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Cypress Creek Basketball Camps

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The Cypress Creek Middle School basketball teams are hosting summer basketball camps in June, with three four-day sessions at the school, 8845 Old Pasco Road, in Wesley Chapel.

Sessions run Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Camp dates are June 6 through June 9; June 13 through June 16; and, June 20 through June 23, for boys and girls players, grades five through 10. Cost is $75 per week per camper, which includes a T-shirt as well as dribbling and shooting instructions, learning the fundamentals and competing in games.

For information or to register, email or .

Steinbrenner Softball Camp

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The Steinbrenner Softball Team will host a four-week softball summer camp starting June 13 at Odessa Community Park, 1627 Chesapeake Drive. The camp is for players ages 6 to 14 and the cost is $145. The price includes a camp T-shirt. Weekly sessions will be from June 13 to June 16; June 20 to June 23; July 11 to July 14; and, July 18 to July 21. For more information or to register, contact Jason Gordon at 813-505-4446 or .

Warriors looking for deep postseason run

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The Steinbrenner softball team has always been successful.

In fact, the Warriors haven’t had a losing season in the program’s 13-year existence.

“I knew I was taking over a good program,” said first-year coach Jason Gordon, who replaced longtime coach Brenda Leach. “But these girls have stepped up and made this season fun. We talked about how happy we are for the season, but know we still have to take it one game at a time.”

The Steinbrenner softball team celebrates winning the Lady Canes Spring Classic, the annual softball tournament held in March by Palm Harbor University High. The Warriors defeated the highly ranked Bartow, 9-2. (Courtesy of Jason Gordon)

As of May 3, prior to the Class 7A-7 district tournament, Steinbrenner is 19-4 and ranked 18th in the state. The Warriors entered that tournament as the top seed and hope to take another district title, putting them in the regional tournament, which begins May 11. Once there, Steinbrenner hopes to avenge last season’s first-round departure in the regional quarterfinals when it lost to eventual Class 7A state champ, Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton).

Gordon figures this might be the toughest region in the state. The Mustangs (ranked No. 1 in the state and 7A) are state champs, while Venice (eighth in 7A) and Newsome (fourth in 7A and defeated the Warriors 6-2 on April 12) are looming.

“We’re hoping to get shots at those teams in the tournament,” Gordon said.

Steinbrenner entered this season with lofty goals, especially after it returned all but three players from the 2021 season.

Leading the way on offense has been sophomore Lilian Holtje, who is batting .373 with team highs in doubles (eight), homers (three) and RBI (25). Senior Madi Frey has a team-high .459 batting average with six doubles, a team-high four triples, and 20 RBI on 28 hits and a team-high 10 steals, while fellow senior Emily Chiarella has a team-high 31 hits, 22 runs scored and 10 steals.

On the pitching side, sophomore pitcher Saige Sampson is 11-3 with a 1.88 ERA and a team-high 43 strikeouts, while junior Haven Leggett is 8-1 with a team-best 1.49 ERA and 40 strikeouts.

“I think our pitching and defense has been top-notch this year,” Gordon said.

Regional tournaments for both high school baseball and softball start May 11, and results for both can be found at MaxPreps.com.

Summer recreation programs

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The City of Zephyrhills will host free summer recreation programs for local youth, running from May 31 through July 7.

Zephyrhills has partnered with Pasco Schools, the East Pasco Family YMCA and the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center to offer a variety of stimulating programming, including art, bowling, movies, open-gym activities, swimming, tennis and more. The programs are open to kindergarten through fifth-grade level students of the 2021-2022 school year. Space is limited to 120 students and split into two groups, with alternating activities each day. Programs will be held at Stewart Middle, at 38505 10th Ave., in Zephyrhills, on Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon.

Registration is open and parents or guardians must complete a preregistration form online at ci.zephyrhills.fl.us/225/Summer-Recreation-Information. An additional waiver must be completed to be eligible for YMCA swimming activities, and must be emailed to .

For more information, email Kevin Weiss at , or call 813- 780-0205, or visit www.linktr.ee/ZephyrhillsCity.

Roller Derby Open Recruitment

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Revolution Roller Derby, a mixed-gender, flat-track roller derby league, will host an open recruitment practice every Tuesday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at Spinnations, at 8345 Congress St., in Port Richey. No experience is necessary, as the team encourages any skill level to try out either for fun, exercise or competition in this family friendly environment. Skaters must be 18 or older, sign a waiver to participate, and need to provide their own equipment of a helmet, mouth guard, elbow and knee pads, wrist guards and water. For more information, email , or call/text 727-280-7981.

Longtime coach retires

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Wharton boys basketball coach Tommy Tonelli on the night of his 500th win in his coaching career. (File)

Wharton boys basketball coach Tommy Tonelli, who started the program in 1997 and won more than 500 games with the Wildcats, announced his retirement from the coaching position on April 8.

Tonelli, who turns 58 in May and is a former University of South Florida point guard, will remain at the school as a guidance counselor, but leaves a program that has seen 12 district titles, two region championships and two Final Four berths. This past season, the Wildcats were 28-3, but eventually fell to Class 6A champ Stuart Martin County in the semifinals.

Summer basketball camp

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Saint Leo University’s men’s basketball program will host a summer day camp for children (second grade through high school), June 6 through June 9. The camp will be at the university’s campus, 33701 State Road 52, in St. Leo.

The 2022 Summer Day Camp strives to give all campers a unique basketball experience on and off the court, and to not only teach the game of basketball through fundamental skill work and competition, but also to work on each camper’s leadership and teamwork skills.

The camp will have a morning session each day from 9 a.m. to noon, and will include skill and fundamental work. The afternoon session each day is 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with live competition and gameplay.

Campers have the option to register for either session individually or sign up for both sessions. Check-in times for registered campers will be dependent on the session they register for and will be communicated via email from Spencer Henke, assistant men’s basketball coach, closer to the time of the summer camp.

For information, contact Spencer Henke at or 352- 588-7311.

Couple wins fishing tournament

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Robert Rick shows off the big bass he caught on Lake Istokpoga that weighed 8.85 pounds. (Courtesy of John Medvid)

Husband and wife team Robert and Kerri Rick won the South Pasco Bassmasters March tournament on Lake Istokpoga in Highlands County. The Ricks scored a tournament win by hooking a big bass weighing 8.85 pounds. Robert and Kerri caught their five bass limit weighing 18.85 pounds using spinner bait around assorted grasses and pads.

The South Pasco Bassmasters will host this month’s tournament on April 16, at Crooked Lake in Polk County.

For more info on the organization, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.

Pasco High Grad, All-American honored

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Warner University women’s soccer and Pasco High grad Taylor Boyd was named an All-American for 2021 and was honored by the City of Zephyrhills on March 14. (Courtesy of Kevin Weiss)

Taylor Boyd already was an amazing athlete, but now she has the accolades and hardware to back it up.

Just months after earning 2021 NCCAA First-Team All-American status this past season at Warner University in Lake Wales, the City of Zephyrhills gave Boyd a proclamation from Mayor Gene Whitfield during a March 14 City Council meeting at Zephyrhills City Hall.

Boyd was a standout soccer player at Pasco High, where she also was part of the prestigious Cambridge program. After high school, Boyd went to Warner on a women’s soccer athletic scholarship, only to rack up numerous accolades, including: Sun Conference All-Academic Team in 2019, 2020, 2021; Sun Conference Honorable Mention in 2021; NCCAA Scholar-Athlete in 2021; and, NCCAA All-Tournament Team in 2020 and 2021.

Boyd also is known for giving back to her community, having volunteered at Meals on Wheels, the Pregnancy Care Center, filling and distributing sandbags through the Zephyrhills Police Department during Hurricane Irma, and packaging meals at Saint Leo University for the Feeding Children Everywhere program.

So, what’s next for Boyd? She plans to join the United States Air Force to become a pilot.

Local teams compete in Farm Bureau Classic

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Land O’ Lakes, Bishop McLaughlin, Wesley Chapel and Cypress Creek baseball teams all competed in the Farm Bureau Insurance High School Baseball Classic, the annual tournament held in Hernando County and featuring teams from Hernando and Pasco counties.

The Gators defeated Citrus and Central, but lost to tournament runner-up River Ridge in three games. The Hurricanes beat Central and Weeki Wachee, but lost to Springstead, while the Wildcats defeated Nature Coast, but lost to Cypress Creek and Hernando. The Coyotes won its first two games against Lecanto and Wesley Chapel, but lost the third game to the eventual tournament champion, Mitchell.