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FHSAA

Fall prep football primer

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Better late than never, and something better than nothing.

In typical years, Florida’s high school football season kicks off sometime in August with a preseason game followed by a 10-game regular season schedule.

This year isn’t like any other, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) weeks ago gave the OK to begin fall sport tryouts on Aug. 24, with competition beginning Sept. 4, though many programs have elected to take the gridiron on Sept. 11 with a contracted eight-game slate.

Locally, prospects are high for some teams, while others hope to use this season as a learning experience for ensuing years.

Without further ado, here is a look, a primer, of all the Hillsborough County and Pasco County prep teams in The Laker/Lutz News coverage are.

Hillsborough County

Carrollwood Day School Patriots
Coach: Mark Jones (fifth year)

Following a winless 2019 campaign, Carrollwood Day School is poised for a major turnaround thanks to a trio of Seffner Christian Academy transfers in senior tight end Michael Trigg, junior defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland and offensive tackle Clay Wedin, plus the addition of defensive tackle Desmond Mamudi, a Steinbrenner High School transfer. All of those players are viewed as high-level Division I talents — most notably Trigg, widely regarded as one of the nation’s top five tight end prospects for the 2021 recruiting class. Meanwhile, Cleveland is a Miami commit; Mamudi, a USF commit; and, Wedin boasts nearly two dozen scholarship offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, among others.

Size alone should provide a mismatch in the small-school 2A ranks. Trigg is 6-foot-4, 230 pound; Cleveland is 6-foot-4, 250 pounds; Mamudi is 6-foot-3, 310 pounds; and, Wedin is 6-foot-6, 280 pounds.

Freedom High School Patriots
Coach: Christopher Short (second year)

Freedom felt significant struggles offensively last year under new head coach Christopher Short, being shutout in half of their contests. Perhaps a roster with 16 seniors and a seemingly manageable schedule will yield more victories this time around.

The Gaither Cowboys are projected again to be one of the state’s top football teams following a Class 6A state semifinals appearance last season. (File)

Gaither High School Cowboys
Coach: Kirk Karsen (fourth year)

Gaither looks to reach the playoffs for a fourth straight year and build off its most successful season in school history —  a 12-2 mark and reaching the Class 6A state semifinals.

Despite the graduation of stat-stuffing quarterback Tony Bartalo (3,194 passing yards, 50 total touchdowns) and some other standouts, the Cowboys remain loaded with more than a handful of Division I talents. That includes quarterback Kiael Kelly (Ball State commit), lineman Andrew Kilfoyl (USF commit), cornerback Jordan Oladokun (Iowa commit), tailback Ricky Parks (Utah commit), and cornerback Jordan Young (Florida commit), among others. National high school sports website MaxPreps.com tabbed Gaither as the state’s No. 10 team regardless of classification in its 2020 preseason rankings.

The Steinbrenner Warriors are coming off its best season in program history, but will have to develop a new starting quarterback and an otherwise talent-laden senior class. (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School athletics department)

Steinbrenner High School Warriors
Coach: Andres Perez (ninth year)

Like Gaither, Steinbrenner, too, is coming off its most prolific campaign in program history — going 12-2 and reaching the Class 8A state semifinals.

Also like Gaither, the Warriors must pivot its passing game with the graduation of uber-productive quarterback Hunter Carlson (2,582 passing yards, 35 total touchdowns) and top two wideouts Dean Patterson (58 receptions, 837 yards, 11 touchdowns) and Aidan Bitter (54 receptions, 807 yards, 13 touchdowns).

With that, expect the Warriors to rely heavily on a running game paced by Iowa State commit Dean Silas, a 5-foot-7, 170-pound senior who tallied 985 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 113 carries (8.7 yards per carry) last season.

Also of note, the Warriors feature one of the nation’s top-ranked prep long snappers and punters in junior Griffin Wiltse. He averaged 37.9 yards per punt last season.

Pasco County 

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats
Coach: Shawn Brown (sixth year)

Academy at the Lakes is seeking its third eight-man state title in four years. After winning back-to-back eight-man state crowns in 2017 and 2018, the Wildcats last season went 6-2 and were eliminated in the first round of the Sunshine State Athletic Conference playoffs.

Keeping senior quarterback Jalen Brown — the team’s starter since eighth grade — healthy all season is paramount to another deep run. Same goes for fellow seniors and team captains Adrian Leverette, Sean Saccomanno and Dwight Downing, plus others.

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes
Coach: Ken Stills (first year)

New head coach Ken Stills takes over a Bishop McLaughlin program that woefully went 1-7 and was outscored by a 274-91 margin.

The Hurricanes, of course, hope for a turnaround under Stills, who brings quite the gridiron pedigree, having played for the Green Bay Packers (1985-1989) and Minnesota Vikings (1990) following a decorated college career at Wisconsin.

Stills most recently served as a running backs coach at IMG Academy in Bradenton and also is a former head coach for the River City Rage of the United Indoor Football, and former running backs coach of the XFL’s Los Angeles Xtreme.

He’s also the father of former University of Oklahoma and current Houston Texans’ wide receiver Kenny Stills, who’s embarking on his eighth NFL season.

The Cypress Creek Coyotes hope to build off the first winning season in program history. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek High School athletics department)

Cypress Creek High School Coyotes
Coach: Mike Johnson (fourth year)

Cypress Creek enjoyed its first winning season and first playoff berth since the Wesley Chapel-based school opened in 2017.

Replacing the talented twin duo of Jalen and Jehlani Warren will be tough, but the Coyotes look to have a quarterback to build around in junior Owen Walls, who entrenched himself as the team’s starter midway through last season.

Land O’ Lakes High School Gators
Coach: Trac Baughn (first year)

After a disappointing 2-8 mark last season, Land O’ Lakes turns to a football coaching lifer who hopes to steer the program back to winning seasons and playoff berths.

In new head coach Trac Baughn, the Gators get someone with more than 30 years combined experience at the college and prep level, mostly throughout the state of Mississippi.

His two seasons as head coach at Kosciusko High School in central Mississippi may serve most relevant to the Gator programs.

Baughn guided that team to 10-3 mark in both 2015 and 2016, reaching the third round of Mississippi 4A playoffs both years. He was twice named “Area Coach of the Year” as those teams finished ranked in the Mississippi Associated Press’ 4A Top 5.

Baughn in interviews has said he operates a system predicated on running the football and being fundamentally sound on defense.

While the team will trot out more than a dozen seniors, the Gators have an unfavorable schedule against the likes of Mitchell, Tampa Catholic, Gaither, Wiregrass Ranch, Fivay and Calvary Christian high schools, among others.

Pasco High School Pirates
Coach: Jason Stokes (second year)

Pasco finished 4-6 last year, but proved competitive in several of their defeats — losing four games by seven points or fewer. The Pirates return more experience compared to last season, but also have a challenging schedule that features Auburndale, Hollins, River Ridge — each of which tallied at least eight victories last season.

The Pirates should continue to be one of the county’s better defensive teams with the return of First-Team All-Conference linebacker Amir Burgess and linebacker Gabriel Barnes, the team’s top two tacklers from 2019.

Sunlake High School Seahawks
Coach: Trey Burdick (second year)

Sunlake may still be in a bit of transition mode under second-year head coach Trey Burdick, who took over from area coaching legend Bill Browning — the man who built Sunlake from scratch in 2007, guided it to seven straight winning seasons and retired as one of the winningest coaches in Pasco and Hernando counties.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks must find a way to replace the impact left behind by several All-Conference performers, such as tailback Zach Spicer, linemen Hunter Feiden and Cayman Wiseman, linebacker Damian Riewold, and athlete Jacob Schwarz, among others.

Returning junior quarterback Kevin Spillane, however, provides some stability offensively and turned in a respectable 2019 campaign, completing 63.3% of his throws for 921 passing yards and seven touchdowns and six picks, and adding another 130 yards on the ground.

Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats
Coach: Tony Egan (fifth year)

The Wildcats haven’t suffered a losing season with head coach Tony Egan at the helm. A somewhat manageable schedule, which includes matchups against Anclote, Gulf and Tarpon Springs — programs that went a combined 4-26 last season — should help keep that deed intact. Finding consistent and reliable quarterback play will be critical, plus the needed emergence of some playmakers to help replace of two-way standout Jelani Vassell (graduated) and defensive back J.T. Anderson, a Division I prospect who transferred to Chamberlain High. Meantime, the Wildcats have boosted its coaching staff with notable program alums Kenny Roberts and Ellrie Allen.

The Wiregrass Ranch Bulls seek a fifth-straight winning season behind strong quarterback play. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch athletics department)

Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls
Coach: Mark Kantor (sixth year)

Wiregrass Ranch is seeking its fifth-straight winning season, but it won’t be easy replacing the production of nine All-Conference seniors from 2019. That includes the reigning Sunshine Athletic Conference Eastside Offensive Player of the Year (wideout Keith Walker) and Defensive Player of the Year (linebacker Dylan Ridolph, the county’s all-time career sacks leader with 48.)

Luckily, the Bulls do benefit returning arguably the county’s top quarterback in junior Rocco Becht, who completed 52.1% of his throws last season for 1,985 yards, 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The son of 12-year NFL tight end and ESPN college football analyst Anthony Becht, the pro-style signal-caller is a consensus three-star recruit with already a half-dozen scholarship offers from Division I FBS programs (FIU, Iowa State, Southern Miss, Toledo, Wake Forest, West Virginia).

Another bonus: The team boasts one of the nation’s top-ranked kickers in Adam Mihalek, who last season registered 31 touchbacks, averaged 56.1 yards per kickoff, was successful on 36 of 39 point-after touchdown attempts, and made three of seven field goals, including a long of 39 yards.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors:
Coach: Mike Smith (sixth year)

Zephyrhills Christian has enjoyed four-straight winning seasons and corresponding playoff appearances, but will have a colossal void to fill with the graduation of two-way lineman Malik Jones — arguably the most decorated athlete to ever come through the program.

The 6-foot-2, 296-pound Jones — now a freshman on scholarship at Division I FBS Florida Atlantic — registered a single-season county record in sacks (26) in 2019, to go along with 113 total tackles. A two-time state wrestling champion, his strength and push on both lines of scrimmage will be missed dearly.

Offensively, the 2A school must replace the production of tailback Tyler Davis, who rushed for 1,274 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior last season.

The Zephyrhills Bulldogs look to become feared again following a pedestrian 5-5 record in 2019. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills High athletics department)

Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs
Coach: Nick Carroll (fifth year)

Zephyrhills last season experienced its first minor setback in the Nick Carroll coaching era — finishing with a pedestrian 5-5 mark.

By comparison, in the previous three seasons, the Bulldogs under Carroll went a combined 29-6 en route to two district titles and another runner-up.

Expect the Bulldogs to be feared again this season, with a more experienced roster, plus a slew of returning All-Conference performers in tailback Zyre Roundtree, defensive back Tre Gallimore, offensive lineman Jarrin Galyan and defensive end Maguire Neal.

A full year of experience under the belt for incumbent dual-threat quarterback Timothy Jackson should lead to a leap in production and decision-making for the rising junior. Last season he completed 50% of his passes for 924 yards, seven touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and added 371 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

THE TEAMS

Hillsborough County schools in Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their 2019 records)

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots (2A) (0-9)
  • Freedom High School Patriots (6A) (2-8)
  • Gaither High School Cowboys (6A) (12-2)
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors (8A) (12-2)

Pasco County schools in Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their 2019 records)

  • Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man) (6-2)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent) (1-7)
  • Cypress Creek High School Coyotes (4A) (6-5)
  • Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (6A) (2-8)
  • Pasco High School Pirates (6A) (4-6)
  • Sunlake High School Seahawks (7A) (4-6)
  • Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (5A) (5-5)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (7A) (7-4)
  • Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (2A) (6-5)
  • Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (5A) (5-5)

Published September 09, 2020

Florida high school sports returning this fall

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Let the practices and games begin.

High schools sports in the state of Florida are returning, even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Florida High School Athletic Association’s board members (FHSAA) last week voted 11-5 to allow member schools to begin fall sports on Aug. 24.

It marks a long time coming, as state high school sports have been in a holding pattern since mid-March — and the fall sports start date was postponed once already, from the original July 27 start date.

Per the approved plan, Aug. 24 will be the first allowable practice date, with regular seasons permitted to begin on Sept. 4 for all six fall sports (bowling, cross-country, football, golf, swimming & diving, and volleyball).

State tournaments for those fall sports are scheduled to be wrapped up in November with the exception of football, which is to be complete around mid-December.

The board’s action also includes an important amendment allowing schools to opt out of the state series by Sept. 18, and work with FHSAA staff to set their own sports calendar, as they see fit.

As explained, if a particular school or district isn’t comfortable beginning any sports until, say, a few months from now, the FHSAA would work with them on organizing that for the 2020-2021 school year.

Under this scenario, a school or district would not be eligible for the traditional state championships, however. They would simply participate in a regionalized schedule flexible for any and all sports in which they want to participate. For example, a school district could choose to have some or all sports play from January onward.

Also, as part of the return-to-play model, there will not be a minimum contest limit to be eligible for the state series, should schools or districts not opt out by Sept. 18.

In other words, a particular football program would still be eligible for the postseason if they played, say, six games, instead of the regular 10-game schedule.

That could prove beneficial for Pasco County, which has announced fall sports tryouts won’t begin until Sept. 7, putting them a couple weeks behind other counties. Hillsborough County, meanwhile, plans to follow the FHSAA’s direction, beginning tryouts Aug. 24.

Disregarding medical advice
The FHSAA decision to all but immediately ramp up fall sports was far from easy — taking more than two hours of heated dialogue among board members during an Aug. 14 meeting at the Best Western Grand in Gainesville. The meeting was live-streamed for public viewing.

The decision also contradicts a unanimous recommendation from the FHSAA’s 14-member Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC). That committee strongly advised that sports not begin in any part of the state until the coronavirus is controlled, and declining in state and local regions. They also want to be able to study the impact of reopening schools on the COVID-19 infection rate, for at least a few weeks.

The medicine advisory committee was open to the idea of considering an alternate proposal that would delay fall sports until Oct. 12, provided appropriate scientific measures were used to determine the safe return to sports and the ability to practice and play.

Dr. Jennifer Roth Maynard, a Family & Sports Medicine Consultant at the Jacksonville-based Florida Mayo Clinic, explained SMAC’s reasoning to the board.

Swimming & diving is one of six fall high school sports allowed to get underway on Aug. 24, per the FHSAA. The others are bowling, cross-country, football, golf and volleyball. (File)

“Looking at specifically the data, it’s all quite concerning,” Maynard said. “We are improving in certain areas and we are getting worse in certain areas, and my fear from a medical perspective is, until this virus is given the respect it deserves to quiet down, we, by just introducing sports are adding fuel to the fire.”

FHSAA board members, such as Mark Schusterman who voted against the Aug. 24 plan, heeded Maynard’s advice throughout the lengthy meeting.

“I think we’re getting away from the science aspect,” said Schusterman, co-athletic director at Miami’s Riviera Preparatory School. “That’s what concerns me — the health of kids, the health of coaches, the health of officials, and the future of some of these kids.

“I think we have a responsibility to make a sound decision based on the medicine and the science,” he said.

Lee County School Board member Chris Patricca concurred, adding it’s “incredibly, incredibly difficult” for school districts to navigate an athletics season all while trying to manage an ever-changing landscape of COVID-19 considerations.

“Here we are opening schools with the understanding that we’re going to have to adapt, and throwing sports on top of that, it feels like it’s setting us up for failure, and we can’t do it all correctly.

“I’ve gotta make this decision from the perspective of what’s fair and what’s safe, and my SMAC committee is telling me the safest thing to do. How do I ignore the medical advice?” Patricca said.

She also observed a lack of equity in competition should larger counties like Miami-Dade and Broward opt out of the state series by the Sept. 18 deadline.

She argued it would render state playoffs and state championships less meaningful, for a particular athlete or school, whether it’s in football or some other sport.

“It’s kind of like the 1984 Olympics when Russia wasn’t there. (American gymnast) Mary Lou Retton wasn’t, like, a real gold medalist,” Patricca said.

‘Let Us Play’
The majority of board members voting in favor of bringing sports back on Aug. 24 cited an overwhelming amount of support from student-athletes, parents, and even sport officials and school superintendents, from their respective district.

That point was emphasized when Jamie and Tami Kent spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting.

As parents of a Tampa Cambridge Christian High School football player, they created an online petition titled “Let Us Play” attracting over 40,000 signatures urging the FHSAA to begin the fall sports season this month.

“I’m standing before you for 40,000 people that are asking you to make a decision to let sports happen,” said Jamie Kent, addressing the board.

The Kents argued that athletics provides critical structure and well-being in a child’s life, while also stating an obvious point that high school seniors won’t get another year of eligibility.

“We know that you are making a decision in unprecedented times, but I am telling you to listen to the voices of the people,” Jamie Kent added. “As much as you are listening to the voices of experts, as parents, we’re asking you to listen to us.”

Those voices were heard, by the end of the day.

Florida high school sports are returning, as the FHSAA has allowed member schools to begin fall sports practices on Aug. 24 and games on Sept. 4. However, Pasco Schools announced fall sports tryouts won’t begin until Sept. 7 for its student-athletes. The county still will have an opportunity to participate in the FHSAA’s state series, if they don’t opt out by the Sept. 18 deadline. (File)

“It may not be manageable, but I have a hard time us sitting here telling all of those people that want to give it a shot and are willing to bear that burden, that we’re not going to give them that opportunity,” said Bobby Johns, an athletic director at Wewahitchka High School in Gulf County, and one of the 11 yes votes.

Sue Tortora, an administrator at Montverde Academy in Lake County, said she’s received roughly 300 emails from constituents in favor of proceeding with high school sports.

“Our people in this state are crying out for a date,” Tortora said. “I agree that this is a worrisome time, but kids are going to do what kids are going to do, and if you don’t think a lot of those kids aren’t out there now, getting together, gathering, playing a little football on the side — you can’t put them in a bubble.”

She also said the amendment for schools to opt out of the state series and design their own independent schedule “is a wonderful compromise” as “it allows everybody to participate (in athletics) in some way or some form.”

Citizen at-large FHSAA board member Chalmus Thomas put it into perspective, too.

“I don’t think of any communities or superintendents that aren’t thinking of safety first, but we can’t sit in a shell,” he said. “Athletics has been something that pulls communities together, pulls this country together. We realize that safety is our first priority, but we must move forward.”

FHSAA executive director George Tomyn perhaps best summed up the board’s decision, which came at his recommendation.

“I’ve always thought of what can we do for our member schools, not what we cannot or will not be able to do,” Tomyn said at the meeting.

“I’m a firm believer in flexibility, especially in this challenging, challenging time that we’re in. I’m a firm believer in parental choice, and I’m a firm believer in local decision-making.”

He emphasized this point: “There is no requirement for students to play a sport. There’s no requirement for a school to have a team sport. And finally, let’s not forget, our schools are opening. They are opening. Our governor and commissioner of education are insistent that our schools reopen, and know that extracurricular activities and athletic activities are part of that school opening.”

Elsewhere, the board voted to make a COVID-19 waiver form available to all schools, and require all coaches to view the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) virtual course, “COVID-19 for Coaches and Administrators.”

Published August 19, 2029

Local sprinter has big dreams

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By the time Evan Miller graduated from Zephyrhills Christian Academy (ZCA), he was already among Florida’s fastest sprinters, laying claim to three state titles.

During his senior year he won the Class 1A crown 100-meter dash (10.75) at the 2018 FHSAA State Track & Field Championships. He also was a member of the school’s medalist 4×100 relay team that won back-to-back state crowns in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The Zephyrhills native has made plenty of strides since, now morphing into one of the nation’s top college sprinters as a rising junior at NCAAA Division I University of South Carolina track and field program.

His present bests thus far are 10.39-second 100-meter dash, 20.93 200-meter dash, and 6.73 60-meter dash.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy graduate Evan Miller is now one of the nation’s top collegiate sprinters at the NCAA Division I University of South Carolina. The rising junior mainly competes in the 60-meter, 100-meter and 200-meter races. He aspires to run professionally and qualify for the Olympics. (Courtesy of University of South Carolina athletics department)

To put that in context, Miller’s 200-meter personal record was the 26th fastest-time recorded in the 2019-2020 NCAA Division I men’s indoor track ranks. Moreover, it’s the sixth-fastest time in South Carolina program history.

After finishing 19th in the 200 meters at the 2020 SEC (Southeastern Conference) Indoor Championships in late February, the sprinter was poised for a promising outdoor track season.

Then COVID-19 happened, cutting short the remainder of his sophomore campaign.

“It was really disappointing, because the 200 (meter), I was actually decreasing my time like every meet,” Miller said. “I was ready to run outdoor and try to make it to nationals in one of my events…so there were just a lot of plans for the outdoor season that we didn’t get to do, unfortunately, so it was tough.”

Since the spring college athletics season was canceled — and classes headed virtual — Miller has been keeping in shape in his hometown, linking up with his private track coach Bernard “BB” Roberts, who runs the Wesley Chapel-based Speed Starz Track/Running Club.

The two have been training together since March, regularly practicing two-a-days in the mornings and evenings.

With parks closed throughout much of the pandemic, Miller was relegated to working out on grass fields until Roberts was able to get permission to use Wiregrass Ranch High School’s track and field complex a few weeks ago.

However and wherever Miller trains, Roberts sees this time as a prime opportunity to improve, estimating most college track athletes are simply taking this summer off.

Roberts explained, “I basically talk him into it, ‘Hey, keep going. We have our goals in place. Don’t let this pandemic that we’re going through right now mess you up. Use this time to your advantage. Use the time to get better. Let’s get ahead of the game, keep training.’”

Fine-tuning his form
Together, they’ve been working on such details as block starts, posture, arm swing action, and relaxation techniques.

“A lot of stuff goes into speed, working faster,” said Roberts, a former college sprinter who claimed multiple track records from his time at Wesley Chapel High School in the early 2000s. “The average person thinks you just take off from ‘Point A’ to the finish line, and it doesn’t work like that at all. There’s a lot of strategy and lots of technique that’s never-ending.”

Wesley Chapel-based athletic trainer Bernard ‘BB’ Roberts has organized workouts for Evan Miller locally since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. (File)

Besides his burgeoning college career, Miller is thinking bigger picture.

He hopes to run professionally someday, traveling the world competing against other elite athletes.

The local track star looks to be on the right path. He recently was extended an invitation to register as a potential participant for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, which has tentatively been moved to 2021.

To qualify for the U.S. Olympics Team Trials, rescheduled to June 2021, Miller has to reach certain benchmarks in whichever events he chooses to run. For instance, he may need to run 10 seconds flat in the 100-meter dash or a 20.3 200-meter dash.

With additional time on his side, being on the U.S. Olympics Team’s radar has given him extra motivation to live out his dream.

“I definitely want to compete in the Olympics,” Miller said. “(The invitation) gave me a lot of hope, gave me a lot of confidence, seeing that all my work’s paying off. I was really excited to get that email. It just made me want to work harder and practice my craft more, and get better until then.”

His private coach has no doubt Miller has the talent to achieve those goals.

“He definitely has the potential to be an Olympian,” Roberts said, confidently.

Aside from having an ideal body frame, stride length and athleticism, Miller’s greatest quality might be his willingness and dedication to learn, Roberts said.

“He definitely has the work ethic,” the coach said. “He has an open mind to receive or take criticism. I’m hard on him for a reason, and he’s willing to take that and use it as motivation, which is what I like about him.”

Miller got a taste of what it takes to become a world-class sprinter during the July Fourth weekend.

Competing at the V12 Athletics Summer Games in Alachua, Miller raced alongside world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Steven Gardiner (Bahamas), Asa Guevara (Trinidad and Tobago) and Quantaveon Poole (United States) in the 300-meter dash. Miller placed fourth among the group, clocking 35.44 seconds. Gardiner won the race in 31.83 — setting a new Bahamian national record in the process.

It marked Miller’s first time lacing up spikes and competing in an official race since the SEC Indoor Championships. It also served as a barometer of where he stands in comparison to some  top-ranked pros.

“It was pretty cool, to have an opportunity to race them and compete with them,” said Miller. “It felt really good to be able to run again, and be able to compete again against other runners.”
Meanwhile, Miller is looking forward to heading back up to Columbia, South Carolina, by summer’s end, where he can rejoin his Gamecock teammates and have access to the athletic program’s nutritionist, rehabilitation and training resources. He’s also poised to add to his family’s legacy at South Carolina. His father, Selvesta, played football at South Carolina from 1994 to 1997 and later spent two seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

“It’s been a good experience for me,” Miller said of his college career thus far. “It’s just like crazy to think that I turned out at South Carolina from ZCA. It was just one of those dream schools to go to because my dad played there and everything, so it’s just great to see that I’m doing things like this.”

Published July 22, 2020

Local javelin standout ready for bigger stage

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New Tampa resident Zach Godbold was poised to conclude his high school athletic career on top of a winner’s podium.

At Wharton High School, Godbold had wrapped up his final varsity football and soccer seasons in the fall and winter, respectively.

His attention then turned to track and field.

He envisioned hoisting up the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)’s first state-sanctioned title in the javelin throw, in the modern era.

Wharton High’s Zach Godbold had eyes set on winning the first official state javelin title in the modern era, until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of spring sports. (Courtesy of Kyle LoJacono)

After all, in 2019 Godbold won the FHSAA’s exhibition state title in javelin — as part of a provisional period for the track and field offering.

He picked up right where he left off this spring.

Godbold was ranked No. 1 in the state with a rubber-tip javelin throw of 55.15 meters. The mark was well ahead of the state’s No. 2 thrower, Pompano Beach Highlands Christian Academy junior Nick Veynovich, who had a personal best of 49.36 meters.

Then COVID-19 happened — wiping out the remainder of the Florida high school sports season in early March.

And, just like that, Godbold’s shot at making history vanished. His status as the de facto favorite to become the first officially recognized javelin state champion since 1950 was erased.

The FHSAA discontinued the javelin in 1950, due to safety concerns. It brought it back with some new procedures, such as using a rubber tip instead of a steel tip seen in college and Olympic-level competitions.

“It being my senior year and my first official chance, it was obviously disappointing,” Godbold said, in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

He felt for his fellow teammates and other athletes, too.

“I lost my season, but so did every other spring sport for every level, so everyone’s in the same boat,” Godbold said.

But, time has healed his wounds.

He missed out on a would-be historic state crown, but he has since shifted focus to his next challenge — competing on the University of Florida men’s track and field team.

He signed a college athletic scholarship, in May, to attend UF.

So, a missed opportunity that was completely out of Godbold’s control has become motivational factor for his burgeoning college career.

He has lofty expectations for his freshman season at Florida.

He’s aiming for a steel-tip javelin throw of at least 70 meters; his current top mark in the steel-tip throw is 60.38 meters.

As he prepares to move to Gainesville, the athlete has been keeping sharp through gym workouts and javelin throws, which he makes multiple times each week at Hunter’s Green Community Park in New Tampa.

“I’m hoping to come out and improve my personal best so much that no one sees it coming,” Godbold said. “I’m kind of eager to get out there and show what I can do after improving for a whole year.”

Wharton High track and field coach Kyle LoJacono sympathizes with Godbold’s missed opportunity to claim a historic achievement.

New Tampa resident Zach Godbold has signed with University of Florida men’s track and field, where he’ll compete in the javelin throw. Godbold recently graduated from Wharton High School.

“My heart went out to the kid because of how much he’s done, he wanted to get that state championship,” LoJacono said.

Right up until the final meet of the season on March 7, Godbold went the extra mile both in training and at meets, the coach said.

LoJacono said the athlete lifted weights early in the morning and practiced track in the afternoon, while also juggling what was left of his soccer season.

“You would think that somebody’s who’s No. 1 might get a little bit complacent, but this year there was really none of that…because he really did everything as far as that strength and conditioning side,” LoJacono said.

His attitude, the coach said, was: “How can I make myself better?”

While Godbold’s senior season ended abruptly, LoJacono is eager to see Godbold’s potential for growth, as he heads to a Division I national powerhouse that’s claimed nine combined NCAA titles and 11 SEC crowns since 2009.

Said LoJacono: “It really is going to be special to see what he can do over the next four years.”

Javelin creates more opportunities
As Godbold heads off to new challenges, LoJacono is looking forward to the competitive growth of the javelin throw among the Florida high school ranks.

This season, the coach observed an uptick in participants in both local and county meets among boys and girls, compared to when it was a provisional, unscored offering the past couple years. “I’ve seen a lot more people do it. It’s already taken off in a positive way,” he said.

The discipline essentially requires an athlete to throw a spear for distance, and gaining momentum by running within a predetermined area.

In boys competition, the spear weighs 800 grams and has a length of 260 centimeters to 270 centimeters. In girls competition, it’s 600 grams and 220 centimeters to 230 centimeters long.

Mastering javelin requires a combination of sprint speed, strength, explosiveness, athleticism, and technique from the legs all way up to the throwing motion, LoJacono said. “It’s that whole kinetic chain.”

The recent reintroduction of javelin by the FHSAA ultimately could lead to more track and field scholarships for Florida high schoolers.

LoJacono explained those scholarships — namely at Florida colleges and universities — have been going to athletes from other states that offered javelin as a sanctioned high school event.

Bringing javelin back into the fold was forward-thinking on the FHSAA’s part, LoJacono said, because, “there was this whole talent base of kids who were not being served.”

Godbold is a prime example of that, as he first achieved statewide and national recognition in javelin on the AAU circuit as a teen.

Now that it’s a state-sanctioned event, Godbold, too, envisions a wave of youth and high school athletes who may discover an otherwise hidden gift.

“With (javelin) being in meets, and teams caring about points and trying to win meets, they would test out people in practice and throw people out there, so I think coming up in Florida, there’s going to be a lot more good javelin throwers than there have been,” Godbold said.

And, the greater exposure to javelin may create new opportunities, he added.

“I think there’s a lot of people who are playing other sports, maybe they’re a baseball pitcher or something, who have the talent to be able to go Division I in track and field,” Godbold said.

Published June 24, 2020

Cypress Creek receives FHSAA sportsmanship award

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The Cypress Creek High School athletics department has made numerous strides in on-field performance since the school first opened in 2017.

But, it’s the way the school’s student-athletes, coaches and fans conduct themselves before and after athletic events that has garnered statewide attention.

Cypress Creek earned the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award for Class 4A for the 2019-2020 school year. In total, 14 high schools and two middle schools received the notable honor on June 4. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek athletics department)

Cypress Creek earned the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award for Class 4A for the 2019-2020 school year. In total, 14 high schools and two middle schools received the notable honor on June 4.

As part of the award, the Wesley Chapel-based school will receive a commemorative plaque and a $2,500 check, to go toward ongoing athletic department funding.

Cypress Creek, also known as the Coyotes, originally was nominated for the award because the school had not received any disciplinary actions or ejections among all athletes and coaches; the school also was required to submit information to the FHSAA outlining the athletic department’s overall philosophy and how it fosters good sportsmanship among all participants.

Cypress Creek athletic director Justin Pelliccia labeled the honor as “something we’re definitely very proud of” and “great publicity for Pasco County as a whole.”

“It’s definitely a huge honor for all of us, all of our coaches, all the countless hours that they’ve put in and dedication that they’ve put into their programs,” said Pelliccia, who’s served as athletic director since 2018.

“Sportsmanship is always key,” he said, noting if kids are respectful and they buy in and they are respectful to the coach and to other teams, it contributes to success.

The statewide award has been presented annually since 1991. It is named in honor of FHSAA Commissioner Emeritus Fred E. Rozelle.

This is the first time since 2014 that a school in The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area has received the distinction. Land O’ Lakes-based Rushe Middle School received the honor in 2014 and Sunlake High School received it for the 2012-2013 school year.

Cypress Creek athletic director Justin Pelliccia (Courtesy of Justin Pelliccia)

Cypress Creek principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles is elated the school received the prestigious designation.

“I am absolutely thrilled about our students, fan base, and coaches being recognized with this award,” she wrote in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

“This is truly an honor! This honor is a testament to the dedication of our coaches, community & students and their commitment to our H.O.W.L. mission, which is to Have a growth mindset, Own their education, Work as a Community, and to Lead responsibly. I am proud of our entire Coyote Nation for being honored with this award!”

When it comes to promoting good sportsmanship, the Cypress Creek athletics department takes a multi-faceted approach.

Student-athletes, for instance, are advised to keep a positive outlook on social media sites, and partake in various community service and fundraisers, such as pancake breakfasts and car washes.

In general, the school’s athletes are “very respectful” to opposing teams before and after competitions, Pelliccia said.

Also, Coyotes coaches “go above and beyond” in the name of setting a good example, Pelliccia said. As an example, he said many coaches make it a point to recognize rival schools’ student-athletes — in addition to their own —  during Senior Night ceremonies.

Moreover, the school is revered for its active spirit group — student fans who attend countless sporting events each year, both home and away.

The athletic director explained school administration outlines guidelines, ideas and expectations for appropriate student section behavior.

“I know you can go to some schools and their student sections are crazy and ruthless, so we’ve kind of taken the step to make sure that sportsmanship is their focus. We’ve had meetings with them, we go through kind of things they can use while they’re at the games, and they were great this year,” Pelliccia said.

The Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award honors schools whose athletic teams demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship during the regular season and the FHSAA State Series. The award is presented to one school in each classification whose entire sports program best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship as demonstrated by its coaches, players and spectators. (File)

Meanwhile, Cypress Creek athletics as a whole has come a long way since its inaugural year — when softball was then the only program to achieve a winning campaign.

Pelliccia acknowledged it was initially difficult for the upstart school to field competitive athletics teams. It also proved challenging for students rezoned from rival high schools — Land O’ Lakes, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch — to gel.

Pelliccia observed: “All these kids came from different schools, so getting them to be a cohesive unit in Year One was our struggle; they were still all sort of enemies at that point.”

However, as the school embarks on its fourth year in existence, triumphs have begun to show.

Besides the sportsmanship designation, the Coyotes had a banner year in terms of on-field success.

The school’s football team made its first playoff appearance; the boys soccer and girls weightlifting teams were district champions; and, boys cross-country and girls weightlifting were district runner-up, among other notable benchmarks.

“The kids are taking pride in their athletic teams, and the success is coming and definitely showing,” Pelliccia said.

The athletic director himself has picked up some individual recognition, while serving as the school’s varsity boys soccer coach. Pelliccia was named Sunshine Athletic Conference East Boys Soccer Coach of the Year, after guiding the program to an 11-6 mark and a Class 4A regional semifinals appearance this past year.

Published June 10, 2020

Cancellation of spring sports leaves many dejected

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“The kids deserve it,” he said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published April 29, 2020

Coronavirus cancels many sports events

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Postponements and cancellations also have affected high school sports.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published March 25, 2020

Sunlake girls weightlifting state champs — again

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Since taking its first-ever state title last year, Sunlake High School’s varsity girls weightlifting had a newfound target on their back — as hungry competition looked to dethrone the team all season long.

Some opponents went so far to say it to their face.

The Sunlake High School varsity girls weightlifting team are back-to-back state champs. After winning the program’s first state title last year, the Seahawks again took gold at the 2020 FHSAA State Weightlifting Championships in Panama City Beach. (Courtesy of Denise Garcia)

“We knew there were going to be people trying to take the title and trying to overcome us in general,” Sunlake senior Antoinette Farmer said. “We even had people straight up telling us, saying they were going to beat us.”

Apparently, their foes spoke too soon — as Sunlake again won the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 2A State Weightlifting Championships in Panama City Beach last month.

Along the way, the Sunlake team took district and regional crowns, too.

The Seahawks tallied 28 points to edge second-place finisher Navarre High School (26) and third place Winter Springs High School (24) — to become back-to-back state champions.

The program also experienced another milestone — with two weightlifters earning individual state titles in the same year: Seniors Gianna Levy (139 pounds) and Juliette Pacheco (169 pounds) took first place in their respective weight classes. Pacheco set a state record 225-pound bench press in her weight class.

All told, five of Sunlake’s seven state lifters earned points with top-six finishes in the bench press and clean-and-jerk aggregate lifts.

  • Madison Guincho, junior — second place, 119-pound (180-160 — 340)
  • Gianna Levy, senior — first place, 139-pound (175-180 — 355)
  • Juliette Pacheco, senior—first place, 169-pound (225-185 — 410)
  • Brianna Caban, senior — third place, 183-pound (200-170—370)
  • Antoinette Farmer, senior—second place, 199-pound (210-190 — 400)

“We were ready for the challenge,” Farmer said of winning states again.

She said she and her teammates fed off the “good competition energy” sent their way throughout the 2019-2020 campaign.

Pacheco concurred: “We all just have a really competitive mindset, and when we hear that people are saying they’re going to beat us… it just motivates us more.”

Pacheco also credits the team’s overall success to the myriad multi-sport athletes on the team’s weightlifting roster. Many have participated in cheerleading, softball, swimming, and track and field, among other sports.

There are many “all-around athletes,” Pacheco said, noting “we all have really high goals for every aspect of our lives, and we all just put it together and do what has to be done.”

Pacheco has a lengthy background in gymnastics and cheerleading, both of which she said have helped her build upper body strength over the years.

She also holds the school’s pole vault record in track and field.

“It’s just like every sport that I’ve done has aided me in (weightlifting),” Pacheco said.

Sunlake head coach Denise Garcia acknowledged there was more pressure to win a second state title, but praised her group for maintaining a positive mindset and working hard throughout the journey.

This team embraced challenges
Garcia noted several girls balanced schoolwork, other sports and extracurriculars, and part-time jobs to get their work done in the weight room.

Her message to the team entering the year: “Nothing will work unless you do.”

It’s something the team bought into it from the get-go, she said.

“They came together again, they wanted it again,” said Garcia. “They worked even harder, if that’s even possible. They’re such good workers, their work ethics are amazing.”

She added: “It just warms my heart that they succeeded, that they did what they wanted to, and that they put their heads together themselves and they did it. That’s a big accomplishment for them, individually, as well as a team.”

Garcia has led Sunlake’s weightlifting program for more than a decade. Her specialty and strategy comes in teaching proper bench press technique, trying to maximize the potential from each of her lifters. Pacheco’s state record is a case in point, but Garcia noted she strives to get everyone to bench at least 150 pounds.

“I love the bench,” Garcia said. “They say clean-and jerk-wins everything, but bench is good, too, because it’s the total (score), and if I can get them high in the bench, it puts pressure on the other girls (from opposing teams) to do even more.”

Though Garcia will be without four state-placing seniors, she believes the program is shaped up for another strong showing next season.

The team figures to center around, among others, rising senior Madison Guincho, who placed second at the state meet in the 119-pound division. “She’s one to look out for,” Garcia said. “She’s my future.”

Guincho likewise has high expectations for what’s to come: “I think we still will be good next year, because we have a lot of good up-and-coming girls that nobody really knows about yet. I think overall, we’re still going to be one of the best.”

Elsewhere locally, Zephyrhills High School’s varsity girls weightlifting team finished third at the FHSAA Class 1A State Weightlifting Championships. Bulldogs senior Lakisia Thomas won an individual state title in the 183-pound division, posting a 190-185 — 375. She was one of four Zephyrhills lifters who earned points with top-six finishes at the meet.

Class 2A
Team results
Sunlake — first place (28 points)
Wiregrass Ranch — no placing (0)

Bench press-clean-and-jerk—Total (in pounds)
Individual results

101 pounds
Alexandria Black, junior, Wiregrass Ranch: no placing (scratch)

110 pounds
Gabriella Schwarz, sophomore, Sunlake: 12th place (tie); 125-125 — 250

119 pounds
Madison Guincho, junior, Sunlake: second place; 180-160 — 340

139 pounds
Gianna Levy, senior, Sunlake: first place; 175-180 — 355
Gianina Rios, senior, Wiregrass Ranch: seventh place; 185-140 — 325

169 pounds
Juliette Pacheco, senior, Sunlake: first place; 225-185 — 410
Daniella Vance, junior, Sunlake: 13th place (tie); 145-160 — 305

183 pounds
Brianna Caban, senior, Sunlake: third place; 200-170 — 370

199 pounds
Antionette Farmer, senior, Sunlake: second place; 210-190 — 400

Class 1A
Zephyrhills — third place (18 points)
Bishop McLaughlin — no placing (0)
Cypress Creek — no placing (0)

Bench press-clean-and-jerk—Total (in pounds)
101 pounds
Andje Costa, sophomore, Cypress Creek: seventh place (tie); 95-125 — 220

139 pounds
Kayla Zine, senior, Zephyrhills: 18th place; 125-130 — 255

154 pounds
Sarah Davis, senior, Zephyrhills: third place; 185-160 — 345
Madison Aguillera, junior, Zephyrhills: fourth place; 135-185 — 320

169 pounds
Kayla Robbins, senior, Zephyrhills: second place (tie); 180-170 — 350

183 pounds
Lakisia Thomas, senior, Zephyrhills: first place; 190-185 — 375

199 pounds
Kyleigh Smith, senior, Zephyrhills: seventh place (tie); 160-145 — 305

Unlimited
Adorina Lee, senior, Bishop McLaughlin: seventh place (tie); 210-150 — 360
Diamond Cowart, junior, Zephyrhills, 15th place; 175-165 — 340

Published March 11, 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

Land O’ Lakes cheerleaders win ‘Best of Pasco’

By

After a long history of struggles, the Land O’ Lakes High School varsity girls competitive cheerleading team is finding its groove.

The Gators won the prestigious ‘Best of Pasco’ Sunshine Athletic Conference Cheerleading Competition on Nov. 16.

At the event, hosted by Land O’ Lakes High, the Gators claimed a score of 78.4, defeating 12 other county high schools. The school’s crosstown rival, Sunlake High, scored 76.2, to earn second place.

The Land O’ Lakes High School varsity girls competitive cheerleading team won the ‘Best of Pasco’ meet on Nov. 16. (Courtesy of Ashley Linden)

The last time Land O’ Lakes won a ‘Best of Pasco’ meet was so long ago that Gator cheerleaders and coaches can’t be sure when it was.

“It’s a very big deal for us,” said third-year coach Ashley Linden. “It’s been a very long time,” she added, noting it’s been at least since the early 2000s.

Senior team captain Sarah Spitzig thinks it might have never happened before.

In any case, it marks a striking accomplishment for a program that had not garnered much of a reputation through the years.

Spitzig said it’s the first competition the Gators have won during her four years in the program. “We’re all super excited about it. It’s just boosted the team’s confidence a lot,” she said.

The coach added of the ‘Best of Pasco’ achievement: “Seeing them be successful is just the best feeling, because some of them have been there for competitions where they didn’t do so great, and they still stuck it out and still kept coming back.”

Like other cheer programs, the Gators 2½-minute routine combines an array of acrobatic and athletic tumbling, stunts, cheers and dances — to the sound of upbeat music.

Linden described the team’s routine as “creative” combined with “a lot of really great tumbling.”

Many of those advanced skills were fine-tuned at summer Universal Cheerleaders Association camp, Linden said.

The offseason reps must’ve helped, as Linden said the team’s execution of the routine was “clean” and “sharp” at the countywide meet.

The team’s newfound taste of victory extends beyond just technical skills, however.

Linden said it also can be explained by better attitudes and coachability overall, plus more pronounced leadership from a quartet of team captains (Spitzig, along with seniors Laura Madison and Gabriela Miller, and junior Emma Runkel).

The Gators competitive cheer routine combines an array of acrobatic and athletic tumbling, stunts, cheers and dances, all to the tune of upbeat music.

All those qualities, the coach said, “makes or breaks a team.”

“Everything has just taken like a huge turn for the better,” said Linden, a former high school cheerleader herself with experience coaching All-Star and recreational teams. “This group of girls is just different; they want it this year.”

It’s an assessment Spitzig can agree with.

“It’s less about the skills sometimes, but more about the attitudes,” the cheerleader said. “We won even without the highest skills that we could’ve been doing; it was more just about attitude coming together and working for it.”

Hand in hand with that is a stable and dedicated coaching staff, as Linden and assistant Gators cheer coach Karlee Roach have been working in tandem for three years to rebuild the program; Roach actually served as the team’s head coach the previous two seasons, then reversed roles with Linden this year.

When it comes to their efforts, the coaching duo goes the extra mile, cheerleaders say.

Runkel noted that the coaches “care so much for us.”

She added: “Personally speaking, I had such a negative attitude my freshman year that they really helped me grow as a person, and personality-wise, I’ve grown so much from them. “They’ve always been there supporting us, on and off the mat,” she added.

Spitzig concurred: “We’ve all just developed into more of a family having them here. They give up so much time, we just appreciate it.”

The signs of a budding 2019-2020 campaign were in the works toward the end of last year as the Gators placed fifth in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 1A medium division state championships.

At the beginning of the season, Linden felt the team had the opportunity to build on that.

She was optimistic despite the fact that 13 seniors graduated and the team would be relying heavily upon four freshman flyers.

The current 25-member roster consists of five seniors, 13 juniors, three sophomore and five freshman.

“I’ve been saying it since the beginning of the season that, ‘This is our season,’” Linden said.

“People probably thought we were going to be in a rebuilding year, and here we came. To win (‘Best of Pasco’), no one expected that. We kind of came out from under.”

And, what made the ‘Best of Pasco’ victory even more special — was earning bragging rights over a Sunlake cheer program that for years has been a local powerhouse.

“They’ve always been out for us and always proved that they’re better than us, but this year we’re actually coming up on top of them,” Runkel said.

“I’ve heard they’re coming back for us — but we’re coming back for them,” Runkel said.

2019-2020 Land O’ Lakes competitive cheer roster
Head coach: Ashley Linden
Assistant coach: Karlee Roach
Team manager: Mayah Ocasio

  • Christina Agovino
  • Mia Allen
  • Lexi Brown
  • Ariana Butler
  • Aysiah DeBernardi
  • Peyton Fields
  • Elizabeth Harmon
  • Alex Heck
  • Grace Huff
  • Maddy Huff
  • Lauren  Jones
  • Madelyn Macaluso
  • Laura Madison
  • Gabriela Miller
  • Leah Mixson
  • Gianna Ocasio
  • Katy Quandt
  • Paige Randall
  • Emma Runkel
  • Skyler Sander
  • Sarah Spitzig
  • Camryn Steele
  • Alyssa VanMeter
  • Nevaeh Vercellona
  • Kaitlyn Wall

Published November 27, 2019