The Laker/Lutz News

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Fall season offers exciting local sports action

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The fall sports season is here, and there’s plenty of action on tap across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Here’s a closer look at some notable storylines, events and other local happenings these next few months.

The Gaither Cowboys are poised to be one of the Tampa Bay area’s top football teams this year. (Courtesy of Gaither High School Athletics Department)

Which area prep football program will reign supreme?
Fall is synonymous with football — particularly the Friday night lights variety in many communities and small towns. There are about 15 high schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Several of those football programs are expected to have successful, winning campaigns in 2021.

Deciding which program is best is difficult, considering varying school sizes and classifications. However, it might be wise to pay close attention to the Gaither Cowboys (7A), Wiregrass Ranch Bulls (7A), Zephyrhills Bulldogs (5A) and Zephyrhills Christian Warriors (2A).

By year’s end, one or more of these programs could be showing gaudy records and an appearance in the state series for its respective classification.

Of course, winning an FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) 11-man football title is extremely elusive. The last local program to do so was the Pasco Pirates some three decades ago — back in 1992 when they downed Tampa Jesuit 28-16 in the 3A state championship at the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

If you can catch just one regular-season game in person this season, check out the 64th edition of the 9-Mile War between rivals Pasco and Zephyrhills. This year’s contest is set for Nov. 5, at Bulldog Stadium at Zephyrhills High School. Pasco leads the all-time series, 41-22.

The Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes varsity volleyball program has had an incredible three-year run. All that eludes them is a state title. (Courtesy of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Athletics Department)

Bishop McLaughlin volleyball expects to remain elite
The Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School varsity girls volleyball program has enjoyed one of the more dominant runs across any area sports program over the last three years — going 24-3 in 2020, 25-4 in 2019, and 30-1 in 2018, respectively.

The Hurricanes should again remain very competitive in the FHSAA’s Class 3A ranks, under longtime coach Doug Chinchar.

Despite the graduation of Florida Dairy Famers 3A state volleyball player of the year Audrey Koenig —now a freshman at Florida State University — the team returns several other All-State performers and Division I prospects. This includes junior outside hitter Maddie Snider (Florida State University verbal commit) and junior outside hitter Ali Waldon (Mercer University), among others.

What eludes the Hurricanes is a state crown. The program reached the state semifinals in 2020, the regional semifinals in 2019 and was state runner-up in 2018.

Will this be the year the Hurricanes are the last team standing in its class?

The Sunlake High boys cross country team finished state runner-up at last year’s Class 3A meet. (File)

Sunlake High cross-country keeps pushing the pace
The Sunlake High cross-country program looks to remain top dog among area schools.

The Seahawks boys squad finished second in the 3A state meet last season — representing the all-time best mark ever achieved by any Pasco County prep cross-country program.

The school’s girls squad performed well, too, posting a 10th-place finish at the state 2020 meet.

And, a majority of Sunlake’s top distance runners are expected to return.

Last season, there was only one senior among the boys team’s top seven runners and two seniors among the girls team’s top seven.

The Seahawks haven’t been complacent in the offseason, either. Athletes participated in a running camp at University of North Carolina-Asheville — which featured lots of challenging hills work.

Speaking of high school cross-country, pay attention to Land O’ Lakes resident Elli Black — a home-schooled student who runs for Tampa Cambridge Christian School. Black is coming off a second-place finish in the 1A girls state meet, posting 18:28.5, as a seventh-grader. She’s shaved several seconds off that mark since then.

Former Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Stuart Campbell is leading the Pasco-Hernando State College’s upstart women’s soccer program. (File)

PHSC women’s soccer kicks off inaugural season
Pasco-Hernando State College launched a women’s soccer program earlier this summer, and will kick off its inaugural season in September.

The program is led by former Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Stuart Campbell, a familiar face and widely known figure in the soccer ranks. The English-born Campbell played professional soccer from 1996 to 2013, before serving as the assistant coach for the Rowdies from 2014 to 2015 and head coach from 2015 to 2018.

Women’s soccer marks PHSC’s first new sport since 2005 — when it brought on women’s cross-country, under head coach Jackie Wachtel.

PHSC joins four other NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) women’s soccer programs in the state — Polk State, Daytona State, Eastern Florida State, and Asa College.

The upstart program had open tryouts in late June at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, in Wesley Chapel.

As for the style of play, players and fans can expect lots of action and high-scoring affairs, under Campbell’s tutelage.

Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Gabriel Fortier is expected to highlight the 2021 NHL Prospect Showcase at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Lightning media relations)

AdventHealth Center Ice to host 2021 NHL Prospect Showcase
Local hockey fans will get a taste of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) next generation of top-end talent later this month — in Pasco County no less.

AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel is the site of the 2021 NHL Prospect Showcase, to be held Sept. 18 through Sept. 21.

Hosted by the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, the event will welcome prospect teams from the Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers.

All four teams will play each other once over the four-day showcase.

Any skater or goaltender in each of the four organizations on an entry-level contract (or less), provided they are 24 years old or younger and have less than 20 games of NHL experience, are eligible to participate in the showcase.

Teams will dress 18 skaters and two goaltenders for each contest. Games are regulation length with three 20-minute periods. A five-minute, three-on-three overtime period will determine a winner if games are tied after regulation. Games will conclude with a five-player-per-team shootout regardless of the final score.

The Lightning roster will include a number of the organization’s top prospects, including 2018 second-round draft pick Gabriel Fortier, who recorded six goals and 10 points in 30 games last season for the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.

Also participating for the Bolts is a pair of 2020 second-round draft selections in forwards Jack Finley and Gage Goncalves, who each made their professional hockey debut with Syracuse last season.

Meanwhile, three of Tampa Bay’s selections from the 2021 NHL Draft in July will be in attendance as well — defenseman Roman Schmidt (third round, No. 96 overall), forward Cameron MacDonald (fifth round, No. 160 overall) and forward Niko Huuhtanen (seventh round, No. 224 overall).

The contests will be open to the public. They’ll also be streamed live on TampaBayLightning.com.

Published September 01, 2021

Locals shine at state track championships

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The Sunlake track and field program had several representatives and put forth a strong showing at the 3A state championships in Jacksonville. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School Athletics)

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.

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.)

Land O’ Lakes senior Isaac Tavo earned a pair of individual state titles in the 3A boys discus and shot put. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School Athletics)

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).

Gaither senior Elizabeth Lydon won gold in the 3A girls pole vault, clearing 11-9.75. (Courtesy of Gaither High School Athletics)

Land O’ Lakes resident Elli Black — a seventh grade home-school student who competes for Tampa Cambridge Christian School — anchored her school’s 4×800 relay team that took first in the 1A event, clocking 9:26.12. Others on the winning relay squad included juniors Caroline Lehman, Moriah Friedman and Mary Ellen Eudaly.

Black also took silver in the 1A 1,600-meter run, posting 5:01.75. She was second to the older Eudaly, who timed 4:52.93.

There were other notable showings throughout the meet, including several athletes making multiple podium appearances throughout the competition.

Carrollwood Day junior Camila Garanton claimed silver in the 1A 300 hurdles, clocking 44.63. (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School Athletics)

Wharton junior Brooke Reif established herself as one of the state’s top distance runners, taking third place in both the 4A girls 1,600 (4:57.58) and 3,200 (10:49.47).

Zephyrhills junior Maguire Neal took sixth in the 3A boys 300 hurdles (39.09) and anchored the Bulldogs seventh-place 4×100 relay team, which also featured juniors Willie Queen and Timothy Jackson, and senior Clayton Cornelius, together clocking 42.39.

Sunlake senior Cade Whitfield went fifth in the Class 3A boys 800-meter run (1:56.52) and paced the Seahawks’ third-place 4×800-meter relay, which also featured sophomore Alex Pena and juniors Cason Meyer and Colby Robbins, together timing 8:00.34.

Bishop McLaughlin junior Dontrevius Jackson positioned himself as one of the state’s best small-school sprinters, placing fourth in the 1A 200-meter dash (22.19) and fifth in the 100-meter (10.83).

Others went home with exclusive hardware, too.

Land O’ Lakes resident Elli Black competes on Tampa Cambridge Christian School’s varsity girls track and field team. The seventh-grader took silver in the 1A 1,600 meter run (5:01.75) and was a leg on the gold medalist 4×800 team (9:26.12). (File)

Cypress Creek senior Carlos Lacosta took bronze in the 2A boys discus (143-9), finishing behind Boynton Beach Somerset Canyon senior Tremain Robinson (153-0) and Sarasota Cardinal Mooney senior Max Middleton (150-9).

Carrollwood Day junior Camila Garanton took silver in the 1A 300 hurdles (44.63), narrowly behind Naples Community School senior Loren Brown (44.45)

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.
The Land O’ Lakes boys tied for eighth place in 3A, tops among all local teams. Next best among area schools was the Wharton girls, who tied for 14th place in the 4A meet.

Class 4A
Boys-Teams
Wharton (Four points, tied-45th)
Steinbrenner (2.5 points, tied-56th)

100 — Tavis Wilson, Wharton, senior (ninth place, 11.07)
1,600 — Jared Hammill, Wharton, senior (fifth, 4:16.97)
High jump — Justin Boyles, Steinbrenner, senior (sixth, 6-3.5)
Pole vault —Illya Jackson, Wharton, senior (11th, 12-9.5)

Girls-Teams
Wharton (12 points, tied-14th)
Steinbrenner (Four points, tied-33rd)

400 — Serenity Brazell, Wharton, sophomore (11th place, 58.32)
1,600 — Brooke Reif, Wharton, junior (third, 4:57.58); Jacquelyn Abanses, Steinbrenner, senior (seventh, 5:03.59)
3,200 — Brooke Reif, Wharton, junior (third, 10:49.47); Jacquelyn Abanses, Steinbrenner, senior (seventh, 10:58.93)
110 hurdles —Kat Fleming, Wiregrass Ranch, junior (ninth, 15.13)
300 hurdles — Kat Fleming, Wiregrass Ranch, junior (ninth, 45.07)
4×800 relay — Wharton: Brazell, sophomore; Alexandria Frye, junior; Olivia Hammill, sophomore; Brooke Reif, junior (10th, 9:37.38)

Class 3A
Boys-Teams
Land O’ Lakes (22 points, tied-eighth)
Sunlake (10 points, tied-19th)
Zephyrhills (Five points, tied-39th)

100 — Maguire Neal, Zephyrhills, junior (12th place, 10.86)
200 — Jacoreyus Demps, Gaither, junior (15th, 22.77)
400 — Jaylon Gardiner, Gaither, senior (10th, 49.98)
800 — Cade Whitfield, Sunlake, senior (fifth, 1:56.52)
3,200 — Colby Robbins, Sunlake, junior (ninth, 9:33.47); Cason Meyer, Sunlake, junior (15th, 10:01.66)
110 hurdles — Maguire Neal, Zephyrhills, junior (16th, 29.83)
300 hurdles — Maguire Neal, Zephyrhills, junior (sixth, 39.09)
4×100 relay — Zephyrhills: Willie Queen, junior; Timothy Jackson, junior; Clayton Cornelius, senior; Maguire Neal, junior (seventh, 42.39)
4×400 relay — Gaither: Jacoreyus Demps, junior; Jacob Choe, senior; Tyler Summers, junior; Jaylon Gardiner, senior (14th 3:26.47)
4×800 relay — Sunlake: Cade Whitfield, senior; Alex Pena, sophomore; Cason Meyer, junior; Colby Robbins, junior (third, 8:00.34)
Triple jump — Mychael Tucker, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore (seventh, 45-3.75); Darrien Smith, Pasco, junior (14th, 41-3.75)
Shot put — Isaac Tavo, Land O’ Lakes, senior (first, 57-7); Aidan Marsh, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore (10th, 49-6.25)
Discus — Isaac Tavo, Land O’ Lakes, senior (first, 154-0)

Girls-Teams
Gaither (10 points, tied-20th)
Sunlake (10 points, tied-20th)

4×800 relay — Sunlake: Caitlyn Culpepper, junior; Shelby Viseur, junior; Ashley Spires, senior; Cathryne Newport, senior (12th, 10:16.80)
High jump — Maya Llanes, Zephyrhills, junior (15th, 4-9.75)
Pole vault — Elizabeth Lydon, Gaither, senior (first, 11-9.75); Lizzie Epps, Sunlake, junior (11th, 9-10)
Javelin — Daniella Vance, Sunlake, senior (first, 119-6)

Class 2A
Boys-Teams
Cypress Creek (Six points, tied-33rd)
Wesley Chapel (Three points, tied-48th)

100 — Davian Worrels, Wesley Chapel, senior (12th place, 10.86)
400 — Davian Worrels, Wesley Chapel, senior (eighth, 49.63)
1,600 — John Rowsell, Cypress Creek, senior (10th, 4:27.69)
High jump — Isaiah Burns, Wesley Chapel, senior (seventh, 6-3.5)
Discus — Carlos Lacosta, Cypress Creek, senior (third, 143-9)
Javelin — Carlos Lacosta, Cypress Creek, senior (12th, 139-11)

Girls—No local teams placed

300 hurdles — Ashleigh Lacey, Cypress Creek, senior (14th place, 49.27)
4×100 relay — Wesley Chapel: America Christopher, senior; Remiyah Harris, junior; Annalyse Rogers, junior; LaTia Dove, junior (12th, 50.92)
Long jump — Ashleigh Lacey, Cypress Creek, senior (16th, 14-10.75)

Class 1A
Boys-Teams
Bishop McLaughlin (Nine points, tied-31st)

100 — Dontrevius Jackson, Bishop McLaughlin, junior (fifth place, 10.83)
200 — Dontrevius Jackson, Bishop McLaughlin, junior (fourth, 22.19)
300 hurdles — Devin Chernin, Carrollwood Day, senior (13th, 43.39)
Triple jump — Gregory Smith, Carrollwood Day, freshman (11th, 41-5)
Javelin — Joseph Yann, Academy at the Lakes, senior (16th, 120-11)

Girls-Teams
Carrollwood Day (Thirteen points, tied-19th)

100 — Camila Garanton, Carrollwood Day, junior (ninth place, 12.62)
200 — Camila Garanton, Carrollwood Day, junior (ninth place, 26.20)
1,600 — Land O’ Lakes resident Elli Black, Cambridge Christian, seventh grade (second, 5:01.75)
300 hurdles — Camila Garanton, Carrollwood Day, junior (second, 44.63)
4×800 relay — Cambridge Christian: Caroline Lehman, junior; Moriah Friedman, junior; Mary Ellen Eudaly, junior; Elli Black, seventh grade (first, 9:26.12)
Long jump — Ariana Davis, Carrollwood Day, freshman (15th, 13-6.75)
Discus — Leighann Hanley, Carrollwood Day, freshman (fourth, 103-4)

Published May 19, 2021