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Hudson High School

Pasco expanding film production footprint

April 21, 2020 By Kevin Weiss

Pasco County’s tourism office last year rebranded to Experience Florida’s Sports Coast with the idea of becoming a destination for youth and amateur sports.

But, the county doesn’t want to be pigeonholed simply as a playground for various athletics tournaments and festivals.

The county’s tourism department is now expanding its brand portfolio to include film production — aiming to further boost economic development.

From left: ‘Death Cast’ director Bobby Marinelli, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast program manager Consuelo Sanchez, and ‘Death Cast’ producer Melissa McNerney. (Courtesy of Travis Claytor)

The production of “Death Cast,” a feature horror film, showcases the potential for the county to become a filming hotbed.

“Death Cast” is about six young, hopeful actors who are looking to land roles in an experimental horror film.

Roughly 90% of the movie was filmed in Pasco, including Dade City. Filming took place with a 30-member crew within a two-week period in January 2018.

“Death Cast” writer and director Bobby Marinelli pins the picture as “a really unique take on a classic horror story.”

He added: “It’s essentially a horror slasher film, by the numbers, but pulled in like a found footage, reality television-style that we’ve been told that’s it’s not been seen before.”

The independent, low-budget movie is set to be premiered on the film festival circuit this fall. It’s run time is 75 minutes.

The film’s main set piece takes place at a two-story house on Hanlon Terrace in Dade City, which has since transformed into a cattle ranch and wedding venue.

Set on a large property accented with a long, gravel driveway and shadowy tree canopy, the home helped “establish the look and feel of the rest of the movie,” Marinelli said.

An added bonus — the property featured a mother-in-law suite adjacent to the house that became the production office and base camp for most of the film.

A home and property on Hanlon Terrace in Dade City was the main set piece of the independent horror flick ‘Death Cast.’ Production took place across a two-week period in January 2018. The movie is about six young, hopeful actors looking to land roles in an experimental horror film.

“It worked out really well for us,” the director said.

Another central location was Crews Lake Wilderness Park in Shady Hills, offering an “amazing rural landscape” for other scenes, he said.

“It was honestly another keystone to the film,” Marinelli said of the park, “because we needed just this vast-like endless piece of property.”

Marinelli, who grew up in Hudson, was well-acquainted with the county’s landscape beforehand.

The Hudson High graduate studied filmmaking at Florida State University.

Making a movie in his hometown county required less red tape than other counties and states, he said.

The filmmaker cited a streamlined permitting process and accommodating nature from county officials and local residents. He mentioned Crews Lake Park was all but “handed to us on a silver platter” for their use.

“When you shoot in other states, particularly like big production states, there’s a lot of hoops to jump through to have that kind of access to a piece of property like that,” Marinelli explained.

“Other places, if you were shooting something like that, it would be a big task to stop the regular traffic of the park. …These parks in Pasco County, there’s enough of them, and they’re so vast that our footprint doesn’t really inconvenience the operations of the park, and it gives the film the look and feel and accessibility that it needs.”

It’s those types of reviews that Experience Florida’s Sports Coast officials hope to hear more often to help it attract future films.

The agency has its own film commissioner, Gaby LaJeunesse, who assists movie producers and scouts by establishing a link between other cities, county parks, libraries, transportation and private destinations.

Crews Lake Park in Shady Hills was another major set piece for ‘Death Cast.’ The independent, low-budget movie is set to be premiered on the film festival circuit this fall.

The work includes facilitating permits and road closures, and even coordinating with the Pasco School Board, if a project calls for filming in and around a school.

Besides helping to arrange needed accommodations for full-length features, she also assists with short films, student films, documentaries, music videos, and commercials and infomercials.

“The more productions that come to our county, the better opportunity we’re going to be out there and known across the country,” she said.

To help spread the word about its film-friendly mission, the tourism agency is developing a dedicated film page to add to its website.

It will help inform potential filmmakers and film production companies that are considering the area. The page will feature a library of location options, permitting information and so on. The new tab is expected to  go live sometime this year, officials say.

Experience Florida’s Sports Coast officials highlight the economic benefit of film casts and crews staying at local hotels, and eating and shopping locally. Moreover, creating film sets oftentimes requires extensive use of local labor and materials.

LaJeunesse observed, “Everybody benefits from a production in our county.”

Marinelli speaks to that firsthand.

“When a film’s shooting in a one- or two-week period of time, there’s a lot of money spent in that area and a lot of attention brought to it,” he said.

Meanwhile, what makes Pasco attractive for filmmakers could go well beyond easing the production process for film executives.

Beyond being a receptive place to make films, Pasco also offers diverse “coast to country” geography — providing wide-ranging set locations in an hour’s radius. For instance, Anclote Key’s castaway island look is much different than the rural, rolling hills of historic Dade City.

Those variations “speak a lot to Pasco County and what Pasco County has to offer in terms of locations,” said “Death Cast” producer Melissa McNerney.

McNerney, who lives in Tampa, studied acting in New York and has landed small roles in television shows including “The Good Wife,” “All My Children” and “Boardwalk Empire.”

“Filmmaking in Florida doesn’t have to be about stories that take place in the most obvious locations like beaches and areas where there’s palm trees and water, and kind of these really traditional, iconic, recognizable Florida landscapes.

“Our film shows backwoods and areas you might think aren’t even in Florida, and I think there’s a huge opportunity for filmmakers to start writing different stories that take place in lesser-known landscapes, and then challenge themselves to finding unique locations that aren’t necessarily identifiable as Florida, because I think that makes filming here that much more of a creative endeavor,” she said.

For information on “Death Cast” and to watch the trailer, visit DeathCastFilm.com.

Published April 22, 2020

Filed Under: Top Story Tagged With: Anclote Key, Bobby Marinelli, Crews Lake Wilderness Park, Dade City, Death Cast, Experience Florida's Sports Coast, Florida State University, Gaby LaJeunesse, Hanlon Terrace, Hudson High School, Melissa McNerney, Pasco School Board

School boundary proposals draw opposition

November 13, 2019 By B.C. Manion

Compared to school boundary hearings in recent years, the crowd was relatively small at a public hearing last week on proposed boundary changes for Pasco County Schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

Still, concerns expressed by parents were similar to the types of concerns generally raised at school boundary meetings.

Boundary changes planned for next year primarily involve changes needed due to the opening of Cypress Creek Middle School, set for next fall.

Initially, the school district had planned to open a high school and a middle school on its campus at 8701 Old Pasco Road. But, it couldn’t afford to build both, so it used its high school campus to serve students in grades six through 12.

Cypress Creek Middle School, now under construction, is expected to open in August 2020. The school district is now considering boundary shifts to ease crowding at John Long Middle and Wiregrass Ranch High, in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

When the new school opens next year, the middle school students on the campus will be shifted to the new school, and boundary changes will fill up remaining space at both the high school and the middle school.

The district’s proposal calls for filling the vast majority of those seats by shifting students from Seven Oaks now assigned to John Long Middle, to Cypress Creek Middle.

It also would shift Seven Oaks students now assigned to Wiregrass Ranch High, over to Cypress Creek High.

The change would not apply to rising seniors, who would be grandfathered in.

And, before the public hearing began, Superintendent Kurt Browning announced the proposal also calls for grandfathering in rising juniors.

The seniors would continue to be able to ride district buses; the juniors would not.

Other students can apply for school choice during the open enrollment period.

Parents who spoke at the public hearing offered a litany of reasons they oppose the proposed boundary shifts.

Mike Schulze, who lives in Seven Oaks, put it this way: “This is a personal thing for our family, for my son. This is not just a number on a sheet.”

He asked the board to consider the impact the boundary shift would have on students who will not be grandfathered in, including his son.

“His dream since he was in third grade was to go to Wiregrass Ranch High School and play basketball,” Schulze said. He asked board members to consider allowing all students to finish out their education in the school where they started.

Other parents also asked board members not to disrupt the academic or social life of their children.

They told board members they chose to live in Seven Oaks because the subdivision’s students were assigned to John Long and Wiregrass Ranch.

They voiced concerns about sending their children to schools that are farther away.

They questioned the decision to reassign school boundaries for an established neighborhood, instead of changing boundaries in newer neighborhoods.

They asked why the district can’t build additional wings at Wiregrass Ranch to accommodate additional students, to avoid redrawing lines.

Many of those same issues were raised in emails sent to district staff regarding the proposed changes. There also were criticisms of the district’s lack of planning for future growth.

Browning said the district considered building an addition at Wiregrass Ranch, but to do so would mean removing facilities that are needed for the school’s athletics, so that isn’t possible.

Board members Allen Altman and Cynthia Armstrong addressed comments related to planning.

“The school district does not get funding for a seat, for a student, until that student is already enrolled in school and counted,” Altman said.

Armstrong added: “It’s actually by state statute that we cannot start building a school until we have the total money in the bank to finish it. That makes the monetary part very tough, since we don’t get the funds until after the people are here.

“The other problem we have is locating school sites where the new buildings are going to be. We don’t always have access to obtaining a school site that would be affordable for us.”

There are other boundary changes proposed that would affect an area near State Road 52 and the Suncoast Parkway that is currently undeveloped, but has been approved for a massive development.

The proposal calls for assigning the entire area to Mary Giella Elementary, Crews Lake Middle School and Hudson High.

Under the current boundaries, some of that future growth would have been assigned to Land O’ Lakes schools.

The Pasco County School Board is set to vote on the proposed changes at its Nov. 19 meeting, at 6 p.m., at the school district headquarters, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco school choice
Pasco County Schools is hosting expo-style events to inform families about school choice options in the district.

The west-side Pasco Pathways Expo is set for Nov. 18 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at River Ridge High School, 11646 Towne Center Road, New Port Richey.

The east-side Pasco Pathways Expo is on Nov. 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Wesley Chapel High School, 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

The expos will feature informational sessions that cover the general application process. In addition, many of the district’s schools will showcase their unique educational options, such as  STEM and STEAM magnet schools, the Cambridge International Education Programme, International Baccalaureate, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Career Pathways, Pasco eSchool, and more.

The school choice application window will run from Dec. 3 to Dec. 13 for middle and high schools, and from Jan. 21 to Jan. 31, for elementary schools.

For more information, or to register to attend either of the expos, parents should visit PascoSchools.org, and click on the Pasco Pathways link.

Published November 13, 2019

Filed Under: Education, Local News Tagged With: Allen Altman, Crews Lake Middle School, Cynthia Armstrong, Cypress Creek High School, Cypress Creek Middle School, Hudson High School, John Long MIddle School, Kurt Browning, Land O' Lakes High School, Mary Giella Elementary, Mike Schulze, Old Pasco Road, Pasco County School Board, Pasco County Schools, Seven Oaks, Wiregrass Ranch High School

Medal of Honor recipient inspires local students

November 6, 2019 By Kevin Weiss

It was May 8, 1968, in La Chu, when then 19-year-old U.S. Army Specialist 4 Robert Martin Patterson singlehandedly bum-rushed five machine gun bunkers, killed eight enemy soldiers and captured a weapons cache, all in the midst of a firefight in the Vietnam War.

The actions that day earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States military’s highest and most prestigious designation for acts of valor.

Patterson would go on to serve 26 years in the Army and reach the highest enlisted rank, Command Sergeant Major, before retiring in 1991. Post-military, he worked as a representative for the Department of Veterans Affairs for 12 years.

He is one of just 70 living Medal of Honor recipients, out of total of 3,507.

Patterson’s heroism and military career were highlighted during a recent speaking engagement at Land O’ Lakes High School.

The visit was part the school’s yearlong collaboration with the Medal of Honor Character educational program, where teachers use stories of Medal of Honor recipients to help students explore the values of courage, integrity, sacrifice, commitment, citizenship and patriotism.

Patterson’s appearance at the school coincided with this year’s annual Medal of Honor Convention in Tampa, which hosted 46 Medal of Honor recipients from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26.

Seven other Pasco County schools also were visited by Medal of Honor recipients through the program. They were Deer Park Elementary; Centennial, Pine View, Charles S. Rushe, and Paul R. Smith middle schools; and Hudson and Wesley Chapel high schools.

Addressing a lecture hall full of students, the 71-year-old Pensacola resident inspired high schoolers to follow their dreams and strive to do their best.

On May 8, 1968, 19-year-old U.S. Army Specialist 4 Robert Martin Patterson singlehandedly bum-rushed five machine gun bunkers, killed eight enemy soldiers and captured a weapons cache, all in the midst of a firefight in the Vietnam War. The actions earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor a year later. (Courtesy of Congressional Medal of Honor Society)

“The most important part of your life is your education,” Patterson said. “You can be anything that you put your mind to. You want to be a doctor? You can be a doctor. You want to be a lawyer? You can be a lawyer.”

Patterson emphasized the importance of personal integrity and good decision-making, as a means to set up for future success and happiness in adulthood.

“The most valuable asset is your integrity,” he said. “You are the only person that can affect your integrity. Nobody else can. Only you. Don’t ever jeopardize your integrity. Once your lose that integrity, you’ll play hell ever getting it back.”

The overall theme was something he himself battled growing up in a poor family of tobacco farmers in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Patterson was known around his hometown as a troublemaker, dropping out of high school in 12th grade.

“I wasn’t going to be anything in my life, according to all my teachers and everything. (They said) the only thing I’d ever be in my life was nothing but a dirt farmer,” Patterson recalled.

Patterson, of course, would later prove any doubters wrong with his decorated military service, where he also obtained a college degree.

“The only thing blocking you from doing anything in your life, is your own mind,” Patterson said, adding, “I really do regret dropping out of high school because education is really important in your life, and I didn’t realize it until years later.”

For students facing similar challenging life circumstances, Patterson recommended the military as a positive route getting on the right track. He pointed out the service instills punctuality, work ethic and personal responsibility. “Military is not a bad way to get a start in the job market,” he said.

As for his distinguished act of bravery over 50 years ago, it was all a blur.

“I don’t remember my actions at all,” he said. “I was young, dumb and invincible.”

And, he doesn’t consider himself to be a hero, either.

“I just did my job,” he said. “Somebody was going to do it, I just happened to be the one that did it.”

Asked about what it means to don the Medal of Honor, a humbled Patterson said, “It’s not mine. I just keep in sacred trust. It belongs to the (soldiers) that didn’t come back.”

Published November 06, 2019

Filed Under: People Profiles, Top Story Tagged With: Centennial Middle School, Charles S. Rushe Middle, Congressional Medal of Honor, Deer Park Elementary, Hudson High School, La Chu, Land O' Lakes High School, Paul R. Smith Middle, Pine View Middle, Robert Martin Patterson, Vietnam War, Wesley Chapel High School

Pasco County all-star football rosters announced

November 6, 2019 By Kevin Weiss

High school football in December? It’s becoming a tradition in Pasco County.

Some of the county’s top senior high football players will get to experience Friday night lights one final time, at the 2019 Pasco County East-West Classic.

The fifth annual all-star showcase is slated for Dec. 13 at 7 p.m., at Sunlake Field, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Eighty of the high school seniors in Pasco County will square off in the 2019 Pasco County East-West Classic football game on Dec.13, at Sunlake Field. The annual showcase began in 2015. (Courtesy of Bob Durham, Fellowship of Christian Athletes)

The game, organized by the Pasco County Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), features some of the best senior players from 15 county high schools.

Players on the East squad will represent Cypress Creek, Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills, and Zephyrhills Christian schools.

Players on the West squad will represent Anclote, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic, Fivay, Gulf, Hudson, Sunlake, Mitchell and River Ridge.

Zephyrhills head coach Nick Carroll will lead the East squad and Fivay head coach Matt Durchik will lead the West. Team practices for the game begin on Dec. 2.

To select the rosters, coaches from every county high school gather in a “war room” and draft the players from every school and every position. After much deliberation, the all-star teams get whittled down to 40 players in the East and 40 players in the West.

Wiregrass Ranch garnered the most selections for either side with 10 picks, followed by Fivay (eight), River Ridge (seven) and Wesley Chapel (seven).

The idea for a countywide all-star football game was spearheaded several years ago by FCA area director Bob Durham, upon the suggestion of local FCA board of directors, who pointed to the success of long-established all-star games in both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

The game has since proven to be a hit among fans, drawing more than 2,000 attendees each year. The East team leads the all-time series 3-1, its lone defeat coming in 2016.

For many players, the showcase provides a chance to perform in front of college recruiters, many of whom attend the game from across the Southeast region.

While it may signal the last football game ever for some, the event also will feature athletes destined for big-time NCAA Division I FBS football, such as Pasco wide receiver Darrion Robinson (Western Kentucky University commit) and Zephyrhills Christian defensive tackle Malik Jones (Florida Atlantic University commit), among others.

In addition to the all-star game, players will be recognized at a banquet where character awards, courageous awards, GPA awards, and various skill awards will be distributed. A ‘Coach of the Year’ also will be named and voted on by county coaches.

An all-star cheerleader team also has been assembled for the showcase and will be announced at a later date.

Tickets are $10 and can be pre-purchased at any participating high school or at the gate at the all-star game. They also are available online at PascoAllStars.eventbrite.com.

For more information, visit PascoAllStarGame.com.

East team
Cypress Creek: Jovanni Anderson, Sebastian Bramonte, Noah Smith, Jalen Warren, Jehlani Warren

Land O’ Lakes: Ethan Forrester

Pasco: Desmin Green, Juan Herrera, Ivory Lopey, Jordan McLaughlin, Rubin Pickett, Darrion Robinson

Wesley Chapel: Isaiah Cole,,Tyson Gillott, Quay Jones, Brendan Maddox, Fletcher Martin, Steven Mira, Jelani Vassell

Wiregrass Ranch: Julian Gonzalez, Robert Gibb, Tyler Hayes, Josh Hood, Connor Lenczden, Isaiah Miller, Nate Miller, Dylan Ridolph, Jonavon Tillis, Keith Walker

Zephyrhills: A.J. Mathis, Bobby Reidenbach, Zion Williams, Demetris Wright

Zephyrhills Christian: Tyler Davis, Myles Francois, Cole Johnson, Malik Jones, Jose Martinez, Nick Whittington

East coaches:
Head coach: Nick Carroll, Zephyrhills
Tony Egan, Wesley Chapel
Anthony Hendrix, Land O’ Lakes
Mike Johnson, Cypress Creek
Mark Kantor, Wiregrass Ranch
Mike Smith, Zephyrhills Christian
Jason Stokes, Pasco

West team
Anclote: Brice Arit, Ricky Hall, Adam Hardy, Breon Jackson, Demetrik Jenkins, Alvin Williams

Bishop McLaughlin: Marcus Berreza

Hudson: William Akossou-Harvey, Dougie Blanton, Brad Kidwell, Ricky Stoffer, Josh Wood

Fivay: Elijah Colon-Gotwalt, William Denmark, Bryan Hair, Kellan Helt, Nicholas Lovino, Kenny Richards, Jaqueze Richardson, Nazavious Williams

Gulf: Kayn Clark,Eddie Petchulis

Sunlake: Anthony Daher, Hunder Fieden, Damian Riewold, Zach Spicer, Cayman Wiseman

Mitchell: Nick Garcia, Rob Graham, Noah Midthun, Johnathan Nelson, Ethan Phelps, Nick Voyer

River Ridge: Ryan Grosso, Travis Hawks, Desmond McBride, Dylan Nichols, Ryan Reiche, Anthony Roussos, Quinton Stedman

West coaches:
Head coach:
Matt Durchik, Fivay
Gary Allen, River Ridge
Trey Burdick, Sunlake
Glen Hobbs, Hudson
Dan McLeod, Gulf
Jason Messamore, Anclote
Andy Schmitz, Mitchell
Joe Vaughn, Bishop McLaughlin

The East all-star team leads the series 3-1
2018: East, 29-22
2017: East, 17-14
2016: West, 27-21
2015: East, 14-2

Published November 06, 2019

Filed Under: Local Sports Tagged With: Anclote High School, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, Cypress Creek High School, Darrion Robinson, Fivay High School, Florida Atlantic University, Gulf High school, Hudson High School, Land O' Lakes, Land O' Lakes High School, Malik Jones, Matt Durchik, Mitchell High School, Nick Carroll, Pasco County East-West Classic, Pasco County Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Pasco High School, River Ridge High School, Sunlake Boulevard, Sunlake High School, Wesley Chapel High School, Western Kentucky University, Wiregrass Ranch High School, Zephyrhills Christian, Zephyrhills High School

Pasco County School is redrawing boundaries

October 16, 2019 By B.C. Manion

Turnout was light for a public workshop regarding school boundaries held last week at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

Thousands of students will be affected by the proposed changes, but the vast majority of changes relate to Cypress Creek Middle School, which is set to open in the fall of 2020.

The school district initially had planned to open both a high school and a middle school on the campus at 8701 Old Pasco Road.

Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools, explains proposed boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle School, during a public workshop on proposed school boundary changes. (Christine Holtzman)

But, the district was short on funding, so initially the high school buildings were used to house students in grades six through 12.

When the new middle school opens next fall, students in grades six through eight will shift to the new building.

But, boundary changes are needed to fill up remaining capacity at both the middle school and the high school.

The proposed changes primarily affect the Seven Oaks neighborhood, said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.

Specifically, the school district is proposing that 613 students now zoned to Wiregrass Ranch High School be shifted to Cypress Creek High School, and seven students zoned to Pasco High School be rezoned to Cypress Creek High School.

If that’s approved, the estimated enrollment at Cypress Creek High School would be 2,080, in a school which has a permanent capacity of 2,090.

After the proposed shift, Wiregrass Ranch would have an enrollment of 1,606 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,633. Pasco High would have an enrollment of 1,602, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,491.

The proposed boundary changes also call for shifting over to Cypress Creek Middle, an estimated 446 students now zoned to John Long Middle and five students now zoned to Pasco Middle.

If those changes are approved, Cypress Creek Middle would have an estimated 1,554 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,600. John Long Middle would have 1,167 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,327. Pasco Middle would have 918 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 875.

Under the proposal, seven students living along State Road 52, at the north end of Old Pasco Road, would be reassigned from Pasco High to Cypress Creek High.

That shift is being proposed because where they live is a straight shot to Cypress Creek High, Williams said. “We felt that made sense.”

Alex Morales, of Wesley Chapel, center, and his wife Jessica, speak with Wayne Bertsch, communications and government liaison for Pasco County Schools, about their concerns relating to proposed school boundaries. The Morales family lives in Seven Oaks, a neighborhood that is currently zoned for Wiregrass Ranch High School, but under the new proposal, will be zoned for Cypress Creek High School.

The district also is proposing to shift an attendance area with 17 students in San Antonio Elementary over to Quail Hollow Elementary.

“These kids currently go to San Antonio Elementary, Pasco Middle and Pasco High. So, now they’re going to go to Quail Hollow Elementary, Cypress Creek Middle and Cypress Creek High,” Williams said.

In another proposed change, an attendance area with 143 students now zoned to Wesley Chapel High would be reassigned to Zephyrhills High. That would bring Zephyrhills High’s enrollment to 1,780, at a school with a permanent capacity of 2,004. It would bring Wesley Chapel High’s enrollment to 1,438, at a school with a permanent capacity of 1,506.

Williams said the change addresses a previous boundary shift.

“We rezoned some kids several years ago out of Wiregrass and John Long into Wesley Chapel and Weightman. We kind of shifted these kids over to Stewart Middle, but there wasn’t room at Zephyrhills, so they went to Wesley Chapel.

“The bulk of these kids go to Chester Taylor Elementary, then they go to Stewart and then they go to Wesley Chapel,” Williams said.

The planning director also noted that “Wesley Chapel has all of this growth coming from Epperson Ranch.

“So, we think it makes sense to fix the feeder pattern. Elementary and middle doesn’t change: They’ll still go to Chester Taylor and Stewart Middle. But, now they’ll go to Zephyrhills (High),” Williams said.

Zephyrhills High has room because the district just built a new classroom wing there.

As of last week, Williams had not received any feedback on the proposed shift affecting Zephyrhills High.

Overall, he has received about three dozen comment cards regarding the proposed boundary shifts changes — the vast majority coming from the Seven Oaks neighborhood.

As is often the case, those commenting said they’d bought their home in a specific neighborhood because of the school their child would attend, or they objected to the change because the new school is farther away from their home than their current school.

When the district drew up the original boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle High, it announced it would likely be shifting the Seven Oaks neighborhood over when the new middle school opened.

But, apparently that word did not get out to everyone, Williams said.

Jessica and Alex Morales, who live in Seven Oaks, said they moved into the neighborhood so their daughter could finish high school at Wiregrass Ranch. But, it now appears that their son, who is a freshman at Wiregrass Ranch, will be reassigned to Cypress Creek High next fall.

They attended the public workshop to see if there was any possibility their son could stay at Wiregrass Ranch High.

“We had moved from New York. He met all of his friends in sixth grade,” Jessica Morales said.

Under the proposal, he’ll be attending a high school that’s different from many of his friends.

“We’re trying to lessen that blow,” she said.

The family also has a second-grader they need to think about, too, she said.

They are planning to learn more about what Cypress Creek High has to offer.

Williams said there are other boundary changes proposed that would affect an area near State Road 52 and the Suncoast Parkway that is currently undeveloped, but has been approved for a massive development.

The proposal calls for assigning the entire area to Mary Giella Elementary, Crews Lake Middle School and Hudson High, Williams said.

Under the current boundaries, some of that future growth would have been assigned to Land O’ Lakes High, Pine View Middle and Connerton Elementary.

Anyone who wishes to comment on the district’s proposed boundaries can fill out a comment form by going to the district’s website, at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

The Pasco County School Board will have a public hearing on the proposed boundaries on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m., at 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The final public hearing is set for the same location on Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.

Published October 16, 2019

Filed Under: Education, Local News Tagged With: Chester Taylor Elementary School, Chris Williams, Connerton Elementary School, Crews Lake Middle School, Cypress Creek High School, Cypress Creek Middle School, Epperson Ranch, Hudson High School, Jessica Morales, John Long MIddle School, Land O' Lakes, Land O' Lakes Boulevard, Land O' Lakes High School, Mary Giella Elementary School, Old Pasco Road, Pasco County School Board, Pasco County Schools, Pasco High School, Pasco Middle School, Pine View Middle School, Quail Hollow Elementary, San Antonio Elementary School, Seven Oaks, State Road 52, Stewart Middle School, Suncoast Parkway, Weightman Middle School, Wesley Chapel High School, Wiregrass Ranch High School, Zephyrhills High School

High school football kickoff week

August 22, 2018 By Kevin Weiss

Jonesing for the return of high school football?

Here’s a look at all the Friday night matchups for teams in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. All Week 1 games are at 7:30 p.m., Aug. 24, unless otherwise noted.

Hillsborough County

St. Petersburg Catholic Barons at Carrollwood Day Patriots (7 p.m.) — Both teams come off losing seasons, but the Patriots feature a large senior class and one of the area’s top quarterbacks in senior Chris Butash.

Freedom Patriots at Steinbrenner Warriors — The Warriors have reigned supreme in this matchup the last three years (and hold the series lead 4-1). However, the Patriots will have arguably the best player on the field in senior receiver/safety Jeremiah Ashe, who boasts over a dozen Division I FBS scholarship offers.

Gaither Cowboys at Chamberlain Chiefs — The Cowboys’ strong running attack (262.5 yards per game in 2017) will be imperative to keep the Chiefs offense and senior quarterback Tyler Riddell off the field; Riddell, a University of Akron commit, threw for 30 touchdowns and just four interceptions last season.

Pasco County

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic Hurricanes at Shorecrest Prep Chargers (7 p.m.) — Last time these teams met was in 2013, where the Hurricanes were shut out 40-0. The Hurricanes should have better luck this time around, with Shorecrest Prep coming off a 1-6 campaign.

Cypress Creek Coyotes at Gulf Buccaneers — The Coyotes are seeking its first official win in program history after it was forced to forfeit its 12-0 victory against Gulf last season.

Coming off a 10-2 mark, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs and head coach Nick Carroll, right, figure to again be one of Pasco County’s top teams this fall. They play Wiregrass Ranch on Friday at 7:30 p.m. (File)

Land O’ Lakes Gators at Citrus Hurricanes — Gators first-year head coach Chad Walker faces a relatively manageable test against a Hurricanes squad that has just six seniors and is without several key contributors from last season.

Pasco Pirates at Hudson Cobras — Pasco won last year’s matchup 22-10 and holds the overall series lead, 6-2. A victory here would be a good start for the Pirates, who are seeking their first winning season since 2014.

Sunlake Seahawks at Wesley Chapel Wildcats — Wesley Chapel handily beat Sunlake last year (42-24). Doing so again likely won’t be as easy, as the Wildcats have lost some of the county’s top offensive and defensive players from 2017, including Isaiah Bolden, Dexter Leverett, Malik Melvin and Austin Wittish.

Wiregrass Ranch Bulls at Zephyrhills Bulldogs — Two of Pasco County’s top squads square off in what should be an exciting, back-and-forth affair. Adding fuel to the fire: Former Zephyrhills head coach Reggie Roberts is now an assistant at Wiregrass Ranch.

Later Week 1 games:

North Florida Christian (Tallahassee) at Zephyrhills Christian Warriors (Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m.) — A good barometer for both teams coming off eight-win seasons and appearances in the FHSAA Class 2A playoffs.

Donahue Catholic Shamrocks (Ave Maria) at Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (Sept. 7, 7 p.m.) — The defending FCAPPS eight-man state champions shouldn’t have much trouble against the visiting Shamrocks; the Wildcats won last year’s contest 36-0.

Compiled by Kevin Weiss

Published August 22, 2018

Filed Under: Local Sports Tagged With: Academy at the Lakes, Austin Wittish, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, Carrollwood Day School, Chad Walker, Chris Butash, Cypress Creek Middle High School, Dexter Leverett, Donahue Catholic, Freedom High School, Gulf High school, Hudson High School, Isaiah Bolden, Land O' Lakes High School, Malik Melvin, North Florida Christian, Pasco High School, prep football, Shorecrest Prep, St. Petersburg Catholic Barons, Steinbrenner High School, Sunlake High School, Tyler Riddell, Wesley Chapel High School, Wiregrass Ranch High School, Zephyrhills Christian, Zepyrhills High School

Local educator named a PBS ‘Digital Innovator All-Star’

April 11, 2018 By B.C. Manion

It’s no secret that educator Bobbi Starling knows her way around technology.

When she was a classroom teacher at Woodland Elementary School in Zephyrhills and at Centennial Middle School in Dade City, she was constantly introducing students to technical tools which could enhance their education and broaden their view of the world.

Bobbi Starling has recently been selected to the PBS Digital Innovator All-Star Program. It’s a new program, and only 30 educators nationwide were selected, including just Starling from Florida. (B.C. Manion)

Now, as the magnet schools program coordinator for the Pasco County school district, she has the potential to have a positive impact on a greater number of students — albeit indirectly, she said.

Starling’s classroom teaching work was recognized by PBS in 2015, when she was selected as one of 100 educators across the nation to be named a PBS Digital Innovator. She went on to become one of 30 nationwide to be named a lead Digital Innovator.

More recently, Starling was chosen to take part in a new program called the PBS Digital Innovator All-Star Program.

Thirty educators across the country were chosen for the program, including just Starling from Florida.

Gail Taylor, director of educational services for WEDU, nominated the Pasco County educator.

“She’s just perfect for this award. She’s just so innovative,” said Taylor, noting she wasn’t surprised Starling was selected.

“We thought she was a shoo-in. She’s amazing,” Taylor added.

“We’ve done a lot of work with her over the past few years.

“We did a great STEM fair when she was teaching at a middle school, before she became the magnet school coordinator.

“The kids were actually programming their own iPads to make robotic balls move around a paint tray, and they painted coasters and T-shirts, using those little robotic balls.

“They were playing games, using Gummy Worms as conductors and game pieces,” Taylor said.

As part of the All-Star program, Starling will have access to virtual and in-person events, including the PBS Digital Innovator All-Star Summit, and the International Society for Technology and Education Conference in Chicago, Illinois, in June.

She can’t wait.

This bus has been converted into a Mobile Aviation Lab, to provide more students a chance to get exposure to aviation and aeronautics lessons. (Courtesy of Bobbi Starling)

“At that summit, we’re going to be put on teams with people from other states, and we’re going to be developing some new curriculum — a three-part virtual learning series.

“There will be different focus areas for STEAM, social studies, language arts, digital arts, all sorts of different things. We’ll be developing some new content that will be offered.

“It will be housed on the PBS Learning Media.org website and that’s free for everybody in the state of Florida, including the premium resources,” Starling said.

The educator believes that technology is the great equalizer, when it comes to learning opportunities.

Technology helps children who come from impoverished families to have the same kind of experiences as those who come from affluent households, Starling said, noting that virtual reality and other technological tools can level the playing field.

Starling said she was delighted when she learned of her nomination, and “ecstatic and thrilled” when she found out she’d been selected.

“Reading the biographies of my peers that were also nominated, I was actually blown away by the people that are there,” Starling said. “I cannot wait to make some neat connections and share some interesting ideas, and I’m sure that I will be learning a lot, hearing a lot, and hopefully, I’ll be able to contribute, too.”

In her current district position, she works will all of Pasco schools, but more heavily with the Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School in Land O’ Lakes; the Centennial Middle School STEM Magnet School in Dade City; and, the Bayonet Point Middle STEM Magnet School in New Port Richey.

This student is getting a virtual reality experience on a school bus that the Pasco County school district has converted into a mobile aviation lab. (Courtesy of Bobbi Starling)

Starling also noted that the district has nine elementary schools that have aviation equipment. They are the elementary schools in the feeder patterns for Zephyrhills, Sunlake and Hudson high schools, which each have aviation and aeronautics academies.

But Terry Anchman, the director of career and technical education, came up with the idea of converting a school bus into a mobile Aviation STEM Lab, Starling said.

That way, fifth-graders from other district schools can get their hands on equipment such as flight simulators, 3D printing, virtual reality and drones, the educator said.

“I developed a curriculum for that. So, all of those students get a little bit of a taste for aviation and aeronautics,” Starling said.

She hopes that exposure will spark an interest in students, who can then consider attending one of the district’s magnet middle schools, which offers the curriculum.

She also hopes that parents will become more aware of the district’s educational options.

Taylor, herself a former classroom teacher, is confident that Starling will make a difference in the PBS program, just as she has as a classroom teacher.

“She’s just one of the best teachers I’ve ever been associated with,” Taylor said.

“She’s just what education ought to be,” Taylor added. “If all of our teachers could be Bobbi Starling, it would be a whole new world.”

Published April 11, 2018

Filed Under: Education, Local News, People Profiles Tagged With: Bayonet Point Middle STEM Magnet School, Centennial Middle School, Centennial Middle School STEM Magnet School, Dade City, Digital Innovator All-Star Program, Gail Taylor, Hudson High School, International Society for Technology and Education, Land O' Lakes, PBS, Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School, Sunlake High School, Terry Anchman, WEDU, Woodland Elementary School, Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills High School

Pasco all-star football game on tap for Dec. 7

November 8, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

It’s back.

Football fans again will be able to see Pasco County’s top senior football players face off on one field, at the 2017 Pasco County East-West Classic.

The third annual all-star showcase is slated for Dec. 7 at 7 p.m., at Sunlake Field, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The game, organized by the Pasco County Fellowship of Christian Athletes, features the top senior players from each of the 15 public high schools in Pasco County.

It provides one last chance to perform in front of college recruiters, many of whom attend the game from across the Southeast region.

The game also has proven to be a hit among fans, drawing more than 2,000 attendees its first two years. The series is tied 1-1.

Players on the East team will represent Land O’ Lakes, Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Pasco, Bishop McLaughlin and Zephyrhills Christian Academy.

Players on the West team will represent River Ridge, Ridgewood, Mitchell, Anclote, Hudson, Fivay, Gulf and Sunlake.

Athletes from the newly opened Cypress Creek Middle High will be represented in next year’s game, as the school doesn’t have a 2017-2018 senior class.

Rosters were selected last month in a “draft day” format, where high school coaches bantered and bartered, doing their best to present their athletes as worthy of a spot. After much deliberation, all-star teams were whittled down to the best 40 players in the East and best 40 players in the West.

An all-star cheerleader team also has been assembled for the showcase. As part of the festivities, cheerleaders will participate in an awards dinner banquet, which will include a special guest speaker.

Tickets for the game are $10. For information, visit PascoAllStarGame.com.

East team:
Bishop McLaughlin
Carson Borak, Caleb Chesnut, Shane Haynes, Julio Herrera, Michael Keough

Land O’ Lakes
Xavier Arroyo, Justin Collier, Guston Farr, Matthew Geiger, Taylor Winn

Pasco High
Luke Kohlhof, Cody Mercer, Cameron Smith, Gavin Sowell, Zach Williams

Wesley Chapel
Dexter Leverett, Malik Melvin, Chaz Neal, Matt Severson, Justin Trapnell, Austen Wittish

Wiregrass Ranch
Daniel Biglow, Jacob Hill, Kwesi Littlejohn, Chase Oliver, Alex Sherman, Adrian Thomas

Zephyrhills Christian
Jordan Hyppolite, DJ Jackson, Evan Miller, Alonzo Sampson, Calvin Samuel, Dwight Thomas

Zephyrhills High
Kameron Allen, Charles Harrison, Zac Masci, Elijah Thomas, Cameron Tucker, Sterlin Williams

West team:
Anclote
Riley Curry, Tim Dallaire, Ryan Flint, John Leto, Jessy Schooler, Deontrae Stacey, Kristopher Valley, Noah Winens

Fivay
Tyler Austin, Jessy Schooler

Gulf
John Jukas, Kevin Powell, Marquice Victor

Hudson
Trey Doran, Shane Monn, Ceith Rivera, Oshea Spahr

Mitchell
Canyon Albergo, Mychael Hamilton, Stephaun Peters, Adam Rodgers, Chris Thomas, Garrett Wiwi

Ridgewood
Terrance Lake, Aaron McCarthy

River Ridge
Thomas Carrano. Dio Defalco, Anthony Grassi, Anthony Kendall, Mikey Russos, Bryce Smith, Tanner Smith, Jason Utegg, Austin Vellucci, Michael Webster

Sunlake
Jeremiah Baker, Bryant Beacham, Dylan Bradley, Justice Goodloe, Adam Jarvis

East coaches
Head Coach: Tico Hernandez (Bishop McLaughlin)
Nick Carroll (Zephyrhills High)
Brian Colding (Pasco High)
Tony Egan (Wesley Chapel)
Tyler Farr (Land O’ Lakes)
John Grone (Wiregrass Ranch)
Sly Miller (Zephyrhills Christian)

West coaches
Head Coach: Ryan Benjamin (River Ridge)
Matt Kingsley (Anclote)
Mark Feldman (Mitchell)
Will Fulmer (Ridgewood)
Jason Grain (Gulf)
Tim Hicks (Hudson)
Matt Durchik (Fivay)
Trey Burdick (Sunlake)

All-Star cheerleaders
East team:

Bishop McLaughlin
Piper Gotsch, Elizabeth Kantor

Land O’ Lakes
Claire Goltermann, Hope Wainraich

Pasco High
Alyssa Rodriguez-Urich, Emily Weiser

Wesley Chapel
Chloe Covington, Taylor Waton

Wiregrass Ranch
Korbett Canady, Kati Helton

Zephyrhills Christian
Kylee Ramos

East coaches
Lisa Booker (Pasco High)

West team:
Anclote
Amber Grambling, Samantha Wibirt

Fivay
Sharona Campbell

Hudson
Chris Kennedy, Faith Schuller

Mitchell
Brie Chamberlin, Sarah Shannon

Ridgewood
Madison Clark, Raeanna Wipert

River Ridge
Krysten Hart, Samantha Quinn

West coaches
Cody Baer (Ridgewood)
Chelsea Hatcher (Hudson)

Published November 8, 2017

Filed Under: Local Sports Tagged With: Anclote High School, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, Cypress Creek Middle School, Fivay High School, Gulf High school, Hudson High School, Land O' Lakes, Mitchell High School, Pasco County East-West Classic, Pasco County Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Pasco High School, Ridgewood High School, River Ridge High School, Sunlake Boulevard, Sunlake High School, Wesley Chapel High School, Wiregrass Ranch High School, Zephyrhills Christian Academy, Zephyrhills High School

Zephyrhills High names ‘Tom Fisher Field’

November 1, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

It’s been nearly a decade since Tom Fisher last roamed the sidelines, but his name won’t soon be forgotten at Zephyrhills High School.

The namesake of Zephyrhills High School’s football field, Tom Fisher, served as the high school’s football coach for some 20 years. Fisher was bestowed the honor at a dedication ceremony during the Friday night football game against Hudson. (Fred Bellet)

The school’s Oct. 27 homecoming festivities added greater significance, when Zephyrhills’ Bulldog Stadium was formally renamed “Tom Fisher Field.”

The dedication ceremony, held at midfield and attended by Fisher, drew dozens of former players and coaches, as well as the longtime coach’s family members and friends.

Thousands of Bulldogs faithful, were there, too — in a show of respect for Fisher, who retired after the 2008 season, following 21 years as head coach.

He is the football program’s winningest coach (124-86), leading Bulldogs teams to eight playoff berths, four conference championships and three district titles; he also was a four-time conference coach of the year.

Fisher, now 65, still attends several Zephyrhills games each year, sometimes wishing he was still donning a headset and calling plays.

“I miss it a lot,” Fisher said, “but, all these great kids that I’ve coached over the years, for them to come back, I really appreciate it.”

While receiving a round of applause for his years as coach of the Bulldogs’ football team, Tom Fisher, holding one of his grandchildren, McKenzi Moncrief, 3, of Zephyrhills, is surrounded by friends, family, former players turned coaches of the team and well-wishers.

Not one to wax poetic about his coaching career, Fisher said many of the 20 years “all blend together.”

“Working with the kids was great; football’s been my life,” he said.

As coach, Fisher influenced hundreds, if not thousands of lives.

Among them is current Bulldogs coach Nick Carroll, who has guided the program to two consecutive eight-win seasons — including Friday night’s 62-0 romp of Hudson High School.

Carroll was apart of Fisher’s 1996-1997 playoff team.

He has vivid memories of that season.

“We had a lot of success; won a lot of football games. For us to get the first playoff win for him, it was a special moment for him, and for us,” Carroll said.

Fisher’s coaching demeanor isn’t lost on Carroll, either.

“He was old-school, man,” Carroll said. “You didn’t mess with coach Fisher. If his lip ever curled, he was mad.”

“I didn’t cause him no trouble,” he added.

Former player, now head coach, Nick Carroll leads the Bulldogs this year.

Carroll noted several of his assistants, including B.J. Booker, Bryan Thomas and Troy Hochstetler, also played for Fisher at some point.

“They say great leaders develop great leaders, so there’s four of us right there that have come back and kind of stepped in his role, and made a chance to—not build it—but have success the first two years we came here to Zephyrhills.”

Reggie Roberts, who coached the Bulldogs from 2010 to 2015, was another former player—and team captain — of Fisher’s.

Roberts, now a captain with the Zephyrhills Police Department, recalls Fisher as a hard-nosed, no-nonsense coach.

“Those were the days when you didn’t have water breaks every 30 minutes — and we had to grind,” Roberts said. “Sometimes as we grow up, we always have people that mold us, and he was one of them, especially coming back here to coach, you bet that was the first phone call I made.”

Zephyrhills’ No. 6 Tyreese Wigfall jumps for joy and celebrates yet another touchdown with No. 7 Jaquan Sheppard during game action against Hudson. Zephyrhills beat the visiting Cobras.

But, Roberts also remembers Fisher for his acumen and attention to detail.

“You’re talking about somebody that studied game film—he was a student of the game,” Roberts said.

“I wish when I was coaching I could be half as good as he was watching video and actually coming up with a game plan. He was excellent at that. We may not have been as talented as a lot of people, but we played a lot better than a lot of people because we were prepared. That’s one thing I can say about him — he got us prepared.”

The Pasco County School Board approved the field renaming in June, after the idea was presented by Zephyrhills school officials.

Zephyrhills High School athletic director Bruce Cimorelli said it was about time Fisher received “a real good sendoff.”

“He deserves it quite a bit,” Cimorelli said.

“Tom did a great job. He took a mentoring to the kids. He was a great person to work for, so it’s something that’s well-deserved.”

Tom Fisher: By the numbers
124 wins (most in school history)
86 losses
Eight playoff appearances
Four conference championships (1989, 1995, 1997, 2002)
Four district titles (1995, 2002, 2006)
Four Conference Coach of the Year awards (1989, 1994, 1995, 1997)

Published November 1, 2017

Filed Under: Local Sports, Zephyrhills and East Pasco Sports Tagged With: B.J. Booker, Bruce Cimorelli, Bryan Thomas, Hudson High School, Nick Carroll, Pasco County School Board, Reggie Roberts, Tom Fisher, Tom Fisher Field, Troy Hochstetler, Zephyrhills High School, Zephyrhills Police Department

Area football games rescheduled

September 20, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

With Hurricane Irma wiping out athletic events for schools in Hillsborough and Pasco counties for the week of Sept. 11, many anticipated Friday night football contests already have been rescheduled, or played, in some cases.

In Pasco, a few local schools didn’t waste much time agreeing to make up games on Sept. 18, including the Zephyrhills High squad, which traveled to Ridgewood High, and Wesley Chapel High’s team, which hosted Fivay High. Zephyrhills Christian Academy was set to host St. John’s Lutheran, but the latter forfeited the game.

High school football contests seldom are played on Mondays, but Florida High School Athletic Association permitted practices on Sept. 17 with the approval of each individual school and/or school district, giving coaches an additional day to work with players.

Other Pasco County schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area scheduled to play on Sept. 15 have since pushed contests back a week to Sept. 22:

  • Land O’ Lakes at Sunlake (7:30 p.m.)
  • Bishop McLaughlin at Ocala Christian (7 p.m.)
  • Cypress Creek at Pasco (7:30 p.m.)

Public schools in Hillsborough, meanwhile, will make up the Sept. 15 slate of games beginning Oct. 2. It marked the second straight week public schools in Hillsborough cancelled games.

The county’s public schools were closed all last week due to Hurricane Irma, and the district did not permit teams to resume practice until Sept. 18.

The following games scheduled for Sept. 15 in our coverage area that will have to be made up on a Monday in October include:

  • Steinbrenner at Manatee
  • Freedom at Gaither
  • Wharton at Leto
  • Wiregrass Ranch at Sickles

With regard to the FHSAA’s new playoff point system for football, as originally planned, total points will be determined by dividing points earned by games. If a school somehow falls below the eight-game minimum requirements, FHSAA executive director George Tomyn may waive the minimum game requirement on a case-by-case basis.

The new system, passed last September, bases football postseason berths on a points system in Class A-4A. The new format, beginning this season, is designed to reward teams for winning records and strength of schedule.

In the FHSAA’s biggest four classes (5A-8A), the district champion still automatically qualifies for regionals, with the remaining 16 spots decided by points.

Winning Wiregrass
Wiregrass Ranch High is one program hoping to keep its momentum in between a two-week layoff from football games.

Under third-year head coach Mark Kantor, the Bulls are off to its first 3-0 start in school history.

Mark Kantor has guided Wiregrass Ranch to its first 3-0 start in school history. (File)

Coincidentally, Kantor — who previously coached three seasons at Hudson High and compiled a 15-13 mark — now has the most wins in Wiregrass Ranch history, with 12; the school’s football program was launched in 2007.

Just one other public school in Pasco remains undefeated — Mitchell High (3-0).

The Bulls have been tested early on, battling to one-possession victories over Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel and Sunlake high schools. And, despite several key departures in the offseason, the Bulls may be stronger than last year’s 7-3 District 8-7A runner-up squad. Junior quarterback Grant Sessums, the leading passer in the county (504 yards, four touchdowns, one interception, 57 percent completion rate), has lived up to preseason billing, as has senior cornerback/Penn State University commit Jordan Miner (13 tackles, two interceptions). The Bulls have also received breakout contributions from a pair of sophomore linebackers in Dylan Ridolph (31 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks) and Nick Gaziano (30 tackles, three tackles for loss, forced fumble).

Prior to the 2017-2018 school year, Wiregrass Ranch saw three of its top players — cornerback Shamaur McDowell, athlete Raymond Woodie III, tailback Da Da McGee — transfer elsewhere.

The Bulls host Wharton (1-1) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The Sunlake Seahawks were one of 87 high school programs that attended the USF-Illinois game on Sept. 15. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School)

Generous gesture
In the wake of Hurricane Irma’s impact on Florida, the University of South Florida (USF) provided complimentary admission to last Friday’s football game vs. Illinois to first responders and their families, as well as to Florida high school football teams, many of which have had their games cancelled as a result of the storm.

Eighty-seven high school teams, such as Steinbrenner and Sunlake, took up the offer. Even schools as far as Orlando, Lakeland and Vero Beach showed up.

“It’s all about us giving back,” USF head coach Charlie Strong said, during a press conference last week. “We want to make sure that everyone is working to give back and get their life (together). It’s going to take a while, we know that. When things happen, we just want to make sure people understand that we do understand. We’re not going through what they’re going through, but we can help them get through what they’re going through.”

Another offer for local standout
Cameron Smith, arguably one of the top defensive players in Pasco County, recently picked up a scholarship offer from Ursinus College, a Division III program in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. The latest offer is one of several for the Pasco High senior linebacker, who also holds offers from Albright College (Reading, Pennsylvania), Warner University (Lake Wales), Webber international (Babson Park) and West Virginia State University (Institute, West Virginia).

Pasco High senior linebacker Cameron Smith has added his growing list of scholarship offers. (File)

Smith, a 2016 SAC First-Team All-Conference selection, currently leads the Pirates in tackles with 12.

Here’s a running list of other known players from our coverage area in Pasco County to have at least one scholarship offer:

  • Dylan Gonzalez, Academy at the Lakes, senior linebacker
  • Tylor Winn, Land O’ Lakes, senior wide receiver
  • Adam Jarvis, Sunlake, senior linebacker
  • Isaiah Bolden, Wesley Chapel, senior defensive back
  • Chaz Neal, Wesley Chapel, senior defensive end
  • Daniel Biglow, Wiregrass Ranch, senior wide receiver
  • Kwesi Littlejohn, Wiregrass Ranch, senior safety/running back
  • Jordan Miner, Wiregrass Ranch, senior cornerback
  • Devaun Roberts, Wiregrass Ranch, senior tight end/defensive end
  • Adrian Thomas, Wiregrass Ranch, senior wide receiver
  • Charles Harrison III, Zephyrhills, senior quarterback
  • Ja’Quan Sheppard, Zephyrhills, junior wide receiver
  • Sterlin Williams, Zephyrhills, senior defensive lineman
  • Javion Hanner, Zephyrhills Christian, junior running back
  • Calvin Samuel, Zephyrhills Christian, senior running back
  • Alonzo Sampson, Zephyrhills Christian, senior linebacker
  • Evan Miller, Zephyrhills Christian, senior defensive back
  • Javan Smith, Zephyrhills Christian, junior tailback/linebacker
  • Jalen Spencer, Zephyrhills Christian, junior defensive end/linebacker

Published September 20, 2017

Filed Under: Local Sports Tagged With: Albright College, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, Cameron Smith, Cypress Creek Middle High School, Da Da McGee, Dylan Rudolph, Fivay High School, Florida High School Athletic Association, Freedom High School, Gaither High School, George Tomyn, Hudson High School, Hurricane Irma, Jordan Miner, Land O' Lakes High School, Leto High School, Manatee High School, Mark Kantor, Nick Gaziano, Ocala Christian, Raymond Woodie III, Ridgewood High School, Shamaur McDowell, Sickles High School, St. John's Lutheran, Steinbrenner High School, Sunlake High School, University of South Florida, Ursinus College, Warner University, Webber International, Wesley Chapel High School, West Virginia State University, Wharton High School, Wiregrass Ranch High School, Zephyrhills Christian Academy, Zephyrhills High School

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03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to grow a tomato garden. Those interested can view the video at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary, all day, on March 8. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email . … [Read More...] about 03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

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The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to make green grilled cheese on March 9 at 4:30 p.m., for grades four to seven. To view the video, visit the Library Cooperative on Facebook or Instagram. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will host a virtual poetry discussion group on “Female Power!” on March 9 at 6:30 p.m., for ages 16 and older, via Zoom. Participants can share a favorite poem or take part in discussions on poems about women or written by women poets. Themed poems will be sent out to help with the session. Registration is required. For information, contact Amaris Papadopoulos at 727-861-3020 or . … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will offer a Technology Tuesday: Robots & Machines on March 9, through a curbside pickup activity. The kit will help kids learn more about technology, from robots to coding, through online and hands-on activities. The pickup is limited to 35 participants and must be reserved ahead of time. A book bundle can be included. Kits must be picked up between March 9 at 10 a.m., and March 13 at 5 p.m. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

03/10/2021 – Fandom trivia

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present Fandom Trivia: High School Musical on March 10 at 4 p.m., for grades eight to 12. Participants can test their knowledge of the High School Musical movies. Registration is required. For information, contact Amaris Papadopoulos at 727-861-3020 or . … [Read More...] about 03/10/2021 – Fandom trivia

03/10/2021 – Student-author book signing

Marchman Technical College, 7825 Campus Drive in New Port Richey, will host a socially distanced book signing with student-author and illustrator Chris Angilell on March 10 at 10 a.m. Angilella is a first-time author who has Asperger's Syndrome. He wrote the book, "Dotty's Freckles," to "inspire people who have a disability, hoping to send a message that they are exceptional and can accomplish anything," according to a news release. The book was independently published last August and can be purchased on Kindle or in paperback through Amazon. The book signing will be outdoors. Masks will be required. Angilella will sign books for attendees who bring their own copies. A limited number of paperbacks also will be for sale at the event. … [Read More...] about 03/10/2021 – Student-author book signing

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Solution to Land O’ Lakes traffic jams still years away, if then

Helping people get from place to place, safely

Giving entrepreneurs tools they need to succeed

Zephyrhills discussing 911 dispatch

No plans to shutter Zephyrhills police department

Local Jewish temple gifted Torah

Save money, get back behind the wheel

Pasco County Fair lives up to its billing

Meals on Wheels looks to expand

Pasco Planning Commission seeks three volunteers

Operation Feed Pasco closes, amid success

It’s strawberry (shortcake) season again

Grove Theater now open in Wesley Chapel

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More Stories

Check out our other stories for the week

Solution to Land O’ Lakes traffic jams still years away, if then

Helping people get from place to place, safely

Giving entrepreneurs tools they need to succeed

Zephyrhills discussing 911 dispatch

No plans to shutter Zephyrhills police department

Local Jewish temple gifted Torah

Save money, get back behind the wheel

Pasco County Fair lives up to its billing

Meals on Wheels looks to expand

Pasco Planning Commission seeks three volunteers

Operation Feed Pasco closes, amid success

It’s strawberry (shortcake) season again

Grove Theater now open in Wesley Chapel

Sports Stories

Land O’ Lakes Little League celebrates 50th anniversary

Cypress Creek High coach earns regional honor

Saint Leo acrobatics coach steps down

Loving Hands Ministries golf tournament

First Tee – Tampa Bay awarded $100,000 grant

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