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Carrollwood Day School

Locals named to All-State football teams

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Athletes within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were well-represented on the FloridaHSFootball.com’s teams for the 2020 season.

In total, 23 players from 11 schools in Hillsborough and Pasco counties were named first-team, second-team, third-team or honorable mention in their respective classifications.

Wharton junior linebacker Henry Griffith (No. 40) earned a Class 8A All-State honorable mention, after posting a team-leading 82 tackles in nine games, plus three sacks and two forced fumbles. (Courtesy of Wharton High School)

The All-State teams were compiled by FloridaHSFootball.com, along with the considerations of information received from coaches, statistics on MaxPreps, and consultation of all-area/all-county teams as published by various media outlets from around the state. The schedule played by the school was taken into account, too.

Gaither High School (6A) garnered seven selections, the most among local schools.

That shouldn’t come as much surprise, given the Cowboys finished the 2020 campaign with an 11-1 mark and reached the regional finals before falling to Lake Minneola High School, 35-14.

Gaither’s picks were headlined with a first-team choice (junior defensive lineman Mario Eugenio), a second-team choice (senior linebacker Willie Jackson Jr.)  and five honorable mentions (senior quarterback Kiael Kelly, senior defensive lineman Asa Vanburen, junior defensive lineman Tawfiq Thomas, senior utility Jordan Oladokun, and Jackson Jr., again, as a punter).

Eugenio, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound weakside defensive end, ranked third in the state in sacks (17), combined with 42 total tackles, seven hurries, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles (one for touchdown) and two pick-six interceptions across 10 games.

A consensus four-star prospect, Eugenio already has more than 30 scholarship offers, including several power five conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Pac-12) from the likes of Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, Oregon, West Virginia and many others.

Gaither senior quarterback Kiael Kelly was named a Class 6A All-State honorable mention after leading his team to the regional finals and an 11-1 mark. Kelly has signed to play football at Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana. (Courtesy of Gaither High School)

Jackson Jr., an Ave Maria University signee, also showed why he was deserving of dual All-State designations.

The 5-foot-11, 220-pound outside backer in 11 games tallied 67 tackles (including 16 for loss), eight sacks, four passes defensed, two forced fumble recoveries. Also, as the team’s punter, he averaged 39.9 yards per punt on 25 attempts, including a long of 55 yards and four pinned inside the opposing 20-yard line.

Gaither’s offense, meanwhile, was paced by Kelly, a Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana) signee.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound dual-threat signal caller completed 63% of his throws for 1,594 yards, 16 touchdowns and four picks, plus 399 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, across 10 games.

His father is Kenny Kelly, a former starting quarterback at the University of Miami, who also played Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals in the early 2000s; the elder Kelly also was a four-sport letterman at Tampa Catholic High School in baseball, basketball, football and track.

Fellow Gaither standouts — Vanburen (nine sacks), Thomas (15 tackles for loss, three sacks), and Oladokun (1,157 all-purpose yards, nine touchdowns, four interceptions) also put up showy statistics.

Steinbrenner senior linebacker Austin Brannen earned a Class 8A All-State honorable mention after posting a team-leading 83 tackles in seven games. He’s headed to Campbell University, in Bules Creek, North Carolina. (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School)

Other schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area celebrated multiple selections on the All-State list, too.

Steinbrenner High School (8A) had the next most among local schools with three All-State representatives — running back Deon Silas, senior linebacker Austin Brannen and sophomore kicker Collin Young each were named as an honorable mention.

Silas — an Iowa State signee — tallied 1,265 all-purpose yards (771 rushing yards, 357 receiving yards, 185 return) and 14 touchdowns in just five contests.

Brannen — a Campbell (Bules Creek, North Carolina) signee posted a team-leading 83 tackles (including four for loss) in seven games, plus 1.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. (The 6-foot, 220-pound backer capped his Warriors varsity career with 366 tackles.)

Young was perfect on 28 extra points, and made five of six field goal attempts, including a long of 42 yards.

Meantime, five area programs claimed two All-State selections apiece — Carrollwood Day School (2A), Wharton High School (Class 8A), Wiregrass Ranch High School (7A), Zephyrhills High School (5A) and Zephyrhills Christian Academy (2A).

For Carrollwood Day, senior tight end Michael Trigg and senior defensive tackle Desmond Mamudi took first-team 2A All-State honors.

Carrollwood Day School tight end Michael Trigg collected a Class 2A All-State first-team recognition. The highly touted athlete is headed to the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles, where he’ll play football and basketball. (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

Trigg led the Patriots with 30 receptions for 586 yards and five touchdowns in seven games, while Mamudi posted a team-leading 13 sacks in eight games, plus 39 tackles (16 for loss) and a forced fumble.

The pair of highly-touted prospects are poised to make an impact at iconic national brands in the Division I FBS ranks, coming from a small private school.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Trigg has signed to play football and basketball at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, while the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Mamudi is headed to Virginia Tech.

For Wharton, junior pass-rushing outside linebacker Daveon Crouch earned second-team 8A All-State, while teammate Henry Griffith, also a junior backer, took 8A All-State honorable mention.

Both spurred the Wildcats to a 7-2 mark — the program’s best since 2015 — and a stifling defense that surrendered just 10.1 points per game, on average.

The 6-foot-3 210-pound Crouch collected 12 sacks in nine contests, along with 62 tackles (eight for loss), six forced fumbles and two interceptions.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Griffith added a team-leading 82 tackles (nine for loss), three sacks and two forced fumbles in nine games.

At Wiregrass Ranch, senior tight end Grady Clower and sophomore athlete Bryson Rodgers collected 7A All-State honorable mentions.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Clower, who’ll join the University of Central Florida as a preferred walk-on, hauled in 10 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns in eight games.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pound Rodgers led all Bulls receivers with 47 catches for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a 70-yard long, across eight games.

Wiregrass Ranch sophomore wideout Bryson Rodgers received a Class 7A All-State honorable mention. He led all Bulls receivers with 47 catches for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School)

For Zephyrhills, junior linebacker Maguire Neal was named second-team 5A All-State, and senior tailback Zyre Roundtree picked up an honorable mention nod.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Neal registered a team-leading 13 sacks in 11 contests, plus 51 tackles (25.5 for loss) and four forced fumbles. He also is a track star, recently breaking long-held school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles.

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Roundtree totaled 899 rushing yards on 122 carries (7.4 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns in 10 games, including four 100-yard games.

At Zephyrhills Christian, freshman safety Fred Adams took second-team 2A All-State, while junior defensive back Quavious Cook earned an honorable mention.

The 5-foot-10, 175 pound Adams tied for ninth-most interceptions in the state with six in seven games, plus 12 passes defensed and 28 tackles.

Cook, a 5-foot-9, 140-pound cornerback, wasn’t too far behind, collecting four picks, five passes defensed and 34 tackles (including two for loss).

Elsewhere, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School (Independent), Cypress Creek High School (4A), Land O’ Lakes High School (6A) and Pasco High School (6A) each had one representative on an All-State roster.

Bishop McLaughlin junior tailback Adrian Miller III was an Independent All-State honorable mention — racking up 1,000 rushing yards on 90 carries (11.1 yards per carry) for 10 touchdowns, including a long run of 79 yards and four 100-plus yard contests.

Cypress Creek junior quarterback Owen Walls was a 4A All-State honorable mention — completing 54.6% of his throws for 1,233 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions, including a long pass of 89 yards.

Land O’ Lakes senior defensive end Zavian McKinon was a 6A All-State honorable mention —  tallying 12.5 sacks and 43 tackles (including 12 for loss).

Pasco senior linebacker Gabriel Barnes was a 6A All-State honorable mention — leading his team in tackles (99), tackles for loss (13.5), hurries (11), sacks (8.5) and forced fumbles (three).

There were no All-State representatives in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area from Classes 3A or 1A.

Last year, 18 players from four local schools earned various All-State honors.

Class 8A
Daveon Crouch, Wharton, junior, defensive line (second team defense)
Deon Silas, Steinbrenner, senior, running back (honorable mention)
Henry Griffith, Wharton, junior, linebacker (honorable mention)
Austin Brannen, Steinbrenner, senior, linebacker (honorable mention)
Collin Young, Steinbrenner, sophomore, kicker (honorable mention)

Class 7A
Grady Clower, Wiregrass Ranch, senior, tight end (honorable mention)
Bryson Rodgers, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore, athlete (honorable mention)

Class 6A
Mario Eugenio, Gaither, junior, defensive line (first team defense)
Willie Jackson Jr., Gaither, senior, linebacker (second team defense)
Kiael Kelly, Gaither, senior, quarterback (honorable mention)
Asa Vanburen, Gaither, senior, defensive line (honorable mention)
Zavian McKinon, Land O’ Lakes, senior, defensive line (honorable mention)
Tawfiq Thomas, Gaither, junior, defensive line (honorable mention)
Gabriel Barnes, Pasco, senior, linebacker (honorable mention)
Jordan Oladokun, Gaither, senior, utility (honorable mention)
Jackson Jr., Gaither, senior, punter (honorable mention)

Class 5A
Maguire Neal, Zephyrhills, junior, linebacker (second team defense)
Zyre Roundtree, Zephyrhills, senior, running back (honorable mention)

Class 4A
Owen Walls, Cypress Creek, junior, quarterback (honorable mention)

Class 2A
Michael Trigg, Carrollwood Day, senior, tight end (first team offense)
Desmond Mamudi, Carrollwood Day, senior, defensive line (first team defense)
Fred Adams, Zephyrhills Christian, freshman, defensive back (second team defense)
Quavious Cook, Zephyrhills Christian, junior, defensive back (honorable mention)

Independent
Adrian Miller III, Bishop McLaughlin, junior, running back (honorable mention)

Published April 21, 2021

Bishop McLaughlin makes history in state title bid

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They couldn’t quite win it all, but they got pretty darn close — and they’re primed for another good shot come next season.

The Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School varsity boys basketball program’s historic season came to a close in an 85-76 overtime loss against Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy at the FHSAA 3A state championship game at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland on March 5.

The Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School varsity basketball team went 22-7 and reached the FHSAA Class 3A state final four at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The Hurricanes ultimately lost in overtime in the state championship game to Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy, 85-76. (Courtesy of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School)

The Hurricanes were paced by junior guard Emanual Sharp’s 33 points and enjoyed a solid six-point lead through three quarters of the title game.

But the lead quickly vanished once a sized-up Calvary Christian squad amped up its pressure defense, forcing a slew of turnovers and poor shots.

Calvary Christian — with eight players taller than 6-feet-5 — wound up outscoring Bishop McLaughlin 31-17 in the fourth quarter and overtime combined.

Fatigue and inexperience against Calvary Christian’s defense and heightened level of physicality also were factors in Bishop McLaughlin’s struggles at the close of game, first-year Hurricanes head coach Derrick Sharp told The Laker/Lutz News.

“Our guys kind of rushed their passes or threw weak passes or for whatever reason we just kind of lost the ball and they capitalized quick, and credit to (Calvary Christian) and their players and the pressure that they put on us, and that’s kind of what did it. From there, they had the momentum…and we just kind of lost our way in the end.

“Some miscommunication, a missed shot, a bad shot, a bad decision here, there, kind of cost us the game, but that’s the way it goes. Our guys will learn from it, I’ll learn from it, and we’ll be better from it,” said Coach Sharp, a former University of South Florida standout who played professionally in Israel for 18 years.

Bishop McLaughlin junior guard Emanuel Sharp snips the homecourt nets following a banner 2020-2021 campaign.

Celebrating a banner campaign
Bishop McLaughlin (22-7) joins rare company as the first boys hoops program in Pasco County to reach the state tournament in Lakeland since the 2015-2016 Zephyrhills High Bulldogs. That Bulldogs team lost in the 5A state semifinals that year, falling to Kissimmee Poinciana 70-52.

Moreover, the Hurricanes are the first Pasco boys basketball program in more than 50 years to play in a state title game — when  Zephyrhills finished state runner-up in the 1966-1967 season. (Those Bulldogs teams were a force in the 1960s, winners of two state titles in 1962 and ’64, and runners-up in ’60 and ’66.)

The Hurricanes lengthy playoff run has generated quite a buzz about the small private Catholic school throughout the region, said Bishop McLaughlin athletic director Rex Desvaristes.

“Us being in Lakeland (for the state tournament) really opened the eyes of some of our community, not only in the Pasco area, but the Tampa Bay area,” the athletic director said. “This basketball program has helped grow our awareness and everybody knowing who Bishop McLaughlin is and our athletic program, so it definitely helped us.”

He continued: “When you’re in Lakeland and you’re advancing and you’re playing late in the spring, it’s enticing to other people in the community, because they’re tuning into your program. When you’re having success, that’s what happens. You’re getting the attention that you deserve, and that’s what’s happened with us.”

The local hoops program has come a long way in a short time.

The Hurricanes won just two games during the 2019-2020 season and seven the year before.

A roster and coaching overhaul brought in a slew of fresh faces and talent this season, however.

The team’s starting lineup of juniors — Emanuel Sharp, Anthony Davis Jr., Dillon Mitchell, Joshua Watkins, Matthew Webster — all have full-ride college athletic scholarships on the table.

High-flying athletes like 6-foot-7 junior forward Dillon Mitchell helped propel the Bishop McLaughlin boys basketball program to one of the best seasons in Pasco County history.

Each of those starters transferred in from elsewhere — Emanual Sharp (Blake High), Davis Jr. (Blake High), Mitchell (Sickles High), Watkins (Brandon High) and Webster (Pasco High).

Better yet, they’re all expected to return next season, as are role players in junior Javy Barber, sophomores Xavier Finney and Will Willard, and freshman Christopher Cruz.

Though the squad came up just short of a state crown, it was a memorable campaign nonetheless for players like Emanuel Sharp.

“It was great that we could all come here and make a difference right off the bat,” he said. “It was all our first year together and we’re still figuring things out to this day,” noting there are still things to fix.

“It was just a great season overall. I’m very happy with what we did.”

The 6-foot-4 combo guard and coach’s son is already looking forward to next year’s possibilities — armed with a full cast that will return older, and perhaps wiser and more skilled.

“It’s exciting knowing that our entire team is going to be coming back next year,” Emanuel said. “I get to play with my teammates, we can improve in the summer and improve in the offseason, and come back next year better than ever, ready to make another state run.”

The team’s offensive system runs through Emanuel, who led all 3A players in scoring — averaging 24.3 points per game and he boasts multiple top-flight Division I offers from the likes of Florida, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech and Xavier, among others.

Other double-digit scorers during the season were 6-foot-8 Mitchell (17.8 points) and 6-foot-5 Davis Jr. (12.1 points).

“On any given night, anybody can be the leading scorer, but the guys knew who the best player was offensively for us, so they kind of looked to (Emanuel) offensively to initiate and to create,” Derrick Sharp said.

Besides the unique collection of height, athleticism and skill, the coach credited the team’s character and unselfishness nature, noting they bought into being unconcerned with their own stat lines, but rather doing what was needed to best help the team win games.

The Bishop McLaughlin varsity boys basketball team had one of the best prep basketball seasons in Pasco County history. They’re the first boys team in the county to reach the state final four in Lakeland since Zephyrhills High did it during the 2015-2016 season.

“It’s truly probably the best group of guys that I’ve ever had the chance to coach,” Derrick Sharp said. “We definitely have the right chemistry and the right love and the right mindset, and everybody plays their role, and it’s only going to get better from here.”

Overcoming adversity, setbacks
The Hurricanes experienced its fair share of adversity along the way.

Emanuel Sharp had to sit out roughly the first two months of the season due to a fractured hand sustained from the fall.

The team also battled a bout with COVID-19, in which the entire varsity squad was required to sit out in the district finals against Carrollwood Day.

Forced to play with their junior varsity squad instead, the Hurricanes suffered a major 69-25 defeat — therefore requiring them to navigate the playoff season entirely on the road.

But they handled the challenge well, downing Clearwater Calvary Christian (62-48), Carrollwood Day (84-66) and Fort Myers Canterbury  (47-42) in regionals to advance to the state final four, then beating Jacksonville Andrew Jackson (79-71) in the semifinals before ultimately losing in the championship game. “Our road to states was pretty much on the road,” said Derrick Sharp.

Meanwhile, the program faced a strategically built challenging regular season schedule from November to February.

This included trips to face large in-state schools like Orlando Dr. Phillips and Punta Gorda Charlotte, as well as premier out-of-state tournaments like the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where the Hurricanes went up against state powerhouses, including North Carolina’s Greensboro Day School and Ohio’s Archbishop Moeller, among others.

The arduous collection of road games and foes was designed to give Hurricanes players a taste of tougher competition and intensity level; the team can expect another rough slate again next season.

Said Derrick Sharp: “I didn’t care if we won those games or lost them, I just wanted the guys to get that experience and get battle-tested, and that kind of is what ultimately helped us (in the state tournament), so, that’s definitely what we’re going to look for when we’re setting our schedule (in 2022).

He added: “Look at Calvary, they went 17-7, but all their losses were against tough teams and it made them tougher, and it showed in that fourth quarter where they were down and they came out and kind of punched us in the face, and that’s what we have to learn, that type of toughness if we want to be champions…”

2020-2021 Bishop McLaughlin boys basketball roster
Javy Barber, 6-foot-3 junior guard
Christopher Cruz, 6-foot-4 freshman guard
Xavier Finney, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard
Anthony Davis Jr., 6-foot-5 junior guard
Dillon Mitchell, 6-foot-8 junior forward
Emanuel Sharp, 6-foot-4 junior guard
Joshua Watkins, 6-foot-6 junior guard
Matthew Webster, 6-foot-8 junior center/forward
Will Willard, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard

Coaching staff
Derrick Sharp, head coach
Kenneth McDonald, assistant
Richard Bryant, assistant

2020-2021 Bishop McLaughlin boys basketball schedule
Nov. 23: Clearwater Academy International (88-77 win)
Dec. 1: Clearwater Calvary Christian (76-60 win)
Dec. 3: American Collegiate Academy (75-55 win)
Dec. 5: West Nassau (52-50 loss)
Dec. 8: Tampa Catholic (76-71 overtime win)
Dec. 9: Land O’ Lakes (80-34 win)
Dec. 12: King (76-49 win)
Dec. 19: Admiral Farragut (80-60 win)
Dec. 21: Dr. Phillips (65-53 loss)
Dec. 22: Pine Ridge (93-50 win)
Dec. 26: South Carolina Cheraw (79-38 win)
Dec. 29: North Carolina Greensboro Day School (66-56 loss)
Dec. 30: South Carolina Gray Collegiate Academy (83-71 win)
Dec. 31: Ohio Archbishop Moeller (56-50 loss)
Jan. 2: Central Pointe Christian Academy (63-60 win)
Jan. 3: Potter’s House Christian (60-45 win)
Jan. 5: Windemere Prep (72-64 loss)
Jan. 22: Bayshore Christian (81-68 win)
Jan. 23: Charlotte (69-58 win)
Jan. 28: Fivay (90-56 win)
Feb. 2: Berkeley Prep (52-47 win)
Feb. 5: Mitchell (87-63 win)
Feb. 9: Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate (70-36 win)
Feb.13: Carrollwood Day (69-25 loss)

2021 FHSAA Class 3A Boys Basketball State Tournament
Feb. 18: Clearwater Calvary Christian— region quarterfinals (62-48 win)
Feb. 23: Carrollwood Day — region semifinals (84-66 win)
Feb. 26: Fort Myers Canterbury — region finals (47-42 win)
March 3: Jacksonville Andrew Jackson — state semifinals (79-71 win)
March 5: Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy — state championship (85-76 overtime loss)

Published March 10, 2021

Locals make impact during 2020 college football season

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The 2020 college football season was anything but ordinary, mostly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Myriad schedules were delayed and abbreviated, countless games were canceled, and many lower-level programs opted to punt on the year entirely, with sights of restarting action in 2021.

Amid all the obstacles, however, more than a handful of athletes with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area suited up and made significant impacts on the NCAA Division I FBS stage.

Here’s a closer look at some of the notable performers with connections to the area.

Donovan Jennings
College: University of South Florida, junior left tackle
Local tie: Gaither High School

Donovan Jennings started in all seven games he played during University of South Florida’s nine-game season — missing two games due to COVID-19 protocols.

USF left tackle Donovan Jennings is a Gaither High product. (Courtesy of University of South Florida athletics)

One of the 6-foot-5, 338-pound lineman’s brightest spots came in the Bulls’ Nov. 27 season finale against the University of Central Florida, paving the way for his team’s offense to post 646 yards of total offense, including 242 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Jennings generally has been lauded by coaches for his pass protection skills and effectiveness in the run game.

Thanks to a rare combination of quick feet, balance and strength, Jennings often is tasked with blocking opponent’s top pass-rushers in one-on-one situations.

Looking ahead to the 2021 season, Jennings will be one of the team’s most experienced members, having appeared in 29 games with 19 starts.

Jennings surprisingly didn’t begin playing football until his freshman year of high school, as size limitations in youth leagues prevented him from playing the sport.

But, he blossomed into an All-State player in four short years at Gaither, graduating in 2018.

While he garnered scholarship offers from several Division I FBS schools, Jennings, ultimately picked USF — a mere 7.5 miles from his prep stomping grounds.

“Playing in my hometown is great, seeing my friends and family come to all the games to support me with all I do,” Jennings said in a 2019 interview with USF’s official athletics website, GoUSFBulls.com. “I love putting on a show for all the fans and all the people I played in front of in high school. For my (former) coaches to be able to come out and see what type of player I’ve grown into is a good thing for me.”

Devontres Odoms-Dukes
College: University of South Florida, fifth-year senior wide receiver
Local tie: New Tampa resident, Wharton High School

New Tampa resident and Wharton High alum Devontres Odoms-Dukes wrapped up his final season at USF. (Courtesy of University of South Florida athletics)

Devontres Odoms-Dukes saved the best for last.

Playing in all nine of USF’s games and making six starts, Devontres Odoms-Dukes registered 24 catches for 297 yards and four touchdowns — all career highs and among team leaders.

The 6-foot-4, 216-pound Dukes, too, went out on a high note in his final college football game on Nov. 27 against UCF (University of Central Florida) — tallying five catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Making all those figures more impressive is that Odoms-Dukes had to navigate playing for no less than four quarterbacks during the course of the season.

Meanwhile, his five-year run at USF hasn’t always been easy or stable, given he’s played for three different head coaches during that time — Willie Taggart, Charlie Strong and Jeff Scott, respectively.

Odoms-Dukes now has his eyes set on the 2021 NFL Draft, where he hopes to gain traction with his rare size at the receiver spot.

Prior to his USF tenure, Odoms-Dukes played two seasons at Wharton High, developing into an All-Hillsborough County honorable mention performer under then coach David Mitchell.

As a senior in 2015, he posted 41 catches for 780 yards and 14 touchdowns, guiding the Wildcats to an 8-2 mark that included dominating wins over the likes of Gaither, Freedom and Wiregrass Ranch high schools.

Odoms-Dukes was born in Pensacola and spent much of his childhood in the Fayetteville area in North Carolina before moving to New Tampa and finishing school at Wharton.

His parents are decorated military veterans who served in the U.S. Army and retired with Sergeant First Class status; they were deployed in areas including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Another fun tidbit: Odoms-Dukes is related to 13-year NBA veteran Reggie Evans, who played for six franchises from 2002 to 2015.

Shane McGough
College: Florida International University, redshirt senior center
Local tie: Gaither High School

Shane McGough’s final season as a Florida International University Panther wasn’t most ideal — given he played for a squad that went winless in a five-game season, cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FIU guard Shane McGough is a Gaither High School alum. (Courtesy of Florida International University athletics)

But the 6-foot-2, 302-pound center was one of the few positives, a team captain who pushed bodies for an offense that averaged 160.4 rushing yards. His production up front in the trenches earned him a spot on the All-Conference USA Honorable Mention team.

All told, McGough played in 40 career games, moving between the guard and center positions. He is noted for being part of an offensive line that allowed just 14 sacks in 2019 and a school-record low eight sacks in 2018, which ranked first in the conference and third overall in the nation.

Aside from his natural strength and line-moving abilities, McGough earns positive marks from coaches and teammates for his work ethic and lead-by-example demeanor.

FIU offensive line coach Jose Rodriguez offered a glowing review of McGough on the school’s official athletics website, FIUSports.com.

“Shane is part of a dying breed, as a guy who just gets it,” Rodriguez said. “He’s played and had successful experience. It’s one thing to just play and get your butt beat…but he’s had successful experience and knows what it takes from a preparation standpoint or in terms of training in the offseason.

“He also has great leadership qualities because when he speaks, people listen. Part of that is because he has so much experience and part of that is his demeanor, in general. Having a guy like that in your room is great, because you can always use him as an example and someone you can lean on when you want something done. Him being unselfish and a team player is great, as well, because it just makes everyone want to listen and do as he does.”

McGough is now readying for the 2021 NFL Draft, appearing in various all-star games such as Tropical Bowl and College Gridiron Showcase.

In chasing his pro football dreams, McGough could get an opportunity to play alongside or against his older brother Alex, a seventh-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft who’s bounced around the league as a quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans.

At Gaither, McGough was a three-year varsity letter winner and a two-way player seeing action at offensive and defensive line. He earned All-Hillsborough and All-Western Conference recognition along the way, too.

Interestingly, McGough was rather lightly recruited coming out of high school in 2015, perhaps because he was an undersized lineman by Division I FBS standards at the time, hovering around 250 pounds.

Scott Patchan
College: Colorado State University, graduate defensive end
Local tie: Freedom High School

Amid a season cut in half because of COVID-19, Scott Patchan sure made the most of his opportunities in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Colorado State defensive lineman Scott Patchan played his first three prep seasons at Freedom High School before transferring to IMG Academy his senior year. (Courtesy of Colorado State University athletics)

In just four games, the 6-foot-6, 255-pound edge rusher tallied 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss overall, adding 22 total tackles and three quarterback hurries — earning first-team All-Mountain West honors in the process.

Moreover, Patchan won on 24% of his pass rushes, securing a pressure on 19% – both figures leading Mountain West players by 3.5 percentage points, according to metrics from the scouting website Pro Football Focus.

Patchan will have further opportunity to add to his resume, as he’s stated he will return to the program in 2021 with the extra season of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic.

Colorado State defensive line coach Antoine Smith underscored Patchan’s qualities in a profile piece for the university’s official athletics website, CSURams.com.

“He doesn’t leave anything to chance,” Smith said. “Some guys talk. He doesn’t talk. He just comes and works every day and he’s very passionate about how he works and takes care of his body. He is a true athlete who loves performing. That’s pretty awesome.”

Patchan transferred to Colorado State after spending the prior five seasons at the University of Miami, where he battled two season-ending knee surgeries and even made a position switch to tight end before moving back to his natural defensive end spot.

Locally, Patchan played his first three years of prep ball at Freedom High before transferring to Bradenton’s IMG Academy for his senior season.

His final run at Freedom in 2013 proved most productive, as he totaled 8.5 sacks, 56 tackles and 24 tackles for loss. He went on to become one of the state’s most highly-touted prospects in his recruiting class, being courted by Florida State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State, UCLA and others.

Gridiron talent certainly runs deep in Patchan’s family. Patchan’s father Matt III won national titles with the Hurricanes in 1983 and ’87; His older brother, Matt II, was an offensive lineman at the University of Florida and Boston College.

Michael Penix Jr., quarterback
College: Indiana University, redshirt sophomore
Local tie: Dade City native, Pasco High School

Michael Penix Jr., was rapidly becoming a household name in the big-time college football lexicon until a torn ACL in his right knee prematurely ended his redshirt sophomore campaign in late November.

Indiana quarterback Mike Penix Jr., a Dade City native who played at Pasco High School for two seasons. (File)

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound left-handed signal-caller ended the year with six games played, spurring Indiana University to one of its best starts in program history with a 5-1 mark and No. 12 nationally ranking in the process.

Penix’s individual stats were likewise flashy — posting a 56.4% completion rate for 1,645 passing yards, and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions and two rushing touchdowns — solid enough for second-team All-Big Ten honors.

There were several notable moments along the way for the Dade City native, too.

Penix was responsible for a 2-point conversion that lifted the Hoosiers over Penn State in overtime of the season opener. Meanwhile, he passed for a career-high 491 yards and five touchdowns Nov. 21 in Indiana’s narrow 42-35 loss to No. 4 Ohio State. The 491 passing yards were second-most in program history, trailing only Richard Lagow’s 496-yard output in a 2016 win over Wake Forest.

The ability to stay on the field has remained an issue, however.

Injuries have cut short all three of Penix’s seasons at Indiana. He suffered a clavicle injury in November 2019 that required surgery. He also tore his ACL in his right knee in 2018.

Prior to his move north to Bloomington, Penix played his freshman and sophomore prep seasons at Pasco High School in 2014 and 2015, then transferred to Tampa Bay Technical High School for his junior and senior years. He was a baseball, basketball, and track and field standout along the way, too.

Also notable: Penix’s father, Mike Sr., was an All-State tailback/defensive back at Pasco High in the early ’90s.

Raymond Woodie III
College: Florida State University, sophomore defensive back
Local tie: Carrollwood Day School/Wiregrass Ranch High School

Raymond Woodie III enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign for Florida State University, compiling more playing time and production for a team in transition under new head coach Mike Norvell.

Florida State sophomore defensive back Raymond Woodie III — who has now transferred to Cal-Berkeley — played his freshman and sophomore prep seasons at Carrollwood Day School, before moving to three other schools, including Wiregrass Ranch High School. (Courtesy of Florida State University athletics)

Suiting up for each of the team’s nine games and making two starts, the 6-foot, 194-pound defensive back totaled 25 tackles, 2.5 for loss with 0.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. Among the notable showings was a game-high seven tackles at Louisville on Oct. 24.

It was all a step in the right direction from his freshman year — where he appeared in 10 games and recorded nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss with 1.0 sacks and one forced fumble.

Despite an enhanced role at FSU, Woodie has opted to take his talents to the West Coast — recently transferring to the University of California-Berkeley.

Woodie joins the Cal program this month with three seasons of collegiate eligibility remaining, which includes the additional year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to all fall sports athletes due to the effect of COVID-19 on the 2020 campaign.

“We are excited to have Raymond join our program,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said of Woodie in a news release from the Cal athletics department. “He is a talented football player and adds significant experience to our defensive backfield. I expect him to have an opportunity to make an immediate impact on our team.”

Before entering the college ranks, Woodie experienced quite the circuitous high school career, where he attended four different schools in as many years.

Woodie played his high school freshman and sophomore seasons at Carrollwood Day, working at quarterback, wide receiver and safety, earning All-Hillsborough County honors along the way.

Woodie then attended Wiregrass Ranch High and went through spring and summer team football workouts leading into his junior season, but wound up finishing his prep days at Sheldon High (Eugene, Oregon) and Florida State University High (Tallahassee). (These far-reaching moves were a result of following his father’s budding college coaching journey at University of Oregon and Florida State, respectively.)

From Carrollwood Day onward, Woodie emerged as a blue-chip prospect, designated as a four-star recruit in the 2019 class by ESPN and Rivals.com. He was ranked as high as the nation’s No. 9 safety and No. 158 player overall by ESPN.

Published January 27, 2021

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

Locals stand out at state golf championships

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If one thing has been learned over time — simply qualifying for Florida’s high school state golf championship tournament is an accomplishment in itself.

The Carrollwood Day School varsity girls golf program achieved a milestone in qualifying for its first-ever state finals appearance as a team. (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School athletics department)

It’s an opportunity this year reserved for a combined 45 boys teams and 45 girls teams across three classifications. Including individual qualifiers, fewer than 300 boys and golfers apiece — among the countless thousands of prep golfers — were able to showcase their skills and lay claim among the state’s elite.

Within those numbers were two teams and another four individuals from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The 2020 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state golf championships ran from Oct. 27 through Nov. 4, at Mission Inn Resort & Club, in Howey-in-the-Hills. Boys competed at the Lake County resort’s 6,764-yard El Campeon Course, while girls played the 5,455-yard Las Colinas Course.

Steinbrenner High sophomore Kavya Ajjarapu finished 12th overall at the Class 3A state golf championships. It concluded an impressive campaign for Ajjarapu, who also took home a 3A-9 district crown. (Courtesy of Kathleen Kane)

Perhaps the most noteworthy showing came from the Steinbrenner High varsity girls team— as it marked its ninth straight year the program has qualified for states as a team.

Coached by John Crumbley, the Warriors finished 10th out of 13 schools in the two-day Class 3A tournament.

They were paced by sophomore Kavya Ajjarapu, who carded an 8-over par across two rounds (70-78 — 158) to finish tied for 12th out of 78 golfers.

It marked the end to an impressive season for Ajjarapu, who also took home a 3A-9 district crown after shooting a 2-under 69 at TPC Tampa Bay back in early October.

Other Steinbrenner golfers were McKenzie Kane (+11), Posie Farrelly (+11), Zoe Spanos (+70) and Paige Maginness (+121).

Wiregrass Ranch High senior Norah Catlin wrapped up her fourth straight state golf finals appearance. She tied for 32nd overall in the Class 3A tournament. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School athletics department)

The 3A match also experienced solid individual performances from Sunlake High freshman Alyssa Mixon and Wiregrass Ranch High senior Norah Catlin. Both tied for 32nd, shooting 14 strokes above par across the 36 holes.

For Catlin, it marked her fourth straight state title appearance, going down as the most decorated female golfer in her school’s history. She’s also a three-time Pasco County Sunshine Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

In 2A, Cypress Creek boasted a pair of individual qualifiers in sophomore Tiffany Colin and freshman Connor Newbold.

Colin went 14 over par to finish 16th among 95 girls golfers. She was key to her team during a  banner season — helping the Coyotes finish with a 5-0 regular season mark and runner-up in the Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament.

Newbold logged a 14 over par to finish 29th out of 97 boys golfers. He also was integral as the No. 1 golfer on the Coyotes boys team, which reached the 2A-2 region tournament at Dubsdread Golf Course in Orlando.

Meanwhile, in the 1A ranks, the Carrollwood Day School varsity girls team made its first state appearance in program history.

The Patriots — who placed 14th — were pushed by seventh-grader Sophia Dyer, who finished 31st overall after posting an 11 over par (77-78 — 155).

Dyer comes from a something of a legacy golf family. Her older brother, Blake, is a former standout on the University of Florida men’s golf team who also finished runner-up at the 2016 Florida State Amateur. Her father, Kevin, lettered for the Florida Gators from 1984-1988 and was on the 1985 SEC Championship team.

Other Carrollwood Day golfers included Elyse Meerdink (+16), Olivia Hasselbach (+76) Mikaela Arey (+97) and Paige Bhuniak (+149).

By comparison, last year’s state tournament saw one team and another six individual qualifiers from our coverage area.

Class 3A
Boys
No local schools or individuals

Girls
Individual qualifier(s)
Alyssa Mixon, Sunlake (tied 32nd) 78-80 — 158
Norah Catlin, Wiregrass Ranch (tied 32nd) 80-78 — 158

Steinbrenner (10th place) 338-334 — 672
Kavya Ajjarapu (tied 12th) 70-78 — 148
McKenzie Kane (tied 24th) 80-75 — 155
Posie Farrelly (tied 24th) 72-83 — 155
Zoe Spanos (tied 75th) 104-110 — 214
Paige Maginness, (77th) 117-148 — 265

Class 2A
Boys
Individual qualifier(s)
Connor Newbold, Cypress Creek (29th) 80-78 — 158

Girls
Individual qualifier (s)
Tiffany Colin, Cypress Creek (16th ) 80-78 — 158

Class 1A
Boys
No local schools or individuals

Girls
Carrollwood Day (14th place) 366-358 — 724
Sophia Dyer (31st) 77-78 — 155
Elyse Meerdink (tied 40th) 82-78 — 160
Olivia Hasselbach (56th) 89-79 — 168
Mikaela Arey (94th) 117-124 — 241
Paige Bhuniak (95th) 145-148 — 293

Published November 25, 2020

Cypress Creek High School was represented by a pair of state qualifiers in sophomore Taylor Colin, left, and freshman Connor Newbold. Colin finished 16th in the Class 2A girls tournament, while Newbold finished 29th in the 2A boys match. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek High School athletics department)

Charter sports league enjoying growth

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The Tampa Charter Athletic League (TCAL) started with just five middle schools when it launched in 2013.

In a few short years, the league has ballooned to 22 schools and nearly 5,000 athletes throughout Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Ten-year-old Agustin Aljure of Plant City, center, cheers on his older sister, Sophia, as she runs the track for the Tampa-based Trinity School for Children. His friend, 11-year-old Tyler Faucett of Tampa is on his right. (Christine Holtzman)

Of those schools, seven are in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area: Carrollwood Day School, Imagine School Land O’ Lakes, Learning Gate Community, Lutz Preparatory, North Tampa Christian, Sunlake Academy and Union Park.

Sports offerings include basketball, cross country, flag football, soccer, street hockey, track and field, and volleyball.

Other sports are on tap, with baseball and softball possibly next.

The upstart league is chaired and founded by Lutz Preparatory athletic director/physical education teacher Chad Mollick.

In designing the league, he envisioned something that would create more extracurricular activities for students and also foster some healthy competition.

The message spread quickly.

Simple “word of mouth” among other Tampa Bay area charter schools has grown the league where it is now, he said.

“It’s amazing to see just the massive amount of growth. I honestly never thought it would get to being this big,” Mollick said.

The league generally follows the rules and regulations of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) “with a couple of small twists,” Mollick said.

For instance, the TCAL allows schools to field multiple teams for a sport, so that a large group of students that try out don’t have to get cut. Another wrinkle different from traditional public schools — fifth graders are grouped in as middle schoolers, so they can join teams and get in on competitive play earlier on.

“The biggest thing for me is just having more opportunities for the kids,” he said. “We pretty much added one or two (new) sports every other year.”

Before the league formed, Mollick said there really weren’t any organized leagues for charter middle schools. A couple schools would scrimmage some Tampa Bay area private schools, but that was the extent of it.

“Six years ago, no one did anything. There was nothing, really,” he said.

A recent cross country meet at Lutz Preparatory School underscored the league’s expansion and reach.

Holding on to his megaphone, Coach Chad Mollick jokes around with one of the parents in the crowd, after the start of the Boys cross country race. Mollick is the athletic director and physical education teacher at Lutz Preparatory School, as well as chairman of the Tampa Charter Athletic League.

Roughly 300 boys and girls runners across a dozen schools (and at least another 100 spectators and volunteers) turned out for a regular season meet on a steamy Friday afternoon in September.

Mollick was on the front lines, working out race logistics with a walkie-talkie and golf cart and, setting up the course, corralling volunteers and getting everything else in order.

It’s the TCAL chairman pulling events together like that, which has impressed other charter middle school athletic directors.

“He does an incredible job,” said Bill Martin, athletic director/coach at Imagine School. “We all are really thankful that he’s able to do so much and really be able to keep things organized and everybody engaged. Every season’s always been successful. We make it work one way or another.”

Trinity School for Children athletic director/coach Kara White added this: “Chad puts in so many hours. I mean, we all do as athletic directors, but that man goes above and beyond, and if it wasn’t for him, this wouldn’t happen. We help, but he doesn’t get enough credit for what he does. I don’t think there’s anyone in the league who’d step up to do what he’s doing, and, teaching. It’s not easy. It’s a full time job.”

White, who’s been at Trinity for nearly two decades, also mentioned the league’s competition level “has come a long way” in the last few years.

“The schools that have been in it long enough now are understanding what they need to do to be competitive,” she said. “In different sports it varies, but I think it’s a pretty high level for middle school sports in Hillsborough County; I think we’re pretty far ahead.”

With the added competition, natural school rivalries have formed, also.

Lutz Prep and Imagine School is one of the more notable.

“We’re always battling for first or second place in two or three sports throughout the year,” Mollick said. “When you start seeing the competition in the championship games, it gets pretty intense.”

Meanwhile, Mollick said the “biggest issue” for the expanding league is finding enough gym and field space to put on events.

The league chairman said most charter schools don’t have their own gyms, so they have to go about renting county facilities which he said can cost anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour to put on sporting events.

“The hardest thing for us is facilities are hard to find,” he said. “These schools, every game they play, they’re paying to play.”

Aside from the league as a whole, Mollick has gone about increasing athletic participation within the Lutz Prep student body.

Mollick said roughly 90 percent of the school’s middle schoolers, or about 250 students, are now involved in some type of athletics.

Mollick also has developed an intramural sports program at Lutz Prep — including a running club for the school’s elementary student body, or grades one through four.

It’s something Lutz Prep parent Shelly Walsh appreciates, in getting students to take pride in the school and ingrained in sports programs.

“It’s a great way to get the kids to love it,” said Walsh, who has two sons at Lutz Prep. “They do a little bit of it in P.E., but not as much as coming after school, they get that feeling of, ‘This is fun, I like staying after.’”

That’s the way Lutz Prep sixth-grader Eva Hsi sees it. She plays flag football and soccer, and runs cross country for the school.

“I have fun,” Hsi said. “To get to meet the older kids and play with them, and not just stay with my grade, I enjoy it.”

So, too, does fellow Lutz Prep sixth-grader Declan Heuman, who runs cross country and track for the school, and plays baseball outside of it.

He said Lutz Prep “is really fun with all the sports we have here.”

He added cross country is his favorite because “I like how you get to run and meet all your friends doing it.”

Tampa Charter Athletic League schools

  • Avant Garde Academy
  • Carrollwood Day School
  • Classical Preparatory
  • Community Charter
  • Hillsborough Academy
  • Henderson Hammock Charter
  • Imagine School Land O’ Lakes
  • Learning Gate Community
  • Legacy Prep
  • Lutz Preparatory
  • New Springs
  • North Tampa Christian
  • Pepin Academy – Hillsborough
  • Pepin Academy – Pasco
  • SLAM Tampa
  • Sunlake Academy
  • Tampa Day School
  • Terrace Community
  • Trinity School for Children
  • Union Park
  • Village of Excellence
  • Woodmont

Published October 09, 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

Volleyball team seeks to avenge state title defeat

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The Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes volleyball team lost just one game last season — but, that loss came in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship.

The Hurricanes had won 30 consecutive games through the regular and postseason before losing to Doral’s Divine Savior Academy Sharks, in three straight-sets at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers.

The Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes volleyball team’s only loss last season came in the Class 3A state championship. They believe they’re up to the task to win the whole thing in 2019. (Courtesy of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Athletics)

The scores were 25-16, 25-16 and 25-22.

Much of the damage was done by Sharks then-junior Fabiana Castro, a Bryant University commit, who led all players with 24 kills.

If the Hurricanes had won, it would’ve marked the school athletic program’s first-ever team state crown.

“You know, everybody has their excuses about what happened, but what actually happened was they were better than we are. That was the bottom line,” longtime Hurricanes volleyball head coach Doug Chinchar said.

“They had one kid we could not stop and that was it,” he said.

As devastating as the Nov. 17 loss was , the coach has used the experience as a learning tool for this season.

He has challenged his team to become tougher mentally and physically, particularly when it comes to facing top-level teams in raucous environments — like the state title game.

“The other team threw the first punch and we didn’t punch back. That was the heartbreaker. I want to punch back,” said Chinchar, now in his 11th year at the school.

“If there’s one thing I worry about is how tough we are. How tough are we going to be when we go into some team’s gym and they’re all over all us,” he said.

To attack that concern, Chinchar has pursued the most challenging regular season slate possible, to gear up his team for another deep postseason run.

That includes road matches this season against Alachua Santa Fe, Clearwater Central Catholic, Carrollwood Day, Sarasota Riverview high schools and others.

Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes volleyball coaches Doug and Sara Chinchar lead the team through an early-season practice. Last season the Hurricanes went 30-1 and finished Class 3A state runner-up. (Kevin Weiss)

“We’re trying to schedule 25 losses. We want to play the best of the best,” the coach said.  Veteran players believe the team has grown from last season’s defeat and is on a restored track this year. The Hurricanes presently sit at 9-1, as of Sept. 16.

The team entered the new season more motivated and “wanting to work harder,” senior middle hitter Sarah Perciavalle said.

“I think we have more heart from last season, and more energy during our practices and games,” Perciavalle, of Lutz, said, “so I think we’re better in that sense.”

Last season’s end was “really upsetting,” she said.

“We were expected to win, going in undefeated, so it was definitely a hard loss,” she said.

Junior outside hitter Audrey Koenig said the team has gained more confidence and has learned “definitely to not underestimate a team and not to let big crowds affect you.”

The 6-foot-3 FSU commit and Wesley Chapel resident recalled it took her “at least a week” to get over that last year’s title game defeat.

She recalls being very sad about the loss, noting “everybody was expecting us to win, so like all the hype and momentum built up to it and then it just kind of fell.”

So it may seem like a tall task to top a nearly unblemished 30-1 campaign, but the Hurricanes insist they are even deeper this year.

Nearly all of the players are returning from last year, including four seniors.

They’ve also added a handful of talented freshman — paced by 6-foot-3 Maddie Snider and 6-foot-1 Ali Waldon, the daughter of former University of South Florida men’s basketball standout B.B. Waldon.

Height and offensive firepower figure to be an advantage again this season, as the group boasts three 6-footers and four other players 5-foot-9 or taller.

“We definitely have the intimidation factors,” said Koenig, who leads the team with 95 kills and 20 aces.

Added Perciavalle: “I think we’re definitely more powerful at the net. All of our hitters have definitely gotten stronger, so I think we’re definitely better.”

The team is also out for revenge this time around, in their quest for that elusive state crown.

“It’s kind of like redemption,’ Perciavalle said. “Like, we were so close last year that now we’ve got to finish it up.”

The Hurricanes coach imagines it can done, based on what he’s seen thus far.

“It should be a fun little run here,” Chinchar said. “We have a chance to go the whole way, that’s the most exciting part. Everybody wants to beat us, and we want to beat them.”

“We want the whole thing,” he said.

2019 Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes volleyball roster
Head coach: Doug Chinchar

  • Adrianna Lopez, junior
  • Alexandra Postlethwaite, junior
  • Ali Waldon, freshman
  • Audrey Koenig, junior
  • Autumn Martinez-Robinson, freshman
  • Cahley Woods, freshman
  • Ezzie Thompson, freshman
  • Gabriella Koenig, senior
  • Kayla David, senior
  • Maddie Snider, freshman
  • Sarah Perciavalle, senior
  • Terah Nejman, senior
  • Zina Grechniw, junior

Published September 18, 2019

Title Teams

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A trio of local middle school sports programs earned team titles at last week’s Tampa Charter Athletic League (TCAL) championships. Winning teams included: Carrollwood Day School boys ball hockey, Lutz Preparatory School girls ball hockey, and Imagine School of Land O’ Lakes girls flag football. The TCAL is one of state’s largest charter school leagues, consisting of about 20 schools and 14 sports.

Published May 15, 2019

Imagine School of Land O’ Lakes girls flag football defeated Lutz Prep 6-0 in triple overtime, to claim a league championship. (Courtesy of Chad Mollick)
Carrollwood Day School boys ball hockey won a Tampa Charter Athletic League (TCAL) championship after edging Lutz Prep 5-4.
Lutz Prep girls ball hockey beat Learning Gate 5-1 in the TCAL title game. Lutz Prep ended the season with an undefeated 8-0 mark.

Spring football preview for area teams

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High school football is back in session, as spring football practices are now underway statewide.

And, while the 2019 prep season remains months away, Florida high school football fans still will get a taste of how their teams are shaping up with a series of exhibition games and jamborees in late May.

Florida high schools are allowed a maximum of 20 practice sessions from April 22 through May, according to Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) guidelines. The first allowable day for full-contact tackling is April 27.

Take a look at these five area teams to watch as spring practices ramp up:

Academy at the Lakes will seek its third straight eight-man title in 2019. The team is currently on a 20-game winning streak dating back to 2017. (File)

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats
The back-to-back defending eight-man Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) state champion Wildcats will have another target on its back as it enters the new season on a 20-game winning streak (including a win by forfeit) dating back to September of 2017.

But, that shouldn’t faze an Academy at the Lakes squad that again returns the father-son combo of head coach Shawn Brown and rising junior quarterback Jalen Brown.

Shawn Brown is a two-time reigning FCAPPS Coach of the Year, while Jalen Brown won the 2018 FCAPPS Heisman Trophy Winner award, given to the eight-man league’s top player.

Last season the 6-foot-2, 180-pound quarterback completed nearly 58 percent of his throws for 1,105 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 672 yards and 10 touchdowns on 93 carries.

In addition to Jalen Brown, the team returns All-Conference standouts in center Dwight Downing and defensive end Elijah Freedman. Also expect significant contributions from the likes of tailback Adrian Leverette, receivers Cole Lallanilla and Caleb Yann, and linebacker Denzyl Downing, among others.

Perhaps the biggest question for the Wildcats is finding ways to replace the production left behind by graduating All-State linebacker Dylan Price and All-State defensive back Jullian Jennings, as well as All-State offensive lineman Andrew Kilfoyl, who has since transferred to Gaither.

Land O’ Lakes Gators
Under new head coach Chad Walker, the Gators achieved its first winning season since 2013, going 7-3 and narrowly missing out on a playoff berth.

Land O’ Lakes is looking to build off last season’s 7-3 campaign under head coach Chad Walker.

The turnaround season also included a 35-24 win over crosstown foe Sunlake to crack an eight-game losing streak in the annual ‘Butter Bowl’ rivalry game.

Naturally, fans of the storied Pasco County program will expect similar success again this year.

It won’t come easy, however, as the team moves on from a sizable senior class that included its leading rusher, leading receiver, leading tackler and top kicking specialists.

Working in the team’s favor, though, is the return of one of the area’s top signal callers in rising senior quarterback and two-year starter Ethan Forrester.

Last season the 6-foot-3, 220-pound athlete completed nearly 52 percent of his passes for 1,429 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Gators have put together a tough 2019 regular season slate that includes five teams that made the playoffs last season — Gaither, Mitchell, Tampa Catholic, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills Christian, respectively.

Steinbrenner Warriors
Following a disappointing 2-7 output in 2017, the Warriors rebounded last year to finish 6-5 overall with a 4-2 mark in District 6-8A, including a four-game winning streak to close out the season.

Steinbrenner has plenty of weapons to build off last year’s 6-5 mark.

With a bevy of returning talent, the momentum should continue into 2019 under longtime head coach Andres Perez-Reinaldo.

The Warriors feature multiple NCAA FBS Division I football targets, such as receivers Aidan Bitter and Dean Patterson, and Matthew Adcock, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound offensive lineman.

The squad is stacked with other playmakers, too.

Quarterback Haden Carlson, the son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jeff Carlson, is poised to build off a junior campaign where he completed 54 percent of his passes for 1,418 yards, 10 total touchdowns and four interceptions.

The rising senior will have plenty of weapons at his disposal in the likes of Bitter (32 receptions, 568 yards, six touchdowns), Patterson (39 receptions, 391 yards, two touchdowns), Jett Law (22 receptions, 212 yards) and Deon Silas (1,198 all-purpose yards), among others.

The Warriors also return several of its top players on the other side of the ball, including rising junior linebacker Austin Brannen, who registered 130 total tackles, including 12 for loss.

Meanwhile, special teams figure to be another strength, with All-State punter Cameron Brown, kicker Trevor Haire, and a return game that collectively averaged 28.2 yard on kick returns and 13.2 yards on punt returns.

Wiregrass Ranch Bulls
With a string of three consecutive winning seasons and playoff appearances under head coach Mark Kantor, Wiregrass Ranch seems positioned for another year as one of Pasco County’s premier programs.

With a large senior class, Wiregrass Ranch will seek its fourth straight playoff berth in 2019.

And, most any win will be hard earned in 2019, particularly with new district foes in Class 6A state runner-up Armwood, East Bay and Tampa Bay Tech.

In fact, every opponent on the Bulls’ 10-game schedule sported a winning record last season, aside from crosstown rival Wesley Chapel, who finished with a 5-5 mark. Of those teams, half qualified for the playoffs from their respective classification.

Fortunately for the Bulls, the team has the benefit of experience on its side with about two dozen rising seniors.

That includes one of the Sunshine State’s most productive defensive players in first team All-State linebacker Dylan Ridolph.

Ridolph’s 22 sacks last season ranked second in the state, trailing only Winter Garden Foundation Academy’s Warren Sapp II (24). The 6-foot, 215-pound Ridolph already holds the county record for most career sacks (37).

Some other upperclassman to keep an eye on include defensive back Jonavon Tills (five interceptions) and tailback Keith Walker (667 all-purpose yards, nine touchdowns).

Meantime, the Bulls will have to break in a new quarterback with the graduation of two-year starter Grant Sessums.

Such duty will likely fall to promising rising senior dual-threat quarterback Hunter Helton.

Last season Helton served as the team’s backup quarterback option, but showcased his athleticism as the team’s leading receiver (16 receptions, 315 yards, four touchdowns).

His last extended action under center came as a sophomore on junior varsity, where he completed nearly 54 percent of his throws for 557 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception.

Zephyrhills Bulldogs
Going undefeated in the regular season on its way to securing its second straight district title, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs in 2018 put together one of the more notable campaigns in recent memory.

Coming off back-to-back district championships, Zephyrhills will look to several new faces to make an impact in 2019.

It also added to the program’s tally of winning seasons, which now numbers eight straight dating back to 2011.

Maintaining their sustained dominance this year may prove challenging, though, as the Bulldogs say farewell to 23 seniors from last year’s 11-1 squad, 10 of whom earned All-Conference honors.

Among that group is the team’s starting quarterback, several leading receivers, multiple leading tacklers and top special teamers.

Serving another blow to the team’s 2019 depth: All-Conference linebacker Ja’varrius Wilson recently announced his intention to transfer to Clearwater Academy International for his senior year. He was fourth on the team in tackles (91) and second in tackles for loss (18).

On the bright side for Zephyrhills, up-and-coming head coach Nick Carroll returns for 2019, looking to build upon a combined 29-6 mark his first three seasons.

Of course, the Bulldogs won’t be totally devoid of impactful playmakers in 2019.

Rising senior two-way lineman Demetris Wright (40 pancake blocks, 30 tackles), and rising juniors Zyre Roundtree (541 rushing yards, six touchdowns) and Tre Gallimore (45 tackles, two interceptions) are a few to watch, among others.

Schools in Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their 2018 records)
Hillsborough County:

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots: 6-6 overall, 2-2 region
  • Freedom High School Patriots: 4-6 overall, 2-4 district
  • Gaither High School Cowboys: 7-4 overall, 4-2 district
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors: 6-5 overall, 4-2 district

Pasco County:

  • Academy at the Lakes Wildcats: (10-0 overall, 7-0 district)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes: (4-5 overall, 3-1 district)
  • Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes: (3-7 overall, 1-0 region)
  • Land O’ Lakes High School Gators: (7-3 overall, 2-2 district)
  • Pasco High School Pirates: (2-8 overall, 0-4 district)
  • Sunlake High School Seahawks: (4-6 overall, 1-3 district)
  • Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats: (5-5 overall, 4-3 district)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls: (7-4 overall, 4-2 district)
  • Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors: (7-4 overall, 0-1 region)
  • Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs: (11-1 overall, 6-0 district)

Spring game schedule
May 16
East Ridge at Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills Christian at Fivay
Jamboree: Freedom, King, Wharton at Hillsborough
Jamboree: Gaither, Sickles, Steinbrenner at Alonso

May 17
Anclote at Sunlake
Cypress Creek at Pasco
Land O’ Lakes at Wesley Chapel
Wiregrass Ranch at East Lake

May 18
Bishop McLaughlin at Carrollwood Day

May 24
Jamboree: Academy at the Lakes, Master’s Academy, Lakeside Christian, Solid Rock at Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center

Player to watch from each area team
Hillsborough County

  • Shelton Quarles Jr., Carrollwood Day, athlete
  • Tawfiq Thomas, Freedom, defensive tackle
  • Chance Coleman, Gaither, linebacker
  • Deon Silas, Steinbrenner, athlete

Pasco County

  • Jalen Brown, Academy at the Lakes, quarterback
  • Adam Berry, Bishop McLaughlin, tailback
  • Jalen Warren, Cypress Creek, athlete
  • Ethan Forrester, Land O’ Lakes, quarterback
  • Darrion Robinson, Pasco, receiver
  • Jonathan Wallace, Sunlake, defensive end
  • Jelani Vassell, Wesley Chapel, athlete
  • Dylan Ridolph, Wiregrass Ranch, linebacker
  • Zyre Roundtree, Zephyrhills, tailback
  • Malik Jones, Zephyrhills Christian, defensive lineman

Published April 24, 2019