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Cypress Creek Middle High

Pasco County Schools hits million-meal mark

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Pasco County Schools has delivered more than a million meals to students since school campuses closed.

The district has been serving bagged meals at numerous sites and bus stops to provide meals to students who, in many cases, rely on schools for their only reliable source of food.

State Rep. Randy Maggard, left, and Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore worked with about 50 other volunteers to distribute 33,000 pounds of food at a Farm Share event on May 20 at The Shops at Wiregrass. (Courtesy of Andy Taylor/Pasco County)

Since March 23, when the district began its remote feeding efforts, the district has served 1,095,537 meals, according to Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services.

The district has been serving 10 meals per student age 18 and under, at each of its locations, accounting for five days’ worth of meals, including a breakfast and lunch for each day.

Last week, it served an additional five meals because the operation is closed this week.

Next week, it reopens on June 2. Check the district’s website for locations because some of them have been closed and consolidated with other locations.

The district also had three Farm Fresh Pop-ups last week — at Cypress Creek Middle High, Anclote High and Centennial Middle School.

The district’s maintenance team served 2,300 boxes of vegetables, weighing 10 pounds each, at those three sites.

Those aren’t the only efforts to help provide food for children and families in need, during this coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic.

Sunlake High School and Land O’ Lakes High School collected more than 2,000 pounds of food for the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry, in their COVID-19 Quarantine Butterbowl.

An example of the fresh vegetable boxes being distributed through Farm Fresh Pop-ups organized by Pasco County Schools. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“This week’s Butterbowl has ended, and the winner is the community,” tweeted Ric Mellin, principal at Land O’ Lakes High School. The donations exceeded expectations, he noted.

“Both schools should be proud of what they accomplished,” Mellin wrote.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, State Rep. Randy Maggard and more than 50 volunteers helped distribute 33,000 pounds of food to an estimated 700 cars on May 20 at The Shops at Wiregrass, according to Andy Taylor, Mike Moore’s aide.

A group of Saint Leo University students also were among the volunteers.

Meanwhile, food pantries are helping to put food on the tables of those in need, too.

Make a Difference Inc., will have a Mobile Food Pantry on May 28 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, 37722 State Road 52. No identification is required, and the food is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Atonement Lutheran Church, at 29617 State Road 54, has reopened its Helping Hands Food Pantry, and is providing a drive-thru service on Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The church is observing social distancing restrictions.

Father and Son Love Ministries, at 21418 Carson Drive in Land O’ Lakes, operates a food pantry on Tuesdays, from noon to 2 p.m.; Fridays, from noon to 3 p.m.; and on Sundays, starting at 12:30 p.m.

Pastor C.J. Johns Sr., stands outside the new location for the Father and Sons Love Ministries, at 21418 Carson Drive, in Land O’ Lakes. The church has a food pantry and has noticed a much broader range of people coming in to pick up food items to help their families during this time of pandemic. (B.C. Manion)

On one recent Friday afternoon, the Land O’ Lakes pantry served 174 people.

The ministry has marked its floor to guide people through its pantry, in order to practice social distancing.

Pastor C.J. Johns Sr., said the pantry is serving a broader range of people because of economic impacts caused by the pandemic. Before, about three-quarters using the food pantry were elderly, but now they make up just about half.

Besides offering the pantry, the church also will make deliveries to people who are unable to come there.

Also, the First Presbyterian Church, at 5510 19th St., in Zephyrhills, is serving a free take-out meal every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the church.

Before heading out to any food pantry, it’s a good idea to call ahead or check the website to get the latest information on the days and hours of operation.

Published May 27, 2020

Cypress Creek schools get new names

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Pasco County School Board members have changed the name of the school on the campus at 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel to reflect the fact that two schools will be operating on the campus beginning this fall.

The school was named Cypress Creek Middle High when it opened in 2017, because it served both middle and high school students.

But, two separate schools will be operating on the campus this fall.

Cypress Creek Middle School will serve students in grades six through eight.

Cypress Creek High School will serve students in grades nine through 12.

The district had intended to have a separate middle school and high school on the campus, but when it couldn’t afford to do so, it used the buildings that were intended for the high school to house middle and high school students. The programs were separated, but operated out of the high school buildings.

The district used that approach so it could relieve crowding at both the middle and high school levels.

Now, new boundaries have been adopted to fill in the extra seats that will result when the middle school students shift out of the high school facilities into the new middle school.

Both the high school and middle school boundaries were changed because there will be added capacity at both levels.

Besides the new middle school, the campus also will house a new performing arts center, called the Instructional and Performing Arts Center, or IPAC for short. That is being built on land donated by Pasco County Schools to Pasco-Hernando State College.

The new center, also intended to open in the fall, will serve college and students from Pasco County schools, and will provide entertainment for the community.

Published January 22, 2020

Growth and change are hallmarks at area schools

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As 2019 becomes 2020, area schools continue to respond to growth, while also changing academic options available on some campuses.

Recently, Superintendent Kurt Browning announced an initiative that will create significant change in West Pasco-area schools to bolster academic performance, but he also outlined some coming projects within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, as well.

This is what the new Instructional Performing Arts Center, to be built on the campus shared by Cypress Creek High School and the new Cypress Creek Middle School, will look like. The campus is at 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Specifically, Browning said the district plans to add a grade 6-12 STEM/STEAM magnet school in Land O’ Lakes that is proposed to open in August 2023 and a grade K-8 STEM/STEAM Magnet in Wesley Chapel, proposed to open in August 2024.

That’s on top of previously announced plans, which include an Eastside Technical High School, opening in August 2022.

District officials envision a magnet technical school that doesn’t fit the traditional educational mold.

They say it will combine a rigorous curriculum along with technical skills training — and will seek community partnerships to give students real-world experiences.

The idea is to prepare students to have many options when they leave high school — whether, say, they want to work as a welder for someone else; or, they want to have their own welding business.

While that school is still a couple of years off, the district plans to open Cypress Creek Middle School in August 2020.

It will be located on the same campus on Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, where Cypress Creek Middle High has been serving grades six through 12.

Once the new middle school opens, it will serve grades six through eight, while the high school serves grades nine through 12.

The Pasco County School Board approved boundary changes — which primarily affected the Seven Oaks community in Wesley Chapel — to reassign students from that area to Cypress Creek Middle and Cypress Creek High. The boundary changes will relieve crowding at John Long Middle School and Wiregrass Ranch High School.

In the fall of 2020, Pasco County Schools is scheduled to open Cypress Creek Middle School. It is being designed for 1,600 students, making it the district’s largest middle school. The middle school will join Cypress Creek High and Pasco Hernando State College’s Instructional and Performing Arts Center. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

On the same Cypress Creek campus, the school district donated land to Pasco-Hernando State College for the Instructional Performing Arts Center, now under construction, which will be known as IPAC.

The new performing arts center is expected to provide both educational opportunities and entertainment. It also is expected to benefit middle school through college students, through its programming.

Cypress Creek Middle School was designed to be compatible with the performing arts center, too. It will have a state-of-the-art black box theater, as well as facilities for dance, orchestra and chorus.

Meanwhile, the district also plans to open Starkey K-8 School in August 2021. It’s the first district school designed deliberately to serve kindergarten through eighth grade.

The school is the second phase of a partnership between Pasco County Schools, Pasco County government and Wheelock Communities, the private developers of Starkey Ranch, a community off State Road 54 in Trinity.

One part of the project is the Starkey District Park, which opened its first phase in November 2017. Two additional phases are planned for the park.

The school will be near the district park.

There’s also a third part of the project that involves construction of what’s been dubbed TLC, which stands for theater, library and cultural center.

In addition to new construction, the district also is working to improve existing facilities.

Most recently, it wrapped up a massive makeover of Land O’ Lakes High School — which involved five phases, and required considerable coordination to complete while students and staff remained on campus.

The work was done in stages to avoid sending students and staffs to another campus, or using split sessions.

The project involved reconfiguring spaces to improve campus flow, and modernizing facilities.

It involved tearing out walls, redoing plumbing, electrical and upgrades to technology. It also included a five-classroom addition to the science wing.

The school recently celebrated the project’s completion with a rededication ceremony, and on another night, it offered public tours.

Major Pasco County Schools projects, 2019-2020:

  • Zephyrhills High campus-wide renovation
  • Land O Lakes High campus-wide renovation, final phase
  • Cypress Creek Middle construction
  • Starkey K-8 construction
  • Starkey Library Theater construction
  • East Technical High construction
  • SunlakeHigh design and construction of classroom wing
  • Bexley Elementary design and construction of classroom wing

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published January 01, 2020

Locals finish strong at state swim meet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

500 free: Max Martino (10th, 21.28)

100 fly: Max Martino (17th, 51.50)

100 free: Matthew Ross (ninth, 47.07)

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

100 back: Shane MacGregor (16th, 54.26)

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

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

100 free: Lexie Mulvihill (second, 49.58)

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

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

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

50 free: Dominic Ortanez (sixth, 21.38)

100 fly: Jay Jay Fonnotto (sixth, 51.04)

100 free: Dominic Ortanez (16th, 49.13)

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

100 back: Jay Jay Fonnotto (fourth, 52.19)

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

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

50 free: Zuri Ramsey (first, 20.58)

100 free: Zuri Ramsey (fourth, 45.71)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

50 free: Alex Sprague (12th, 24.90)

100 free: Gisella Wright (eighth, 28.49)

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

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

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

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

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

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

100 free: Hannah LaBohn (13th, 54.72)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

100 free: McKenna Smith (third, 50.11)

Published December 11, 2019

New sports complex expected to attract national events

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With concrete footers poured and steel beams heading vertical, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is a step closer to its much-anticipated opening.

The $44 million sports complex is targeted for a mid-July 2020 soft opening — more than two years after a celebrated groundbreaking ceremony that marked the beginning of construction at 3211 Lajuana Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Once completed, the 98,000-square-foot indoor space will feature a multipurpose sports layout that accommodates up to eight basketball courts or 16 volleyball courts, plus a separate competitive cheer and dance studio, fitness and athletic training center, and other amenities.

Concrete footers and steel beams represent construction progress on the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. The 98,000-square-foot facility is anticipated to be a regional and national draw for youth and amateur sports. (Courtesy of RADD Sports)

Besides primarily basketball, volleyball and cheer offerings, the Pasco County-owned facility also will be able to accommodate martial arts, wrestling, gymnastics, curling, badminton, soccer, lacrosse and pickleball.  Secondary uses of the complex will include conventions, banquets, exhibits, concerts and so on.

Originally, the facility was expected to open later this year.

But, the project experienced some delays.

“That goes with a major development project like this,” said Richard Blalock, president and CEO of RADD Sports, the private sports management company tasked with operating and managing the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex.

Those delays included inclement weather, permitting issues and redesigns of the facility to make it hurricane-resistant, Blalock said.

“When you’ve got as many moving parts that’s involved in this project, it’s just a matter of getting all the contracts lined up, and the contractor online and bids opened,” he said.

The facility is being promoted as a regional and national attraction.

The indoor gym on weekdays will operate as a community-based sports center where local youth, adults and seniors will be able to practice and play.

Weekends, meanwhile, will be set aside to play host to national travel tournaments, competitions and other events to generate hotel stays and tax revenues for the county.

The facility’s first weekend tournaments aren’t expected to be booked until around October 2020, Blalock said.

The target is scheduling roughly 25 to 30 weekend events during the first full year and then grow it from there, Blalock said.

He mentioned RADD Sports already has received numerous inquiries from youth and amateur sports organizations asking about the facility’s availability.

“We’ve got ‘em lined up now, wanting to sign,” Blalock said.

The complex also will host a series of weeklong sports camps each July or August, which Blalock said otherwise is a slow period in the travel sports marketplace.

Those camps would allow for local school sports teams to get advanced instruction and match up against teams from all over the country, Blalock said.

“They’re not going to have to travel very much and we’re bringing all the competition in, so it’ll be a good marriage,” he said.

Not unlike nearby AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex figures each year to draw hundreds, if not thousands, of youth and amateur travel sports teams and their families.

The $44 million Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is scheduled to open in mid-July next year.

Officials are excited about the prospects for Pasco County tourism.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who chairs the county’s tourist development council, suggests the facility will be “a huge boon for the local economy.”

Said Moore, “People travel from all over the nation to go these tournaments and these facilities. They all have to stay in hotels, they’re all eating in restaurants, they’re all buying the gas.”

Moore said projections show the facility will generate annual revenues of roughly $4 million to $4.5 million each of first five years or so in operation, not including additional hotel and retail tax revenues generated.

The commissioner emphasized that it’s key for those traveling visitors to stay overnight locally instead of heading to Hillsborough County. It’s something he’s assured will happen, pointing out the county already has 38 hotels “with more coming.”

Moore explained: “Previously, when there’s a lot of tournaments that came into the county, a lot of the families were staying in Hillsborough County, so a lot of the local businesses didn’t see that revenue. Well now, we can handle those families, we can handle these tournaments.”

To take it another step further, Moore said the county’s tourism department is developing a marketing campaign to encourage the myriad sports travel teams and visitors to explore the county’s other offerings, outside the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. The county’s tourism arm officially rebranded itself as “Florida’s Sports Coast” earlier this year.

Said Moore, “We want them to take the day and maybe go rent a boat and go kayaking or go fishing with one of our guides, or hit some of the islands. That’s another benefit for the families coming — great activities outside of the sports or watching their kids play.”

Outdoor offerings on tap, too
The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex will be more than just an indoor space.

The complex eventually will include seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground. There also will be an adjacent 128-room Marriott Residence Inn built with private funds by Mainsail Development Group.

Many of those features are expected to be finished in Phase II of the project, about a year or so later, officials say.

The entire complex is being built on 80 acres of land donated years ago by the Porter family, developers of Wiregrass Ranch.

Several proposals for some type of sports facility on the land fell apart over the years, including one for a baseball complex in 2015.

But, with the mix of indoor and outdoor components, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex provides “the biggest bang for our taxpayers’ buck,” Moore said.

“It’ll be a really big thing for the area,” the commissioner said. “When you think about the area, there’s really nothing like this around here at all. And, if you see how well similar facilities do, this is going to be strong.”

He added: “It’s nice to obviously see the progress that’s being made. It won’t be long. It’ll be done before we know it. It’ll sneak right up on us.”

Meanwhile, the complex adds to a growing list of premier sports offerings in the East Pasco area — with construction underway on a multi-million tennis center in Zephyrhills and preliminary plans for a multi-million outdoor aquatics center in Land O’ Lakes. Even Cypress Creek Middle High, in Wesley Chapel, with its a state-of-the-art rubberized running track and field space has been highly regarded for hosting events.

Blalock underscored what all that could mean for the county’s quest to position itself as a sports tourism destination: “For the most part, we’ll be able to run any type of Olympic event in a short radius, and it’s crazy. There’s nowhere I’m aware of in the southeast, or anywhere in the country really, that can really do that.”

He also posited this: “If everyone in the community pulls together and we work together, and all the facilities work together, it could really, truly become an amateur sports destination that equals nowhere else.”

Published September 25, 2019

Offense, cohesion carry Cypress Creek softball

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In east and central Pasco County, softball programs such as Academy at the Lakes, Land O’ Lakes, and Sunlake have garnered much of the attention of late.

And, rightly so.

As of March 25, there’s just a single loss combined among the three schools—Sunlake suffered its lone loss to Land O’ Lakes on March 2— and each team ranks among the state’s top 20 or so softball programs.

But, there’s another local program on the rise — quickly proving itself as a force in the Tampa Bay region.

The Cypress Creek Middle High Coyotes sit at 9-4 overall and 6-2 in district play.

The team entered spring break on a four-game winning streak.

Instant success hasn’t come without adversity, however.

A first-year program with no seniors, the Coyotes were forced to play much of their pre-spring break schedule on the road because the team’s new softball field wasn’t game-ready until a week ago.

Team captains, left to right, Anna Margetis, Neely Peterson and Ashley Nickisher are all transfers from Wesley Chapel High School. The trio is no stranger to winning, helping guide the Wildcats to its first winning season and first playoff appearance in 2017.
(Courtesy of Gigante Productions)

Ongoing maintenance also prevented the upstart Coyotes from participating in fall practices together; instead many were forced to train with their respective travel squads up through January, until they were able to practice with Coyotes coaches.

The team also suffered an unexpected depth setback before the season began, forcing a freshman into action and reducing the varsity roster to just 10 regulars.

Outfielder Cassidy Middleton, a .308 hitter as a sophomore last season at Wesley Chapel High School, tore her ACL while playing on the Cypress Creek girls basketball team. She’s been replaced in the lineup by Emma Coon, who’s batting .381 through 46 plate appearances as the team’s lone freshman.

Challenges aside, Cypress Creek sits just a game back of Nature Coast Tech for second place in the District 7-5A standings; each are chasing division-leading Hernando High (10-2 overall, 8-0 districts).

First-year head coach Mike Peterson credited the group’s effort, teamwork, and perseverance for contributing to the team’s strong start.

“They’re working hard in practice, knowing it’s not where we start, it’s where we end. They’re all on the same page. There’s nothing but fight in the girls, which is nice,” Peterson said.

Despite its thin roster, Cypress Creek is heavy on talent.

Opponents facing them quickly discover that the Coyotes feature some of the hottest bats in the region.

The team is batting a combined .403 and averaging about 10 runs per game.

The most potent of the bunch is junior catcher Neely Peterson, the head coach’s daughter and one of the team’s many transfers from Wesley Chapel.

A Colorado State University commit, Peterson sports a whopping .636 average with four home runs, 10 doubles and 29 RBIs — all team highs. Her batting average is second in all of Pasco, trailing only River Ridge’s Hailey Smith (.708).

The standout catcher said she’s become more comfortable and relaxed at the plate, after batting .443 as a sophomore and .290 as a freshman, respectively.

Becoming more relaxed, at the plate
“As I grow older, the less pressure I put on myself the better that I’ll do, because I know that my freshman year, I was really tense to like, ‘I need to make a statement,’ but now I just let my play speak for me,” Neely Peterson said.

Other Coyotes batting over .400 include sophomore first baseman Anna Margetis (.485) and junior infielders Payton Hudson (.471) and Jasmine Jackson (.429).

Juniors Jordan Rosenberg (.382) and Ashley Nickisher (.333, two home runs) join Coon as players hitting above .300.

That menacing offensive skill has helped gain early, sizable leads in road games, putting stress on home teams by making them play catch-up the rest of the way.

Employing that score early-score often strategy, the team has come to embrace road games, Neely Peterson said.

“We almost didn’t like playing at home because when you’re on the road you get to hit first so we like putting up those runs, so we kind of got acclimated to playing on the road. But, we like playing here (at home), obviously,” Neely Peterson said.

A prime example came in a recent 16-0 road victory against Fivay High School. The Coyotes scored 10 runs in the first inning and six in the second to mercy rule the host Falcons in three innings.

“When you’re able to score the first runs in the first inning you get that confidence of, ‘Oh, we’ve got this,’ whereas, at home, you have to hold them first and then go,” Nickisher said.

“Playing games on the road, you really have to get your mind set because you’re going into their house. And, you want to show what you have,” Margetis said.

Cypress Creek’s pitching—somewhat of a question mark entering the season—has also proven resourceful.

Junior Avery Lee—a Wiregrass Ranch High transfer—has a 2.47 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched.

“We have a solid foundation. Avery’s come in and has given us solid innings, solid outings, worked on her mental toughness; she’s been terrific,” Mike Peterson said.

Sticking together is key to success
While the team prides itself on strong hitting and crafty pitching, the Coyotes head coach stressed improvements must be made on the defensive end in order to hang against better competition. The team has committed 23 errors this season.

“I have no doubt that we can hit with any team. It’s just we get a couple of mental lapses in the field that have hurt us in a couple of games. We clean that up, we’ll be fine,” Mike Peterson explained.

“I tell them, ‘There’s nothing you guys can’t accomplish if you stick together as a team, play as a team, ” he added.

With their cohesiveness and unwavering attitude, players are confident the team can make some noise come playoff time in late April.

Many know the feeling because they were members of last year’s Wesley Chapel varsity squad that experienced its first winning season and playoff appearance in program history. That team went 19-7 and advanced to the regional semifinals.

“We work together and we trust each other…and we’re just able to work together and have each other’s back,” Nickisher said, acknowledging she was initially upset to leave Wesley Chapel.

“Everyone on this team wants to help each other, no matter if we’re doing good or not,” she added.

“I think we’re having a lot of fun with it, and that’s a big part,” Neely Peterson said. “I think that our mindset really is to win and, if we don’t, we’ll make it difficult for the other team to beat us. I think we’re all really competitive in the sense that we really want to win. We’ve had some tough losses, but we know that we’re going to play them again — teams like Hernando and Nature Coast — so we get a second chance so that’s good.”

Margetis added: “These games—they matter—but when districts come around, I feel like we’ll dig deep and find out what we really have to do to beat the opponents.”

School pride also is at stake.

Other boys and girls sports programs at Cypress Creek have mainly struggled in their first year, but the softball team is bucking that trend.

“It’s just wanting to be the team…that everybody can look to and say, ‘Hey, they’re doing something right.’” Neely Peterson said.

Cypress Creek Coyotes varsity softball roster

  • Alexis Aponte, outfielder, sophomore
  • Emma Coon, outfielder, freshman
  • Payton Hudson, middle infielder junior
  • Jasmine Jackson, middle infielder, junior
  • Avery Lee, pitcher, junior
  • Anna Margetis, first baseman, sophomore
  • Cassidy Middleton, outfielder, junior
  • Paige Mulford, outfielder, junior
  • Ashley Nickisher, third baseman, junior
  • Neely Peterson, catcher, junior
  • Jordan Rosenberg, utility/pitcher, junior

 

District 7-5A Standings (as of March 25)
Team records

  • Hernando — (10-2 overall, 8-0 district)
  • Nature Coast Tech — (9-5 overall, 7-1 district)
  • Cypress Creek — (9-4 overall, 6-2 district)
  • Hudson — (6-7 overall, 2-3 district)
  • Gulf — (3-9 overall, 2-5 district)
  • Central — (2-9 overall, 2-6 district)
  • Fivay — (0-12 overall, 0-6 district
  • Ridgewood — (1-13 overall, 0-7 district)

Published March 28, 2018

Prep football mid-season review

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With the midway point of the 2017 prep football season recently passing by, here’s a look at some noteworthy teams and players in The Laker/Lutz News coverage.

Best team: Zephyrhills High Bulldogs (6-1 overall, 5-0 district)

The Zephyrhills Bulldogs have been dominant under second-year head coach Nick Carroll. (File)

Aside from an early season hiccup to Wiregrass Ranch (31-to-29 loss), the Bulldogs have planted themselves as one of the top — and most electrifying— teams in the Tampa Bay area, under second-year head coach Nick Carroll. Look no further than its balanced, yet potent offense, which is averaging 49 points and nearly 400 total yards per game.

And, Zephyrhills now stands alone at the top of District 8-5A after securing a 38-35 win over River Ridge on Oct. 13 — ending the Knights’ 23-game district win steak that spanned back to 2013.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs’ toughest remaining game is an Oct. 20 road matchup against Wesley Chapel (6-2 overall), which has won two straight games since the departure of its top player, senior cornerback Isaiah Bolden. (Bolden was dismissed from the team on Oct. 4 due to undisclosed reasons).

Should Zephyrhills win two more contests this season, it will mark the fourth consecutive year the program has won eight games.

Consideration for best team also given to: Gaither Cowboys, Wesley Chapel High Wildcats, Wiregrass Ranch Bulls, Zephyrhills Christian Warriors

 

Biggest surprise: Gaither High Cowboys (5-2 overall, 4-1 district)

The Gaither High Cowboys are looking for their first winning season since 2014. (Courtesy of Gaither High football)

The Cowboys have utilized an explosive running game (280 rushing yards per game, 7.7 yards per carry) and suffocating defense (13 points per game allowed) to become one of the toughest teams to face in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. Quite a feat, considering the Cowboys entered the season with just five seniors for first-year head coach Kirk Karsen.

Expectations this season were relatively tame, moreover, following the graduations of two Division I talents — linebackers Decalon Brooks and Estefano Feliciano — and top offensive playmaker in TJ Williams. Standout quarterback Gavin Denboer’s offseason transfer to Alonso High School didn’t help the team’s preseason outlook, either.

Though several of Gaither’s wins have come against struggling teams, the Cowboys quieted doubters after a convincing 23-13 win over Wiregrass Ranch on Oct. 6. In that game, the Cowboys rushed for a combined 259 yards, while garnering four sacks and forcing three turnovers.

With three regular season games remaining, the Cowboys look to secure its first winning season since 2014.

Consideration for biggest surprise also given to: Pasco High Pirates

 

Biggest slide: Sunlake High Seahawks (3-4 overall, 2-1 district)
While Sunlake was expected to be in rebuilding mode this season, it’s still startling to see a losing

Sunlake running back Bryant Beacham has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the Seawhawks. (File)

record attached to the historically dominant program, under longtime head coach Bill Browning.

The Seahawks have had to mold a new quarterback and several starters, both on defense and at multiple skill positions.

A brutal regular season schedule hasn’t offered many favors, either.

Sunlake’s first three contests were against Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Wiregrass Ranch high schools — who have a combined 18-4 overall record.

And, it doesn’t get any easier, with road dates remaining against Mitchell High (7-0 overall) and River Ridge High(4-3 overall).

The Seahawks, meanwhile, will need to win two of its last three games to prevent suffering its first losing season since 2009. From 2010 to 2016, the Seahawks went a combined 60-16.

Disappointing season aside, Seahwawks fans have been able to witness one of the county’s top offensive playmakers, in running back Bryant Beacham. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior is averaging over 100 yards per game to go along with nine rushing touchdowns. He’s also on pace to become the program’s first single-season 1,000-yard rusher since 2014, when then-senior Nathan Johnson tallied 1,088 yards.

 

Five who’ve shined:

  • Charles Harrison III, senior quarterback, Zephyrhills High Bulldogs
    The three-year starter is arguably the county’s top signal-caller, tossing 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions, to go with a 62 percent completion rate.
  • Jordan Miner, senior cornerback/wide receiver, Wiregrass Ranch High Bulls
    The Penn State signee and four-star prospect has lived up to the hype as a jack-of-all-trades, making key contributions on offense (424 yards), defense (25 tackles, two interceptions, seven passes defensed) and special teams (125 return yards).
  • Austen Wittish, senior linebacker, Wesley Chapel High Wildcats
    The 6-foot, 195-pound inside linebacker ranks among the state’s top tacklers (104 total tackles), to go along with five sacks.
  • Darrion Robinson, sophomore wide receiver, Pasco High Pirates
    The young 5-foot-11 wideout has quickly developed into one of the county’s most productive receivers, tallying 17 receptions for 412 yards and eight touchdowns.
  • Jeromy Reid, junior running back, Gaither High Cowboys
    The 5-foot-11, 190-pound tailback is having a breakout campaign, pacing all of District 8-7A with 863 rushing yards (123 yards per game, 9.5 yards per carry) and six touchdowns.Team records:
    The Laker/Lutz News coverage area includes the following schools from Hillsborough and Pasco counties:

    Hillsborough:
    Carrollwood Day School Patriots (Class 2A-Region 3): (2-3 overall, 1-1 district)

    Freedom High School Patriots (Class 7A-Region 8): (2-5 overall, 1-3 district)

    Gaither High School Cowboys (Class 7A-Region 8): (5-2 overall, 4-1 district)

    Steinbrenner High School Warriors (Class 8A-Region 6): (2-5 overall, 1-3 district)

    Wharton High School Wildcats (Class 7A-Region 8): (2-5 overall, 1-3 district)

    Pasco:
    Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (8-man-Florida Christian Region 2): (5-1 overall, 5-0 district)

    Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent-Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC): (3-4 overall, 2-2 district)

    Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (Class 4A-Region 3): (1-6 overall, 0-0 district)

    Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (Class 6A-Region 6): (2-4 overall, 0-2 district)

    Pasco High School Pirates (Class 6A-Region 6): (4-4 overall, 0-2 district)

    Sunlake High School Seahawks (Class 6A-Region 6): (3-4 overall, 2-1 district)

    Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (Class 5A-Region 8): (6-2 overall, 4-1 district)

    Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (Class 7A-Region 8): (6-1 overall, 3-1 district)

    Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (Class 5A-Region 8): (6-1 overall, 5-0 district)

    Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (Class 2A-Region 2): (6-1-1 overall, 0-1 district)

–Stats compiled from Maxpreps.com—

Published Oct. 18, 2017

New coach named for Wesley Chapel High softball

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The Wesley Chapel High School varsity softball program, coming off its best season in school history, will look to continue its recent string of success under new leadership.

Bill Hoopes, who runs the Tampa Bay-based Florida Firecrackers U16 travel softball team, was recently named head coach of Wesley Chapel High School’s varsity softball program. (Courtesy of Florida Firecrackers)

Bill Hoopes, who runs the Tampa Bay-based Florida Firecrackers U16 travel softball team, last month was named the program’s head coach, replacing first-year coach Steve Mumaw.

In a public Facebook post dated Sept. 21, Hoopes wrote:

“This is an amazing school with a strong program that I look forward to building up even more over the years to come.

“Could not be more excited for this chance and opportunity to continue to make an impact on the game I love and helping these young ladies chase and achieve their dreams…”

A well-known name in the travel ball scene, Hoopes, also a teacher at Chasco Middle School in Port Richey, this past season guided the U16 Florida Firecrackers to a No. 3 ranking in the state and No. 67 in the nation, according to U.S. Softball Club rankings. Additionally, several of Hoopes’ travel players have landed scholarships and committed to Division I softball programs, including River Ridge High’s Jessica Bryson (University of Louisiana-Monroe) and Teah Steel (Alabama State University), and Mitchell High’s Alex Hare (Alabama State University).

Mumaw, meanwhile, guided the historically struggling Wildcats program to surprising feats in his lone season as head coach.

The 2017 Wesley Chapel varsity softball team achieved the program’s first winning season, going 19-7, with a 7-3 mark in district play. (File)

In 2017, the Wildcats achieved its first winning season, going 19-7, with a 7-3 mark in district play, and an appearance in the Class 6A regional semifinals.

The breakout campaign also featured a nine-game winning streak, including a shutout regular season victory over Land O’ Lakes High — the eventual Class 6A state champions.

In an email to the The Laker/Lutz News, Mumaw explained he decided to step down as softball coach, citing logistical issues between teaching at one school —Centennial Middle School in Dade City — and organizing practices at another — Wesley Chapel High.

Until Mumaw took over, the Wildcats softball program, which started in 2007, experienced years of futility, due to coaching instability and a dearth of talent.

In the program’s first five years, the Wildcats went 1-15, 2-20, 2-21, 1-22 and 2-21. Ensuing years were likewise taxing, as the program went 5-14, 0-24, 2-22 and 7-17.

Mumaw, also a former athletic director and baseball coach at Wesley Chapel High, credited the team’s rapid turnaround last season on its young, talented nucleus.

“It’s all the girls. When you have talent, it’s tough to mess that up,” Mumaw told The Laker/Lutz News in April.

Outside of one senior, the 2017 roster exclusively featured a collection of promising freshman and sophomores.

In addition to then-freshman ace pitcher/University of Central Florida commit Jordan Almasy (2.59 ERA, 130 strikeouts in 116.1 innings), the 2017 squad consisted of eight .300-or-better hitters.

Though many of those impact players are expected to return, some, however, have been redistricted to Cypress Creek Middle-High, which will force the new coaching staff to find added depth elsewhere.

One of those players certainly missed is catcher/Colorado State University commit Neely Peterson, arguably the Wildcats’ top all-around hitter last season.

Peterson, now a junior at Cypress Creek, paced the team in batting average (.443) on-base percentage (.566) and slugging percentage (1.207), and tied for the team lead in home runs (three) and RBIs (20).

Besides weathering key personnel losses, the new-look Wildcats have the ever-difficult task of again competing in District 7-6A, made up of perennial powerhouses Land O’ Lakes, coached by Mitch Wilkins, and River Ridge, coached by Kurt Goluba.

And, both programs are expected to compete at a high level again this season, with relatively minimal turnover.

Land O’ Lakes graduated four seniors — outfielder Jessie McCallister (.358 batting average), outfielder Lexi Turner (.293), outfielder/third baseman Justine Daniels (.280) and outfielder Maddie Burgett (.250) — while River Ridge graduated just one — catcher Brooke Vescey (.381).

The new Wildcats coaching staff will have an information meeting on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the school’s media center, for anyone interested in spring softball.

Most of the Wildcats’ 2018 schedule has been set:

Feb. 13: at Academy at the Lakes

Feb. 16: Sunlake High School

Feb. 20: at Land O’ Lakes High School

Feb. 22 River Ridge High School

Feb. 27: at Pasco High School

March 1: Zephyrhills High School

March 5: Mitchell High School

March 6: Anclote High School

March 8: Land O’ Lakes High School

March 13: at River Ridge High School

March 15: Pasco High School

March 20: at Zephyrhills High School

March 23: Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament

March 24: Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament

March 27: Anclote High School

March 28: York High School (Retsof, New York)

April 3: Academy at the Lakes

April 10: Wiregrass Ranch High School

2017 District 7-6A standings

  • Land O’ Lakes High (9-2; 29-3 overall)
  • River Ridge High (8-2; 16-9 overall)
  • Wesley Chapel High (7-3; 19-7 overall)
  • Pasco High (4-7; 7-11 overall)
  • Zephyrhills High (3-7; 6-15 overall)
  • Anclote High (0-19; 0-19 overall)

—Stats and information compiled using Maxpreps.com—

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Cypress Creek football coach earns weekly honor

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Elsewhere in the Pasco County prep football scene, Cypress Creek head football coach Mike Johnson recently earned Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coach of the Week honors for his team’s Week 1 win over Gulf High on Aug. 25 — the school’s inaugural regular season football game.

The honor means Johnson will receive a $2,000 grant to help maintain and upgrade the Cypress Creek football program.

Cypress Creek head football coach Mike Johnson earned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coach of the Week honors for his team’s Week 1 win over Gulf High on Aug. 25. (File)

At the conclusion of the season, a Buccaneers High School Coach of the Year will be selected and earn an additional award from the pro franchise.

Candidates are chosen based on coaches that have led their schools to an impressive victory, and demonstrated a commitment to fundamentals, player safety, sportsmanship, academic development and community engagement.

Johnson, in his first year as a varsity head coach, has no seniors on the roster, as only underclassmen from Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass high schools were rezoned to Cypress Creek. The school, at 8701 Old Pasco Road, has about 1,500 students in grades six through 11 this year.

The first-year program also was at a disadvantage when it had limited participation in spring drills and no spring game, as most players were occupied with other sports and activities at their former schools.

Johnson previously coached at Stuart Middle School and served as an offensive line coach at Wesley Chapel High School, under former head coach Ben Alford.

Johnson, who also was a former defensive back at Division III Eureka College in Illinois, bases his coaching foundation on what he refers to as the “5Cs”— Commitment, Consistency, Courage, Communication and Compassion.

Published September 13, 2017

They’re off to learn the ins and outs of leadership

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While some kids are heading to the beach or to a theme park this summer, a trio of girls who just wrapped up fifth grade at Lutz Elementary are gearing up for a trip to Washington D.C.

Kylie Flynn, Kaitlyn Britton and Alice Mooneyham will be participating in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference.

The students were nominated by their former teacher, Cindy Morrissey.

The girls can’t wait to check out the nation’s capital.

This trio of girls are heading to Washington D.C., to find out a few things about leadership. They are, from left, Alice Mooneyham, Kaitlyn Britton and Kylie Flynn. They’ll be participating in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference. (B.C. Manion)

“I’ve never been to Washington D.C., and I’ve wanted to go there,” said Alice, who is 11. “I think it’s going to be a really cool experience.”

Eleven-year-old Kaitlynn shares her enthusiasm.

“It’s going to be fun. My sister went in eighth grade. She got a lot of really cool photos. It was really pretty there.”

Plus, Kaitlyn added: “It will be fun to learn all about the statues.”

Ten-year-old Kylie is eager to make the trip, too.

“I can’t wait for the experiences to go to the different places,” she said. “I was really happy that I was nominated.”

Alice is particularly interested in visiting the Lincoln Memorial, while Kylie is looking forward to visiting Harper’s Ferry. Kaitlyn is looking forward to an activity-packed schedule.

“There’s going to be a lot of stuff to do in the day,” Kaitlyn said. “You’ll get to learn the history behind the monuments.”

The conference includes sessions on leadership traits and historic topics, as well as visits to national memorials, museums and a sleepover at the Maryland Science Center, amid mummies, dinosaurs and space exhibits.

Kaitlyn thinks the conference will be a good experience, but she’s not sure if it will help her with her future career. She wants to be a chiropractor when she grows up.

Alice wants to be a teacher.

Kylie wants to be a teacher, too. But, she said: “If that doesn’t work out, I want to be a lawyer. I want to be a lawyer that helps people get custody of their kids.”

Both Kylie and Kaitlyn live in Lutz, and Alice just moved from Lutz to Land O’ Lakes.

Kaitlyn will be attending Terrace Community Middle School in Temple Terrace. Kylie will be attending Buchanan Middle School in Tampa, and Alice will be attending Cypress Creek Middle High in Wesley Chapel.

Alice’s mom, Michelle Milone, is thrilled that Alice was nominated for the program.

“All three of you should be so super-duper proud of yourselves,” Milone told the girls, during a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

“I think it’s really, really great,” Milone said.

“When I was in high school, I went to something called GHP, the governor’s honors program. It was paid for by the state. It was a big deal. I learned a lot.

“I went to law camp, one year,” she added. “I went to Spanish camp.”

“I met people. I learned things,” Milone said. She’s glad the girls can take advantage of this opportunity.

Like Milone, Andrea and Kiel Flynn are delighted that the girls were nominated.

They estimated the conference cost for each of the girls to be around $3,000, and that doesn’t count the expenses that Flynn, Milone or Dave and Melissa Britton will incur because they’ll be on their own.

While it’s pricey, Milone and Flynn think its worthwhile because they believe the experience will have a lasting impression.

Published June 14, 2017