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Academy at the Lakes

Toronto Raptors training camp a slam dunk at Saint Leo

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When it comes to melding professional sports and higher education, Saint Leo University has been known as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ exclusive educational partner.

The partnership, which began in 2019, has featured traditional in-stadium and in-market advertising, digital and social features. and other unique fan elements. Most visible elements can be seen along massive interstate billboards and signage throughout Raymond James Stadium.

Saint Leo men’s basketball coach Lance Randall leveraged his friendship with Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse to help lure the NBA franchise to hold preseason camp at the university campus. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University athletics)

Over the last month, the university scored another professional sports franchise partner, albeit for a brief period.

Saint Leo’s on-campus Marion Bowman Activities Center served as preseason training camp host for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, from Dec. 1 through Dec. 11.

The Raptors journey to Saint Leo and the Bay Area came by way of circumstance.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the franchise was unable to start the 2020-2021 regular season in Toronto due to Canada-U.S. border restrictions.

Needing a temporary home in the U.S., the Raptors’ players voted to begin their 2020-2021 season in Tampa over cities such as Buffalo, Fort Lauderdale, Louisville, Nashville and Newark.

Raptors “home” games — at least initially —  will be played at Amalie Arena, the homesite of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, at 401 Channelside Drive in Tampa. The scheduled 72-game regular season begins Dec. 22 and is expected to run through May 16. The Raptors announced at least 17 home games will be played at Amalie Arena in the first half of the NBA season.

Besides the home arena, the Raptors, too, needed someplace nearby to hold its two weeklong training camps while construction was underway on a makeshift practice court inside a hotel ballroom at JW Marriott Tampa Water Street, in downtown Tampa.

And, that’s when some deep coaching ties came to assist.

Coaching connections
Saint Leo men’s basketball coach Lance Randall has known Raptors head coach Nick Nurse for over 20 years.

It’s a relationship dating back to when the pair was coaching against each other in Europe, more specifically in the British Basketball League. Both also coached England’s Birmingham Bullets at separate times in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They’ve remained friendly ever since.

“There’s not a ton of American coaches over there (in Europe),” Randall recently told The Laker/Lutz News, “so you tend to get to be closer with guys that are American when you’re over there and make some sort of connections and bonds.”

(Courtesy of Toronto Raptors)

It was sometime in mid-November when Randall received a random text message from Nurse, inquiring about the college’s basketball facilities as a possible camp site, as the team made preparations for a move stateside.

Randall subsequently went into recruiting pitch mode, self-assured the Bowman Center would be a slam dunk for the Raptors.

The Bowman Center has 10 basketball hoops, two full-size courts and a 4,444-square-foot weight room.

The facility also has a balcony overlooking the practice gym, which allowed team scouts and management to get a bird’s-eye view of all the action.

Add to that a serene setting devoid of distractions in rural East Pasco County, off State Road 52, some 35 miles north of the team’s downtown Tampa hotel stay.

Raptors representatives were on-campus within a week of the original text conversation, touring the facility with Randall and other university officials. They also took a look at Lake Jovita and some of the surrounding areas.

The NBA franchise clearly liked what it saw from the in-person visit.

“We have a great gym for getting better,” Randall said. “We have a lot of baskets, we have a great floor, and it just kind of made sense. And, the students are off-campus, so from that standpoint, it just kind of fell into place.”

The timing also worked for Randall’s own program.

With the status of the NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference season and games in limbo, Randall had no qualms with having his team conducting some routine practices at Academy at the Lakes, in Land O’ Lakes. End-of-semester final exams also took place during the time of Raptors training camp, meaning Randall’s squad was due for a break anyway.

Home away from home
For the duration of Raptors training camp, buses shuttled players, coaches and officials to Saint Leo, generally between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., each day.

As many as four shuttle buses could be seen parked at any one time next to the Bowman Center.

Raptors management strived to normalize the temporary setting, wrapping the university’s fitness center, end mats and other portions of the arena in team logos and its signature red and black color scheme.

Toronto Raptors veteran guard Fred VanVleet hones his jump shot inside Saint Leo University’s Marion Bowman Activities Center. (Courtesy of Toronto Raptors)

Practices were closed to the media and public, but both Randall and Saint Leo athletics director Fran Reidy were able to view some action from afar, at least in the early portion of training camp.

For them, it was a surreal experience witnessing an NBA team on Saint Leo’s hardwood floor, let alone one that won an NBA title in 2019 and has secured a playoff berth seven years running.

“It’s great to watch pros who really do work,” said Reidy. “You know, they didn’t get there by accident, right?

“When I was watching these guys, they’re working at their game, they’re not going through the motions. There’s guys that work out before the team practice or after the team practice on their individual part, and obviously they work on the team concept in the middle, but it is interesting to see how hard these guys work.

“To see guys that were winning an NBA championship a year ago (in 2019) in your gym with arguably one of the best coaches in the league, it was really fun to watch,” Reidy said.

Randall added: “They really just kind of locked in. They’re very professional about how they do things and they’ve been a great group, just a really classy organization. They’ve got a culture of winning and doing things the right way, and really it’s embodied everything they do, even just simple things like meeting and greeting.”

From a coach’s perspective, Randall also was captivated by the team’s “attention to detail, and the ability to facilitate those details on a moment’s notice.”

It was a valuable learning tool for his own basketball staff, he said.

On the flip side, Raptors players and coaches came away quite pleased with the university’s Southern hospitality.

In a recent Zoom media conference during camp, Nurse joyfully mentioned that Randall’s wife had baked chocolate chip cookies for the entire team.

“That’s how special the touches are around here,” said Nurse, the 2020 NBA Coach of the Year. “They’ve been gracious, gracious hosts.”

Nurse praised the Bowman Center’s basketball facilities, too. He noted how its 10 hoops are distinctly spaced out in the arena, which allowed the team’s 20-man roster to get adequate individual work in without encroaching on each other.

“We’ve got 20 players here, you’ve got a lot of bodies,” said Nurse, “so you need a lot of baskets to keep everybody active, and getting required shots in and form shooting work, and all that stuff going.”

He added: “The facilities here are perfect, really perfect, and we’re happy and fortunate we chose here and that they were able to accommodate us.”

Raptors all-star power forward Pascal Siakam likewise came away satisfied with Saint Leo’s digs.

“I think it’s been great,” Siakam said of the training camp experience at Saint Leo. “I would say we’ve been blessed to be able to have a facility like that. Definitely a shout out to Saint Leo for letting us use the gym and be a part of what they have here.

“I think it’s been great just being here and having everything under one roof. I just know, obviously, we appreciate it as a team.”

Branding boost
Those types of responses gratified Saint Leo’s athletics director, confirming the university’s sports facilities and amenities are top-notch and pro-caliber.

“We do have really good facilities. We’ve known that for a long time. Anytime we can get other people to campus, they realize the same thing. But, when a professional team comes to campus, I think it validates what you’ve been saying,” said Reidy.

Besides validation, the partnership in with the Canadian-based NBA franchise has yielded other benefits for the private Catholic university with an undergraduate on-campus enrollment of 2,000-plus.

Saint Leo naturally has gotten quite an exposure boost over the last several weeks — becoming the subject of much local, regional, national and international media attention.

Reidy believes it all could be a windfall for recruiting new student-athletes in the future.

And, not just in hoops, but even in sports like men’s lacrosse, which has seven Canadian-born players on its 2021 roster.

“We have a bunch of Canadians on our (men’s lacrosse) team, so this certainly is not going to hurt our recruiting,” Reidy said. “Because the Raptors have been here, now those kids will know that, ‘Well the Raptors were at Saint Leo, then it must be the real deal,’ so it has been a really good brand for us, really helped us at a time when we haven’t played any sports (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), we were kind of in need of a little spark, and this has been a very good experience.”

This is actually not the first time Saint Leo has played host to an NBA team.

The New Jersey Nets in 1996 held preseason training camp at the college, lodging at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

That partnership also happened by way of a coaching connection.

Then Nets rookie head coach John Calipari had served as a graduate assistant in 1982 at the University of Kansas under Ted Owens, Saint Leo’s athletic director at the time.

2020-2021 Toronto Raptors roster
Players

  • OG Anunoby, forward
  • Aron Baynes, center-forward
  • DeAndre’ Bembry, guard-forward
  • Chris Boucher, forward-center
  • Oshae Brissett, forward-guard
  • Terence Davis, guard
  • Henry Ellenson, forward-center
  • Malachi Flynn, guard
  • Jalen Harris, guard
  • Alize Johnson, forward
  • Stanley Johnson, forward-guard
  • Alex Len, center
  • Kyle Lowry, guard
  • Patrick McCaw, guard
  • Malcolm Miller, guard-forward
  • Norman Powell, guard
  • Pascal Siakam, forward
  • Matt Thomas, guard
  • Fred VanVleet, guard
  • Yuta Watanabe, guard-forward
  • Paul Watson, guard

Staff
Nick Nurse, head coach
Adrian Griffin, assistant
Sergio Scariolo, assistant
Jim Sann, assistant
Chris Finch, assistant
Scott McCullough, trainer

Published December 16, 2020

Area swimmers make a big splash at state meet

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Records were broken and titles were claimed by area athletes at the 2020 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state swimming and diving championships, held last month at the Sailfish Splashpark Aquatic Athletics Center, in Stuart.

A total of nine local schools were represented across all four classifications —  Academy at the Lakes (Class 1A), Carrollwood Day School (1A), Cypress Creek Middle High (2A), Freedom High (3A), Gaither High (3A), Land O’ Lakes High (3A), Sunlake High (3A) and Wiregrass Ranch High (3A) and Steinbrenner High (4A).

Two of these programs registered top-10 finishes— the Freedom Patriots girls team finishing eighth among the 41 schools competing in 3A, and the Land O’ Lakes Gators boys team winding up eighth out of the 43 schools competing in 3A.

Another notable combined team showing came from the Steinbrenner Warriors, whose girls team finished 11th (among 32 schools competing in 4A) and boys team went 17th (among 37 schools competing in 4A).

The most striking showings came in the way of individual and relay performances.

On the boys side, Land O’ Lakes senior Zuri Ramsey captured three medals, headlined by his second-consecutive gold medal in the 3A 50-yard free, clocking 20.51. That bested his state title in the event last year, when he posted 20.53.

Ramsey also took second in the 100-yard free (45.87) and fifth in the 200-yard medley relay, teaming with sophomore Michael McCloskey, senior Griffin Sutek and freshman Garret McNab, who combined to post a 1:37.12 in the race.

Ramsey is the younger brother of former Gators standout Jabari Ramsey, who was a three-time state champion in the 100-yard breast and a one-time champion in the 200-yard medley relay — making him the swimmer to win the most gold medals in Pasco County history.

Cypress Creek senior Clyde Crouse captured multiple 2A medals for the second-straight year — placing fourth in the 200-yard medley free (1:42.43) and fifth in the 500-yard free (4:40.35) Last year, Crouse took silver in the 500-yard freestyle (4:34.48) and sixth in the 200-yard freestyle (1:44.01).

Other medals (top-eight finish) were collected in diving by Land O’ Lakes senior Mason Gandy and Cypress Creek freshman Jace Beckwith. Gandy went eighth in the 3A event (scoring 340.55) and Beckwith took seventh in the 2A event (322.40).

Also, Freedom senior Zachary Kopel earned an eighth-place medal in the 3A 500-yard free (4:39.62)

Steinbrenner High senior Alexis Mulvihill won gold and set a state record in the 4A 50-yard free, clocking 22.22. The Auburn University signee also took gold in the 100-yard fly (53.16). (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School)

A slew of banner performances took place on the girls side of the pool, as well.

Most notable was Steinbrenner senior Alexis Mulvihill, who took gold in both the 4A 50-yard free (22.22) and 100-yard fly (53.16).

The Auburn University signee’s 50-yard free time is a new state record.

The previous mark of 22.30 was set in 2002 by Gulliver Prep’s Christina Swindle. Interestingly, Swindle went on to swim at Auburn and competed at the 2003 Pan American Games, winning gold in the 400-meter free and silver in the 100-meter free.

Of note: Mulvihill was about a half-second shy of the national high school swim record in the girls 50-yard free clocked at 21.59 — set in February by Gretchen Walsh, of Nashville, Tennessee.

And, Mulvihill wasn’t the only local girls swimmer to earn a state crown.

Freedom junior Michelle Morgan took first in the 3A 200-yard medley, clocking 2:00.92.

She also took silver in the 500-yard free (4:48.43) and anchored bronze in the 400-yard free relay with senior Hannah Labohn, and juniors Alexa Valdez-Vellez and Carly Joerin, who combined to swim the event in 3:32.58.

Other local female swimmers captured multiple medals, too.

Academy at the Lakes senior McKenna Smith — a Duke University signee — took third in both the 1A 50-yard free (23.15) and 100-yard free (50.34).

Carrollwood Day School freshman Adele Sands medaled in the 200-yard free and 100-yard free, in the 1A state meet. (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

Carrollwood Day School freshman Adele Sands went fifth in the 1A 100-yard free (51.96) and seventh in the 200-yard free (1:52.60).

Wiregrass Ranch junior Maryam Khalil went fifth in the 3A 100-yard breast (1:06.53) and eighth in the 50-yard free (24.48).

Land O’ Lakes senior Apryl Paquette took eighth in the 3A 200-yard free (1:57.62) and anchored an eighth-place finish in the 200-yard free relay, teaming with freshmen Jahzara Ramsey and Abigail Hahm, and junior Catherine Pinkos, as the group clocked 1:41.29 in the event.

Other medal performances came out of Sunlake, where it’s 3A 200-yard free relay team took seventh (1:40.17), while senior Isabella Monagas finished eighth in diving (342.25). The podium-earning relay team consisted of sophomore Madison Houck, juniors Amber Ewald and Lillian Hilt and senior Alex Sprague.

Results among locals at the state meet:

4A Boys
Steinbrenner (17th place, out of 37 schools)

Events:
200-yard freestyle relay: Jayden Repak, freshman; Alex Harkness, senior; Shane MacGregor, senior; Gavin Peck, freshman (ninth, 1:27.35)
100-yard backstroke: Shane MacGregor (11th, 52.81)
100-yard breaststroke: Garrett Sykes, junior (16th, 1:01.65)
400-yard freestyle relay: Shane Macgregor; Jayden Repak; Alex Harkness; Gavin Peck (ninth, 3:13.06)

Girls
Steinbrenner (11th, out of 32 schools)

Events:
50-yard freestyle: Alexis Mulvihill, senior (first, 22.22)
100-yard butterfly: Alexis Mulvihill (first, 53.16)
400-yard freestyle relay: Alexis Mulvihill; Emma Brown, senior; Kayla Daley, sophomore; Gavriela Daniels, freshman (ninth, 3:34.30)

3A Boys
Land O’ Lakes (eighth, out of 43 schools)

Events:
200-yard medley relay: Michael McCloskey, sophomore; Griffin Sutek, senior; Garret McNab, freshman; Zuri Ramsey, senior (fifth, 1:37.12)
50-yard freestyle: Ramsey, senior (first, 20.51)
Diving: Mason Gandy, senior (eighth, 340.55)
100-yard freestyle: Ramsey (second, 45.87)
200-yard freestyle relay: McCloskey; Sebastian Arbelaez, senior; McNab; Ramsey (12th, 1:31.58)
100-yard breaststroke: Griffin Sutek (ninth, 59.53)

Wiregrass Ranch (16th)

Events:
200-yard intermedley: Noah Porter, junior (14th, 2:03.21)
100-yard freestyle: Yuheng Chen, junior (14th, 49.30)
50-yard freestyle: Emanuel Silva, senior (12th, 22.17)
200-yard freestyle: Emanuel Silva; Matthew Gomez, senior; Noah Porter; Yuheng Chen (10th, 1:31.03)
400-yard freestyle relay: Noah Porter; Matthew Gomez; Emanuel Silva; Yuheng Chen (ninth, 3:19.97)

Freedom (25th)
500-yard freestyle: Zachary Kopel, senior (eighth, 4:39.62)

Gaither (tied 41st)
100-yard freestyle: Zachary Cannon, junior (15th, 49.64)

Girls
Freedom (eighth, out of 41 schools)
200-yard intermedley: Michelle Morgan, junior (first, 2:00.92)
50-yard freestyle: Hannah LaBohn, senior (tied 15th, 24.15)
100-yard freestyle: Hannah LaBohn (10th, 53.77)
500-yard freestyle: Michelle Morgan (second, 4:48.43); Carly Joerin, junior (11th, 5:03.06)
400-yard freestyle relay: Hannah LaBohn; Alexa Valdez-Vellez, junior; Carly Joerin; Michelle Morgan (third, 3:32.58)

Sunlake (14th)
200-yard medley relay: Amber Ewald, junior; Lillian Hilt, junior; Madison Houck, sophomore; Alex Sprague, senior (ninth, 1:53.64)
50-yard freestyle: Alex Sprague (tied 13th, 24.92)
Diving: Isabela Monagas, senior (eighth, 342.25)
200-yard freestyle: Madison Houck; Amber Ewald; Lillian Hilt; Alex Sprague (seventh, 1:40.17)
100-yard backstroke: Madison Houck (13th, 1:00.39)

Land O’ Lakes (23rd)
Events:
200-yard freestyle: Apryl Paquette, senior (eighth, 1:57.62)
Diving: Madison Burnstein, senior (20th, 199.75)
200-yard freestyle relay: Jahzara Ramsey, freshman; Abigail Hahm, freshman; Catherine Pinkos, junior; Apryl Paquette (eighth, 1:41.29)

Wiregrass Ranch (tied 24th)
Events:
50-yard freestyle: Maryam Khalil, junior (eighth, 24.48)
Diving: Abby Galo, junior (12th, 307.20)
100-yard breaststroke: Maryam Khalil (fifth, 1:06.53)

2A Boys
Cypress Creek Middle High (tied 19th, out of 48 schools)
200-yard medley freestyle: Clyde Crouse, senior (fourth, 1:42.43)
Diving: Jace Beckwith, freshman (seventh, 322.40)
500-yard freestyle: Clyde Crouse (fifth, 4:40.35)

Girls
No local schools or individual placed finishers

1A Boys
No local schools or individual placed finishers

Girls
Academy at the Lakes (18th, out of 48 schools)
50-yard freestyle: McKenna Smith, senior (third, 23.15)
100-yard freestyle: McKenna Smith (third, 50.34)

Carrollwood Day School (tied 20th)
Events:
200-yard freestyle: Adele Sands, freshman (seventh, 1:52.60)
100-yard freestyle: Adele Sands (fifth, 51.96)

Published December 09, 2020

Schools end unusual year on high note

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Normal end-of-the-school year traditions were out this year, due to COVID-19, so schools put on their thinking caps to find new ways to honor and celebrate the students.

Sand Pine Elementary School, in Wesley Chapel, held its Fifth Grade Moving Up Ceremony, in the school’s parking lot.

Names of fifth-graders from Sand Pine Elementary were written in chalk in the school’s parking lot, to treat the children like royalty during the school’s Fifth Grade Moving Up ceremony. (Courtesy of Sand Pine Elementary)

After a parade through the school’s parking loop, each fifth-grader’s name was written in chalk on a parking spot.

Then, their belongings were loaded into the trunk of their car, along with a balloon and a middle school T-shirt, according to Sue Urban, the principal’s secretary.

“Everyone had a great time, even while social distancing,” she said, via email.

At Academy at the Lakes, an independent school in Land O’ Lakes, students drove by in a parade — and picked up their yearbooks, locker stuff, art projects and science projects — all packed in an Academy tote bag with personalized notes from their teachers.

Voluntary prekindergarten graduates from Mary’s House at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church were honored, too.

To bring a special ending to the year, staff from the school did an individual “graduation” ceremony at each child’s house, according to Corrine Ertl, center director.

From left, members of the Stoppa family: Anne (mom), Jeeho (Mary’s House graduate), Jackson and Michael (dad). (Courtesy of Mary’s House at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church)

“First, we gathered all their addresses, divided by subdivision, and mapped out all the addresses, Ertl said, via email.

“Well, we started on Monday and after four days and 489 miles we finished.

“Every child was full of joy. Most of the children had dressed up in their cap and gown, we placed their sign in the yard, played pomp and circumstance through our mobile Bluetooth speaker,” she wrote.

Every child and his or her siblings received cupcakes, and the graduates received their candy class ring, just like they would at graduation, Ertl wrote.

Meanwhile, Pasco and Hillsborough county high schools had to push off their traditional ceremonies because of COVID-19, so other ways were found to honor the seniors until those formal commencement exercises can be held.

In Pasco County, the school district had virtual ceremonies, complete with pomp and circumstance, performed remotely, by students from several bands from across Pasco County.

Drive-by celebrations were held for the Class of 2020 at The Grove in Wesley Chapel and at SunWest Park in Hudson. The city of Zephyrhills had a parade for seniors, too.

Published June 10, 2020

Academy at the Lakes seniors Jordan Whit, left, and Kate Erin McCormick (in car) swing by to pick up their stuff. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)
From left, members of the Sievert family: Carmen, Kimberley (mom), Tony (dad), Alicia (Mary’s House graduate) and Dominic. (Courtesy of Mary’s House at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church)
All four children of the Iglesias family attended Mary’s House, and Rosie, the youngest of those children, was the last one to graduate from the VPK program. From left, Isabella, Dennis (dad), Cecilia, Nicholas, Jaclyn (mom) and Rosalia. (Courtesy of Mary’s House at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church)

This teen strikes out batters — and cancer

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Jack Teeter was well on his way to another standout baseball season for Academy at the Lakes (AATL), up until the COVID-19 pandemic canceled virtually all sporting events.

The All-State athlete was leading the team with a .500 batting average through nine games. He hadn’t allowed an earned run in 14 innings pitched.

In the de facto final game of the season on March 12, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound junior left-hander had a no-hitter through four innings in a mercy-rule victory against Lakeside Christian — a contest not officially documented in online stats.

But, before he was racking up extra-base hits and striking out batters this season, Teeter was up against tougher opponent — cancer.

Jack’s parents, Renee and Brian Teeter, made him a custom-made hat, with the phrase, ‘I Struck Out Cancer.’ Jack was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in late September. After five rounds of chemotherapy and 14 targeted doses of radiation, he was pronounced cancer-free in January. (Courtesy of Brian Teeter)

The athlete was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in late September, at 16 years old.

In the months preceding, he had been having ongoing breathing and coughing issues. He had trouble completing routine baseball workouts. Doctors presumed it was a case of allergies and sports-induced asthma.

The full scope of the health issue wasn’t realized until Teeter caught a parasite while volunteering at a church farm in Clearwater during the summer.

His parents initially thought it was a bout of food poisoning, until weight loss and stomach issues persisted for days.

Eventually, his family suspected something more was going on.

Teeter first was taken to urgent care, then St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital for a series of CAT scans and medical tests.

They showed lesions on his spleen and stage III lymphoma — meaning enlarged lymph nodes had spread on both sides of his diaphragm.

The teen immediately started treatment. After five rounds of chemotherapy and 14 targeted doses of radiation, he was pronounced cancer-free in January. He requires checkups every three months.

The initial shock of cancer didn’t fully hit Teeter until he awoke in a hospital bed about a week in.

“It’s surreal, if I had to describe it,” he said. “It was crazy to think that I was only 16 years old, being taken into a hospital because of cancer. It’s like, ‘Wow, this is really happening.’”

Motivation through baseball
As the Teeter family found out from doctors and nurses, Hodgkin lymphoma has a high treatable and survival rate in children.

It’s also something several pro athletes have overcome, including a pair of Chicago Cubs All-Stars in Jon Lester and Anthony Rizzo. Reading those stories helped fuel Teeter’s drive to get back on the field again: “I realized, ‘Oh, I can make it, I can get past this, and it’s something that I can overcome and still make it regardless of what I have.’”

While undergoing treatment, Teeter discovered just how much he cherished the game he began playing when he was just 4 years old.

Before the diagnosis, Teeter enjoyed a sophomore campaign that garnered him Class 2A Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-State honors after leading the Wildcats in hitting (.367 average, 18 hits, 11 RBIs) and pitching (1.48 ERA, 60 strikeouts in 42.2 innings).

He acknowledged that baseball is something he may have taken for granted previously, but now, he said he is “enjoying every moment” that he can.

He observed, “I didn’t realize how much I did miss it, how important it was to me because I kept getting calls from teammates and friends telling me that they miss me and hope I get through it OK. It just made me realize, ‘This is a real passion for me, I am important to the team, and I got to get through it all somehow.’”

In a way, baseball “brought him back to health,” said Renee Teeter, his mother.

“It’s given him motivation, excitement, something for him to look forward to and work toward,” she said.

Cancer also has given the teen a fresh perspective on life.

He makes a point to tell anyone who’ll listen to not take what they have for granted, particularly when it comes to health.

Teeter put it like this: “You never know how bad it can be until you’ve had something like I’ve have. It’s like sometimes when people complain about stupid stuff I just remind them, like, ‘C’mon, you have health, you have something that some people just don’t have and you just kind of need to appreciate it a bit more.’”

That newfound outlook is something his parents have picked up on, too.

“I think he got faced with his mortality a lot younger than most people do, and I think he appreciates what he has a lot more now,” said Brian Teeter, his father.

The experience also made Teeter’s parents even more aware of how capable their son is — in both fighting cancer and playing baseball at a high level again.

“I don’t know if he surprised me, because I always knew he was a very strong kid, but I’ve been impressed by him,” Renee said. “He’s handled this very well and dealt with a lot of things, but he doesn’t know any different.”

She added, “He’s done as best as he could be. He’s a trooper, not a complainer. He does what he has to do.”

Getting healthy, inning by inning
Since the diagnosis, Teeter’s first baseball outing came in mid-November, in a high school tournament at Saint Leo University.

The effects of ongoing treatment were evident. He was bald, thinner and noticeably weaker. His chemo port was still implanted, too.

Still, he mustered up the power to pitch one full inning, getting three outs on 25 or so pitches.

“I wasn’t 100% there,” Teeter said, “but, I was able to throw one inning and it was great to get back out there.”

His parents were emotional, as they watched their son back on the mound.

“I basically cried the entire time,” Teeter’s mother said.

After barely having the strength to walk, Teeter has progressed to running, weightlifting and taking part in regular baseball activities and drills.

Teeter pitched one inning during a fall baseball invitational, as he was still undergoing chemo treatments.

He’s happy to report that he can get through a 30-minute workout without feeling sick.

His hair, beard and strength are back, also.

Now cancer-free, he is focused on becoming a better ballplayer, with aspirations to pitch in college.

He’s leaned on the help and support of coaches like his father, as well as Academy at the Lakes’ pitching coach Tony Saccamanno, and Anthony Telford and Ruben Garcia, of the Florida Baseball Institute, in Tampa.

He’s working to perfect his pitch timing and mechanics, and notch his fastball up to 80 mph, adding to a repertoire that also includes a slider, curveball and changeup.

Teeter’s recovery brings a smile to the face of Academy at the Lakes’ head baseball coach Ken Akins.

“It’s just good to see him healthy — that’s the key,” said Akins. “I don’t think that I’ve ever seen him 100% healthy in the (two seasons) that I’ve been at the Academy, and that’s the part that I’m happy about, that’s the part I’m excited about, is to see him not have to battle anything, and really say, ‘OK, now’s the time to get at it.’”

When Akins first heard of Teeter’s Hodgkin lymphoma last fall, it brought back memories of another former player who had cancer.

“As a head coach, as a parent, as a person, you never want to hear that, especially that a young man at the age of 16 has to deal with something like that,” Akins said. “I think it opened up some eyes on some of the other boys.”

This summer, Teeter will be pitching from time to time for the Carrollwood Gators travel ball team. He’s also looking forward to his senior season because he believes he’ll finally be able to showcase his true skills and best self.

“I just a want a shot to have people see what I can be like when I’m actually healthy,” Teeter said.

He also hopes to inspire other youths battling cancer.

“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Teeter said. “You’re going to come back, and you’re going to come back better than you ever were before.”

Published June 03, 2020

Cancellation of spring sports leaves many dejected

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There was at least a glimmer of hope the 2020 Florida high school spring sports season would resume, even amid concerns about coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

But, optimism vanished when the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on April 20 announced it would cancel all FHSAA-affiliated events.

The cancellations include the state series and championships events, for spring sports.

Due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on April 20 announced it would cancel all FHSAA-affiliated events, including the state series and championships events, for spring sports. (File)

The statewide sports organization also announced no additional eligibility will be granted for spring sport athletes, including seniors, “under the guidance of the Florida Department of Education regarding grade level retention, and upon review of Florida Statutes and FHSAA Bylaws.”

And, just like that, high school senior athletic careers have come to an end.

It happened months sooner than expected, with no clue for athletes that a game, match or meet around mid-March would officially be their last.

The reality has left many local senior athletes feeling dejected, including Sunlake High’s Gianna Levy.

“It was really hard on me,” said Levy. “I cried. To be honest, I cried a lot.”

The prep track and field season offered Levy a final chance to boost her stats and times, to get on the radar of NCAA Division I college programs, as a heptathlete. She’s still holding out hope of being able to compete on the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) circuit this summer to get those college looks, but even that’s no guarantee.

“It definitely is really taking a really big toll on me,” Levy said. “This was a lot of people’s out ticket (to college) and now we don’t have that out ticket.”

Levy was only able participate in a couple track events before the varsity season came to a screeching halt. She was nursing a hip injury, which arose in February after she won a state title in girls weightlifting.

Though she’d already been a three-time state track and field qualifier and holds the school’s 400-meter dash record, Levy was dogged to put forth a banner senior campaign. “I just had so many goals in mind,” she said.

Other seniors had similar ambitions for their high school swan song.

Land O’ Lakes High senior Courtney Piltaver is a two-time Sunshine Athletic Conference East Girls Tennis Player of the Year. She was poised again to shine in her final high school tennis season, coming off a district title and state finalist.

From left: Wiregrass Ranch High softball seniors Kailey Riddlesworth, Cassidy Eason, Lexi Gaiefsky and Loryn Finn. These athletes only played nine games of a 27-game regular season schedule, due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Courtesy of Tyler Finn)

“I was pretty upset because it was my senior year, and it really sucks that I didn’t get to enjoy the full season with my team and my coaches, and kind of just close out,” said Piltaver, who’s signed with NCAA Division II University of Montevallo in Alabama.

The tennis standout added that not having the typical ceremonial senior night celebration, “was kind of heartbreaking, because that was something I was really looking forward to since my freshman year.”

Senior infielder Loryn Finn was in the midst of her best hitting season on the Wiregrass Ranch High softball team, sporting a .360/.467/.440 slash line through nine games.

The team captain also was chasing the 100 career hit milestone — a possibility with 18 regular season games remaining on the schedule, until athletics activities were scrapped.

Finn won’t be playing college ball. She hasn’t quite come to grips that a March 11 loss to Wesley Chapel High is perhaps the final time she’ll pick up a bat, ball and glove competitively.

“It’s definitely hard. I’m kind of in shock,” Finn said, bluntly.

Aside from game action, Finn still longs for those last few “bus rides to games, and just jamming to music with players and teammates.”

With a tinge of despair in her voice, Finn labeled her four-year softball experience as “just always been fun.”

Wiregrass Ranch assistant softball coach Tyler Finn feels for his senior daughter and the many other players on the team: “It’s really just not the seniors, it’s freshmen, it’s everybody. It’s tough on them, too. It affects every player, all of them; their season was cut short.”

He also observed his daughter’s high school athletics career coming to an abrupt halt.

Besides softball, Finn was a three-time All-Conference golfer: “She’s gotten to the point where she just wants to get into college and get the education going. She had a really good high school softball career and golf career. …She’s going to miss those kids that she played with since she was little — that’s the hard part.”

Though the traditional season is done, the assistant coach is looking for some way to hold a final showcase in the summer that would bring together various senior high school softball players countywide, assuming restrictions on parks and gatherings are lifted.

“The kids deserve it,” he said.

‘I knew it was coming’
Back on March 31, the FHSAA issued a statement that left open the possibility of a spring sports season, saying they could run from as soon as May 3 through June 30.

The FHSAA also had indicated if a spring sports season is canceled altogether, it was working on a solution to create additional athletics eligibility for students who were unable to participate.

FHSAA-sanctioned spring sports include baseball, flag football, lacrosse, softball, tennis, track & field, boys volleyball, water polo and boys weightlifting.

However, as days and weeks pressed on, many saw the writing on the wall that spring sports would not return this year, due to the pandemic.

Sunlake High senior track and field standout Gianna Levy was looking to get on the radar of Division I college athletics programs before the spring season was cut short. (Courtesy of Gianna Levy)

“I knew it was coming. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I didn’t want to accept it, but I knew it was coming,” said Academy at the Lakes (AATL) varsity baseball coach Ken Akins.

“Once the FHSAA said, ‘OK, we’re thinking about extending it into summer and deep into June,’ there was a little bit of hope there, but once you get into June you start messing with all the travel sports — baseball and softball are huge in the summertime.”

Academy at the Lakes athletic director Tom Haslam offered a similar take on the FHSAA’s decision: “We kind of knew this was coming, but we hated to hear the actual directive.”

He added: “It’s understandable, they have to do it, so we don’t disagree with it, we expected it.”

The directive came at a time when multiple AATL programs were hitting their stride.

The AATL baseball team was on its best start in program history, already matching its win total from 2019  —  thanks to contributions from four seniors.

The school’s boys tennis team, meanwhile, was expected to contend for a state championship, like the prior season.

Of course, the FHSAA’s salvo wiped out the Land O’ Lakes-based private school’s softball, track and field, and boys weightlifting teams.

All told, there were 17 seniors among those five teams.

“It affects everybody’s season,” Haslam said, “but the seniors, you really feel for it.”

He added, “It’s not just athletic seniors, but seniors in anything. You’re talking about proms and special events that just aren’t going to happen. It’s just sad. Sad’s the best word I have for it.”

Though much attention has been brought to how this year’s seniors are affected, and rightly so, the longtime athletic director also believes the canceled spring season could have major ripple effects for juniors looking to get recruited by various college programs.

Haslam put it like this: “It hurts a lot of the juniors, because not only are they putting stats on paper, but they’re also missing workout time, and it’s going to be hard to develop their skills as normal, because they can’t get in the cages and gyms, and there’s no spring ball, and there may not even be travel ball in the summer.

“It’s pretty far-reaching, so it doesn’t just affect seniors on that level. You can’t even go out in a park and shoot hoops,” he said.

Published April 29, 2020

Coronavirus cancels many sports events

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As fears regarding coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) continue to ramp up, so do cancellations on the sports landscape — nationally, regionally and locally.

The FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) announced there have been no final decisions concerning state series or state championship events. Furthermore, spring sport rankings will not be released until further notice. (File)

The unexpected cancellations began on March 10 when The Ivy League, a Division I collegiate athletic conference comprised of private schools in the Northeast, announced the cancellation of its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, and it said it would limit the number of spectators that can attend spring sports — as a direct response to accelerated coronavirus cases across the country.

In short order, many other sports organizations — professional, collegiate, amateur, recreational and youth — followed suit by postponing or canceling events during ensuing days.

The NBA and the NHL League suspended their seasons indefinitely. The MLB canceled spring training games and pushed back the start of the 2020 regular season.

Even WWE’s WrestleMania 36 — scheduled for April 5 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa — has been moved to a “fanless” venue at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

Meanwhile, the NCAA on March 12 canceled Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments (more widely known as March Madness), as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships, in light of ever-evolving news regarding the public health threat of COVID-19.

In a similar move, the NJCAA (National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association) on March 16 canceled all upcoming basketball championships, as well as spring competition, effective immediately.

The NCAA and NJCAA decisions means that Saint Leo University (Division II NCAA) and Pasco-Hernando State College (Division II NJCAA) have canceled the remainder of the spring season, as well as all activities for all fall, winter and spring sports until further notice.

The Saint Leo athletic department, in a release, said: “The health, safety and welfare of all of our staff and student-athletes is paramount. Taking these precautions now will help keep our student-athletes healthy so they can successfully complete their academic coursework and resume competition in Fall 2020.”

In accordance with the NCAA, Saint Leo University has canceled the remainder of the spring sports season, affecting such sports as softball. Meanwhile, all activities for all fall, winter and spring sports have been suspended until further notice. (File)

Postponements and cancellations also have affected high school sports.

All athletics activities at Hillsborough and Pasco county public schools are canceled until at least April 15, as part of a statewide directive from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Academy at the Lakes has canceled all sporting events, including games and practices, through at least March 29. Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School also has canceled athletic practices, games and non-school functions until at least April 15.

The FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) also announced there have been no final decisions concerning state series or state championship events. Furthermore, spring sport rankings will not be released until further notice.

“As we receive information from state authorities and health departments, the FHSAA will continue to make decisions for each sport individually, moving forward,” the statewide athletics organization said, in a release.

Many local youth and adult sports leagues have postponed or canceled their spring seasons, too.

Pasco County Parks announced all events, activities, youth and adult sports leagues, field reservations and so on have been canceled until at least May 1.

County parks will continue to remain open for day-use only, however recreation complexes and community centers remain closed until further notice. That includes the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, Heritage Park Community Center, James Irvin Community Center, Odessa Community Center, among others.

Likewise, Hillsborough County recreation centers are closed and athletic activities have been canceled until at least April 13, but Hillsborough County parks are open.

Meantime, large sports leagues put on by local churches also have been postponed or shuttered.

Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz has canceled the entire spring season for youth baseball, youth softball and men’s softball. Pending developments with the coronavirus, the church plans to ramp up sports registration on July 1 for its fall youth soccer and adult coed soccer leagues.

Grace Family Church, which has campuses in Lutz and Land O’ Lakes, has postponed its basketball, kickball and softball leagues, until further notice.

Published March 25, 2020

Top 2019 sports moments

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Teams captured state titles and local athletes turned in outstanding performances, during a year that brought shining moments and countless lasting memories.

Here is a look at some of the top moments in sports, from across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Longtime Zephyrhills High boys hoops coach Alan Reed (File)

Zephyrhills High names ‘Alan Reed Court’
Little more than a year after naming its football field after legendary coach Tom Fisher, Zephyrhills High School named the school’s gymnasium floor after longtime varsity boys’ basketball coach Alan Reed.

A formal dedication ceremony for Reed was held Jan. 18 — an evening that coincided with a Bulldogs defeat of crosstown rival Pasco High, 61-34.

The 71-year-old served as Zephyrhills boys’ basketball coach for a total of 16 years, in four separate stints — 1975 to 1979; 1981 to 1986; 2006 to 2010; and, 2014 to 2016.

During that time he became — and still is — the school’s all-time winningest basketball coach.

In total, he’s been involved with Zephyrhills athletics for more than 35 years, also coaching volleyball, track, football and softball.

He remains a volunteer coach at the school, to this day.

Sunlake varsity girls weightlifting won its first state title in February. (File)

Sunlake girls weightlifting wins state title
The Sunlake High varsity girls weightlifting program, under longtime coach Denise Garcia, perennially has been among the more dominant programs in the area, wielding multiple conference and district titles over the years. And, the Seahawks took the next step forward in February, winning the 2019 FHSAA Class 2A girls weightlifting state championship, in Panama City Beach. The title marked the end of the sport’s longest-active streak of consecutive team championships held by Navarre High, who won four straight from 2015 through 2018.

The feat marked Sunlake’s second state championship among all boys or girls sports — the school’s competitive cheerleading team won a state title back in 2014.

Academy at the Lakes softball repeats at states
A year after claiming the school’s first-ever FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic) state championship, the Academy at the Lakes Wildcats did it again in May. Behind the arm and bat of two-time Gatorade Florida State Softball Player of the Year Lexi Kilfoyl, the Wildcats mowed through the Class 2A state playoffs, outscoring opponents by a combined 35-0 — including an 11-0 shutout against Mount Dora Christian Academy in the state title game.

Women’s sports museum opens in Wesley Chapel
Wesley Chapel’s AdventHealth Center Ice is widely known as the largest hockey facility in the Southeastern United States and training ground of the gold-medal winning 2018 U.S. Olympic women’s ice hockey team.

In March, it became known for another meaningful reason — the home of the first virtual museum dedicated to women’s hockey trailblazers.

Called the Women’s Sports Herstory Museum, it is the brainchild of female hockey coaching legend Digit Murphy and her friend, Jeff Novotny, a Wesley Chapel resident.

Situated in a second-floor viewing room at Center Ice, the museum features interactive wall panel displays where visitors scan QR codes to view content online in the form of videos and in-depth stories.

Poster-sized displays highlight several of hockey’s female pioneers, including Katey Stone, Katie Guay and Amanda Pelkey. The room is also filled with various sports memorabilia and equipment, including a signed jersey and signed pictures of all 23 members of the U.S. Olympic women’s ice hockey team.

Zephyrhills tennis center breaks ground
Years of talks and planning to bring a state-of-the-art tennis center to Zephyrhills finally became a reality in July, when a groundbreaking ceremony officially marked the beginning of construction on the long-awaited Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness, at 6585 Simons Road, Zephyrhills.

Situated on more than 8 acres of land, the multimillion complex when complete will feature 11 outdoor tennis courts, eight pickleball courts, four padel courts, along with an adjoining 7,400-square-foot indoor wellness center housing a fitness and rehabilitation studio, salt/sauna room, cryotherapy, pro shop, café, kids’ area and more.

Slated to open in summer 2020, the facility is named in honor of Sarah Vande Berg, a former Zephyrhills High School district tennis champion, who died in an automobile accident at the age of 21 in October 2015.

Land O’ Lakes Little League baseball celebrated its first state title since the early 2000s. (File)

Land O’ Lakes Little League wins state crown
It is believed to have been more than 15 years since a Land O’ Lakes Little League baseball team won a state title — until this summer.

In July, the Land O’ Lakes all-star squad composed of 14- to 16-year-olds bested seven other teams all across the state at the 2019 Little League Baseball Senior League Florida State Championships, in Bradenton.

The roster was made up of players from Land O’ Lakes, Sunlake, and Cypress Creek high schools, who put aside local prep rivalries to come together as a group.

Before advancing to and winning states, the team moved through districts and sectional tournaments in Tampa, Land O’ Lakes and Plant City, respectively.

Playing in round robin, double elimination formats, Land O’ Lakes lost initial games in sectionals and states, forcing them to play from behind and win multiple games in same days to claim the respective tournaments.. They went 7-2 in all three tournaments combined, outscoring opponents by a 57-27 margin.

Wesley Chapel fishing enthusiast Keven Barber. (File)

Local fisherman featured on national television
Wesley Chapel’s Keven Barber got the fishing trip of a lifetime, when he was featured on the Union Sportsman’s Alliance “Brotherhood Outdoors” television series on the Sportsman Channel. Barber’s August saltwater fishing trip along the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana was shown to the masses on television in October.

Barber was selected for the show based on his combination of passion for the outdoors, union membership and involvement, volunteer efforts and more. When he’s not working or fishing, the father of four boys stays busy as a scout leader and director of tackle football for the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association.

Pasco High claimed victory over Zephyrhills High in this year’s 9-Mile War rivalry football game. (Courtesy of Pasco High Athletics)

Pasco High gets revenge in 9-Mile War
The year 2014 was the last time Pasco High had beaten Zephyrhills High in the annual 9-Mile War rivalry football game, in a 35-34 nail-biter.

Since then, the contests had been extremely one-sided in favor or Zephyrhills, who won the ensuing four games (2015-2018) by a combined 187-39 scoring margin.

But, in November, under first-year head coach Jason Stokes, Pasco finally unseated the Bulldogs – winning the November matchup by a decisive 27-9 mark. Even better for the Pirates, they did it on the Bulldogs home turf. The Pirates now lead the series 41-21, in a tradition that dates back to 1941.

Steinbrenner High boys’ cross-country (File)

Steinbrenner boys’ cross-country claim first state title
After finishing state runner-up the past two years, the Steinbrenner High boys’ cross-country program at last collected its first-ever state championship in the FHSAA Class 4A meet in Tallahassee in November.

The Warriors were paced by senior Josh King, who finished in sixth place overall, crossing the finish line in 15:52.32. The rest of the team’s top five runners were senior Blake Walker (19th, 16:05.88), senior Gabriel Lara (32nd, 16:19.79), junior Zachary Harrigan (45th, 16:26.18) and senior Rama Jonnalgadda (56th, 16:30.95). Steinbrenner’s 129 points in the meet were enough to edge out second-place team finisher Nease High (140)

Gaither, Steinbrenner football programs reach state semifinals
It was a banner year for the two Lutz area prep football programs, as both Steinbrenner and Gaither high schools reached the state semifinals in Classes 6A and 8A, respectively. Both programs were buoyed by top-flight senior quarterbacks— Haden Carlson for Steinbrenner, Tony Bartalo for Gaither — plus several other Division I prospects dotting their respective rosters. Moreover, both local programs went 12-2, marking the only 10-plus win seasons from teams in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Published January 01, 2020

Locals finish strong at state swim meet

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Several local schools and individuals in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area put up solid showings at the 2019 FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) state swimming and diving championships, held last month at Sailfish Splashpark Aquatic Athletics Center, in Stuart.

The Steinbrenner High swimming and diving program put together a solid showing at the Class 4A meet, as its boys squad finished 13th (out of 45 schools) and girls squad finished 17th (out of 39 schools). (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School Athletics)

A total of eight area schools were represented across all four classifications —  Academy at the Lakes (Class 1A), Cypress Creek Middle High (2A), Freedom High (3A), Land O’ Lakes High (3A), Steinbrenner High (4A), Sunlake High (3A), Wesley Chapel High (2A) and Wiregrass Ranch High (3A).

Of those schools, Sunlake posted the strongest overall team performance, with its boys squad finishing in seventh place (out of 50 3A schools) and girls finishing ninth (out of 43 schools), respectively; the Land O’ Lakes’ boys team (ninth place in 3A) represented the only other top-10 team finish among local schools.

Another notable overall team showing came from Steinbrenner, who’s boys finished 13th (out of 45 4A schools) and girls finished 17th (out of 39 schools). Also, the Freedom boys team finished 14th in 3A and the Academy at the Lakes girls finished 16th in 1A.

The Sunlake High swimming and diving program put together the best combined team finish among all local schools, as its boys team finished seventh (out of 50 Class 3A schools) and girls team finished ninth (out of 43 schools). (Courtesy of Sunlake High School Athletics)

Aside from team showings, there were a number of noteworthy individual and relay performances.

On the boys side, Land O’ Lakes junior Zuri Ramsey collected four medals, including gold in the 3A 50-yard freestyle, clocking 20.58. He also placed fourth in the 100-yard freestyle (45.71), and teamed with senior Jack Kaatze, junior Griffin Sutek, and senior Ravidu Idippili-Pathiran to place fifth in the 200-yard medley relay (1:37.61) and sixth in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:28.24), respectively. Ramsey is the younger brother of Jabari Ramsey, who was a three-time FHSAA state champion in the 100-yard breast and a one-time champion in the 200-yard medley relay, making him the swimmer to win the most gold medals in Pasco County history.

Crosstown rival Sunlake also had a four medalist standout in senior Jay Jay Fonnotto. He placed fourth in the 3A 100-yard backstroke (52.19), sixth in the 100-yard butterfly (51.04), and teamed with sophomore Sammy Grimme, senior Colin Wilkins and senior Dominic Ortanez to collect fourth place finishes in both the 200-yard medley relay (1:37.19) and 200-yard freestyle relay (1:27.75).

Land O’ Lakes High junior Zuri Ramsey won gold in the 50-yard freestyle in the Class 3A state meet, clocking a 20.58. He also medaled in the 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School Athletics)

Elsewhere, Cypress Creek junior Clyde Crouse took silver in the 500-yard freestyle (4:34.48) and placed sixth in the 200-yard freestyle (1:44.01).

On the girls side, Steinbrenner junior Lexie Mulvihill took gold in the 4A 50-yard free (22.46) and silver in the 100-yard free (49.58). She also anchored Steinbrenner’s 200 free relay and 100 free relay teams, which finished 11th and 12th, respectively.

Freedom sophomore Michelle Morgan collected a pair of silver medals in the 3A 200-yard individual medley (2:02.17) and 500-yard free (5:47.38). She also teamed with junior Hannah LaBohn, sophomore Alexa Valdez-Velez and sophomore Carly Joerin to place fourth in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:35.85).

Academy at the Lakes junior McKenna Smith collected a pair of bronze medals in the 1A 50-yard free (23.05) and the 100-yard free (50.11)

Also, Sunlake freshman Gisella Wright tallied four medals. She finished eighth in both the 3A 100-yard freestyle (54.34) and 100-yard backstroke (1:00.64), and was a leg on Sunlake’s fourth-place 200-yard freestyle relay (1:39.80) and its sixth-place 200-yard medley relay (1:50.07).

Here’s a look at all the results among locals at the state meet:

Class 4A
Boys
Steinbrenner (13th place, out of 45 schools)
Events:
200 medley relay: (Eighth place, 1:36.93) — Shane MacGregor, junior; Garrett Sykes, sophomore; Max Martino, senior; Bradley Stoker, senior

200 free: Matthew Ross, sophomore (19th, 1:43.97)

200 individual medley: Bradley Stoker (16th, 1:57.40)

500 free: Max Martino (10th, 21.28)

100 fly: Max Martino (17th, 51.50)

100 free: Matthew Ross (ninth, 47.07)

200 free relay: (sixth, 1:26.89) — Matthew Ross, Bradley Stoker, Shane MacGregor, Max Martino

100 back: Shane MacGregor (16th, 54.26)

100 breast: Bradley Stoker (20th, 1:00.05)

Girls
Steinbrenner (17th place, out of 39 schools)
Events:
50 free: Lexie Mulvihill, junior (first, 22.46)

100 free: Lexie Mulvihill (second, 49.58)

200 free relay: (11th, 1:38.62) — Justine Answeeney, junior; Mackenzie Hall, junior; Jada Kamuf, senior; Lexie Mulvihill

100 free relay: (12th, 3:34.82) — Justine Answeeney, Mackenzie Hall, Kayla Daley, freshman; Lexie Mulvihill

Class 3A
Boys
Sunlake (Seventh place, out of 50 schools)
Events:
200 medley: (fourth, 1:37.19) — Jay Jay Fonnotto, senior; Sammy Grimme, sophomore; Colin Wilkins, senior; Dominic Ortanez, senior

50 free: Dominic Ortanez (sixth, 21.38)

100 fly: Jay Jay Fonnotto (sixth, 51.04)

100 free: Dominic Ortanez (16th, 49.13)

200 free relay: (fourth, 1:27.75) — Jay Jay Fonnotto, Sammy Grimme, Colin Wilkins, Dominic Ortanez

100 back: Jay Jay Fonnotto (fourth, 52.19)

Land O’ Lakes (Ninth)
Events:
Diving: Mason Gandy, junior (eighth, 303.65)

200 medley relay: (fifth, 1:37.61) – Ravidu Idippili-Pathiran, senior; Griffen Sutek, junior; Jack Kaatze, senior; Zuri Ramsey, junior

50 free: Zuri Ramsey (first, 20.58)

100 free: Zuri Ramsey (fourth, 45.71)

200 free relay: (sixth, 1:28.24)— Jack Kaatze, Griffin Sutek, Ravidu Idippili-Pathiran, Zuri Ramsey

100 back: Ravidu Idippili-Pathiran (23rd, 56.19)

100 breast: Griffin Sutek (16th, 1:02.03)

Wiregrass Ranch (35th)
Events:
200 free: Douglas Lankton, senior (21st, 1:47.54)

400 free relay: (10th, 3:18.71) – Douglas Lankton, Yueng Chen, sophomore; Noah Porter, sophomore; Manny Silva, junior

Freedom (36th)
500 free: Zachary Kopel, junior (sixth, 4:38.74)

Girls
Sunlake (Ninth place, out of 43 schools)
Events:
Diving: Isabela Monagas, junior (sixth, 374.55)

200 medley: (sixth place, 1:50.07) — Amber Ewald, sophomore; Audrey Ballash, senior; Gisella Wright, freshman; Alex Sprague, junior

50 free: Alex Sprague (12th, 24.90)

100 free: Gisella Wright (eighth, 28.49)

200 free: (fourth, 1:39.80) – Tori Eurell, senior; Audrey Ballash, Alex Sprague, Gisella Wright

100 back: Gisella Wright (eighth, 1:00.64); Amber Ewald (13th, 1:00.65); Madison Houck, freshman (17th, 1:00.86)

100 breast: Audrey Ballash (ninth, 1:06.24)

400 free relay: (14th, 3:46.63) — Tori Eurell, Leah Fonnotto, sophomore; Lilli Hilt, sophomore; Madison Houck

Freedom (14th)
Events:
200 individual medley: Michelle Morgan, sophomore (second, 2:02.17); Carly Joerin, sophomore (18th, 2:11.74)

50 free: Hannah LaBohn, junior (16th, 25.09)

100 free: Hannah LaBohn (13th, 54.72)

500 free: Michelle Morgan (second, 4:47.38); Carly Joerin (15th, 5:06.67)

400 free relay: (fourth, 3:35.85) — Hannah LaBohn, Alexa Valdez-Velez, sophomore; Carly Joerin, Michelle Morgan

Wiregrass Ranch (40th)
Events:
Diving: Abby Galo, sophomore (18th, 204.50)

100 breast: Maryam Khalil, sophomore (15th, 1:08.05)

Individual: 200 free — Apryl Paquette, junior, Land O’ Lakes (19th place,  1:58.86)

Class 2A
Boys
Cypress Creek (21st, out of 46 schools)
200 free: Clyde Crouse, junior (sixth, 1:44.01)

500 free: Clyde Crouse (second, 4:34.48)

Wesley Chapel (33rd)
Boys
50 free: Charles Fields, senior (seventh, 21.69)

Girls
Individuals: Diving — Tifani Farquhar, senior (19th, 215.30)

Class 1A
Girls
Academy at the Lakes (16th place, out of 45 schools)
50 free: McKenna Smith, junior (third, 23.05)

100 free: McKenna Smith (third, 50.11)

Published December 11, 2019

Prep football midseason review

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The 2019 Florida high school football regular season has reached the midway point. Here’s a closer look at how teams and players are faring from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Gaither Cowboys are off to a blistering 5-0 start and are ranked among the state’s top 10 teams in Class 6A.
(Courtesy of Gaither Athletics)

Perfect performers
At the midway mark, there are three programs sporting undefeated records — Academy at the Lakes, Gaither and Steinbrenner. What do each have in common? Potent offenses backed by efficient, veteran quarterback play.

  • Academy at the Lakes is averaging over 39 points per game. Junior quarterback Jalen Brown, a fourth-year starter, has completed 55% of throws for 785 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also the team’s leading rusher (445 rush yards, six touchdowns).
  • Gaither is averaging over 38 points per game. Senior quarterback Tony Bartalo, a two-year starter, has completed 63% of throws for 1,320 yards, 19 touchdowns and three interceptions. He currently boasts multiple Division I offers.
  • Steinbrenner is averaging over 48 points per game. Senior quarterback Haden Carlson, a three-year starter, has completed 64% of throws for 783 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception. He is a FIU (Florida International University) verbal commit.

Also notable: Wiregrass Ranch (5-1) has received stellar quarterback play from sophomore Rocco Becht, who’s posted a 56% completion rate, 936 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Land O’ Lakes Gators went 7-3 last year, but have struggled much of this season with a 1-5 mark thus far. (File)

Surprising struggles
Entering the 2019 season, Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills were expected to build off winning seasons and compete for a playoff spot in their respective classifications. But early season struggles has all dampened those hopes for both teams.

  • The Gators finished 7-3 last season — its first winning campaign since 2013. But, they’ve hobbled to a 0-5 start before finally securing a 44-0 win over Freedom last week. A team thin on seniors and an anemic running game has magnified the struggles.
  • One of the most consistent and dominant programs in Pasco County in recent years, the Bulldogs haven’t lost four or more games since 2012 and haven’t missed the postseason since 2013. But after losing 22 seniors from last year’s 11-1 squad, the Bulldogs have shown less bark this season. They lost their first three games, but have begun to show life with recent road wins against Wesley Chapel and Tarpon Springs, respectively.

New coaches finding their way

  • Sunlake has jumped to a respectable 3-3 mark under first-year head coach Trey Burdick, holding his own in assuming the role previously held by one of the county’s winningest coaches in Bill Browning. Under Burdick, the team is on pace to surpass the 4-6 mark the program has had each of the past two seasons. Better yet, Burdick, a longtime assistant under Browning, steered the Seahawks to a 34-23 victory over crosstown rival Land O’ Lakes in the annual ‘Butter Bowl’ showdown.
  • New Pasco head coach Jason Stokes already has led the struggling program to as many wins as it did all of last season. And while the 2-4 mark doesn’t seem all that great, the Pirates have battled hard in one possession losses to Sunlake and Springstead, respectively. With that, this year’s “9-Mile War” rivalry game against Zephyrhills should provide some more intrigue; Zephyrhills has won the past four contests. Stokes is no stranger to being a head coach in the Tampa Bay area — he steered Gaither to three playoff appearances between 2011 to 2016, and also had stints at Bloomingdale and Middleton, respectively.

Stat stuffers
Here’s a look at a top statistical performer from each high school in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Hillsborough County

  • Reggie Johnson II, Carrollwood Day, junior defensive end: 15 tackles, three sacks
  • Hussein Hafiz, Freedom, senior linebacker: 12 tackles (five for loss), three sacks
  • Deveon Knighton, Gaither, senior receiver: 28 receptions, 431 yards, six touchdowns
  • Deon Silas, Steinbrenner, junior tailback: 828 all-purpose yards, 11 touchdowns

Pasco County

  • Adrian Leverette, Academy at the Lakes, junior tailback: 379 scrimmage yards, five touchdowns
  • Jack Miller, Bishop McLaughlin, freshman receiver: 19 receptions, 502 yards, three touchdowns
  • Jehlani Warren, Cypress Creek, senior quarterback: 57% completions, 515 passing yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions
  • Ethan Forrester, Land O’ Lakes, senior quarterback, 39% completions, 790 passing yards, seven touchdowns, four interceptions; 336 rushing touchdowns, five touchdowns
  • Gabriel Barnes, Pasco, junior linebacker: 49 tackles, 20 hurries, three sacks
  • Mark Anderson, Sunlake, junior receiver: 475 all-purpose yards, three touchdowns
  • Brenden Maddox, Wesley Chapel, senior fullback/linebacker: 269 rush yards, four touchdowns; 45 tackles (six for loss)
  • Keith Walker, Wiregrass Ranch, senior receiver: 735 all-purpose yards, 10 touchdowns
  • Tyler Davis, Zephyrhills Christian, senior tailback: 616 rush yards, six touchdowns
  • Zyree Roundtree, junior tailback: 483 rush yards, four touchdowns

Schools in Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their current 2019 records)

Hillsborough County:

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots (0-5 overall)
  • Freedom High School Patriots (1-4)
  • Gaither High School Cowboys (5-0)
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors (5-0)

Pasco County:

  • Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man) (4-0 overall)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (1-5)
  • Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (2-3)
  • Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (1-5)
  • Pasco High School Pirates (2-4)
  • Sunlake High School Seahawks (3-3)
  • Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (2-3)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (5-1)
  • Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (3-2)
  • Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (2-3)

Published October 2, 2019

Local softball stars soak in national exposure

By

It’s a rare feat when any local athlete — or any athlete for that matter — makes a national team.

More uncommon is when two athletes from the same hometown earn such prestigious designation together.

Academy at the Lakes product Lexi Kilfoyl was a member of the USA Softball U-19 Women’s National Team and is now a freshman righthanded pitcher at the University of Alabama. (Courtesy of USA Softball)

But, that’s what recently happened to Academy at the Lakes product Lexi Kilfoyl and Land O’ Lakes High School product Callie Turner.

Both pitchers earned state champions for their respective schools. Now they can also say they were a part of a World Cup championship team.

Back in December, the Land O’ Lakes natives were two of just 20 athletes nationwide chosen to the USA Softball U-19 Women’s National Team.

Fast forward to this summer, and both 2019 high school graduates competed together on an international stage representing Team USA.

Following a weeklong training camp in June in Houston, Texas, the U-19 squad competed in a series of international tournaments and games that took them to Paris, France; Dublin, Ireland; Atlanta, Georgia; and, Columbus, Georgia.

The team then was whittled down to 17 players and three alternates, in advance of August’s WBSC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup in Irvine, California.

Kilfoyl made the 17-player final roster, while Turner was named an alternate player.

The USA Softball U-19 Women’s National Team recently won its third straight WBSC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) World Cup. They went undefeated and beat Japan 4-3 in the championship game.

Rather than travel with the club for the World Cup, Turner opted to return home to Land O’ Lakes to train for her upcoming freshman season at the University of Tennessee.

Though Turner, a 5-foot-10 lefty, participated in only a few tournaments, throwing a handful of innings, she cherished the chance to represent her country.

“It was definitely an honor,” said Turner, a former Florida 6A Pitcher and Player of the Year  who guided Land O’ Lakes to a state title in 2017. “You definitely have like this pressure on your back, but it’s kind of like a good pressure that everyone’s rooting for you and not for the other team, so it feels like you’re just getting so much confidence when you’re wearing that uniform, and it’s so nice.”

Naturally, Turner watched and supported the national squad from afar, as it proceeded to go undefeated and win its third straight World Cup. “I was cheering them on the whole time,” she said.

She said competing with fellow elite-level softball peers in her age range was a beneficial experience that showed her “to keep working hard…to get better.”

Kilfoyl, meanwhile, provided a more crucial role for Team USA as it went 10-0 in the World Cup tournament that featured 15 other countries.

The two-time state champion and 2019 Florida Gatorade Softball Player of the Year went 2-0 in the circle with eight strikeouts and no runs allowed in 7.1 innings pitched — facing Czech Republic, Canada, Chinese Taipei and China, respectively. She also added a three-run pinch-hit home run in a 15-0 win over Botswana.

The 6-foot-2 righty was eager to provide a bigger contribution to the junior national team this time around, compared to when in 2017 she was the squad’s youngest member as a 16-year-old high school sophomore.

Land O’ Lakes High School product Lexi Turner was a member of the USA Softball U-19 Women’s National Team and is now a freshman lefthanded pitcher at the University of Tennessee.

“Last time I felt like I was a supporter on the bench the entire time, (so) it was a lot better being able to say that I was part of winning the whole thing,” said Kilfoyl, now a freshman at the University of Alabama.

“Playing against every country was different, because they all like play the game very differently, and being able to see how other people do it was really cool; seeing it and preparing for it was definitely a nice experience.”

Also playing alongside Turner for a portion of the early summer made the experience even better, Kilfoyl said.

“It was definitely unreal,” Kilfoyl said. “Not many people can say that that they’ve done that, that they’ve started playing with one of their childhood best friends that has literally been there since Little League and pretty much make it to the highest of the highs in the softball world playing for USA Softball…”

Kilfoyl’s favorite moment actually came in a game where she didn’t get any action.

It happened to be Team USA’s 4-3 come-from-behind, extra-inning, walk-off win over Japan in the World Cup championship game on Aug. 17.

With Japan leading 3-0 after the top of the eighth, pinch hitter and Oregon State player Francesca Hammoude tied it on a home run. University of Florida’s Charla Echols followed with a two-out triple and scored the winning run on a base hit by University of Oregon’s Jasmine Sievers.

“The last game, that was really crazy,” Kilfoyl recalled. “I thought at one point we were losing 3-nothing and then when (Hammoude) hit that home run, it completely brought us back in the game. She was actually one of the players that didn’t have much (playing) time, so it kind of went to prove that it doesn’t have to be done by someone that’s been in the lineup every single game.”

With the national team run over, Kilfoyl and Turner have turned their attention to preparing for their respective inaugural college campaigns in the powerhouse Division I Southeastern Conference.

For Turner, that consists of improving pitch location and managing expectations as a young college player.

“You can throw as hard as you can, but they can still hit it further, so if you hit your spots more, it’s more effective to where you can get them out, so I really worked on that the last couple months,” Turner said.

“I think I just want to be the best that I can be, don’t put too much pressure on myself because I know in the end that’s just not going to help me. So, go in with an open mind knowing that I am going to get hit, I am going to have some bad games, but it’s just how you get better from that experience.”

Kilfoyl said she is looking to add velocity to her 68-mph fastball and fine-tune the rest of her repertoire.

“I definitely want to get stronger and throw harder,” she said, “and for sure want to work on really being able to command my pitches, so I can get some starting time.”

Published September 11, 2019