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John Benedetto Stadium

Top moments in sports during 2018

December 26, 2018 By Kevin Weiss

Teams captured state titles and local athletes turned in outstanding performances, during a year that brought shining moments and lasting memories.

Here are some of the highlights, from across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

USA Women’s Hockey, fans celebrate gold in Wesley Chapel
Just days after celebrating a gold medal win in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, the USA women’s ice hockey team returned to where their remarkable journey started — Wesley Chapel.

The U.S. women’s national ice hockey team posed for pictures on Feb. 28 at Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel. The team spent more than five months training at the facility and lodging at Saddlebrook Resort. (File)

That’s where the team spent more than five months preparing for the Winter Olympics, training at Florida Hospital Center Ice and lodging at Saddlebrook Resort. It’s also where daily practices, off-ice testing and intra-squad scrimmages were used to determine the 23 players selected in May for the Team USA roster.

The team spent the better part of an hour on the afternoon of Feb. 28 greeting fans, posing for pictures and signing autographs at the Center Ice facility.

The event drew excitement from hockey enthusiasts, such as Wesley Chapel’s Rob Simonelli, who was prideful of the fact the Olympic team trained in his hometown.

“I just was excited that this was their home base. Just following them when they made this their home was kind of cool,” Simonelli said, at the time.

“They’re really friendly, and it’s nice that they decided to come and just kind of say ‘Hey’ to the people,” he added.

The surprise visit was part of a nationwide media blitz that also took them to Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York City.

The week prior, the team defeated Canada in a 3-2 shootout to win gold, ending a 20-year drought for the women’s hockey program.

Florida Hospital Center Ice was picked as Team USA’s training ground over such hockey facilities in Boston, Chicago and other cities — placing a feather in Pasco County’s cap in its quest to become a top-notch sports tourism destination.

The time spent by the Olympic gold medalists in Wesley Chapel led them to later be dubbed by some residents as ‘Pasco’s team.’

The stay in Wesley Chapel likewise proved special for the elite athletes, from top-flight training digs and hospitality, to the warm, sunny weather.

Said defenseman Cayla Barnes, then the youngest member of Team USA at 19 years old: “These facilities were awesome, the staff here was amazing, and they really helped us with everything we needed. It was great to be down here, such nice weather, and really nice to train out here in preparation for the games.”

Added two-time Olympian and forward Kendall Coyne: “Hockey in Florida was new to a lot of us, but I don’t think it took long for us to realize that hockey is serious in Florida.”

Local small-school sprinter wins state title
It’s not often a small-school athlete gets to celebrate on a big stage.

But, that’s what happened to Zephyrhills Christian Academy senior Evan Miller.

He captured the Class 1A boys 100-meter dash title in a blistering 10.75 seconds at the Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships, at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy senior Evan Miller won first place in the 1A boys 100-meter dash in 10.75 seconds at the Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships.

The senior was also the final leg of the school’s gold-medal winning 4×100-meter relay team that scorched the competition with a 42.10 second mark — joining junior NyJohn Moody, sophomore Tyler Davis and senior Calvin Samuel.

Those marked the only first-place finishes at the state track & field meet among athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

It’s also noteworthy, considering Zephyrhills Christian has about 250 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade and was in just its second year offering a boys and girls track & field program.

For Miller, the memorable showing had been a year in the making.

The previous summer, the multi-sport athlete suffered a broken ankle during a 7-on-7 football tournament.

The injury forced Miller, a standout defensive back, to miss several games in the fall as a member of the Zephyrhills Christian varsity football team.

Unable to hit the gridiron, Miller hit the starting blocks instead, as part of his rehabilitation process.

The newfound sport proved to be his true calling.

Miller linked up with well-regarded AAU track coach and personal trainer BB Roberts, who runs the Wesley Chapel-based Speed Starz Track Club, and lists NFL and MLB athletes as training clientele.

Roberts, a former track star in his own right at Wesley Chapel High School and Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College, worked to correct Miller’s running form and technique, among other tips.

The fixtures shaved Miller’s 100-meter personal record from a still-impressive 11.2 to a 10.69 — which he set at the Steinbrenner High Invitational in early April.

Miller is now a freshman sprinter at Division I University of South Carolina, where he’s training under the Olympic pedigree of legendary head coach Curtis Frye.

Academy at the Lakes wins first state softball title
Buoyed by a longtime Division I coach in Diane Stephenson, one of the state’s top arms in Lexi Kilfoyl, and a potent offense averaging nearly seven runs per game, the 2018 Academy at the Lakes varsity softball team lived up to the preseason hype — finishing with a remarkable 26-4 record and winning its first-ever Class 2A state championship.

The state crown was a follow-up to an impressive 20-win season and regional final appearance in 2017.

Academy at the Lakes varsity softball won the FHSAA Class 2A state title on May 22 after defeating Monticello Aucilla Christian 1-0 in 11 innings. The Wildcats finished the season 26-4.

For the Wildcats, the most dramatic moment of the 2018 campaign came in its most important game.

Academy at the Lakes outlasted Monticello Aucilla Christian 1-0 in 11 innings on May 22 at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, in a game that featured a pitcher’s duel through wet, muddy conditions.

Kilfoyl, then a junior, outlasted Aucilla Christian senior and Florida signee Elizabeth Hightower by unleashing a 13-strikeout, fourth-hit shutout.

The softball sensation and Alabama signee also did some work with the bat.

Kilfoyl was responsible for the game-winning single that allowed freshman shortstop Brooke Blankenship to score on a two-out single in the 11th inning — unseating an Aucilla Christian program that had won state crowns two of the last three years.

Forecasting ahead, a state title repeat for the Wildcats  in 2019 certainly seems within reach.

Kilfoyl and Stephenson return, as do much of the key contributors from its state-winning squad.

Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex breaks ground
The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex’s June 7 groundbreaking represented a major step for Pasco County, as it looks to become a premier sports tourism destination in the years ahead.

Expected to open in late 2019, the $44 million, 98,000-square-foot complex is slated to feature eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, a cheer and dance studio, a fitness center, and sports medicine and athletic training offerings.

The $44 million Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is expected to open in late 2019. The 98,000-square-foot complex will have eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, a cheer and dance studio, a fitness center, and sports medicine and athletic training offerings. Also, besides the indoor gym, the complex will have seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground.

In addition to its indoor offerings, the complex will have seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground.

The complex — being built off State Road 54, near The Shops at Wiregrass— will operate on Monday through Thursday as a community-based sports center for youth, adults and seniors, while weekends will be set aside to host tournaments, competitions and other events that will generate hotel stays and tax revenues for the county.

The county will own the facility and share in anticipated profits with RADD Sports, a private company that will operate and manage the sports complex.

Officials say annual economic impact would be about $6.5 million for the new facility. Over 10 years, about $8 million or more in sales and use taxes would be generated, not including tourism taxes from hotel stays, officials say.

The  complex adds to a growing list of premier, state-of-the art sports facilities in east Pasco — and further markets the area as a sports tourism destination primarily for youth and amateur sports.

Other nearby offerings include Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, which opened in early 2017 as the largest hockey complex in the southeastern United States; Saddlebrook Resort & Spa, an upscale resort renowned for world-class golf and tennis training; and, Wesley Chapel District Park, which sits on 144 acres and contains 10 full-size athletic fields, and lighted outdoor tennis courts and basketball courts. Efforts also recently began in a quest to build a premier aquatics facility in Land O’ Lakes, as well as a multimillion dollar tennis complex in Zephyrhills.

Land O’ Lakes High honors ‘Voice of the Gators’
For Land O’ Lakes High School, the 2018 ‘Butter Bowl’ will go down as one of the most historic, as the Gators football team finally cracked an eight-game losing streak to crosstown rival Sunlake High School, with a 35-24 home victory.

Matt Connor, top, and Meaghan Connor of Land O’ Lakes positioned Mike Connor on the sideline area for a dedication of the press box in his name.

The most enduring moment of that Sept. 14 evening, however, happened right before kickoff.

That’s when a special dedication ceremony was held to honor longtime athletics booster Mike Connor. The press box space at John Benedetto Stadium named the Mike Connor Family Press Box.

The dedication drew dozens of friends and family, as well as current and former Gators coaches, who showed their support and appreciation for Connor, who passed away a month later at age 69.

Connor, a volunteer at the school since 1989, was instrumental in building a sustainable athletic and football booster club. His efforts also helped established a yearly scholarship fund for a male and female at the high school.

Connor, too, served as the ‘Voice of the Gators,’ calling the action of every Friday night home game for nearly two decades, and creating catchphrases, such as ‘a gaggle of Gators.’

An area business owner and Land O’ Lakes resident since 1982, Connor operated Taco John’s on the corner of State Road 54 and U.S. 41, as well as Beef O’ Brady’s in Wilderness Lakes. He was also noted for being a key part of the early successes of the Flapjack Festival and, later, in helping to create the Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest.

Academy at the Lakes wins its second straight football title
Following last year’s historic eight-man state title run, questions swirled about how the Academy at the Lakes football program would handle a newfound target on its back and the loss of several impactful players.

The team responded with aplomb— finishing with a perfect 10-0 record and winning its second straight eight-man state title, downing Miami Citi Christian Academy Fire 36-18 in the Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) championship game on Dec. 8, at Southeastern University in Lakeland.

In contrast to last year’s Wildcats team that relied heavily on do-it-all running back/linebacker Daniel Gonzalez — the  2017 Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) Heisman Trophy winner — the 2018 squad was forced to play together in all phases of the game.

Filled with new faces and inexperience at some positions, the Wildcats proved to be greater than the sum of its parts, winning games by way of stout defense and timely offense.

The Wildcats, too, showed their share of resiliency throughout the season.

For instance, they withstood a nagging early season injury to senior tailback Jamaal Johnson, who was expected to be one of the most dynamic players on offense; instead, he was only able to play bits and pieces of games from mid-October through the end of the season.

Meanwhile, in the playoffs, the Wildcats overcame a 16-0 halftime deficit in the state semifinals game against Duval Charter, ripping off 27 unanswered points to send them to the state championship game. The state title game also proved to be a test of mettle, as the Wildcats held onto a 22-18 lead late into the fourth quarter before pulling away for good.

Here’s a rundown of some other notable highlights throughout 2018:

  • Zephyrhills shuffleboard great Earl Ball surpasses 1,000 career points
  • Steinbrenner High School baseball coach John Crumbley enters the Florida High School Athletic Hall of Fame
  • Gaither High School alum/Florida International University quarterback Alex McGough is drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft
  • Land O’ Lakes High School’s Sydny Nasello wins Class 3A Player of the Year, and is named a 2018 Miss Soccer finalist
  • Saint Leo men’s lacrosse becomes the state’s first lacrosse program to make a national championship appearance
  • Carrollwood Day School varsity baseball reaches program’s first state final four
  • Academy at the Lakes varsity baseball celebrates its first winning season
  • Land O’ Lakes High School is one of three Pasco Schools named a Special Olympics National Banner Unified Champion School
  • Land O’ Lakes youth resident Brett Swanbom wins a world championship as a member of the 2018 U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team
  • Sunlake High School girls swimming & diving team unseats Land O’ Lakes High School to win the 2018 Sunshine Athletic Conference Championships
  • Former Gaither High School/current Hillsborough High School football coach Earl Garcia becomes all-time winningest coach in Tampa Bay
  • Wiregrass Ranch junior linebacker Dylan Ridolph sets the Pasco County record for career sacks, with 37
  • Longtime Sunlake High School football coach Bill Browning retires following a 29-year head coaching career throughout the North Suncoast
  • Zephyrhills High School football records an undefeated 10-0 regular season
  • Wesley Chapel High School basketball coach Doug Greseth wins 500th career game

Published December 26, 2018

Filed Under: Local Sports Tagged With: Academy at the Lakes, Alex McGough, BB Roberts, Beef O' Brady's, Bill Browning, Brett Swanbom, Brooke Blankenship, Calvin Samuel, Carrollwood Day School, Cayla Barnes, Coffeyville Community College, Daniel Gonzalez, Diane Stephenson, Doug Greseth, Duval Charter, Dylan Ridolph, Earl Ball, Earl Garcia, Elizabeth Hightower, Evan Miller, Flapjack Festival, Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools, Florida High School Athletic Association, Florida Hospital Center Ice, Heisman Trophy, Jamaal Johnson, John Benedetto Stadium, John Crumbley, Kendall Coyne, Land O' Lakes High School, Lexi Kilfoyl, Miami Citi Christian Academy, Mike Connor, Monticello Aucilla Christian, North Suncoast, NyJohn Moody, RADD Sports, Rob Simonelli, Saddlebrook Resort, Saint Leo University, Special Olympics, Speed Starz Track Club, State Rod 54, Steinbrenner High School, Sunlake High School, Sunshine Athletic Conference, Swamp Fest, Sydny Nasello, Taco John's, The Shops at Wiregrass, Tyler Davis, U.S. 41, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina, USA Women's Hockey, Wesley Chapel District Park, Wesley Chapel High School, Winter Olympics, Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex, Zephyrhills Christian Academy

Prep football midseason review

September 26, 2018 By Kevin Weiss

With five weeks of high school football in the books, the midway point of the 2018 season has been reached.

Here’s a look at some of the storylines and highlights from schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Boisterous Bulldogs
No Charles Harrison III? No problem. The Zephyrhills High Bulldogs have maintained their winning ways, even without the prolific and record-setting signal-caller, who graduated last season and now plays for Division III Brevard College in North Carolina.

The Zephyrhills High Bulldogs have successfully built off last season’s 10-2 campaign with a 4-0 start in 2018. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills High School)

The Bulldogs offense (29.3 points per game) isn’t quite as prolific as last season when Harrison III was under center (41 points per game), however, they’ve managed with a balanced attack through the air and ground.

Meanwhile, an extremely stingy defense (13 points allowed per game) has made life difficult for the opposition.

Zephyrhills could foreseeably run the table for the regular season, considering just one of its remaining foes has a winning record — Wesley Chapel High School, at 3-2 overall — and that’s a home game, where the Bulldogs are 13-2 since 2016.

Further, the Bulldogs arguably have the most talented squad in Pasco County, with bona fide Division I  FBS talent in receiver/defensive back Ja’quan Sheppard and running back/defensive back Cartrell Strong, among other future college prospects.

Also noteworthy: Bulldogs third-year head coach Nick Carroll is off to one of the best coaching starts in county history, with a remarkable 23-5 record since taking over for former coach Reggie Roberts in 2016. That includes 13 straight regular season wins dating back to last season.

Galvanized Gators
The hiring of Chad Walker, a first-time high school head football coach, is thus far paying off for the Land O’ Lakes High Gators.

The Land O’ Lakes High Gators are off to a 3-1 start under first-year head coach Chad Walker. (File)

At 3-1, the Gators are off to their best start since 2013, when the program last had a winning season and finished 8-2.

Whatever happens the remainder of 2018, this season will go down in lore for Land O’ Lakes.

That’s because the Gators broke an eight-game losing streak in the annual Butter Bowl rivalry game against Sunlake High, with a convincing 34-25 home win on Sept. 14. The historic win also coincided with the renaming of the press box at John Benedetto Stadium to the Mike Connor Family Press Box, after the longtime athletics booster and former Voice of the Gators.

Besides a road game against Mitchell High on Oct. 26, the Gators have a manageable slate and very well could complete what’s been a long time coming: a winning season. It also doesn’t hurt that the Gators have one of the county’s top offensive playmakers in senior tailback Kyle Leivas, who’s already tallied 613 rushing yards and six total touchdowns, including two straight 200-yard rushing performances against, respectively, Cypress Creek Middle High (224 yards on 25 carries) and Sunlake (223 yards on 19 carries).

Cool, confident Coyotes
After going winless in its first season as a program, victories are finally coming to the Cypress Creek Middle High Coyotes and second-year head coach Mike Johnson.

Cypress Creek captured the program’s first-ever win on Sept. 7, defeating Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High 42-22 on the road. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek Middle High School)

The upstart program already has two wins on the year, against Bishop McLaughlin Catholic and Pasco high schools.

Also, unlike last season, the Coyotes actually have a senior class.

Among the 12 seniors, the Coyotes have received significant contributions from tailback/safety Tim Ford-Brown, receiver/linebacker/punter Quinton Spears and receiver/safety/defensive end Devin Santana, among others.

Meantime, twin brothers Jehlani Warren, a junior quarterback, and Jalen Warren, a junior receiver, have made the Coyotes a fun watch, as they’ve hooked up for a bevy of big plays and touchdowns this season.

Going forward, expectations should remain modest for a program stepping into the ever-growing competitive area.

Yet, don’t be shocked if the Coyotes pull out another win or two before the end of the 2018 season.

Slow start, strong finish?
While Land O’ Lakes High is experiencing its best start in years, crosstown rival Sunlake High  is struggling with a 1-3 mark.

For the second straight year, Sunlake has opened with a 1-3 mark. (File)

Besides Land O’ Lakes, the Seahawks have faced stiff competition out of the gate, losing to Wiregrass Ranch High and to Zephyrhills High, in overtime.

The Seahawks did, however, open the season with a 25-0 road win over Wesley Chapel High — never an easy task.

The second half of the season shouldn’t be quite as daunting. However, it does include a string of three straight road games in October against Cypress Creek, Pasco and Brooksville Central high schools, respectively.

Interestingly, Sunlake also started off 1-3 last season, before rolling to a 4-6 finish — its first losing season since 2009.

Earl Garcia (File)

Major milestone
Former Gaither High/Boca Ciega High and current Hillsborough High head coach Earl Garcia is one win away from tying former Chamberlain High coach Billy Turner as the all-time winningest coach in Tampa Bay history (254).

Garcia, who coached at Gaither from 1987 to 1991, has a career record of 253-103, including nine 10-win seasons.

Garcia was recently inducted into Gaither’s inaugural football Hall of Fame, joining Greg Callahan, Denny Haywood, Kenny Huebner, Terry Jordan, Chad Muilenberg, Cesar Paz, James Puckett and Lydell Ross.

Garcia at Gaither
1987 — Gaither (7-4)
1988 — Gaither (6-4)
1989 — Gaither (4-6)
1990 — Gaither (3-7)
1991 — Gaither (5-5)

Stat Stuffers
—Tony Bartalo, Gaither High, junior quarterback: Most efficient quarterback in the always tough District 8-7A, completing 72.4 percent of his throws for 627 yards and seven touchdowns.

Land O’ Lakes High senior tailback Kyle Leivas (File)

—Desmin Green, Pasco High, junior quarterback: One of the county’s most effective quarterbacks, completing 56 percent of his passes for 602 yards, and nine touchdowns and four interceptions; also has 227 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns

—Kyle Leivas, Land O’ Lakes High, senior tailback: County’s second leading rusher with 613 yards and four touchdowns on 84 carries; in total has 977 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns.

—Jalen Warren, Cypress Creek Middle High, junior receiver: County’s second leading receiver with 16 catches for 321 yards and five touchdowns.

Wiregrass Ranch High junior linebacker Dylan Ridolph (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School)

—Logan Kilburn, Steinbrenner High, senior linebacker: Second in the state with 70 total tackles; also has four sacks and eight tackles for loss.

—Dylan Ridolph, Wiregrass Ranch High, junior linebacker: Tied for state lead with 14 sacks; also has 44 total tackles and 21 tackles for loss.

Schools in Laker/Lutz News Coverage Area (and their current 2018 records)

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

Freedom High School Patriots (Class 7A-Region 8): 1-4 overall, district 0-2

Gaither High School Cowboys (Class 7A-Region 8): 3-2 overall, 1-1 district

Steinbrenner High School Warriors (Class 8A-Region 6): 1-4 overall, 0-2 district

Pasco County:
Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man Florida Christian Region 2): 2-0 overall, 2-0 district

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent-Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC): 2-1, 2-0 district

Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (Class 4A-Region 3): 2-3 overall, 0-0 district

Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (Class 6A-Region 6): 3-1 overall, 1-0 district

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

Sunlake High School Seahawks (Class 6A-Region 6): 1-3 overall, 0-1 district

Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (Class 5A-Region 8): 3-2 overall, 2-0 district

Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (Class 7A-Region 8): 3-2 overall, 1-1 district

Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (Class 5A-Region 8): 4-0 overall, 1-0 district

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

Published September 26, 2018

Filed Under: Local Sports Tagged With: Academy at the Lakes, Billy Turner, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, Boca Ciega High School, Brevard College, Brooksville Central High School, Butter Bowl, Carrollwood Day School, Cartrell Strong, Cesar Paz, Chad Muilenberg, Chad Walker, Chamberlain High School, Charles Harrison III, Cypress Creek Middle High School, Denny Haywood, Desmin Green, Devin Santana, Dylan Ridolph, Earl Garcia, Freedom High School, Gaither High School, Greg Callahan, Ja’quan Sheppard, Jalen Warren, James Puckette, Jehlani Warren, John Benedetto Stadium, Kenny Huebner, Kyle Leivas, Land O' Lakes High School, Logan Kilburn, Lydell Ross, Mike Johnson, Mitchell High School, Nick Carroll, Pasco High School, Quinton Spears, Reggie Roberts, Steinbrenner High School, Sunlake High School, Terry Jordan, Tim Ford-Brown, Tony Bartalo, Wesley Chapel High School, Wiregrass Ranch High School, Zephyrhills Christian Academy, Zepyrhills High School

Land O’ Lakes High honors ‘Voice of the Gators’

September 19, 2018 By Kevin Weiss

For Land O’ Lakes High School, this year’s ‘Butter Bowl’ will go down as one of the most historic, as the Gators football team finally cracked an eight-game losing streak to crosstown rival Sunlake High School, with a 35-24 home victory.

Matt Connor, top, and Meaghan Connor of Land O’ Lakes positioned Mike Connor on the sideline area for a dedication of the press box in his name. (Fred Bellet)

The most enduring moment of the evening, however, came right before kickoff.

That’s when a special dedication ceremony was held to honor longtime athletics booster Mike Connor. The press box space at John Benedetto Stadium was named the ‘Mike Connor Family Press Box.’

Connor, a volunteer at the school since 1989, was instrumental in building a sustainable athletic and football booster club.

He is noted for being a key part of the early successes of the Flapjack Festival and, later, in helping to create the Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest. The Swamp Fest continues to benefit the high school and other local organizations.

Connor, too, served as the ‘Voice of the Gators,’ calling the action of every Friday night home game for nearly two decades, and creating catchphrases, such as ‘a gaggle of Gators.’

The dedication drew dozens of friends and family, as well as current and former Gators coaches, who showed their support and appreciation for Connor.

Kyle Leivas, No. 21 for Land O’ Lakes, pours on the speed as he’s pursued by the Sunlake defenders. The Gators came out on top.

At 69, Connor is restricted to a wheelchair and has been in declining health, battling cancer in recent years.

An area business owner, Connor operated Taco John’s on the corner of State Road 54 and U.S. 41, as well as Beef O’ Brady’s in Wilderness Lakes. He has been a Land O’ Lakes resident since 1982.

One of his sons, Mike Connor Jr., said his father no longer makes it out to many Gators games anymore, but “would not have missed (the dedication) for anything.”

“It’s huge for him,” the son said of the ceremony. “He’s loved this school so much.”

He noted that his father has had an undying passion for the Land O’ Lakes community and its local high school.

“He was really excited about doing everything for the students,” Mike Connor Jr., said.

The last name of Weatherford is synonymous with Land O’ Lakes Gator football. From left are John, Will, Stephen and Drew Weatherford, who paused for a snapshot prior to the start of the Butter Bowl. The Weatherford Family had six brothers play on Land O’ Lakes football team for 18 consecutive years. A helmet signed by all the brothers was auctioned and will be awarded during Homecoming.

When the Flapjack Festival flipped over to the Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City in 2008 and threatened to affect Land O’ Lakes’ fundraising, Connor spearheaded the idea for Swamp Fest.

“He put a lot, a lot of work into that,” his son said. “He was very proud of that and what it did for the community. It brings everyone together and that’s what he really liked.”

The press box dedication ceremony had been in the works since July, when the Pasco County School Board approved a request by Land O’ Lakes principal Ric Mellin to recognize the longtime volunteer.

Mellin credited Connor for raising “hundreds of thousands of dollars” toward the support of the school’s athletic programs, for the purchase of new equipment, uniforms, various facility upgrades and so on.

Connor’s efforts also helped established a yearly scholarship fund for a male and female at the high school.

Land O’ Lakes High School’s cheerleading coach Karlee Roach wears the Butter Bowl headband as she watches her squad get ready for the rival game against Sunlake High School last Friday night at home in the Swamp. The Gators won, 35-24.

“In many cases, he was like the lifeblood of this athletics program,” Mellin said. “So much of what we’ve been able to accomplish is because of him, and the amount of work and tireless efforts that he put forward.”

Another highlight of the 12th annual Butter Bowl came when another family synonymous with Land O’ Lakes High athletics was also recognized.

The Weatherford family and brothers John, Will, Stephen and Drew were named honorary team captains for the game.

In total, the Weatherford family had six brothers play Gators football for 18 consecutive years up until 2010, each of whom went on to play college football. A helmet signed by the brothers was auctioned and will be awarded during Homecoming on Sept. 21.

The press box overlooking The Swamp was dedicated to Mike Connor and his family. Connor was the voice of the Gators for 17 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butter Bowl series history

Sunlake leads 8-4

2018: Land O’ Lakes 35, Sunlake 24
2017: Sunlake 37, Land O’ Lakes 20
2016: Sunlake 21, Land O’ Lakes 3
2015: Sunlake 34, Land O’ Lakes 0
2014: Sunlake 42, Land O’ Lakes 14
2013: Sunlake 38, Land O’ Lakes 21
2012: Sunlake 18, Land O’ Lakes 6
2011: Sunlake (Land O’ Lakes forfeit due to recruiting violations)
2010: Sunlake 29, Land O’ Lakes 21
2009: Land O’ Lakes 42, Sunlake, 14
2008: Land O’ Lakes 28, Sunlake 0
2007: Land O’ Lakes 26, Sunlake 0

Published September 19, 2018

Filed Under: People Profiles, Top Story Tagged With: Beef O' Brady's, Butter Bowl, Drew Weatherford, Flapjack Festival, John Benedetto Stadium, John Weatherford, Land O' Lakes High School, Mike Connor, Mike Connor Jr., Pasco County Fairgrounds, Pasco County School Board, Ric Mellin, State Road 54, Stephen Weatherford, Sunlake High School, Swamp Fest, Taco John's, U.S. 41, Wilderness Lakes, Will Weatherford

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Live Oak Theatre is now selling tickets for its Acorn Theatre production of “Aladdin jr.” Performances will be March 18 through March 28, at the Carol and Frank Morsani Center for the Arts, 21030 Cortez Blvd., in Brooksville. Seats are $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 13 and younger, when accompanied by an adult. For show times and tickets, visit LiveOakTheatre.square.site, email , or call 352-593-0027. … [Read More...] about ‘Aladdin jr.’

03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will offer “Foodie Feast: Apple Pie Bombs” on March 5. Participants can learn how to make tasty, apple pie bombs. Watch the prerecorded video between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., online at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email Danielle Lee at . … [Read More...] about 03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

03/06/2021 – Bridal Trunk Show

The Gulfside Hospice New Port Richey Thrift Shoppe, 6117 State Road 54, will host a Bridal Trunk Show on March 6 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be more than 250 dresses to choose from, starting at $29.99 and many brand new. Admission is free, but limited spots are available to allow for social distancing. Brides must register online in advance, by March 3, at bit.ly/NPR-Bridal-Trunk-Show. All proceeds from the shop go to help hospice patients in Pasco County. For questions, contact Jeremi Sliger at , or call 727-842-7262. … [Read More...] about 03/06/2021 – Bridal Trunk Show

03/11/2021 – Economic security

The Pasco Unit of the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County will sponsor a panel discussion on “Economic Security in Pasco County During the COVID Outbreak” on March 11 at 7 p.m. Panelists will include Brian Hoben, community services director, Pasco County Public Services; Marcy Esbjerg, director of community development, Pasco County Public Services; Don Anderson, CEO, Pasco Homeless Coalition; and, Mike Bishop, director, Stakeholder Engagement, Pasco Economic Development Council. For information on how to register, email . … [Read More...] about 03/11/2021 – Economic security

03/13/2021 – ‘Grease’ event

T-Mobile will sponsor “Grease is the Word” on March 13 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. There will be a sing-along contest pitting Pasco County Fire Rescue against the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, a free movie “under the stars,” and a classic car show with prizes. There also will be food trucks and games. Admission is free. … [Read More...] about 03/13/2021 – ‘Grease’ event

03/13/2021 – Exhibitors needed

Demene Benjamin and UrEsteem will host “UrSelf: A Dabble in Self-Care” on March 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. Exhibitors can be anyone who has a product or service to promote physical, mental and social health, including physical and massage therapists; counselors; churches; nail techs/hairstylists; yoga/pilates/exercise; or natural products. For information, call 813-334-6006, or email . … [Read More...] about 03/13/2021 – Exhibitors needed

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