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Tom Haslam

Cancellation of spring sports leaves many dejected

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There was at least a glimmer of hope the 2020 Florida high school spring sports season would resume, even amid concerns about coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

But, optimism vanished when the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on April 20 announced it would cancel all FHSAA-affiliated events.

The cancellations include the state series and championships events, for spring sports.

Due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on April 20 announced it would cancel all FHSAA-affiliated events, including the state series and championships events, for spring sports. (File)

The statewide sports organization also announced no additional eligibility will be granted for spring sport athletes, including seniors, “under the guidance of the Florida Department of Education regarding grade level retention, and upon review of Florida Statutes and FHSAA Bylaws.”

And, just like that, high school senior athletic careers have come to an end.

It happened months sooner than expected, with no clue for athletes that a game, match or meet around mid-March would officially be their last.

The reality has left many local senior athletes feeling dejected, including Sunlake High’s Gianna Levy.

“It was really hard on me,” said Levy. “I cried. To be honest, I cried a lot.”

The prep track and field season offered Levy a final chance to boost her stats and times, to get on the radar of NCAA Division I college programs, as a heptathlete. She’s still holding out hope of being able to compete on the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) circuit this summer to get those college looks, but even that’s no guarantee.

“It definitely is really taking a really big toll on me,” Levy said. “This was a lot of people’s out ticket (to college) and now we don’t have that out ticket.”

Levy was only able participate in a couple track events before the varsity season came to a screeching halt. She was nursing a hip injury, which arose in February after she won a state title in girls weightlifting.

Though she’d already been a three-time state track and field qualifier and holds the school’s 400-meter dash record, Levy was dogged to put forth a banner senior campaign. “I just had so many goals in mind,” she said.

Other seniors had similar ambitions for their high school swan song.

Land O’ Lakes High senior Courtney Piltaver is a two-time Sunshine Athletic Conference East Girls Tennis Player of the Year. She was poised again to shine in her final high school tennis season, coming off a district title and state finalist.

From left: Wiregrass Ranch High softball seniors Kailey Riddlesworth, Cassidy Eason, Lexi Gaiefsky and Loryn Finn. These athletes only played nine games of a 27-game regular season schedule, due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Courtesy of Tyler Finn)

“I was pretty upset because it was my senior year, and it really sucks that I didn’t get to enjoy the full season with my team and my coaches, and kind of just close out,” said Piltaver, who’s signed with NCAA Division II University of Montevallo in Alabama.

The tennis standout added that not having the typical ceremonial senior night celebration, “was kind of heartbreaking, because that was something I was really looking forward to since my freshman year.”

Senior infielder Loryn Finn was in the midst of her best hitting season on the Wiregrass Ranch High softball team, sporting a .360/.467/.440 slash line through nine games.

The team captain also was chasing the 100 career hit milestone — a possibility with 18 regular season games remaining on the schedule, until athletics activities were scrapped.

Finn won’t be playing college ball. She hasn’t quite come to grips that a March 11 loss to Wesley Chapel High is perhaps the final time she’ll pick up a bat, ball and glove competitively.

“It’s definitely hard. I’m kind of in shock,” Finn said, bluntly.

Aside from game action, Finn still longs for those last few “bus rides to games, and just jamming to music with players and teammates.”

With a tinge of despair in her voice, Finn labeled her four-year softball experience as “just always been fun.”

Wiregrass Ranch assistant softball coach Tyler Finn feels for his senior daughter and the many other players on the team: “It’s really just not the seniors, it’s freshmen, it’s everybody. It’s tough on them, too. It affects every player, all of them; their season was cut short.”

He also observed his daughter’s high school athletics career coming to an abrupt halt.

Besides softball, Finn was a three-time All-Conference golfer: “She’s gotten to the point where she just wants to get into college and get the education going. She had a really good high school softball career and golf career. …She’s going to miss those kids that she played with since she was little — that’s the hard part.”

Though the traditional season is done, the assistant coach is looking for some way to hold a final showcase in the summer that would bring together various senior high school softball players countywide, assuming restrictions on parks and gatherings are lifted.

“The kids deserve it,” he said.

‘I knew it was coming’
Back on March 31, the FHSAA issued a statement that left open the possibility of a spring sports season, saying they could run from as soon as May 3 through June 30.

The FHSAA also had indicated if a spring sports season is canceled altogether, it was working on a solution to create additional athletics eligibility for students who were unable to participate.

FHSAA-sanctioned spring sports include baseball, flag football, lacrosse, softball, tennis, track & field, boys volleyball, water polo and boys weightlifting.

However, as days and weeks pressed on, many saw the writing on the wall that spring sports would not return this year, due to the pandemic.

Sunlake High senior track and field standout Gianna Levy was looking to get on the radar of Division I college athletics programs before the spring season was cut short. (Courtesy of Gianna Levy)

“I knew it was coming. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I didn’t want to accept it, but I knew it was coming,” said Academy at the Lakes (AATL) varsity baseball coach Ken Akins.

“Once the FHSAA said, ‘OK, we’re thinking about extending it into summer and deep into June,’ there was a little bit of hope there, but once you get into June you start messing with all the travel sports — baseball and softball are huge in the summertime.”

Academy at the Lakes athletic director Tom Haslam offered a similar take on the FHSAA’s decision: “We kind of knew this was coming, but we hated to hear the actual directive.”

He added: “It’s understandable, they have to do it, so we don’t disagree with it, we expected it.”

The directive came at a time when multiple AATL programs were hitting their stride.

The AATL baseball team was on its best start in program history, already matching its win total from 2019  —  thanks to contributions from four seniors.

The school’s boys tennis team, meanwhile, was expected to contend for a state championship, like the prior season.

Of course, the FHSAA’s salvo wiped out the Land O’ Lakes-based private school’s softball, track and field, and boys weightlifting teams.

All told, there were 17 seniors among those five teams.

“It affects everybody’s season,” Haslam said, “but the seniors, you really feel for it.”

He added, “It’s not just athletic seniors, but seniors in anything. You’re talking about proms and special events that just aren’t going to happen. It’s just sad. Sad’s the best word I have for it.”

Though much attention has been brought to how this year’s seniors are affected, and rightly so, the longtime athletic director also believes the canceled spring season could have major ripple effects for juniors looking to get recruited by various college programs.

Haslam put it like this: “It hurts a lot of the juniors, because not only are they putting stats on paper, but they’re also missing workout time, and it’s going to be hard to develop their skills as normal, because they can’t get in the cages and gyms, and there’s no spring ball, and there may not even be travel ball in the summer.

“It’s pretty far-reaching, so it doesn’t just affect seniors on that level. You can’t even go out in a park and shoot hoops,” he said.

Published April 29, 2020

AATL gets new softball coach

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Coming off back-to-back state titles, the Academy at the Lakes Wildcats varsity softball team will have a new face leading the successful program.

Wildcats coach Diane Stephenson stepped down after the 2019 season to accept a position closer to her home at St. Petersburg’s Admiral Farragut Academy. A two-time Class 2A Softball Coach of the Year, Stephenson posted a 65-14 mark in three seasons with the Wildcats —steering the program to three straight district titles, three straight region finals and two state championships, respectively.

Academy at the Lakes’ new softball coach Elizabeth Munn (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes Athletics)

Replacing her is Elizabeth Munn, a veteran prep coach from the Midwest who also boasts NCAA Division I coaching experience.

The 36-year-old Munn spent the past three years as head coach at York High School in Elmhurst, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She posted a combined 54-41-1, including a 28-14-1 mark and Illinois High School Association state semifinals appearance in 2018.

Prior to her stint at York, Munn held assistant coaching gigs at Division I Stanford, North Carolina State and Northwestern universities, respectively, primarily working with outfielders, and strength and conditioning. She also was a head coach at South Suburban College, a junior college in South Holland, Illinois.

Her college playing career likewise has taken a windy path, to multiple countries, in fact.

Beginning at St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota, Munn transferred to Queensland, Australia’s James Cook University, then finished her playing career as a walk-on at Indiana University.

The blend of high school and college experience makes Munn an ideal fit for Academy at the Lakes, said Tom Haslam, the school’s athletic director.

“Her resume is outstanding,” he said. “She’s done well, had success at a rather large suburban Chicago high school, and just all that good looked.

“We think she’s going to do an excellent job.” he said.

Munn arrived on Haslam’s radar after her York teams faced Academy at the Lakes in Florida  spring break tournaments the past two seasons. Munn also was recommended as suitable replacement by Stephenson herself, Haslam said.

Moreover, the Wildcats athletic director said Munn’s coaching philosophy aligns similarly with the private school’s culture.

Haslam said Munn embraced the school’s no-cut policy and its philosophy of encouraging players to participate in multiple sports and extracurricular activities.

By the same token, Munn brings a winning mindset, the athletic director said.

“She’s certainly not daunted about taking over a successful program. I think she’s ready for it,” Haslam said.

“I think she’s structured and I think she’s organized, and I think she’s going to hold their feet to the fire about hard work and showing up and things like that…but, she also understands that it’s not a school where you’re going to have 75 kids go out and you cut all but 20 of them; it’s just not that way here.”

Munn, meanwhile, is poised to take the reins of a Wildcats program that has tallied eight straight winning seasons between Stephenson and former coach Jerry English (2011-2016).

She recalled being impressed by the Wildcats program when her York team visited on March 27 —  even though Gatorade Florida Player of the Year (and current University of Alabama freshman) Lexi Kilfoyl wasn’t pitching that day.

Munn’s team ended up winning that game 15-2. Her team lost the previous year to the Wildcats, 3-1.

The Academy at the Lakes Wildcats varsity softball team won back-to-back Class 2A state titles under former head coach Diane Stephenson, who stepped down to accept a position at Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg.

She described the Wildcats program as “phenomenal” and “a powerhouse.”

“They were a great team all-around, so I’m really looking forward looking to developing and seeing these girls play together again,” Munn said, in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

Munn likewise was impressed by Academy at the Lakes upon flying down for an in-person on-campus visit, meeting with various faculty and students. Munn will be teaching health/physical education at the school.

“I felt like right at home, right away,” she said, “just because everyone makes you feel so welcome and that you’re a part of what they’re building there in that community.”

Munn, naturally, is eager to trade in blistery northern Illinois winters for Central Florida sunshine.

“Oh yeah, you have no idea,” Munn said with a laugh. “I’m excited to leave it in the past for sure. I see myself not moving back.”

Munn said her initial focus in her first year will be building camaraderie and goal-setting, noting she’s been given some beneficial pointers from Stephenson along the way.

“It’s not just one person, it’s the team,” Munn said. “You can have all the talents in the world, but unless everybody comes together to have that bond and team chemistry — that’s what really helps with building a team to win state championships.

“Just bringing everybody together so everybody understands each other and communicates with each other, I think those things are really essential,” she said.

That being said, Academy at the Lakes is headed for some rebuilding in 2020.

Besides the graduations of Kilfoyl and outfielder Tristen Gittens, the program also could be without other names on last year’s 15-player varsity roster.

Even so, Munn said she expects to be competitive, “being over .500, maybe more, depending on the talent we have coming in.”

Published August 28, 2019

Academy at the Lakes gets a new baseball coach

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Just two months after guiding Carrollwood Day School to the state final four, Ken Akins looks to achieve similar results at another local private school.

Akins is the new head baseball coach at Academy at the Lakes (AATL), replacing John DiBenedetto, who left the Wildcats program after three seasons for an athletic director position at Mother of Teresa Calcutta Catholic School, a kindergarten through eighth grade school in Lutz.

Ken Akins is the new head baseball coach at Academy at the Lakes. This past season he guided Carrollwood Day School to a 24-4 record and state final four appearance. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)

Under DiBenedetto, AATL achieved its first winning season in program history, a 12-10 record and 6-4 district mark in the 2A ranks. He exits as the program’s winningest coach with 29 career wins.

With a solid foundation in place, Akins is tasked with taking the Wildcats program to even greater heights — like he did at his previous stop.

Carrollwood Day went 24-4 and reached the Class 3A state semifinals — its best finish in program history — in Akins’ lone season as head coach. Moreover, all six of his graduating seniors on that squad signed to play college baseball. Prior to that, Akins previously served as an assistant coach at the school for five seasons.

Akins, however, said the AATL position “was one that I just really couldn’t turn down.” He also noted a “tighter community” and “stronger academics” for his two children.

“We did have success at Carrollwood Day, but I love to build programs, and that opportunity on the baseball side was very, very inviting,” Akins said. “The thought process of putting a two-to-four year program together is extremely exciting for me.”

An initial goal is increasing overall participation for the program’s varsity roster, while establishing full-fledged junior varsity and middle school teams, said Tom Haslam, AATL’s athletic director.

The Wildcats had just 13 players on the 2018 varsity roster. Four of those players were middle-schoolers.

“We need that roster right away,” Haslam said, acknowledging that’s usually a challenge for smaller schools like AATL. “Baseball is one of the hardest sports to build because you need a number of players.

“There’s a big difference in having 13 players on your varsity roster and 20 players on your varsity roster,” he said.

Academy at the Lakes baseball celebrated its first-ever winning season with the help of a roster chock-full of young players, including, from left: freshmen Jack Teeter, Andrew Kilfoyl and Spencer Boynton. It will now look to build upon that success with new Wildcats head coach Ken Akins. (File)

To solve this dilemma, Akins said he plans to tap into baseball connections throughout Hillsborough County to find more players and encourage kids already enrolled at AATL to try out for the team.

“There’s no question that we’ve gotta build the numbers at Academy,” Akins said. “It starts with getting the Academy name out there in the community. I think spreading the word inside the hallways is a great way to get it going.”

Another designated goal for Akins is drumming up more support for an on-campus baseball field.

Last season they played their “home” games nearly 45 minutes away from the school campus, at Northwest Little League near Leto High School. They also hold practice at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

“There is no question that Academy needs its own home facility,” Akins said. “You build facilities and kids will come. You put a quality facility out there and that just adds to the complete package that Academy can offer.”

Meantime, Akins is focused fielding a quality team come springtime, and, perhaps competing for district crowns in the crowded 11-team District 5-2A.

The Wildcats appear to have talent to do so someday, provided most of the players from last season return, aside from its two graduating seniors.

In 2018, the team batted a collective .347 with a .455 on-base percentage, setting a program record in about every offensive statistical category, from home runs (nine) and doubles (34), to RBIs (144), runs scored (171) and stolen bases (94).

The pitching staff combined to post a 3.94 team ERA and 179 strikeouts in 126 innings pitched that season.

“You’ve gotta buy into the program,” Akins said of building a top-notch contender. “The bottom line is the kids need to, obviously, understand what the goal is and then to be able to buy into the daily routine, which in turn, creates success.”

The school’s athletic director believes Akins is up to the task — citing his overall baseball acumen and dedication to coaching.

“He’s just a grinder,” Haslam said of the new baseball coach. “He’s one of those guys that just works hard all year round and that’s what we needed. It’s one thing to be a good coach in-between the lines, but there’s so much that a small-school high school coach has to do year-round to promote his program and build something, especially if it’s not an already established program.

“We’re not starting from scratch, but we’ve basically been in the middle of our district for the last several years, and we think Ken, with his passion and work ethic year-round, can get us to that next level and vie for district championships, consistently.”

Published July 25, 2018

AATL softball captures first state title

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A pitcher’s duel, extra innings and weathering wet, muddy conditions were all needed before Academy at the Lakes softball could finally claim its first-ever state championship.

Overcoming hurdles, they wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

The Wildcats (26-4) defeated Monticello Aucilla Christian 1-0 in 11 innings on May 22 in the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 2A state finals at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach.

Academy at the Lakes varsity softball won the FHSAA Class 2A state title on May 22 after defeating Monticello Aucilla Christian 1-0 in 11 innings. The Wildcats finished the season 26-4. (Kevin Weiss)

Academy at the Lakes (AATL) junior pitcher and Alabama commit Alexis Kilfoyl outdueled Aucilla Christian senior and Florida signee Elizabeth Hightower in the team’s most difficult test of the season.

In addition to unleashing a 13-strikeout, four-hit shutout, Kilfoyl was responsible for the game-winning single that allowed freshman shortstop Brooke Blankenship to score on a two-out single in the 11th inning.

“The 11 innings really pushed us to our max. It was definitely a tough pitcher battle,” Kilfoyl, one of the nation’s top pitching prospects, said afterwards.

What made the triumph even sweeter was knowing they unseated an Aucilla Christian program that’s won state crowns two of the last three years.

“Probably one of the greatest (feelings) I’ve ever had. Just all the hard work we put into it, it feels good to finally pay off,” Kilfoyl said.

A post-season celebration was held at the school on May 24 to honor the softball team’s achievements. Players, their families and friends, and school administration all gathered to soak in the momentous achievement.

“It’s finally setting in a little bit,” Blankenship said with an ear-to-ear smile at the celebration. “We’re just kind of looking back on all our hard work…so next season we’ll know what it takes.”

In 2017, the Wildcats ended a 20-win season with a disappointing 5-3 loss to St. Petersburg Canterbury in the Class 2A regional final.

Coming up short motivated the team to improve under the watch of second-year head coach Diane Stephenson, a longtime Division I softball coach for Indiana, Purdue and Iowa universities.

To better prepare for the 2018 playoffs, Stephenson and her staff ventured to compile a challenging regular season.

Matchups were scheduled against larger public schools like Freedom, Land O’ Lakes, Mitchell and River Ridge high schools, among many others.

Said Stephenson, “It was great for our kids because they learned a lot of resilience and they learned to play from behind. They learned so much. They learned mental toughness.”

It proved fruitful in the grind-it-out state title game.

“When we got into that game and it was 0-0, they flexed a couple times, but they weren’t worried, and that’s what mental toughness does for you. It prepares you for the battle, and we were prepared for the battle for sure,” Stephenson said.

With a varsity roster of no seniors and mostly underclassmen and some middle- schoolers, the Wildcats figure to be a staying power for the foreseeable future.

It also could mean a state title repeat in 2019.

“It’ll definitely be fun,” Kilfoyl said of next season’s possibilities. “I’m really looking forward to it because I know we can definitely do it again, if we do what we did this time.”

Having Stephenson back as a coach will serve well, too.

The highly regarded coach was inducted into Indiana University’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. She won 402 games in 15 seasons, and led the Hoosiers to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1994 and 1996.

“She’s definitely someone we all look up to. Her energy helps us, and she knows the game,” said Blankenship, a Florida State commit.

In addition to its feats on the softball field this season, Academy at the Lakes likewise dominated in the classroom.

Their combined cumulative grade-point average of 3.85 was the highest of any softball-playing team in the state.

Meantime, it’s been quite a year athletics-wise for the private school, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary in existence.

In December, the AATL football team went 11-1 and won its first-ever eight-man state championship, under head coach Shawn Brown.

“It’s been a great year,” said Wildcats athletics director Tom Haslam. “It’s big for the community, it’s big for our program and, best of all, it’s big for the kids because that just builds confidence, and now they’re excited more and they want to do it again.”

Academy at the Lakes 2018 varsity softball
Roster

  • Alexis Kilfoyl, junior
  • Allie Glatfelter, seventh grade
  • Amber Nadeau, sophomore
  • Aubrey McLeod, sophomore
  • Brooke Blankenship, freshman
  • Caitlin Blankenship, seventh grade
  • Devyne Davis, freshman
  • Elisabeth Robichaux, eighth grade
  • Hannah Church, eighth grade
  • Hayley Reed, eighth grade
  • Jessica Mott, sophomore
  • Mia Fields, sixth grade
  • Nicole Gilleland, freshman
  • Tristen Gittens, junior
  • Vanessa Alexander, freshman

Coaching Staff

  • Diane Stephenson, head coach
  • John Counts, assistant coach
  • Robbie Blankenship, assistant coach
  • Kennedy Lachicotte, assistant coach

Published May 30, 2018

Academy at the Lakes wins state football title

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They reached their goal.

Academy at the Lakes weathered chilly conditions and an undefeated opponent from Jacksonville to capture the school’s first-ever eight-man state football championship.

Offensive coordinator Landon Smith, a former National Football League player, was as happy as the team, as he holds the trophy bringing bragging rights to the school after winning the 2017 Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) state championship. (Fred Bellet)

An unwavering defensive performance — along with four combined touchdowns from freshman quarterback Jalen Brown and senior running back/linebacker Daniel Gonzalez — propelled the Wildcats to a 30-9 victory over the Old Plank Christian Academy Defenders in the Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) state championship on Dec. 9, at Southeastern University in Lakeland.

It was evident early, the Wildcats were the better team.

Academy at the Lakes scored on its first offensive possession —a 30-yard touchdown pass from Brown to freshman Jordan Oladokun, less than 7 minutes into the first quarter.

Brown added to the Wildcats lead late in the second quarter, diving into the end zone on a one-yard quarterback sneak — set up by his own 30-yard improvised run just a few plays earlier.

The team’s second scoring drive marked the “turning point” of the game, Wildcats head coach Shawn Brown said.

Academy at the Lakes head football coach Shawn Brown holds both trophies that he and his team won after defeating Jacksonville’s Old Plank Defenders at Victory Field in Lakeland.

“I think things were kind of going back and forth, then (Jalen) made that big run,” he said. “It was 8-0, then he kind of made that big run. I think it changed the whole momentum at that point.”

Old Plank had chances to narrow the gap, but was continuously plagued by its own mistakes in the form of penalties and turnovers, giving the Wildcats solid field position and extra offensive possessions.

A prime example: with the clock winding down in the second quarter, Old Plank quarterback Daniel Bosque fumbled just short of the end zone as time expired, preserving the Wildcats 16-0 lead at the half.

A costly turnover early in the second half made matters worse for the visiting Defenders, who entered the game 8-0.

Old Plank’s John Kilpatrick fumbled a punt return at the 25-yard line that was recovered by the Wildcats. The ensuing drive led to a 16-yard rushing touchdown by Gonzalez, just minutes into the third quarter.

Old Plank’s undisciplined play became chippy at times; the team was flagged for multiple late hits and facemasks.

Players, coaches and managers pose for a quick group shot after beating Old Plank. It’s the team’s first eight-man state title.

The Wildcats didn’t let some heated moments affect them, however.

“It could’ve gotten bad, and we could’ve lost our composure, and I think if we lose our composure, we lose that game,” Shawn Brown said. “We stayed true to what we do, kept the kids positive, and tried to walk away without losing their temper, and I think if we lose our temper, then we lose that game.”

Up 22-0, the Wildcats held the Defenders scoreless into the fourth quarter, until 244-pound fullback Quinton Sterling rushed two yards for a touchdown at the 9:22 mark.

“I think our defense, inevitably, is what won us this game, no doubt,” Gonzalez said. “We got some really key interceptions and really key three-and-outs, and that’s what won us this game. It wasn’t just the offense this game; we came together as a team.”

Gonzalez, named the game’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), for extra measure scored his second rushing touchdown of the night with less than 5 minutes left, all but sealing the win.

The two schools last met during the 2016 regular season, where Old Plank defeated Academy at the Lakes in that matchup, 41-20.

Academy at the Lakes head football coach Shawn Brown gets a second drenching by his son and team quarterback, No. 2 Jalen Brown.

Even with the three-score margin, the state championship was closer than most Wildcats games this season; they won their first two playoff games by 48 and 40 points, respectively.

“This is the best defensive team we’ve ever played this season,” Gonzalez said of Old Plank. “I’ve got to give them credit, but in the end we were the better team.”

And, despite making monumental plays on offense and defense, Gonzalez credited younger teammates for the team’s historic victory.

“It’s really interesting because the players that stepped up were all the young guys,” said Gonzalez, a senior team captain.

“We got the corner, Jordan Oladokun. We got Jalen Brown. And, those were the two people that really stepped up on offense and defense. They stepped up on both sides of the ball, and that’s the coolest part. It was the young people that stepped up.”

Brown, who took several big hits at quarterback, said the team never gave up.

“When we got knocked down, we got back up,” the freshman quarterback said. “The game started off a little tough, but we pushed through it, and our momentum carried us to this good victory.”

Chilly weather did not stop the Academy at the Lakes fans, as the bleachers were filled with supporters who found it was worth the drive to Lakeland to watch their Wildcats.

Gonzalez, who sported a ‘victory cigar’ after the game, was one of many players overwhelmed with excitement and joy in postgame festivities.

“I can’t even describe the feeling right now. I got the MVP. I got it all right now. I wouldn’t want anything more,” he said. “This is the best way to end my year. This is the best way to end a football season.”

He is one of the nine seniors on the roster and one of a handful who’ve been with the program since their freshman year.

The other seniors are: Thomas Kramer, Joel Eason, Evan Lutz, Tanner Bianchi, Isaiah Smith, Zachary Moore, Jack Passero and Cooper Weber.

Some, including Gonzalez, had never played organized football before joining the Wildcats program.

Academy at the Lakes No. 7 Daniel Gonzalez had no problem getting by the Old Plank Defenders. Gonzalez was the game’s most valuable player. The game is part of the 2017 Florida High School Football Playoff Brackets – FCSA 8-Man tournament.

“It’s awesome, because that’s my first true graduating class. They’ve come a long way,” said Shawn Brown, who’s in his fourth season as head coach.

The 2017 campaign signaled a complete turnaround for the Wildcats football program.

Academy at the Lakes went 2-8 in 2016, after finishing 4-7 and 3-5 the prior two seasons.

Coach Brown added: “To watch these kids as freshman, and some of them not knowing anything at all with football, to being like that doormat and getting pounded on. There are no words I’ve got to explain it. I’m speechless. I thought I’d have more to say. We reached our goal.”

The football program’s last state title came in 2006, when Academy at the Lakes played in the six-man ranks.

Academy at the Lakes athletic director Tom Haslam underscored the importance of the state title for the Land O’ Lakes private school.

“It’s great for everybody across the board, not just sports, but it transcends everything,” Haslam said. “So much dedication and hard work goes into it, and other kids see that and other kids want to be a part of that, whether it’s football, basketball or chorus, or whatever. And, it’s just kind of contagious.”

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats 2017 roster (By jersey number)
1—Jordan Oladokun, freshman

2—Jalen Brown, freshman

3—Tioma Stepanets, junior

4—Isaiah Smith, senior

5—Jamaal Johnson, junior

7—Daniel Gonzalez, senior

8—Jack O’ Malley, senior

9—Caleb Yann, freshman

10—Thomas Kramer, senior

11—Cole Lallanilla, sophomore

12—Denzyl Downing, sophomore

13—Anthony Quintana, sophomore

15—Joel Eason, senior

17—Zachary Moore, senior

18—Elijah Freedman, sophomore

22—Dylan Price, junior

23—Jack Passero, senior

47—Tanner Bianchi, senior

48—Andrew Kilfoyl, freshman

52—Matthew Martin, sophomore

54—Cooper Weber, senior

55—Jordan Witt, sophomore

60—Evan Lutz, senior

98—Jacon Ayoub, freshman

99—Dwight Downing, freshman

Inactives:
8—Jack O’ Malley, senior

20—A.J. Panepinto, eighth grade

81—Terrell Woods, eighth grade

87—James Elverson, eighth grade

Coaches:
Shawn Brown, head coach/defensive coordinator

Kevin Barrett, assistant coach/offensive & defensive line

Ben Donatelli, assistant coach/ line coach

Kirk Downing, assistant coach/stats

Steve Hagenau, assistant coach/trainer

Landon Smith, assistant coach/offensive coordinator

Jesus Solar, assistant coach/quarterbacks

Henry Oladokun, assistant coach/defensive backs

Troy Williams, assistant coach

Manager(s): A.J. Panepinto, Hunter Price

Ball Boy/Girl: Payton Williams, Katie Erin McCormick

 

Game-by-game results:
Aug. 25: at Citi Christian Academy (40-22 win)
Sept 7: Eastland Christian (50-35 loss)
Sept. 22: Canterbury (48-16 win)
Sept. 28: Solid Rock Community (80-0 win)
Oct. 2: at Saint Lucie Christian (49-12 win)
Oct. 13: Lakeside Christian (40-21 win)
Oct. 20: at Donahue Catholic (36-0 win)
Oct. 27: Seacoast Christian Academy (68-7 win)
Nov. 3: at Hernando Christian Academy (57-29 win)
Nov. 17: Canterbury (54-6 win)
Dec. 1: Eastland Christian (46-6 win)
Dec. 9: Old Plank Christian Academy (30-9 win)

 

Scoring Plays
First quarter
(5:35) — Academy at the Lakes (AATL) quarterback Jalen Brown completes a 30-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jordan Oladokun; two-point conversion good (8-0, AATL leads)

Second quarter
(2:51) — Brown rushes one yard for a touchdown; two-point conversion good (16-0, AATL leads)

Third quarter
(7:52)— AATL running back Daniel Gonzalez rushes 16 yards for a touchdown; extra point no good (22-0, AATL leads)

Fourth quarter
(9:22)— Old Plank Christian Academy fullback Quinton Sterling rushed two yards for a touchdown; two-point conversion attempt no good (22-7, AATL leads)

(4:40) — Gonzalez rushed three yards for a touchdown; two-point conversion good (30-7, AATL leads)

(1:10) – Old Plank credited for a safety (30-9, AATL leads)

Final: 30-9, AATL wins

Published December 13, 2017

Academy at the Lakes hires new softball coach

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The Academy at the Lakes athletics department moved swiftly to hire a new varsity softball coach — one who happens to have decades of Division I collegiate coaching experience.

Diane Stephenson was named the new head varsity coach on July 27, just one week after legendary coach Jerry English announced his retirement.

Diane Stephenson
Diane Stephenson

Stephenson, who operates the Positive Force Fastpitch Academy in St. Petersburg, served as the head softball coach at Indiana University from 1987 to 2002. She was also an assistant softball coach at both the University of Iowa (2008-2010) and Purdue University (2010-2013). Most recently, Stephenson was the head softball coach at Division II Saint Joseph’s College (2014-2015) in Renssalaer, Indiana.

“She performed…at the highest level for many years, and her enthusiasm for coaching, and her passion for leading student-athletes to reach their full potential, is contagious,” Academy at the Lakes athletic director Tom Haslam said, in a release. “There’s no doubt that coach Stephenson will be the person who will take our softball program to another level.”

Starting this school year, Academy will compete in the 3A division of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). The school was awarded as the state’s top 2A private school athletic program in 2015.

Upon hearing about the coaching vacancy, Stephenson reached out to the school, and met with Haslam and the independent school’s headmaster Mark Heller.

The coaching veteran came away impressed by the pair’s enthusiasm, as well as the school’s academic and athletic achievements.

“The things that Tom and Mark have accomplished in their athletic department is incredible,” Stephenson said. “The idea of working with so many students that aspire to go on and be college educated is great.”

Over the past five seasons under coach English, the varsity softball program combined for a 64-25 record, winning four district championships and one regional title.

“I think the former coach…laid a lot of really great groundwork, so it’s really a matter of just continuing what he had going on there,” Stephenson said.

Academy finished 11-6 last season, and expects to return 10 underclassman players, including rising sophomore Alexis Kilfoyl, who’s already committed to play softball at the University of Alabama.

As a freshman in 2016, Kilfoyl proved to be one of the top hitters (.562 avg., three home runs and 20 RBIs) and pitchers (1.36 ERA, 163 strikeouts in 103 innings) in Tampa.

“It sounds like we have a pretty good nucleus of kids to play softball,” Stephenson said. “Hopefully we can get the kids who played last year to get one more person each to come and play this year; I wouldn’t mind having a roster of 15 or 18 players.”

While having a bevy of skilled players is important, Stephenson said one of the main keys to the program’s success is ensuring the roster is chock full of teammates that are respectable and helpful to one another.

“The most valuable thing for all the girls that play softball is to learn to be a good teammate,” she said. “Teammates are really hard to find — be a good teammate and work on being the best you can be; work on having a great self-esteem and a positive influence on everyone around you.”

Moreover, Stephenson said she’ll use positive reinforcement to instill the game’s fundamentals to her players.

“I’m going to just do what I’ve always done: be a good teacher and work on fundamental skills,” she said. “There’s no secrets to softball — you just have to be the best thrower, be the best catcher and be the best fielder. I think the most important thing at every level is having a solid skillset and being able to count on it, so that it’s routine, and you’re relaxed when you play in a game.”

In addition to her softball coaching acumen, Stephenson comes to her new role equipped with hundreds of college recruiting contacts. Her Rolodex contains the names of about 80 percent of Division I head softball coaches, which may help more softball players receive college looks.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for the kids not only in my program, but the other kids that I see playing, because I’m in constant contact with my former peers and colleagues,” Stephenson explained. “It’s one of the things that we do, we reach out and say, ‘Hey, I got a kid that might be worth looking at.’ It just comes with some kind of credibility since I’ve been at that level for 30 years.”

Stephenson still plans to operate the Fastpitch Academy in St. Petersburg, within the guidelines of the Florida High School Athletic Association.

Published August 3, 2016

Academy at the Lakes athletics tops all 2A private schools

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When Tom Haslam took the athletic director position at Academy at the Lakes around seven years ago, the school had varsity teams. But, a lot of their games were against junior varsity opponents.

With a high school enrollment of slightly more than 100, the talent pool was limited. In some sports, around half of the school’s schedule would be games against a rival school’s lesser squad.

“We were just trying to start somewhere, and get competitive games,” Haslam recalled.

They started small, but they didn’t stay there.

Audra Leipold and the rest of the girls’ basketball team have contributed to the award-winning athletic success at Academy at the Lakes. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)
Audra Leipold and the rest of the girls’ basketball team have contributed to the award-winning athletic success at Academy at the Lakes.
(Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)

Academy at the Lakes is now seen as a premier athletic program in class 2A competition, and it was recognized as such by winning the Carey E. McDonald Award, given to the state’s top 2A private school athletic program.

The award, presented by the Florida Athletic Coaches Association, recognizes the school’s accomplishments during the 2014-15 school year.

To turn things around, Haslam initially focused on a couple of key areas.

He wanted to upgrade the coaching staff, and was able to hire men and women with a strong track record at other schools. The change produced results for some teams rather quickly.

The second change seems a bit unorthodox. He upgraded the Wildcats’ uniforms.

“It may sound like a minute thing, but it’s not. Kids have to feel good about themselves, and they have to feel important. And, I thought that was one thing that was an easy fix that we could do right away and make an improvement,” Haslam said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but if you’re a 16- or 17-year-old kid, it’s important.”

Haslam switched the school over to Nike uniforms, giving them a sharper look.

That change yielded results, too.

The student athletes more-closely resembled their opponents, giving them a boost in confidence, and giving the program a more successful image that they soon would duplicate on the field and on the court.

To be recognized as a top 2A school, a school must be successful across a variety of sports.

While some schools have a good team or two, Academy at the Lakes has found success in several sports.

During the 2014-15 school year, eight of the school’s individuals or teams reached the regional or state level of competition.

The success isn’t limited to this year, either.

The girls’ basketball team has reached the final four in each of the past four seasons. The girls’ softball team has won four straight district championships, and also reached a final four. A swimmer at the school won a state championship, a boys’ doubles tennis team won a district title and a girls’ doubles tennis team won a state championship.

With that much success, all of the academy coaches want to continue their winning ways in their respective sport.

And that includes Haslam, who coaches boys’ basketball, in addition to being the school’s athletic director.

“You don’t want to be the coach that hasn’t got your program going yet,” Haslam said. “I feel some pressure, you bet. I like that. I think that’s the way it should be.”

Haslam’s team certainly is contributing to the school’s overall athletic success.

The boys’ basketball team has reached the regional finals three of the past four years, and made it to the final four last season.

Now that the academy is an elite program, staying that way presents its own challenges. Haslam is hiring new coaches to improve the sports that are lagging, and he also must retain the talented coaches on his staff.

With a track record of success, games in some sports frequently reaching capacity attendance and a high school student body that’s grown beyond 160, Haslam’s goal is to keep moving forward and continue improving.

That includes the uniforms.

No longer content with just one brand of apparel, their current agreement allows teams to choose between Nike, Adidas and Under Armour.

The school’s schedule also includes stiffer competition than teams have faced in the past. As the program has grown in strength, its opponents have become challenging, sometimes including schools such as Mitchell and Land O’ Lakes high schools.

In addition to winning the Carey E. McDonald Award, Academy at the Lakes also placed third overall for the FHSAA Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports Award, which includes more than 100 eligible 2A public and private schools.

Haslam finds the recognition gratifying, since he has a hand in all of the sports at the academy.

But, the athletic director credits the men and women he’s hired to lead the Wildcats with shaping the school into a perennial athletic success.

“To me, it’s all about the coaches. We’ve got some great people leading our kids, and I’m smart enough that once I get a good coach, I stay out of their way,” Haslam said. “I’ll take a little bit of credit for getting them there. But once they’re there, they’re the ones winning these games and molding these kids.”

Published December 16, 2015