Local Sports

Wildcats work hard, wait for wins

September 16, 2015 By Michael Murillo

The Wesley Chapel Wildcats didn’t win any varsity games in 2013.

They won just two last season and they’ve started this year with a couple of losses.

But Tico Hernandez, the team’s head coach, said you’re missing the point if you judge the team based only on its record.

Wesley Chapel head coach Tico Hernandez isn't just trying to build a successful football program. He's trying to build character in his players. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos) — Wesley Chapel head coach Tico Hernandez isn’t just trying to build a successful football program. He’s trying to build character in his players.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

“We talk about ‘building men for others.’ That’s our slogan. These guys are going to be husbands and daddys and teachers and journalists and preachers in the community,” Hernandez said. “Here’s a great opportunity for us to instill our values on what we think a young man should be like in our society.”

The coach is taking advantage of that opportunity by emphasizing the acronym R.A.I.S.E. (respect, accountability, integrity, self control and excellence) in what players do on and off the field. That means focusing on class work, exhibiting mature behavior and being of service to others.

To that end, a number of his players will be going to elementary schools around Wesley Chapel to mentor and read.

And Hernandez said his door is always open if parents want to talk to him about issues with any of his athletes off the field.

Hernandez is looking for progress on the field, too.

Even though the win column has been less active than he’d like, there are still enough positives to keep the coach optimistic.

A 14-7 loss to Land O’ Lakes High School during the opening week of the season was disappointing, but also a sign of progress since it was so close, Hernandez said.

They didn’t win, but the fact that the Wildcats had a chance to tie or take the lead with a minute left in the game against a highly respected opponent demonstrates that they’re getting closer to where they want to be.

The coach also is happy with the team’s future prospects.

Junior Jacob Thomas had to sit out a year after transferring from Land O’ Lakes, but now the quarterback is ready to lead the team. And Hernandez thinks he has what it takes to keep playing after he graduates.

Junior quarterback Jacob Thomas is happy to be playing on the field for the Wildcats after sitting out a season due to athletic transfer policies.

“With his ability and what he does in the classroom, he’s going have a chance to play on Saturdays, and we’re trying to help him get to that level,” Hernandez said.

As a quarterback, Thomas would love to be airing it out and taking off for extra yards and making highlight reels every drive. But he’s smart enough to know that winning football games isn’t about being flashy, but working within the team’s abilities and taking advantage of opportunities when they arise on the field.

“It’s really just adjusting to what the defense is giving us,” Thomas said. “If they’re giving us the short routes, then we take them. If they’re giving us the deep routes, then we take that. If they’re giving us the run game, then we take the run game.”

Now that he’s finally playing for the Wildcats, the 6-foot-4, 183-pound quarterback will also be a leader on the field.

Watching his team lose close games last year and not being able to help was tough, he said.

Long practices and grueling drills are a challenge, but Thomas wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love coming out here every single day after school. We practice for three hours a day. It’s fun,” Thomas said. “It’s part of the football life.”

The football life is enjoyable for Hernandez as well. He has a young team — out of 75 players in the program, they’ll only lose about nine players to graduation after the season — and they’re buying into his system.

The coach works hard and the players work hard, and everyone believes that the results will be seen on the scoreboard in due time.

Until then, they’ll stay focused on and off the field, and enjoy the process of getting better week-by-week.

“I love these guys. I love this school, and the community,” Hernandez said. “I’m lucky every day to be here.”

Wesley Chapel Wildcats
2015 remaining schedule
(all games at 7:30 p.m.)

Sept. 18 at Ridgewood

Sept. 25 vs. Gulf

Oct. 2 vs. Fivay

Oct. 9 at Hudson

Oct. 16 at Anclote

Oct. 23 vs. Zephyrhills

Oct. 30 vs. River Ridge

Published September 16, 2015

High goals, hard practices for Sunlake volleyball

September 9, 2015 By Michael Murillo

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

And, she did it in just two seasons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But those were very good players.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aug. 27 Sunlake 3, Wiregrass Ranch 1

Sept. 1 Sunlake 3, Land O’ Lakes 1

Sept. 3 Sunlake 3, Pasco 0

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

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

Sept. 11 Academy of Holy Names tournament

Sept. 12 Academy of Holy Names tournament

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

Sept. 22 vs. Land O’ Lakes, 6 p.m.

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

Sept. 29 at Springstead, 6 p.m.

Oct. 1 at Zephyrhills, 6 p.m.

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

Oct. 9 Wharton Harvest Tournament

Oct. 10 Wharton Harvest Tournament

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

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

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

Oct. 20 District tournament at Sunlake begins

Published September 9, 2015

Freedom looks to build on last year’s winning season

September 2, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Behind Freedom High School is the school’s football field, where the Patriots play home games. And behind that is a practice field where dozens of players run drills, practice plays, chase footballs, throw spirals and do their best to improve throughout the week.

Senior Xavier Hardy is taking on a leadership role this season. A total of 14 starters from last year are back on the field in 2015. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos) — Senior Xavier Hardy is taking on a leadership role this season. A total of 14 starters from last year are back on the field in 2015.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

The athletes are both varsity and junior varsity players, and they often practice together.

“The motto here is ‘One Team, One Family,'” head coach Tom Donohoe said. “We don’t want any player out here to feel like they’re not a part of what we do. So we’re real big on trying to keep everybody involved.”

That involvement is paying dividends under Donohoe’s leadership, now entering its fourth year. Last year, the varsity team was 6-4, which marks the first winning season at Freedom since 2009. And the record could have been even better, because they had so many close games: The Patriots lost one in overtime, another by just one point and a third by two points.

Many of the team’s contests were low-scoring affairs (Freedom scored 15 points or less in half of its wins) because the defense was tops in their district last year, Donohoe said. This season he wants to ramp up the scoring and kick the offense into high gear.

“The defense did a great job. They kept us in every game,” he said. “Our focus this year is hopefully to score some more points on offense and special teams, and reward the defense a little bit more.”

Putting more points on the board will help eliminate the sting of those close losses. It’s something that senior Xavier Hardy remembers well.

Head coach Tom Donohoe is seeing results in games, because he's looking for results in practice. — Head coach Tom Donohoe is seeing results in games, because he’s looking for results in practice.

“It was hard to take those losses. It really was,” Hardy said. As a wide receiver and defensive end, he experienced the game from both sides of the field. Having a winning record but leaving some wins on the table motivates him to work harder and provide senior leadership in his final season.

Things look promising for the Patriots this year, Hardy said. The team is more connected than last year, and players are learning to stick with their assignments and do less freelancing on the field.

Practice is hard work at Freedom, but Hardy wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love everything about football. It’s the contact and the studying,” he said.

This season, experience will also play a big role. Last year’s varsity team found success even though it featured seven sophomores and two freshmen. Those players are now a year older with more confidence, and have become veterans of the system. Overall, the Patriots will retain seven starters on offense and seven on defense from last year, which gives the team every opportunity to build on 2014’s success.

While Donohoe feels good about where his team is, he’s been doing this too long to make any bold predictions. Now in his 22nd season coaching overall, he wants players to set the playoffs as a goal. But he knows there are many steps in between to worry about the end of the season when it’s just starting.

“We take it game by game, and more than that, we take it practice by practice. Hopefully we’re better today than we were yesterday,” he said.

Even after coaching so long, the game is still fun for him.

Donohoe moves from group to group during practice, relying on his trusted coaching staff, but he is also eager to see for himself how his players are executing.

When the offense is running simulations, Donohoe is there. When the kickoff team is practicing, and the kick return team is getting work in, Donohoe is there. And, as they develop over the years and mature on and off the field, Donohoe wants to be there, too.

“I tell the guys all the time that I’m a poor man, because I’m a teacher, and we don’t make a lot of money, but I’m a rich man, because I get to work with kids,” Donohoe said. “The opportunity to come out here and help the youth is what it’s about. There’s nothing better than that.”

Freedom Patriots regular season schedule
(all times at 7:30 p.m.)

Aug. 28 vs. East Bay

Sept.11 vs. Alonso

Sept. 18 at Spoto

Sept. 25 vs. Wharton

Oct. 2 vs. Wiregrass Ranch

Oct. 9 at Gaither

Oct. 16 vs. Leto

Oct. 23 at Plant

Oct. 30 at Sickles

Nov. 6 at Plant City

Published September 2,2015

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

August 26, 2015 By Michael Murillo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sometimes the progress is dramatic.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aug. 28 at Wesley Chapel

Sept. 4 vs. River Ridge

Sept. 11 at Anclote

Sept. 18 at Sunlake

Oct. 2 at Lakeland Christian

Oct. 9 at Tampa Catholic

Oct. 16 at Springstead

Oct. 23 vs. Pasco

Oct. 30 vs. Mitchell

Nov. 6 vs. Fivay

Published August 26, 2015

New season, higher goals for Zephyrhills football

August 19, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Last year, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs snapped an eight-year playoff drought by making the postseason for the first time since head coach Reggie Roberts took over in 2010.

This year, the path to an encore doesn’t begin on the practice field, or in the classroom watching game film.

It begins in church.

Head coach Reggie Roberts is looking to build on his team's 8-3 record and accompanying playoff berth last season. (Fred Bellet/Photos) — Head coach Reggie Roberts is looking to build on his team’s 8-3 record and accompanying playoff berth last season.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

“I had one of the preachers from a local church say, ‘Coach, you’ve been praying for the playoffs and that’s what you got. Start praying for the state championship this year,’ ” Roberts said while taking a quick break during practice last week.

This year, the goal is a state championship.

But Roberts and the Bulldogs won’t be leaving things up to divine intervention. They’re putting in plenty of hard work as they prepare for the start of the season later this month. Music blares from loudspeakers during practice to keep the athletes motivated while they run drills. Offense, defense and special teams all take over parts of the field to get their practice time in before scheduled breaks.

The players have noted that there’s a new level of seriousness and focus as they prepare for the upcoming season.

“I’ve pushed them. Last week they said it’s been the hardest it’s ever been at Zephyrhills High School, and it probably is because the expectations are higher,” Roberts said. “We’re looking for better things.”

Roberts’ time as coach — he played tight end and linebacker for the school back in his playing days — has been marked by achieving better things. He took over a program that had won just six games in the previous two seasons. It took a year to get things the way he wanted, but since then it’s been a string of winning records, culminating in an 8-3 mark and a trip to the postseason.

Players like running back Myles Carter will be expected to step up for the Bulldogs this season.

The Bulldogs lost a close game to Suwannee High School, and it left them wanting a bigger taste of the postseason.

They’re aiming for a trip to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, where the state championships will be played in December.

Before they can get that far, though, they have to earn it on the field during the regular season.

And before that happens, Roberts wants them to earn it in their studies and in the community.

“The first thing my athletes have to understand is that football is an extension of the classroom. We are student-athletes first,” he said.

Roberts speaks with the decisive tone of a coach who knows what he wants from his players, and he’s already getting their support. They recently worked at a Purple Heart Memorial Dedication earlier this month, and he wants them to bring a blue-collar attitude to everything they do. By focusing on working together and getting things done in class, the coach is convinced it will make them better players on Friday nights.

Roberts will need players to step up and fill some big gaps left by graduating seniors. The coach misses all of them, since they all contributed to the team’s success. But standout players like quarterback Ty Tanner and running back Jaylen Pickett were more than role players, and they’ve moved on. That means the team has to find a way to move on as well.

The coach is confident the team can take the next step with existing talent like Myles Carter, Antwione Sims and Jackie Tucker. And Tucker, a senior receiver, shares his optimism.

“This offseason I’ve been grinding with my two younger quarterbacks, Charles Harrison and Dylan Wood, trying to get them to where my previous quarterback, Ty Tanner, was,” Tucker said.

The 6-foot-2, 188-pound wideout is in his third year with the Bulldogs, and he knows that means taking on a leadership role. He’s embracing the responsibility of being a voice for the team and making sure everyone is doing their job in practice, working out and getting prepared for the upcoming season.

And for Tucker, that includes himself.

“I hit the weight room 10 times harder than I used to,” he said.

The players work hard in the weight room and at practice, where Roberts’ assistants fine-tune their mechanics, and the team races through a battery of drills and exercises.

And, the head coach isn’t making any time for offseason distractions.

They’re in a new district this year.

Roberts isn’t concerned that the Bulldogs aren’t expected to do much with competition like River Ridge and Gulf waiting for them in 5A-8 (“If you look at the polls, we’re way down,” he said. “I love it.”).

The coach brushed off a question about playing longtime rival Pasco High School in November (“Hasn’t even crossed my mind.”).

Roberts also didn’t want to single out any one facet of his team that he expected to stand out this coming season.

But when pressed to choose one — offense, defense, or special teams — the coach gave a smile before responding with a tone that suggested the answer was final.

“Offense. Defense. And special teams,” he said before heading off to focus on his players.

Zephyrhills Bulldogs regular season schedule
(all games at 7:30 p.m.)

Aug. 28 at Wiregrass Ranch

Sept. 4 at Sunlake

Sept. 18 at Gulf

Sept. 25 vs. Fivay

Oct. 2 vs. Hudson

Oct. 9 at Ridgewood

Oct. 16 vs. River Ridge

Oct. 23 at Wesley Chapel

Oct. 30 vs. Anclote

Nov. 6 vs. Pasco

Published August 19, 2015

Sunlake eyes return to playoffs

August 12, 2015 By Michael Murillo

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living up to that standard won’t be easy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aug. 28 vs. Gulf

Sept. 4 vs. Zephyrhills

Sept. 11 at Wiregrass Ranch

Sept. 18 vs. Land O’ Lakes

Sept. 25 at Lakewood Ranch

Oct. 2 at Springstead

Oct. 16 vs. Pasco

Oct. 23 at Mitchell

Oct. 30 at St. Petersburg

Nov. 6 at River Ridge

Published August 12, 2015

Wharton athlete runs past pain and into college

August 5, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Mollie Golicher was a skilled runner and was expected to be a big part of Wharton High School’s cross-country and track teams.

Mollie Golicher struggled with severe hip pain throughout her junior and senior seasons. But she kept a leadership position on the team while she worked on her running, and her efforts paid off. Wharton High School won district titles in both cross-country and track. (Photos courtesy of Kyle LoJacono) — Mollie Golicher struggled with severe hip pain throughout her junior and senior seasons. But she kept a leadership position on the team while she worked on her running, and her efforts paid off. Wharton High School won district titles in both cross-country and track.
(Photos courtesy of Kyle LoJacono)

After all, her older sister, Kallie, was a standout runner for the school. Kallie earned a letter all four years of high school, was a team captain for both cross-country and track, and won school awards for athletic excellence.

So, even before she stepped onto a single track or course, big things were expected of Mollie.

“Her sister was kind of an all-everything runner, and everybody expects her to be the same thing,” recalled Kyle LoJacono, the Wharton boys’ cross-country and track coach who also spends a lot of time working with the girls’ team.

For Golicher’s freshman and sophomore years, things went according to plan. She was one of the school’s top runners in cross-country and track.

But then there were problems.

Specifically, she had problems with her hips.

As she got older and continued to grow, she was having trouble doing her normal running. Her hips would make clicking sounds, and she felt excruciating pain. And that made it impossible to be the athlete she was expected to be.

“It got really bad, to the point that it hurt to walk around school,” Golicher said. “If I sat down for a while, my hips would hurt getting up.”

With her junior year a wash, Golicher focused on bouncing back her senior year, working hard and preparing to re-establish herself at the top of her sport.

She did what her coaches told her to do. She did everything right. Unfortunately, things went wrong.

As a senior, practicing became a constant exercise in pain. Instead of being able to focus on running, Golicher was just trying to get through the activity in one piece.

Coach Kyle LoJacono talks with Golicher after her final high school track meet. But it's not the end of her running career. She'll run for Wofford College in South Carolina as a freshman. — Coach Kyle LoJacono talks with Golicher after her final high school track meet. But it’s not the end of her running career. She’ll run for Wofford College in South Carolina as a freshman.

“The pain is just to the point where she can’t get through simple runs sometimes without just breaking down crying, because there was so much pain,” LoJacono said.

At that point it would almost make sense to quit.

Golicher could have taken the easy path and moved on to something else.

But if being a top runner wasn’t an option anymore, neither was quitting.

Despite her struggles, Golicher became a team captain in both cross-country and track. And she took the leadership role seriously.

“In senior year when I became a captain, I knew I had to support my team no matter what I was going through, to push the younger runners to their full potential and to push the team in general, and be a leader and role model for the younger runners,” Golicher said.

She also got support from Kallie, now running for the College of Charleston, a Division I school in South Carolina. She encouraged her little sister to look at the big picture, and not give up on the idea of running in college herself one day.

She followed her sister’s advice. She encouraged and supported the top runners — most of whom were freshmen and sophomores.

Her attitude and knowledge wasn’t just helpful to the team.

According to LoJacono, it was instrumental to their success.

“We could not have won districts in both cross-country and track without Mollie. She was like having another coach out there,” he said.

As a result, the girls cross-country team won their district for the first time in six years, reaching the state level of competition. The track team also continued its winning ways, claiming their second straight district crown.

And Golicher kept running as well. The pain lessened over time — becoming more manageable — through stretching and strength conditioning.

She also kept working to improve her times.

That effort also paid off.

Golicher will enter her freshman year at Wofford College in South Carolina as a runner, while she studies sociology and business.

So, despite her challenges in high school, Golicher, like her sister, will run for a Division I program in college.

She also realizes that she became a big part of Wharton’s success after all. It just wasn’t the role she thought she would play.

“I was really proud of them, and how far they’ve gone and how far they pushed themselves to even get to states,” Golicher said. “I tried my best to be a role model for them, and support them and help them push themselves to get to states and run the best times they could.”

Published August 5, 2015

Shuffleboard club combines socializing, sports

July 29, 2015 By Michael Murillo

If you can’t clear and hide, you could end up in the kitchen.

That isn’t a down-home saying you might hear from your grandmother.

It’s sound sports advice. In the game of shuffleboard, clearing and hiding are moves you make with your discs, and the kitchen is somewhere you don’t want to be.

Steve Barnett is proud to show off his white Masters jacket, which he earned for his top play on the courts. His friends, from left, John Houghtaling, Chuck Moulton and R.L. Lay, appreciate the difficulty of Barnett's accomplishment, but that doesn't mean they won't tease him at every opportunity. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos) — Steve Barnett is proud to show off his white Masters jacket, which he earned for his top play on the courts. His friends, from left, John Houghtaling, Chuck Moulton and R.L. Lay, appreciate the difficulty of Barnett’s accomplishment, but that doesn’t mean they won’t tease him at every opportunity.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

While they avoid the kitchen, members of the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club flock to their courts at 5209 Eighth St.

They play most mornings and many afternoons, too.

It might taper off a bit in the summer, but the courts are packed in the winter. And there’s usually a foursome willing to break out the cues and discs for a game just about any time of the year.

“This game can get in your head. It literally takes your life over if you really get into it,” said Chuck Moulton, who serves as the club’s treasurer and maintains the website.

Moulton isn’t really obsessed with the game, but he’s been an avid player since he first picked up a cue around 15 years ago. He took to it immediately, and over the years he moved up the ranks from novice to district amateur to state amateur to pro. The club has more than 150 members, and Moulton estimates that around 65 of them have reached the pro level.

That doesn’t mean it’s a cutthroat atmosphere when they play. Tournaments can get serious and players like to win, but what keeps people coming back is the friendships and camaraderie.

“Everybody’s really good friends. I’ll bet I have 500 to 600 friends through this sport that I can tell you their first and last name, where they’re from and something about them,” Moulton said. “It’s its own community.”

That community includes players like John Houghtaling, who moved to Florida from Cooperstown, New York. He used to spend winters here, but made it his permanent home a couple of years ago. And the shuffleboard club played a role in his decision.

“One of the biggest reasons why is the folks that I’ve met and the game, believe it or not,” Houghtaling said.

Steve Barnett, left, and Chuck Moulton enjoy an afternoon game at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club's courts. — Steve Barnett, left, and Chuck Moulton enjoy an afternoon game at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club’s courts.

Cooperstown is the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and Houghtaling sees similarities between that game and the one he plays almost daily. They both seem simple, but the nuances of each move and the strategies that go into each turn make them deceptively complex.

He said there is a game within the game of shuffleboard.

Some club members have been at the sport for decades.

Steve Barnett has only been playing a few years, but he’s already making his mark. Barnett qualified for the Central District Masters tournament, which requires accumulating points through good showings at tournaments. Only the top eight players for each gender get to participate each year, and the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club normally has multiple qualifiers, giving them a reputation for being one of the more talented clubs.

Barnett is proud of his Masters jacket, but it’s not the most meaningful part of the game for him.

“It’s probably the camaraderie, meeting new people, making friends with people,” Barnett said. We just came back from the Keys, my gal and I, and took one of our shuffleboard couples with us. We had a ball.”

Players can have a ball just sitting around the court and socializing with friends. Even if Moulton isn’t playing on a particular morning, he’ll still make his way down to chat and laugh with other club members. One of those members is R.L. Lay, who doesn’t go to tournaments anymore. After 14 years, he now chooses to play a few casual games most mornings and take in the social aspect of the sport.

“I’ll come in and I enjoy myself. I have fun, and I’ll play three or four games in the morning, and if they can talk me into the fourth one I’ll play. And they enjoy beating up on me,” Lay said with a smile.

Lay might take a good-natured ribbing from his buddies, but he’s no slouch with a cue. His specialty is sending opponents to the kitchen, the section of the court that subtracts 10 points if a disc is there at the end of a turn.

“I win my share of the games and lose my share,” he said.

Win or lose, the goal is for members to have fun at the club. And if there’s an inexperienced person who wants to give it a try, the regulars are ready to greet them with a handshake and tips on how to get started, Moulton said.

“If you came down and said ‘you know, I’m a newbie and I’d like to learn this game,’ all these guys would help you,” he said.

For more information about the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club, call Moulton at (813) 779-9513, email ">, or visit ZephyrhillsShuffle.com.

Published July 29, 2015

Rule requires new clarity for softball substitutions

July 22, 2015 By Michael Murillo

There’s now a specific definition for “projected substitute” in the softball rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations.

The new requirement is spelled out in Rule 2-57, Article Four.

This may not sound like a very big deal, but it could have a big impact.

It could affect how high school coaches manage their softball games going forward.

Land O' Lakes High School softball coach Mitch Wilkins likes the idea of defining projected substitutes. Now that the definition is in place, his team, and all high school teams, will find the addition in the updated rules next year. (Courtesy of Edwin Rodriguez) — Land O’ Lakes High School softball coach Mitch Wilkins likes the idea of defining projected substitutes. Now that the definition is in place, his team, and all high school teams, will find the addition in the updated rules next year.
(Courtesy of Edwin Rodriguez)

If a coach wants to substitute players, the coach is supposed to do it when those players are ready to become active.

On offense, that should be when the coach wants that specific player to bat.

On defense, it should be when the team takes the field when the other team comes up to bat.

But that’s not always how it’s worked during a game.

Some coaches would substitute a player, and inform the umpire of other substitutions they’re making for future at-bats.

Often the umpire would tell the coach to make each one at the appropriate time, but sometimes they would accept the group substitutions.

And that could cause problems, if the coaches made a mistake or changed their mind before the player was actually active in the game.

Those projected substitutes aren’t allowed, but since there wasn’t an actual definition in place for what constitutes one, there was some leeway and inconsistency in how the situations were handled.

Now there won’t be any confusion, because a projected substitute is now officially defined as “a player who does not immediately participate in the game.”

The NFHS expects this will eliminate any ambiguity regarding projected substitutes.

“There was confusion about the rule,” said Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and officials education.

“We’re trying to emphasize that (projected substitutions) is an improper procedure, and so coaches need to be more diligent in reporting their substitutes on offense.”

The offensive side was emphasized because everyone is active at the same time on defense, making everyone an immediate participant in the game.

Making a rule change, or even adjusting a definition, is a three-step process at the NFHS. State associations make proposals to add or change something in the rules, and an 11-person rules committee considers the proposal. If it passes, it goes to an internal rules review committee. After that, the NFHS board has the final say. If the board approves it, the change goes into effect and is added to the rulebook.

It takes a lot of steps just to clarify a definition, but Land O’ Lakes High School softball coach Mitch Wilkins thinks it’s a good move, and believes coaches should already be adhering to the spirit of the rule.

“It makes more sense to be clear to always substitute when the player is actually entering the game,” Wilkins said. “Whatever the situation is, you don’t make the substitution until the time that she’s going in to play.”

Technicalities with regard to substitutions can have a real-world impact on games, Wilkins explained. Last season he had a situation where he forgot to substitute a player in, and she had already faced a pitch. He informed the officials and, after a conference, they called the player out due to an improper substitution.

There was just one problem. That’s not how the rule works.

“I made the announcement before the defense caught it,” he said. In that case, as long as the defense didn’t protest before he informed the umpire, he was allowed to make the substitution without penalty. Wilkins informed the officials of the proper application and, after another huddle, they reversed their decision, and the out didn’t count.

Any clarification that eliminates doubt is a good thing, Wilkins said. And he credits umpires for working hard to get their calls correct.

“The umpires really strive to do a good job, and the umpire associations pride themselves on having educated umpires that do things the right way, and I think that’s very important. Coaches really appreciate umpires that work hard and know the game, and do it the right way,” he said.

And with a clear definition regarding projected substitutes, the NFHS believes everyone, including the coaches, will have an easier time getting things right.

“We’re hoping that those who are guilty of projected substitutes now become more conscious of what they’re doing and will be more thoughtful about the process,” Wynn said.

Published July 22, 2015

Carroll vaults to top spot in Sullivan Award competition

July 15, 2015 By Michael Murillo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She has enjoyed competing against athletes from different states.

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

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

But it won’t get easier.

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

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

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

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

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

Published July 15, 2015