The Laker/Lutz News

University of South Florida

Women’s Hall of Fame finalists named

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Susan A. MacManus, of Land O’ Lakes, is among the list of 10 finalists for the 2021 Florida Women’s Hall of Fame. (File)

Susan A. MacManus, of Land O’ Lakes, is among the list of 10 finalists selected by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women for the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame, according to a news release.

The list has been sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who soon will select up to three women to be the 2021 inductees.

The distinction recognizes and honors women “who, through their works and lives, have made significant contributions to the improvement of life for women and for all citizens of the state of Florida,” the news release says.

The nominees “exemplify the great diversity of women’s contributions to Florida life,” the release says.

MacManus is a political scientist and distinguished professor emeritus from the University of South Florida.

Other nominees are:

  • Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, of Tampa
  • Mayor Jane Castor, of Tampa
  • Judge Virginia Covington, of Tampa
  • May Mann Jennings, formerly of Brooksville
  • Sen. Arthenia Joyner, of Tampa
  • Barbara Nicklaus, of Palm Beach
  • Senator Kathleen Passidomo, of Naples
  • Lilly Pulitzer, of Palm Beach
  • Beverly White Yeager, of Palm Beach

“Each year it is more difficult to choose 10 finalists to send to the governor because of the many superb nominations we receive,” Commission Chair Karin Hoffman said, in the release.

This year’s inductees will be honored at a ceremony on Oct. 19.

Published September 15, 2021

Ending pandemic requires a unified effort

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Doctors are continuing to urge those who are eligible to get vaccinated, to mask up, to keep a social distance from others and to practice good hygiene — in a layered effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Doctors from the University of South Florida, BayCare and AdventHealth delivered that message in two separate virtual sessions held last week.

“As we opened the school year, it was truly what I call the perfect storm,” Dr. Christina Canody, pediatric service line medical director for BayCare said, during a Zoom call arranged by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, who represents Florida’s 14th congressional district.

“Last year, when we opened, we had mandate mask requirements, we had some of the lowest rates of infectivity, positivity and prevalence that we had seen during the pandemic,” Canody said.

“This year, we were at absolute opposite ends of the spectrum.

“We were at very high prevalence and positivity rates, and we continue to see a large number of children impacted,” Canody said.

She emphasized that despite the tremendous increase in pediatric admissions to the hospital, that children generally have a less complicated course of treatment and pediatric death rates remain low.

However, she noted that the hospital chain had 180 pediatric admissions in August, which was the highest number, by far.

“The majority of those are cared for at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital,” the pediatrician said.

“We have seen an uptick in our emergency room visits, and in general, we still have capacity,” she said.

But the increase in pediatric cases, coupled with the surge in adult cases, puts a strain on health care workers, she said.

Previously, many of the hospital’s pediatric staff had transitioned to help care for adults, she said.

The hospitalization of a child also takes a toll on families — both emotionally and financially, and disrupts their daily lives, she said.

She also talked about the importance of children being able to go to school.

She noted that the social isolation during last school year has had a lasting effect on some children’s mental health.

She also noted that many people are coping with the death of relatives, colleagues or friends.

Canody emphasized the need to educate people about the seriousness of the pandemic.

She put it this way: “It’s going to continue to circulate as long as it continues to be transmitted. Most pandemics last, on average, three years.”

She underscored these steps to help reduce the spread:

  • Become fully vaccinated, if you’re eligible.
  • Wear a face mask. “It’s more important if a person who is infected wears one, but if you wear one as well, you can decrease your risk of being exposed to the virus,” she said.
  • Practice good hand hygiene. “For little kids, we try to encourage them to keep their hands to themselves and keep their things to themselves, and also to wash their hands frequently.”
  • Stay home, if you’re not feeling well.

“We all have to take care of each other,” Canody said. “It is a little defeating sometimes, when people don’t heed the message. And, I can be honest with you that personally, I’ve had family members who have been affected by this virus. I know people personally who have passed away from this virus.

“The majority of our patients in the hospital are unvaccinated and the majority of the deaths we are seeing now are unvaccinated.”

Dr. Jason Salemi, of the University of South Florida, noted “nine or 10 weeks ago we had about six children being hospitalized every day in the entire state, with COVID-19.

“We’ve had a (more than) 10-fold increase, where more recently, over the past seven days, it’s been about 66 children being hospitalized every day, with confirmed COVID-19,” Salemi said.

The USF doctor also shared statistics regarding numbers of people who are not fully vaccinated in Florida. He said those figures stand at 1 million, among those ages 12 to 17; 5.5 million for those 18 to 64; and 800,000 among those 65 and older.

There’s also 2.8 million children in Florida who are younger than 12 who cannot be vaccinated, he said.

“The most heavily vaccinated group in our society is our seniors, and they are realizing the benefits of vaccination more than any other group,” Salemi said.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce also hosted a Zoom session involving Amanda Maggard, president and CEO of AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, and Dr. Rodrigo Torres, vice president and chief medical officer for the two hospitals.

Maggard told those listening that “about 90% of our admissions have not been vaccinated. So, the science really is proving true that vaccinations save lives, vaccinations prevent critical illness, so we really want to get the word out in the community and try to increase vaccination. That’s going to be our best way to get through this virus.”

She added that wearing masks continues to be important.

She also touched on the availability of a new monoclonal antibody treatment for patients who are 12 or older. The treatment can prevent hospitalization or death in COVID-19 patients.

The state has opened a number of sites offering the treatment, including the Fasano Hurricane Shelter, at 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson.

AdventHealth also is offering it at its Dade City campus. (Call the hospital or check its website for details.)

Torres gave a brief history on the pandemic and touched on various strains of the virus.

While much has been reported about the Delta variant, Torres said there’s another strain, known as the lambda, which is being carefully watched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The lambda was identified in Peru at the end of last year, he said.

“It’s one that’s very virulent and it’s able to escape the mechanisms of how the vaccine works,” Torres said. “We believe that for the time being, we have a good control over this lambda variant, but this is one that actually concerns the CDC the most, out of all of these variants of interest.”

Torres also touched on the fact that the Pfizer vaccine has received FDA approval, and the hospital has recommended its staff get the third shot.

“The data has proven that on your third vaccine, you provide antibodies up to nine times the amount of what you normally would have produced just by keeping your two-vaccine regimen,” Torres said.

Published September 08, 2021

Hometown athletes to watch this college season

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Before becoming college football standouts seen regularly on national television and in massive stadiums across the country, area athletes distinguished themselves on the gridiron locally, in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Big-time college football is now underway this fall — and, with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations, a sense of normalcy has returned with fuller schedules and attendance capacity to accommodate thousands of fans compared to 2020.

Dozens of athletes with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are a part of programs at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Series (FCS) levels, as well as Division II, Division III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and junior college ranks.

Here’s a closer look at some notable hometown players to watch throughout the 2021 college football season:

Dade City native Michael Penix Jr., is generating national buzz as Indiana University’s starting signal-caller. (File)

Michael Penix Jr.
College: Indiana University, redshirt junior quarterback
Local tie: Dade City native/Pasco High School

Michael Penix Jr., is generating quite the buzz among national college football pundits leading into the 2021 campaign for the Indiana University Hoosiers.

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound lefty slinger is ranked No. 45 in ESPN’s Top 100 College Football Players listing. Moreover, Penix is on the Manning Award Watch List, which recognizes 32 of the NCAA’s top quarterbacks in different conferences.

The preseason accolades coming his way are well-deserved.

Penix helped steered the Hoosiers in 2020 to the team’s best season in over 50 years. That included a 5-1 start and No. 12 national ranking before he experienced a season-ending injury.

He completed 56.4% of his throws for 1,647 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and four picks across six games, but suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in November 2020.

The ability to stay healthy will be key going forward, as injuries have cut short all three of Penix’s seasons at Indiana.

Along with the 2020 injury, Penix suffered a clavicle injury in November 2019 that required surgery. He also previously tore his ACL in his right knee in 2018.

Closer to home, Penix played his freshman and sophomore prep seasons at Pasco High in 2014 and 2015, then transferred to Tampa Bay Technical High School for his junior and senior years.

His father, Mike Sr., was an All-State tailback/defensive back at Pasco High in the early ’90s.

Deon Silas
College: Iowa State University, freshman tailback
Local tie: Steinbrenner High School

A record-setting running back at Steinbrenner High School, Deon Silas is poised to build off that production for the Iowa State University Cyclones.

Steinbrenner High product Deon Silas is already turning heads as a freshman running back at Iowa State University. (Courtesy of Iowa State University athletics department)

Silas was an early-enrollee into the Cyclones program in January, getting a head start on the playbook and habits required of a successful college athlete.

The 5-foot-8, 185-pound skill player generated buzz in spring practices thanks to his speed and shiftiness.

He has built on that momentum with fall camp, with his name on initial depth chart projections — likely the team’s third-string tailback and possible kick return option on special teams.

Not too shabby for a true freshman joining a program that last year turned heads in by finishing 9-3 (including 8-1 in the Big 12 Conference).

Out of Steinbrenner, Silas was the No. 93-ranked player in the state of Florida and No. 11-ranked all-purpose back in the class of 2021, per 247Sports.com.

He tallied a combined 5,570 all-purpose yards (2,734 rushing yards, 1,428 receiving yards, 1,408 return yards) and 55 touchdowns across an illustrious four-year varsity career.

Silas isn’t the only familiar face on the Iowa State roster. Former Steinbrenner wideout Aidan Bitter is on the squad, entering his sophomore campaign.

Chris Faddoul
College: Florida A&M University, senior punter
Local tie: Wiregrass Ranch High School

Chris Faddoul is one of many FCS players longing for the gridiron, after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out many programs’ chances for a 2020 season, including the Florida A&M University Rattlers in Tallahassee.

Former Wiregrass Ranch standout Chris Faddoul is an All-American punter at Florida A&M University. (File)

Expectations are specifically high for the strong-legged 6-foot-1 special teamer.

He is one of 20 candidates named to the 2021 FCS Punter of the Year Award preseason watch list as announced by The Augusta Sports Council.

There also have been reports of NFL scouts visiting FAMU practices to watch Faddoul, among other players.

It’s no wonder why — considering Faddoul is a two-time All-American and once led the nation in punting.

In 2018, he led the FCS with an average of 46.8 yards per punt. He followed that up with an average of 46 yards per punt in 2019, second in the FCS ranks.

At Wiregrass Ranch, Faddoul was a multi-sport standout, playing football, soccer, tennis, and also competing in track & field. Faddoul guided the Bulls to a state football playoff appearance as a senior, serving as the team’s starting quarterback, kicker and punter.

Donovan Jennings
College: University of South Florida, senior offensive lineman
Local tie: Gaither High School

Donovan Jennings returns for his fourth year in the University of South Florida Bulls program, where he’s played 29 games (19 starts) over the last three years — and now anchors an offensive line that returns all five starters from last season.

Gaither High School product Donovan Jennings is poised to anchor the University of South Florida’s offensive line this season. (File)

The 6-foot-5, 337-pound senior guard is garnering some big preseason recognition to match his size, too.

Jennings has been named to Athlon Sports preseason 2021 American Athletic Conference (AAC) all-conference second team offense.

He’s also been identified as one of 500 college football players to watch by the NFLPA (National Football Players Association) Collegiate Bowl’s “Big Board,” which identifies 500 draft-eligible senior collegiate football players to watch for the upcoming season.

Jennings generally has been lauded by current and former coaches for his pass protection skills and effectiveness in the run game.

Thanks to a rare combination of quick feet, balance and strength, Jennings often is tasked with blocking opponent’s top pass-rushers in one-on-one situations.

One of the lineman’s brightest spots last season came in the Bulls’ season finale against rival University of Central Florida. He helped pave the way for his team’s offense to post 646 yards of total offense, including 242 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Jennings, surprisingly, didn’t begin playing football until his freshman year of high school, as size limitations in youth leagues prevented him from playing the sport.

But, he blossomed into an All-State player in four short years at Gaither, graduating in 2018.

Noah Ruggles
College: Ohio State University, graduate student kicker
Local tie: Steinbrenner High School

Noah Ruggles joins blue-chip Ohio State University, where he’ll have two years of eligibility remaining following his June transfer from the University of North Carolina.

Steinbrenner High School product Noah Ruggles joins the prestigious Ohio State University program after transferring from the University of North Carolina in June. The graduate student has two years of eligibility remaining. (File)

Throughout fall camp, Ruggles has been entrenched in a well-publicized field goal kicker battle with redshirt freshman Jake Siebert.

The 6-foot-2 Ruggles has experience on his side for a Buckeyes squad seeking more accuracy over long-range distance and that’s coming off a national championship bid that fell just short in 2020.

Ruggles lost his starting job at North Carolina last season, where he was limited to just one appearance, a made extra-point versus Western Carolina University.

However, Ruggles has demonstrated accuracy in close range before, such as in 2019, where he made all nine of his attempts within 30 yards.

Altogether in that career season, Ruggles appeared in 13 games and was fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in scoring with 102 points. He did that by making 19 of 27 field goals and connecting on all 45 touchdown points-after. (Both marks were the fifth-most in North Carolina’s single-season program history.)

Ruggles also has proven battle-tested in tight situations.

Case in point was notching a game-winning 40-yard field goal with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter in 20-17 victory over crosstown rival Duke University in late October 2019.

While at Steinbrenner, Ruggles was a first-team Class 8A All-State selection and earned offensive MVP honors of the Hillsborough All-Star Game. He also was a member of the school’s soccer team.

Scott Patchan
College: Colorado State University, graduate student defensive line
Local tie: Freedom High School/IMG

Scott Patchan has been around the game awhile — as he’s set to begin his sixth college football season (entering his second year with Colorado State University after four years at the University of Miami).

Former Freedom High School standout Scott Patchan looks to finish his lengthy college football career at Colorado State University, on a high note. (File)

The 6-foot-6, 275-pound defensive lineman hopes to build off a strong 2020 campaign tapered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In just four contests last season, Patchan tallied 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss overall, adding 22 total tackles and three quarterback hurries — earning first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors in the process.

Also, Patchan won on 24% of his pass rushes, securing a pressure on 19% – both figures leading Mountain West players by 3.5 percentage points, according to metrics from the scouting website Pro Football Focus.

Those wondering why Patchan remains in college for six-plus years — the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all 2020 fall sport athletes.

Locally, Patchan played his first three years of prep ball at Freedom High before transferring to Bradenton’s IMG Academy for his senior season.

His final run at Freedom in 2013 proved most productive, as he totaled 8.5 sacks, 56 tackles and 24 tackles for loss.

Patchan’s father, Matt III, won national titles with University of Miami in 1983 and in 1987. Also, Patchan’s older brother, Matt IV, was an offensive lineman at the University of Florida and Boston College.

Others to watch:

  • Florida Atlantic University redshirt junior Chaz Neal (Wesley Chapel High School)
  • Florida A&M University redshirt senior linebacker Ellrie Allen (Wesley Chapel High School)
  • Florida International University freshman quarterback Haden Carlson (Steinbrenner High School)
  • Florida State University redshirt junior linebacker DeCalon Brooks (Gaither High School)
  • Jackson State University junior defensive back Isaiah Bolden (Wesley Chapel High School)
  • Old Dominion University junior defensive end Estefano Feliciano Jr. (Gaither High School)
  • University of California-Berkeley safety Raymond Woodie III (Carrollwood Day School/Wiregrass Ranch High School)
  • University of Central Florida redshirt senior wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers (Pasco High School/Tampa Catholic High School)
  • University of Cincinnati junior safety Jaquan Sheppard (Zephyrhills High School)

Published September 08, 2021

Area softball players among best in state

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The high school softball season has come and gone, but local athletes are still racking up accolades from their 2021 campaigns.

The 2021 Miracle Sports all-state teams were released earlier this month honoring the top softball players in Florida — and area standouts were well-represented.

Over 40 softball players across nine schools from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were recognized either as first-team, second-team, third-team or honorable mention.

All-State selections were made by longtime Florida sportswriter Corey Davis, with nominations considered from prep coaches of playoff and non-playoff teams statewide, representing classes 1A through 7A.

The Land O’ Lakes High Gators varsity softball program went 24-8 and finished Class 5A state runner-up. Nine of the team’s players made the Miracle Sports 5A all-state team, which was the most among all local schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. (File)

The Land O’ Lakes High Gators (5A) led all area programs with nine selections, including two first-teamers in juniors Nehanda Lewis and Emma Nixon.

The Gators went 24-8 and finished 5A state-runner up, falling to Fort Myers High 7-6 in the state championship game on May 21 in Claremont.

Lewis — the team’s primary shortstop and a University of Central Florida softball commit — also was named 5A player of the year.

She led the Gators in batting average (.477), hits (41), RBI (40), walks (14), doubles (11), triples (five) and home runs (three), among other categories.

Nixon — the team’s catcher and a University of West Georgia commit — hit .295 with eight doubles and 34 RBI. Defensively, she paced the Gators in putouts (141) and threw out three base stealers.

Meanwhile, Land O’ Lakes head coach Mitch Wilkins was honored as 5A coach of the year.

In his eighth season as coach, Wilkins has paced the Gators to a combined 169-49-1 mark, including six 20-plus win seasons and a state crown in 2017. Likewise impressive on this year’s run was that the Gators roster included just two seniors (Gracie Stanley and Kalynn Lindsey), so the program should again be top-notch in coming years.

Land O’ Lakes High Gators varsity softball head coach Mitch Wilkins was named Miracle Sports 5A softball coach of the year. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School athletics)

Academy at the Lakes — with a 17-5 record and a trip to the 2A regional semifinals — garnered the next-most selections among area schools, celebrating seven players on the 2A all-state team.

Freshman outfielder Addy Aliano, was a second-team choice; and pitchers Sydney Klein (freshman) and Katie Ferguson (eighth grade), earned third-team nods.

Aliano led the Wildcats in runs scored (26) to go along with a .338 batting average, 22 RBI and 13 stolen bases.

Klein and Ferguson both tossed more than 50 innings with sub 4 ERAs and 50-plus strikeouts each.

The Steinbrenner High Warriors (7A) and Wiregrass Ranch Bulls (6A) also had very strong all-state representation with five all-state selections apiece in their respective classifications.

All five Warriors were third-team 7A picks — senior Ashley Schroll, juniors Madison Frey and Emily Chiarella, sophomore Hailey Bellamy and freshman Lily Holtje, respectively. Steinbrenner went 23-5 and reached the 7A regional quarterfinals.

Leading the way for the Bulls, meanwhile, was first-team 6A choice Brianna Baer, a junior outfielder.

Baer posted a .412 batting average with four homers (including a grand slam), five doubles, two triples, 29 RBIs, 21 runs scored and six steals.

The Academy at the Lakes Wildcats varsity softball program went 17-5 and advanced to the 2A regional semifinals. Seven Wildcats made the Miracle Sports 2A all-state team. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes athletics)

The Gaither High Cowboys (6A) and Wesley Chapel Wildcats (4A) garnered four selections apiece.

Among the Cowboys top choices was 6A first-teamer Jocelyn Wilkes, a junior utility player and University of South Florida commit.

Wilkes put up eye-popping numbers in 18 games played — leading the Cowboys in batting average (.649), doubles (16), home runs (seven) and RBIs (40).

Wilkes also was the team’s ace in the circle, posting a 3.35 ERA and 98 strikeouts across 96 innings pitched.

All of Wesley Chapel’s selections earned third-team 4A designations — senior Ashley Garrison, juniors Madelyn Golka and Kadence Means, and freshman Ava Blakely, respectively.

The Cypress Creek Coyotes (3A) had three all-state selections — senior pitcher Hailey Vazquez (third-team) and junior infielders Mandy Schwartz (third-team) and Jillian Hudson (honorable mention).

The Wharton High Wildcats (7A) had two all-state picks — sophomore utility Lexi Cowles (first-team) and senior infielder Tieley Vaughn (honorable mention). Both Cowles and Vaughn hit over .400 with double-digit extra-base hits apiece.

The Sunlake High Seahawks (6A) had a lone all-state representative in junior outfielder Larken Maseda, a third-team choice.

Maseda — a Palm Beach Atlantic University softball commit — led the Seahawks in RBIs (20) to go along with a .362 batting clip and seven extra-base hits. She also paced the team in fielding percentage (.982) and putouts (96).

No local schools or athletes were recognized in Class 1A.

2021 Miracle Sports all-state teams
Class 7A

  • Madison Frey, Steinbrenner, junior, catcher (third team)
  • Lily Holtje, Steinbrenner, freshman, catcher (third team)
  • Emily Chiarella, Steinbrenner, junior, outfielder (third team)
  • Ashley Schroll, Steinbrenner, senior, utility (third team)
  • Hailey Bellamy, Steinbrenner, sophomore, utility (third team)
  • Lexi Cowles, Wharton, sophomore, utility (first team)
  • Tieley Vaughn, Wharton, senior, infielder (honorable mention)

Class 6A

  • Jocelyn Wilkes, Gaither, junior, utility (first team)
  • Marley Quammie, Gaither, freshman, outfielder (third team)
  • Alex Wilkes, Gaither, sophomore, utility (third team)
  • Megan Loughren, Gaither, sophomore, infielder (honorable mention)
  • Larken Maseda, Sunlake, junior, outfielder (third team)
  • Brianna Baer, Wiregrass Ranch, junior, outfielder(first team)
  • Kylee Johnson, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore, infielder (second team)
  • Isabella Amendolaro, Wiregrass Ranch, junior, outfielder (third team)
  • Elise Eason, Wiregrass Ranch, junior, infielder (honorable mention)
  • Gracie Bethel, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore, infielder (honorable mention)

Class 5A

  • Coach of the Year: Mitch Wilkins, Land O’ Lakes
  • Player of the Year: Nehanda Lewis, Land O’ Lakes, infielder (first team)
  • Emma Nixon, Land O’ Lakes, junior, catcher (first team)
  • Nehanda Lewis, Land O’ Lakes, junior, infielder (first team)
  • Kiersten Stevens, Land O’ Lakes, freshman, outfielder (third team)
  • Mia Fields, Land O’ Lakes, freshman, pitcher (honorable mention)
  • Gracie Stanley, Land O’ Lakes, senior, utility (honorable mention)
  • Reagan Alapa, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore, utility (honorable mention)
  • Jadyn Spencer, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore, utility (honorable mention)
  • Nicol Werking, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore, outfielder (honorable mention)
  • Aliana Mercado, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore, utility (honorable mention)

Class 4A

  • Kadence Means, Wesley Chapel, junior, catcher (third team)
  • Ashley Garrison, Wesley Chapel, senior, infielder (third team)
  • Ava Blakely, Wesley Chapel, freshman, outfielder (third team)
  • Madelyn Golka, Wesley Chapel, junior, utility (third team)

Class 3A

  • Hailey Vazquez, Cypress Creek, senior, pitcher (third team)
  • Mandy Schwartz, Cypress Creek, junior, infielder (third team)
  • Jillian Hudson, Cypress Creek, junior, infielder (honorable mention)

Class 2A

  • Addy Aliano, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, outfielder (second team)
  • Sydney Klein, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, pitcher (third team)
  • Katie Ferguson, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, pitcher (third team)
  • Vanessa Alexander, Academy at the Lakes, senior, infielder (honorable mention)
  • Juliana Ries, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, infielder (honorable mention)
  • Alina Ries, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, outfielder (honorable mention)
  • Molly Blackwood, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, utility (honorable mention)

No local schools or athletes recognized in Class 1A.

Published July 28, 2021

Several local athletes taken in 2021 MLB Draft

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Aspirations of playing professional baseball may soon become a reality for a handful of athletes from local high schools and colleges in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) 2021 first-year player draft spanned 20 rounds (and 612 picks) from July 11 through July 13.

The draft is held every summer by conference call among the 30 Major League clubs.

The clubs take turns selecting players in reverse order of their won-lost records at the close of the previous regular season.

Generally, a player is eligible for selection if the player is a resident of the United States or Canada and the player has never before signed a Major League or Minor League contract. Residents of Puerto Rico and other territories of the United States also are eligible for the Draft.

The basic categories of players eligible to be drafted are:

  • High school players, if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college
  • College players, from four-year colleges who have either completed their junior or senior years or are at least 21 years old; and
  • Junior college players, regardless of how many years of school they have completed.

Representing the highest selection from the local community was Sunlake High alum Tommy Mace, now a fourth-year junior from the University of Florida.

Sunlake High product Tommy Mace has been an impactful right-handed pitcher for the Florida Gators baseball program the past four seasons. He was selected 69th overall by the Cleveland Indians in the 2021 MLB first-year player draft. (Courtesy of University of Florida athletics department)

The imposing 6-foot-6, 230-pound right-handed pitcher was taken 69th overall by the Cleveland Indians — in Competitive Balance Round B between the second and third round.

The recommended bonus slot value for that lofty pick is just under $1 million, at $929,800.

If and when Mace signs, he’ll join another local product in the Indians organization — Gaither High product Oscar Mercado, who earned a call-up with the big league club in June.

Mace, 22, very well could’ve turned pro last year, but opted to return to school with hopes of further improving his draft stock.

This past season at Florida he posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 90.1 innings pitched, along with a 6-2 record.

Across his four-year college career, Mace compiled a combined 4.37 ERA, 1.279 WHIP and 258 strikeouts in 269.2 total innings pitched, with a 22-7 mark.

Mace was ranked as the No. 45 draft prospect, according to MLB.com’s 2021 pre-draft rankings.

He exhibits a four-pitch mix — fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. This includes a sinking two-seam fastball that is viewed as his top offering, touching 96 mph with cutting action, according to various scouting reports, including MLB.com.

MLB.com’s draft profile on Mace otherwise states: “Mace has gotten a bit bigger physically, which could help with consistency of velocity and stuff. He’s always been good at throwing strikes, but has been more a contact, ground ball kind of pitcher, rather than one who misses tons of bats. He did increase his strikeout rate while continuing to fill up the strike zone in 2021.”

Mace has been highly-regarded since his prep days at Sunlake, where he was a three-year varsity letter winner.

As a senior, Mace tallied a 1.29 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 77.2 innings, with an 8-2 record in 11 appearances — guiding the Seahawks to the Class 7A regional finals.

He won 19 games during his high school career, posting a combined 1.65 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 165.2 innings.

Mace was rated as No. 72 prep player in the class of 2017 by Perfect Game and No. 15 overall prep player in all of Florida — including the fifth-ranked, right-handed pitcher in the state.

Wharton High senior baseball standout Zach Ehrhard, left, won Hillsborough County’s 2021 Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award on the basis of athletic, scholastic and community achievements. Ehrhard was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Also pictured here is Boggs, middle, and Ehrhard’s older brother, Drew, who also won the award in 2017. (File)

Among other accolades, he was named MaxPreps Second Team All-American and National High School Coaches Association All-Southeast Team.

Mace previously was drafted out of high school in the 12th round (347th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2017.

He, of course, didn’t sign with the Reds, instead opting to pitch for the Gators, which had then come off a 2017 College World Series crown — the first national championship in the program’s history.

Others drafted in later rounds
Mace was one several area players taken, albeit those in later rounds, on day three of the baseball draft.

Wharton High School senior Zach Ehrhard — an Oklahoma State University signee — was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round (367th overall).

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound switch-hitting shortstop batted .438 this season for the Wildcats, with three homers, 12 doubles, 29 runs scored and 21 RBIs, along with 26 stolen bases.

Ehrhard was this year’s recipient of the Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award, which honors a high school baseball player in Hillsborough County on the basis of outstanding athletic, scholastic and community achievements.

Baseball talent runs in the Ehrhard family.

His older brother, Drew, received the same prestigious county award in 2017 and went on to play collegiate baseball at the University of Tampa.

Another area prep position player, Gaither High senior A.J. Graham, was taken with the first pick in the 18th round (523rd overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 6-3, 180-pound right-handed shortstop batted .346 with two homers, seven doubles, 18 runs scored, 14 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 78 at-bats across 23 games this season.

Also picked in the 18th round was Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette, landing 542nd overall to the Toronto Blue Jays.

This season the 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt senior led the Lions in innings pitched (45.0), wins (three) and strikeouts (53) to go along with a 5.80 ERA and 1.53 WHIP and a pair of complete games.

Burnette appears to have emerged in the inaugural MLB Draft League, a summer showcase for top draft-eligible prospects providing exposures to scouts, coaches and advanced baseball technologies.

Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. (Courtesy of University of Texas athletics department)

Playing for the league’s Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Niles, Ohio, Burnette posted a 3.09 ERA, 1.4 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 23.1 innings pitched.

A Chicago native, Burnette transferred to Saint Leo from the University of Illinois this past season.

Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams was taken in the 19th round (559th overall) by the Kansas City Royals.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Odessa native starred for a Longhorns squad that had a third-place appearance at the 2021 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

The fourth-year senior led Texas with 20 doubles and was second with 12 homers, to go along with .295 average, 42 runs scored and 51 RBIs spread across 61 starts at third base.

Prior to college, Williams led Gaither to the 2016 7A state championship his senior year and was named Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American.

He was drafted out of high school in the 39th round by the Seattle Mariners, but didn’t sign, opting for Dallas Baptist University and San Jacinto College before transferring to Texas.

Williams’ father, Reggie, played four MLB seasons with the Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers.

(Note: While slightly outside our coverage area, Fivay High/University of Mississippi product Gunnar Hoglund went in the first round (19th overall) to the Blue Jays. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander from Hudson was viewed as one of the draft’s most polished arms, but slipped slightly after having Tommy John elbow surgery in May.)

Robust draft history
It’s not uncommon for at least a few ballplayers from area high schools and colleges to be drafted each year.

In 2020, Steinbrenner High/Florida State University right-handed pitcher CJ Van Eyk went to the Blue Jays in the second round (42nd overall), and Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of South Florida right-handed pitcher Carson Ragsdale went in the fourth round (116th overall) to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University athletics department)

(Though slightly outside our coverage area on the west side of Pasco, Trinity native/Mitchell High catcher Jackson Miller went in the second round (65th overall) to the Reds.)

The 2019 MLB Draft also yielded a trio of area selections.

Land O’ Lakes High/St. Petersburg College second baseman Dustin Harris was selected in the 11th round (344th overall) by the Oakland Athletics; Pasco-Hernando State College/University of Tampa pitcher Tyler Beck was selected in 30th round (899th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in the; and Steinbrenner High/Mississippi State University pitcher Cole Gordon was selected in the 32nd round (958th overall) by the New York Mets.

Prior drafts yielded several community picks as well, including four in 2018 and six in 2017, respectively.

Locals picked in the 2021 MLB Draft

  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace (Cleveland Indians, Comp B, 69th overall)
  • Wharton High shortstop Zach Ehrhard (Boston Red Sox, 13th round, 376th overall)
  • Gaither High shortstop A.J. Graham (Pittsburgh Pirates, 18th round, 523rd overall)
  • Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette (Toronto Blue Jays, 18th round, 543rd overall)
  • Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams (Kansas City Royals, 19th round, 559th overall)

Published July 21, 2021

Zephyrhills welcomes new Main Street director

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Faith Wilson is off to a quick start — as the new director and events coordinator for Main Street Zephyrhills Inc.

In about a month’s time, the 32-year-old has helped relaunch the organization’s website, created a community interview series, increased social media engagement across various platforms, and streamlined membership and sponsorship packages.

She’s also planning the organization’s 17th annual Music & Motorcycles event, set for Sept.11, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Main Street Zephyrhills is a 501c3 nonprofit that generally facilitates new business, and organizes large events and parades within the historic downtown district — particularly along Fifth Avenue.

Faith Wilson (Courtesy of Main Street Zephyrhills Inc.)

Events include Music & Motorcycles, Halloween Howl and Zephyrhills Christmas Parade, among others.

Wilson was introduced during a Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting June 28 at Zephyrhills City Hall.

She is a Lithia native, who lives in Lakeland with her husband and two children.

She graduated from Newsome High School, and studied liberal arts and architecture at Hillsborough Community College and the University of South Florida, respectively.

She officially began working for Main Street Zephyrhills on June 1, with a salary of $38,456.

Her role — as the organization’s only city-funded position —  consists of serving as an advocate and liaison for the downtown district with initiatives to bring economic growth and community connections. The role involves working closely with the Zephyrhills CRA and other groups.

The organization relies on donations, memberships and partner organizations to help fund projects such as public artwork, family friendly events and activities.

Wilson’s background is in retail management, having been an assistant store manager and corporate leadership team member at Stein Mart. She also served on the advisory board for USO (United Service Organizations) Tampa Bay.

Wilson assumed the Main Street position vacated by Paxton McCullough, who held the role from June 2020 to May 2021. Before that, the role was held by Anna Stutzriem, who resigned in March 2020 after more than two years on the post.

Wilson shared her vision for Main Street Zephyrhills and the city’s historic downtown, a subject broached by CRA Commissioner Lance Smith during the meeting.

“I see opportunity overall,” Wilson responded. She cited the potential for events, particularly markets because they draw the community out — something that was hampered by COVID-19.

“When people get out in the community and they shop local, they see their local friends, they see their neighbors out there, it really brings that bond and sense of community back together, and hopefully from that, (people) become inspired to continue to come downtown and support their local businesses,” Wilson said.

Building momentum for Zephyrhills historic downtown, particularly around Fifth Avenue, is a primary objective of Main Street Zephyrhills Inc.

Describing herself as personable, as well as a person of action, Wilson said “I want the community to feel like they know me and that they can talk to me at any time.”

She has been keeping busy with Main Street functions.

Initial tasks included being a part of the well-attended Seventh Street Mural ceremony back in late May.

The vibrant mural, titled ‘Ocea,’ is located on the south-facing wall of 5210 Seventh St.

The outdoor event gave residents a chance to mingle with the mural’s artists, partake in refreshment, take pictures and spend time together in downtown.

“That was quite a success,” Wilson said. “It was positively received, and it was a nice community event, especially post-COVID, for everyone to get out and see what we’re doing in the Main Street sector.”

Wilson also has updated the organization’s social media platforms, ensuring presence on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, SnapChat and Instagram.

“I’m keeping up with all of that,” Wilson said. She also is “trying to cater to all age groups of the Zephyrhills community and let them know what Main Street is doing,” she said.

Wilson has been doing a livestream interview series, in which she dialogues with various Main Street members and business owners “to let the community get to know the people behind these organizations, so I think that’s going to be very helpful with connecting the community.”

The most recent interview piece featured Habitat for Humanity ReStores representatives, which can be found archived on YouTube.

Wilson’s “big project” has been the relaunch of a new Main Street Zephyrhills website, MainStreetZephyrhills.org.

She shared details of the website on the council chambers’ projection screen, during the meeting.

The fresh site includes several new user-friendly features and accessibility tools, such as shortcuts to information about dining, shopping, events, activities and service experiences throughout town.

There’s a detailed downtown Zephyrhills business directory, providing information including address, phone number and links to their respective websites.

Other highlights include a city events calendar and listing of upcoming Main Street projects and attractions.

There’s also a business entrepreneur resources toolkit that lists available vacant properties for lease, as well as how-to information about licenses, permits, loans, utilities, community connection opportunities and more.

The website is ADA-compliant, with accessibility tools to alter contrasts and text sizes, too.

Wilson worked closely on the project with The Social Connection — a Land O’ Lakes based marketing agency specializing in website development, social media and graphic/digital marketing, particularly for start-up companies and small businesses.

The website undertaking involved “many, many hours,” Wilson acknowledged.

Main Street Zephyrhills Inc., is a 501c3 nonprofit that generally facilitates new business and organizes large events in the city’s historic downtown district.

CRA Director Gail Hamilton, who serves as Main Street’s ex-oficio, attested: “She’s providing content and she’s having to pull teeth from everybody to get the content to put on there,” also noting that Wilson often has been tackling details, late into the evening.

Hamilton commended Wilson’s efforts.

“She hit the ground running with this (position),” said Hamilton, “so we are very excited about the future.”

Other city leaders came away impressed with Wilson’s presentation and overall work, over the  short time frame.

“I think she’s doing a great job, and I think we’re going to see Main Street grow and begin to flourish,” said Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe.

CRA Commissioners also happily observed Main Street’s complete roster of volunteer board members — something that’s been a challenge for the organization in the past.

In fact, Poe pointed out the local Main Street chapter was “very close” to shuttering about a year ago, because there weren’t enough board members per state requirements for a period of time.

Besides Wilson and Hamilton, other key Main Street figures now include president Linda Kerns, vice president Devin Alexander, board members Antwon Gildon, Christin Bennett, Sarrah Vesselov and Grant Posner, treasurers Martin Harm and Keith Wolfe, and Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson.

“We’ve got a great mix of residents who live in the downtown neighborhoods who work and have businesses in the downtown area that are really committed to this,” Hamilton said.

Published July 14, 2021

Local novelist’s ‘Lake Roland’ was inspired by real case

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As a journalist, Charlie Reese knew how to ferret out the facts and crank out stories on tight deadlines.

As a novelist, Reese — that is, C. Roloson Reese — has delighted in letting his imagination run wild to create just about every detail in his first published book, “Lake Roland.”

The Lutz author didn’t imagine every single detail because the novel is based on a two-paragraph news wire story that Reese read about eight years ago.

Charlie Reese, who published his novel, ‘Lake Roland,’ under the name C. Roloson Reese, is a former journalist and current businessman who lives in Lutz. The novel’s inspiration came from a two-paragraph news wire story the author had read, involving a missing persons case. (Courtesy of Charlie Reese)

The news wire account was about a 45-year-old mystery involving missing persons — solved essentially by accident.

“It just stuck with me — longer than any other newspaper story I’ve ever come across as a reporter or as a reader,” Reese said.

He decided to give that tiny nugget of a story a life of its own.

“I felt moved to tell the story, the back end of the mystery, as best as I could imagine it,” Reese said.

“Once I started reflecting on it, it wouldn’t let go of my imagination. So, I sat down and I wrote the first chapter.

“The real-life characters, they disappeared around high-school age — at least a couple of them,” Reese said.

The novel is told from the vantage point of Tom O’Malley, who spent a lifetime dealing with the mysterious disappearance of his pal, Mark. They’d been inseparable.

In creating the story, Reese thought about how it would feel if his best friend from high school had gone missing.

“I just imagined what that would be like — what kind of a hole that would have left in my life,” Reese said. He explored how having that type of loss would affect the families and friends of the pair that went missing.

“That’s what started me on this particular book. I just felt called to flesh out the characters behind the story,” Reese said.

The novel begins before the actual disappearance.

“I wanted to build some background because, any story you cover as a reporter, there’s always a backstory. And, it’s quite an interesting backstory in many cases. And, we don’t really do it justice. We can’t. We’re limited by deadlines. We’re limited by space. And, we really can’t tell the story with as much passion or thoughtfulness, as we can — or we should, or is possible,” Reese said.

Novels don’t have those limitations.

The actual missing persons case in the news wire story occurred in Oklahoma.

Reese decided to set his story in Baltimore, where he grew up and went to high school, and where there actually is a Lake Roland.

“As I got to writing — which is really a creative exercise — I just felt so emotional at times. But I was also so alive with being able to create these characters and storylines.

“Although the book is not autobiographical, it is a collection of characters and people I knew over the years.

“Running through my mind were many of the people and characters I’ve met over the years. Their stories.

“We come across so many different people, in our travels, in our work, in our families.

“So, it’s real amalgamation of all of these different characters and people that I’ve met, and usually admired,” he said.

Once Reese started writing the novel, the work went quickly. He asked his wife, Judith, to read chapters and offer feedback during the process.

In essence, the book was finished in 2013 and Reese occasionally has revisited it through the years.

This spring, he decided it was time to give the novel a final edit and to publish it.

Although this is Reese’s first published novel, he’s been a writer — in some form or another — since childhood.

He began reporting stories in the Tampa Bay area when he was a student at the University of South Florida, writing for the Oracle. Then, he reported for The Laker and later became the editor of The Lutz News and the former Temple Terrace Beacon.

He went on to work in media relations and communications with the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Business & Home Safety. He’s also been published in the former Tampa Tribune and in the St. Petersburg Times, before it became The Tampa Bay Times.

His love for writing dates back to childhood.

As a boy, he wrote poetry, which he read aloud to his family.

In college, he studied literature.

And, while he’s spent much of his career working with words, he said he’s learned more about the art of writing by reading great authors.

Being tuned in to people and places, is essential, too, he said.

“Observing and listening are probably the best things a writer can do,” Reese said. “That’s what poets do.”

“Lake Roland” by C. Roloson Reese, is available at Barnes & Noble Press (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lake-roland-c-roloson-reese/1139075421?ean=9781666262001).

To see a video about “Lake Roland,” visit https://www.facebook.com/211702412202894/videos/960288408037265.

 

Published July 14, 2021

Speakers address mental health needs

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Suicide prevention and partnerships between law enforcement and mental health providers were the focus of talks delivered in a Zoom Session, on May 11, hosted by Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center.

Sarah Shirina, licensed supervisor of behavioral health with BayCare Behavioral Health, shared her expertise on the topic of suicide prevention, while also discussing local services that are available to help people struggling with mental illness.

Sarah Shirina addressed suicide prevention during a speaker series hosted by Saint Leo University. (Courtesy of University of Saint Leo)

Shirina is the supervisor over BayCare Behavioral Health’s mobile response team in Hernando County.

She’s also an adjunct professor for Saint Leo University, with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from the university.

She began by sharing national suicide data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Suicide, unfortunately, is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. It is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, claiming over 48,000 lives.

“Suicide was the second-leading cause of death in individuals, between the ages of 10 and 34, and the fourth leading cause of death, among individuals between the ages of 35 and 54,” she said.

“There were actually 2½ times as many suicides in the United States as there were homicides, in 2018.

“So, what does that look like for our state? In 2019, Florida had a total of 3,427 deaths by suicide.

“In Florida, suicide is the eighth-leading cause of death,” Shirina said, adding the age group of 55 to 64 is most affected.

Shirina shared information derived from a research project by BayCare Behavioral Health and the University of South Florida, focusing on suicide in the Tampa Bay region.

Hot spots have been identified in all five counties in the Tampa Bay area, Shirina said.

“Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas, unfortunately, are all ahead and have higher averages of suicide deaths than the state of Florida.

“You’ll see that all of Florida had a total of 15 deaths per 100,000. And Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas are all in the 20s (per 100,000),” she said.

“Suicide affects men at a much greater percentage than it does women.

The study found that from 2010 to 2016, the suicide rate for men was twice as great as it was for women, she said.

“As our age groups increase, our military population is at a greater risk to be affected by suicide,” she added.

One of the big conclusions of the research was that Pasco, Hernando and Pinellas bear a disproportionate burden of death by suicide, in comparison to the state and surrounding counties, Shirina said.

Another conclusion: These are the same counties that bear the burden of the opioid addiction crisis.

She also noted that “80% of people who died by suicide had never had an involuntary examination, also known as the Baker Act.

“This, to me, was an alarming statistic,” Shirina said.

Among those who had undergone a Baker Act examination, 60% of those who died by suicide did so one or more years after their involuntary examination.

The study also found that middle- and older-aged white men had the highest rates of suicide, and among those who died by suicide, many had military backgrounds.

The research showed that guns were the most common method of suicide by men in all five counties.

By comparison, in Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties, more women died by overdose than did by guns, Shirina said.

“So, what can we do to help those who may be struggling?” Shirina asked.

Safety planning can help.

“When we’re safety planning with someone, we’re identifying their warning signs, their triggers and their stressful events that could lead to a crisis. We’re discussing with that person what they can do, what coping skills they can use to feel better.

“We’re discussing their support network. Who can they call when they need help? Who can they lean on?

“If possible, we often use that support network, when we’re creating these safety plans,” she said.

“We talk about what they look forward to in the future. What is important to them and what is worth living for? This is a great reminder, when someone is having these deep thoughts, that there are things in their future that they look forward to, and really, what is worth living for?

“We give a copy of this plan to them and to their support system, if possible, and we encourage them to keep it somewhere safe, so they can use it when they’re feeling upset,” Shirina said.

Dawn Wever addressed efforts being made to help mentally ill people get the help they need, instead of being locked up in jail.

Dawn Wever, the second speaker during the session, is a practicing mental health counselor.

She’s been an instructor in Crisis Intervention Team training for a number of law enforcement agencies. She’s also been a presenter on the topic at state conferences, is a former board member for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Hernando and has done considerable research on collaborations between law enforcement and mental health professionals.

One in five Americans are affected by mental illness in any given year, according to statistics from NAMI, Wever said. That equates to approximately 57.7 million Americans living with mental illness. Of those, just 41% will receive treatment in any given year.

Research also shows that the average length of time from initial diagnosis to the onset of treatment is 10 years, she said.

She shared the story of the Memphis Police Department Crisis Intervention Team, which in later years came to be known as the Memphis Model.

The model stemmed from a 1987 incident in which police officers were called to an area of public housing in Memphis, where a young man was threatening with a knife, she said. Police officers ordered him to put down the knife. He refused. Eventually, police opened fire and the man was killed, she said.

“The mayor of Memphis turned to local advocates from NAMI and enlisted police, community mental health professionals, university leaders, hospital administrators, church officials to find a new approach to working with persons with mental illness, who are in crisis,” she said.

The approach involves a 40-hour, weeklong training for officers, deputies, detention personnel and dispatch, as well, regarding the recognition and understanding of signs and symptoms of mental illness, and focuses on verbal, de-escalation techniques, said Wever, who holds a master of arts/psychology from Saint Leo University.

Encounters between police and the mentally ill began increasing after the deinstitutionalization of psychiatric facilities began happening in the 1980s and 1990s, she said.

The expectation was that community-based mental health care facilities would provide treatment to those individuals released from psychiatric hospitals. Instead, county jails have become the largest mental health facilities in the country, added Wever, who has been in private practice since 2012.

The Rand Corporation estimated in 2020 that 15% of the men and 31% of the women incarcerated across the country have a serious and persistent mental illness, Wever said.

According to NAMI estimates, at least 400,000 currently behind bars in the United States suffer from some type of mental illness, Wever added. The organization also estimates that 25% to 40% of all mentally ill Americans will be incarcerated at some point in their lives.

She told Zoom listeners about a mental health unit operated by the San Antonio (Texas) Police Department .

“That’s regarded as one of the best law enforcement-based mental health units in the country,” she said.

“It was established in 2008 and to date, they have maintained zero use of force in a mental health call for service,” Wever said.

Shirina and Wever gave the final two presentations during a Social Services Speaker Series, which began on April 13.

Besides being informative, the series was intended to give participants exposure to a wide range of career opportunities in the helping professions.

To find out more about Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center, email Derek Saunier, center director, at  or call 352-588-7451.

Warning signs of suicide

  • Increased alcohol and drug use
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Withdrawal from friends, family and community
  • Dramatic mood swings
  • Impulsive or reckless behavior
  • Collecting and saving pills or buying a weapon
  • Giving away possessions
  • Tying up loose ends, like organizing personal papers or paying off debts
  • Saying goodbye to friends and family

Suicidal behaviors are a psychiatric emergency. If you or a loved one exhibits these behaviors, seek immediate help from a health care provider or call 911.

If you are unsure, a licensed mental health professional can help assess.

Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Suicide Myths
Sarah Shirina, licensed supervisor of behavioral health with BayCare Behavioral Health, discussed some myths about suicide during a recent Zoom presentation hosted by the University of Saint Leo.

Here’s an excerpt from what she shared:

Myth: Talking about suicide or asking someone if they feel suicidal will encourage suicide attempts.

Fact: Talking about suicide provides the opportunity for communication. Fears that are shared are more likely to diminish.

Myth: People who talk about suicide never attempt or die by suicide.

Fact: Talking about suicide can be a plea for help, and it can be a late sign in the progression toward a suicide attempt. Those who are most at risk will show other signs, apart from talking about suicide.

Myth: If a person attempts suicide and survives, they will never make a further attempt.

Fact: A suicide attempt is regarded as an indicator of further attempts. It is likely that the level of danger will increase with each further suicide attempt. Just because someone has attempted suicide previously does not mean they are no longer at risk of attempting in the future.

Myth: Once a person has suicidal intent, there is no way of stopping them.

Fact: This is so far from the truth because suicides can be prevented. People can be helped. Suicidal crises can be relatively short-lived. Immediate practical help, such as staying with the person, encouraging them to talk and helping them build plans for the future can avert an intention to attempt or die by suicide. Such immediate help is valuable at the time of a crisis, but appropriate counseling also will be needed.

Need help?
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255.
Call 2-1-1 for additional resources.

Want to help?
BayCare offers free Mental Health First Aid Training. To find out more, call 800-878-5470.

Published June 09, 2021

Social worker addresses rising youth mental illness

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As efforts continue to lessen stigma and discrimination regarding mental illness — the challenges have become even greater during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even so, there are ways to strengthen awareness and improve access to treatment and counseling for troubled youth and adults, according to Sativa Fisher, a social worker for the Hernando County School District.

Fisher was a featured guest speaker during an April 27 virtual social services event hosted by Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center.

Hernando County School District social worker Sativa Fisher (Courtesy of Mary McCoy, Saint Leo University)

Her talk was part of a speaker series for students and prospective students interested in “helping careers.”

Topics for the free online series were selected with the goal of having broad appeal to those interested in social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, and human services.

Fisher’s presentation focused on her work, the prevalence of youth mental health issues and the function of social workers in the public school setting.

The social worker emphasized just how “widely underestimated” mental illness is in the United States, particularly among teens and high school students.

She cited these statistics and figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey:

  • 19% of students nationwide considered suicide
  • 16% of students nationwide made a suicide plan
  • 9% of students nationwide attempted suicide
  • Notable risk factors for suicide ideation include being a non-Hispanic, Black female who identifies as lesbian, gay or bisexual.

Fisher also shared various findings from Mental Health America, the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit to address the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting overall mental health of all:

  • 9.2% of United States youth ages 12 to 17 cope with severe major depression
  • The state prevalence of youthwith severemajor depressive episodes ranges from 6% in Mississippi to 13.2% in Nevada (Florida stands at 10%).
  • The number of youth experiencing major depressive episodes increased by 121,000 from 2018 to 2019.

The social worker pointed to an “alarming” finding in her research cited from Mental Health America — youth experiencing major depressive episodes continue to go untreated.

Even among states with greatest access for youth, almost 50% of youth still do not receive the mental health services they need, according to the organization’s reports, Fisher said.

“It’s interesting how much of an issue mental health is, and how undertreated it is, even within our society today,” said Fisher, who obtained her bachelor of social work from Saint Leo University and her master of social work from University of South Florida.

Fisher also shared her thoughts about potential contributing factors regarding why suicide ideations and major depression have become so prevalent among American youth in recent years.

“We have many kids who have access to social media and are learning a lot more than they used to, and that’s become evident between both in elementary and middle school, and the things that they’re exposed to, they don’t know, developmentally, how to deal with it,” she said.

The pandemic hasn’t helped, either.

Fisher referenced data showing about 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health this past year, up from about 25%, pre-COVID.

Parents and caregivers are struggling “with everything that comes with being in this pandemic that we all have experienced,” she said.

The rising levels of stress, loneliness, depression, anxiety has all but “rubbed off” on children, Fisher said.

“I’ve heard more stories of families having friction, more arguments,” Fisher said. “(Students) just feel more anxious…and that shows up in their schoolwork, that shows up in their peer relationships, with their adult relationships.”

Social work delivers rewarding responsibilities
Fisher is one of 13 social workers in the Hernando County School District.

She started working this past school year, amid the pandemic.

Besides her educational background, Fisher joined the district equipped with real-world experience — having worked in internships in a hospital pediatric unit and residential program for adolescent girls.

Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center has an ongoing virtual social services speaker series focusing on social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, and human services. An April 27 seminar focused on substance abuse and mental health issues among youth in public schools. (File)

In her role, Fisher assists kids, families and the community at large. She strives to “make a difference in someone’s life.”

She also described the duties of a school social worker, which includes making referrals, doing evaluations and completing behavior assessments. It also involves problem-solving through multi-tiered system of supports, counseling, teen parenting education, substance abuse education and more.

“It’s so much,” quipped Fisher, who also has started completing the supervision requirements to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

She detailed how school social work has evolved from focusing on attendance and truancy issues to being more involved with students who have mental health and behavioral issues.

Today’s school social worker reaches out to parents of students who are undergoing major behavioral issues, gathers information on their home life, and offers potential solutions and sources of help.

Fisher put it like this: “Sometimes, parents don’t even know the resources available to them, so if they have a student who’s having major behavior issues and they don’t understand why, maybe we’ll talk a little bit about that. Some kids require a little bit more structure than other kids. Some kids require to be spoken to a little bit differently. Every child is different…”

School systems play an important role in helping bridge the mental health gap, she said.

“Many people will say, ‘Oh, it’s on the parents,’” Fisher said.

But, parents don’t always know about services and because school attendance is mandatory until age 16, school districts are in a good position to observe students who have mental health needs and can help direct families to resources, she said.

One of the satisfactions of her job is seeing a student make positive changes during the course of a school year, Fisher said.

“It’s not anything that I necessarily do, it’s the choices that they make. I just give them the information and the platform to express and explore,” the social worker said. “I have a couple of kids right now that I’ve been working with for several months, and they’ve turned their grades around, they’ve turned their peer relationships around, and that, I think, is the most rewarding.”

Published May 26, 2021

Strides on the track and in the classroom

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Cypress Creek High School senior Ashleigh Lacey will graduate as her school’s valedictorian, with a perfect 4.0 unweighted GPA (and 4.6 weighted).

Armed with an Associate of Arts degree and Bright Futures scholarship, the accomplished student soon will attend University of South Florida’s (USF) Judy Genshaft Honors College with plans to attend medical school and become a psychiatrist.

The local teen’s aptitude, however, travels beyond the classroom.

She’s also a decorated varsity track athlete — boasting several Coyotes girls program records and milestones — while juggling a part-time restaurant job, to boot.

Long jump is one of Ashleigh Lacey’s strongest track and field events; she’ll compete in that at the state finals and she holds a school record of 5.28 meters. (Courtesy of Michelle Lacey)

She most recently qualified for the FHSAA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships on May 8 at University of North Florida-Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville — after finishing second place in the 300-meter hurdles (46.78 seconds, school record) and third in the long jump (5.17 meters) at last weekend’s Regional 3-2A meet at Cypress Creek.

She also finished sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (16.86 seconds, school record) and seventh as a leg of her team’s 4×100-meter relay (50.42, another school record) at the regional meet.

A strong regional showing wasn’t Lacey’s only notable achievement this season.

On April 22, she claimed her first District 9-2A individual title — and set another school record — in the long jump (5.28 meters), defeating Hernando High sophomore A’Reginae White (5.19 meters).

As it stands, Lacey holds seven school records in track and field.

In addition to long jump, 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles records and leg of the 4×100-meter relay, Lacey also has top marks in the 400-meter dash (1:04.56), 3,200-meter run (13:16.22), and high jump (1.45 meters).

She’s also known for becoming the first Cypress Creek girls track athlete to qualify for regionals, back in 2018, as a freshman.

“She’s littered through the record books,” Cypress Creek varsity girls track coach Steven Rivers said bluntly in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

Lacey’s well-rounded success doesn’t come by accident.

Rivers compared Lacey’s “enormous work ethic” in athletics and academics to another one of his former pupils — Pasco High product Alfreda Steele, one of the nation’s top sprinters as a graduate student at University of Miami.

“She is an extremely hard worker,” Rivers said of Lacey. “She brings a very positive attitude to the team, and she’s that girl that constantly wants to work, ‘Can I do more?’”

So much so, Rivers often reminds Lacey to not overtrain in practice, and not be too hard on herself when she doesn’t eclipse a certain mark or personal record.

“With Ashleigh, she never feels that she’s done enough,” the veteran coach said. “I have to tell her, ‘The hay is in the barn, now you just have to eat it.’ I have to keep telling her, ‘You have to stop trying to chase it. Just go out there, clear your mind, and run.’”

Ask Lacey, and she’s actually prouder of her physical achievements than intellectual ones.

Though academics are clearly important, success in track and field “is something I have to work harder for,” Lacey said.

She observed: “School is something, I don’t want to say it comes easy to me, it’s something I never really had to super grind at. I study for it, I organize my stuff, I write my notes, I learn the stuff; but for track, it’s just been a bit of a journey, it’s pretty hard, like there’s sometimes where I’m not always going to be the best at it, and it’s kind of more challenging for me and that’s why I like it more. I put more dedication into it, because it’s more about my diet and weightlifting, too.”

Hoping to be a walk-on at USF
Understanding that she’ll likely be going pro in something other than sports, however, Lacey is poised to major in psychology at USF en route to pursuing a doctorate in psychiatry.

Lacey was inspired by AP Biology and AP Psychology, her two favorite high school classes.

Cypress Creek High School senior Ashleigh Lacey will compete in the 300-meter hurdles and long jump at the FHSAA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships, on May 8 at University of North Florida-Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville.

“I loved them. Both were so interesting to me, and I was like, well, for a career, I might as well think of something I like to do and think is interesting, and I want to help people,” she said.

Lacey hopes her academic profile, and versatility and proficiency in so many events allows her to walk on to the USF women’s track & field team, an NCAA Division I program.

The standout athlete would appear to be a prime candidate to shine in the heptathlon, in which competitors take part in the same prescribed seven events (100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin, and 800-meter run).

High school and AAU coaches have told Lacey as much, though she humbly admits she needs to practice javelin, in particular. “I think I need to work a little more at javelin before I can confidently say I can compete in it,” she said.

Rivers believes competing in track at the next level is well in reach, given Lacey “can do a bunch of different things.”

“The more you can do, the more of an asset that you can be,” Rivers said. “Walking on to USF, being able to do so many things, I’m sure they could possibly find a home for her, but where she would definitely improve (USF’s track and field program) is through her classroom work, their academic side.”

Lacey originally entered high school as a distance runner, competing in cross-country and endurance track events (800-meter, 1,600-meter, 3,200).

But, she experienced a change of heart competing in AAU summer events for Wesley Chapel-based Speed Starz Track/Running Club, following her freshman year.

“I really didn’t like it,” Lacey said of long distance events. “I was like, ‘Maybe I need to try something else,’ because I really love the 300-meter hurdles and I was like, ‘I need to get more into sprinting,’ and then that’s when the heptathlon got brought up, and that’s when I started sprinting and I loved it way more than long distance.”

Lacey credits her abilities in hurdles and jumps to lower body strength and an offseason weightlifting program.

Moreover, her background in gymnastics vault has helped translate to long jump’s mechanics of run up, takeoff, flight and landing.

Lacey explained of the technique, “You have to have the same steps to get on the board so you don’t scratch or anything, because a lot of girls will be really good (with long jump), but they’ll scratch and they won’t score well.”

Lacey now hopes to conclude her prep career with a strong showing against Florida’s best at this weekend’s finals.

She last qualified for the state meet as a sophomore, in the 300-meter hurdles and long jump, finishing 21st and 22nd respectively. She acknowledged being “humbled pretty quick” that time around.

Come this weekend, she may be humbling others.

Published May 5, 2021