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Wesley Chapel/New Tampa Sports

New coaching staff leads Wiregrass Ranch softball

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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

New Wesley Chapel football coach settling in

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It’s been a while since the Wesley Chapel High School football team has celebrated a winning season—since 2011 to be exact.

Anthony Egan, the new head coach, hopes to change that.

Egan coached both the offensive and defensive line at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey for the past three seasons. He was named the Wildcats’ head coach in early January.

He officially begins working for Wesley Chapel High on Feb. 1 as an autism spectrum disorder specialist.

Anthony Egan was recently named the new head football coach at Wesley Chapel High School. He spent the past three seasons as an assistant offensive/defensive line coach at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey. (Courtesy of Anthony Egan)
Anthony Egan was recently named the new head football coach at Wesley Chapel High School. He spent the past three seasons as an assistant offensive/defensive line coach at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey.
(Courtesy of Anthony Egan)

His first few weeks as Wesley Chapel’s head football coach have been a bit of a challenge logistically, as he’s had to drive from River Ridge to Wesley Chapel to orchestrate the football team’s offseason workouts and conditioning sessions.

Egan replaces Tico Hernandez, who stepped down after three tough seasons at Wesley Chapel, where he finished with a combined record of 4-26.

Despite the football program’s struggles over the past few seasons, Egan is confident he can improve the record, noting the program’s foundation and culture have already been instilled by the previous coaching staff.

“I’ve been checking out some of the talent we have, and I’m pretty excited about the quarterback, some returning running backs, and (we) even have a really good returning running back/linebacker, so I’m excited about coaching the kids that are coming back,” Egan said. “I’ve met the kids, and the kids seem to be excellent kids. …The (coaches) in the past have instilled that character in the kids.”

Quarterback Jacob Thomas, who’ll be a senior next season, is expected to be the centerpiece of the offense after throwing for more than 1,800 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2015.

“That quarterback, J.T., is pretty good, so definitely I’m going to try to give him opportunities,” Egan stated. “If that means running a little bit of the spread (offense), that’s fine, but I definitely want to give him his due opportunities because he was a very good quarterback for (Wesley Chapel) last year.”

While Egan plans to implement some principles of the spread offense to accommodate the skillset of Thomas, he also plans to put his own stamp on the team’s offensive philosophy, with the hope of giving them a better chance to win more regular season games.

“They struggled at times last year when they tried to spread it out and run that type of offense, and I think they’d be a lot closer in some of those games, and maybe have a chance to win some of them at the end, if they’d kept it closer with a little bit more ball control,” said Egan, who’s a former high school offensive lineman. “Maybe by taking a different approach and what I’m going to try to do with the (team), we can try to get the wins up and the losses down.”

Despite a lackluster record in 2015, the Wildcats had opportunities for more wins —losing three games by a margin of 7 points or less, and another by just 12 points.

Besides a different offensive philosophy from the previous coaching staff, Egan will also implement a pressure-oriented, 4-3 defense on the other side of the ball.

“It’s an aggressive, run-stopping defense with a lot of blitzing,” Egan explained. “It’s kind of a newer defense, and I don’t know if a whole lot of people know about it.”

As he transitions to his new post, Egan is also in the process of filling out his coaching staff at Wesley Chapel. He retained both Leon Haynes and JV coach Kudura Douglas from Hernandez’s staff, but is looking to add two, or possibly, three more assistants.

Egan joins a solid list of River Ridge alums who’ve gone on to become high school head football coaches at some point in their careers. The others include Mike Gregory (Tampa Catholic), Ryan Benjamin (River Ridge), Andy Schmitz (Mitchell High School), Brian Wachtel (Land O’Lakes High School) and Justin Fenton (Hudson High School).

Published January 27, 2016

Wiregrass Ranch soccer has lofty goals

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Before Wiregrass Ranch’s boys soccer team began its regular season, they tuned up with a couple of preseason matches.

They won the first one 8-0, and raced out to an early lead in the second one.

If you think that meant their coach was heaping praise upon them, you don’t know the expectations of Wiregrass Ranch soccer.

Senior Kyle Vandevelde is a workhorse on Wiregrass Ranch's soccer team, which aims to return to the state final four despite stepping up a class. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Senior Kyle Vandevelde is a workhorse on Wiregrass Ranch’s soccer team, which aims to return to the state final four despite stepping up a class.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“We were up 7-0 after 20 minutes (of the game), and you would have thought we were down 5-0,” recalled coach David Wilson. “If they do make mistakes as a team, they’re going to know about it.”

The Bulls would win that preseason game 8-0, and won their first couple of regular-season matches by shutouts as well.

If their goals are high, it’s because they’ve set a high standard to meet based on previous years.

Last season, the team reached the state semifinals before losing to eventual state champion Chiles, 1-0. In the game, three of their starters hadn’t practiced the previous week due to injury and played at far less than 100 percent, Wilson said. Still, they played a close game and earned some respect from their coach.

“You’ve got to get some breaks along the way, and we didn’t toward the end of the year. With that being said, I thought we played very well there and lost to the state champions,” Wilson said.

Unfortunately, for the rest of their competition (The Bulls moved up to Class 5A this season, and there are a lot of strong teams in district 7), Wiregrass Ranch has most of that team intact for this season. They lost a couple of starters to academy programs (which preclude them from playing at the high school level) and also lost one substitute. But, the rest of the team returns with a goal of getting back to state healthy and ready to play their best.

Wilson acknowledges that the team looks prepared for another big year.

He doesn’t like to put the spotlight on himself as coach.

“I’d like to take some of the credit myself, but most of it is just what we’ve established as a program,” he said.

Wilson’s modesty can’t hide the fact that his fingerprints are all over Wiregrass Ranch’s athletic successes.

As the coach since the soccer program started, he’s built a foundation of discipline and focus that players learn when they enter the system.

He’s also the coach of the boys tennis team, which claimed a co-championship a year ago, then won it outright this past season.

Wilson is also the school’s athletic director, so if anybody deserves credit for the Bulls’ winning ways, it’s him.

And, the players, of course.

Good soccer programs are athletic and deep, and Wilson stresses fitness as a defining trait of his team. He wants players to be able to log consistent minutes, then sub out with little drop-off in talent.

“Fitness-wise, you have to be great. Our outside midfielders and center midfielders have to be able to play both sides of the field,” he said.

Wilson singled out senior Kyle Vandevelde as an outside midfielder who works hard and never gives up on the pitch.

And, while Vandevelde acknowledges that focus on the field is important, he also believes that team bonding off the field is critical.

“You can have the best players on the team, but if they don’t communicate, they don’t have good chemistry and they don’t like each other, it’s not going to matter at the end because they’re not going to be on the same page,” Vandevelde said.

He believes that this year’s team is developing that special chemistry to go along with its superior talent, and the combination will give them an opportunity to go far in the playoffs.

“As long as we have team chemistry, we can go as far as we want,” he said.

Wilson agrees.

He’s been coaching in various capacities for 30 years, and in that time he’s developed a good feel for a team’s potential.

What he’s seen so far makes him optimistic.

“There are surprises, but I know going into the year what we’re going to have. I know how were going to be,” Wilson said. “I think we have a team that’s capable to going back to the state final four.”

Wiregrass Ranch boys soccer remaining schedule
Nov. 12 vs. Land O’ Lakes, 7:45 p.m.
Nov. 17 vs. Palm Harbor University, 6 p.m.
Nov. 19 at Anclote, 7:45 p.m.
Nov. 20 at Hudson, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 vs. Citrus, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 1 vs. Jesuit, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 2 vs. Mitchell, 7:45 p.m.
Dec. 4 vs. Wharton, 6 p.m.
Dec. 8 at Steinbrenner, 8 p.m.
Dec. 11 at Pasco, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 15 at Alonso, 8 p.m.
Jan. 5 at Fivay, 6 p.m.
Jan. 8 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal, 7 p.m. (tournament)
Jan. 9 at Calvary Christian, 2 p.m. (tournament)
Jan. 11 vs. Gulf, 6 p.m.
Jan. 13 vs. Sunlake, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 vs. Ridgewood, 6 p.m.

Published November 11, 2015 

Wharton volleyball caps dominant season, eyes playoff success

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Since taking over the Wharton High School volleyball program in 2009, coach Eric Barber has suffered just one losing season. It was the year he took over the squad.

The Wildcats have been winners ever since, with varying levels of playoff success.

Still, even Barber admits there’s something special about this particular group.

Eric Barber is used to having great volleyball seasons at Wharton since he took over in 2009. This year's team, with a 20-3 regular season record, is no different. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)
Eric Barber is used to having great volleyball seasons at Wharton since he took over in 2009. This year’s team, with a 20-3 regular season record, is no different.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

“It’s just a team that has really been able to solidify over the last couple of seasons they’ve been together,” Barber said. “It’s one of those things where it all kind of comes together at the right point, and you play well.”

They have consistently played well, opening the year with nine straight wins and winning 17 of their first 18 matches. They closed their season with a 3-0 victory over Armwood and enter the 7A-8 tournament with a 20-3 record, a perfect 7-0 district record and plenty of momentum.

The team has a rare combination of talent and experience, Barber said.

He has great players who have come up through the system, and who now have the experience to go along with their abilities.

The team has also overcome setbacks.

Tyler Sroufe, their starting setter and a college-bound athlete, suffered a season-ending injury two weeks into the season. Wharton has absorbed that loss and continued winning, giving the team confidence that it can achieve great things despite missing such a talented player.

Players have stepped up on defense and blocking, which had already been a hallmark of Wharton volleyball since Barber arrived. This year, they have the top two blockers in the district in Lindsey Schaible and Allie Schneider.

Teamwork is another quality the Wildcats possess.

According to Barber, teamwork is the most important characteristic a team can have on a volleyball court.

“I don’t know of another sport that requires so much teamwork and so much focus as one unit as the game of volleyball. When it works like it’s supposed to, it’s wonderful to watch. It’s an amazing game to see,” Barber said.

Senior Chanelle Hargreaves likes what she sees from her team this year.

“I think this year, a lot of us are more mature. We all know what needs to be done to be successful,” she said.

In her four years on the team, Chanelle Hargreaves, left, has gone from being a nervous freshman to being a team leader, as a senior.
In her four years on the team, Chanelle Hargreaves, left, has gone from being a nervous freshman to being a team leader, as a senior.

Part of that success comes from club volleyball, where most varsity players spend their time in the offseason. That means they’re thinking about the game nearly year-round and staying focused on improving their skills.

And, for those who play together at the club level, it creates even more synergy between the players that helps when they’re back playing for their school.

Hargreaves has played for the varsity team all four years of high school, and said that she’s matured along with the team.

“Freshman year, I was just very jittery and freaking out when stuff went wrong,” she recalled. “Now I think I’m more relaxed.”

As a team leader, Hargreaves is the one motivating her fellow players, reminding them they can rally from a bad point or game.

Not that Wharton has had too many bad points or games this season. But, Hargreaves doesn’t simply want a good record dominating easy opponents. The challenging matches are the best ones for the team, she said, because it keeps their communication skills strong. Against easier teams they might get away with winning based on sheer talent. But, if they’re going to do well against elevated competition in the postseason, they’ll have to be on top of their game.

If they can do that, Hargreaves thinks the team has bright prospects in the playoffs.

“We can win state, I think,” she said. “We have the talent on this team to go really far. We just need to stay working together as a team.”

Barber knows there are a lot of games between the regular season and that kind of success. No matter how far they get in the playoffs (Wharton reached the regional quarterfinals last year before losing to eventual state champion Manatee), he has confidence in his players, in the program, and in Wharton volleyball’s continuing tradition of success.

“We’re very grateful, and we feel very blessed with how we’ve grown as a program over the last six or seven years,” he said.

Published October 21, 2015 

 

New Wiregrass Ranch coach builds up the Bulls

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Wiregrass Ranch is on its fourth head football coach in as many years, and hasn’t had any real success in several seasons.

It sounds like a big rebuilding job.

Good thing the team’s new coach specializes in that kind of project.

“It’s almost as if that’s what my calling card is, to take challenges like this, and try and fix them,” said Mark Kantor, the Bulls’ head coach.

He’s done it before.

Mark Kantor has been assigned the task of rebuilding the Wiregrass Ranch football program, and he's tackling it with plenty of effort and a good amount of patience. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)
Mark Kantor has been assigned the task of rebuilding the Wiregrass Ranch football program, and he’s tackling it with plenty of effort and a good amount of patience.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

He coached at Gaither High School for nine years, also coming in as that team’s fourth head coach in four seasons, and he took the team to the playoffs three years in a row. They even won a district title.

Things were even more dire at Hudson High School.

When he walked into that program, it had a 0-24 record.

The team won three games his first season, and accomplished winning records the next two years, adding a playoff berth as district runner-up in his second season.

Coming to Wiregrass Ranch, Kantor had to evaluate what he had on the field.

The young players had a lot of energy and enthusiasm, he said.

But, there was a numbers problem.

With less than 40 players on the varsity team last year, and around 75 in the program over all, it fell far short of the 120 it should have had.

Kantor knew that was an issue as the team headed into the season.

But, he had no idea how many he’d lose to injury.

“In 23 years of coaching, 13 as a head coach, I’ve never seen it this bad,” he said of the injuries to his team. “I go to church every week, so I don’t know what it is.”

The Bulls have lost their starting quarterback and running back, as well as linemen, defensive ends and cornerbacks. But, the schedule won’t wait, and they’ve managed a 2-5 record so far, including a 1-3 mark in Class 7A District 8.

The Bulls have suffered injuries on both sides of the ball. While it might impact their record, it hasn't hurt the effort they give on the field.
The Bulls have suffered injuries on both sides of the ball. While it might impact their record, it hasn’t hurt the effort they give on the field.

It’s been a challenging year so far, but starting receiver Taylor Bleistein already sees a difference with Kantor at the helm.

“It’s been the best year that I’ve ever had. He’s put in a system that is completely different than what we’ve ever seen,” said Bleistein, a senior who’s been with the program all four years. “This is the best step I think the program has (taken) in a long time.”

It started in the off-season, according to Bleistein. Weight room work was more intense and serious, and the team has grown closer and more focused, despite dealing with injuries on both sides of the ball.

The receiver plans to continue playing after high school, with scholarship opportunities looking likely. However things turn out this year, he sees a bright future for Wiregrass Ranch football.

“I really like the direction that we’re going in as a program. He’s a great guy, he’s a great coach, he knows what he’s doing,” Bleistein said.

A good amount of that knowledge comes from another local coach. Kantor credits Sunlake coach Bill Browning as being a mentor, both when he played for him at Springstead High School, and later coached on his staff.

“He was a motivator. He was as tough as they come,” Kantor recalled from his days working with Browning. “It was a great learning experience, not only to play for him, but to also have an opportunity to coach for him.”

Browning’s Seahawks had little trouble with the Bulls when they faced off on Sept. 11, winning 31-7. But Browning saw Wiregrass Ranch give a lot of effort in the loss, and expects that trait to be a characteristic of Kantor’s team going forward.

“He was a hard-working, 100-percent type player, and he’s coaching the same way,” Browning said of Kantor. “I think he’s doing a great job over at Wiregrass.”

Browning knows a little bit about turning around programs himself. When he took the job at Springstead back in 1987, the Eagles had a cumulative record of 20-70 and had never had a winning season, he said. They would not only earn their first winning record, but also win a bowl game and a district title. And, he’s built Sunlake from the ground up into a perennial contender.

He believes that Wiregrass Ranch is on the right track with Kantor, and they’ll just have to be patient as he creates a winning atmosphere.

Kantor knows that might take some time, and he’s ready to put the work in to make it happen. If he can build on the talent he has, and if they can stay healthy, he believes he has the start of a successful program.

“I truly want to build something here,” he said. “We’re young, but we’ve got a lot more growing to do. There are parts there, absolutely.”

Wiregrass Bulls’ remaining schedule
Oct. 16 at Mitchell
Oct. 23 vs. Gaither
Oct. 30 at Plant

Published October 14, 2015

Wildcats work hard, wait for wins

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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.
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

Freedom looks to build on last year’s winning season

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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

 

Wharton athlete runs past pain and into college

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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

No more ‘co’ champs for Wiregrass Ranch tennis

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Last season, the Wiregrass Ranch boys tennis team captured a state title in Class 3A.

Technically, they had to share it with another school. And while that was an impressive accomplishment, it wasn’t good enough for their coach and his players. It meant another team was always part of the discussion.

“The first thing people ask is, who did you tie with? So instead of being able to talk about your team and what you did, you end up talking about the other team that was there as well,” explained David Wilson, the Wiregrass Ranch coach.

Wiregrass Ranch's tennis team isn't sharing the state championship trophy with anyone this year. The Bulls are the Class 3A state champion, building on last year's co-championship. From left, Sebastian Castillo, Daniel Moreno, Alejandro Feliciano, Foresight Okungbowa, Agie Moreno, Lorcan Kavanagh and Kris Cheung. (Courtesy of David Wilson)
Wiregrass Ranch’s tennis team isn’t sharing the state championship trophy with anyone this year. The Bulls are the Class 3A state champion, building on last year’s co-championship. From left, Sebastian Castillo, Daniel Moreno, Alejandro Feliciano, Foresight Okungbowa, Agie Moreno, Lorcan Kavanagh and Kris Cheung.
(Courtesy of David Wilson)

This year, no other team needs to be mentioned.

The Bulls are the sole owners of the state title after capping off a 21-0 season by taking out the competition at the state tournament in April.

And being a champion is a lot nicer than being a co-champion.

“It’s just a whole lot more fun to hold the trophy above your head and not have to hand it off to somebody else afterward so they can take their pictures,” Wilson said. “Getting rid of the ‘co’ in front of your state championship is nice.”

The team wasn’t very nice when it came to their matches.

It frequently breezed past its opponents, although Wilson said the regional tournament provided especially tough competition, and individual players had some challenging matches during their playoff run.

Before it took the state championship, Wiregrass Ranch had already claimed a title. The team won the DecoTurf High School Tennis Championships in Tennessee, back in April.

In that tournament it faced Hinsdale Central, a team that won the last two championships and hadn’t lost a match in four years. And, if spectators were hoping for a close contest, they didn’t get one.

“It was 7-2, so we actually beat them pretty good,” Wilson recalled.

The Bulls beat a lot of teams this year, but their coach wasn’t surprised. After last year’s success, Wilson (who also coaches the successful soccer team and is the school’s athletic director) thought this year’s team would actually be better than the co-state champions.

It was a sentiment shared by his players.

“We had an idea that we were going to be really good,” said Alejandro Feliciano, who was a big part of the championship team and part of last year’s team, too.

“I think our team had more chemistry this year than we did last year,” said Feliciano, who also is nationally ranked as an individual tennis player.

Feliciano could tell the Bulls had something special this year, and is proud to have completed his high school tennis career with an outright team tennis title. He’ll continue his time on the court with a scholarship to Newberry College in South Carolina.

With players like Feliciano and Foresight Okungbowa graduating, it might seem like a good opportunity for other teams to catch up and possibly dethrone Wiregrass Ranch. Unfortunately for those schools, Wilson is already replenishing the team’s depth, and he’s using familiar names to do it.

Okungbowa’s brother will be a freshman at Wiregrass Ranch next year, and other former and current players have siblings who will enter the school in future years. And with top player Agie Moreno returning, Wilson feels like the team will have the tools to remain competitive.

“I think we should be good for a little while longer,” Wilson said.

For now, the team can enjoy the school’s first outright state championship.

Wilson said the players have benefited from a little celebrity at school, which is common for some athletes, but pretty rare for a tennis team.

Wiregrass Ranch has taken pride in the team’s accomplishment, and Wilson is glad to have been the one to provide it.

“Personally, it meant a lot to me to be the first coach to bring home a state title,” he said. “Leading the athletic program, it was really important for me to sort of set the standard for how hard we should be working and what we do as a program,” Wilson said.

Published July 1, 2015

YMCA’s adaptive programs make strides with swimmers

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When Land O’ Lakes resident Kass Pilczuk came to the New Tampa Family YMCA 11 years ago, she was a swim coach.

Now she’s the adaptive coordinator, creating and maintaining programs for adults and youth with developmental or physical disabilities.

It’s grown a lot over the years, especially considering where the program was when she first arrived.

Kass Pilczuk, left, and her daughter Kathy look at the board commemorating the New Tampa Family YMCA's adaptive program. When Pilczuk first came to the facility as a swim coach 11 years ago, the program didn't exist. Now, she runs it. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Kass Pilczuk, left, and her daughter Kathy look at the board commemorating the New Tampa Family YMCA’s adaptive program. When Pilczuk first came to the facility as a swim coach 11 years ago, the program didn’t exist. Now, she runs it.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“There was nothing,” Pilczuk recalled. “There was a group coming over that would use the pool once in a while, but the Y itself had nothing at all.”

Today, the YMCA’s adaptive programs serve more than 40 people.

The facility has adaptive programs in swimming, art, basketball and volleyball. It also has a group that participates in area walks and runs (they call them “rolls” if the participant is in a wheelchair).

The main program is close to Pilczuk’s heart: Swimming. With both beginner and advanced classes, the swimming program has given people of all ages new confidence in the water.

On May 3, the YMCA hosted its Fourth Annual Adaptive Swim Meet at its pool, 16221 Compton Drive. The meet included swimmers from an Orlando special-needs program and from the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation department.

Pilczuk would like to get more YMCA facilities involved in future events.

The swimming classes give the participants a lot more than lessons on good form, according to Pilczuk.

“It’s something they can succeed at. They may not have the best technique, but they can have fun, and they can feel good about themselves,” she said.

Pilczuk speaks from experience, and not just as the YMCA’s adaptive coordinator, or as a swim coach. Her daughter, Kathy, is developmentally delayed and has been swimming for decades. She participated in the adaptive meet, including making flip turns when she swam freestyle.

Even though she’s one of the more advanced swimmers, Kathy enjoys being a part of the program.

“You have fun and do all the different strokes,” she said.

Some members become very skilled at those strokes. A couple of swimmers went on to swim for both the YMCA’s swim team and their high school’s team, Pilczuk said. That kind of acceptance is important, especially to individuals who don’t assimilate as often as they’d like in school.

Most of the adaptive program swimmers don’t get that far, but they still reach milestones in the pool.

Many had never been swimming before, and Pilczuk recalls one participant who had never owned a bathing suit before joining. But they learn new skills, improve over time, socialize and support each other.

The adaptive activities have helped hundreds of participants over the years, but increasing the size of the program is a constant challenge. Some families might have transportation issues, and the fact that participants must be facility members might discourage some from joining.

That’s disappointing to Pilczuk, because the YMCA offers scholarships for those with financial hardships, and it has a reputation for not turning people away due to inability to pay, she said.

The adaptive program is free with a YMCA membership.

While swimming will always be important to Pilczuk (her son, Bill, was a five-time national champion and took gold at the 1998 World Championships), she also wants to keep building the adaptive program out of the water.

A drama program would be a great addition, she said, but would depend on finding the right teacher.

They’ve added a wellness program for adults, including participating in cardio and yoga classes, which is a separate activity a few days each month and is not included with YMCA membership.

Pilczuk continues to work toward building a stronger, more diverse program.

The most rewarding part of her job, she said, is “seeing the look on their faces when they accomplish something. They’re just so proud of themselves and happy.”

For more information about the adaptive programs at New Tampa Family YMCA, call Pilczuk at (813) 866-9622, or email .

Published June 17, 2015