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Kirk Karsen

Fall prep football primer

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Better late than never, and something better than nothing.

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

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

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

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

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

Hillsborough County

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pasco County 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE TEAMS

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

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

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

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

Published September 09, 2020

Fall football preview: Hillsborough County

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With the 2019 high school football season just mere weeks away — preseason classics begin Aug. 16 and regular season kicks off Aug. 23 — we take a look at how Hillsborough County teams in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area stack up.

Next week, we’ll preview Pasco County teams.

Hillsborough County schools (2018 records)

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots: 6-6 overall, 2-2 region
  • Freedom High School Patriots: 4-6 overall, 2-4 district
  • Gaither High School Cowboys: 7-4 overall, 4-2 district
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors: 6-5 overall, 4-2 district

Players to watch from each team

  • Reidel Anthony Jr., Carrollwod Day, senior athlete
  • Tawfiq Thomas, Freedom, sophomore defensive tackle
  • Chance Coleman, Gaither, senior linebacker
  • Aidan Bitter, Steinbrenner, senior receiver

A closer look at each team

Carrollwood Day School Patriots: 6-6 Overall, 2-2 Region (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School Athletics)

Carrollwood Day School Patriots
Head coach: Mark Jones (fourth year)

Carrollwood Day is coming off its best season in the Mark Jones era, going 6-6 and reaching the Class 2A region semifinals. However, the Patriots have big shoes to fill with the graduation of one of the area’s most prolific quarterbacks in Chris Butash (now at Division I Holy Cross) and the transfer of do-everything athlete Shelton Quarles Jr., to Calvary Christian in Clearwater.

Breaking in a new quarterback, the Patriots will look to rely heavily on senior athlete Reidel Anthony Jr., the son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneer wideout Reidel Anthony.

Schedule
at St. Petersburg Catholic (Aug. 23, 7 p.m.)
Northside Christian (Aug. 30, 7 p.m.)
Seffner Christian (Sept. 13, 7 p.m.)
Admiral Farragut (Sept. 20, 7 p.m.)
Lake Highland Prep (Sept. 27, 7 p.m.)
at Calvary Christian (Oct. 4, 7 p.m.)
Trinity Catholic (Oct. 11, 7 p.m.)
Cambridge Christian (Oct. 18, 7 p.m.)
at St. John Neumann Catholic (Nov. 1, 7p.m.)

Freedom High School Patriots: 4-6 Overall, 2-4 District (Courtesy of Freedom High School Athletics)

Freedom High School Patriots
Head coach: Chris Short (first year)

The Freedom Patriots will have its third coach in as many years, as Chris Short takes over for Henry Scurry (2018), who took over for Floyd Graham (2016-17).

Short, who also coaches girls flag football and was named the sport’s 2018-2019 Hillsborough County’s Western Conference National Division Coach of the Year, will look to translate that to a Patriots program seeking its first winning season since 2014.

Working in his favor is a seemingly manageable 2019 slate with just three teams who went above .500 last season. The Patriots, however, must find a way to replace the offensive and defensive backfield production of several of last year’s seniors, including Division I talent Jeremiah Ashe, who signed with Florida Atlantic University.

Schedule
at Steinbrenner (Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m.)
Robinson (Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.)
Spoto (Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m.)
at Wharton (Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.)
at Land O’ Lakes (Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m.)
Middleton (Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.)
at Fivay (Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.)
Alonso (Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.)
Gaither (Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.)
at Leto (Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.)

Gaither High School Cowboys: 7-4 Overall, 4-2 District (Courtesy of Gaither High School Athletics)

Gaither High School Cowboys
Head coach: Kirk Karsen (third season)

Gaither seems poised to build off back-to-back 7-4 seasons and playoff appearances with a roster that has no shortage of playmakers. Key among them is the return of accurate and efficient signal-caller Tony Bartolo and Division I-caliber prospects in cornerback Jordan Oladokun (offers from Florida International and Southern Miss) and linebacker Chance Coleman, a University of South Florida commit.
Buoyed by a balanced offensive attack last season, the Cowboys look for someone to fill the shoes left behind by Jeromy Reid, who tallied more than 1,000 scrimmage yards in both his junior and senior campaigns.

Schedule
at Jefferson (Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m.)
Plant (Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m.)
at Plant City (Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m.)
East Bay (Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m.)
Fivay (Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m.)
at Chamberlain (Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.)
Land O’ Lakes (Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.)
at Tampa Bay Tech (Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.)
at Freedom (Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.)
Armwood (Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.)

Steinbrenner High School Warriors: 6-5 Overall, 4-2 District (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School Athletics)

Steinbrenner High School Warriors
Head coach: Andres Perez-Reinaldo (eighth season)

After a disappointing 2-7 campaign in 2017, the Steinbrenner Warriors bounced back with a respectable 6-5 mark last season, closing the year with four straight wins.

Expect that positive momentum to continue again this year, as the roster, like Gaither, features a lengthy list of Division I prospects, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.

Among them are incumbent starting quarterback Haden Carlson (Florida International commit), wide receivers Aidan Bitter (Iowa State commit) and Dean Patterson (Southern Miss offer), tailback Deon Silas (offers from South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Miss) and offensive lineman Matthew Adcock (offers from South Alabama, Southern Miss), among others.

Another overlooked bonus comes on special teams, with the return of All-State punter Cameron Brown and reliable kicker Trevor Haire.

Perhaps the biggest impediment to the team’s success is a relatively difficult slate that includes Tampa Bay perennial powerhouses in Hillsborough and Plant, as well as Chamberlain and Sickles high schools. Regardless, the Warriors figure to be an exciting team, with plenty of high-scoring outputs.

Schedule
Freedom (Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m.)
at Sickles (Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m.)
at Spoto (Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m.)
Alonso (Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m.)
Hillsborough (Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.)
at Plant (Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.)
at Blake (Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.)
Palm Harbor University (Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.)
at Wharton (Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.)
Chamberlain (Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.)

Published August 07, 2019

Prep football mid-season review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consideration for biggest surprise also given to: Pasco High Pirates

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Five who’ve shined:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Stats compiled from Maxpreps.com—

Published Oct. 18, 2017

Spring football preview: Hillsborough County

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Spring football practices are now underway for high schools across the state. Though the first games of the 2017 season remain several months away, Florida high schools are allowed a maximum of 20 practice sessions from April 24 to May 31, according to Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) guidelines.

Here’s a look at what schools in our coverage area in Hillsborough are working with:

Carrollwood Day School
Coach: Mark Jones (2nd year)
2016 record: 2-6

Carrollwood football coach Mark Jones went 2-6 in his first season.
(File)

The Carrollwood Day School Patriots are hoping to rebound after a challenging season under first-year head coach Mark Jones. After a promising 64-0 victory over Avant Garde Academy in August, the Patriots suffered a six-game losing streak, then closed the season with a 34-7 win over St. Petersburg Catholic; the Patriots were outscored by a 240-33 margin during the losing streak.

Youthful last season, the Patriots may see significant improvements in 2017 following an offseason of polishing. Rising junior quarterback Chris Butash (448 passing yards, three touchdowns) could be in for a breakout season, especially with the return of top target Kyle Benedict (20 receptions, 225 yards). Meanwhile, defensive tackle Pierre Alsint (62 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks), the team’s top pass rusher, is also expected to return for his senior season.

 

Second-year Freedom coach Floyd Graham looks for a turnaround in 2017.
(Courtesy of Freedom High)

Freedom High School
Coach: Floyd Graham (2nd year)
2016 record: 3-7

A relatively difficult district schedule and an ineffective offense led to a disappointing 3-7 season for the Freedom Patriots under first-year head coach Floyd Graham. In 2016, Freedom scored just five touchdowns all season, failing to score more than seven points in all but three games. An offensive resurgence this fall likewise could be tough with the exit of running back Trent Burnett (420 all-purpose yards) and wideout Carlos Ridicio (167 all-purpose yards). However, Graham has engineered a program turnaround before. While at Steinbrenner High from 2009-2011, Graham guided the Warriors from a 1-6 record, to 5-5 and 7-3 marks.

 

Gaither High School
Coach: Kirk Karsen (1st year)
2016 record: 5-5

The Gaither Cowboys will have a new head coach in 2017. Kirk Karsen, a former Sickles and Alonso defensive coordinator takes over a Cowboys squad that went 5-5 last fall.
(Courtesy of Gaither High)

Kirk Karsen, a former Sickles and Alonso defensive coordinator, takes over a Gaither program that loses quite a bit of offensive talent from last year’s 5-5 squad. Gone are senior tailback TJ Williams (1,253 all-purpose yards, 19 touchdowns) and quarterback Gavin DenBoer (1,218 yards, 10 touchdowns), who has transferred to Alonso High. The Cowboys also will miss a pair of Division I-caliber linebackers in Decalon Brooks (Florida State University) and Estefano Feliciano (Old Dominion University), a duo that combined for 195 tackles, 35 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season.

But, the cupboard isn’t completely bare.

The Cowboys still return leading receiver Cayden Jordan (22 receptions, 449 yards, one touchdown) and leading tackler Matthew Wood (112 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, three sacks). Another Gaither player to watch in 2017 is Donovan Jennings, a 6-foot-6, 310-pound offensive lineman, who’s beginning to receive interest from multiple Division I programs.

Steinbrenner High School
Coach: Andres Perez-Reinaldo (6th year)
2016 record: 5-4

The Steinbrenner Warriors are looking for their third straight winning season in 2017— and it may be difficult.

The Steinbrenner Warriors are looking for their third straight winning season this fall.

The Warriors must mold a new starting quarterback, following Collin Wray’s defection to Clearwater High School. The program also needs to unearth additional weapons for the new signal caller, following the graduation of standouts Brett Bitter (43 catches, 652 yards, seven touchdowns) and Carson Kaleo (53 receptions, 502 yards).

Other significant losses include leading tackler Dane Coleman (103 tackles), outside linebacker/defensive end Devon Connors (56 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks) and kicker/punter Noah Ruggles (nine field goals made, 36.6 yards per punt).

Some potential impact Warriors players in 2017 include: tailback Josh Harris (355 yards, four touchdowns), receiver Brandon Garcia (28 receptions, 371 yards, three touchdowns), linebacker Charles Stephens (99 tackles) and defensive tackle Juan Batista (87 tackles).

 

Wharton High School
Coach: David Mitchell (13th year)
2016 record: 4-5

The Wharton Wildcats are seeking a rebound season after going 4-5 in 2016.
(Courtesy of Wharton High)

After a 4-5 setback last fall, the Wharton Wildcats look to regain its 2015 form, when the team finished 8-2. That starts with unseating district foes like Wiregrass Ranch and Gaither high schools — easier said than done. Even with the graduation of versatile athlete Randy Haynes Jr. (Ohio Wesleyan University) and productive defensive tackle Justin Visconti (Southeastern University), the Wildcats still should remain competitive in 2017. Expect significant contributions from powerful tailback Shannon King (5-foot-10, 210 pounds) and cornerback John Dixon (44 tackles, two interceptions).

Meanwhile, the Wildcats most prized prospect is Lavel Dumont, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive tackle transfer from Brooks Debartolo Collegiate High School. The three-star recruit has garnered several Division I offers, such as Marshall University and Western Kentucky University.

Published April 26, 2017