The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Reggie Roberts

Prep football midseason review

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With five weeks of high school football in the books, the midway point of the 2018 season has been reached.

Here’s a look at some of the storylines and highlights from schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Boisterous Bulldogs
No Charles Harrison III? No problem. The Zephyrhills High Bulldogs have maintained their winning ways, even without the prolific and record-setting signal-caller, who graduated last season and now plays for Division III Brevard College in North Carolina.

The Zephyrhills High Bulldogs have successfully built off last season’s 10-2 campaign with a 4-0 start in 2018. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills High School)

The Bulldogs offense (29.3 points per game) isn’t quite as prolific as last season when Harrison III was under center (41 points per game), however, they’ve managed with a balanced attack through the air and ground.

Meanwhile, an extremely stingy defense (13 points allowed per game) has made life difficult for the opposition.

Zephyrhills could foreseeably run the table for the regular season, considering just one of its remaining foes has a winning record — Wesley Chapel High School, at 3-2 overall — and that’s a home game, where the Bulldogs are 13-2 since 2016.

Further, the Bulldogs arguably have the most talented squad in Pasco County, with bona fide Division I  FBS talent in receiver/defensive back Ja’quan Sheppard and running back/defensive back Cartrell Strong, among other future college prospects.

Also noteworthy: Bulldogs third-year head coach Nick Carroll is off to one of the best coaching starts in county history, with a remarkable 23-5 record since taking over for former coach Reggie Roberts in 2016. That includes 13 straight regular season wins dating back to last season.

Galvanized Gators
The hiring of Chad Walker, a first-time high school head football coach, is thus far paying off for the Land O’ Lakes High Gators.

The Land O’ Lakes High Gators are off to a 3-1 start under first-year head coach Chad Walker. (File)

At 3-1, the Gators are off to their best start since 2013, when the program last had a winning season and finished 8-2.

Whatever happens the remainder of 2018, this season will go down in lore for Land O’ Lakes.

That’s because the Gators broke an eight-game losing streak in the annual Butter Bowl rivalry game against Sunlake High, with a convincing 34-25 home win on Sept. 14. The historic win also coincided with the renaming of the press box at John Benedetto Stadium to the Mike Connor Family Press Box, after the longtime athletics booster and former Voice of the Gators.

Besides a road game against Mitchell High on Oct. 26, the Gators have a manageable slate and very well could complete what’s been a long time coming: a winning season. It also doesn’t hurt that the Gators have one of the county’s top offensive playmakers in senior tailback Kyle Leivas, who’s already tallied 613 rushing yards and six total touchdowns, including two straight 200-yard rushing performances against, respectively, Cypress Creek Middle High (224 yards on 25 carries) and Sunlake (223 yards on 19 carries).

Cool, confident Coyotes
After going winless in its first season as a program, victories are finally coming to the Cypress Creek Middle High Coyotes and second-year head coach Mike Johnson.

Cypress Creek captured the program’s first-ever win on Sept. 7, defeating Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High 42-22 on the road. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek Middle High School)

The upstart program already has two wins on the year, against Bishop McLaughlin Catholic and Pasco high schools.

Also, unlike last season, the Coyotes actually have a senior class.

Among the 12 seniors, the Coyotes have received significant contributions from tailback/safety Tim Ford-Brown, receiver/linebacker/punter Quinton Spears and receiver/safety/defensive end Devin Santana, among others.

Meantime, twin brothers Jehlani Warren, a junior quarterback, and Jalen Warren, a junior receiver, have made the Coyotes a fun watch, as they’ve hooked up for a bevy of big plays and touchdowns this season.

Going forward, expectations should remain modest for a program stepping into the ever-growing competitive area.

Yet, don’t be shocked if the Coyotes pull out another win or two before the end of the 2018 season.

Slow start, strong finish?
While Land O’ Lakes High is experiencing its best start in years, crosstown rival Sunlake High  is struggling with a 1-3 mark.

For the second straight year, Sunlake has opened with a 1-3 mark. (File)

Besides Land O’ Lakes, the Seahawks have faced stiff competition out of the gate, losing to Wiregrass Ranch High and to Zephyrhills High, in overtime.

The Seahawks did, however, open the season with a 25-0 road win over Wesley Chapel High — never an easy task.

The second half of the season shouldn’t be quite as daunting. However, it does include a string of three straight road games in October against Cypress Creek, Pasco and Brooksville Central high schools, respectively.

Interestingly, Sunlake also started off 1-3 last season, before rolling to a 4-6 finish — its first losing season since 2009.

Earl Garcia (File)

Major milestone
Former Gaither High/Boca Ciega High and current Hillsborough High head coach Earl Garcia is one win away from tying former Chamberlain High coach Billy Turner as the all-time winningest coach in Tampa Bay history (254).

Garcia, who coached at Gaither from 1987 to 1991, has a career record of 253-103, including nine 10-win seasons.

Garcia was recently inducted into Gaither’s inaugural football Hall of Fame, joining Greg Callahan, Denny Haywood, Kenny Huebner, Terry Jordan, Chad Muilenberg, Cesar Paz, James Puckett and Lydell Ross.

Garcia at Gaither
1987 — Gaither (7-4)
1988 — Gaither (6-4)
1989 — Gaither (4-6)
1990 — Gaither (3-7)
1991 — Gaither (5-5)

Stat Stuffers
—Tony Bartalo, Gaither High, junior quarterback: Most efficient quarterback in the always tough District 8-7A, completing 72.4 percent of his throws for 627 yards and seven touchdowns.

Land O’ Lakes High senior tailback Kyle Leivas (File)

—Desmin Green, Pasco High, junior quarterback: One of the county’s most effective quarterbacks, completing 56 percent of his passes for 602 yards, and nine touchdowns and four interceptions; also has 227 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns

—Kyle Leivas, Land O’ Lakes High, senior tailback: County’s second leading rusher with 613 yards and four touchdowns on 84 carries; in total has 977 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns.

—Jalen Warren, Cypress Creek Middle High, junior receiver: County’s second leading receiver with 16 catches for 321 yards and five touchdowns.

Wiregrass Ranch High junior linebacker Dylan Ridolph (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School)

—Logan Kilburn, Steinbrenner High, senior linebacker: Second in the state with 70 total tackles; also has four sacks and eight tackles for loss.

—Dylan Ridolph, Wiregrass Ranch High, junior linebacker: Tied for state lead with 14 sacks; also has 44 total tackles and 21 tackles for loss.

Schools in Laker/Lutz News Coverage Area (and their current 2018 records)

Hillsborough County:
Carrollwood Day School Patriots (Class 2A-Region 3): 3-1 overall, 1-1 district

Freedom High School Patriots (Class 7A-Region 8): 1-4 overall, district 0-2

Gaither High School Cowboys (Class 7A-Region 8): 3-2 overall, 1-1 district

Steinbrenner High School Warriors (Class 8A-Region 6): 1-4 overall, 0-2 district

Pasco County:
Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man Florida Christian Region 2): 2-0 overall, 2-0 district

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent-Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC): 2-1, 2-0 district

Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (Class 4A-Region 3): 2-3 overall, 0-0 district

Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (Class 6A-Region 6): 3-1 overall, 1-0 district

Pasco High School Pirates (Class 6A-Region 6): 2-2 overall, 0-0 district

Sunlake High School Seahawks (Class 6A-Region 6): 1-3 overall, 0-1 district

Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (Class 5A-Region 8): 3-2 overall, 2-0 district

Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (Class 7A-Region 8): 3-2 overall, 1-1 district

Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (Class 5A-Region 8): 4-0 overall, 1-0 district

Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (Class 2A-Region 2): 2-2 overall, 0-0 district

Published September 26, 2018

Zephyrhills Police undergoes restructuring

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The Zephyrhills Police Department is shaking up its command staff — a measure it hopes will improve efficiency and communications throughout the law enforcement agency.

The department is adding an operations lieutenant and an administrative lieutenant, while eliminating a captain’s position and a detective sergeant’s position — roles that have been vacant for months.

The lieutenants’ positions already have been advertised internally and will be filled from the current group of sergeants. The starting salary for both is $53,584.  The starting salary for the eliminated captain and detective sergeant positions were $57,975 and $47, 696, respectively.

The new positions are expected to be filled by the end of the year or in early 2018, Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer said.

The Zephyrhills City Council approved the staffing proposal last month.

In a memo to the council and City Manager Steve Spina, Brewer said it offers a number of benefits, including, “better span of control, improved unity of command, opportunities for employee advancement and potential cost savings.”

The department’s command staff in the past has been budgeted for a chief, two captains and five sergeants, as well as 25 sworn officers.

One of those captain’s position has been vacant since June, however. The detective sergeant’s position also has remained vacant since the promotion of Capt. Reggie Roberts, at around the same time.

Because of that, Roberts has been the liaison for the agency’s operations and administrative divisions, without the benefit of another captain or detective sergeant to reduce the burden.

Adding two lieutenants — to report to Roberts — will “level out” supervision for both divisions and improve agency directives, the police chief explained.

“By placing some lieutenants in between the sergeant and the captain, it allows for information to flow a little better, and also for the captain not to be stretched so thin,” Brewer said.

Once in place, the operations lieutenant will directly oversee three departments: uniform patrol, criminal divisions and special operations — which encompass reserve, honor guard, bike patrol.

The administrative lieutenant, meanwhile, will oversee communications and administrative support and services, ranging from property and evidence management, record keeping, accreditation and training, fleet maintenance and so on.

Brewer, a 15-year veteran of the department and a former lieutenant, said the idea to reshuffle the command staff arose while he was serving as interim chief from June to September.

He was officially sworn-in as the city’s police chief in October, replacing former chief David Shears, who retired in May.

Brewer pointed out many similar-sized agencies, such as the New Port Richey Police Department, “adopt that model of more layers in-between.”

It gives the command structure “a more linear approach,” he said.

“One thing I’ve kind of noticed with the chief and the two captains over the years is that span of control is still pretty wide, so I kind of felt like this was the best way to approach the span of control, as well as just making sure things move more fluid,” the chief added.

The shuffling may also reduce agency overtime costs.

Besides assisting with administrative duties, the lieutenants would also support patrol functions by filling gaps in supervision should unforeseen needs arise from shift supervisors, such as sick time. Instead of calling in another supervisor for coverage, a lieutenant could cover the open shift to eliminate the need to call in a sergeant or officer in charge on the opposite side of the schedule.

Brewer explained, “A lot of times when sergeants accumulate overtime, we don’t have that ability to adjust their schedule, but having lieutenants may allow us to fill those gaps, so as they accumulate the overtime, we can kind of adjust their schedule and save in overtime.”

In 2014, independent consultant William Liquori, from the Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA), recommended reinstituting lieutenants within Zephyrhills Police.

In his report, Liquori, a 44-year law enforcement veteran from Altamonte Springs and past president of the statewide association, said communication was a major concern among all employees, and that command staff needed to address the issue.

Brewer said that report further “reinforced the need to bring (lieutenants) back.”

By hiring lieutenants from within, Brewer said it allows for additional opportunities for promotion and internal movement for the department’s employees.

“We thought that it would create better morale; that was another thing we had looked at,” Brewer said.

Published December 20, 2017

Zephyrhills High names ‘Tom Fisher Field’

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It’s been nearly a decade since Tom Fisher last roamed the sidelines, but his name won’t soon be forgotten at Zephyrhills High School.

The namesake of Zephyrhills High School’s football field, Tom Fisher, served as the high school’s football coach for some 20 years. Fisher was bestowed the honor at a dedication ceremony during the Friday night football game against Hudson. (Fred Bellet)

The school’s Oct. 27 homecoming festivities added greater significance, when Zephyrhills’ Bulldog Stadium was formally renamed “Tom Fisher Field.”

The dedication ceremony, held at midfield and attended by Fisher, drew dozens of former players and coaches, as well as the longtime coach’s family members and friends.

Thousands of Bulldogs faithful, were there, too — in a show of respect for Fisher, who retired after the 2008 season, following 21 years as head coach.

He is the football program’s winningest coach (124-86), leading Bulldogs teams to eight playoff berths, four conference championships and three district titles; he also was a four-time conference coach of the year.

Fisher, now 65, still attends several Zephyrhills games each year, sometimes wishing he was still donning a headset and calling plays.

“I miss it a lot,” Fisher said, “but, all these great kids that I’ve coached over the years, for them to come back, I really appreciate it.”

While receiving a round of applause for his years as coach of the Bulldogs’ football team, Tom Fisher, holding one of his grandchildren, McKenzi Moncrief, 3, of Zephyrhills, is surrounded by friends, family, former players turned coaches of the team and well-wishers.

Not one to wax poetic about his coaching career, Fisher said many of the 20 years “all blend together.”

“Working with the kids was great; football’s been my life,” he said.

As coach, Fisher influenced hundreds, if not thousands of lives.

Among them is current Bulldogs coach Nick Carroll, who has guided the program to two consecutive eight-win seasons — including Friday night’s 62-0 romp of Hudson High School.

Carroll was apart of Fisher’s 1996-1997 playoff team.

He has vivid memories of that season.

“We had a lot of success; won a lot of football games. For us to get the first playoff win for him, it was a special moment for him, and for us,” Carroll said.

Fisher’s coaching demeanor isn’t lost on Carroll, either.

“He was old-school, man,” Carroll said. “You didn’t mess with coach Fisher. If his lip ever curled, he was mad.”

“I didn’t cause him no trouble,” he added.

Former player, now head coach, Nick Carroll leads the Bulldogs this year.

Carroll noted several of his assistants, including B.J. Booker, Bryan Thomas and Troy Hochstetler, also played for Fisher at some point.

“They say great leaders develop great leaders, so there’s four of us right there that have come back and kind of stepped in his role, and made a chance to—not build it—but have success the first two years we came here to Zephyrhills.”

Reggie Roberts, who coached the Bulldogs from 2010 to 2015, was another former player—and team captain — of Fisher’s.

Roberts, now a captain with the Zephyrhills Police Department, recalls Fisher as a hard-nosed, no-nonsense coach.

“Those were the days when you didn’t have water breaks every 30 minutes — and we had to grind,” Roberts said. “Sometimes as we grow up, we always have people that mold us, and he was one of them, especially coming back here to coach, you bet that was the first phone call I made.”

Zephyrhills’ No. 6 Tyreese Wigfall jumps for joy and celebrates yet another touchdown with No. 7 Jaquan Sheppard during game action against Hudson. Zephyrhills beat the visiting Cobras.

But, Roberts also remembers Fisher for his acumen and attention to detail.

“You’re talking about somebody that studied game film—he was a student of the game,” Roberts said.

“I wish when I was coaching I could be half as good as he was watching video and actually coming up with a game plan. He was excellent at that. We may not have been as talented as a lot of people, but we played a lot better than a lot of people because we were prepared. That’s one thing I can say about him — he got us prepared.”

The Pasco County School Board approved the field renaming in June, after the idea was presented by Zephyrhills school officials.

Zephyrhills High School athletic director Bruce Cimorelli said it was about time Fisher received “a real good sendoff.”

“He deserves it quite a bit,” Cimorelli said.

“Tom did a great job. He took a mentoring to the kids. He was a great person to work for, so it’s something that’s well-deserved.”

Tom Fisher: By the numbers
124 wins (most in school history)
86 losses
Eight playoff appearances
Four conference championships (1989, 1995, 1997, 2002)
Four district titles (1995, 2002, 2006)
Four Conference Coach of the Year awards (1989, 1994, 1995, 1997)

Published November 1, 2017

Zephyrhills appoints police chief

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Following a four-month nationwide search for its next police chief, the city of Zephyrhills has opted to hire from within, appointing interim chief Derek Brewer the city’s permanent, full-time police chief.

At its Sept. 25 meeting, the Zephyrhills City Council voted 4-1 in favor of Brewer, a 15-year veteran of the Zephyrhills Police Department who’s served as the interim chief since May following the retirement of former chief David Shears, who held the leadership position since 2008.

Brewer’s appointment was recommended to the council by city manager Steve Spina, who was part of a six-person interview committee during the hiring process.

Derek Brewer, a 15-year veteran of the Zephyrhills Police Department who has served as the interim chief since May, has been appointed as the city’s permanent, full-time police chief; he will be sworn in at the city’s Oct. 9 council meeting.
(Courtesy of Zephyrhills Police Department)

Of the six applicants interviewed, Spina told the council Brewer is “without a doubt” the top candidate for the position.

Brewer, 44, gradually has risen up the agency’s ranks, since being hired as a patrol officer in 2002.

He served as a field training officer, patrol sergeant and lieutenant before being promoted to patrol captain in 2014.

While on the force, Brewer earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Hillsborough Community College, and attended the senior leadership training program at the Southern Police Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Florida Police Chiefs executive leadership training in 2014.
He also graduated this July from the Command Officer Management Program at Saint Leo University, and is scheduled to receive his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Saint Leo University this December.

Brewer has received numerous honors during his law enforcement career, including:

  • Pasco County Crisis Intervention Team Officer of the Year (2010)
  • William B. Eiland Officer of the Year Award (2012)
  • Tampa Police Department Appreciation Award (2013)
  • City of Zephyrhills Employee of the Year Award (2015)

Besides regular law enforcement duties, Brewer is a member of several committees and organizations that include the Transportation Exception Plan Committee; Pasco-Hernando State College Technical Advisory Committee; Pasco County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Task Force; Zephyrhills Code Enforcement Task Force; Zephyrhills Police Department Homeless Initiative; Zephyrhills Site Plan Review Committee; Florida Police Chiefs Association; and, Noon Rotary Club of Zephyrhills.

Several officers of the Zephyrhills police force spoke in favor of Brewer’s appointment to the department’s top job, during the meeting’s public comment period.

Lorenzo Limoges, a K-9 officer, said the agency, under Brewer’s leadership, has experienced “some of the best teamwork I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“…I’ve talked to just about every officer that we’ve got, and I can’t tell you one that hasn’t showed their support for Derek and the agency,” Limoges said.

(File)

Zephyrhills police captain Reggie Roberts said Brewer’s promotion to chief is “what’s right” for Zephyrhills and the police department.

Roberts touched on Brewer’s management style, outlining his work ethic, compassion and humility, and the handling of high-risk situations, such as Hurricane Irma.

“I believe in him 110 percent,” Roberts said.

A few citizens stepped forward, too, to express their support in naming Brewer the 10th police chief in the city’s history.

Amy Chappell, vice president and residential loan officer at CenterState Bank, said Brewer deserves the job and “has the talent it takes to bring this city together for the greater good.”

“You have an individual that cares, and that’s something you won’t find really on the resume,” said Chappell, who’s spoken in favor of Brewer at previous council meetings.

Mickey McPhee, who manages the Publix Supermarket on Gall Blvd, also applauded Brewer’s service as interim chief.

“Anytime we’ve needed the police department, they’ve just been great. And, it’s his leadership that makes it great,” McPhee said.

The store manager noted Brewer and the agency were particularly accommodating in the week leading up to Hurricane Irma.

“I just appreciate (Brewer) for the communication we had all during the storm,” McPhee said.

“We were the last retailer to be open in Zephyrhills. We didn’t call the police department, but he came down there personally and sat with us for the last 30 minutes (we were open). It was comforting, and it was his leadership that made it comfortable,” McPhee added.

The lone councilman opposed to Brewer’s appointment was Ken Burgess, who suggested an outside hire to give the agency a “fresh look.”

The Zephyrhills City Council voted 4-1 in favor of Brewer at its Sept. 25 meeting, with councilman Ken Burgess the opposed vote.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

“I felt that this was an opportune time to possibly look at things from a new philosophy and perspective,” Burgess, addressing the council, said.

“During this whole process, I gathered as much information as I could, and I spoke to a lot of individuals, both in and out of the law enforcement community on this important decision. In our current society, I believe our next chief will face challenges that previous chiefs probably never faced or had to deal with. He will need to have an access to a multitude of resources and a willingness to embrace them.”

Council vice president Lance Smith countered Burgess, pointing out the city’s previous outside hires for police chief failed in the past.

Smith mentioned by name former chiefs Russell Barnes — who resigned in 2008 after accusations he created a “flex time” policy that allowed employees to receive time off instead of overtime pay for extra hours worked — and Jerry Freeman— who resigned in 2003 after just nine months on the job, due to perceived questionable decisions and judgments.

Smith said, “We have gone outside before without much success. But, that’s one part of the equation to me. The other is seeing the way the employees respond to Derek. “I think he’s done a great job,” Smith said.

Once Brewer’s appointment became official, Burgess said he will support him “all the way through, because that’s what’s important for the city.”

Brewer will be sworn in at the city’s Oct. 9 council meeting.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Area spring football preview: Pasco County

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Spring football practices are underway for high schools across the state. While the first games of the 2016 season are still several months away, Florida high schools are allowed a maximum of 20 practice sessions between April 25 to May 31, according to FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) guidelines.

 

Here’s a look at what schools in our coverage area are working with:

Land O’ Lakes High School
Coach: Brian Wachtel (6th year)
2015 Record: 3-7                

The Land O' Lakes Gators are looking to avoid a third straight losing season. A more manageable season in 2016 should help. (File photos)
The Land O’ Lakes Gators are looking to avoid a third straight losing season. A more manageable season in 2016 should help.
(File photos)

Last season was rough for the Gators, who failed to win a home game at “The Swamp,” and were shutout by their primary rival in Sunlake High. Playing five consecutive road games didn’t help the cause, either. To relive their magical 8-2 season back in 2013, the Gators must find some consistent play at the quarterback position, whether that is from rising senior Spencer Childress or rising junior Jude May. Though the team loses their top two rushers from last season in Rashawn Kindell (526 yards rushing, 5.7 yards per carry) and Tommy Farmer (417 yards, 7 TDs), the Gators may have a breakout candidate in tailback Quintin Smith, who’ll be a senior. On defense, the Gators return standout safety Justin Kren, a capable tackler (51 solo tackles) and ballhawk (five interceptions).

Pasco County High School
Coach: Tom McHugh (9th year)
2015 Record: 4-6

A difficult schedule and some tough breaks steered the Pirates into a losing 2015 season. Despite starting the year 3-0, Pasco High ran into some tough competition in the middle of the season, losing four straight games to North Marion, Jesuit, Mitchell and Sunlake high schools. A heartbreaking 44-43 overtime loss to Springstead High added fuel to the fire. While the win-loss total doesn’t show it, the Pirates were loaded with talent, including cornerback Jayvauhn Myers (Auburn signee), offensive lineman Jamal Mention (Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College signee) and tight end Nick Bryant (Middle Tennessee signee). Coach McHugh must find a way to replace those productive players, and find a reliable quarterback after Michael Penix Jr. transferred to Tampa Bay Tech.

Sunlake High School
Coach: Bill Browning (9th year)
2015 Record: 8-3

The Sunlake Seahawks are looking to have their seventh straight winning season. To do so, Coach Bill Browning will have to replace several starters on the offensive line.
The Sunlake Seahawks are looking to have their seventh straight winning season. To do so, Coach Bill Browning will have to replace several starters on the offensive line.

Another year, another terrific record. That’s been the narrative for the Seahawks over the past six seasons under the leadership of head coach Bill Browning. Since 2010, the team has a combined record of 53-13. Though the team returns several players at the skill positions, one of the big questions leading into the season is how the team will fare on the offensive line, with the departures of Bryce Cooley (Angelo State signee), Joe Russum (Black Hills State signee) and Leo Baez (Bluefield College). If the Seahawks can create cohesion and provide enough protection in the trenches for standout pro-style quarterback Justin Hall (1,729 yards, 17 TDs, 3 INTs), they should be in store for another winning season.

Wesley Chapel High School
Coach: Anthony Egan (1st year)
2015 record: 2-8

The Wildcats have suffered four straight losing seasons, and now it’s up to first-year head coach Anthony Egan — a former River Ridge High assistant — to turn the program around. Luckily for Egan, the cupboard isn’t bare. Signal-caller Jacob Thomas (44 percent completion, 1,825 yards, 17 TDs, 13 INTs) returns as well as pass-catchers Ben Goins (31 receptions, 403 yards) and Devin Singletary (23 receptions, 240 yards). On defense, the Wildcats return their top three tacklers in Marcus Gillott, Ellrie Allen and Christian Austin. To improve their record, the Wildcats must find a way to develop a consistent rushing attack (rushers averaged just 2.6 yards per carry) and they must win close games (the team lost three games by seven points or fewer in 2015.)

Wiregrass Ranch High School
Coach: Mark Kantor (2nd year)
2015 record: 2-8

Coach Mark Kantor embarks on year two of what is perhaps a long-term rebuilding job. Prior to Kantor’s hiring in 2015, the Bulls had three coaches in four years, combining for an 8-32 record during that span. To improve in 2016, the Bulls must find a way to stay healthy (19 season-ending injuries were suffered in 2015) and significantly improve on offense. The team averaged just 10.6 points per game in 2015, and was shutout in half of their games. If the Bulls can’t muster up better production from the quarterback position, it’ll be tough to secure a winning record.

Zephyrhills High School
Coach: Nick Carroll (1st year)
2015 record: 8-3

The Bulldogs notched their fourth straight winning season in 2015, but they’ll enter the 2016 season with a new head coach in Nick Carroll, a former Sunlake High assistant. Carroll will try to duplicate the success of former coach Reggie Roberts, but will have a challenge on his hands. Running back Antwione Sims, the team’s leading offensive playmaker, tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) over a month ago, and will likely miss several games in 2016. Additionally, Carroll must find a way to get Bulldogs players to gel, and learn the style of offense and defense he’s implementing. Carroll expects several incoming freshmen and sophomores to make an impact in his first season.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy
Coach: Mike Smith (2nd year, 11-man)
2015 Record: 4-4    

The Warriors had a respectable 2015 season, if you consider it was their first season playing 11-man football after they dominated the 6-man ranks for several years. However, the team may be in for a setback in 2016, as they’ll be without their top offensive player, wide receiver Issac Johnson (62 receptions, 1,013 yards), and top defensive player, defensive lineman J’ Won Pickett. Both Johnson (Iowa Western Community College) and Pickett (Minnesota State Community College) are playing football at junior colleges next season. The Warriors will also have to develop a new quarterback with the impending graduation of Matthew Iovine, an accurate passer (67 percent completion, 1,475 yards). Being without last year’s quarterback and top receiver may open the door to additional carries for returning running backs such as John Emmanual, Dwight Thomas and Mykh’ael Chavis.

Published May 4, 2016

 

Zephyrhills High gets new football coach

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One of the challenges that will face Nick Carroll as the new head coach at Zephyrhills High will be to lead a program that’s been in the midst of turmoil.

The team was successful in the win-loss column, but its former coach was replaced after a report surfaced about an on-campus sex scandal implicating some members of the football team.

According to a Zephyrhills Police report, the alleged sexual assault occurred on Sept. 1, and involved one female and several members of the football team after class hours on school property.

On Oct. 20, the female dropped the case after having difficulty remembering details regarding the incident, records show.

Nick Carroll recently was named the new football coach at Zephyrhills High School. He is pictured with his wife, Jill, and two sons Zacary, left and Maison, right. (Courtesy of Nick Carroll)
Nick Carroll recently was named the new football coach at Zephyrhills High School. He is pictured with his wife, Jill, and two sons Zacary, left and Maison, right.
(Courtesy of Nick Carroll)

On Dec. 18, the case was closed after the Dade City State Attorney’s Office recommended no petition be filed because “the facts and circumstances do not warrant further prosecution,” records show.

Carroll, who graduated from Zephyrhills High, replaces Reggie Roberts, who amassed a solid 39-23 record in six seasons, including an 8-3 mark in 2015.

Carroll is excited about his first-time head coaching gig, which happens to be at his alma mater.

“It’s a great feeling, because I used to walk these hallways, and I used to walk into the same locker room,” said Carroll, who was a member of the school’s 1996-97 playoff team. “I can still imagine all the great times that we had.”

Prior to his current appointment, Carroll was as an assistant coach at Sunlake High for nine years.

Working under Sunlake head coach Bill Browning, Carroll was responsible for coaching defensive backs, wide receivers and special teams.

After “paying his dues” at Sunlake, Coach Browning feels Carroll is well-suited to lead the Zephyrhills football program.

“He’s a knowledgeable coach,” Browning said. “He has a passion for the game, and he works very well with the student-athletes.”

Also working in Carroll’s favor is his understanding of the “makeup of the Zephyrhills community,” Browning added.

However, the challenge of appeasing the football-crazed community won’t be an easy task, especially since Carroll is replacing a beloved coach in Roberts.

For Carroll, there’s pressure to be successful immediately – to silence doubters.

“Zephyrhills is notorious for having good football teams; you’ve got to win games,” said Carroll, who played college football at Mayville State University in North Dakota. “I take that as a great goal for me. …We’re going to do things…in a positive way, to where we can get the kids to play the best game possible.”

Since taking over on Feb. 9, Carroll has a lot on his plate. He’s currently juggling his duties as the school’s physical education teacher and the implementation of his football program.

In between classes, Carroll has been meeting with current members of the football team, analyzing last year’s game film and filling out his coaching staff.

“I’m taking it one day at a time,” he said. “I’m working my way around, trying to make relationships with these (players). I’m waiting until I get my staff in place until I have an actual players’ meeting. …That way we can get going in the weight room.”

Carroll has already spoken extensively with the team’s top returning player in running back Antwione Sims, who rushed for 2,093 yards in 2015, setting a single-season record for his team.

The prospect of utilizing Sims’ talent intrigues Carroll as he deliberates what type of offense he wants to construct for the 2016 season.

“He’s a great running back. He’s very determined,” Carroll said about the 5-foot-11, 196-pound rising senior. “If you watch him on film, his feet are always moving. His legs are real thick, and as the game progresses, (defenders) start to fall off his legs.

“He’s a very hard runner,” he said.

The opposite side of the ball won’t lack for playmakers either, as rising junior Zander Lemay and rising senior Brett Lemay will anchor a stout defensive line.

While ZHS returns a solid crop of playmakers, Carroll must find a way to replace several key seniors from last year’s squad, including wide receiver Jackie Tucker, offensive linemen Austin Larkin and Jonah Thomas, and linebackers Artonyo Lee and Kevin Lee.

The departure of several players will force the newly minted head coach to rely on youth in his first season.

“There’s a lot of young guys that are ninth and tenth graders that are going to play integral roles in the development of this team,” he said. “We’ve got to get these kids to believe.”

The development process starts with offseason workouts, Carroll said.

“The weight room is a huge, huge part of building success,” he said. “Discipline is a huge part of that, and making sure the kids are held accountable.

“That’s very important to me.”

Published February 17, 2016

Pasco-Zephyrhills ‘not just another game’

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Coaches are used to giving stock answers to common questions. Take things one game at a time. Play hard for 60 minutes. And, even if they’re facing a rival, it’s just another game.

Zephyrhills head coach Reggie Roberts isn’t toeing that line when it comes to the annual Pasco-Zephyrhills football matchup.

Zephyrhills coach Reggie Roberts was optimistic over the summer. Now he has even more to smile about, with his Bulldogs in the playoffs for the second straight year. But, with a 0-5 coaching record against Pasco, he knows it won’t be easy to finish the season with a victory. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
Zephyrhills coach Reggie Roberts was optimistic over the summer. Now he has even more to smile about, with his Bulldogs in the playoffs for the second straight year. But, with a 0-5 coaching record against Pasco, he knows it won’t be easy to finish the season with a victory.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

“It’s not just another game. It’s the Nine-Mile War,” Roberts said, referring to the distance between the two schools.

“This is a rivalry game,” he said.

It’s also a game that has hurt Zephyrhills in seasons past. Three of the past four years, a loss to the Pirates cost the Bulldogs a playoff spot. Last season, the game didn’t impact the team’s ability to make the playoffs, and it reached the postseason for the first time under Roberts’ tenure. But, the Bulldogs still lost to Pasco.

For this season’s game, there is no playoff spot on the line. At 7-2, Zephyrhills is already playoff-bound. And at 4-5, Pasco won’t be in the postseason. But the game still means something, and Roberts has nothing but respect for Pasco.

“They’ve played some good football,” Roberts said, noting that the Pirates have faced a tough schedule. He also singled out their talented quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., as a player Zephyrhills needs to contain in order to be successful.

“We’re not going to sleep on them, thinking that they’re a .500 team. We know better than that. We know that they’ll be ready to play, and that we’re going to have to play our game,” he said.

Zephyrhills practiced hard before the season started, and have been rewarded with a 7-2 record. But, even over the summer, the players knew the season-ender against Pasco was going to be an important game.
Zephyrhills practiced hard before the season started, and have been rewarded with a 7-2 record. But, even over the summer, the players knew the season-ender against Pasco was going to be an important game.

Pasco has played their game each of Roberts’ five previous seasons as head coach at Zephyrhills. The Bulldogs are 0-5 against the Pirates during his tenure. It’s a far cry from the success he had as a student at Zephyrhills: He never lost to Pasco as a player.

Roberts remembers the energy and excitement of the game when he was on the field, and said he won’t need to give a big motivational speech to get his own players ready for the game.

“You don’t have to say much,” he said. “If I have to hype a kid up to play that game, I don’t know if he has blood running through his veins.”

Roberts definitely won’t have to hype up receiver Jackie Tucker. The senior wide receiver has been through several of the losses to Pasco, and he wants to finish his high school career as a winner in the rivalry game.

Tucker knew they had a lot to prove in this game, even before the season started.

“I have to show my doubters what we can do. They say that Pasco’s always been on top in the county. At Zephyrhills, we’re here to show them different,” Tucker said back in August. “It’s going to be a crazy game.”

With home-field advantage, Roberts expects the fans to contribute to the atmosphere. In fact, the game is perfect preparation for the postseason, Roberts said. Pasco-Zephyrhills has a built-in playoff atmosphere, and it’s a good way for him to see how the team handles a pressure situation with a lot on the line.

It’s up to his players to perform at a high level, but he expects the fans to do their part to keep the enthusiasm level high.

“We have a new dog pound section of the stadium. I’m sure that’s going to be packed and faces painted,” he said. “We have the truck pound on the north side of the end zone. I’m sure the loud engines will be revving, and those guys will be tailgating from the back of their trucks. There’s no other place like it.”

Published November 4, 2015

New season, higher goals for Zephyrhills football

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Last year, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs snapped an eight-year playoff drought by making the postseason for the first time since head coach Reggie Roberts took over in 2010.

This year, the path to an encore doesn’t begin on the practice field, or in the classroom watching game film.

It begins in church.

Head coach Reggie Roberts is looking to build on his team's 8-3 record and accompanying playoff berth last season. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
Head coach Reggie Roberts is looking to build on his team’s 8-3 record and accompanying playoff berth last season.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

“I had one of the preachers from a local church say, ‘Coach, you’ve been praying for the playoffs and that’s what you got. Start praying for the state championship this year,’ ” Roberts said while taking a quick break during practice last week.

This year, the goal is a state championship.

But Roberts and the Bulldogs won’t be leaving things up to divine intervention. They’re putting in plenty of hard work as they prepare for the start of the season later this month. Music blares from loudspeakers during practice to keep the athletes motivated while they run drills. Offense, defense and special teams all take over parts of the field to get their practice time in before scheduled breaks.

The players have noted that there’s a new level of seriousness and focus as they prepare for the upcoming season.

“I’ve pushed them. Last week they said it’s been the hardest it’s ever been at Zephyrhills High School, and it probably is because the expectations are higher,” Roberts said. “We’re looking for better things.”

Roberts’ time as coach — he played tight end and linebacker for the school back in his playing days — has been marked by achieving better things. He took over a program that had won just six games in the previous two seasons. It took a year to get things the way he wanted, but since then it’s been a string of winning records, culminating in an 8-3 mark and a trip to the postseason.

Players like running back Myles Carter will be expected to step up for the Bulldogs this season.
Players like running back Myles Carter will be expected to step up for the Bulldogs this season.

The Bulldogs lost a close game to Suwannee High School, and it left them wanting a bigger taste of the postseason.

They’re aiming for a trip to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, where the state championships will be played in December.

Before they can get that far, though, they have to earn it on the field during the regular season.

And before that happens, Roberts wants them to earn it in their studies and in the community.

“The first thing my athletes have to understand is that football is an extension of the classroom. We are student-athletes first,” he said.

Roberts speaks with the decisive tone of a coach who knows what he wants from his players, and he’s already getting their support. They recently worked at a Purple Heart Memorial Dedication earlier this month, and he wants them to bring a blue-collar attitude to everything they do. By focusing on working together and getting things done in class, the coach is convinced it will make them better players on Friday nights.

Roberts will need players to step up and fill some big gaps left by graduating seniors. The coach misses all of them, since they all contributed to the team’s success. But standout players like quarterback Ty Tanner and running back Jaylen Pickett were more than role players, and they’ve moved on. That means the team has to find a way to move on as well.

The coach is confident the team can take the next step with existing talent like Myles Carter, Antwione Sims and Jackie Tucker. And Tucker, a senior receiver, shares his optimism.

“This offseason I’ve been grinding with my two younger quarterbacks, Charles Harrison and Dylan Wood, trying to get them to where my previous quarterback, Ty Tanner, was,” Tucker said.

The 6-foot-2, 188-pound wideout is in his third year with the Bulldogs, and he knows that means taking on a leadership role. He’s embracing the responsibility of being a voice for the team and making sure everyone is doing their job in practice, working out and getting prepared for the upcoming season.

And for Tucker, that includes himself.

“I hit the weight room 10 times harder than I used to,” he said.

The players work hard in the weight room and at practice, where Roberts’ assistants fine-tune their mechanics, and the team races through a battery of drills and exercises.

And, the head coach isn’t making any time for offseason distractions.

They’re in a new district this year.

Roberts isn’t concerned that the Bulldogs aren’t expected to do much with competition like River Ridge and Gulf waiting for them in 5A-8 (“If you look at the polls, we’re way down,” he said. “I love it.”).

The coach brushed off a question about playing longtime rival Pasco High School in November (“Hasn’t even crossed my mind.”).

Roberts also didn’t want to single out any one facet of his team that he expected to stand out this coming season.

But when pressed to choose one — offense, defense, or special teams — the coach gave a smile before responding with a tone that suggested the answer was final.

“Offense. Defense. And special teams,” he said before heading off to focus on his players.

Zephyrhills Bulldogs regular season schedule
(all games at 7:30 p.m.)

Aug. 28 at Wiregrass Ranch

Sept. 4 at Sunlake

Sept. 18 at Gulf

Sept. 25 vs. Fivay

Oct. 2 vs. Hudson

Oct. 9 at Ridgewood

Oct. 16 vs. River Ridge

Oct. 23 at Wesley Chapel

Oct. 30 vs. Anclote

Nov. 6 vs. Pasco

Published August 19, 2015

Athletes met lofty expectations in 2014

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Athletic competition typically is marked by athletes and teams with lofty goals for the upcoming year. Many times, however, they fall short of those goals despite a great deal of determination and hard work.

Sunlake’s Terrence Jackson and Zephyrhills’ Antwione Sims go up for a ball when the schools met late in the year, a game the Bulldogs won. Both football teams had big plans for 2014, and their hard work paid off during the season. (File Photo)
Sunlake’s Terrence Jackson and Zephyrhills’ Antwione Sims go up for a ball when the schools met late in the year, a game the Bulldogs won. Both football teams had big plans for 2014, and their hard work paid off during the season. (File Photo)

But there also are cases where that hard work really pays off, and both individuals and teams meet their goals.

Here are a few sports stories that had successful endings across a variety of athletic contests.

Missions accomplished
Before the season started, the Sunlake Seahawks wanted something that had eluded them throughout their history: A district championship.

“That’s one of our goals, to win the district title,” Sunlake head coach Bill Browning said last August. “It’s missing right now, but it really just provides more motivation for us.”

Middle linebacker and tight end Austin Yeloushan felt the same way.

“We’re planning on doing that this year,” he said. “We’ve been working hard in the weight room.”

Whether it was the weights or the program’s history of success, Sunlake had another strong year, finishing the regular season at 8-2. They also survived a three-way tiebreaker with Mitchell and Springstead high schools to claim their first-ever championship in Class 6A-District 6.

At Zephyrhills High School, Head Coach Reggie Roberts knew people would be focused on the Bulldogs’ rivalry with Pasco High School. But Roberts was concerned about something else: The postseason.

“Contrary to what people believe, I’m not worried about Pasco,” Roberts said ahead of the season last August. “We have a lot of games. If we lose all our games and win the Pasco game, we’re still not in the playoffs.”

Instead, things turned out almost the exact opposite of Roberts’ hypothesis: The Bulldogs lost to Pasco again, this time a tough 35-34 loss. But they won nearly all of their other games, finishing the regular season 8-2 and earning a playoff spot through Class 5A-District 6 in another tiebreaker.

As a result, an eight-year playoff drought was snapped, and Roberts took his team to the postseason for the first time in his tenure as coach at Zephyrhills.

Getting gold, again
As a freshman in 2013, Abbey Duncan was a state champion for Wesley Chapel High School’s swim team, and was even profiled by The Laker/Lutz News in March.

But things change from year to year, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the outcome was a little bit different in 2014.

Not the part about being a state champion. Duncan did that again. But this time it was for a different school.

Duncan transferred to Academy at the Lakes and helped that program achieve success in her sophomore year. Her state championship also was a little different, claiming the 100-yard backstroke in 2014.

Duncan took the championship in a freestyle event last year.

She enters 2015 as a two-time state champion, and she’ll only be a junior.

New coach, similar success
On the baseball diamond, the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls had a few question marks as they tried to follow up on their 2013 campaign, which included their first-ever playoff berth and a spot in the regional final.

A big one was their coach.

Marshall McDougal was not only a new coach at the high school, he had never coached high school baseball before. But as a recently retired professional baseball player, he brought a lot of experience and optimism to the Bulls’ job.

“As a whole, our team is pretty solid all the way through,” McDougall said last April during his inaugural season as coach. “It’s a matter of keep pushing the kids, keep improving, and keep playing hard, and I think our kids can go a long way.”

McDougal turned out to be right, taking Wiregrass Ranch right back to the playoffs. This time they fell in the regional semifinals, but proved that the program was ready to continue its success streak, even with a new coach at the helm.

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Bulldogs look past playoff loss to promising future

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The Zephyrhills Bulldogs played approximately 540 minutes of football this season — but it was the final two minutes that were the most disappointing.

Zephyrhills Bulldog junior linebacker Kevin Lee swats down a pass from Sunlake quarterback Dayton Feiden during the final game of the season that Zephyrhills won 22-7. The Bulldogs would lose a heartbreaking first-round playoff game, while the Seahawks would move to the next round after beating Ocala’s Vanguard High School. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Zephyrhills Bulldog junior linebacker Kevin Lee swats down a pass from Sunlake quarterback Dayton Feiden during the final game of the season that Zephyrhills won 22-7. The Bulldogs would lose a heartbreaking first-round playoff game, while the Seahawks would move to the next round after beating Ocala’s Vanguard High School. (Fred Bellet/Photo)

The team came up short on a fourth-and-one that would have sealed a victory in their first playoff game in eight seasons. Instead, their opponent — Suwannee High School from Live Oak — drove down the field quickly and scored a touchdown.

Suwannee then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff for another score. And just like that, Zephyrhills’ season was gone.

But not forgotten.

“We’re a little disappointed about the loss, not getting the win up in Live Oak, especially being ahead most of the game,” Bulldogs head coach Reggie Roberts said. “But we played good football to get there, and we played good football when we got there. But we just have to finish at that level.”

As the sting of not finishing a winnable playoff loss subsides — the team led 24-9 at the half — it will be replaced by memories of the good football that brought them to that point in the first place. Their 8-3 final record is the best of Roberts’ tenure, which began in 2010.

It was their fourth straight year with a winning record, and the playoff appearance snapped an eight-year drought without postseason play. The Bulldogs took the field for that game ready to play their brand of football, not like a team that was just happy to be there or wanted to play conservatively.

For his part, Roberts has no regrets about going for it on that critical fourth down at the end of the game. Converting that yard would have meant a victory, he said, and the circumstances at that time and the field position dictated it was the best move for the team.

But that decision was made and the playoff game is over. And Roberts, like all successful coaches, doesn’t like to dwell in the past. He’s already looking ahead to 2015, and he likes what he sees.

While he admits that replacing offensive cogs like quarterback Ty Tanner, receiver Tyler Kirby and running back Jaylen Pickett won’t be easy, Roberts believes the team’s depth will step up and fill the gaps.

“Our seniors will be missed, but by the same token, we have a lot of young players that know how to play football,” he said.

The Bulldogs will welcome back known talent like receiver Jackie Tucker and running back Antwione Sims, who distinguished himself this season and in the playoff game. They also have a number of junior varsity players who are ready to graduate to varsity and contribute immediately.

If there’s an early area of concern, it’s the kicking game. Somebody will need to fill punter and kicker Zach Gleaton’s spot, but there’s time to find a replacement. But from offensive line to other skill positions, the coach feels good about the talent he’ll carry into 2015.

“I like what we have coming back,” Roberts said.

He also likes the renewed community interest in Zephyrhills football, and the fact that coaches are now coming to him asking for advice on how to build and maintain a successful program.

The returning players will bring a renewed desire to win and a lot of pride in what they’re building, but they’ll also carry some bitterness about the way the season ended. After the playoff loss, he found the younger players hurting after the game, even if they didn’t get on the field much.

They were upset at the way things ended for the team, and the coach wants them to use that frustration as fuel for next season.

“They’re going to remember that pain,” Roberts said. “They’re going to remember this experience. They’re going to remember it takes blood, and hopefully that’s going to just energize them and motivate them to get back there (to the playoffs) every year.”

If Roberts is looking for indications that the team will learn from this year’s lessons, he’s already seen some positive signs as the long off-season gets underway.

The players aren’t interested in taking extended breaks, even when offered by the coach at the end of a hard-fought playoff game and a successful 2014 campaign.

“I gave the kids two weeks off, and the kids were in the weight room” four days after the playoff game, he said. “If that doesn’t tell you anything, it tells me a lot.”

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