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Wesley Chapel High School

Youth Workforce services expand into Wesley Chapel

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CareerSource Pasco Hernando Youth Employment Services has expanded into Wesley Chapel.

The program — which also has locations in Dade City and New Port Richey — offers free employment and training services.

The programs are open to Pasco County and Hernando County residents, ages 18 to 24, who currently are not attending school.

The program offers the chance to discover new job opportunities, and qualify for support in paying for education and training, according to a news release.

Available services include GED and High School Diploma attainment, career and employment readiness, and support for education into targeted career pathways.

The CareerSource Pasco Hernando WIOA Youth Program, operated by Eckerd Connects, now includes these two locations in Wesley Chapel:

  • Wesley Chapel High School, 30651 Wells Road: Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon
  • Life Community Center, 6542 Applewood Drive: Tuesday and Thursday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Each location is open to job seekers by appointment only, with additional expanded hours expected to begin as early as March 1.

Staff members can help with job search, labor market information, work readiness, and funding for job training for eligible Pasco and Hernando County residents. For an appointment or more information about the Wesley Chapel services, call 352-257-6504.

Job seekers in New Port Richey can still connect to services within the CareerSource Pasco Hernando office at 4440 Grand Blvd., and Hernando County Residents can receive services in the Brooksville CareerSource Pasco Hernando Office at 16336 Cortez Blvd.

For additional information on services provided to young adults, visit CareerSourcePascoHernando.com, or call Hernando 352-200-3020/Pasco 727-484-3400.

Published February 17, 2021

All-Pasco County 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 boys team and individual recipients within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area for cross-country, football, golf, and swimming & diving.

(NOTE: The Laker/Lutz News will publish the Girls All-Conference listings in its Jan. 20 edition.)

Fall Sports (Boys)

It’s no surprise the Sunlake Seahawks was named Sunshine Athletic Conference East’s Cross-Country Boys Team of the Year for the 2020-2021 season. The Seawhawks captured conference, district and regional titles, then finished state runner-up at the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 3A championship meet. (File)

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

First-Team
Colby Robbins, Sunlake, junior
Alex Pena, Sunlake, sophomore
Sebastian Hernandez, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Zach Poekert, Cypress Creek, sophomore
Cade Whitfield, Sunlake, senior
Cason Meyer, Sunlake, junior
Andres Alfonso-Herrera, Sunlake, junior

Second-Team
Romal Estemcdonald, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Brandon Castillo, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Max Goserud, Sunlake, junior
Jaime Candelaria, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Nathan Lee, Sunlake, sophomore
Joseph Obradovich, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Dalton Sellengs, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore

Honorable Mention
William Poe, Zephyrhills, freshman
Cole Couch, Wesley Chapel, junior
River Cole, Pasco, junior

The Zephyrhills Bulldogs varsity football team finished the 2020 season with an 8-3 mark and an appearance in the Class 5A regional semifinal. The Bulldogs — after dropping its first two games to start the season — reeled off eight straight wins until falling to Orlando’s Jones High in the playoffs. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills High School Athletics Department)

SAC East All-Conference Football
Team Champion: Zephyrhills
Offensive Player of the Year: Rocco Becht, Wiregrass Ranch
Defensive Player of the Year: Mitch Hammond, Sunlake

First-Team Offense
QB: Rocco Becht, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
RB: Zyre Roundtree, Zephyrhills, senior
RB: Kenny Walker, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
WR: Bryson Rodgers, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
WR: Nehemiah Morgan, Wesley Chapel, junior
TE: Grady Clower, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
OL: Isaac Tavo, Land O’ Lakes, senior
OL: Gabe Thompson, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
OL: Quinn Hewitt, Sunlake, junior
OL: Brian Ashmore, Zephyrhills, senior
OL: Kaleb Rivera, Wesley Chapel, senior

First-Team Defense/Special Teams
DL: Maguire Neal, Zephyrhills, junior
DL: Zavian McKinnon, Land O’ Lakes, senior
DL: Dajuan McCullough, Zephyrhills, senior
DL: Chris Pressley, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
LB: Gabe Barnes, Pasco, senior
LB: Mitch Hammond, Sunlake, junior
LB: Theotis Smith, Zephyrhills
LB: Aydon Roysdon, Wesley Chapel, junior
DB: Julian Galdos, Sunlake, senior
DB: Grady Clower, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
DB: Nick Sheldon, Zephyrhills, junior
P: Spencer DeLessio, Sunlake, senior
K: Colton Corrao, Cypress Creek, junior
Utility: Tre Gallimore, Zephyrhills, senior

Second-Team Offense
QB: Owen Walls, Cypress Creek, junior
RB: Jaylin Thomas, Zephyrhills, junior
RB: Jaylan Blake, Wesley Chapel, junior
WR: Dontrell Clerkley, Cypress Creek, junior
WR: Merrick Simmons, Cypress Creek, junior
TE: Owen Libby, Wesley Chapel, senior
OL: Paul-Andre Tre, Cypress Creek, senior
OL: Briac Riles, Wesley Chapel, junior
OL: Dajuan McCullough, Zephyrhills, senior
OL: Tucker Schwab, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
OL: Jarrian Galyan, Zephyrhills, senior

Second-Team Defense/Special Teams
DL: Jaden Haynes, Wesley Chapel, sophomore
DL: Vincent Tre, Cypress Creek, sophomore
DL: Will Arnett, Sunlake, senior
DL: Tyree Thomas, Wesley Chapel, senior
LB: Josh Poleon, Wesley Chape, sophomore
LB: Larence Graham, Zephyrhills, sophomore
LB: Matt Hensley, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
LB: Amir Burgess, Pasco, senior
DB: Broden Guirl, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
DB: Jonathan Lee, Pasco, senior
DB: Clayton Cornelius Zephyrhills, senior
P: Zachary Hammer, Land O’ Lakes, senior
K: Daniel Lester, Sunlake, junior
Utility: Owen Libby, Wesley Chapel, senior

Honorable Mention(s)
Manuel Torres, Pasco, senior
Tyler Adcock, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Garrett Meredith, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Craig Kailimai, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Gabriel Kolakoff, Cypress Creek, senior
Collin Ostapchuk, Cypress Creek, senior
Mike Barber, Zephyrhills, senior

Cypress Creek’s Connor Newbold, right, was the only freshman boys golfer to earn All-Sunshine Athletic Conference East honors, as a first-team selection. Newbold also was an individual qualifier at the FHSAA Class 2A state championships in November. Newbold stands with Cypress Creek golf coach Rob Patterson. (File)

SAC East All-Conference Golf
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: Bob Kamps, Sunlake
Golfer of the Year: TJ Floberg, Pasco

First-Team
TJ Floberg, Pasco, senior
Connor Newbold, Cypress Creek, freshman
Max Barile, Sunlake, senior
Cody Williams, Sunlake, junior
Scott Atkins, Pasco, senior

Second-Team
Fab Laude, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Michael Depue, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Logan Jackson, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Nathan Dube, Cypress Creek, senior
Trevor Myers, Zephyrhills, senior

Honorable Mention
Chase Hanson, Wesley Chapel, senior

Land O’ Lakes senior Zuri Ramsey was named Sunshine Athletic Conference East Boys Swimmer of the Year, for a second straight season. (File)

SAC East All-Conference Swimming and Diving
Team Champion: Land O’ Lakes
Coach of the Year: Jen Gaete, Land O’ Lakes
Swimmer of the Year: Zuri Ramsey, Land O’ Lakes
Diver of the Year: Mason Gandy, Land O’ Lakes

First-Team
200 medley relay: Land O’ Lakes (1:37.12) — Michael McCloskey, sophomore; Griffin Sutek, senior; Garret McNab, freshman; Zuri Ramsey, senior

200 freestyle: Clyde Crouse, Cypress Creek, senior (1:42.43)

200 individual medley: Noah Porter, Wiregrass Ranch, junior (2:00.78)

50 freestyle: Zuri Ramsey, Land O’ Lakes, senior (20.51)

100 butterfly: Noah Porter, Wiregrass Ranch, junior (53.84)

100 freestyle: Zuri Ramsey, Land O’ Lakes, senior (45.87)

500 freestyle: Clyde Crouse, Cypress, senior (4:40.35)

Land O’ Lakes senior Mason Gandy was named Sunshine Athletic Conference East Boys Diver of the Year, for a second straight year. (File)

200 freestyle relay: Land O’ Lakes (1:30.19) — Michael McCloskey, sophomore; Griffin Sutek, senior; Garret McNab, freshman; Zuri Ramsey, senior

100 backstroke: Michael McCloskey, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore (57.71)

100 breaststroke: Griffin Sutek, Land O’ Lakes, senior (59.53)

400 freestyle: Wiregrass Ranch (3:19.06) — Manny Silva, senior; Noah Porter, junior; Matt Gomez, senior; Kevin Chen, junior

Diver: Mason Gandy, Land O’ Lakes, senior (430.45)

Second-Team
200 medley relay: Sunlake (1:45.80) — Caiden DeTillio, Sunlake, freshman; Alex Thai, sophomore; Jackson Houck, sophomore; Tien Duong, sophomore

200 freestyle: Aidyn Rosochowicz, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore

200 individual medley: Tien Duong, Sunlake, sophomore

50 freestyle: Alex Thai, Sunlake, sophomore (23.05)

100 butterfly: RB Childers, Wiregrass Ranch, junior (59.84)

100 freestyle: Aidyn Rosochowicz, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore (54.65)

500 freestyle: Clay Ballash, Cypress Creek, freshman (5:11.15)

200 freestyle relay: Sunlake (1:36.06) — Caiden DeTillio, freshman; Alex Thai, sophomore; Jackson Houck, sophomore; Tien Duong, sophomore

100 backstroke: Caiden DeTillio, Sunlake, freshman (59.54)

100 breaststroke: Alex Thai, Sunlake, sophomore (1:02.35)

400 freestyle relay: Land O’ Lakes (3:48.41) — Aidyn Rosochowicz, sophomore; Liam Grubaugh, sophomore; Krishnavamsi Chundi, sophomore; Sebastian Arbelaez, senior

Diver: Jace Beckwith, Cypress Creek, freshman (358.95)

Published January 13, 2021

Hometown kids to watch in college football

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Before becoming college football standouts regularly seen on national television and in massive stadiums across the country, these athletes distinguished themselves on the gridiron locally, in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Big-time college football has returned this fall — later than usual and with a pared-down schedule amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

But that won’t stop several locals with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area from enjoying the big stage and making plays on Saturdays in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Southeastern Conference (SEC) and American Athletic Conference (AAC), among others.

Here’s a closer look at a handful of hometown players to keep an eye on throughout the 2020 college football season:

Isaiah Bolden, receiver
College: Florida State University, redshirt sophomore
Local tie: Wesley Chapel High School

Wesley Chapel High product Isaiah Bolden is a redshirt sophomore receiver/kick returner at Florida State. (Courtesy of Florida State University sports information department)

After spending his first two years working as a defensive back at FSU, the 6-foot-2, 196-pound Wesley Chapel High product has shifted to the offensive side of the ball — to wide receiver. Throughout preseason, FSU coaches have raved about Bolden’s size, athleticism, big play ability and passion for the game.

But, just how much playing time the redshirt sophomore garners at the position remains up in the air, as he tries cracking a deep, experienced position grouping.

At the very least, expect to see plenty of Bolden as a co-starter on kick return duties. Playing in all 13 games last season, he returned six kickoffs for 156 yards, including a career-long of 41 yards, and one punt return for seven yards.

Bolden was a three-sport star at Wesley Chapel, shining in football, basketball, and track and field. In addition to his pigskin talents, Bolden was the varsity basketball team’s leading rebounder (8.5 rebounds per game in 2017-2018) and collected a bronze medal in the 100-meter dash at 2018 Class 3A state championships.

The former Wildcat was a consensus four-star recruit and courted by some two dozen Division I FBS college football programs, including several other blue bloods.

Donovan Jennings, left tackle
College: University of South Florida, junior
Local tie: Gaither High School

Gaither High product Donovan Jennings is looking to build off a respectable 2019 campaign along the offensive line for USF. (File)

The massive 6-foot-5, 338-pound Gaither High alumnus is cemented as USF’s starting left tackle in a new up-tempo offense, and is looking to build off a strong 2019 showing where he saw action in 10 games and made eight starts.

In fact, Jennings last season was the team’s highest-graded offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus (66.9), a website that focuses on thorough analysis of the National Football League (NFL) and NCAA Division I football.

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

Expectations remain high again in 2020. He’s been named to the Athlon Preseason All-Conference Fourth Team and Phil Steele Preseason All-Conference Fourth Team.

Jennings, surprisingly, didn’t begin playing football until his freshman year of high school, as size limitations in youth leagues prevented him from playing the sport. However, he blossomed in four short years at Gaither, earning All-State honors and scholarship offers from the University of Central Florida, and Virginia, Marshall, Old Dominion and Toledo universities, among others.

Odessa native Devontay Love-Taylor brings an experienced presence to Florida State’s offensive line. Love-Taylor prepped at Mitchell High School. (Courtesy of Florida State University sports information department)

Devontay Love-Taylor, right tackle
College: Florida State University, redshirt senior
Local tie: Odessa native

The Odessa native is set to make an immediate impact for Florida State — penciled in as the team’s starting right tackle following his transfer from Florida International, where he made 16 starts in 32 career games and last season earned honorable mention All-Conference USA recognition.

The sturdy 6-foot-4, 315-pound lineman is being leaned on for his experience, work ethic and maturity. The website Pro Football Focus graded Love-Taylor an above-average rating (74.2) on 721 snaps last season in an FIU uniform.

Love-Taylor prepped at Mitchell High School, where he earned first-team All-Conference honors and pushed the program to the 6A state playoffs. He also played basketball.

Tre’ McKitty, tight end
College: University of Georgia, graduate student
Local tie: Wesley Chapel native

Wesley Chapel native Tre’ McKitty is listed as the starting tight end at Georgia, an SEC program with legit national championships aspirations this year. (Courtesy of University of Georgia sports information)

The Wesley Chapel native looks to be entrenched as the starting tight end on a Georgia team with legitimate aspirations of hoisting a national title and ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound McKitty transferred to Georgia from FSU in January following a coaching change. He played in 35 career games in three seasons at FSU, hauling in a combined 50 receptions for 520 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

In camp with his new squad, Georgia coaches raved about McKitty for bringing a gritty demeanor and showing aptitude in blocking, along with making catches.

Prognosticators are likewise bullish on McKitty’s final season, as he was named to a preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, awarded to the nation’s top tight end.

McKitty grew up playing in the Land O’ Lakes-based South Pasco Predators youth football league. He played his freshman year at Wesley Chapel High then prepped at Bradenton’s IMG Academy, where he was a blue-chip recruit

Steinbrenner High alum Noah Ruggles is in a kicker position battle at North Carolina. He was the team’s primary place-kicker last season. (File)

Noah Ruggles, kicker
College: University of North Carolina, junior
Local tie: Steinbrenner High School

Ruggles emerged as North Carolina’s primary kicker as a sophomore last season, converting 19 of 27 field goal attempts — including a long of 49 yards — and perfect on all 45 of his extra-point attempts.

The former Steinbrenner High standout was nearly automatic for the Tar Heels on kicks inside 40 yards, but struggled on some longer kicks, including going 0-for-3 on attempts of more than 50 yards.

His defining moment in 2019 came when he kicked the game-winning field goal in a 20-17 home win against conference rival Duke in a late October contest. It was just a week removed from UNC head coach Mack Brown benching Ruggles, after he missed two overtime field goal attempts in a road loss to Virginia Tech.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound kicker will need to prove himself once again. He’s listed second on the team’s depth chart behind All-American Furman transfer Grayson Atkins, but is still expected to earn ample opportunities.

Closer to home, Ruggles earned All-State honors at Steinbrenner and was named most valuable player of the East-West Hillsborough County Senior All-Star Game in 2016.

Zephyrhills High alum Ja’Quan Sheppard is poised for a bigger role this season for Cincinnati. (Courtesy of University of Cincinnati sports information department)

Ja’Quan Sheppard, safety
College: University of Cincinnati, sophomore
Local tie: Zephyrhills High School

The Zephyrhills High product is pressing for a larger role this season for a Cincinnati program favored to finish atop the American Athletic Conference (AAC).

As a true freshman in 2019 for the 11-3 Bearcats, the 6-foot-2, 197-pound safety played in nine games, mostly as a special teams ace, where he ranked among the team’s top special teams defenders with six stops on kickoff coverage. Sheppard collected two tackles in his Cincy debut at Marshall, and also tied that mark with two tackles at Houston.

In high school, Sheppard was mostly known for his skills as wide receiver at Zephyrhills, where he registered a combined 91 catches for 1,649 yards and 25 touchdowns across four varsity seasons. His impact helped guide the Bulldogs to arguably its best season in program history in 2018 — winning 11 straight games and reaching the Class 5A region semifinal. He was no stranger to accolades, earning All-State and All-Conference honors, and being invited to the Pasco County Senior All-Star Football Game. Sheppard was a consensus three-star recruit with more than 20 offers from Temple, Marshall and Kentucky, among others.

Published September 16, 2020

If you want to help kids, Kiwanis Club wants you

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A new Kiwanis Club in Wesley Chapel is looking for civic-minded people who want to help build leadership-related activities for school-age children.

“If I asked you, ‘Would you like to be part of an organization that gives all of its money to children and the development of children’s programs,’ how can you say no?’’ said Joe Meyer, a Sarasota-based Kiwanis member who specializes in building and maintaining clubs.

The Kiwanis Club has four new Tampa Bay clubs forming, including one in Wesley Chapel. Florida has 240 adult chapters with approximately 6,900 members.

In the United States, the organization raises more than $100 million annually and dedicates it to 150,000 community service projects, which translates into 18.5-million service hours.

Kiwanis Club in Wesley Chapel is seeking new members.

The clubs are involved in all sorts of public service works.

They have built all-access playgrounds, restocked libraries, created food pantries, bought medical equipment, hosted diversity fairs, and stuffed backpacks with school supplies.

Ed Anderson, a Wesley Chapel realtor and Kiwanis member since 1977, is serving as advisor for the new Wesley Chapel club.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most of its organizational meetings to be held via Zoom video conferencing, but Anderson is encouraged by the initial response.

“Wesley Chapel is such a fast-growing area, one of the fastest-growing places in Florida, that it just seems like a natural to establish a club that could really grow,’’ said Anderson, who has most recently served as secretary of the Kiwanis Club of Carrollwood. “Even though Wesley Chapel is a fairly affluent area, there are still folks who need things.

“Once you’re a Kiwanian, it becomes part of your life. Once a Kiwanian, always a Kiwanian. You’re able to impact the community and make a difference. There are many networking groups and business groups. They are great, but their purpose is to build businesses. In Kiwanis, your sole objective is giving back to the community — specifically kids.’’

What are some of the Kiwanis projects?

The Terrific Kids bumper stickers, as in “I have a Terrific Kid at Wesley Chapel High School,’’ is a Kiwanis project.

The Key Clubs that exist in most high schools, emphasizing leadership, character development and service? That’s Kiwanis.

The BUG (Bring Up Grades) programs that recognize students who raise their grade to an acceptable range and offer certificates, buttons and parties? That’s Kiwanis, too.

Kiwanis also is about people such as Alex Dang, a Wiregrass Ranch High School graduate and a University of South Florida freshman who’s majoring in bio-medical sciences. He has designs on medical school and becoming a pediatrician.

In his sophomore year at Wiregrass Ranch, Dang joined the Key Club.

“The comparison of myself from the beginning of high school compared to now is so dramatic,’’ said Dang, 18. “I’ve learned about social networking, communication skills and public speaking. I was a Key Club board member, so I had to speak and become a leader.

“Before, I didn’t really pursue any of those skills. Key Club gave me a push in that direction and really put my life on a different course.’’

Dang has joined the Kiwanis Club of Wesley Chapel.

“Wesley Chapel is such a tight-knit community, so I really think a lot of people are going to join and participate in the activities and sponsorships,’’ Dang said. “The best thing about Kiwanis Club is anyone can join, no matter what skill set you have. In fact, it’s even better if you have a different skill set because that makes the club more diverse and strong.’’

Meyer, a membership-building specialist, said all walks of life are welcome.

“We get bankers, real estate professionals, insurance people, automotive repair, sales people, retailers, school employees … you name it,’’ Meyer said. “It’s all about getting people to work together and helping children in the community. You have to have a big heart and the desire to help kids. There’s great camaraderie in the club and the rewards are immense.’’

For any men or women interested in the opportunity, the Kiwanis Club of Wesley Chapel’s Facebook page summed it up:

“Kids are curious, lovable and hilarious. They are also wild, impatient and vulnerable. Help us look out for kids in Wesley Chapel and around the globe.’’

For more information on the Kiwanis Club of Wesley Chapel, contact Ed Anderson at (813) 841-2773 or .

By Joey Johnston

Published September 09, 2020

Check out these locals in 2020 NFL training camps

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Like other sports organizations, the National Football League (NFL) has succumbed in some way, shape or form to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The league already has scrapped its preseason games, and training camps have a much different look — all taking place at team facilities without fans and visitors.

With myriad health and safety precautions in place, America’s most popular sport has insisted on a full 16-game regular season. A full set of playoffs also will take place.

Whether fans will be allowed into stadiums for regular season games remains largely up in the air, however.

Some franchises plan to proceed with limited capacities. Others have said they will go forward without fans in the stands.

At least one team — the Las Vegas Raiders — has officially announced it plans to play the entire 2020 season at its brand-new $1.84 billion stadium with no fans.

Moreover, dozens of NFL players have voluntarily opted out of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus or other unspecified reasons.

However this unique 2020 season shakes out, you can bet on seeing several pros take the field with deep ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area — by way of Lutz, New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and Dade City, respectively.

Here’s a closer look at those locals suiting up as NFL training camps ramp up, with hopes of making a team’s final 53-man roster or 16-man practice squad by the league’s Sept. 4 cut date.

Las Vegas Raiders wideout Nelson Agholor is a Lutz Chiefs football alum. He spent the past five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. (Courtesy of Philadelphia Eagles media communications)

Nelson Agholor, Las Vegas Raiders, wide receiver
Local tie: Lutz Chiefs

The 6-foot, 198-pound veteran pro wideout is embarking on his sixth NFL season — his first with the Raiders after spending his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he won a Super Bowl in 2018.

Before he became a household name registering a combined 224 receptions for 2,515 yards and 18 touchdowns in his pro career, Agholor was making highlight-reel plays as a dual-threat quarterback for the Lutz Chiefs youth football organization, while attending New Tampa’s Liberty Middle School.

Agholor would go on to become one of the nation’s top football prospects at Tampa’s Berkeley Preparatory School and then an All-American at University of Southern California. He was drafted by the Eagles in the first round (20th overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Agholor, 27, doesn’t forget his football-playing roots. During the 2015 NFL offseason, he made an appearance at a Lutz Chiefs practice at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex, speaking to players about the bonds and life lessons formed in youth football.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Anthony Chickillo spent his freshman and sophomore years at Gaither High School. (Courtesy of Pittsburgh Steelers media communications)

Anthony Chickillo, New Orleans Saints, linebacker
Local tie: Gaither High School

The 6-foot-3, 255-pound linebacker has seemingly lived up to expectations since entering the league as a sixth round pick (212th overall) of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2015 NFL Draft, out of the University of Miami.

After spending his entire career in the Steel City, the 27-year-old now takes his talents to New Orleans, where he’ll compete for a backup defensive role after signing as a free agent in March.

Altogether, Chickillo has played in 65 regular season games with nine starts, while also being a core contributor on special teams for Pittsburgh. He’s recorded 89 career tackles, 7.5 sacks for loss, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries; he’s also played in four postseason contests.

Before launching into the game’s highest ranks, a younger Chickillo could be seen disrupting opposing quarterbacks on Friday nights at Gaither High School.

Chickillo played at the local school his freshman and sophomore seasons in 2008 and 2009, before transferring to Alonso High School and shaping up into a five-star prospect boasting more than 40 college scholarship offers.

His sophomore season at Gaither, Chickillo tallied 77 tackles and 8.5 sacks. He also spent time as a tight end and offensive lineman on the team.

Chickillo in March 2017 visited his old stomping grounds, giving the Gaither football program a pep talk in the midst of spring football practices.

Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III is a Wharton High School alum. (Courtesy of Houston Texans media communications)

Vernon Hargreaves III, Houston Texans, cornerback
Local tie: Wharton High School

Since being a first round pick (11th overall) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2016 NFL Draft, the hometown kid has had a somewhat underwhelming pro career — criticized for allowing big plays and becoming one of the most targeted corners by opposing NFL offenses. The 25-year-old corner has been somewhat injury prone, too, including a hamstring tear, groin strain and shoulder labrum tear between 2017 and 2018.

But, a new environment outside of Tampa Bay seems to be serving him well.

The 5-foot-10, 204-pound Hargreaves was waived by the Bucs in the middle of the 2019 season, then picked up by the Texans, where he tallied 21 tackles and two passes defensed in six games and two starts; he was re-signed by the Texans in March.

Hargreaves starred at Wharton High School. In 2012 he was named the Class 8A Defensive Player of the Year and the Guy Toph Award winner as Hillsborough County’s top senior football player, after he registered 110 total tackles, five interceptions, five passes defensed and five forced fumbles.

The accolades continued at the University of Florida, where he was a Jim Thorpe Award finalist, and consensus First Team All-American and First Team All-SEC selection.

Athletes run in the Hargreaves family. His younger sister, Chanelle, was a standout on the University of Florida volleyball team. His father, Vernon Jr., was a two-time All-American linebacker at the University of Connecticut and is a longtime Division I assistant football coach, presently a defensive line coach at Howard University in Washington D.C.

Pasco High School product Joey Ivie has played for five different NFL franchises, and currently is in the Tennessee Titans training camp. (File)

Joey Ivie, Tennessee Titans, defensive end
Local tie: Pasco High School

The 25-year-old Dade City native is now in his fifth different NFL franchise since being taken by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round (228th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-3, 301-pound defensive lineman has spent much of his pro career on various practice squads, but now seeks a larger role as a backup within the Titans 3-4 defensive scheme.

Thus far, Ivie has played in eight career NFL regular season games; his two career tackles came as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019.

In addition to the Titans, Cowboys and Chiefs, Ivie also was a member of the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks, respectively.

Before starring at the University of Florida and later reaching the NFL, Ivie shined as a multisport athlete at Pasco High School, where he graduated in 2013.

The Pirates football team, then coached by Tom McHugh, went a combined 36-3 and captured three district titles in the three seasons Ivie spent on varsity. Ivie’s best season came as a senior — where he racked up 89 tackles, 12 sacks and three forced fumbles in 12 games.

A defensive end by trade, Ivie was also utilized as a fullback and tight end while in a Pirates uniform. His younger brother, Andrew, also starred at Pasco High and briefly played football at Florida before an injury ended his playing career prematurely.

Ivie’s late sister, Jordan, passed away in 2015, a month before she would have graduated high school, due to injuries sustained in a car accident in Dade City. Ivie has said he uses her memory as motivation and has shared these moments on social media.

Houston Texans reserve quarterback Alex McGough prepped at Wesley Chapel and Gaither high schools. (Courtesy of Houston Texans media communications)

Alex McGough, Houston Texans, quarterback
Local tie: Wesley Chapel High School/Gaither High School

The 24-year-old McGough has yet to throw a meaningful pass in an NFL regular season game, but teams seemingly appreciate his skillset enough to keep him rostered, mostly as a practice squad player.

The 6-foot-3, 214-pound signal-caller is on his third NFL franchise since being taken by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round (220th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. In addition to Seattle, McGough also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars before landing with his current team, the Texans.

So far through training camp, McGough projects as the team’s third-string quarterback, behind incumbent starter Deshaun Watson and backup AJ McCarron.

Closer to home, McGough began his prep career at Wesley Chapel High School, where he played varsity football, baseball and soccer.

He transferred to Gaither High School as a sophomore, and would go on to compile nearly 5,000 career passing yards and 50 passing touchdowns in three varsity seasons, graduating in 2014.

Despite showy statistics, McGough was rather lightly recruited, surprisingly, winding up at Miami’s Florida International University (FIU).

He proved doubters wrong there, too, setting several program records en route to over 9,000 career passing yards and 91 total touchdowns.

McGough’s uncle is former NFL punter and Super Bowl Champion Kelley Goodburn. McGough’s younger brother, Shane, also a Gaither product, is a redshirt senior offensive lineman at FIU.

Detroit Lions defensive back Amani Oruwariye prepped at Gaither High School. He begins his second NFL season. (Courtesy of Detroit Lions media communications)

Amani Oruwariye, Detroit Lions, cornerback
Local tie: Gaither High School

The 24-year-old Oruwariye looks to build off a promising rookie season where he registered 17 tackles, two interceptions and three passed defensed in nine games — and would’ve put forth a stronger showing had he not been hampered by a midseason knee injury.

But, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound corner will have to navigate another hurdle entering his second season, as he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Detroit Lions in late July.

A two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection at Penn State University, Oruwariye was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

With that, Oruwariye is believed to be the highest NFL draftee to come out of Gaither High School, where he graduated in 2014.

Other known Gaither alums drafted into the NFL include Alex McGough (seventh round in 2018), Carlton Mitchell (sixth round in 2010) and J.R. Russell (seventh round in 2005); and, New Orleans Saints linebacker Anthony Chickillo (sixth round in 2015) who attended Gaither his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Alonso High School.

Oruwariye was a three-year letterman at Gaither under former head coach Jason Stokes, and finished his career with 121 tackles and 12 interceptions combined. Senior year he was named team MVP, earned first-team all-district honors and was invited to play in the Hillsborough County All-Star Game. Various recruiting services ranked him a three-star prospect and top 100 recruit in the state.

Cincinnati Bengals third-year wide receiver Auden Tate is a Wharton High product. (Courtesy of Cincinnati Bengals media communications)

Auden Tate, Cincinnati Bengals, wide receiver
Local tie: Wharton High School

The 6-foot-5, 223-pound wideout looks to build off a breakout 2019 campaign that established him as one of the Bengals’ top offensive targets — hauling in 40 receptions for 455 yards and a touchdown. It marked a significant jump in production from his rookie season two years ago, where he compiled just four catches for 35 yards in seven games.

The 23-year-old prepped at Wharton High, moving to the Tampa area as a 10th-grader from South Carolina. He went on to become one of the nation’s most coveted receiver prospects with offers from 20 Division I schools, ultimately signing with Florida State University (FSU) in 2015.

Following a productive career at FSU, Tate was the Bengals’ seventh round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Quite impressive, considering Tate was once cut from his middle school football team in his hometown of Irmo, South Carolina.

Published August 12, 2020

Local sprinter has big dreams

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By the time Evan Miller graduated from Zephyrhills Christian Academy (ZCA), he was already among Florida’s fastest sprinters, laying claim to three state titles.

During his senior year he won the Class 1A crown 100-meter dash (10.75) at the 2018 FHSAA State Track & Field Championships. He also was a member of the school’s medalist 4×100 relay team that won back-to-back state crowns in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The Zephyrhills native has made plenty of strides since, now morphing into one of the nation’s top college sprinters as a rising junior at NCAAA Division I University of South Carolina track and field program.

His present bests thus far are 10.39-second 100-meter dash, 20.93 200-meter dash, and 6.73 60-meter dash.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy graduate Evan Miller is now one of the nation’s top collegiate sprinters at the NCAA Division I University of South Carolina. The rising junior mainly competes in the 60-meter, 100-meter and 200-meter races. He aspires to run professionally and qualify for the Olympics. (Courtesy of University of South Carolina athletics department)

To put that in context, Miller’s 200-meter personal record was the 26th fastest-time recorded in the 2019-2020 NCAA Division I men’s indoor track ranks. Moreover, it’s the sixth-fastest time in South Carolina program history.

After finishing 19th in the 200 meters at the 2020 SEC (Southeastern Conference) Indoor Championships in late February, the sprinter was poised for a promising outdoor track season.

Then COVID-19 happened, cutting short the remainder of his sophomore campaign.

“It was really disappointing, because the 200 (meter), I was actually decreasing my time like every meet,” Miller said. “I was ready to run outdoor and try to make it to nationals in one of my events…so there were just a lot of plans for the outdoor season that we didn’t get to do, unfortunately, so it was tough.”

Since the spring college athletics season was canceled — and classes headed virtual — Miller has been keeping in shape in his hometown, linking up with his private track coach Bernard “BB” Roberts, who runs the Wesley Chapel-based Speed Starz Track/Running Club.

The two have been training together since March, regularly practicing two-a-days in the mornings and evenings.

With parks closed throughout much of the pandemic, Miller was relegated to working out on grass fields until Roberts was able to get permission to use Wiregrass Ranch High School’s track and field complex a few weeks ago.

However and wherever Miller trains, Roberts sees this time as a prime opportunity to improve, estimating most college track athletes are simply taking this summer off.

Roberts explained, “I basically talk him into it, ‘Hey, keep going. We have our goals in place. Don’t let this pandemic that we’re going through right now mess you up. Use this time to your advantage. Use the time to get better. Let’s get ahead of the game, keep training.’”

Fine-tuning his form
Together, they’ve been working on such details as block starts, posture, arm swing action, and relaxation techniques.

“A lot of stuff goes into speed, working faster,” said Roberts, a former college sprinter who claimed multiple track records from his time at Wesley Chapel High School in the early 2000s. “The average person thinks you just take off from ‘Point A’ to the finish line, and it doesn’t work like that at all. There’s a lot of strategy and lots of technique that’s never-ending.”

Wesley Chapel-based athletic trainer Bernard ‘BB’ Roberts has organized workouts for Evan Miller locally since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. (File)

Besides his burgeoning college career, Miller is thinking bigger picture.

He hopes to run professionally someday, traveling the world competing against other elite athletes.

The local track star looks to be on the right path. He recently was extended an invitation to register as a potential participant for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, which has tentatively been moved to 2021.

To qualify for the U.S. Olympics Team Trials, rescheduled to June 2021, Miller has to reach certain benchmarks in whichever events he chooses to run. For instance, he may need to run 10 seconds flat in the 100-meter dash or a 20.3 200-meter dash.

With additional time on his side, being on the U.S. Olympics Team’s radar has given him extra motivation to live out his dream.

“I definitely want to compete in the Olympics,” Miller said. “(The invitation) gave me a lot of hope, gave me a lot of confidence, seeing that all my work’s paying off. I was really excited to get that email. It just made me want to work harder and practice my craft more, and get better until then.”

His private coach has no doubt Miller has the talent to achieve those goals.

“He definitely has the potential to be an Olympian,” Roberts said, confidently.

Aside from having an ideal body frame, stride length and athleticism, Miller’s greatest quality might be his willingness and dedication to learn, Roberts said.

“He definitely has the work ethic,” the coach said. “He has an open mind to receive or take criticism. I’m hard on him for a reason, and he’s willing to take that and use it as motivation, which is what I like about him.”

Miller got a taste of what it takes to become a world-class sprinter during the July Fourth weekend.

Competing at the V12 Athletics Summer Games in Alachua, Miller raced alongside world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Steven Gardiner (Bahamas), Asa Guevara (Trinidad and Tobago) and Quantaveon Poole (United States) in the 300-meter dash. Miller placed fourth among the group, clocking 35.44 seconds. Gardiner won the race in 31.83 — setting a new Bahamian national record in the process.

It marked Miller’s first time lacing up spikes and competing in an official race since the SEC Indoor Championships. It also served as a barometer of where he stands in comparison to some  top-ranked pros.

“It was pretty cool, to have an opportunity to race them and compete with them,” said Miller. “It felt really good to be able to run again, and be able to compete again against other runners.”
Meanwhile, Miller is looking forward to heading back up to Columbia, South Carolina, by summer’s end, where he can rejoin his Gamecock teammates and have access to the athletic program’s nutritionist, rehabilitation and training resources. He’s also poised to add to his family’s legacy at South Carolina. His father, Selvesta, played football at South Carolina from 1994 to 1997 and later spent two seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

“It’s been a good experience for me,” Miller said of his college career thus far. “It’s just like crazy to think that I turned out at South Carolina from ZCA. It was just one of those dream schools to go to because my dad played there and everything, so it’s just great to see that I’m doing things like this.”

Published July 22, 2020

This award winner is equally at ease in a barn, or a classroom

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Camryn Farquhar, an athlete and a scholar, keeps picking up awards.

Recently, she was named Pasco County’s Career Technical Education High School Student of the Year.

She also was named Wesley Chapel High School’s Outstanding Senior.

The barn makes a perfect backdrop, as Camryn Farquhar sports her Future Farmers of America jacket. (Courtesy of Camryn Farquhar)

And, those are just the latest of her many accolades.

She loves the classroom.

But, she feels most at home in the barn.

She grew up with horses. She used to raise hogs. Now it’s more about showing livestock, connecting with cows and learning all she can about the dairy industry.

“But, this is more than just farming,’’ Farquhar said.

The agriculture lifestyle, through the Future Farmers of America (FFA), includes training in business, leadership and public speaking. It included a stint as Champion Youth Ambassador for the Florida State Fair. It has propelled her to the University of Florida, where she plans a major in agricultural communications and education.

“When you say FFA, people sometimes have a preconceived idea of what it’s all about,’’ said Farquhar, who carried a 4.5 GPA and served in student government. “The truth is, it’s very important that the general public know about this industry. “It’s really important.

“It’s always nice to get honors, but I think it’s especially nice to be recognized in a field with so many great kids at our school and so many great kids throughout the county. I was just over the moon to be selected.’’

Farquhar, who competed in cross-country for Wesley Chapel and remains an active runner, always remembers being surrounded by animals. But, her interest really began when her mother, Erin, became an agriculture teacher.

Her mom came to the field by accident.

“I didn’t realize there were agriculture teacher jobs,’’ said Farquhar’s mother, a former special education teacher. “I was saying, ‘Why is there a barn at school?’ “But, when I stumbled into it and changed jobs, I immediately fell in love with it. It combines teaching with animals and plants. It probably would’ve been my passion earlier had I known it existed,” she said.

“It’s not like Camryn was pushed into this. She always had a natural interest. I know she got an award once and someone said, ‘Of course she did. Her mother is the ag teacher.’ But truly, she has made her own path. It’s not like we go home, sit around the kitchen table and talk about agriculture. She has developed this interest on her own.’’

Farquhar is the oldest (by 10 minutes) of triplets, along with siblings Ryan and Tifani, who are both headed to Florida State University. Ryan, who plays lacrosse and dabbles in FFA, plans a sports management major. Tifani, a projected criminology major, is best known as a standout diver, although she, too, has competed in FFA, but not to Camryn’s extent.

“We get compared to each other a lot, even though we are really different,’’ Farquhar said. “I think it’s an example of three people finding things they love and are passionate about, then following through. It’s not that one is better than the other. It’s just what you’re interested in.

“There were definitely advantages to having my mother be the (agriculture) teacher, but maybe some negative experiences, too, just an assumption that things were given to me. She has helped me and inspired me, but I worked pretty hard for everything I’ve done. It has mostly come about because I’ve loved it so much,” she said.

COVID-19 brought about a different way of celebrating Farquhar’s honors.

She learned of the CTE award (which included nominees from robotics, automotive, health and video production programs) through a Zoom call with school officials, including Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning. At Wesley Chapel, the Outstanding Senior award was noted by administrators delivering balloons, flowers and confetti poppers, along with plenty of mentions on social media.

Farquhar had been a well-decorated performer before, having earned honors at the Florida State Fair and Pasco County Fair, along with being selected to a state dairy judging group.

“These awards bring more focus to our program and that’s great,’’ Farquhar’s mother said. “We’re trying to foster a love of agriculture for the kids. They can learn about nutrition, developing foods, animal systems, environmental protections, and maybe that could become a career. At the very least, they will become more educated and become better consumers. We’re thrilled when agriculture is seen in that light and part of all aspects of school, not just having a notion that they’re just the ‘cowgirls.’

“I think Camryn was very honored just to be nominated. She was humbled by that. To actually be selected was very touching and meaningful.”

By Joey Johnston

Published July 15, 2020

Hoops coach leaves a lasting mark

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The Pasco County’s boys basketball coaching landscape will undoubtedly take on a differently look this coming season, and beyond.

First, it was venerable Land O’ Lakes High head coach Dave Puhalski who announced his retirement after collecting 479 wins in 31 years at the school.

Now, it’s longtime Wesley Chapel High head coach Doug Greseth who’s hanging up the whistle and walking away from the sidelines for good.

Greseth, 63, quietly retired at the end of the 2019-2020 season, which saw the Wildcats post a 16-10 mark and earn a playoff berth.

Longtime Wesley Chapel High varsity boys basketball coach Doug Greseth recently announced his retirement. He exits with 300 wins at the school and 533 career wins overall, adding up his years at Okeechobee and Tampa Jefferson high schools. Combined, he spent more than 34 years coaching the high school ranks. (Courtesy of Taina Greseth)

Winning was commonplace wherever Greseth went.

He won 300 games in 17 years at Wesley Chapel. Over his 34-year prep coaching career, he registered 533 wins — collecting another 163 wins in 13 seasons at Okeechobee High School and 70 wins in four seasons at Jefferson (Tampa) High School, respectively.

The coach also racked up multiple state playoff appearances and coach of the year awards, all while developing countless All-Conference players and college-level athletes.

After so many years, Greseth is ready to step aside.

“I’ve been teaching for over 36 years, coaching for over 34 years, and I just thought this was a good time to end my career,” Greseth said, in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “You just get a gut feeling when it’s time to move on and do other things, so that’s basically it.”

A signal of how long Greseth’s been in the game — he recently coached the son of a former player from his early days at Okeechobee High in the mid 1980s.

The circumstance happened when Greseth coached Chaz Neal during the 2017 and 2018 seasons at Wesley Chapel. He also coached Neal’s father, Roger, more than 30 years before that at the southeast Florida-based school. “You know you’ve been doing it for a long time when the sons start coming through,” Greseth joked.

As he’s just settling into retirement, there’s plenty Greseth will miss about coaching high school hoops.

The competition. The preparation. All the players and fellow coaches.

“I’ve really been fortunate,” Greseth said. “I’ve had a lot of really good assistant coaches. I’ve had a lot of good support. It’s been one of those things, there’s a lot of hardship with coaching, but there’s a lot of satisfaction, as well.”

Some of his favorite teams were those that didn’t have a cast of superstars, but rather a group of team players forced to come together and work hard to discover success. It happened in his second season at Wesley Chapel in 2005, when the team spent the first half of the season under .500, but wound up winning a district title and finishing 17-10.

“It’s easy to coach an all-star team, it’s easy to coach when you’ve got a lot of great players, but when you’ve really got to work to build a team and to get a team to be successful when you maybe have less talent than you have other years, that’s probably the most satisfying thing for me,” he said.

Throughout the local hoops community, Greseth is regarded for an intense, passionate style centered around hard and unselfish play, with an emphasis on sturdy man-to-man defense.

The coach pointed out, “I’ve been called ‘old-school’ by more than one person.

“I wasn’t afraid to be demanding of players. Maybe that’s why we had the success that we had.”

Respected by peers, players
Greseth’s long-lasting career is much appreciated by Wiregrass Ranch High boys basketball coach Jeremy Calzone, whose teams have rivaled Wesley Chapel’s the past 14 years.

Calzone described Greseth as “by far one of the best ever to be on the sidelines, just what he teaches those kids over there and their defense.”

Doug Greseth came to Wesley Chapel in 2003, developing the varsity boys basketball program into one of the area’s best. (Courtesy of Wesley Chapel High School athletics department)

Calzone added: “He’s lasted this long because he gets kids to really buy into his defensive philosophy, and they play hard for him.

“It’s the hardest game of the year for us, not just because it’s a rivalry, but because I know they’re going to give it to us defensively, and get in our face and be physical.”

Off the court, Calzone considers Greseth a mentor and close friend.

The younger coach was just 26 years old when he landed the Wiregrass Ranch job, when the school opened 2006.

That first semester his team was forced to practice at Wesley Chapel’s gymnasium, as the new school’s gym wouldn’t be ready until January 2007.

Calzone will always remember how generous Greseth was in sharing his space and resources. There were times when Calzone’s hoops team was practicing on one end of the floor, while Greseth’s physical education class was on the other side.

Calzone recalled Greseth’s hospitality: “He welcomed me in with open arms even though he knew we were going to be rivals. He made sure that I got whatever I needed, like as far as basketballs if I needed them or extra gym space, he just was very accommodating from the very beginning, and he couldn’t have helped me any more than he did.

“He’d just give me advice, and he’d make sure if I needed anything, like there’s just so much that he did that he didn’t have to do. He could’ve been mad and said, ‘Oh, these guys are using our gym,’ and he did not do that, which I’ll never forget that.”

In game action, Greseth’s aggressive on-court demeanor may have been a turnoff for some watching from the stands.

Calzone acknowledged if someone were to catch a Wesley Chapel game, they might come away thinking Greseth “was a pretty bad guy.” But, that’s far from the case, Calzone insists.

“Even though he’s intense and he yells a lot, the love he has for the game and for people in the game and his players, I don’t think people really appreciate that, and I’m going to miss that, and I know the players that he leaves behind are certainly going to miss that, as well,” Calzone said.

Greseth’s consideration and having others’ best interests at heart isn’t lost on former players, including Greg Jenkins, who graduated from Wesley Chapel in 2008.

Jenkins is best known for his work on the gridiron, where he became was a star quarterback at Alabama State University, and spent three seasons in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively.

He also played varsity hoops for three years for Greseth, developing into an All-Conference player, leading scorer and hard-nosed defensive player.

“He’s definitely going to push you, not only as a basketball player, but as a young man,” Jenkins recalled of Greseth. “If you weren’t a team player, you wouldn’t really like his coaching style. “Like, he was a team-oriented style coach, and he loved to win,” Jenkins said.

The former pro athlete’s connection with Greseth transcends sports.

When Jenkins was a middle-schooler, Greseth would pick him up from his Dade City home and drive him to and from summer league basketball games in Wesley Chapel. The experience isn’t lost on Jenkins. He acknowledged he had a rough upbringing and was raised in a single-parent household and didn’t always have a ride to athletics events.

“He’s like a father-figure,” Jenkins said of Greseth. So much so, Jenkins makes a point to text Greseth a positive message every Father’s Day.

The coach was there for important moments in Jenkins’ life, too. Greseth attended his mother’s funeral in 2016 and his wedding in 2017.

“Anything I have going on, he’s definitely there,” said Jenkins, now an Atlanta-based fitness and athletic trainer. “We have a real friendship. It’s bigger than sports.”

Jenkins also underscored Greseth’s humble nature.

When Jenkins recently made a trip to his old stomping grounds to catch up with Greseth, he said his former coach never mentioned he had eclipsed the 500-career win mark.

Jenkins didn’t know about the achievement until he noticed a celebratory plaque hanging on the school’s gymnasium wall.

“He just loves the work, the work behind the scenes. He’s doesn’t like accolades, he just works,” Jenkins said.

Greseth coached Erik Thomas at Wesley Chapel, one of Pasco County’s most decorated players who’s now playing professionally in Mexico. Thomas said Greseth made a substantial impact on his successful basketball career. (File)

Erik Thomas is the most decorated hoops player Greseth coached at Wesley Chapel.

He is the program’s all-time scorer and rebounder who won the Florida Class 4A Player of the Year in 2013. He’s gone on to have a notable college career at NCAA Division I University of New Orleans and will be playing in the Mexican professional basketball league this year, after spending the past three seasons playing in Argentina.

Thomas detailed how Greseth improved his game throughout his four years of high school, helping him fine-tune fundamentals and better understand the sport’s nuances.

“He brings you back to what basketball is about, and knowing the game and becoming  a student of the game,” Thomas said. “He helped me get to where I wanted to go.”

Thomas said Greseth’s coaching style resembled a “Bob Knight type,” referring to the legendary Indiana University men’s basketball coach who won three national championships and was known for instilling a disciplined approach and for his fiery on-court presence.

“I had to work my butt off,” Thomas said of playing for Greseth. “He tried to enforce working hard and having a hard work ethic, and I think his character and his demeanor and energy rubbed off on all the players, allowing them to get better on the court.”

Like others have found, beyond Greseth’s sometimes gruff exterior is a coach who really cared.

One of Thomas’ favorite memories was when his prep coach showed up to his senior night game in New Orleans in 2017. Greseth made the nine-hour drive to New Orleans to support Thomas, then drove back home later that night.

“Him being there meant a lot, and it just shows we have a relationship after I had graduated and after I had went into college,” Thomas said. “He always was hoping that I would go out and do big things, and I was able to achieve them. I was just glad I was able to come to Wesley Chapel and play under him, and do what I did there in those four years I was there.”

Road to 533 career victories
• 163 wins in 13 seasons at Okeechobee High School (1983-1986)
• 70 wins in four seasons at Jefferson (Tampa) High School (1999-2002)
• 300 wins in 17 seasons at Wesley Chapel High School (2003-2020)

Wesley Chapel boys basketball under coach Doug Greseth
2003-2004: 22-6 (state playoffs; region semifinals)
2004-2005: 17-10 (district champions; state playoffs)
2005-2006: 23-6 (conference champions; district champions; state playoffs)
2006-2007: 15-12 (district runner-up; state playoffs)
2007-2008: 19-7
2008-2009: 12-14
2009-2010: 13-12 (conference runner-up)
2010-2011: 13-16 (district runner-up; state playoffs)
2011-2012: 24-5 (conference champions; state playoffs)
2012-2013: 24-5 (conference champions; district champions; state playoffs)
2013-2014: 21-6 (conference runner-up)
2014-2015: 17-10 (conference runner-up)
2015-2016: 21-8 (conference runner-up; district runner-up; state playoffs)
2016-2017: 9-17
2017-2018: 16-11
2018-2019: 18-9
2019-2020: 16-10 (state playoffs)

Published July 15, 2020

Elks Lodge opens drive-thru food pantry

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What Donna Moyer misses most is the children filing into the cafeteria, laughing, playing and sitting down to enjoy lunch.

“We have a big party,” said Moyer, past Exalted Ruler at the Elks Lodge 2731, in Zephyrhills. “It’s a big deal. This year with all this extra nonsense, we can’t.”

COVID-19 upended the typical Feed the Kids Program, a free summer lunch and literacy program.

A young girl wrote a handmade thank you card to the volunteers who distribute free lunches at the Elks Lodge. (Courtesy of Donna Moyer)

This year, Moyer, and 10 to 15 volunteers, wave to children in the backseat of cars as their parents pull into a drive-thru food pantry organized at the lodge, at 6851 Wire Road.

Five days a week from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the volunteers hand out about 100 free lunches prepared daily at Zephyrhills’ restaurant, Tubby’s Q and Smokehouse.

The restaurant is the first participant in Operation Feed Pasco, a collaboration between the Pasco County Commission, United Way of Pasco County, Thomas Promise Foundation and the Elks Lodge.

The initiative has a dual purpose: To bolster area food pantries and help restaurants that took a financial loss from the COVID-19 shutdown.

A nonprofit, Harper Valley Son’s Food Pantry based in Wesley Chapel, is independently providing boxes of vegetables, pre-cooked meat, fruit and milk to parents who come to the Elks Lodge.

Joe Simmons, left, executive director of the Thomas Promise Foundation, and Robert ‘Cowboy’ Harper, founder of Harper Valley Son’s Food Pantry, discuss food distribution standing beside a food truck Harper drove to the Elks Lodge. (Kathy Steele)

On Wednesdays, the Elks Lodge also gives out bags filled with craft activities and books to boost reading skills.

On Fridays, Thomas Promise provides meals to carry families through the weekend.

Thomas Promise’s mission is to feed hungry children in Pasco. It typically serves 1,600 students in more than 25 schools, but this year the need is greater because of COVID-19.

The nonprofit is a longtime supporter of the Elks Lodge, so coming together for Operation Feeding Pasco was a natural fit.

“I immediately thought of Elks Lodge because that’s exactly what we do,” said Joe Simmons, executive director of Thomas Promise.

When Moyer realized the Elks Lodge members had to reinvent an on-site program now in its sixth year, she stayed up nights wondering if they could pull it off.

But, Moyer said, “We just kind of got it all together.”

The Elks Lodge is one of many nonprofits and food banks that is helping families that are struggling to pay bills, put food on the table and stay safe during the pandemic.

Even as businesses begin to reopen in Florida, and more people are venturing out to shops and restaurants — a great need for help continues.

Before COVID-19, Feeding Tampa Bay distributed food in its 10-county region to about 600,000 “food insecure” individuals. Since the shutdown, that number has more than doubled, to about 1.3 million.

“The need is continuing to climb,” said Shannon Hannon Oliviero, external affairs officer for Feeding Tampa Bay.

Volunteers Harriett Hinton, left, and Ilene Nutting put together craft bags. Nutting, a former day care worker, organizes the giveaway for the Elks Lodge. (Kathy Steele)

The nonprofit began opening drive-thru food banks, known as “mega-pantries,” in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Polk and Pasco counties.

One mega-pantry now operates at Pasco High School in Dade City.

Volunteers with Make a Difference, a nonprofit in Dade City, distribute food supplied by Feeding Tampa Bay every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at 36850 State Road 52 in Dade City.

Oliviero said an early survey completed after the shutdown revealed about 70% of those coming to food banks were doing so for the first time in their lives.

Many had either lost their jobs or are on furlough, she said.

She said the help will continue.

“We’re going to be here for as long as needed. That’s what we’re here for,” Oliviero said.

About 700 food bags were given away at the first drive-thru at Pasco High, said Larry Guilford, founder of Make a Difference.

“One woman cried while driving through,” he said. “That’s when we know we’re doing the right thing. That’s telling us it’s needed.”

Volunteers bagged up lunch meals prepared by Tubby Q’s and Smokehouse, a Zephyrhills restaurant participating in Operation Feed Pasco. (Kathy Steele)

The same community spirit abounds at the Elks Lodge. Volunteers arrive around 7:30 a.m. Duties include bagging the days’ meals, snacks and crafts. On some days they also prepare frozen meals, such as pancakes and sausage, meat subs and spaghetti. Those are kept in the freezers for use as needed, said Moyer.

On average about 100 meals are distributed for the summer program, but on one recent day about 150 meals were handed out, she said.

“Thank you,” is the phrase of the day, as parents and children accept the food bags.

“It’s an amazing resource,” said Kimberly Mahon, who drove through with her children, ages 3 and 7.

Brad Odell, a Wesley Chapel High School teacher, drove through with his family — but also took home food packages for neighbors unable to leave their home.

“It helps me,” he said, adding, “but I have neighbors that are elderly, and a woman with five children. I try to help out as many people as possible. It makes me feel good.”

Area food banks/pantries
Here is a partial list of food banks operating in Pasco. (Please call ahead to be sure the pantry is open and to find out its hours of operation):

Food Pantry at Emmanuel Ministries
12639 Candlewood Drive, Dade City
For information on hours, call (813) 713-0305.

Farmworker’s Self-Help
37240 Lock St., Dade City
Provides fresh fruit, meats, dairy and more
For information, call (352) 567-1432.

Neighborhood Care Center
5140 Sixth St., Zephyrhills
This nonregional, nonprofit offers free groceries and hot meals
For information, call (813) 780-6822.

Life Community Center
6542 Applewood St., Wesley Chapel
For information, call (813) 994-0685.

Christian Social Services
5514 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
For information, call (813) 995-0088.

Suncoast Harvest Food Bank
5829 Ehren Cutoff Road, Land O’ Lakes
Open third Saturday of the month
For information, call (813) 929-0200.

St. Vincent De Paul
Serves various locations in Pasco
For information, call the district office at (727) 868-8160.

Father and Son Love Ministries
21418 Carson Drive, Land O’ Lakes
Operates a food pantry on Tuesdays, from noon to 2 p.m.; Fridays, from noon to 3 p.m.; and on Sundays, starting at 12:30 p.m.
For information, call (813) 383-8410.

Helping Hands, a food pantry at Atonement Lutheran Church
29617 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
Call (813) 756-8866 to find out when it is open.

Daystar Hope Center
15512 U.S. 301, Dade City
Call (352) 523-0844 to find out when it is open.

Published June 17, 2020

Cancellation of spring sports leaves many dejected

By

There was at least a glimmer of hope the 2020 Florida high school spring sports season would resume, even amid concerns about coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

But, optimism vanished when the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on April 20 announced it would cancel all FHSAA-affiliated events.

The cancellations include the state series and championships events, for spring sports.

Due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on April 20 announced it would cancel all FHSAA-affiliated events, including the state series and championships events, for spring sports. (File)

The statewide sports organization also announced no additional eligibility will be granted for spring sport athletes, including seniors, “under the guidance of the Florida Department of Education regarding grade level retention, and upon review of Florida Statutes and FHSAA Bylaws.”

And, just like that, high school senior athletic careers have come to an end.

It happened months sooner than expected, with no clue for athletes that a game, match or meet around mid-March would officially be their last.

The reality has left many local senior athletes feeling dejected, including Sunlake High’s Gianna Levy.

“It was really hard on me,” said Levy. “I cried. To be honest, I cried a lot.”

The prep track and field season offered Levy a final chance to boost her stats and times, to get on the radar of NCAA Division I college programs, as a heptathlete. She’s still holding out hope of being able to compete on the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) circuit this summer to get those college looks, but even that’s no guarantee.

“It definitely is really taking a really big toll on me,” Levy said. “This was a lot of people’s out ticket (to college) and now we don’t have that out ticket.”

Levy was only able participate in a couple track events before the varsity season came to a screeching halt. She was nursing a hip injury, which arose in February after she won a state title in girls weightlifting.

Though she’d already been a three-time state track and field qualifier and holds the school’s 400-meter dash record, Levy was dogged to put forth a banner senior campaign. “I just had so many goals in mind,” she said.

Other seniors had similar ambitions for their high school swan song.

Land O’ Lakes High senior Courtney Piltaver is a two-time Sunshine Athletic Conference East Girls Tennis Player of the Year. She was poised again to shine in her final high school tennis season, coming off a district title and state finalist.

From left: Wiregrass Ranch High softball seniors Kailey Riddlesworth, Cassidy Eason, Lexi Gaiefsky and Loryn Finn. These athletes only played nine games of a 27-game regular season schedule, due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Courtesy of Tyler Finn)

“I was pretty upset because it was my senior year, and it really sucks that I didn’t get to enjoy the full season with my team and my coaches, and kind of just close out,” said Piltaver, who’s signed with NCAA Division II University of Montevallo in Alabama.

The tennis standout added that not having the typical ceremonial senior night celebration, “was kind of heartbreaking, because that was something I was really looking forward to since my freshman year.”

Senior infielder Loryn Finn was in the midst of her best hitting season on the Wiregrass Ranch High softball team, sporting a .360/.467/.440 slash line through nine games.

The team captain also was chasing the 100 career hit milestone — a possibility with 18 regular season games remaining on the schedule, until athletics activities were scrapped.

Finn won’t be playing college ball. She hasn’t quite come to grips that a March 11 loss to Wesley Chapel High is perhaps the final time she’ll pick up a bat, ball and glove competitively.

“It’s definitely hard. I’m kind of in shock,” Finn said, bluntly.

Aside from game action, Finn still longs for those last few “bus rides to games, and just jamming to music with players and teammates.”

With a tinge of despair in her voice, Finn labeled her four-year softball experience as “just always been fun.”

Wiregrass Ranch assistant softball coach Tyler Finn feels for his senior daughter and the many other players on the team: “It’s really just not the seniors, it’s freshmen, it’s everybody. It’s tough on them, too. It affects every player, all of them; their season was cut short.”

He also observed his daughter’s high school athletics career coming to an abrupt halt.

Besides softball, Finn was a three-time All-Conference golfer: “She’s gotten to the point where she just wants to get into college and get the education going. She had a really good high school softball career and golf career. …She’s going to miss those kids that she played with since she was little — that’s the hard part.”

Though the traditional season is done, the assistant coach is looking for some way to hold a final showcase in the summer that would bring together various senior high school softball players countywide, assuming restrictions on parks and gatherings are lifted.

“The kids deserve it,” he said.

‘I knew it was coming’
Back on March 31, the FHSAA issued a statement that left open the possibility of a spring sports season, saying they could run from as soon as May 3 through June 30.

The FHSAA also had indicated if a spring sports season is canceled altogether, it was working on a solution to create additional athletics eligibility for students who were unable to participate.

FHSAA-sanctioned spring sports include baseball, flag football, lacrosse, softball, tennis, track & field, boys volleyball, water polo and boys weightlifting.

However, as days and weeks pressed on, many saw the writing on the wall that spring sports would not return this year, due to the pandemic.

Sunlake High senior track and field standout Gianna Levy was looking to get on the radar of Division I college athletics programs before the spring season was cut short. (Courtesy of Gianna Levy)

“I knew it was coming. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I didn’t want to accept it, but I knew it was coming,” said Academy at the Lakes (AATL) varsity baseball coach Ken Akins.

“Once the FHSAA said, ‘OK, we’re thinking about extending it into summer and deep into June,’ there was a little bit of hope there, but once you get into June you start messing with all the travel sports — baseball and softball are huge in the summertime.”

Academy at the Lakes athletic director Tom Haslam offered a similar take on the FHSAA’s decision: “We kind of knew this was coming, but we hated to hear the actual directive.”

He added: “It’s understandable, they have to do it, so we don’t disagree with it, we expected it.”

The directive came at a time when multiple AATL programs were hitting their stride.

The AATL baseball team was on its best start in program history, already matching its win total from 2019  —  thanks to contributions from four seniors.

The school’s boys tennis team, meanwhile, was expected to contend for a state championship, like the prior season.

Of course, the FHSAA’s salvo wiped out the Land O’ Lakes-based private school’s softball, track and field, and boys weightlifting teams.

All told, there were 17 seniors among those five teams.

“It affects everybody’s season,” Haslam said, “but the seniors, you really feel for it.”

He added, “It’s not just athletic seniors, but seniors in anything. You’re talking about proms and special events that just aren’t going to happen. It’s just sad. Sad’s the best word I have for it.”

Though much attention has been brought to how this year’s seniors are affected, and rightly so, the longtime athletic director also believes the canceled spring season could have major ripple effects for juniors looking to get recruited by various college programs.

Haslam put it like this: “It hurts a lot of the juniors, because not only are they putting stats on paper, but they’re also missing workout time, and it’s going to be hard to develop their skills as normal, because they can’t get in the cages and gyms, and there’s no spring ball, and there may not even be travel ball in the summer.

“It’s pretty far-reaching, so it doesn’t just affect seniors on that level. You can’t even go out in a park and shoot hoops,” he said.

Published April 29, 2020