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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