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Andrew Kilfoyl

Academy at the Lakes football aims for third state crown

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The Academy at the Lakes (AATL) Wildcats varsity football team undoubtedly feels it has a target on its back in 2019.

And, why not, when you consider the team has won 20 consecutive games en route to back-to-back eight-man state titles in 2017 and 2018.

Academy at the Lakes junior quarterback Jalen Brown returns for his fourth season as a starter. Last season he posted a 58% completion rate, 1,105 passing yards, 28 total touchdowns and seven interceptions, to go along with a team-leading 672 rushing yards. (File)

But, it’s something the team is used to of late, players insist, even back to when the program was mired through three straight losing seasons from 2014 to 2016.

“We’ve had a target on our back since we were 2-8 (in 2016),” said junior quarterback and fourth-year starter Jalen Brown. “Ever since we were not that good, everyone’s wanted to beat us, but now I think if they beat us, it just means more.”

“Everybody’s impact game this year is us,” said senior defensive end/left guard Elijah Freedman. “Everybody wants to come get a piece of us, because we never had any respect in the past. We were that team that everybody was hoping to play to get that easy win, and now we’re the team that everybody’s coming after to try and take down.”

The team’s quest for a third straight title may prove to be its most hardy.

This season, the Wildcats will play in a new eight-man league within the Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC) after the Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) all but folded its eight-man offerings this offseason. The new SSAC league features 14 teams across three divisions, meaning a regular season facing almost entirely new competition.

Their first regular season game is Sept. 6 against Duval Charter.

The Wildcats enter the league relatively thin on numbers, even for eight-man, with 22 players.

Making matters tougher, projected starting tailback/fullback Sean Saccomanno suffered a broken leg in a 20-18 preseason win over Lakeside Christian on Aug. 23.

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats football coach Shawn Brown

Wildcats head coach Shawn Brown acknowledged the junior’s loss to injury “is huge” for the team and “will hurt a little bit,” but noted adjustments will be made, possibly by incorporating more spread looks and quarterback designed runs.

Said coach Brown, “Hopefully some other kids step up to play running back, I think (junior running back) Adrian Leverette could play a little bit. I don’t know if he can handle 20 reps, but I think he can do it.”

A key injury to an impact player isn’t the only depth blow to the team.

The Wildcats no longer have the services of a trio of All-State performers in linebacker Dylan Price, defensive back Jullian Jennings and two-way lineman Andrew Kilfoyl; Price (99 tackles, 17 sacks in 2018) and Jennings (eight interceptions, six passes defensed) have graduated, while Kilfoyl, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound left tackle, transferred to Gaither High School for his junior season.

Because of that, the coach said the team’s “biggest test” is figuring out “who’s going to step up on the defensive side of the ball.”

One such option is Freedman, a team captain who registered 44 tackles and four sacks last season, who the coach said has stepped up as a leader this offseason.

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats football is seeking its third straight eight-man football title. They’re on a 20-game winning streak that dates back to September 2017.

Freedman said he wants to make the most out of his final year of high school football, with aspirations of being named All-State.

“This is my last time to make it count, so I really want to make that time worth everything,” Freedman said. “I’m just trying to get in the weight room, trying to get more strength, more agility, more endurance every day. I’m just trying to put in my work every day, encourage my teammates, because I’m going to put my all out there.”

While questions remain on defense, it’s the team’s “strong” offense that has the sixth-year Wildcats coach encouraged by the possibilities in 2019, even with the loss of Saccomanno.

In addition to the coach’s son, Jalen Brown (58 percent completion rate, 1,105 passing yards, 28 total touchdowns, seven interceptions, 672 rushing yards), back under center, the Wildcats seemingly have no shortage of pass-catching options in Leverette, senior Cole Lallanilla and juniors Caleb Yann and Tayshawn Pendleton.

Said Shawn Brown, “We got our main key players back, all of our skill positions. We lost a lot with Andrew (Kilfoyl) transferring to Gaither…but we still have our core quarterback and receivers.”

The Wildcats veteran quarterback likewise is poised about this year’s offensive unit.

“I love my group this year,” Jalen Brown said. “It’s going to be a scary sight when people see us running our full offense.”

Each pass catcher has their own strengths, Jalen Brown said, whether it be route running, elusiveness, speed, size and so on.

“I think we never really had a receiving corps who are all different and really good at what they do, which makes us really good on offense this year,” he said.

And, perhaps just as important, Jalen Brown said, is this year’s squad is more tight-knit on and off the field compared to past seasons.

“I would say this year is probably the group that’s been closest together,” Jalen Brown said.

“Before, we’ve never hung out as a team, but this year we’ve done stuff as a team. I think we have a closer bond, so that we know when we step in between the lines that we each got each other’s backs. …I think we got lucky with a great group of kids here who all like the same things, and we all get along.”

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats 2019 roster

Head coach: Shawn Brown

  • Adam Zarak, junior
  • Adrian Leverette, junior
  • Caleb Yann, junior
  • Carter Kienast, freshman
  • Cole Lallanilla, senior
  • Denzyl Downing, senior
  • Devin Lam, junior
  • Dwight Downing, junior
  • Elijah Freedman, senior
  • Gavin Zeng, junior
  • Hunter Price, sophomore
  • Ian Curry, eighth grade
  • Jalen Brown, junior
  • Jay Qian, senior
  • Jonathan Brink, freshman
  • Matthew Martin, senior
  • Quinn McCormick, freshman
  • Reese Reed, freshman
  • Samson Brend, junior
  • Sean Saccomanno, junior
  • Sebastian Sosa, senior
  • Tayshawn Pendleton, junior

2019 regular season schedule

  • Duval Charter (Sept. 6, 7 p.m.)
  • at Harvest Community (Sept. 13, 7 p.m.)
  • Real Life Christian Academy (Sept. 20, 7 p.m.)
  • First Baptist Christian Academy (Sept. 27, 7 p.m.)
  • at Master’s Academy (Oct. 4, 4 p.m.)
  • at Eastland Christian (Oct. 10, 7 p.m.)
  • Lakeside Christian (Oct. 18, 7 p.m.)

Published September 4, 2019

Academy at the Lakes savors first winning season

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After five seasons of varsity baseball, senior Eric Hutchison can finally say he was part of a winning team.

“It’s always nice to be the first success in something. The fact that I’m a senior makes it much better,” said Hutchison, a team captain pitcher/infielder who’s played for Academy at the Lakes (AATL) since eighth grade.

The Wildcats just wrapped up its first winning season in program history, posting a 12-9 regular season mark, under third-year head coach John DiBenedetto.

Pitcher/infielder Eric Hutchison is one of just two seniors on Academy at the Lakes’ baseball roster. He finally got to celebrate a winning season after five seasons of varsity baseball. (Courtesy of Brian Teeter)

As several other of the school’s sports programs achieved notable success of late—namely football, basketball and softball— baseball often lagged behind.

The baseball team suffered five consecutive winless seasons from 2006 to 2010, and went a combined 17-45 from 2011 to 2015.

Hutchison remembers some of those trying years.

“When I played in eighth grade, it was rough,” he said. “We only won one or two games and that was due to forfeit…”

It hasn’t been the case the past three years under new leadership, however.

Since the 27-year-old DiBenedetto took over, the program has quietly been on an upward trajectory, going 8-11 in 2016, 9-12 in 2017 and then 12-9 this season.

A former standout at Blake and Newsome high schools, and later playing college baseball on scholarship in New Hampshire, DiBenedetto has brought an approach that prioritizes skill development and proper fundamentals, and mastering game situations via organized, purposeful practices and workouts.

A sign of the team’s previous struggles, DiBenedetto is already the program’s winningest coach with 29 career wins.

“He’s a really fun dude to play for,” said freshman middle infielder Jordan Oladokun, who’s played varsity baseball since seventh grade. “Honestly, I was thinking about quitting baseball, and he was the one that made me keep continuing my baseball career. …So, if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here playing baseball right now.”

DiBenedetto’s in-game strategy is best described as “overly aggressive” — taking extra bases, stealing often, and manufacturing runs via hit-and-run plays.

The Wildcats collectively have 93 stolen bases (out of 103 attempts).

It’s a style that puts added pressure on opposing pitchers and defenses in the 2A ranks, forcing them to “make a play.”

“Because they’re high school kids in the moment, it’s not easy to field a ground ball and make a throw,” DiBenedetto said of the strategy.

But, the Wildcats newfound success is more than just a byproduct of small ball.

A quick glance at the numbers and it becomes clear why the Wildcats have enjoyed a breakout campaign.

The team batted a collective .351 with a .456 on-base percentage, setting a program record in about every offensive statistical category, from home runs (nine) and doubles (34), to RBIs (142) and runs scored (169).

The lineup showcased four .400-plus hitters — Oladokun (.455), freshman Andrew Kilfoyl (.452), Hutchison (.424), and freshman Jack Teeter (.411) — and two others batting over .350—freshman newcomer Spencer Boynton (.359) and senior Joel Eason (.353).

The pitching staff, anchored by Hutchison and others, likewise held its own, posting a 3.62 team ERA and 174 strikeouts in 120 innings pitched.

Making the most of a young roster
It was all done with a thin roster of just 11 healthy players, composed mainly of freshman, sophomores and eighth-graders.

Though young, the team was battle-tested with many who’ve played varsity since seventh grade and eighth grade, under DiBenedetto, respectively.

Players suggest the prior seasons together yielded greater camaraderie and trust, and therefore more success.

Academy at the Lakes celebrated its first-ever winning season with the help of a roster chock-full of young players, including, from left, freshmen Jack Teeter, Andrew Kilfoyl and Spencer Boynton.

“We kept the same guys here the whole time, so we all got closer, all started getting to know each other. We really got to know each other better, so that was really good,” Oladokun said.

“We play for each other,” Kilfoyl added. “We’ve been playing together, not so much for ourselves, but as one whole team.”

Meanwhile, DiBenedetto had an inkling 2018 was time for a breakout, after building up the program the last couple years.

Entering the season, the coach saw “a much more well-rounded team” with a strong batting order top to bottom and a deep pitching staff — even following the graduation of Darin Kilfoyl, Andrew’s older brother, who was perhaps the most dominant pitcher/hitter in program history. He now plays at St. Johns River State College in Palatka.

“We kind of knew coming in that, if it wasn’t last year, it was going to be this year,” the Wildcats coach said of a winning season.

“You didn’t have the superstar (Darin Kilfoyl) anymore, and that was the only fear at first…but, they’ve all complemented each other in their own certain outright way,” he said.

Along with a roster chock-full of underclassmen, the Wildcats racked up victories despite losing two key players to injuries in the first week of the season.

Not having a true home field was another challenge they’ve overcome.

While the team practices at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, its handful of “home games” was at Northwest Little League near Leto High School in Hillsborough County, at least a 45-minute drive from the Academy at the Lakes campus. It’s a neutral site, at best, the coach said.

Moreover, several road games were in Citrus, Hernando, Pinellas and Polk counties.

“We’re traveling all over the place and to be where we are right now, it’s a credit to them,” DiBenedetto said.

Exceeding opponents’ expectations
Wherever they play and no matter the competition, DiBenedetto noted Wildcats players this year always came to the ballpark with a winning attitude and belief in themselves.

It resulted in winning several close games and coming from behind in others — each the makings of “a good baseball team.”

Third-year head coach John DiBenedetto, pictured with freshman middle infielder Jordan Oladokun, has helped turn around the Wildcats baseball program. A former college baseball player, DiBenedetto brings an aggressive coaching style combined with a focus on skill and player development.

Said DiBenedetto: “We have the conversation, ‘Prove everyone wrong because nobody expects you to do stuff. Continue to prove people wrong, and battle and chip, and fight and claw for what you deserve.’ That’s kind of been the motto we’ve adopted and hung onto all year, so we’ve embraced it; it’s been fun.”

Ask players their favorite game this season and it’s unanimous: A 6-5 win against Canterbury in early March — the Wildcats’ first-ever victory against the rival St. Petersburg-based private school.

Oladokun summed it up best: “Played them every single year, can’t beat ‘em. Played them twice a year, can’t beat ‘em. And, this year, everyone kind of was doubting us because we didn’t have Darin Kilfoyl, ‘the man.’ Everyone’s doubting us, and we went in there, beat ‘em 6-5, close game.”

The contest had extra meaning for Hutchison, the senior leader.

Two years ago, Hutchison allowed the winning run in the ninth inning of the district quarterfinals Canterbury, a 3-2 loss.

“It was super, super depressing because a bunch of seniors left that year, and we kind of sent them off on not the best note,” Hutchison recalled.

This time around, however, Hutchison made the last play to end the game.

“I got the ‘last say’ essentially. That was such a great feeling,” he said.

And, it’s likely not the last time Academy at the Lakes will get the best of Canterbury or other teams who previously dominated the once-floundering baseball program.

With a solid young corps to build around combined with coaching stability, the outlook seems promising for 2019 and beyond.

“It’s been a really fun year, and I’m looking forward to next year,” said Boynton, a shortstop/pitcher in his first year at Academy at the Lakes after attending Benito Middle School. “Hopefully we can get some more wins next year, too.”

DiBenedetto said the goal is to make modest improvements each season.

Still, he can’t help but think about the possibilities once his crop of talented freshman, like Boynton, become seniors.

“Just imagine three years from now when they’re going to be big and strong. It’s going to be crazy. It’s going to be exciting,” he said.

Published May 2, 2018

Spring football preview for area teams

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Spring football practices are underway at high schools across the state — though the first games of the 2018 season remain several months away.

Florida high schools are allowed a maximum of 20 practice sessions from April 23 to May 31, according to Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) guidelines.

Here are five points to consider as spring practices ramp up:

How does Academy at the Lakes follow last year’s championship season?
The Academy at the Lakes Wildcats capped off a remarkable 11-1 season by winning the school’s first-ever eight-man state football championship.

Academy at the Lakes won the FCAPPS (Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools) eight-man state title en route to an 11-1 season in 2017. (File)

What will they do for an encore?
For starters, the Wildcats will need to manage without running back/linebacker Daniel Gonzalez, one of the most dominant two-way players in the Florida 8-man ranks. Besides rushing for more than 1,000 yards and scoring 25 total touchdowns, the team captain was equally dominant on defense with138 total tackles and 7.5 sacks. Gonzalez isn’t the only significant departure. The Wildcats also must find reinforcements for other All-State players including wideout Isaiah Smith, kicker Zachary Moore and All-Conference center Evan Lutz.

But, the cupboard isn’t totally bare on either side of the ball.

Key returnees include sophomore quarterback Jalen Brown (684 passing yards, 19 total touchdowns, one interception); senior tailback Jamaal Johnson (725 scrimmage yards, nine total touchdowns); and a pair of All-State honorees in senior defensive lineman Dylan Price (98 total tackles, 15.5 sacks) and sophomore offensive lineman Andrew Kilfoyl.

Also working in the Academy’s favor is the return of head coach Shawn Brown, who was recently named Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) Football Coach of the Year. Many of his assistants are expected to return, too.

Chad Walker, a former college coach, is Land O’ Lakes High’s new varsity football coach.
(File)

Can Land O’ Lakes turn the corner with its new coaching staff?
With new head coach Chad Walker in place, Land O’ Lakes hopes to reverse its streak of four consecutive losing seasons. Even at just 34, Walker brings a wealth of experience as a former college coach and professional player in Europe — knowledge he’ll use to try to inject excitement to one of the county’s most historic programs.

The Gators — coming off a 4-5 mark last year under former coach Brian Wachtel — won’t require a complete rebuild; they likely will feature some different schemes and wrinkles under the new coaching staff. Working in the program’s favor is a sizable senior class that includes 1,000-yard running back Kyle Leivas, leading pass catcher Nate Howard (14 receptions, 202 yards, one touchdown), and top defender Myron Bloom (76 total tacklers, five tackles for loss, two sacks). The role of quarterback, however, remains a question because of Ethan Forrester’s transfer to Wharton High School. Forrester, a rising junior, threw for nearly 800 yards along with five touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Will Cypress Creek show improvements in the program’s second year?
First-year sports programs typically struggle.

Cypress Creek High went 0-10 in their inaugural football season in 2017. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek Football)

Such was the case with newer Pasco County programs like both Sunlake and Wiregrass Ranch high schools back in 2007, when those programs went 0-10 and 1-9, respectively.

The same was true, more recently, for Cypress Creek, which completed its inaugural slate of 10 games without a single win. A new, young coaching staff combined with a senior-free roster and a mix of challenging opponents made Year One a long one, in which the Coyotes failed to score in seven games.

But, don’t be surprised to see the tide to shift a little in 2018 under second-year head coach Mike Johnson. He’ll finally have a large group of seniors at his disposal, including a talented pair of offensive playmakers in Devin Santana (10 receptions, 134 yards) and 6-foot-4 target Trevor Maxwell (10 receptions, 75 yards). Of course, development at the quarterback spot will be key. Rising junior Jehlani Warren completed just 37 percent of his passes and threw seven interceptions last season.

Can Zephyrhills continue winning without Charles Harrison III?
Whoever is named Zephyrhills High’s next starting quarterback no doubt has big shoes to fill.

The Zephyrhills High Bulldogs must replace graduating quarterback and three-year starter Charles Harrison III. (File)

For the past three years, the Bulldogs were fortunate to have one the county’s most prolific athletes under center in Charles Harrison III. He guided the Bulldogs to three consecutive playoffs appearances, including its first 10-win season in more than 20 years. Along with his on-field leadership, Bulldogs fans won’t soon forget the left-handed quarterback’s flashy playmaking ability with his arm and legs. That was most evident in last season, when Harrison III tallied 47 total touchdowns and more than 3,100 yards — numbers good enough to earn him Sunshine Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

He won’t be the only major departure from the defending District 8-5A champions, however. The Bulldogs also lose 1,000-yard rusher Elijah Thomas and several key defenders, including Zac Masci, Myles Carter and Sterlin Williams.

Even so, don’t be surprised if Zephyrhills finds a way to notch an eighth-straight winning season. Besides a steadying coaching presence in third-year head coach Nick Carroll, the Bulldogs have arguably the county’s most talented and explosive receiving corps in Ja’Quan Sheppard, Tre’Pavis Mobley, Cartrell Strong and Tyrese Wigfall. Both Sheppard and Strong hold Division I FBS offers.

Is Pasco in store for a winning season?
The Pasco High Pirates are looking to avoid a fourth-consecutive losing season. They were on track early in 2017 winning their first two contests. But, they ended the season on a six-game losing streak — including a 42-13 sour defeat to crosstown rival Zephyrhills in the season finale.

Pasco High is looking to avoid a fourth-straight losing season in 2018.
(Courtesy of Pasco High Football)

On the surface, the Pirates have the offensive talent to find more success this time around. Experienced senior quarterback Dylan Wood should have ample help with senior running backs Early Knight (778 yards, six touchdowns) and Jacquez Mobley (551 scrimmage yards, four touchdowns), along with one of the county’s most lethal receiving threats in junior wideout Darrion Robinson (25 receptions, 577 yards, eight touchdowns) — who’s also a threat in the defensive secondary (four interceptions, three passes defensed).

Defense as a whole, however, could once again pose issues as the Pirates graduate its top 11 tacklers from last season, including All-Conference linebacker Cameron Smith. The Pirates allowed nearly 30 points per game last season.

A challenging 2018 schedule won’t help matters, either. Just three if its 10 opponents (Gulf, Cypress Creek, Sunlake) had losing campaigns a year ago.

Five players to watch:

  • Chris Butash, quarterback, Carrollwood Day School, senior
  • Dylan Ridolph, linebacker, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
  • Jeromy Reid, running back, Gaither, senior
  • Deon Silas, running back, Steinbrenner, sophomore
  • Javion Hanner, running back/cornerback, Zephyrhills Christian Academy, senior

Schools in Laker/Lutz News Coverage Area (and their 2017 records)
Hillsborough County:

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots (Class 2A-Region 3): (2-7 overall, 1-2 district)
  • Freedom High School Patriots (Class 7A-Region 8): (3-6 overall, 2-4 district)
  • Gaither High School Cowboys (Class 7A-Region 8): (7-4 overall, 5-1 district)
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors (Class 8A-Region 6): (2-7 overall, 1-5 district)

Pasco County:

  • Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (8-man-Florida Christian Region 2): (11-1 overall, 7-0 district)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent-Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC): (3-7 overall, 2-2 district)
  • Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (Class 4A-Region 3): (0-11 overall, 0-0 district)
  • Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (Class 6A-Region 6): (4-5 overall, 1-3 district)
  • Pasco High School Pirates (Class 6A-Region 6): (4-7 overall, 0-4 district)
  • Sunlake High School Seahawks (Class 6A-Region 6): (4-6 overall, 2-2 district)
  • Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (Class 5A-Region 8): (6-4 overall, 4-3 district)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (Class 7A-Region 8): (9-3 overall, 4-2 district)
  • Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (Class 5A-Region 8): (10-2 overall, 7-0 district)
  • Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (Class 2A-Region 2): (8-3 overall, 0-1 district)

Spring game schedule
May 17
Zephyrhills Christian Academy at Cypress Creek, 7 p.m.
Lecanto at Land O’ Lakes, 7 p.m.
Mitchell at Wesley Chapel 7 p.m.
Zephyrhills at East Ridge, 7 p.m.
Jamboree: Alonso, Gaither, Steinbrenner at Sickles, 6 p.m.
Jamboree: Freedom, Hillsborough, King at Wharton, 6 p.m.

May 18
Hernando at Sunlake, 7 p.m.
Wiregrass Ranch at Tampa Catholic, 7p.m.
Pasco at Fivay, 7 p.m.

May 19
Carrollwood Day at Bishop McLaughlin, 1 p.m.

May 24
Jamboree: Lakeside Christian, Solid Rock, Academy at the Lakes at Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 6 p.m.

Published April 25, 2018