The Laker/Lutz News

Plantation American Heritage

AATL tops Land O’ Lakes in postseason tune-up

By

Two of the state’s top softball players matched up for the final time against one another in high school uniforms when Academy at the Lakes hosted Land O’ Lakes in a recent non-district game at Starkey Ranch District Park.

Starting pitcher from the Academy at the Lakes, senior Lexi Kilfoyl, on the mound before the start of the game against Land O’ Lakes High School. (Christine Holtzman)

In the latest matchup between crosstown foes, the Wildcats and senior ace pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl bested the Gators and their senior star pitcher, Callie Turner, en route to a 10-2 victory on April 24.

Kilfoyl struck out 14 batters on her way to a one-hit complete game, allowing four walks and two unearned runs.

It marked a confidence-boosting performance for the 2018 Gatorade State Player of the Year and University of Alabama signee, who’s methodically battling back from a right shoulder ailment that’s plagued her since early March.

Land O’ Lakes High School starting pitcher, senior Callie Turner, winds up to throw a pitch in the first inning.

It also put the bow on a 13-7 regular season for the Class 2A defending state champs as they gear up for what is likely another lengthy postseason run.

Kilfoyl’s counterpart and fellow USA junior national team candidate didn’t fare as well, however.

Turner, the Class 6A Player of the Year, surrendered all 10 runs (seven earned) in six innings of action against the Wildcats’ balanced lineup. It was a rare off night for the University of Tennessee signee, who finished the regular season with a 1.76 earned run average and 158 strikeouts in 95.1 innings.

In spite of the late season defeat, the Gators, like Academy at the Lakes, are hoping for a deep playoff run since ending the regular season 20-5 overall and 9-1 in district play. Land O’ Lakes finished last season as the Class 6A state runner-up after falling to Plantation American Heritage in the state title game.

The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state softball championships begin May 8 and continue through May 24 for all classifications.

Published May 08, 2019

Academy at the Lakes’ athletic trainer Makenzie Brinker, right, examines the injuries of player Jessica Mott, who was hit by a pitch in the first inning.
Land O’ Lakes High School senior Shelby Westbrook up at bat in the third inning. Westbrook was walked to first.
Academy at the Lakes’ Coach Diane Stephenson gives a pep talk to batter Kacey Atkins during the second inning of the game.

Local softball sensations make junior national team

By

They’ve bewildered hundreds of batters.

They’ve won state titles.

They’ve earned state player of the year honors.

They’ve signed with powerhouse Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools.

Academy at the Lakes’ Lexi Kilfoyl and Land O’ Lakes High School’s Callie Turner have raked in their fair share of achievements across their prep fastpitch softball careers.

And, the latest, places the pitching sensations together on the national stage.

Academy at the Lakes senior pitcher and Alabama signee Alexis Kilfoyl is one of just 20 athletes nationwide chosen to the 2019 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Training Team. She also made the team in 2017. (Courtesy of USA Softball)

Kilfoyl and Turner are among just 20 athletes nationwide chosen to the 2019 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Training Team.

The high school seniors made the under-19 team following a three-day tryout in Clearwater in December; they were evaluated by members of the Women’s National Team Selection Committee.

Kilfoyl and Turner represent the only selections from Florida. Others on the roster represent just eight additional states (Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Virginia, Texas).

Both being from Land O’ Lakes — and close friends, at that — makes the prestigious designation that much sweeter.

Kilfoyl and Turner’s friendship began when they played Little League together, and has been forged through high school and travel ball.

The bond is sure to continue, even as college rivals at the University of Alabama and University of Tennessee, respectively.

“We’re just like really close,” said Turner. “I’d probably say she’s one of my best friends with all that stuff.”

“It’s definitely crazy how things worked out,” Kilfoyl said, “because…we’ve been there for each other pretty much our entire softball careers.”

That was the case in point during the national team tryouts.

Kilfoyl, a 6-foot-1 right-hander, made the squad back in 2017 — then the team’s youngest member as a 16-year-old sophomore.

Knowing what to anticipate, Kilfoyl guided Turner throughout the tryout process, calming her nerves.

“She was kind of my mentor,” said Turner, a 5-foot-10 left-hander. “If she wasn’t there, I’d probably be a little bit more uncomfortable but, since she was there, it really helped me with being comfortable.

Alexis Kilfoyl

“It was really like nerve-wracking at the beginning, just because like everyone that was there deserved to be there because of their talent.”

Kilfoyl added, “Being there two years ago, I knew what to expect, so I explained it to her and it helped a little bit more, and she knew what was coming and there were no surprises for her.”

Turner recalls “tears of joy” upon discovering she made the team.

“I was crying,” she said, “just because it was definitely a hard-work experience getting there, so when you find you find out that your hard work actually paid off in some ways, it was really exciting.”

Kilfoyl, meanwhile, felt some added pressure to make the team a second time around as an older, more mature pitcher.

“It was definitely a relief knowing that they wanted me back again,” Kilfoyl said. “Getting the (selection) email was definitely a relief to know that all the hard work paid off.”

Proud to represent their schools, and Land O’ Lakes
“It really isn’t about one person,” Kilfoyl said. “It’s definitely about the whole team and the whole school.”

“I think it did bring a lot of pride,” Turner said. “People are still congratulating me to this day because it’s such an honor.”

Kilfoyl and Turner will compete in a training camp and exhibition games in Columbus, Georgia, at the 2019 USA Softball International Cup, throughout June and July.

The roster then will be trimmed to 17 athletes to participate in the WSBC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) Junior Women’s World Cup, in August, in Irvine, California.

Kilfoyl said the experience back in 2017 helped heighten her overall level of play.

Specifically, because she was practicing alongside the nation’s top talents, facing elite international competition, and getting instruction from renowned Division I college coaches.

“It was very beneficial,” Kilfoyl said. “I really got a feel of like what is expected at that age and how you have to be able to do everything right. You can’t leave balls over the plate when you’re pitching. You have to be able to locate very well, and you have to spin very well.”

Land O’ Lakes High School senior pitcher and Tennessee Callie Turner joins Kilfoyl on the U.S. junior national team. She made the team after a three-day tryout in December.

But, before they go off and compete for the United States this summer, Kilfoyl and Turner are gearing up for their high school softball swan songs.

Kilfoyl posted a 23-1 mark in the circle last season, with a 0.32 earned run average and 249 strikeouts in 154 innings pitched. She guided Academy at the Lakes to a 26-4 record and the Class 2A state championship.

She also produced a .482 batting average with five home runs, 35 RBI, a .585 on-base percentage and a .788 slugging percentage.

The play earned Kilfoyl 2017-2018 Gatorade Florida Softball Player of the Year honors, distinguishing her as the state’s best high school softball player.

Both players aim for continued excellence
Defending the team’s state championship this season is among Kilfoyl’s top priorities in 2019.

She wants the team to make it as far as it did last year.

“Winning a state championship would be crazy again, and I know we’re going to have a huge target on our backs and it’s going to be that much harder, but definitely want to do that again,” she said.

“As far as personal goals, I guess I’d like to push myself a little bit more.

“I definitely want to go into this year pitching every game like it’s a state championship game, striking out as many as I can and just having a bunch of energy,” Kilfoyl said.

Callie Turner

Turner has similar goals in mind.

After winning the Class 6A state crown in 2017, Land O’ Lakes fell just short of another last season. They went 25-7 and finished state runner-up after falling to Plantation American Heritage 5-1 in the Class 6A state championship game in May.

“I definitely want to end up on top this year,” Turner said. “Last year was kind of rough, just not getting over the peak, especially for our seniors.”

The two-time Class 6A Pitcher of the Year and 2018 Class 6A Player of the Year surely did her part for the team.

Turner posted a 17-6 mark with a 0.78 earned run average and 252 strikeouts in 153.1 innings pitched, including 20 complete games, a no-hitter and six shutouts. She also batted .309 and six RBIs in 65 plate appearances

In the quest to win a second state title in three years, Turner is fine-tuning her repertoire of pitches — changeup, curveball, riseball and dropball.

Turner said she wants to “keep on feeling comfortable with my pitches” and “try to get them more consistent.”

“Sometimes they don’t work, and I just want to be able to like rely on the pitches every time,” Turner said, “so just the practice of the basic things is what I really want to work on this season.”

Kilfoyl and Turner will likely match up against each other on April 23, when Academy at the Lakes hosts Land O’ Lakes in a nonconference game.

Published February 6, 2019

Academy at the Lakes leads area on All-State picks

By

With the high school softball season complete, the 2018 Miracle Sports All-State teams were released June 15, recognizing Florida’s top players.

Nineteen athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were recognized, either as first-team, second-team or honorable mention.

The Academy at the Lakes varsity softball team had six representatives on the 2018 Miracle Sports All-State team. The Wildcats won the Class 2A state championship last month. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes softball)

Unsurprisingly, the Class 2A state champion, Academy at the Lakes Wildcats, had the most representatives from the area among all classifications, with a total of six selections in Class 2A.

Further, Wildcats head coach Diane Stephenson, freshman shortstop Brooke Blankenship and junior pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl earned Class 2A Coach of the Year, Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors, respectively.

Last month, the Wildcats (26-4) claimed its first-ever state title, defeating Monticello Aucilla Christian 1-0 in 11 innings on May 22 in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 2A state finals at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach.

Along with Stephenson, a former longtime Division I softball coach, Blankenship and Kilfoyl proved integral to the Wildcats success all season.

Blankenship, a Florida State University commit, batted .467 and led the team in home runs (six), doubles (12), hits (42) and runs scored (41). Defensively, she posted a .940 fielding percentage and committed just two errors the entire season.

In the state title game, Blankenship plated the winning run on a two-out single in the 11th inning.

Meantime, Kilfoyl was a force both in the circle and at the plate.

The 2017-2018 Gatorade Florida Softball Player of the Year and University of Alabama commit went 23-1, posting a 0.32 earned run average and 249 strikeouts in 154 innings pitched, with opposing batters hitting a mere .097 against her.

As a hitter, Kilfoyl led the Wildcats in batting average (.482) and RBIs (35), along with five home runs, nine doubles and 41 hits.

Kilfoyl pitched a complete game shutout in the state title game and singled in the game-winning run (scored by Blankenship).

Wildcats freshman infielder Devyne Davis joins Blankenship and Kilfoyl as first-team selections, while eighth-grade catcher Hannah Church, freshman infielder Vanessa Alexander and seventh-grade outfielder Caitlin Blankenship were second-team choices.

Land O’ Lakes High junior Callie Turner was named 2018 Miracle Sports’ Class 6A Player of the Year as well as Pitcher of the Year — an award she also won in 2017. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes softball)

Academy at the Lakes wasn’t the only Land O’ Lakes-based school well-represented on the All-State team, however.

In Class 6A, Land O’ Lakes High junior Callie Turner picked up both Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors.

Turner, a University of Tennessee commit, went 17-6, posting a 0.78 earned run average and 252 strikeouts in 153.1 innings pitched. She tallied 20 complete games, including one no-hitter and six shutouts.

Also a solid hitter, Turner batted .309 and six RBIs in 65 plate appearances.

Turner— also the Class 6A Pitcher of the Year in 2017 — was joined on the first-team by Ashley Smith, a senior infielder for the Gators (25-7), which finished state runner-up, falling to Plantation American Heritage 5-1 in the Class 6A state championship game on May 24.

In Class 7A, Sunlake High outfielders Kendra Falby, a freshman, and Paige Maseda, a junior, were named to the second-team, while senior catcher Emma Sica was an honorable mention.

The Seahawks (23-3) lost to Braden River 4-2 in the Class 7A regional semifinals on May 2.

Other schools in our coverage area also had showings on the All-State list, for their respective classifications.

Cypress Creek, a first-year program in Class 5A that finished 15-9, had four representatives — junior infielder Payton Hudson (first-team), junior catcher Neely Peterson (second-team), junior shortstop Jasmine Jackson (honorable mention) and sophomore first baseman Anna Margetis (honorable mention).

Gaither (7A), Pasco (6A), Steinbrenner (8A) and Zephyrhills (6A) each had one selection apiece.

There were no All-State representatives in our coverage area from Classes 9A, 4A, 3A or 1A.

2018 Miracle Sports All-State
Class 8A
Megan Pierro, Steinbrenner, senior (second-team)

Class 7A
Katelyn Richards, Gaither, senior (second-team)

Kendra Falby, Sunlake, freshman (second-team)

Paige Maseda, Sunlake, junior (second-team)

Emma Sica, Sunlake, senior (honorable mention)

Class 6A
Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year: Callie Turner, Land O’ Lakes, junior (first-team)

Ashley Smith, Land O’ Lakes, senior (first-team)

April Lorton, Zephyrhills, junior (first-team)

Kacie Huber, Pasco, senior (honorable mention)

Class 5A
Payton Hudson, Cypress Creek, junior (first-team)

Neely Peterson, Cypress Creek, junior (second-team)

Jasmine Jackson, Cypress Creek, junior (honorable mention)

Anna Margetis, Cypress Creek, junior (honorable mention)

Class 2A
Coach of the Year: Diane Stephenson, Academy at the Lakes

Player of the Year: Brooke Blankenship, Academy at the Lakes, freshman (first-team)

Pitcher of the Year: Lexi Kilfoyl, Academy at the Lakes, junior (first-team)

Devyne Davis, Academy at the Lakes, freshman (first-team)

Hannah Church, Academy at the Lakes, eight grade (second-team)

Vanessa Alexander, Academy at the Lakes, freshman (second-team)

Caitlynn Blankenship, Academy at the Lakes, seventh grade (second-team)

Published July 4, 2018

Land O’ Lakes coaches named nation’s best

By

The accolades haven’t stopped for the Land O’ Lakes High Gators softball program, months after winning its first-ever fast pitch state title.

The latest award spotlights the team’s coaches.

The Gators coaching staff has been named the 2017 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) High School Coaching Staff of the Year. The award came on July 27, and the Land O’ Lakes coaches beat out staffs from other top-tier programs in California, New Jersey, Illinois and Kansas.

The 2017 Land O’ Lakes varsity softball team show off their Class 6A state championships rings, during an Aug. 10 celebration at Beef O’ Brady’s at Wilderness Lakes. (Courtesy of Vinny Guarracino)

The recognition went to Gators third-year head coach Mitch Wilkins and assistants Edwin Rodriguez, Janet Sciales and Vinny Guarracino. They helped to guide the varsity team to a 29-3 mark, including a 3-1 victory over Plantation American Heritage in the Class 6A title game on May 20 in Vero Beach.

The staff previously was honored by the NFCA as South Region Coaching Staff of the Year on July 12.

Wilkins said the most recent NFCA honor was “completely surprising.”

“We were astounded to even be regional winners,” Wilkins said. “We were honored to just be nominated for regionals; I didn’t expect anything after that.”

Wilkins said he is glad the national honor recognized not only him, but his trio of assistants, too.

The entire staff, he noted, is diversified, each providing a crucial role in the team’s culture and achievements.

For instance, Rodriguez, the head junior varsity coach, instills discipline through development. Sciales, a hitting specialist, serves as a female soundboard for players. And Guarracino, the first-year volunteer assistant, provides the day-to-day exuberance.

“A lot of personalities that really work out well,” Wilkins said of the staff. “We’re all team players.”

“We each have our strengths and our skills,” added Sciales, who’s coached with Wilkins for six years, dating back to their stint at Hillsborough High School. “We all have our place and we function as a well-oiled machine, and none of us try to step on the other one’s toes. None of us bring a gigantic ego to (coaching).”

Guarracino concurred, saying the staff “works like one unit.”

The Land O’ Lakes Gators softball coaching staff was named the 2017 NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) High School Coaching Staff of the Year on July 27
From left, are Vinny Guarracino, Edwin Rodriguez, Mitch Wilkins and Janet Sciales. (Courtesy of National Fastpitch Coaches Association)

Part of that is the staff’s overall commitment to teaching the sport, explained Rodriguez, who has coached with Wilkins for three seasons.

“The passion that we have for coaching the girls and passing on knowledge makes us come together,” Rodriguez said. “It’s the love that we have working with the girls, because they’re receptive to (learning).”

But, the staff’s coexistence all starts with Wilkins, a retired Tampa police officer turned high school social studies teacher.

Besides the state title run—the first for any Pasco County school since 1992 — the Gators have gone a remarkable 80-9-1 in three seasons under Wilkins’ leadership, and they have firmly cemented themselves as a softball powerhouse beyond the Bay Area.

Guarracino, fresh to the coaching profession, described Wilkins as “a genius” and the main influence on starting his career.

“Coach is a little bit like a psychologist,” Guarracino explained. “He’s there for us, and he adapts his style of learning. I’m a big fan. He’s done a lot for me, and he’s been a big instructor for me.”

“Mitch knows more about ball than anybody I know, ever,” Sciales, a longtime coach herself, said. “He genuinely lives, eats and breathes softball. He thinks of things that I never even think of. He’s thinking two games in advance, three, five, seven games down the road. I’m thinking, ‘Let me just get to the next inning.’

“He’s always going to coaching seminars — anything he can do to get better.”

Sciales also noted Wilkins truly cares for each of his players.

“He’s so great with the girls, and he doesn’t yell,” Scales said. “I learned a long time ago that girls have to want to play for you. They need to want to perform for you, and he knows that. And, he’s very consistent with them, he never lies to them; he’s the fairest guy.”

She continued: “You will never find another coach that works harder to get his girls scholarships than him. He takes them to (softball) showcases, and he does that so they can get scholarships, and I don’t see a lot of other coaches doing that.”

For Wilkins, leading the Gators softball program is not about accolades or recognition.

Instead, “it’s all about the girls,” he said.

“Anything we can to do help them compete,” Wilkins said, “whether it’s helping them get a college scholarship, whether it’s helping them get prepared to move into college. Since I came aboard, every senior that’s come through the softball program and graduated (high school) has gone on to enroll in college.”

He stressed education “is first and foremost” for his players.

So, too, is “helping them become better people.”

“I just try and be that role model for them,” he said. “Show them that you don’t have get loud, and yell and scream and demean people, to get them to be motivated.”

Of course, the program’s success isn’t all about its coaches.

It’s about its deep roster, too.

“If we didn’t have the talent, then it’s almost impossible to get where we did,” Wilkins said. “What we do is try to develop their talent and do everything we can do to make sure they’re prepared for whatever situation comes up in a game.”

“You can’t win a race if you don’t have the horses,” Scales agreed. “It’s a combination of excellent athletes, great parents, and coaches being on the same page.”

Meanwhile, Gators players are appreciative for the makeup of the program’s coaching staff, and how each manages the team in practices and games.

“They’re really laid back compared to other coaches; they’re not going to yell at you,” said recent graduate Jessie McCallister, a standout centerfielder on the state title team.

“Obviously, when we do things wrong they’re going to get on us, but most of the time they’re really understanding,” said Destiny Rodriguez, a junior utility player.

“They all help us differently; they always give us good advice,” said junior ace pitcher Callie Turner. “It’s good because there’s no yelling involved in it. Like, I don’t remember a time, especially in the past few years, of them yelling. It helps us, especially as girls, when we’re not yelled at.”

Published August 23, 2017