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Hometown kids shine in 2019 college football season

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The college football season has come to a close, and it was one in which many players with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area showcased their skills.

Dozens of area athletes are a part of programs at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Series (FCS) levels, as well as Division II, Division III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and junior college ranks.

Here is a look at some of them.

Noah Ruggles
College: University of North Carolina, sophomore kicker
High School: Steinbrenner High (Odessa native)

Steinbrenner High product Noah Ruggles (Courtesy of University of North Carolina Athletics)

The Steinbrenner product appears entrenched as UNC’s long-term answer at kicker, as he enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign, converting 19 of 27 field goal attempts, including a long of 49 yards, and converting all 45 of his extra-point attempts.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Ruggles was nearly automatic on kicks inside 40 yards, but struggled on some longer kicks, including going 0-for-3 on attempts of more than 50 yards.

Arguably, his most defining moment came when he kicked the game-winning field goal in a 20-17 home win against conference rival Duke University on Oct. 26. It was a just week removed from UNC head coach Mack Brown benching Ruggles, after he missed two overtime field goal attempts in a road loss to Virginia Tech.

While at Steinbrenner, Ruggles developed into one of the nation’s most coveted kicking prospects, ranked as the No. 9 kicker by 247sports.com and the No. 12 kicker by ESPN.com for the 2017 recruiting class.

Chris Faddoul
College: Florida A&M University, junior punter
High School: Wiregrass Ranch High (Wesley Chapel native)

Since he stepped foot on FAMU’s campus as a freshman in 2017, Faddoul’s leg has been put to good use.

Wiregrass Ranch High product Chris Faddoul (File)

A three-year starter, Faddoul again earned consecutive All-American honors after another banner season for a team that went 9-2 and undefeated in conference.

His average of 46 yards per punt ranked second in Division I FCS (Football Championship Series). The 5-foot-11, 210-pound specialist tallied 40 punts for 1,841 yards, with 19 punts placed inside the 20-yard line, 16 punts of 50 yards or longer, and only five touchbacks. He also registered a career-long punt of 72 yards in an Oct. 20 overtime win over nationally-ranked North Carolina A&T State.

At Wiregrass Ranch, Faddoul was something of an athletic unicorn, playing football, soccer, tennis, and also competing in track and field. His senior year on the gridiron, Faddoul guided the Bulls to a state playoff appearance in 2016, as the team’s starting quarterback, kicker and punter.

Michael Penix Jr.
College: Indiana University, redshirt freshman quarterback
High School: Tampa Bay Tech/Pasco High (Dade City native)

Dade City native Michael Penix Jr. (Courtesy of Indiana University Athletics)

The Dade City native got off to a roaring start as Indiana’s starting signal-caller in 2019, helping guide the Big Ten program to its best start since 1993, up until he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in November that required surgery.

Indiana was 5-1 in games played by Penix, who completed 69% of his throws for 1,394 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, and tallied 119 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

The 6-foot-3, 203-pound lefty made history by becoming the first freshman quarterback to start an opener for the Hoosiers since Antwaan Randel El in 1998.

While Penix seemingly has a bright future ahead, injuries have become a concern. He also suffered a season-ending ACL injury in 2018 as a true freshman.

For his prep career, Penix played his first two seasons at Pasco High, then transferred to Tampa Bay Tech, finishing with 6,986 total yards and 76 touchdowns. He is something of a Pirates legacy, as his father was an All-State tailback/defensive back at Pasco High in the early ’90s; his uncle played there, too.

Donovan Jennings
College: University of South Florida, sophomore left tackle
High School: Gaither High (Tampa native)

Gaither High product Donovan Jennings (Courtesy of University of South Florida Athletics)

The 6-foot-5, 328-pound Jennings has established himself as a reliable and consistent protector for USF quarterbacks’ blindside, playing in a combined 22 games his freshman and sophomore seasons. He began the 2019 season at right guard, before moving to and finishing the season on the left side of the offensive line.

The Gaither High product this past season was USF’s highest-graded offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus (66.9), a website that focuses on thorough analysis of the National Football League and NCAA Division I football.

Jennings has been lauded by coaches for his pass protection skills and effectiveness in the run game, because of combination of quick feet, balance and strength. He often was tasked with blocking opponent’s top pass-rushers in one-on-one situations last season.

Jennings is actually a late bloomer to the gridiron, as he didn’t begin playing football until his freshman year of high school because he exceeded the size limit for youth football leagues. He instead turned his attention to basketball, where he played four years on varsity at Gaither.

His future, however, was found in football.

He developed into an All-State player and a three-star prospect, earning scholarship offers from Central Florida, Virginia, Marshall, Old Dominion and Toledo universities.

Nate Craig-Myers
College: Colorado State University, redshirt junior wide receiver (Auburn transfer)
High School: Tampa Catholic/Pasco High (Dade City native)

Dade City native Nate Craig-Myers (Courtesy of University of Colorado Athletics)

After transferring from Auburn early in the 2018 season, the Dade City native and former blue chip prospect put together his most productive college season, becoming Colorado State’s fourth-leading receiver in 2019, hauling in 23 receptions for 329 yards and a touchdown, in nine games.

Before his transfer, Craig-Myers seemed like a star-in-the-making for the powerhouse SEC (Southeastern Conference) Alabama-based school.

He posted 16 catches for 285 yards and three touchdowns for Auburn’s 2017 squad that went 10-4 and reached the SEC Championship.

The 6-foot-2, 202-pound athlete was expected to break out for Auburn in 2018, but a lack of targets in the early going led him to seek opportunities elsewhere. His half-brother and former Pasco High standout, Jayvaughn Myers, also left the team around the same time.

Craig-Myers wasted no time making an impact with Colorado State this past year, making five catches for 88 yards in his first game against Toledo on Sept. 21. He followed that up with strong showings in his next two games against Utah State (three catches, 97 yards) and San Diego State (four catches, 68 yards, touchdown), respectively.

In the prep ranks, Craig-Myers spent two seasons with Pasco High before finishing his career at Tampa Catholic High. He was one of the nation’s most touted football recruits, a consensus four-star prospect with more than 40 scholarship offers, including from the likes of Ohio State, Florida and Florida State universities, among others.

Other notables

  • University of Miami redshirt senior defensive end Scott Patchan (IMG Academy/Freedom High) finished with a career-high 33 tackles, including six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, in 13 games and six starts.
  • Florida State University junior tight end Tre’ McKitty (IMG Academy/Wesley Chapel High) collected 23 receptions for 241 yards, in 11 games.
  • Samford University redshirt sophomore tailback Antwione Sims (Zephyrhills High) racked up 108 all-purpose yards, in 11 games.
  • Florida State University redshirt sophomore DeCalon Brooks (Gaither High) tallied 15 tackles, in 11 games.
  • Florida State University freshman defensive back Isaiah Bolden (Wesley Chapel High/Jacksonville Bartram Trail) collected eight tackles, two pass breakups and an interception, in 12 games.
  • Morehouse College freshman defensive back Cartrell Strong (Zephyrhills High) registered 15 tackles, three pass breakups and an interception, in eight games.
  • University of Cincinnati freshman safety Ja’quan Sheppard (Zephyrhills High) had five tackles, in four games.

Banner year for Lutz soccer team

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It’s a season they’ll surely never forget.

Under the umbrella and storied history of the FC Tampa Rangers soccer organization, the Lutz U13 Lady Rangers’ 2018-2019 campaign will go down as one of the more impressive in memory.

The squad went 34-6-5 overall this season — including an 18-3-2 run since the beginning 2019.

Ranked as one of the state’s top teams and earning a top seed in the Florida State Cup, the year culminated with the girls program’s first-ever appearance in the U.S. Youth Soccer Regional Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The Lutz U13 Lady Rangers recently closed their 2018-2019 season with the program’s first-ever appearance in the U.S. Youth Soccer Regional Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The team finished 34-6-5 on the season. (Courtesy of Kris Carson)

The Lady Rangers were one of just 16 U13 girls teams from the Southern U.S. Youth Soccer State Association to qualify for the tournament, and just one of two from Florida — the other being the Wellington Wave. The tournament also included squads from Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia and South Carolina.

They held their own, going 3-1 and reaching the region semifinals.

The regional berth marked a longtime coming for a Lady Rangers team that has kept much of the same corps for more than five years, dating back to U8.

In that way, they’re unlike many of the larger competitive soccer clubs, which pools hundreds of players all throughout Tampa Bay and frequently experiences roster turnover.

When Lady Rangers head coach Chris Cole meets parents inquiring about the soccer club, he poses this question: “Are you looking for your daughter to join a group of players, or, are you looking to join a team?”

With many of the dozen or so girls from the same Lutz community, and nearby Land O’ Lakes and Carrollwood, the squad’s philosophy and longevity has cultivated a tight-knit, family like atmosphere that extends well beyond the practice fields at Oscar Cooler Sports Complex.

“We’re closer than most teams I feel like, instead of just a bunch random girls coming together to play soccer,” said midfielder/defenseman Kaitlin Vinson, a team co-captain.

“I think one of the biggest strengths is how close we are, and we know almost everything about each other, both personally and soccer-wise. … That helps us to build off each other, and just play soccer better, and it’s part of the reason why I think we’re good.”

Fellow Lady Rangers co-captain Chloe Carson agrees.

“Our whole team has a bond,” said Carson, a center midfielder who’s been on the Lady Rangers since its inception. “Even with the new girls, they fit in right away.”

It’s a bond that’s yielded better on-field chemistry over the years for a team now comprised mostly of rising eighth graders.

Carson explained: “We know each other’s skills, each other’s habits, so we know what to do ahead of time, and it helps us work together and keeps our emotions down, which really helps the play of the game. Some teams, you’ll see girls arguing or yelling at each other.”

Cole, a former USF men’s soccer player in the 1990s and former member of the U.S. Armed Forces men’s soccer team, added this of the club team’s congenial dynamic: “As anything with sports and teams that have been together for a while, you tend to know each other’s tendencies and what you do, but that camaraderie off the field really is important. …I think that really shows on the field as far as just feeling comfortable with each other.”

The coach also noted the team’s unselfish nature.

“With these girls teams, there’s not too much drama,” Cole said. “We certainly don’t have that ‘me, me, me’ mentality. We don’t emphasize one player, ‘Get it to this player and let her do everything.’ Really, a lot of playing time is evenly distributed.”

On quick glance, the Lady Rangers are a smaller, more undersized group compared to other programs in their age division.

It’s become something of a motivating factor for Rangers players against larger, more physical opponents.

Vinson put it like this: “When other teams see us, we don’t look that good because most of our players are smaller, and it just gives us one more reason to want to win, because it’s just kind of proving them wrong.”

But, whatever the Lady Rangers may lack in stature, they’ve made up for with skill, speed and cohesion.

The approach served them well — evident in their 185-33 goal differential through the regular season and postseason combined.

“Because of the (lack of) size,” Cole said, “I really emphasized possession with the ball, a lot of touches, and I think that that really has been our forte early, instead of playing kick ball, which a lot of teams do. The quicker we can get rid of the ball, the better for us. We don’t want to be on the ball too long and get knocked off the ball with our size. …That’s the kind of soccer we like to play here.”

Following their banner season, the team’s success appears likely to continue, as much of the roster is expected to join together in U14. It’s also where new, exciting opportunities lie ahead.

The Lady Rangers will be partnering with the IMG Academy’s soccer development academy in Bradenton. IMG officials reached out to the Lutz-based club after seeing them play in the Florida State Cup.

The partnership means practicing multiple times per week at IMG’s world-class training facility and an uptick in out-of-state competition, as the team will regularly match up against elite programs throughout the southeastern United States.

“Every year we look for challenges,” Cole said of the IMG development academy initiative. “It’s a huge opportunity for these girls to consistently play tough teams.”

As part of the IMG development academy, the Lady Rangers are expected to have a larger coaching staff and a handful of new players added to the roster.

Those fresh faces will be a net positive for the club going forward, Vinson said.

“I think it’ll be good for us because we’ve always heard the same things from our coaches because we’ve had the same coaches, and so I think with different coaches and different players we’ll have different perspectives that’ll help us be better,” she said.

2018-2019 Lutz U13 Lady Rangers roster
Head Coach: Chris Cole

  • Chloe Carson (co-captain)
  • Skylar Cole
  • Jolie Farmer
  • Sarah Frazer
  • Jordan Fulop
  • Alexa Gilland
  • Sienna Gillespie
  • Maddie Green
  • Allison Souers
  • Melody Taylor
  • Miranda Valdes
  • Lola Vargas
  • Kaitlin Vinson (co-captain)

Published July 03, 2019

Locals make impact in college football ranks

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The college football regular season has come to a close, and dozens of players with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area showcased their skills on Saturdays in the fall.

More than 100 players from the area are a part of various programs at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Series (FCS) levels, as well as Division II, Division III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Here’s a closer look at a few of the top performers from the 2018 season:

Amani Oruwariye

Amani Oruwariye—Penn State University, redshirt senior cornerback
High School/Hometown: Gaither High School/Tampa

The former Gaither standout earned first-team All-Big 10 honors, finishing the season with three interceptions, 12 pass breakups and 48 tackles — part of a secondary that allowed 186.5 yards through the air per game, a number that ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference.

Some outlets, including Pro Football Focus and CBS Sports, project the 6-foot-1, 203-pound Oruwariye as a possible first-round talent in the 2019 NFL Draft, for his ideal size, ball skills and man-to-man coverage responsibilities.

Oruwariye is one of several Gaither alums playing at the Division I football ranks. Others include DeCalon Brooks (Florida State, redshirt freshman linebacker), Estefano Feliciano (Old Dominion, redshirt freshman linebacker), Donovan Jennings (South Florida, freshman offensive lineman), Cayden Jordan (Charleston Southern, freshman wide receiver), Shane McGough (Florida International, redshirt sophomore center) and Matthew Wood (Holy Cross, freshman linebacker).

Jaylen Pickett

Jaylen Pickett—Eastern Michigan University, senior linebacker
High School/Hometown: Zephyrhills High School/Zephyrhills

After playing in just six contests last season, the Zephyrhills High product bounced back for a productive senior campaign — registering 72 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and two sacks; and, helping Eastern Michigan (7-5) become bowl eligible for the second time in three years. Should Eastern Michigan earn a bowl bid, the 6-foot-1, 224-pound Pickett will suit up one final time as a Division I FBS football player.

Pickett also happens to be college teammates with another athlete with local ties — sophomore running back Willie Parker, who attended Carrollwood Day School.

The Pickett name is a familiar one in Zephyrhills — Jaylen’s father, Damian Pickett, and his  uncle, Ryan Pickett (13-year NFL veteran) are both former Bulldogs greats from the 1990s.

Scott Patchan

Scott Patchan—University of Miami, redshirt junior defensive end
High School/Hometown: IMG Academy/Freedom High School/New Tampa

Coming out of Freedom High (and transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton for his senior year), Patchan was one of the state’s most highly rated prospects in the 2015 recruiting class.

He’s finally starting to live up to the hype of being a four-star recruit who was once courted by blue blood programs like Florida State, Ohio State, Notre Dame and others.

After playing tight end for Miami last season, he moved back to his more natural position of defensive end, posting 23 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble in 11 games. He played in just five games the last two seasons combined.

Provided he stays healthy, look for the 6-foot-6, 255-pound Patchan to be one of Miami’s top defensive players next season.

Patchan is something of a Miami legacy, as his father Matt Patchan III won national titles with the Canes in 1983 and 1987.

DeCalon Brooks

DeCalon Brooks—Florida State University, redshirt freshman linebacker
High School/Hometown: Gaither High School/Tampa

The son of NFL Hall of Famer/Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Florida State legend Derrick Brooks appears set on paving his own legacy at the same institution his father once starred.

After logging repetitions on the Seminoles’ scout team last season—and dealing with a nagging knee injury throughout — the younger Brooks emerged to become one of the Seminoles’ more productive defensive players in 2018 — registering 46 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and forced fumble in 11 contests.

Moving forward, the undersized, yet speedy 5-foot-11, 211-pound backer looks to be a building block for a Seminoles program, which just suffered its first losing season (5-7) since 1976, under first-year head coach Willie Taggart.

Brooks is one of several young Seminoles with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, joining freshman defensive back Isaiah Bolden (Wesley Chapel High School), sophomore tight end Tre’ McKitty (Wesley Chapel native/Wesley Chapel High/IMG Academy) and freshman offensive lineman Chaz Neal (Wesley Chapel High).

Chris Faddoul

Chris Faddoul—Florida A&M University, sophomore punter
High School/Hometown: Wiregrass Ranch High School/Wesley Chapel

The former Wiregrass Ranch multi-sport star emerged as one of the nation’s premier specialists this season, earning first team All-MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) honors and leading the Division I FCS ranks in punting average (47.0 yards per punt) — up from 39.4 yards per punt he posted as a true freshman in 2017.

As a further show of Faddoul’s leg strength, 14 of 41 punts were 50 or more yards, including a long of 67 yards. He also tallied seven touchbacks, nine fair catches, and 17 punts inside the 20-yard line.

While at Wiregrass Ranch, it seemed as though no sport was off limits for Faddoul. He played football, soccer, tennis, and also competed in track & field.

Also noteworthy, Florida A&M has another Wesley Chapel native on its roster — sophomore safety Ellrie Allen, who prepped at Wesley Chapel High School.

Other news and notes on locals in college football:

—Former Zephyrhills High record-setting running back Antwione Sims made solid contributions in his freshman season at Samford University, tallying 150 rushing yards on 35 carries; also added 10 receptions for 80 yards and one touchdown.

—Before he suffered a torn ACL in late October, Dade City native/Pasco High/Tampa Bay Tech alum Mike Penix Jr., saw some action throughout his freshman season at Indiana University, completing 21 of 34 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown in three appearances.

—Wesley Chapel native/ Wesley Chapel High/IMG Academy product Tre’ McKitty had a strong sophomore campaign at the tight end spot for Florida State University, catching 26 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games.

— Former Wiregrass Ranch High standouts Jordan Miner (Penn State) and Daniel Biglow (Florida Atlantic University) were forced to retire from football before their college freshman seasons due to similar cardiovascular conditions. (Physicals revealed the sport would put too much stress on their hearts.) Miner and Biglow, who are cousins, helped Wiregrass Ranch to two straight playoff appearances in 2016 and 2017.

—Wesley Chapel High product Isaiah Bolden had his freshman season at Florida State University cut short when he suffered season-ending shoulder injury in September. Since Bolden played in only one game this season, NCAA rules allowed him to redshirt this season and have four more years of eligibility.

— Dade City natives and half-brothers Nate Craig-Myers (Pasco High/Tampa Catholic) and Jayvaughn Myers (Pasco High) both left the Auburn University football team in September.

Craig-Myers, a junior receiver, and Myers, a redshirt sophomore defensive back, both have two years of eligibility remaining at the program they transfer to. (The NCAA’s new redshirt rules allow players to play in up to four games before losing the ability to redshirt and preserve a season of eligibility.)

Published December 5, 2018

Foundation offers tennis lessons to Pasco youths

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Construction has yet to begin on the Sarah Vande Berg Memorial Tennis Center in Zephyrhills — but that hasn’t stopped the community from working to serve up more tennis opportunities to its underserved population.

Well before the new $3.5 million, 11-court facility opens off of Simons Road, dozens of underprivileged youth in east Pasco will get opportunities to learn the game through a new nonprofit —  the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Foundation.

Pascal Collard, center left, and Nick Bollettieri, right, stand at the net with some of the Nick Bollettieri and Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Clinic’s participants. (Fred Bellet)

The foundation is headed up by professional tennis instructor Pascal Collard, who will also manage the daily operations of the new tennis center bearing the same name.

Its overall purpose is to instill character, leadership and academics to children, through the game of tennis.

The foundation’s first major fundraiser was on Oct 5, at Arbor Green in New Tampa.

About 60 participants and another 40 volunteers turned out for a tennis clinic and gala headlined by International Tennis Hall of Fame coach Nick Bollettieri.

Bollettieri, 87, is renowned for grooming 10 world No. 1 players, including Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova and Dade City’s Jim Courier, among many others.

The legendary coach also is known for founding the IMG Academy in Bradenton — formerly the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy — which opened in 1978 as the world’s first full-time tennis boarding school.

The gala helped raise more than $10,000, which will be used to purchase tennis rackets and subsidize tennis camps for youth, who will begin learning the sport on the courts at Zephyr Park and will transition to the city’s new state-of-the-art facility expected to open in late 2019.

“This is going to help a lot of kids — kids that have probably never seen a tennis ball,” said Collard, a former tennis director at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy in Wesley Chapel from 2003 to 2006.

His training includes working with several widely known tennis pros, including Younes El Aynaoui and Martin Verkerk, both of whom coincidentally ranked as high as No. 14 in the ATP Tour rankings back in 2003.

It’s not Collard’s first outreach program.

While he was tennis director at The Merion Cricket Club — a private club in Haverford, Pennsylvania — Collard created a similar foundation called Down the Line and Beyond.

The Philadelphia-based nonprofit, which has grown to serve more than 1,600 underprivileged youths from 7 through 17, facilitates positive character and education development through tennis lessons.

Some of those youths have earned collegiate tennis scholarships.

“None of them would’ve played tennis — none— without the foundation. We are going to do the same thing over here (in Zephyrhills),” Collard said.

The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Foundation will begin its program with 25 kids to 50 kids, and hopes to grow it from there, Collard said. “We have to touch one life at a time.”

In preparation for the start of the tennis clinic, instructor Vincent Suillerot, 24, of Paris, France makes sure a sufficient number of tennis balls were on hand for each of the courts.

The foundation — and tennis center— is named after the former Zephyrhills High School district champion who became a scholarship player on the University of South Carolina Upstate women’s tennis team. Vande Berg, the daughter of the Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg, died in an automobile accident at the age of 21 in October 2015.

And, it’s all drawn the support of Bollettieri, a longtime friend of Collard’s.

Bollettieri, who lives in Sarasota, plans to visit Zephyrhills every six weeks to eight weeks to pitch in with foundation clinics and other events.

Instead of his well-documented coaching achievements, Bollettieri said he wants to be remembered for helping children, particularly those from inner cities and of lower socio-economic status.

He, along with fellow tennis Hall of Famer Arthur Ashe, started the Ashe-Bollettieri Cities Tennis program in the late 1980s, which introduced thousands of youth to the sport and helped hundreds achieve athletic or academic scholarships.

Of the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Foundation, Bollettieri said: “First of all, when you do things for charity, there’s no greater reward than helping out for a great cause. Pascal’s going to give an opportunity for a lot of boys and girls to make it in life.”

Tennis center to be draw for Zephyrhills
The tennis legend, too, is impressed with the design plans of the forthcoming Sarah Vande Berg Memorial Tennis Center.

“I think a lot of thought has gone into it,” Bollettieri said. “The big thing is, someday, if they could get a few indoor courts, whether it’s open on the sides or, if they can have at least a covered area, that would help tremendously.”

Renderings of the facility show 11 full-sized outdoor courts — a mix of clay and hard surfaces — built to U.S Tennis Association (USTA) professional standards.

Additionally, an 8,000-square-foot tennis center is expected to include a fitness/wellness center and cryotherapy room, a pro shop, a restaurant, conference and multipurpose rooms, a kid’s club and playground, a common area, office spaces and other features.

At some point, there’s also a possibility of phasing in a covered/indoor tennis court building that would have four full-size courts.

Though its architectural design plans are not yet final, the tennis center is expected to be complete “in about a year,” Steve Spina, who is city manager for Zephyrhills, said during the foundation fundraiser.

Preparing to check-in at the registration table, Lisa Strickland of New Tampa was among the 60 or so who participated in the Nick Bollettieri and Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Clinic at the Arbor Greene Community Center. Vande Berg was a former Zephyrhills High School district champion who became a scholarship player on the University of South Carolina Upstate women’s tennis team. Vande Berg, the daughter of the Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg, died in an automobile accident at the age of 21 in October 2015.

Along with city dollars, funding assistance for the project is coming from the state, recreation impact fees, USTA grants and Penny for Pasco, among other sources.

Besides its public recreational use, the facility will also be used to draw an assortment of regional and national tournaments to East Pasco.

“I think it brings us to a whole new level,” Spina said. “It’s just a facility like we’ve never seen, to really make us a player, nationally.

“I think it’s huge for the community,” added Collard. “It’s going to be a great impact in terms of visibility and awareness of Zephyrhills, and put them on the map.”

Vande Berg remembered on, off the court
Meantime, Todd Vande Berg is appreciative of having his late daughter’s name memorialized through the tennis foundation and the facility.

“If I lived in Tampa, I’m not sure this happens,” he said, “but to have a small, interlocked community like we have, that know the people and care for the people and support each other,  it’s pretty unique and special.”

Aside from her achievements on the court, Sarah Vande Berg was known for her friendliness and outgoing personality, her father said.

“She was super competitive on the court,” Todd Vande Berg said, “but the complete opposite off the court. Sarah loved people. She was super social. She befriended all the athletes, and not just the tennis athletes.”

Sarah, too, was known for her work with children with special needs.

“Sarah had a special place in her heart towards special needs kids,” her father said. “They just seemed to gravitate to her.”

Published October 24, 2018

Wiregrass Ranch High loses top rusher

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One of Pasco County’s top running backs is taking his talents south — to Hillsborough County.

Senior 1,000-yard rusher Da Da McGee has transferred from Wiregrass Ranch High School to Hillsborough High School, just weeks before the start of the 2017 prep football season.

Senior running back Da Da McGee, pictured far left, has transferred from Wiregrass Ranch High to Hillsborough High. McGee was one of the top rushers in Pasco County last season, totaling 1,063 yards and 11 touchdowns on 180 carries. He is the latest high-profile transfer from Wiregrass Ranch, joining cornerback Shamaur McDowell and athlete Raymond Woodie III, who left the program in June. (Courtesy of Tom Ketchum, PascoCountyfb.com)

McGee was one of seven tailbacks in Pasco County to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark last season, rushing for 1,063 yards and 11 touchdowns on 180 carries.

And, he was one of just three tailbacks in east Pasco to accomplish the feat, joining Wesley Chapel’s Dexter Leverett (1,249 rush yards, 10 touchdowns) and Bishop McLaughlin’s Luis Valentin (1,072 rush yards, 11 touchdowns).

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound McGee also led Wiregrass Ranch in rushing his sophomore year (333 yards, three touchdowns), despite missing five games with a shoulder injury.

Losing McGee, a 2016 SAC (Sunshine Athletic Conference) East All-Conference First-Team Selection, marks a significant and the latest — blow to the Wiregrass Ranch football squad.

In June, the Bulls saw two other top players — cornerback Shamaur McDowell and athlete Raymond Woodie III— exit the program.

McDowell — a three-star prospect and University of Minnesota commit — transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, while Woodie III — a four-star prospect boasting over 20 scholarship offers — moved to Eugene, Oregon, with his family.

Yet, Wiregrass Ranch — coming off its best season in school history (7-3, District 7A-8 runner-up) — still remains a solid team, under third-year coach Mark Kantor.

The Bulls return senior cornerback Jordan Miner, a Penn State University commit and four-star prospect regarded as one of the premier players in the Tampa Bay area.

At Hillsborough, McGee will play for Earl Garcia, the winningest active coach in Hillsborough County with 236 victories. Garcia has produced more than 200 scholarship student-athletes. He’s also coached 15 players who went on to make NFL active rosters. (Courtesy of Hillsborough High School)

The Bulls also appear to have a promising starting quarterback in junior Grant Sessums.

With McGee’s departure, senior fullback Chase Oliver (443 yards, 7 touchdowns in 2016) figures to garner additional carries, as a between-the-tackles power runner.

McGee, meanwhile, joins a Hillsborough High program steeped in tradition since head coach Earl Garcia took over in 1993.

Garcia, the winningest active coach in Hillsborough County with 236 victories, has produced more than 200 scholarship student-athletes. He’s also coached 15 players who went on to make NFL active rosters.

Hillsborough High went 8-2 last season, but lost several key playmakers, including defensive end Zachary Carter (University of Florida signee) and running back Duran Bell Jr. (University of South Florida signee).

Besides Bell Jr., Hillsborough High graduated its other top two rushers in Drequan McCullough (494 rush yards, four touchdowns) and Russell Booth (192 rush yards, four touchdowns), giving McGee the inside track to become the team’s starting tailback.

–Stats compiled by MaxPreps.com–

2017 Kickoff Classic schedule
Schedules for the 2017 Statewide Kickoff Classic preseason football games have been released. All kickoff classics are scheduled for 7 p.m. Here’s a list of games involving Pasco County teams in the The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Aug. 17
Land O’ Lakes High School at Wesley Chapel High School

Aug. 18
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School at Superior Collegiate High School
Cypress Creek Middle High at Fivay High School
Mitchell High School at Zephyrhills High School
Ridgewood High School at Pasco High School
Wiregrass Ranch High School at Clearwater Central Catholic High School
Gulf High School at Zephyrhills Christian Academy
Lakewood High School at Sunlake High School

Published August 16, 2017

Wiregrass Ranch football loses two playmakers

By

The 2017 football season is two months away, but one of Pasco County’s top teams already has taken a hit.

In a week’s span, two varsity standouts from Wiregrass Ranch High School — cornerback Shamaur McDowell and quarterback/safety Raymond Woodie III — have exited the rising program, which last season finished Class 7A, District 8 runner-up, making its first playoff appearance since 2010.

Senior cornerback Shamaur McDowell has transferred to IMG Academy, a boarding school and sport-training destination in Bradenton. (File)

On June 16, Woodie III, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior, announced he was enrolling at Sheldon High School in Eugene, Oregon, a move that allows him to reconnect with his father, an assistant football coach at the University of Oregon.

“…I would like to thank everyone at Wiregrass for taking me in and giving me the opportunity to be successful on and off the football field,” Woodie III said, in a statement. “I will forever be grateful to the coaches and players, and wish them nothing but the best this season. With that being said, my family and I have decided it is best for me to move out to Oregon with them and attend Sheldon High School.”

Just four days later, McDowell, a 5-foot-11, 184-pound senior, announced his intention to transfer to IMG Academy, a boarding school and sport-training destination in Bradenton.

“My parents and I felt like it was the best decision,” McDowell said, in a statement. “It will allow me to focus on being the best student-athlete I can be. It will also prepare me for the next stage in my life.”

Both are widely regarded as elite prospects for their respective classes.

And, noteworthy losses for Wiregrass Ranch, which figures to be one of the better teams in Pasco in 2017.

Woodie III, who landed at Wiregrass Ranch after transferring from Carrollwood Day School in the offseason, is rated by 247Sports as a three-star prospect and the nation’s eighth-best dual-threat quarterback for the 2019 class, and boasts scholarship offers from over 20 Division I football programs.

McDowell, a three-year varsity player for the Bulls and verbal commit to the University of Minnesota, is rated by 247Sports as a three-star prospect and ranked among the state’s top 300 players for the 2018 class; he also holds scholarship offers from nearly 20 Division I schools.

Junior quarterback/safety Raymond Woodie III has transferred to Sheldon High School in Eugene, Oregon, a move that allows him to reconnect with his father, an assistant football coach at the University of Oregon. (File)

For McDowell, the transfer to IMG Academy offers an opportunity to further enhance his skills, and raise his national profile.

The academy, ranked as the top prep program in Florida, typically plays a national schedule.

This season, IMG Academy (11-0 in 2016) will play games in Arizona, California, Maryland, Washington D.C., Utah, Alabama and Virginia, facing some of the nation’s other top prep football schools.

Throughout the school year, McDowell will receive training inside state-of-the art facilities from a staff of full-time coaches, trainers and nutritionists.

He will also compete alongside other top talent — IMG’s entire roster is actively recruited by FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools.

Meanwhile, the Bulls remain stockpiled with impact players, even with the two departures.

It all starts with senior defensive back Jordan Miner.

The four-star prospect is ranked one of the state’s top 50 players for the 2018 recruiting class, and claims nearly 30 Division I scholarship offers, including Penn State University, University of Maryland, University of North Carolina and University of Tennessee, among others.

Last season for the Bulls, the 6-foot-1, 177-pound Miner tallied 38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and 12 passes defensed.

He also racked up nearly 500 all-purpose yards on offense, defense and special teams.

Besides Miner, the Bulls have numerous players with standing college scholarships offers, including wide receiver/safety Daniel Biglow (Fort Lewis College), safety/running back Kwesi Littlejohn (Webber International University), tight end/defensive end Devaun Roberts (Warner University, Webber International) and wide receiver/slot back Adrian Thomas (Webber International).

The return of 1,000-yard rusher Da Da McGee and a potential breakout campaign from junior quarterback Grant Sessums should also help mask the exodus of Woodie III and McDowell.

Save for anymore unforeseen departures from the program, the Bulls look to build on last season’s success, under third-year coach Mark Kantor.

Kantor, who previously coached at Hudson High School, orchestrated an impressive turnaround from 2015 (2-8 record) to 2016 (7-3 record).

But, the upcoming season won’t be easy.

Besides facing tough district opponents like Plant, Gaither and Wharton high schools, the Bulls kick off the 2017 slate against nondistrict opponents Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel and Sunlake high schools — which went a combined 22-7 last season.

The challenging schedule may come in handy near playoff time, however.

The Florida High School Athletic Association’s new playoff system for football stresses strength of schedule, along with overall record. After the four district champs in Class 7A, Region 2, the other four playoff teams will be determined by a points-based system.

In preparation for the rigors of a demanding 2017 schedule, Kantor arranged a May 19 spring game against Tampa Catholic (33-27 loss) and August 18 preseason classic against Clearwater Central Catholic (9-2 record in 2016).

—Stats were supplied by coaches on Maxpreps.com

Wiregrass Ranch High 2017 football schedule
Aug. 18 – at Clearwater Central Catholic
Aug. 25 – Zephyrhills High School
Sept. 1- at Wesley Chapel High School
Sept. 8 – Sunlake High School
Sept. 15 – at Sickles High School
Sept. 22 – Wharton High School
Oct. 6 – at Gaither High School
Oct. 13 — at Freedom High School
Oct. 20 — Leto High School
Oct. 27 — Plant High School
Nov. 3 – at Auburndale High School

Published July 5, 2017

Wharton track standout leaves legacy of excellence

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Bryanna Rivers’ name won’t soon be forgotten at Wharton High School.

She lays claim to three school track records — one individual, two relays.

She’s amassed 11 state track medals — the most in program history.

Wharton High senior Bryanna Rivers has earned 11 state medals — the most in the school’s track program. She has earned a full-ride Division I athletic scholarship to the University of Massachusetts.
(Kevin Weiss)

And, she’s just the second track athlete at Wharton to earn a full-ride Division I athletic scholarship — to the University of Massachusetts; the other was hurdler/sprinter Teona Rodgers, who graduated Wharton in 2007 and attended Florida State University.

Rivers, a senior, placed second in the 800-meter run at the 2017 Florida High School Track & Field State Championships, held May 5 and May 6 at IMG Academy in Bradenton.

She ran a blistering time of 2:10.51 —narrowly behind Miami Southridge’s Kayla Johnson, a University of Miami signee, who clocked 2:10.39.

For Rivers, it was both a personal record and a school record.

”That was probably my biggest accomplishment,” she said about her prep track career.

The local track star shined in other state events, too.

She placed eighth in the mile (5:12.39) and was the anchor leg of Wharton’s 4×400-meter relay that placed third (3:50.21).

Reaching — and performing well — at the highest level is certainly not foreign to Rivers.

In all four years, she’s advanced to the state finals in multiple events, earning corresponding medals.

Besides claiming school records in the 800-meter run and 4×400 (3:48.23) and 4×800 (9:22.04) relays, Rivers is second all-time in the school’s 400 meter (56.32) and 1,500 meter (5:00.95) races, and third in the 1,600 meter (5:04.80).

Wharton’s Bryanna Rivers, left, edges Riverview’s Bailey Hertenstein in the girls 800-meter run, during the Class 4A Region 2 track meet on April 29. A week later at states, Rivers finished second in the 800-meter run (2:10.51), breaking personal and school records.
(Courtesy of Tyler Copeland)

That versatility to excel in short and long distances makes Rivers unique, said Kyle LoJacono, her personal track coach.

“She’s so phenomenally athletic and gifted,” said LoJacono, who also coaches the Wharton boys track team. “She has that natural fast-twitch muscle fiber; she can pretty much be entered anywhere from six to maybe 10 events, and really help a college program.”

Her success didn’t come without some growing pains, however.

Rivers almost quit the sport entirely between her sophomore and junior years.

Though still a standout runner, she wasn’t seeing improvement dating back to her middle school years.

“I wasn’t really getting the results I needed to,” Rivers said. “I came in as an eighth- grader as a 2:14 (800 meter), and at the meets I couldn’t get under a 2:16, so I was just like really disappointed in myself.

“I was so frustrated; there’s definitely a moment where I was doubting myself and thought about stopping.”

All she needed was an altered workout regimen.

“She needed something different,” said her father, Neil Rivers. “She was basically going through three-quarters of her junior year and ran faster as a seventh-grader than she had in three years of high school.

“We had to make some tweaks and had to make some changes.”

That’s when LoJacono agreed to become her trainer, beginning April 1 of last year.

He repurposed Bryanna’s training, placing additional focus on volume running —upping mileage and pace.

He also reduced the number of races Bryanna entered.

“Even though her volume came up on her workouts, we cut her race volume — just to get her much fresher,” LoJacono explained.

Her passion for running was soon rediscovered.

The race numbers — beginning with the AAU club circuit — reflected it, too.

Last June, Bryanna finished sixth in the 800-meter run (2:12.52) in the Emerging Elite division at New Balance High School Outdoor Nationals, in Greensboro North Carolina.

Interest from college track programs ensued.

“That all of a sudden really set her recruiting world on fire; it was a very busy summer for her on the recruiting side,” Neil Rivers said.

She settled on the University of Massachusetts, located about 1,300 miles north of Tampa.

“It ended up being my favorite visit,” Bryanna Rivers said. “They really took the time to get to know me.

“Looking at my options, that was the place that would be most comfortable,” she added.

Besides track, Bryanna will run cross-country for UMass; she plans to study biology and intends to become a postpartum nurse.

One thing she’ll miss back home is the chance to run with her two siblings, sophomore Tre Rivers and freshman Nia Rivers.
“This year was the first year that all three of us ran high school at the same time; it was just so much fun,” Bryanna said.
But, she hopes her success can motivate them to earn athletic scholarships one day.

“Hopefully, I can influence them, like, ‘You can do it, if you just work hard,’” Bryanna Rivers. “I just see them have such a passion for it, and they’re just really determined.”

Meanwhile, Bryanna’s high school career isn’t totally finished.

She will again compete on the club circuit this summer, running for the Trailblazers Youth Athletic Ministry; her last prep competition is the New Balance Nationals Outdoor, on June 18.

Published May 31, 2017