The Laker/Lutz News

Land O' Lakes High School

2021 offered special moments in local sports (Part One)

By

This past year levied countless memories in the local sports scene — from shattered records and career achievements for individuals and teams, to several major events and showcases in the area.

Here is a look back at some of the moments in sports in 2021, from across Pasco and Hillsborough counties, in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

(This is Part One of a two-part series.)

Land O’ Lakes Little League celebrates 50th anniversary
The start of each Little League season often elicits a heightened level of nostalgia.

Alissa Canter, vice president Land O’ Lakes Little League, holds the 50th Anniversary charter with director, Gary Gwinn. (File)

With spring in the air, youth of all ages and skills partake in America’s favorite pastime, testing their mettle on the mound, at the plate and in the field.

For Land O’ Lakes Little League, this year’s Opening Day festivities took on added significance: The organization celebrated its 50th anniversary on Feb. 27, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, off Collier Parkway.

The organization actually formed back in 1967 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center (now Heritage Park) off U.S. 41, but it didn’t receive its first Little League charter until 1971.

The local league has come a long way since its initial startup — boasting upwards of 800 boys and girls, ages 4 to 16, playing baseball and softball across 10 fields.

The large ballfield took center stage in the league’s season-opening event.

Teams from all age divisions were spread across the infield and outfield, signaling the league’s staying power and sustained growth.

First pitches were accurately thrown from veteran baseball players, as well softball Little League players.

Local players sang the national anthem and read the league pledge.

There was the unveiling, too, of a framed 50th anniversary “golden ticket” issued and signed by the Little League International Headquarters, which is based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The beauty of the organization is it’s a recreational format.

It welcomes the novice player that may never make an all-star team or play high school ball, to others who have the potential to earn college scholarships and maybe play professionally someday.

“I think every kid should play Little League,” Land O’ Lakes Little League President Gary Gwinn told The Laker/Lutz News.

NBA hopefuls showcase hoops skills in Wesley Chapel
Pasco County and the greater Tampa Bay region isn’t really known for its basketball prowess, but that reputation, or lack thereof, may soon change.

Pursuing dreams of playing professional basketball, a large group of athletes dropped by Wesley Chapel, of all places.

Six-foot-11-inch Nate Reuvers, from the University of Wisconsin, takes a few practice shots prior to the start of the 3-point and slam dunk competitions held during the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. Some 50 players from throughout the country converged in Wesley Chapel for the basketball event. (File)

In early June, some 50 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft-eligible hopefuls descended upon the area to showcase their athleticism and hoops skills in the inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine (TBPC), at the AdventHealth Sports Arena at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County.

The elite-level hoopers — many from recognizable high and mid-major NCAA Division I programs — dribbled, dunked, jumped, shot and passed their way into the eyes and impressions of various NBA and international coaches and scouts.

Several names may be familiar from deep runs in the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball March Madness tournament, such as University of Southern California guard Tahj Eaddy, University of Houston forward Justin Gorham, and University of Loyola-Chicago center Cameron Krutwig, among others.

The three-day event featured drills, games (5-on-5, 2-on-2 and 3-on-3), athletic testing and measurements, as well as a 3-point shootout, dunk contest and more.

The player selection committee was led by ESPN television analyst Fran Fraschilla and BasketballNews.com NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock, who were there to evaluate players during the weekend.

The competition came together in a matter of about six weeks, seeking to replicate the Virginia-based Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a long-running hoops combine event canceled a second-straight year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quade Green was the leading scorer at the University of Washington this past season, at 15.4 points per game.

Like others, it was his first time stepping into the Wiregrass Sports Campus.

He came away impressed with the state-of-the-art digs.

“This is a beautiful gym,” Green said, in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “Lot of great players here, great people around you, too. They’ve got connections. Life connections, too, for the long run.”

Zephyrhills runner competes in U.S. Olympic trials
Evan Miller’s sprint for a spot on Team USA for the Tokyo Summer Olympics may have come up short — but it was still an experience most athletes can only ever dream about.

The Zephyrhills athlete on June 25 competed in the U.S. Olympic track and field trials at the legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Miller — then a rising senior at University of South Carolina — clocked 21.04 seconds in the first-round heat of the men’s 200-meter dash, finishing 23rd overall.

Evan Miller (File)

He competed in the same heat against other widely known professional sprinters, including Terrance Laird and Jaron Flourney, among others.

The competition was televised live nationally on NBC Sports Network.

Miller’s trials mark was a shade off his personal best of 20.50 seconds — which he recorded at the Weems Baskin Relays hosted on-campus at South Carolina in late March; he wound up earning second-team NCAA All-American honors during the season, too.

Miller was one of about 30 sprinters nationwide who either qualified or accepted an invitation, and declared for the men’s 200-meter trials event.

From there, the top three men’s 200-meter finishers at trials earned spots on the U.S. Olympic team — Noah Lyles (first, 19.74 seconds), Kenny Bednarek (second, 19.78) and Erriyon Knighton (third, 19.84).

While disappointed with his own trials output overall, Miller relished the opportunity so very few earn — let alone coming off a 2020 track season hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“All around, it was a really good experience,” Miller told The Laker/Lutz Newspaper. “It was kind of surreal that I was there with the top athletes in the country. It was just a really good feeling. I was kind of trying to take it all in, but I also couldn’t like believe it at the same time.”

Before college, Miller had made a name for himself as a sprinter at Zephyrhills Christian Academy.

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

Locals athletes taken in 2021 MLB Draft
It’s not uncommon for at least a few ballplayers from area high schools and colleges to be taken in the Major League Baseball (MLB) first-year player draft.

The year 2012 was no different, as five local athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were taken in the nationally televised draft, which spanned 20 rounds (and 612) picks from July 11 through July 13:

  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace (Cleveland Indians/Guardians, Comp B, 69th overall)
  • Wharton High shortstop Zach Ehrhard (Boston Red Sox, 13th round, 376th overall)
  • Gaither High shortstop A.J. Graham (Pittsburgh Pirates, 18th round, 523rd overall)
  • Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette (Toronto Blue Jays, 18th round, 543rd overall)
  • Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams (Kansas City Royals, 19th round, 559th overall)
Sunlake High/University of Florida product Tommy Mace was selected 69th overall by the Cleveland Indians (now named Guardians) in the 2021 MLB first-year player draft. (File)

Every player, except for Ehrhard opted to sign with their drafted team, for various dollar figures.

Mace — the highest selection from the local community — inked with the Indians (now Guardians) for a $1.1 million signing bonus; Graham signed with the Pirates for $125,000; Burnette signed with Blue Jays for $50,000; and, Williams signed with the Royals for $25,000.

Ehrhard, meanwhile, will play collegiate baseball at NCAA Division I Oklahoma State University, majoring in applied exercise science with a focus on strength and conditioning. He was this year’s recipient of the 2021 Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award, which honors a high school baseball player in Hillsborough County on the basis of outstanding athletic, scholastic and community achievements.

(While slightly outside our coverage area in west Pasco County, Fivay High/University of Mississippi product Gunnar Hoglund went in the first round (19th overall) to the Blue Jays. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander from Hudson ultimately signed with the team for just under $3.25 million.)

National champion returns home to teach aspiring players
Land O’ Lakes native Shannon Saile was a part of history — guiding the University of Oklahoma women’s softball team to the 2021 NCAA Division I national title, serving as one of its top senior pitchers.

With her decorated athletic career in tow, Saile’s next major task was organizing a series of fastpitch softball clinics to train the next generation of youth standouts.

Shannon Saile, left, a national champion softball pitcher for the Oklahoma Sooners, explains the fundamentals of the fast pitch to 11-year-old Laila McClelland, center, of Odessa. (File)

To do that, the 23-year-old returned to her central Pasco hometown and set foot on the same park ballfields that forged a pathway for myriad athletic accomplishments.

The upstart Shannon Saile Pitching Clinic was held on July 25 at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, home to Land O’ Lakes Little League.

About 30 girls — ages 8 to 15 — took part on a steamy Sunday, eager to take in guidance from Saile and other widely known pitching instructors and volunteers.

With Saile’s tutelage, young campers sharpened their fastballs and secondary offerings like changeups, through arm path mechanics and leg drive techniques, as well as various speed, agility and balance drills.

“I just hope that I can teach them the foundation of pitching, because it’s much more important than just getting out there and throwing pitches,” Saile explained to The Laker/Lutz News. “The drills are super important, because they help me grow my strength and my confidence in my pitches.”

Besides learning newfound softball techniques, campers also had an opportunity to get signed autographs and take pictures with Saile, who’s become a household name in the sports world. She was invited to ESPN’s nationally televised 2021 ESPY Awards, for being part of one of the best moments from the year in sports.

Saile goes down as one of the most accomplished — if not most accomplished — fastpitch softball players to ever come out of Land O’ Lakes High School and the greater Tampa Bay area.

As a Gator, she amassed 517 strikeouts and a career 1.76 ERA in four varsity seasons from 2013 to 2016, also compiling a combined 41 wins, 31 complete games, 11 shutouts and five no-hitters.

The advancement to the college ranks likewise went swimmingly for the 5-foot-7 right-hander.

Saile began her Division I softball career at Florida International University, finding immediate success with a pair of sub-2.00 ERA seasons in the circle, before transferring to Oklahoma.

As a redshirt senior this past season, Saile posted an impressive 1.70 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while being second on the team in wins (17), innings pitched (100.1), complete games (six), and strikeouts (132).

Published December 29, 2021

New 410-home subdivision approved in Land O’ Lakes

By

The Pasco County Commission has approved a new subdivision in Land O’ Lakes, on the north side of Wisteria Loop, approximately 2,100 feet west of U.S. 41.

The development, known as the Clark master-planned unit development (MPUD) has been approved for up to 410 single-family attached and detached residences.

The request was submitted by the Robert J. Clark Jr. Trust and the John M. Clark Revocable Trust.

The land previously was zoned for agricultural residential, estate residential and rural density mobile home zoning.

The approved plan calls for a mixture of lot sizes.

Conditions also include a requirement for architectural details to prevent monotony in the design and a requirement for trees within the development.

The subdivision will have access to Causeway Boulevard to the north. It will not have vehicular access to Bexley Road/Wisteria Loop except during emergencies.

The upland portions of the project in the southeast and southwest shall be preserved for open space/stormwater/mitigation, as depicted on the Master Plan, and shall not be developed for residential uses as they would not have direct access to the project’s internal roadways/Causeway Boulevard, according to materials contained in the county board’s agenda packet.

The master plan also shows pedestrian/sidewalk access to Land O’Lakes High School on the northeast and to the conceptual/planned Bexley/Wisteria Trail, the agenda materials show.

Published December 15, 2021

Plan calls for 410 residences in Land O’ Lakes

By

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval for up to 410 single-family detached and attached residences on 322.21 acres, on the north side of Wisteria Loop, approximately 2,100 west of U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The planning board gave its stamp of approval to the project, known as the Clark master-planned unit development (MPUD), during its Nov. 4 meeting.

No one from the public spoke for or against the request and the planning board recommended approval, without discussion, as part of the board’s consent agenda.

The request was submitted by the Robert J. Clark, Jr. Trust and the John M. Clark Revocable Trust. It calls for changing the current zoning from agricultural residential, estate residential and rural density mobile home zoning to MPUD, which allows for creating a specific plan for the rezoned area.

The proposed plan call for a mix of lot sizes with 40-foot wide lots being the minimum. However, at least 40% of the single-family detached residences will be on 50-feet wide lots, or larger, according to the planning board’s agenda backup.

There are also conditions regarding the inclusion of architectural details for the single-family detached products to prevent monotony, and front yard/street trees to ensure trees are required in the front of lots and/or along roadways, the agenda materials say.

This development will have access to Causeway Boulevard to the north and shall not have vehicular access to Bexley Road/Wisteria Loop other than an emergency-only access.

The upland portions of the project in the southeast and southwest shall be preserved for open space/stormwater/mitigation, as depicted on the Master Plan, and shall not be developed for residential uses as they would not have direct access to the project’s internal roadways/Causeway Boulevard, the materials add.

Also, the master plan shows pedestrian/sidewalk access to Land O’Lakes High School on the northeast and to the conceptual/planned Bexley/Wisteria Trail, according to the agenda packet.

The request now goes to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning requests.

Published December 01, 2021

Sunlake boys finish third at state cross-country championships

By

The Sunlake High School varsity boys cross-country team continued to show itself as among the state’s elite distance running programs and tops in Pasco County, and in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Seahawks finished in third place out of 32 schools in Class 3A at the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park, in Tallahassee.

The Sunlake High School varsity boys cross-country team finished third in the Class 3A state championship meet, representing the best finish among all local schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. From left: Nathan Lee, Cason Meyer, Cade Culpepper, Alex Pena, Colby Robbins, Maximillian Goserud and Cody Smith. (Courtesy of Randal Reeves)

The 3A team crown went to Miami’s Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, which tallied 42 points after its top five runners went second, ninth, 10th, 14th and 17th place, respectively. It represents that private school’s fifth-consecutive state title and 13th all-time.

Second place went to Fort Myers High School, who tallied 132 points after its top-five finished seventh, 22nd, 37th, 44th and 50th.

Sunlake wasn’t far behind.

They tallied 151 points, as its fleet went third, 16th, 23rd, 58th, and 76th in the 3.1-mile course on Nov. 12.

Rounding out the top five team finishers were Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas High School (201 points) and Naples High School (235 points), respectively.

Junior Alex Pena — who paced Sunlake with a third-place individual finish — broke the 16-minute mark by clocking a 15:46.8, a 5:04 per mile pace.

The lone runners in the 3A meet who finished ahead of Pena were Leon High School sophomore Patrick Koon (first place, 15:23.8) and Belen Jesuit sophomore Joshua Ruiz (second, 15:37.4).

Following Pena for Sunlake were seniors Colby Robbins (16:21.3) and Cason Meyer (16:21.3); freshman Cade Culpepper (17:03.1); and, senior Maximillian Goserud (17:16.9).

The Seahawks sixth and seventh varsity runners — whose scores aren’t tallied in the results — were junior Nathan Lee (17:47.7) and senior Cody Smith (18:16.7).
The timed average for the Sunlake boys was 16:36, equating to an average pace of 5:21 per mile. There was just a 1:31 gap between its No. 1 through No. 5 runners.

The Seahawks, coached by Randal Reeves, racked up a number of other accolades during the season — altogether sweeping conference, district and regional team titles.

Robbins took individual crowns at each of those three meets. This included recording the fastest time in county history (and setting a new Sunlake record) with a 15:14 mark on the school’s 5K home course at the Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) meet on Oct. 20.

The 2021 (FHSAA) Florida High School Athletic Association State Cross Country Championships was held Nov. 12 at Apalachee Regional Park, in Tallahassee.
(Courtesy of Florida High School Athletic Association)

Other individuals from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area also fared well in the 3A boys meet.

Cypress Creek High School junior Zack Poekert finished sixth overall, timing 16:05.

Zephyrhills High School sophomore William Poe took 26th, clocking 16:35.

The meet featured 234 runners.

Several local teams and individuals exhibited solid showings at the state finals across other classifications, too.

The Wharton High School varsity girls yielded the next best local team showing — finishing 10th in the Class 4A meet.

The Wildcats were paced by senior Brooke Reif — a University of Richmond signee — who finished fourth among all individual 4A girls, after running an 18:49.2, an average pace of 6:03 per mile.

The Sunlake girls went 14th in the 3A meet, while the Land O’ Lakes High School girls collected a 26th place finish.
The Steinbrenner High School boys program went 24th in the 4A contest.F
Land O’ Lakes native Elli Black — a home-schooled seventh-grader who runs for Tampa Cambridge Christian School — finished state third overall in the 1A girls meet, posting 18:26.4. The other state qualifying girls individual was Wiregrass Ranch freshman Ava Schmitt (48th, 20:27.3, 4A girls).

Roundup of local teams and individuals at the 2021 FHSAA Cross Country State Championships:

Boys

4A
Steinbrenner (24th)

Ronald Aeschleman, senior (57th, 16:52)

Sawyer Raveling, senior (111th, 17:37.1)

Jaden Simpson, senior (124th, 17:46.0)

Jacob Smith, junior (169th, 18:25.4)

Joaquin Abanses, freshman (170th, 18:26.3)

Brady Peifer, freshman (172nd, 18:28.3)

Eion McDarby, senior (212th, 19:49.7)

3A
Sunlake (third)
Alex Pena, junior (third, 15:46.8)

Colby Robbins, senior (16th, 16:21.3)

Cason Meyer, senior (23rd, 16:31.8)

Cade Culpepper, freshman (58th, 17:03.1)

Maximillian Goserud, senior (76th, 17:16.9)

Nathan Lee, junior (110th, 17:47.7)

Cody Smith, senior (148th, 18:16.7)

Indvidual(s)

Cypress Creek: Zack Poekert, junior (sixth, 16:05)

Zephyrhills: William Poe, sophomore (26th, 16:35.5)

 2A

No local teams or individual runners

 1A
No local teams or individual runners

 Girls

Class 4A
Wharton (10th)

Brooke Reif, senior (fourth, 18:49.2)

Alexi Amer, senior (51st, 20:30.8)

Alexandria Frye, senior (81st, 20:56.5)

Olivia Hammill, junior (109th, 21:18.3)

Aubrey Raile, junior (127th, 21:46.6)

Keira Moody, freshman (191st, 23:27.7)

Dana Robinson, senior (209th, 24:22.9)

 Individual(s)

Wiregrass Ranch: Ava Schmitt, freshman (48th, 20:27.3)

3A
Sunlake (14th)

Sara Ellingson, senior (54th, 20:15.7)

Shelby Viseur, senior (77th, 20:39.9)

Avery Pham, sophomore (78th, 20:41.1)

Abigail Williams, sophomore (89th, 20:49.8)

Jaiden Wickert, junior (128th, 21:35.8)

Emma Burleson, senior (145th, 21:57.8)

Ally Moyer, sophomore (165th, 22:22.6)

Land O’ Lakes (26th)

Maranda Hildebrand, senior (88th, 20:48.9)

Sara Ashley, senior (133th, 21:39.2)

Aileen Castillo, sophomore (152nd, 22:04.0)

Dixie Blessing, freshman (169th, 22:43.5)

Ava Adriana, sophomore (171st, 22:47.0)

Grace Connoy, sophomore (200th, 23:38.6)

Alli Laffler, freshman (202nd, 23:40.9)

 1A
Individual (s)

Elli Black, Cambridge Christian (Land O’ Lakes resident), eighth grade (third, 18:26.4)

Published Nov. 24, 2021

Land O’ Lakes teen shines light on mental health needs

By

Eliza Smith knows what it’s like to struggle with depression.

The Land O’ Lakes 15-year-old, however, has learned some ways to help conquer her challenges.

She writes in a journal.

She adds up the positive things in her life, daily.

And, she does have successes: She has a 4.6 GPA.

She’s a former Miss Land O’ Lakes Teen USA, and is the current Teen Miss Earth Florida USA.

She will compete for the national Teen Miss Earth USA in January.

Land O’ Lakes High School student Eliza Smith is involved in volunteer efforts to help spread the word about mental health programs, such as those offered by NAMI Pasco. She’s also involved in pageants, which she says provide a platform to help raise awareness. (Courtesy of Eliza Smith)

Now, she’s seeking to help others by sharing her story and advocating for mental health programs such as those offered by NAMI Pasco, a local nonprofit chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

In a new normal, where COVID-19 is upending daily lives and increasing everyone’s stress levels, Smith sees mental health education as a calling.

“I think that this is what I was meant to do,” Smith said — about her goal of making a difference for others.

She said others in her family, including her mother, also have dealt with mental health issues in the past.

“It’s something I struggle with personally, so that’s why I care about mental health for others,” Smith said. “I do know what it’s like, and I know friends who struggle with depression and anxiety.”

In recent months, she has posted weekly video chats and podcasts on Instagram and other media platforms, specializing in one-on-one interviews with family and friends.

She also has completed volunteer service hours, along with other teens, in support of NAMI.

“She is passionate,” said Debbie Proulx, NAMI Pasco’s executive director. “She is willing to just put herself out there.”

NAMI is a national nonprofit with chapters nationwide.

Services include family based support groups, advocacy, one-on-one counseling, school partnerships, education, outreach and referrals.

NAMI Pasco has seen an astounding 1,456% increase in new calls from people needing services in the past year, largely due to the pandemic, said Proulx.

“There is a lot of anxiety and depression,” she said. “Last year it was bad, but not as bad as now.”

Proulx worries about the hostility arising from divisions over masks and vaccines.

“This is affecting everyone,” she said.

In-person support groups aren’t possible for now.

So, NAMI Pasco is relying on virtual support groups to discuss whatever issues people are facing, Proulx said.

“They are really supporting one another,” she said. “You will see disagreements, but at the end of the day, they are really supporting each other.”

The Land O’ Lakes teen said she has seen the impact of COVID-19 at school, as well, particularly while taking classes virtually.

“Everyone kind of stopped doing what they were doing,” Smith said. “I know kids who loved going to school who kind of slumped.”

She said she hopes her podcasts help educate people about mental health but also send the  message that no one is alone.

Help is close by, she said, through organizations such as NAMI Pasco.

Smith said she prefers doing one-on-one interviews because that allows each guest to shine a light on his or her personal journeys.

She enjoys talking with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Her conversations are free-wheeling, funny and open to any topic though, sooner or later, they always get around to mental health education.

Being able to listen to the unique stories of everyone is what makes for a great society, Smith said.

“Your problems matter. You matter,” she said. “And always remember that.”

Smith grew up in Queens and Brooklyn, New York, but her family moved to Tampa about two years ago.

She attended Alonso High School before moving to Pasco County and enrolling at Land O’ Lakes High School.

She aspires to graduate a year early and to enroll at Duke University.

She plans to pursue a nursing degree, and is aiming to attain a master’s degree in nursing by age 25.

She has four completed podcasts, with more to come.

She is taking a brief break from her hosting duties to focus on SAT exams in October, when she also celebrates turning 16.

After the break, she intends to return to a routine of posting podcasts or video chats weekly or monthly.

One especially memorable podcast featured a frank discussion with her mother and her aunt.

“We had a really deep conversation and tears flowed,” Smith said.

The podcast “shows how to be vulnerable in a good way. Even if I have crazy dreams, my family supports me to have a better life than they had growing up in Queens.”

One of her passions is being involved in pageants, which she said encourages her growth and confidence, and has opened doors to her.

“I didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity and try it out,” she said. “I got to volunteer and to promote my platform, and to inspire others to seek help.”

One door that opened was to NAMI Pasco and volunteer service.

“I truly love their organization and what they do,” she said.

For more information, visit NAMI.pasco.org, or call 727-992-9653.

By Kathy Steele

Published October 20, 2021

Moffitt and Pasco Schools have big plans

By

Pasco County Schools and Moffitt Cancer Center envision great possibilities of working together when the school district builds its planned 6-12 magnet STEAM school on land near Moffitt’s planned campus in Land O’ Lakes.

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, recently updated the school board about a meeting between school district and Moffitt staff members.

“We had our first real, live, meeting with the administrative staff of Moffitt Cancer Center. And, it went really very, very well,” Gadd told the school board on Oct. 5.

“On the Angeline property, as the crow flies, is kind of back behind Land O’ Lakes High School, Moffitt is putting in a hospital and a big research center, and we have a school right across the street,” Gadd said.

“That school, we’ll start construction on that, I think, about mid-October. We’ll probably be the first building up out there. And, we are currently working with Moffitt and Pasco-Hernando State College to develop a very unique school setting.”

The campus will serve students in grades six through 12.

“More than likely, the upper classmen will have an opportunity to interact in the Moffitt hospital, with Moffitt researchers; (and) participate in apprentice programs and internships.

“It would be something that is very unique to the Pasco school system,” Gadd said, noting that Dr. Kim Moore, assistant superintendent who oversees the district’s career and technical programs, was at the meeting, as well as Dr. Monica Ilse, assistant superintendent for high schools, and Steve Hegarty, public information officer.

“We had a very, very positive reception from the Moffitt folks,” Gadd said.

In remarks to her school board colleagues, Cynthia Armstrong said it’s exciting “that we’re going to have a magnet school right next to their campus, which is going to be huge. So, we’re very excited about that.”

That meeting was a follow-up to a previous session between Gadd and Dr. Patrick Hwu, president and CEO of Moffitt.

Gadd previously briefed school board members about his meeting with Hwu.

During that briefing, Gadd told board members that he’d “heard through the grapevine that he (Hwu) was a big supporter of education, public education.”

But Gadd added: “My meeting with him was beyond expectations. I went there with a few ideas and he had hundreds of ideas about how our new STEM magnet in the Angeline area could be a partner with Moffitt.”

Gadd noted: “We’d have to work through all kinds of legal issues, as he and I discussed, but having students actually sit in, participate in procedures, surgeries, internships. Having graduate students and doctors actually come to the school building and teach courses and work with us, district-wide on virtual programs for kids, who are in nursing programs, health programs, biomedical engineering and those kinds of things.

“He was exuberant, and we made arrangements to connect my staff with his staff. I am really looking forward to the potential we have to work with Moffitt,” Gadd said.

Funding for the construction of the district’s planned 6-12 school in Land O’ Lakes was approved on Oct. 5, when the school board adjourned, then reconvened as the Pasco County School Board Leasing Corporation to approve $85 million in financing that will pay for the lease‐purchase financing of that school, and projects Hudson and Gulf high schools.

The new Angeline mixed-use community — which is being billed as a wellness-themed community — will be developed on thousands of acres of land, east of the Suncoast Parkway and south of State Road 52.

Moffitt plans to create a massive research and corporate innovation district.

Site entitlements for Moffitt’s project, which encompass 24 million square feet, include plans for a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

The school district’s new school in Angeline will be designed for 1,694 student stations, which at 90% capacity translates to about 1,530 students, according to a previous report in The Laker/Lutz News.

The school board hired Ajax Building Company at its Sept. 15, 2020 meeting to do pre-construction work at the 6-12 STEAM school site.

The school is planned on an 18.8-acre site within Angeline, south of State Road 52, north of the future Ridge Road extension and west of Sunlake Boulevard, according to Ajax’s website.

“Campus plans include a one-story administration area, a one-story dining and multipurpose area with a full kitchen, two-story media, band and art areas, and a four-story classroom wing, with all areas connected by a one-story and two-story atrium/central corridor, the website post says.

The site development also includes “walkway canopies, aluminum shade system, fencing, walking trail, sidewalks, chiller/generator plan, site lighting, underground utilities, landscaping and irrigation,” according to information posted by Ajax.

Harvard Jolly is the architect on the school district project.

Published October 13, 2021

National champion returns home to teach aspiring players

By

Mere weeks ago, Land O’ Lakes native Shannon Saile was busy celebrating an NCAA Division I national championship — as one of the top pitchers on the University of Oklahoma women’s softball team.

Her decorated softball career now has quite literally come full circle.

The 23-year-old returned to her tight-knit central Pasco County hometown, again setting foot on the same park ballfields that forged a pathway for myriad athletic accomplishments.

Shannon Saile, left, a national champion softball pitcher for the Oklahoma Sooners, explains the fundamentals of the fast pitch to 11-year-old Laila McClelland, center, of Odessa. Shannon worked with the intermediates and advanced pitchers on developing their form and delivering a fast pitch over home plate. (Fred Bellet)

Her goal is to organize a series of fastpitch softball clinics to train the next generation of youth standouts.

The upstart Shannon Saile Pitching Clinic was held July 25 at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, home to Land O’ Lakes Little League.

About 30 girls — ages 8 to 15 — took part on a steamy Sunday, eager to take in guidance from Saile and other well-known pitching instructors and volunteers.

Saile hopes to host similar clinics across the country — the next likely somewhere in Oklahoma — all in the name of growing the game that’s afforded her success and opportunity.

“It’s something I’m passionate about,” Saile told The Laker/Lutz News.

Naturally, it only made sense for Saile to launch her softball instruction venture back where it all began — a ballfield in Land O’ Lakes.

“I just thought it was like really important to me to start it in Land O’ Lakes, because that’s where I grew up,” she said of her softball clinic venture. “I really want to grow it across the country, and always come back to Land O’ Lakes.”

With Saile’s tutelage, young campers sharpened their fastballs and secondary offerings like changeups, through arm path mechanics and leg drive techniques, as well as various speed, agility and balance drills.

“I just hope that I can teach them the foundation of pitching, because it’s much more important than just getting out there and throwing pitches,” Saile explained. “The drills are super important, because they help me grow my strength and my confidence in my pitches.”

With her eyes on the ‘strike zone,’ 15-year-old Daijah Madry, of Tampa, prepares to pitch during the Shannon Saile Pitching Clinic at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on Collier Parkway. Saile, host of the clinic, was among the national championship team at the University of Oklahoma.

Besides newfound softball skills, campers also had an opportunity to get signed autographs and take pictures with Saile, who’s become a household name in the sports world. She was invited to ESPN’s 2021 ESPY Awards for being part of one of the best moments from the year in sports. The annual sports awards event was televised last month on ABC.

Saile is arguably one of the most accomplished — if not most accomplished — fastpitch softball players to ever come out of Land O’ Lakes High School and the greater Tampa Bay area.

As a Gator, she amassed 517 strikeouts and a career 1.76 ERA in four varsity seasons from 2013 to 2016, also compiling a combined 41 wins, 31 complete games, 11 shutouts and five no-hitters.

The advancement to the college ranks likewise went swimmingly for the 5-foot-7 right-hander.

Saile began her Division I softball career at Florida International University, finding immediate success with a pair of sub 2 ERA seasons in the circle.

Saile then transferred to blue-chip Oklahoma following her sophomore season.

Oklahoma is a perennial powerhouse that’s won five national softball titles since 2000 —including the 2021 Women’s College World Series over Florida State University in June — under longtime head coach Patty Gasso.

The local athlete enjoyed similar statistical feats in the iconic cream-and-crimson Sooners uniform.

As a redshirt senior this past season, Saile posted an impressive 1.70 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while being second on the team in wins (17), innings pitched (100.1), complete games (six), and strikeouts (132).

Local resident Shayna Rentfro lines up a picture of her daughter, Jayda Lisant, 8, through the fence, during the recent Shannon Saile Pitching Clinic at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on Collier Parkway.

Upon returning to the area recreation complex, Saile acknowledged  “flashbacks” of the many years, and countless hours and days, spent in travel ball and Land O’ Lakes Little League practices and games.

She put it like this: “Remembering where I started…it just wants me to remind the kids of, ‘You start small and you work your way up; it doesn’t happen overnight,’ and it’s just a humbling experience of remembering where I was and now where I am. It just means a lot to me to bleed that into these girls, that have the same dreams I did.”

Saile, meanwhile, continues to have vivid memories of guiding the Sooners to a national crown earlier this summer and a showy 56-4 record.

After navigating the Big 12 softball championship, NCAA regional and super regional, Oklahoma defeated James Madison, Georgia, UCLA and Florida State at the 2021 Women’s College World Series at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

“It kind of feels like it was yesterday still,” Saile said of the historic collegiate campaign. “I just continuously live that moment in my head of just that feeling of, ‘All the hard work has finally paid off.’ Like, all of the hard work when you’re a kid, on the Little League field, and then now, in the biggest stage, it feels like, ‘Wow, everything I worked for has finally paid off,’ and not a lot of people get to experience that, and I’m so grateful that I was able to.”

All arms on deck
A slew of Saile’s former teammates, coaches and acquaintances pitched in to help the youth softball clinic run smoothly.

Twelve-year old Paige Smith, of Land O’ Lakes, gets a hit in the batting cage, an extra feature at the pitching clinic. She and her 14-year-old sister, Lilly, picked up some pointers at the clinic.

This included fellow former Land O’ Lakes High pitching standout Callie Turner, who launched her college career at the University of Tennessee, but has since transferred to the University of Arkansas, another prominent Division I SEC (Southeastern Conference) program.

Turner and Saile crossed paths in high school, when Saile was a senior and Turner a freshman.

Turner has plenty of name recognition in her own right — a former top-ranked prep softball recruit, state champion and participant on USA Softball’s Junior Women’s National Training Team.

The 5-foot-10 left-hander expressed enthusiasm about sharing her softball knowledge and wisdom with budding campers.

“When I was a kid, I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to do stuff like this,” Turner said, “(so) I think it’s really fun, and, I mean, it’s nice to think that they look up to us, so just being able to give back to the community that we grew up in, is great.”

Another notable softball figure serving up lessons — former University of Minnesota pitching standout Amber Fiser, now a softball graduate assistant at the University of Missouri.

Fiser plays alongside Saile for Team Florida in the Professional Fastpitch Softball league.

They also coached together in the Florida Gulf Coast League Pro Series, a summer collegiate softball league in the Sarasota area.

Wearing a protective fielder’s mask, 9-year-old Grace Peters, of Land O’ Lakes, was ready to take her turn on the mound. Peters was among those in the intermediate division at the Shannon Saile Pitching Clinic.

Land O’ Lakes High assistant softball coach Pascal Guarracino, another camp volunteer, took a beating while catching behind home plate.

Still, he was more than willing to don the mask and heavy glove to help current and former students.

The coach came away amazed by how Saile and Turner have transformed into top-flight Division I athletes, and their willingness to help the next wave of local softball youth.

“They really are about community, they’re about family, and it was really important for (them) to come back and do it here,” Guarracino said.

“You know, we still see them as young high school girls, as little kids, but the knowledge of the sport and the progress we’ve seen (from them) in the last four years, we learn more from them than we could learn in a (coach’s clinic) classroom.”

Turner’s father, Dave, chipped in, too.

An area softball coach himself, he emphasized the need for programs to develop more willing, confident pitchers throughout the sport.

Coach Charlie Aliano of the Cincinnati Reds lends some batting knowledge to 13-year old Olivia James, of New Port Richey. Aliano, of Land O’ Lakes, assisted during the Shannon Saile Pitching Clinic.

A lot of kids are afraid to pitch, he said.

“It’s a lot of pressure. I mean, you’re out there in the circle by yourself,” he explained.

In addition to fastpitch drills, hitting instruction was happening in batting cages next to the ballfield.

That was led by Charles Aliano, a baseball lifer who now works as a scout supervisor for the Cincinnati Reds.

His daughter, Addy, is a standout outfielder at Academy at the Lakes.

Aliano was quick to heap praise on Saile, Turner, Fiser and others for coordinating the daylong softball clinic.

He said, “It’s an amazing experience for all these girls to have those girls” working with them.

He added: “It’s special, and I think everybody should embrace it.”

Lessons learned
The next wave of local talent could include Land O’ Lakes High rising sophomore Avaree Hudson and incoming freshman Sammy Magee.

(Shannon Saile, right, a national champion softball pitcher at the University of , speaks to a group of advanced pitchers during a water and shade break at her pitching clinic at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex softball field.

Both assisted during the clinic’s morning intermediate session, then worked on honing their own softball craft in the afternoon advanced session.

They expressed gratitude for having the trio of Saile, Turner and Fiser available to help them and the younger players to develop their skills.

They acknowledged admiring the Division I players’ talent and respective softball feats.

“I think it’s a really great opportunity because all of them are taking the time to teach everyone, and all these girls are going to be girls playing in high schools around us,” said Hudson.

“They’re just taking time out of their day to teach (the campers) new things, like changeups, that they don’t know, and I think that’s really great and really special,” she said.

Added Magee, “I think it’s cool that the older girls get to come here and help with younger kids, because it all starts with the youth and learning things and getting them to look up to them, it’s like a big thing for them.”

The prep underclassman likewise left with some beneficial softball tidbits of their own, too, from the experienced college trio.

“The way they word things is so helpful to like, ‘Learning how to get into your legs and really drive,’ and get stronger as a pitcher, mentally and physically,” said Magee, who recently moved with her family to Land O’ Lakes from Pennsylvania, in search of facing greater softball competition and exposure.

Published August 04, 2021

Local prep athletes shined during 2021 spring sports season

By

As the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out most, if not all, of last year’s high school spring sports season, these local athletes and teams made up for lost time in 2021.

Here’s a closer look at some of the more notable moments from the recent prep spring sports season within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area — games, events and achievements that couldn’t be celebrated in spring 2020.

Pasco tennis standout secures second state title
If not for the coronavirus outbreak last spring, Pasco High varsity boys’ tennis standout Logan Haga very well could’ve been a three-time state champion.

Pasco High tennis standout Logan Haga, a multi-time state champion (File)

Two will have to do though, when he won the 2021 Florida High School Athletics Association (FHSAA) 3A individual singles state title, downing St. Petersburg High sophomore Peter Keber in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs in late April.

He also defeated Pines Charter’s Sumedh Edavalluri in the finals (6-1, 6-2), Viera’s Leo Da Silva in the semifinals (6-3, 6-2) and Matanzas’ Ilya Korolev in the quarterfinals (6-0, 3-6, 11-9).

Haga also won the 3A individual singles crown as a sophomore in 2019, when he beat Venice’s Benjamin Zipay in the championship draw.

The local tennis star next will be competing at Division I Jacksonville University, in Alabama.

He’s set to join a diverse Jacksonville roster, with new teammates hailing from California, Japan, Italy, England, Ecuador and Slovenia, among other locales.

Haga is a four-star recruit by Tennis Recruiting Network, ranked as the state’s No. 25 prospect and No. 139 nationally.

He’s certainly left his mark at a program not really known as a tennis powerhouse like Wiregrass Ranch or private sports academy like Saddlebrook Prep. He trains regularly at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center.

Land O’ Lakes’ softball finishes state-runner up
After playing in only 11 games during the 2020 pandemic-shortened season, the Land O’ Lakes High varsity girls softball program made up for lost time this year.

The Land O’ Lakes varsity girls softball team finished runner-up at the FHSAA Class 5A state championship. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School Athletics)

They finished the 2021 season with a 24-8 mark and earned state runner-up honors after losing 7-6 to Fort Myers High in the Class 5A state championship in Clermont on May 21.

Their run through the state playoffs was impressive, downing Seminole (8-0 win), River Ridge (3-1 win), Palmetto (6-3 win) and Pace (5-4 win) high schools, up until the loss in the title game. The championship game defeat came in excruciating variety, having lead by 3-0 in the top of the first inning, held a 4-3 lead in the fourth and a 6-3 lead in the sixth, until a combination of walks and errors did them in.

Other area teams should beware in the years to come — most of the Gators top contributors are returning next year and beyond, including freshman ace Mia Fields (1.97 ERA, 67 strikeouts and 12 complete games in 96 innings).

The program, led by head coach Mitch Wilkins, has been a powerhouse for some time, also winning a state title in 2017.

Area athletes collect state track and field hardware
Like all other spring sports during 2020, track and field athletes didn’t get an opportunity to showcase their abilities against Florida’s best as competitions abruptly shut down in mid-March last season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Land O’ Lakes High field athlete Issac Tavo won state titles in the discus and shotput events, in the Class 3A championships. (File)

But local performers and schools made up for lost time during the 2021 Florida High School Athletics Association (FHSAA) state track and field championships, at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville.

More than two dozen boy and girl athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area ran, jumped and tossed their way to podium honors, or top-eight finishes, across all classifications at the state meet on May 7 and May 8. (Several others earned top-16 overall finishes in the finals, as well.)

The performances included a handful of individual and relay gold medalists.

Land O’ Lakes senior Isaac Tavo showed his pure strength, taking first-place crowns in both the 3A boys shot put (57-7) and discus (154-0). Tavo bested Tallahassee Rickards sophomore La’Darion Dudley in the shot put (55-1.5) and Milton senior Dominic Lucas in the shot put (151-5), respectively.

Gaither senior Elizabeth Lydon claimed first in the 3A girls pole vault, clearing 11-9.75, narrowly edging Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy sophomore Sydney Nicholson, who cleared the same height but lost on fewer misses.

Sunlake senior Daniella Vance earned top crown in the 3A girls javelin, tossing 119-6, to beat the event’s second-place finisher, Harmony junior Thora Gaston (117-11).

Local schools that earned points in the state meet for their respective classification included Bishop McLaughlin, Carrollwood Day, Cypress Creek, Gaither, Land O’ Lakes, Steinbrenner, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wharton, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills.

Steinbrenner runner named Academic All-State
Steinbrenner High School senior distance runner Zachary Harrigan in April was named to the 27th annual Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team — a recognition program presented by the FHSAA that honors 24 graduating student-athletes (12 boys, 12 girls) who excel in both athletics and academics.

Steinbrenner distance runner Zachary Harrigan (File)

As part of the designation, Harrigan receives a $1,700 scholarship and commemorative medallion.

Harrigan owned a 4.0 GPA and finished top of his class. He lettered in cross-country and track all four years of high school, and was a member of Steinbrenner’s 2019 FHSAA cross-country state championship team. He also was a 2018 state qualifier in track and field.

Off the course and out of the classroom, Harrigan earned more than 225 community service hours working with the Humane Society, Idlewild Baptist Church and Feeding Tampa Bay. He plans on studying pre-medicine at Auburn University in Alabama this fall.

To be eligible for Academic All-State, students must be a graduating senior with a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA, and must have earned a minimum of two varsity letters in at least two different sports during their junior and senior year.

Just three other Tampa Bay area student-athletes were bestowed the honor — Plant High’s Brooks Bak and Hartley Hill, and Clearwater Central Catholic’s Kasey Singer.

Spring football returns
Last year’s prep spring football season in Florida was over before it ever got started, when the FHSAA then in late April officially announced the cancellation of all affiliated sports for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year.

The Cypress Creek High varsity football team looked to take advantage of the return of the spring football practice season. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek High School Athletics)

Normalcy returned in 2021 — with gridiron followers again having the chance to see the development of area players and teams, some with new coaches, transfers and different classifications.

Florida high schools were allowed a maximum of 20 practice sessions from April 26 through May, according to FHSAA guidelines.

The first allowable day for full-contact tackling was May 1. Spring games and jamborees were played throughout late May.

The additional practice period provides players an opportunity to have a routine to add strength and conditioning in the weight room, as well as speed, agility, tackling and game strategy drills, under coaches’ supervision.

Schools in Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their 2020 records):

Hillsborough County: Carrollwood Day School Patriots (5-5), Freedom High School Patriots (0-9), Gaither High School Cowboys (11-1), Steinbrenner High School Warriors (4-3) and Wharton High School Wildcats (7-2)

Pasco County: Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (4-2), Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (4-4), Cypress Creek High School Coyotes (3-7), Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (1-7), Pasco High School Pirates (5-6), Sunlake High School Seahawks (2-6), Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (5-4), Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (4-5), Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (8-3), Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (8-3)

Pasco All-Star Game back on the diamond
The annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Pasco County All-Star Baseball/Softball Game brings together the best senior players, from every school, to compete in one last game for bragging rights between the county’s east and west sides.

The fourth annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes Pasco County Senior All-Star Baseball/Softball Game returned to Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School. (File)

It returned this year after being canceled in 2020, due to the coronavirus crisis.

Dozens of baseball and softball players were selected for the event, representing the following schools: Academy at the Lakes, Anclote, Bishop McLaughlin, Cypress Creek, Gulf, Fivay, Hudson, Mitchell, Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, River Ridge, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills.

The May 22 games were played simultaneously on adjacent baseball and softball fields at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, in Spring Hill.

The West All-Stars reigned supreme over the East All-Stars in both contests, winning 10-0 in softball and 11-8 in baseball in extra innings.

While winning was important, to players and coaches alike, the showcase was more about capping four years of high school and relishing the prep ballfields one final time with families, friends and teammates, in a relaxed setting.

Rosters were finalized midway through the regular season, where all-star baseball and softball coaches deliberated the best collection of players through a draft format, taking into account offense, defense, and pitching metrics, among other factors.

The all-star event also included an awards dinner banquet the night before, as well as a couple tranquil meetings and practices in the week leading up. The activities led to lasting memories and positive vibes for all involved.

Published June 30, 2021

Locals named to All-State football teams

By

Athletes within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were well-represented on the FloridaHSFootball.com’s teams for the 2020 season.

In total, 23 players from 11 schools in Hillsborough and Pasco counties were named first-team, second-team, third-team or honorable mention in their respective classifications.

Wharton junior linebacker Henry Griffith (No. 40) earned a Class 8A All-State honorable mention, after posting a team-leading 82 tackles in nine games, plus three sacks and two forced fumbles. (Courtesy of Wharton High School)

The All-State teams were compiled by FloridaHSFootball.com, along with the considerations of information received from coaches, statistics on MaxPreps, and consultation of all-area/all-county teams as published by various media outlets from around the state. The schedule played by the school was taken into account, too.

Gaither High School (6A) garnered seven selections, the most among local schools.

That shouldn’t come as much surprise, given the Cowboys finished the 2020 campaign with an 11-1 mark and reached the regional finals before falling to Lake Minneola High School, 35-14.

Gaither’s picks were headlined with a first-team choice (junior defensive lineman Mario Eugenio), a second-team choice (senior linebacker Willie Jackson Jr.)  and five honorable mentions (senior quarterback Kiael Kelly, senior defensive lineman Asa Vanburen, junior defensive lineman Tawfiq Thomas, senior utility Jordan Oladokun, and Jackson Jr., again, as a punter).

Eugenio, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound weakside defensive end, ranked third in the state in sacks (17), combined with 42 total tackles, seven hurries, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles (one for touchdown) and two pick-six interceptions across 10 games.

A consensus four-star prospect, Eugenio already has more than 30 scholarship offers, including several power five conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Pac-12) from the likes of Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, Oregon, West Virginia and many others.

Gaither senior quarterback Kiael Kelly was named a Class 6A All-State honorable mention after leading his team to the regional finals and an 11-1 mark. Kelly has signed to play football at Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana. (Courtesy of Gaither High School)

Jackson Jr., an Ave Maria University signee, also showed why he was deserving of dual All-State designations.

The 5-foot-11, 220-pound outside backer in 11 games tallied 67 tackles (including 16 for loss), eight sacks, four passes defensed, two forced fumble recoveries. Also, as the team’s punter, he averaged 39.9 yards per punt on 25 attempts, including a long of 55 yards and four pinned inside the opposing 20-yard line.

Gaither’s offense, meanwhile, was paced by Kelly, a Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana) signee.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound dual-threat signal caller completed 63% of his throws for 1,594 yards, 16 touchdowns and four picks, plus 399 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, across 10 games.

His father is Kenny Kelly, a former starting quarterback at the University of Miami, who also played Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals in the early 2000s; the elder Kelly also was a four-sport letterman at Tampa Catholic High School in baseball, basketball, football and track.

Fellow Gaither standouts — Vanburen (nine sacks), Thomas (15 tackles for loss, three sacks), and Oladokun (1,157 all-purpose yards, nine touchdowns, four interceptions) also put up showy statistics.

Steinbrenner senior linebacker Austin Brannen earned a Class 8A All-State honorable mention after posting a team-leading 83 tackles in seven games. He’s headed to Campbell University, in Bules Creek, North Carolina. (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School)

Other schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area celebrated multiple selections on the All-State list, too.

Steinbrenner High School (8A) had the next most among local schools with three All-State representatives — running back Deon Silas, senior linebacker Austin Brannen and sophomore kicker Collin Young each were named as an honorable mention.

Silas — an Iowa State signee — tallied 1,265 all-purpose yards (771 rushing yards, 357 receiving yards, 185 return) and 14 touchdowns in just five contests.

Brannen — a Campbell (Bules Creek, North Carolina) signee posted a team-leading 83 tackles (including four for loss) in seven games, plus 1.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. (The 6-foot, 220-pound backer capped his Warriors varsity career with 366 tackles.)

Young was perfect on 28 extra points, and made five of six field goal attempts, including a long of 42 yards.

Meantime, five area programs claimed two All-State selections apiece — Carrollwood Day School (2A), Wharton High School (Class 8A), Wiregrass Ranch High School (7A), Zephyrhills High School (5A) and Zephyrhills Christian Academy (2A).

For Carrollwood Day, senior tight end Michael Trigg and senior defensive tackle Desmond Mamudi took first-team 2A All-State honors.

Carrollwood Day School tight end Michael Trigg collected a Class 2A All-State first-team recognition. The highly touted athlete is headed to the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles, where he’ll play football and basketball. (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

Trigg led the Patriots with 30 receptions for 586 yards and five touchdowns in seven games, while Mamudi posted a team-leading 13 sacks in eight games, plus 39 tackles (16 for loss) and a forced fumble.

The pair of highly-touted prospects are poised to make an impact at iconic national brands in the Division I FBS ranks, coming from a small private school.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Trigg has signed to play football and basketball at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, while the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Mamudi is headed to Virginia Tech.

For Wharton, junior pass-rushing outside linebacker Daveon Crouch earned second-team 8A All-State, while teammate Henry Griffith, also a junior backer, took 8A All-State honorable mention.

Both spurred the Wildcats to a 7-2 mark — the program’s best since 2015 — and a stifling defense that surrendered just 10.1 points per game, on average.

The 6-foot-3 210-pound Crouch collected 12 sacks in nine contests, along with 62 tackles (eight for loss), six forced fumbles and two interceptions.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Griffith added a team-leading 82 tackles (nine for loss), three sacks and two forced fumbles in nine games.

At Wiregrass Ranch, senior tight end Grady Clower and sophomore athlete Bryson Rodgers collected 7A All-State honorable mentions.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Clower, who’ll join the University of Central Florida as a preferred walk-on, hauled in 10 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns in eight games.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pound Rodgers led all Bulls receivers with 47 catches for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a 70-yard long, across eight games.

Wiregrass Ranch sophomore wideout Bryson Rodgers received a Class 7A All-State honorable mention. He led all Bulls receivers with 47 catches for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School)

For Zephyrhills, junior linebacker Maguire Neal was named second-team 5A All-State, and senior tailback Zyre Roundtree picked up an honorable mention nod.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Neal registered a team-leading 13 sacks in 11 contests, plus 51 tackles (25.5 for loss) and four forced fumbles. He also is a track star, recently breaking long-held school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles.

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Roundtree totaled 899 rushing yards on 122 carries (7.4 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns in 10 games, including four 100-yard games.

At Zephyrhills Christian, freshman safety Fred Adams took second-team 2A All-State, while junior defensive back Quavious Cook earned an honorable mention.

The 5-foot-10, 175 pound Adams tied for ninth-most interceptions in the state with six in seven games, plus 12 passes defensed and 28 tackles.

Cook, a 5-foot-9, 140-pound cornerback, wasn’t too far behind, collecting four picks, five passes defensed and 34 tackles (including two for loss).

Elsewhere, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School (Independent), Cypress Creek High School (4A), Land O’ Lakes High School (6A) and Pasco High School (6A) each had one representative on an All-State roster.

Bishop McLaughlin junior tailback Adrian Miller III was an Independent All-State honorable mention — racking up 1,000 rushing yards on 90 carries (11.1 yards per carry) for 10 touchdowns, including a long run of 79 yards and four 100-plus yard contests.

Cypress Creek junior quarterback Owen Walls was a 4A All-State honorable mention — completing 54.6% of his throws for 1,233 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions, including a long pass of 89 yards.

Land O’ Lakes senior defensive end Zavian McKinon was a 6A All-State honorable mention —  tallying 12.5 sacks and 43 tackles (including 12 for loss).

Pasco senior linebacker Gabriel Barnes was a 6A All-State honorable mention — leading his team in tackles (99), tackles for loss (13.5), hurries (11), sacks (8.5) and forced fumbles (three).

There were no All-State representatives in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area from Classes 3A or 1A.

Last year, 18 players from four local schools earned various All-State honors.

Class 8A
Daveon Crouch, Wharton, junior, defensive line (second team defense)
Deon Silas, Steinbrenner, senior, running back (honorable mention)
Henry Griffith, Wharton, junior, linebacker (honorable mention)
Austin Brannen, Steinbrenner, senior, linebacker (honorable mention)
Collin Young, Steinbrenner, sophomore, kicker (honorable mention)

Class 7A
Grady Clower, Wiregrass Ranch, senior, tight end (honorable mention)
Bryson Rodgers, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore, athlete (honorable mention)

Class 6A
Mario Eugenio, Gaither, junior, defensive line (first team defense)
Willie Jackson Jr., Gaither, senior, linebacker (second team defense)
Kiael Kelly, Gaither, senior, quarterback (honorable mention)
Asa Vanburen, Gaither, senior, defensive line (honorable mention)
Zavian McKinon, Land O’ Lakes, senior, defensive line (honorable mention)
Tawfiq Thomas, Gaither, junior, defensive line (honorable mention)
Gabriel Barnes, Pasco, senior, linebacker (honorable mention)
Jordan Oladokun, Gaither, senior, utility (honorable mention)
Jackson Jr., Gaither, senior, punter (honorable mention)

Class 5A
Maguire Neal, Zephyrhills, junior, linebacker (second team defense)
Zyre Roundtree, Zephyrhills, senior, running back (honorable mention)

Class 4A
Owen Walls, Cypress Creek, junior, quarterback (honorable mention)

Class 2A
Michael Trigg, Carrollwood Day, senior, tight end (first team offense)
Desmond Mamudi, Carrollwood Day, senior, defensive line (first team defense)
Fred Adams, Zephyrhills Christian, freshman, defensive back (second team defense)
Quavious Cook, Zephyrhills Christian, junior, defensive back (honorable mention)

Independent
Adrian Miller III, Bishop McLaughlin, junior, running back (honorable mention)

Published April 21, 2021

Land O’ Lakes Little League celebrates 50th anniversary

By

Let the games begin!

The start of each Little League season often elicits a heightened level of nostalgia.

With spring in the air, youth of all ages and skills partake in America’s favorite pastime, testing their mettle on the mound, at the plate and in the field.

Sixteen-year-old Jaclynn Neel improvises the use of her baseball mitt as a protective mask, as she waits to throw the ceremonial first pitch for the girls’ softball teams. (Fred Bellet)

Pitches are thrown. Bats are swung. Balls are caught. Games are won or lost.

And along the way, life lessons, sportsmanship and lasting friendships are cultivated.

For Land O’ Lakes Little League, this year’s Opening Day festivities took on an added significance: The organization celebrated its 50th anniversary on Feb. 27, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, off Collier Parkway.

The organization actually formed back in 1967 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center (now Heritage Park) off U.S. 41, but it didn’t receive its first Little League charter until 1971.

The local league has come a long way since its initial start-up — boasting upwards of 800 boys and girls, ages 4 to 16, playing baseball and softball across 10 fields.

And, the league found a way kick off its semicentenary season in memorable fashion, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bounce houses and face painting, and other kid-centric interactive activities were noticeably absent due to coronavirus precautions.

While waiting for the 50th anniversary ceremony to begin, 4-year-old Lincoln Maxim, 4, gets a little tender loving care from his mother, Jodie Maxim, of Land O’ Lakes. Lincoln plays for the Atlanta Braves T-ball team.

The large ballfield took center stage in the league’s season-opening event.

Teams from all age divisions were spread across the infield and outfield, signaling the league’s staying power and sustained growth.

First pitches were accurately thrown from veteran baseball players, as well softball Little League players.

Local players sang the national anthem and read the league pledge.

There was the unveiling, too, of a framed 50th anniversary “golden ticket” issued and signed Little League International Headquarters, which is based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Of course, there was plenty of action.

Ballgames were played from morning to night.

It was a special day that was long-awaited by Little Leaguers, such as 16-year-old Damien Lampe, who caught a ceremonial first pitch from left-hander Max Folkman.

Partaking in the longstanding pregame ritual is something Lampe won’t soon forget, given that it came during the celebration of the league’s 50th season. “Throughout the years I’ve been here and I’ve seen lots of people catch (the first pitch), so it’s kind of cool,” he said.

Lampe — like countless others — weren’t able enjoy the full Little League experience last spring, as the season was cut drastically short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I was itching at home just to do something baseball-related, whether it was just watching it or like playing on video games, just something,” he said.

Lampe plays his fair share of travel ball and varsity ball at Land O’ Lakes High School, but the Land O’ Lakes Little League experience also holds its share of significance.

He was a part of league history as a member of the 2019 all-star senior team that won a state crown and reached regionals. The team’s banner is proudly displayed along the fence line of one of the park’s concession stands.

“That was a great group of kids,” Lampe recalled. “I really bonded with them and felt really close to them, and we’re all still good friends now, and it was just so much fun to travel around and play with them.”

Lampe started in the organization when he was 4, playing T-ball. This will be his final year, before aging out of the league.

Seven-year-old Kelvin Kinney, of Land O’ Lakes, a player for the Athletics, shows good sportsmanship and gives the thumbs-up signal to 7-year-old Remy Perez-Velasco, of the Nationals.

“It’s a great community,” Lampe said of Land O’ Lakes Little League. “I mean, I know, I’ve been here for so long I know almost all these kids that play. It’s fun. It’s just great to come out here and have fun.”

He also commended the countless volunteers and 20-plus board members who keep the league running smoothly: “They work so hard to keep this place clean and professional, and it’s really nice.”

It’s about more than wins and losses
The beauty of the organization is it’s a recreational format.

It welcomes the novice player that may never make an all-star team or play high school ball, to others who have the potential to earn college scholarships and maybe play professionally someday.

“I think every kid should play Little League,” said Land O’ Lakes Little League President Gary Gwinn, whose five children have taken part.

“The atmosphere of Little League is — the kids come here, they’re out here to have fun, they make new friends — friends for life — and, there’s stuff that’s going to have happen at this Little League that’s going to last forever.”

Gwinn joined the organization 18 years ago.

The league is about more than wins, losses or the number of runs scored, he said.

Alissa Canter, vice president of Land O’ Lakes Little League, holds the 50th anniversary charter with league president Gary Gwinn. Canter is outgoing VP.

Its focus is on playing fair, having the opportunity to play and developing traits that are important both on and off the field, he said.

“We’re here to give these kids structure, to teach them sportsmanship, just how to be a responsible person,” Gwinn said.

One of his most gratifying experiences, is guiding those kids that may not be as gifted athletically “and making them realize and believe in themselves,” he said.

“I’m a true believer in Little League,” Gwinn said.

Fostering a family atmosphere
League secretary Monica Woods offers a similar upbeat outlook about the popular youth baseball and softball sports organization.

“Every day that you’re up here, you’re going to see somebody get their first hit,” she said.

“You’re going to see a boy or a girl that got a chance to pitch and they might struggle, and then something clicks and their coach will say the right thing, and they’ll start throwing strikes.”

Woods’ involvement in Land O’ Lakes Little League has come full circle.

Her husband and son, Hayden, are now coaching a team in the league together.

Jackie Boyett, of Land O’ Lakes, holds her excited daughter, 4-year-old Jordan Boyett, as the little girl celebrates her first year in Little League.

Hayden recently aged out after a long run in the league, but still wanted to stay involved as a volunteer.

“It’s sad that he’s not playing, but I still get to see him in a different light, he’s doing what he loves and he’s out here with his dad, and it’s still a family thing,” Woods said.

The parent and volunteer still looks back on memories of her son and group of friends longing to head to the Little League for practices and games: “This was just like their mall. They would just come here and hang out.”

League vice president Alissa Canter also remains heavily involved, despite her two sons graduating from the league.

“It’s a wonderful experience,” Canter said. “I mean, the progression of seeing them from starting at T-ball all the way up to the big senior field here, and the all-star experiences are just amazing. It’s a lot of great memories, great experiences for the kids, and it’s like your family away from home.”

That’s the hope for new league parents like Jackie Boyett.

Boyett played in the organization’s softball league when she was growing up.

Now her 4-year-old daughter, Jordan, has joined a T-ball league.

And, like many other players, the little girl had her own personal fan club at the ballpark — with her mom, grandparents, aunt and uncle to cheer her on.

Some of Boyett’s best memories of Land O’ Lakes Little League revolve around opening day.

And, now, there’s a new generation in her family to keep that tradition alive.

“I’m happy for (Jordan) to experience it,” Boyette said.

Published March 03, 2021