte became head coach — it’s because the team took on a substantially more difficult nonconference schedule compared to previous years, he said.

In an effort to “get better,” Harte scheduled games against the likes of Mitchell High, Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic, Tampa Catholic and Tampa Prep.

“We proactively chose to give ourselves a harder schedule this past year. We picked some big fights,” Harte explained.

“If we had played the kind of schedule we’ve been playing in the past, we would probably be undefeated.”

Next year, Harte plans to follow a similar blueprint of scheduling tough nonconference games—hoping for matchups with Steinbrenner High and Palm Harbor University High.

In taking on such large public schools, Harte is trying to develop a team mindset of “picking on the bully.”

The tougher schedule could yield a couple of additional losses, but that doesn’t trouble Harte.

“Your record is a lot about how you schedule,” the Patriots coach explained. “You can schedule yourself a really good record, or you can schedule yourself an average record.

“We’ll be 1,000-to-1 underdogs in (those) games, but you never know until you play the game,” he said.

With a bevy of talented young players on the rise— the starting lineup included an eighth-grade goalkeeper, three freshmen, five sophomores and one junior — Carrollwood soccer figures to be a mainstay in the area for years to come.

Published February 17, 2016

Player returns to soccer, after 17 broken bones

February 10, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Jim Harte did not expect Spencer Peek to be playing soccer this year.

That’s because the head soccer coach for Carrollwood Day School didn’t see how Peek could recover from the 17 broken bones the teenager sustained in a single-car accident on Aug. 17, 2014.

Peek, 16 at the time, broke both arms and legs. He also broke his sternum and pelvis.

Carrollwood Day School’s Spencer Peek launches a kick during a soccer game from this past season. The senior center midfielder broke 17 bones in a car accident in 2014, and recovered in time to play in the 2015-2016 season. (Photos courtesy of Alyce Peek) — Carrollwood Day School’s Spencer Peek launches a kick during a soccer game from this past season. The senior center midfielder broke 17 bones in a car accident in 2014, and recovered in time to play in the 2015-2016 season.
(Photos courtesy of Alyce Peek)

The accident, occurred near Cheval Boulevard, at Wimbledon Court, in Lutz, when Peek’s car hydroplaned because of rainy conditions. The car hit a speed limit sign and an oak tree before sliding about 70 feet sideways on the road.

“To watch him come back was hard to imagine,” said Harte, who has coached at Carrollwood for four seasons. “I honestly thought he wouldn’t play again.”

The Patriots’ soccer season is over. The team fell 3-0 to St. Petersburg Catholic on Jan. 29 in the Class A region quarterfinals.

But, that doesn’t overshadow Peek’s impressive battle to get back onto the field, including four surgeries and extensive rehabilitation.

“When he first came out of the wheelchair, and I watched him move — and I’m an optimist — I was looking at him moving, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t know how he’s going to do it,’” the coach said. “To expect that he could be our starting center midfielder is amazing. He has come so far.”

The accident left Peek wheelchair-bound for about a quarter of his junior year.

Unable to play soccer during the 2014-2015 season, Peek helped Harte on the sidelines, serving as a sounding board, of sorts.

Harte often turned to Peek for advice on in-game strategy and the use of personnel.

“I would consult him during the games,” Harte said. “He was very engaged on that level. He was like an assistant coach.”

Peek said the opportunity to view the game from afar turned out to be a “pretty unbelievable experience.”

“Coach Harte is such an amazing coach, and for him to show me the respect that he did — being a junior in high school — and he still listened to me,” Peek said. “I did learn a lot from a different perspective, because I’ve always been a player on the soccer team. For him to have the conversations with me, to include me the way he did was…eye-opening.”

Peek’s work on the sidelines helped him gain a deeper understanding of the game, helping to offset his initial loss in foot speed, athleticism and conditioning.

Spencer Peek gets some instruction during a game from Jim Harte, head soccer coach at Carrollwood Day School.

“He got by on his will and his brains. He’s a very smart player, and he reads the game very well, which means he doesn’t have to run as much as someone who doesn’t read the game as well as he does,” Harte said about his team captain. “He anticipates and knows where to find a play, and think two or three passes ahead. He studies the opponent, and within the first 10 minutes of each game, he’s kind of got the opponent figured out.

“Getting up and down the field was very challenging, but he mitigated that by his ability to read the game,” Harte said.

Peek, also a former standout football player at Carrollwood, said one of the biggest challenges of performing on the soccer field was getting back into his “physical being.”

Before the car accident, Peek was a well-built 6-foot, 190-pound teenager. By the time he started walking again, Peek had withered to 140-pounds.

“I had lost so much weight, I was almost a skeleton. I felt so much skinnier and so much weaker,” said Peek, who has since returned to 190 pounds. “It was just physically about gaining back my size, my legs, getting my mass back. I feel much more solid than I did five months ago.”

Peek said the rehab and recovery process was a battle, and noted that being stuck in a hospital bed after the accident was tough.

“When you’re in that situation, at least for me, I couldn’t dwell on it,” he said.

Instead, Peek focused on the future.

“It was about mentally keeping myself on the track, and not straying off and feeling sorry for myself,” he said.

“I was unbelievably blessed to have my family and friends really rally around me. That was my source of strength,” he added.

Rendered completely immobile for three weeks after the accident forced him to “see the world through the eyes of somebody who’s permanently handicapped,” he said.

That broadened his understanding, he said.

“To even get a glimpse of what (handicapped) life is like just really shows you how strong the people are that face that situation permanently,” he said.

Despite the trials and tribulations, Peek said he wouldn’t change what he has gone through.

“The way I saw life before compared to now — you think more about things after experiencing something like that,” he said.

“I just feel like I’m more conscious of what I’m doing,” Peek said.

“Your entire outlook changes and you understand how quickly everything can be taken away,” he said. “I’m so much more grateful for everything now.”

Published February 10, 2016

Land O’ Lakes coach notches 400th win

February 10, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Land O’ Lakes boys basketball coach Dave Puhlaski got his 400th career win when the Gators defeated Sunlake High 76-40 on Feb. 3.

Many expected the longtime coach to reach the milestone on Jan. 29, when his team held a sizeable 20-point halftime lead over River Ridge, but the Gators collapsed and ultimately lost in overtime, 57-55.

Land O’ Lakes boys basketball coach Dave Puhlaski won his 400th career game on Feb. 3. He’s been coaching at the school for 27 years. (Courtesy of Ted Poore) — Land O’ Lakes boys basketball coach Dave Puhlaski won his 400th career game on Feb. 3. He’s been coaching at the school for 27 years.
(Courtesy of Tedd Poore)

“I thought we might get it then and could focus on the district (tournament) totally, but it didn’t work out,” said Puhlaski, who’s in his 27th season as head coach at Land O’ Lakes.

While a 400th win is an impressive coaching milestone, Puhlaski deflected credit for his accomplishment —instead praising his players, assistant coaches and his wife, Erika.

“It’s just been the combination of a lot of good players over a lot of years and a lot of good assistant coaches,” he said. “And, my wife — she’s been at every win and every loss — she’s been an integral part of it.

“It just means I’ve been around for a long time,” he added.

While Land O’ Lakes (14-9) enjoyed a 36-point victory over Sunlake (0-17), the Gators trailed 15-12 at the end of the first quarter in the Class 6A, District 8 semifinal.

“We were trying to do too much in the first quarter,” said senior guard Taddeus Dixon. “The team just came together and said, ‘We have to (work) together and not individually.’”

Puhlaski said both defensive breakdowns and turnovers were to blame for the early deficit against an overmatched Sunlake squad.

“They hit a few shots on us, and usually we try to live off our defense, but we weren’t collapsing or pushing the ball to the middle of the floor,” he explained. “We were not gelling.”

After the initial back-and-forth, the Gators pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Seahawks by a 39-15 combined margin in the third and fourth quarter.

“It felt really good for the whole team,” Dixon said about the win and his coach’s milestone. “We always say it’s never over ‘til it’s over.”

Land O’ Lakes athletic director Karen Coss said Puhlaksi’s 400th career win “definitely shows his dedication and his commitment to the school.

“That is one heck of a milestone, that’s for sure,” Coss said.

Puhlaski’s success over the years also can be attributed to his passion and his ability to motivate, said Tedd Poore, who’s had three sons — Max, Jake and Nick — coached by Puhlaski.

“Everybody ‘s real excited for Dave. He’s been an institution in this community for over 20 years,” Poore said. “A lot of kids have come through his program, and he’s been instrumental in advising and guiding boys when they needed it the most.

“He really cares.”

Puhlaski didn’t say how much longer he plans to coach at Land O’ Lakes, but there’s some indication he may stick around at least until his son David Jr., who’s a sophomore, graduates from the school.

Coaches in Pasco County serve on annual contracts, but Coss said she doesn’t foresee any changes occurring with Puhlaski’s role with the program “as long as he’s teaching (physical education) here and wanting to coach here.”

Prior to being named the Land O’ Lakes head coach in 1989, Puhlaski served as an assistant at Ocala Vanguard for three seasons. That was followed by a one-year stint as an assistant at the University of Tampa.

Published February 10, 2016