By Kyle LoJacono
Staff Writer
Land O’ Lakes football has already made a Pasco County record 13 consecutive playoff appearances, but the Gators have greater aspirations than just extending that streak in 2010.
“We don’t even think about that because we’re talking about state titles,” said second-year Land O’ Lakes coach Matt Kitchie. “We want to win state titles. It’s great to get to the playoffs, but since I’ve been here, we’re one and done. Last year we were one and done, and that’s not acceptable.”
Jefferson High eliminated the Gators in the first round of the playoffs last season.
“We were kind of in control of that game, but we made a couple mistakes and we let ourselves say ‘we can’t win,’” Kitchie said. “We’re trying to change the mentality from ‘what do we do’ when things go wrong to we’re in the playoffs and we’re going to win a title. You don’t win a championship by just hoping to make the playoffs.”
A recent rematch of that game gave Land O’ Lakes players assurance they have improved.
“We definitely have a lot of confidence,” said junior linebacker Jackson Cannon. “Last year we played in the 7-on-7 tournament and didn’t do as well as we should have. This year we did a lot better. We beat Jefferson in 7-on-7 and I think that shows how we’ve gotten better.”
The Gators had a program record eight seniors sign football scholarships from last season. Those were among the 23 graduates from the 2009 team.
“The biggest hit for us last year was on offense,” Kitchie said. “We lost four of our starting linemen plus our starting tailback in Tyler Peak. We only have one returning starter on the O-line in T.J. Chamberlain. What has happened is we have some sophomores and juniors who have stepped up and taken over at those positions.”
Kitchie said none of his running backs have separated themselves as the starter yet, but added they each do certain things better than the others.
The Gators will likely rely on its passing game this year, which returns starting quarterback Stephen Weatherford and Will Irwin, Jason Tello and Kent Taylor at receiver. Senior Tim Crews-Hill, 6-foot-5, also transferred in from Sunlake High along with fellow former Seahawk Ricky Boyles to help the receiving core.
Kitchie installed the spread offense, which uses three-five wide receivers on most plays, last season.
“Last year it was about teaching the system and now we’re perfecting the system,” Kitchie said. “Not only do we have Stephen, but we have Ryan Bird who is his backup and is pretty darn good too. Stephen was out for the summer with a broken hand and Ryan stepped in and got us to the final four of the (University of South Florida) 7-on-7 tournament.”
Weatherford, a senior, had 2,052 yards and 27 touchdown passes to five interceptions last season. He lost his favorite target, Alex Robinson, to graduation, but the Irwin, Tello and Taylor combination had more than 1,000 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 2009.
Protecting Weatherford on that offensive line is senior John Fiore, a team captain. Fiore has a simple solution on how to make his last season his best, including how to dethrone Pasco High who won the district the last three years.
“Win states,” Fiore said. “Win, win and win … It’s not that difficult. We can beat Pasco if we play better than them and work harder than them. We’ve been working for a year on how we can beat them.”
Kitchie said the team will be using a new defense this season, which he expects will surprise anyone using game tape from last year. Cannon will be one of the leaders of that new system.
“We’ve gotten stronger as a defense because we’ve been practicing together and we have so much experience together through the summer and now in fall practice,” Cannon said. “Working together in the new defense will surprise some people.”
Another of those defensive leaders is senior Spencer Michelson, who plays on the line.
“I like the new system and our coaching staff is the best I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Michelson said. “They know exactly what they’re doing and how to catch the other team off guard on defense and on offense too.”
Kitchie is also very excited about new kicker Jake Frahm, who played on the soccer team last year. After hitting a 52-yard field goal in practice, Kitchie started yelling, “That’s what wins state titles.”
Frahm said he last played football in middle school and is a midfielder on the soccer team. He said he has confidence he can make any kick, so making 50-plus yard field goals are like any other.
Land O’ Lakes starts the season at Ridgewood High Sept. 3.
