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SAC

All-Pasco County girls fall awards announced

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High school coaches from Pasco County Schools recently announced Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) All-Conference Teams, Athletes of the Year and Coaches of the Year, for the 2020-2021 fall sports season.

Selections were made for both the East and West divisions.

The following high schools from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were represented in the East: Cypress Creek, Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills.

Here is a listing of girls team and individual recipients within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area for golf, swimming & diving, and volleyball.

(NOTE: The Laker/Lutz News published the Boys All-Conference listings in its Jan. 13 edition.)

Fall Sports (Girls)

After winning the Sunshine Athletic Conference Championship, the Sunlake High varsity girls cross-country team claimed a district crown, finished runner-up at regionals, then placed 10th at the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state championships. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School)

SAC East All-Conference Cross-Country
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: Randal Reeves, Sunlake
Runner of the Year: Shannon Gordy, Sunlake

First-Team
Shannon Gordy, Sunlake, senior
Ashley Spires, Sunlake, senior
Caitlyn Culpepper, Sunlake, junior
Annie Winborn, Sunlake, sophomore
Shelby Viseur, Sunlake, junior
Maranda Hildebrand, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Alanta Lofton, Sunlake, sophomore

Second-Team
Samantha Scott, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Sarah Ellingson, Sunlake, junior
Abigail Williams, Sunlake, freshman
Hannah Sheen, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Agnes Hernandez, Pasco, senior
Mya Hill, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Carlie Ortiz, Cypress Creek, freshman

Honorable Mention
Madison Poe, Zephyrhills, junior
Amanda Walford, Wesley Chapel, sophomore

Wiregrass Ranch senior golfer Norah Catlin finishes her prep career earning All-Pasco County honors a fourth-straight year. (File)

SAC East All-Conference Golf
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: Austi Dial, Sunlake
Golfer of the Year: Taylor Zachary, Sunlake

First-Team
Taylor Zachary, Sunlake, junior
Tiffany Colin, Cypress Creek, sophomore
Norah Catlin, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Alyssa Mixon, Sunlake, freshman
Carmen Phousirith, Cypress Creek, sophomore

Second-Team
Helena Potter, Sunlake, junior
Hailey Stricker, Sunlake, freshman
Annamarie Ratican, Cypress Creek, sophomore
Evelyn Randall, Pasco, junior
Emma Huff, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Honorable Mention
Brooke Baldus, Zephyrhills, junior
Brianna D’Agostino, Wesley Chapel, junior

The Land O’ Lakes High varsity girls volleyball team went a perfect 6-0 against East Pasco County foes. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes athletics department)

SAC East All-Conference Volleyball
Team Champion: Land O’ Lakes
Coach of the Year: Brittany Collison, Wesley Chapel
Player of the Year: Jordan Danielson, Wesley Chapel

First-Team
Gracie Stanley, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Catie Cordova, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Brette Heymann, Sunlake
Kylie Ciani, Sunlake, junior
Chloe Danielson, Wesley Chapel, sophomore
Zoe Evans, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Caitie Grimes, Land O’ Lakes, junior

Second-Team
Kayla Baer, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Kaitlyn Klemm, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Laynee Marsee, Pasco, senior
Mercedes Krueger, Zephyrhills, senior
Leah Vrabec, Cypress Creek, junior
Alice Stryker, Sunlake, sophomore
Amiya Oliver, Wesley Chapel, senior

The Land O’ Lakes varsity girls swimming team narrowly finished runner-up to Mitchell High at the 2020 Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) championship, representing the best showing among all East Pasco County schools. The Gators tallied 403 points to Mitchell’s 419 at the meet, at Trinity YMCA. Third place went to Wiregrass Ranch High (332). (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes athletics department)

SAC East All-Conference Swimming and Diving
Team Champion: Land O’ Lakes
Coach of the Year: Karen Westerman, Sunlake
Swimmer of the Year: Maryam Khalil, Wiregrass Ranch
Diver of the Year: Isa Monagas, Sunlake

First Team
200 medley relay: Sunlake (1:53.09) — Amber Ewald, junior; Lilli Hilt, junior; Madi Houck, sophomore; Alex Sprague, senior
200 freestyle: Apryl Paquette, Land O’ Lakes, senior (1:57.62)
200 individual medley: Catherine Pinkos, Land O’ Lakes, junior (2:13.13)
50 freestyle: Maryam Khalil, Wiregrass Ranch, junior (24.28)
100 butterfly: Ava Edwards, Land O’ Lakes, freshman (59.35)
100 freestyle: Alex Sprague, Sunlake, senior (54.85)
500 freestyle: Apryl Paquette, Land O’ Lakes, senior (5:15.10)
200 freestyle relay: Sunlake (1:40.17) — Madi Houck, sophomore; Amber Ewald, junior; Lilli Hilt, junior; Alex Sprague, senior
100 backstroke: Madi Houck, Sunlake, sophomore (58.56)
100 breaststroke: Maryam Khalil, Wiregrass Ranch, junior (1:05.52)
400 freestyle relay: Land O’ Lakes (3:56.12) — Jahzara Ramsey, freshman; Sandali Idippili-Pathiran, freshman; Catherine Pinkos, junior; Apryl Paquette, senior
Diver: Isa Monagas, Sunlake, senior (442.55)

Second-Team
200 medley relay: Wiregrass Ranch (2:05.34) — Sabrina Salas, freshman; Emma Boyle, junior; Jenna Darland, sophomore; Katie Wieckowski, junior
200 freestyle: Leah Fonnotto, Sunlake, junior (2:06.27)
200 individual medley: Abigail Hahm, Land O’ Lakes, freshman (2:20.34)
50 freestyle: Aubrey Vaile, Wesley Chapel, freshman (26.40)
100 butterfly: Aubrey Vaile, Wesley Chapel, freshman (1:07.38)
100 freestyle: Jenna Darland, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore (1:00.76)
500 freestyle: Leah Fonnotto, Sunlake, junior (5:30.76)
200 freestyle relay: Wesley Chapel (1:53.68) — Aubrey Vaile, freshman; Victoria Vaile, junior; Savannah Stevens, sophomore; Annalyse Rogers, junior
100 backstroke: Abigail Hahm, Land O’ Lakes, freshman (1:05.60)
100 breaststroke: Katie Madley, Sunlake, freshman (1:16.60)
400 freestyle relay: Wiregrass Ranch (4:12.61) — Kat Fleming, junior; Sasha Simonovik, junior; Sidney Thompson, junior; Ella Blakewood, junior
Diver: Abby Galo, Wiregrass Ranch, junior (383.35)

Honorable Mention
Sarah Davidson, Pasco, sophomore
Abigail Conner, Zephyrhills, sophomore
Julia Spielberger, Cypress Creek, sophomore

Published January 20, 2021

All-Pasco County winter awards announced

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High school coaches from the Pasco County School District recently announced the Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) All-Conference Teams, Athletes of the Year and Coaches of the Year, for the 2019-2020 winter sports season, which included basketball, competitive cheerleading, soccer, weightlifting and wrestling.

Selections were made for both the East and West division.

The following high schools from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were represented in the East: Cypress Creek, Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills.

The Sunlake High varsity boys basketball team finished 17-8 this season and reached the district finals. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School athletics)

Winter Sports (Boys)
SAC East All-Conference Boys Basketball
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: David Puhlaski, Land O’ Lakes
Player of the Year: Mekhi Perry, Land O’ Lakes

First-Team
Chase Farmer, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Jordan Golden, Sunlake, senior
Dontae Marchman, Zephyrhills, senior
Brian Parker, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Mekhi Perry, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Second-Team
Jelani Vassell, Wesley Chapel, senior
Matt Webster, Pasco, sophomore
Ethan Jones, Wesley Chapel, senior
Jacob McCaslin, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Josh Bent, Sunlake, senior

Honorable Mention(s)
Joe Vreeland, Cypress Creek, senior

SAC East All-Conference Boys Soccer
Team Champion: Wiregrass Ranch
Coach of the Year: Justin Pelliccia, Cypress Creek
Offensive Player of the Year: Malcolm Lewis, Wiregrass Ranch
Defensive Player of the Year: Ben McQuay, Wiregrass Ranch

First-Team
Logan Grace, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Ethan Sternberg, Sunlake, junior
Justin Amis, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Joey Maulorico, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Carter Corrao, Cypress Creek, senior
Alec Santiago, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Sebastian Victoria, Sunlake, junior
Malcolm Lewis, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Ben McQuay, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Jake Bierhorst, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Derek Isajar, Sunlake, junior

Second-Team
Jaxon Landry, Sunlake, senior
Spencer Rawlings, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Jared Jimenez, Pasco, senior
Jori Ndrita, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Carlos Morales, Zephyrhills, senior
Landon Craven, Pasco, senior
Mario Garcia, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Sam Salas, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Brock Montei, Sunlake, junior
Alex Bronnan, Cypress Creek, junior
Julian Padilla, Pasco, senior

Honorable Mention(s)
Destin Rogers, Wesley Chapel, senior

The Pasco High varsity boys wrestling team won an SAC conference championship. (Courtesy of Pasco High School athletics)

SAC East All-Conference Boys Wrestling
Team Champion: Pasco
Coach of the Year: Tim Maples, Pasco
Wrestler of the Year: Zach Spicer, Sunlake

First-Team
106-pound: Donavan Eury, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
113-pound: Deshawn Creary, Wiregrass Ranch, freshman
120-pound: Orion Magoon, Sunlake, sophomore
126-pound: Dante Reese, Land O’ Lakes, senior
132-pound: Travis Knowlton, Pasco, senior
138-pound: Jacob Thornton, Pasco, senior
145-pound: Jake Koener, Sunlake, junior
152-pound: Kevin Johnston, Pasco, senior
160-pound: Devin Jernigan, Pasco, junior
170-pound: Savion Spaights, Pasco, junior
182-pound: Zach Spicer, Sunlake, senior
195-pound: Amir Burgess, Pasco, junior
220-pound: Theotis Smith, Zephyrhills, sophomore
285-pound: Cayman Wiseman, Sunlake, senior

Second-Team
106-pound: Jason DeSantis, Cypress Creek, sophomore
113-pound: James Day, Zephyrhills, freshman
120-pound: Exavier Beckwith, Wesley Chapel, junior
126-pound: Kyle Dickerson, Pasco, senior
132-pound: Morgan Ray, Land O’ Lakes, junior
138-pound: Jackson Hudson, Cypress Creek, sophomore
145-pound: Jack Evans, Pasco, junior
152-pound: Idaael Reyes, Zephyrhills, sophomore
160-pound: Collins Bogie, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore
170-pound: Renso Fernandez, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
182-pound: Chance Kuber, Pasco, senior
195-pound: Zavion McKinnon, Land O’ Lakes, junior
220-pound: Cassidy Grubs, Pasco, freshman
285-pound: Dujuan McCullough, Zephyrhills, junior

Honorable Mention(s)
Briac Riles, Wesley Chapel, sophomore

The Wesley Chapel High School varsity girls basketball team went 26-4 and reached the Class 4A regional final. (Courtesy of Wesley Chapel High School athletics)

Winter Sports (Girls)
SAC East All-Conference Girls Basketball
Team Champion: Wesley Chapel
Coach of the Year: Peter Livingston, Wesley Chapel
Player of the Year: Kayla Grant, Wesley Chapel

First-Team
Kayla Grant, Wesley Chapel, senior
Zoi Evans, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Arianna Rivera-Heppenstall, Wesley Chapel, senior
Taija McCullough, Zephyrhills, junior
Daisy McQuain, Sunlake, senior

Second-Team
Mia Nicholson, Wesley Chapel, junior
Natalie Rodriguez, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Allison Fleming, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
April Davis, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Emari Lewis, Wesley Chapel, sophomore

Honorable Mention(s)
Evelyn Randall, Pasco, sophomore
Adrianna Villanueva, Cypress Creek, freshman

SAC East All-Conference Competitive Cheerleading
Team Champion: Land O’ Lakes
Coach of the Year: Danielle Hammer, Wiregrass Ranch
Cheerleader of the Year: Sarah Spitzig, Land O’ Lakes

First-Team
Sarah Spitzig, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Laura Madison, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Lauren Jones, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Gabriela Miller, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Emma Flannery, Pasco, senior
Kristal Prado Zapata, Wesley Chapel, senior
Layla Gilyard, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Taryn Clower, Cypress Creek, junior
Brooke Sokolowski, Cypress Creek, junior
Brianna Cunningham, Zephyrhills, junior

Second-Team
Christina Agovino, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Mayah Ocasio, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Camryn Steele, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Emma Runkel, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Juliette Pacheco, Sunlake, senior
Julia Thomas, Sunlake, senior
Sydeny Taylor, Wesley Chapel, junior
Laynye Longley, Wesley Chapel, sophomore
Brooke Pudoka, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Alyssa Pollicita, Cypress Creek, sophomore

SAC East All-Conference Girls Soccer
Team Champion: Wiregrass Ranch
Coach of the Year: Jen Craven, Land O’ Lakes
Offensive Player of the Year: Avery Damjanovic, Wiregrass Ranch
Defensive Player of the Year: Sydney Bauer, Wesley Chapel

First-Team
Ashley Doers, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Nisa Cahoon, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Sydney Bauer, Wesley Chapel, junior
Jada Silvest, Land O’ Lakes, freshman
Gaby Cardenas, Wesley Chapel, senior
Kylee Ehmann, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Avery Damjanovic, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Jordan Green, Land O’ Lakes, freshman
Madison Holcombe, Wesley Chapel, junior
Maddy Golka, Wesley Chapel, sophomore
Avery Wild, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Second-Team
Katelyn Hicks, Sunlake, sophomore
Kelsey Kadlub, Pasco, junior
Jaydean Ireland, Zephyrhills, senior
Ashley Roth, Sunlake, senior
Abby Murphy, Cypress Creek, senior
Kaylei Koschman, Wesley Chapel, junior
Amaris Hamilton-Grein, Wesley Chapel, freshman
Raegan Bourne, Cypress Creek, senior
Kobi Page, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore
Rylee Humphries, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Delaney Sanders, Cypress Creek, senior

SAC East Girls Weightlifting
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: Denise Garcia, Sunlake
Athlete of the Year: Juliette Pacheco, Sunlake

First-Team
101-pound: Andje Costa, Cypress Creek, sophomore
110-pound: Gabriella Schwarz, Sunlake, sophomore
119-pound: Madison Guincho, Sunlake, junior
129-pound: Delaney Pratt, Sunlake, senior
139-pound: Gianna Levy, Sunlake, senior
154-pound: Sarah Davis, Zephyrhills, senior
169-pound: Juliette Pacheco, Sunlake, senior
183-pound: Brianna Caban, Sunlake, senior
199-pound: Antoinette Farmer, Sunlake, senior
Unlimited: Sarita Alzate, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Second-Team
101-pound: Alexandria Black, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
110-pound: Savannah Lee, Wesley Chapel, senior
119-pound: Gianna Long, Sunlake, freshman
129-pound: Asia Wilmer, Zephyrhills, junior
139-pound: Gianina Rios, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
154-pound: Madison Aguilera, Zephyrhills, junior
169-pound: Alyssa Kremer, Land O’ Lakes, senior
183-pound: Lakisia Thomas, Zephyrhills, senior
199-pound: Kyleigh Smith, Zephyrhills, senior
Unlimited: Juliana Garcia, Sunlake, junior

Honorable Mention(s)
Moriah Tucker, Pasco, freshman