The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Zephyrhills Christian Academy

Spring football preview for area teams

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High school football is back in session, as spring football practices are now underway statewide.

And, while the 2019 prep season remains months away, Florida high school football fans still will get a taste of how their teams are shaping up with a series of exhibition games and jamborees in late May.

Florida high schools are allowed a maximum of 20 practice sessions from April 22 through May, according to Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) guidelines. The first allowable day for full-contact tackling is April 27.

Take a look at these five area teams to watch as spring practices ramp up:

Academy at the Lakes will seek its third straight eight-man title in 2019. The team is currently on a 20-game winning streak dating back to 2017. (File)

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats
The back-to-back defending eight-man Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) state champion Wildcats will have another target on its back as it enters the new season on a 20-game winning streak (including a win by forfeit) dating back to September of 2017.

But, that shouldn’t faze an Academy at the Lakes squad that again returns the father-son combo of head coach Shawn Brown and rising junior quarterback Jalen Brown.

Shawn Brown is a two-time reigning FCAPPS Coach of the Year, while Jalen Brown won the 2018 FCAPPS Heisman Trophy Winner award, given to the eight-man league’s top player.

Last season the 6-foot-2, 180-pound quarterback completed nearly 58 percent of his throws for 1,105 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 672 yards and 10 touchdowns on 93 carries.

In addition to Jalen Brown, the team returns All-Conference standouts in center Dwight Downing and defensive end Elijah Freedman. Also expect significant contributions from the likes of tailback Adrian Leverette, receivers Cole Lallanilla and Caleb Yann, and linebacker Denzyl Downing, among others.

Perhaps the biggest question for the Wildcats is finding ways to replace the production left behind by graduating All-State linebacker Dylan Price and All-State defensive back Jullian Jennings, as well as All-State offensive lineman Andrew Kilfoyl, who has since transferred to Gaither.

Land O’ Lakes Gators
Under new head coach Chad Walker, the Gators achieved its first winning season since 2013, going 7-3 and narrowly missing out on a playoff berth.

Land O’ Lakes is looking to build off last season’s 7-3 campaign under head coach Chad Walker.

The turnaround season also included a 35-24 win over crosstown foe Sunlake to crack an eight-game losing streak in the annual ‘Butter Bowl’ rivalry game.

Naturally, fans of the storied Pasco County program will expect similar success again this year.

It won’t come easy, however, as the team moves on from a sizable senior class that included its leading rusher, leading receiver, leading tackler and top kicking specialists.

Working in the team’s favor, though, is the return of one of the area’s top signal callers in rising senior quarterback and two-year starter Ethan Forrester.

Last season the 6-foot-3, 220-pound athlete completed nearly 52 percent of his passes for 1,429 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Gators have put together a tough 2019 regular season slate that includes five teams that made the playoffs last season — Gaither, Mitchell, Tampa Catholic, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills Christian, respectively.

Steinbrenner Warriors
Following a disappointing 2-7 output in 2017, the Warriors rebounded last year to finish 6-5 overall with a 4-2 mark in District 6-8A, including a four-game winning streak to close out the season.

Steinbrenner has plenty of weapons to build off last year’s 6-5 mark.

With a bevy of returning talent, the momentum should continue into 2019 under longtime head coach Andres Perez-Reinaldo.

The Warriors feature multiple NCAA FBS Division I football targets, such as receivers Aidan Bitter and Dean Patterson, and Matthew Adcock, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound offensive lineman.

The squad is stacked with other playmakers, too.

Quarterback Haden Carlson, the son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jeff Carlson, is poised to build off a junior campaign where he completed 54 percent of his passes for 1,418 yards, 10 total touchdowns and four interceptions.

The rising senior will have plenty of weapons at his disposal in the likes of Bitter (32 receptions, 568 yards, six touchdowns), Patterson (39 receptions, 391 yards, two touchdowns), Jett Law (22 receptions, 212 yards) and Deon Silas (1,198 all-purpose yards), among others.

The Warriors also return several of its top players on the other side of the ball, including rising junior linebacker Austin Brannen, who registered 130 total tackles, including 12 for loss.

Meanwhile, special teams figure to be another strength, with All-State punter Cameron Brown, kicker Trevor Haire, and a return game that collectively averaged 28.2 yard on kick returns and 13.2 yards on punt returns.

Wiregrass Ranch Bulls
With a string of three consecutive winning seasons and playoff appearances under head coach Mark Kantor, Wiregrass Ranch seems positioned for another year as one of Pasco County’s premier programs.

With a large senior class, Wiregrass Ranch will seek its fourth straight playoff berth in 2019.

And, most any win will be hard earned in 2019, particularly with new district foes in Class 6A state runner-up Armwood, East Bay and Tampa Bay Tech.

In fact, every opponent on the Bulls’ 10-game schedule sported a winning record last season, aside from crosstown rival Wesley Chapel, who finished with a 5-5 mark. Of those teams, half qualified for the playoffs from their respective classification.

Fortunately for the Bulls, the team has the benefit of experience on its side with about two dozen rising seniors.

That includes one of the Sunshine State’s most productive defensive players in first team All-State linebacker Dylan Ridolph.

Ridolph’s 22 sacks last season ranked second in the state, trailing only Winter Garden Foundation Academy’s Warren Sapp II (24). The 6-foot, 215-pound Ridolph already holds the county record for most career sacks (37).

Some other upperclassman to keep an eye on include defensive back Jonavon Tills (five interceptions) and tailback Keith Walker (667 all-purpose yards, nine touchdowns).

Meantime, the Bulls will have to break in a new quarterback with the graduation of two-year starter Grant Sessums.

Such duty will likely fall to promising rising senior dual-threat quarterback Hunter Helton.

Last season Helton served as the team’s backup quarterback option, but showcased his athleticism as the team’s leading receiver (16 receptions, 315 yards, four touchdowns).

His last extended action under center came as a sophomore on junior varsity, where he completed nearly 54 percent of his throws for 557 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception.

Zephyrhills Bulldogs
Going undefeated in the regular season on its way to securing its second straight district title, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs in 2018 put together one of the more notable campaigns in recent memory.

Coming off back-to-back district championships, Zephyrhills will look to several new faces to make an impact in 2019.

It also added to the program’s tally of winning seasons, which now numbers eight straight dating back to 2011.

Maintaining their sustained dominance this year may prove challenging, though, as the Bulldogs say farewell to 23 seniors from last year’s 11-1 squad, 10 of whom earned All-Conference honors.

Among that group is the team’s starting quarterback, several leading receivers, multiple leading tacklers and top special teamers.

Serving another blow to the team’s 2019 depth: All-Conference linebacker Ja’varrius Wilson recently announced his intention to transfer to Clearwater Academy International for his senior year. He was fourth on the team in tackles (91) and second in tackles for loss (18).

On the bright side for Zephyrhills, up-and-coming head coach Nick Carroll returns for 2019, looking to build upon a combined 29-6 mark his first three seasons.

Of course, the Bulldogs won’t be totally devoid of impactful playmakers in 2019.

Rising senior two-way lineman Demetris Wright (40 pancake blocks, 30 tackles), and rising juniors Zyre Roundtree (541 rushing yards, six touchdowns) and Tre Gallimore (45 tackles, two interceptions) are a few to watch, among others.

Schools in Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their 2018 records)
Hillsborough County:

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots: 6-6 overall, 2-2 region
  • Freedom High School Patriots: 4-6 overall, 2-4 district
  • Gaither High School Cowboys: 7-4 overall, 4-2 district
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors: 6-5 overall, 4-2 district

Pasco County:

  • Academy at the Lakes Wildcats: (10-0 overall, 7-0 district)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes: (4-5 overall, 3-1 district)
  • Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes: (3-7 overall, 1-0 region)
  • Land O’ Lakes High School Gators: (7-3 overall, 2-2 district)
  • Pasco High School Pirates: (2-8 overall, 0-4 district)
  • Sunlake High School Seahawks: (4-6 overall, 1-3 district)
  • Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats: (5-5 overall, 4-3 district)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls: (7-4 overall, 4-2 district)
  • Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors: (7-4 overall, 0-1 region)
  • Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs: (11-1 overall, 6-0 district)

Spring game schedule
May 16
East Ridge at Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills Christian at Fivay
Jamboree: Freedom, King, Wharton at Hillsborough
Jamboree: Gaither, Sickles, Steinbrenner at Alonso

May 17
Anclote at Sunlake
Cypress Creek at Pasco
Land O’ Lakes at Wesley Chapel
Wiregrass Ranch at East Lake

May 18
Bishop McLaughlin at Carrollwood Day

May 24
Jamboree: Academy at the Lakes, Master’s Academy, Lakeside Christian, Solid Rock at Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center

Player to watch from each area team
Hillsborough County

  • Shelton Quarles Jr., Carrollwood Day, athlete
  • Tawfiq Thomas, Freedom, defensive tackle
  • Chance Coleman, Gaither, linebacker
  • Deon Silas, Steinbrenner, athlete

Pasco County

  • Jalen Brown, Academy at the Lakes, quarterback
  • Adam Berry, Bishop McLaughlin, tailback
  • Jalen Warren, Cypress Creek, athlete
  • Ethan Forrester, Land O’ Lakes, quarterback
  • Darrion Robinson, Pasco, receiver
  • Jonathan Wallace, Sunlake, defensive end
  • Jelani Vassell, Wesley Chapel, athlete
  • Dylan Ridolph, Wiregrass Ranch, linebacker
  • Zyre Roundtree, Zephyrhills, tailback
  • Malik Jones, Zephyrhills Christian, defensive lineman

Published April 24, 2019

Locals named to All-State football teams

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Athletes within The Laker/Lutz News coverage were well-represented on the FloridaHSFootball.com’s All-State teams for the 2018 season.

Zephyrhills High School senior athlete Cartrell Strong was named Class 5A first-team All-State. Four other Bulldogs also made the All-State team. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills High Athletics)

In total, 24 players from nine local schools in Hillsborough and Pasco counties were named first-team, second-team, third-team or honorable mention for their respective classifications.

The All-State teams were compiled by FloridaHSFootball.com, along with the consideration of coaches nominations and consultation of all-area/all-county teams and members of the media from around the state.

Zephyrhills High School and Zephyrhills Christian Academy were most represented among local schools, with five selections apiece to the Class 5A and Class 2A All-State teams, respectively.

Zephyrhills High — which went undefeated in the regular season and reached the Class 5A regional semifinals — had two first-team selections (senior defensive tackle Samuel Bergeron, senior returner/athlete Cartrell Strong), a second-team selection (senior utility Tre’ Pavis Mobley), and two honorable mentions (senior quarterback Doug Crawford and junior offensive guard Demetris Wright).

Senior tailback Javion Hanner was one of five football players from Zephyrhills Christian Academy selected to the Class 2A All-State team. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills Christian Academy Athletics)

Bergeron, though undersized at 5-feet-9 and 192 pounds, registered big numbers with 104 total tackles, 35 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 21 hurries and eight forced fumbles.

The same can be said for fellow Bulldogs first-teamer, Strong.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound returner/athlete finished the 2018 campaign with 1,709 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns.

Also a defensive standout at cornerback/safety, Strong added 98 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two interceptions, nine passes defensed and three forced fumbles.

Mobley, the Bulldogs second-teamer, also generated impressive numbers on each side of the ball.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound athlete registered 51 tackles, four interceptions and four passes defensed on defense, and 759 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns on offense.

Senior quarterback Chris Butash was one of three football players from Carrollwood Day School named to the Class 2A All-State team. (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School Athletics)

He also served as the team’s kickoff specialist, where he averaged nearly 39 yards per kick and had three touchbacks.

Zephyrhills Christian — which finished with a 7-4 mark and reached the Class 2A regional semifinals — had two first-team selections (senior utility Javion Hanner, senior cornerback Kavbion Marbra) and three second-team selections (junior offensive guard Malik Jones, senior defensive end Jalen Spencer, senior outside linebacker Nyjohn Moody).

The 5-foot-9, 188-pound Hanner posted 1,408 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns in 10 games played. His 1,201 rushing yards ranked sixth in all of Class 2A.

Marbra’s nine interceptions and Moody’s 162 total tackles each ranked first among all Class 2A players; those numbers ranked third (tied) and fourth among all classes statewide, respectively.

Wiregrass Ranch junior linebacker Dylan Ridolph was a Class 7A first-team All-State pick. His 22 sacks were second-most in the state, among all classifications. (File)

Spencer, who played in seven games, ranked eighth in 2A in tackles per game (11.3).

Other schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area also had multiple selections on the All-State list.

Steinbrenner had four selections to the Class 8A All-State team.

Senior middle linebacker Logan Kilburn (132 tackles, 8.5 sacks) was a second-team selection, while junior offensive tackles Matthew Adcock, junior punter Cameron Brown and sophomore returner Deon Silas were third-team picks.

Silas tallied 1,198 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns.

Brown averaged 35.6 yards per punt, including a long of 53 yards, and 15 punts inside the opposing 20-yard line.

And, in addition to Zephyrhills Christian, Carrollwood Day School had three representatives on the Class 2A All-State team.

Senior linebacker Logan Kilburn was one of four Steinbrenner High School football players selected to the Class 8A All-State team. (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School Athletics)

Senior quarterback Chris Butash (2,466 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, eight interceptions) and senior wide receiver Kyle Benedict (843 yards on 49 receptions, six touchdowns) were second-team offensive selections, while junior athlete Shelton Quarles Jr., was named honorable mention.

Gaither (Class 7A) and Land O’ Lakes (6A) each had two All-State selections.

Wiregrass Ranch (7A), Sunlake (6A) and Wesley Chapel (5A) each had one representative, for  their respective classifications.

There were no All-State representatives in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area from Classes 4A, 3A or 1A.

2018 FloridaHSFootball.com All-State teams

Class 8A
Logan Kilburn, Steinbrenner, senior, linebacker (second-team defense)
Matthew Adcock, Steinbrenner, junior, offensive tackle (third-team offense)
Cameron Brown, Steinbrenner, junior, punter, (third-team special teams)
Deon Silas, Steinbrenner, sophomore, returner (third-team special teams)

Class 7A
Dylan Ridolph, Wiregrass Ranch, junior, linebacker (first-team defense)
Jordan Oladokun, Gaither, sophomore, cornerback (second-team defense)
Brysen Roth, Gaither, senior, linebacker (honorable mention)

Class 6A
Kyle Leivas, Land O’ Lakes, senior, running back (honorable mention)
Collin Corrao, Land O’ Lakes, senior, kicker (honorable mention)
Clark Cooley, Sunlake, senior, punter (honorable mention)

Class 5A
Samuel Bergeron, Zephyrhills, senior, defensive tackle (first team defense)
Cartrell Strong, Zephyrhills, senior, returner (first-team special teams)
Tre’ Pavis Mobley, Zephyrhills, senior, utility (second-team defense)
Doug Crawford, Zephyrhills, senior, quarterback (honorable mention)
Demetris Wright, Zephyrhills, junior, offensive guard (honorable mention)
Jelani Vassell, Wesley Chapel, junior, utility (honorable mention)

Class 2A
Javion Hanner, Zephyrhills Christian, senior, utility (first-team offense)
Kavbion Marbra, Zephyrhills Christian, senior, cornerback (first-team defense)
Chris Butash, Carrollwood Day, senior, quarterback (second-team offense)
Kyle Benedict, Carrollwood Day, senior, wide receiver (second-team offense)
Malik Jones, Zephyrhills Christian, junior, offensive guard (second-team offense)
Jalen Spencer, Zephyrhills Christian, senior, defensive end (second-team defense)
Nyjohn Moody, Zephyrhills Christian, senior, outside linebacker (second-team defense)
Shelton Quarles Jr., Carrollwood Day, junior, athlete (honorable mention)

Published February 27, 2019

Top moments in sports during 2018

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Teams captured state titles and local athletes turned in outstanding performances, during a year that brought shining moments and lasting memories.

Here are some of the highlights, from across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

USA Women’s Hockey, fans celebrate gold in Wesley Chapel
Just days after celebrating a gold medal win in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, the USA women’s ice hockey team returned to where their remarkable journey started — Wesley Chapel.

The U.S. women’s national ice hockey team posed for pictures on Feb. 28 at Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel. The team spent more than five months training at the facility and lodging at Saddlebrook Resort. (File)

That’s where the team spent more than five months preparing for the Winter Olympics, training at Florida Hospital Center Ice and lodging at Saddlebrook Resort. It’s also where daily practices, off-ice testing and intra-squad scrimmages were used to determine the 23 players selected in May for the Team USA roster.

The team spent the better part of an hour on the afternoon of Feb. 28 greeting fans, posing for pictures and signing autographs at the Center Ice facility.

The event drew excitement from hockey enthusiasts, such as Wesley Chapel’s Rob Simonelli, who was prideful of the fact the Olympic team trained in his hometown.

“I just was excited that this was their home base. Just following them when they made this their home was kind of cool,” Simonelli said, at the time.

“They’re really friendly, and it’s nice that they decided to come and just kind of say ‘Hey’ to the people,” he added.

The surprise visit was part of a nationwide media blitz that also took them to Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York City.

The week prior, the team defeated Canada in a 3-2 shootout to win gold, ending a 20-year drought for the women’s hockey program.

Florida Hospital Center Ice was picked as Team USA’s training ground over such hockey facilities in Boston, Chicago and other cities — placing a feather in Pasco County’s cap in its quest to become a top-notch sports tourism destination.

The time spent by the Olympic gold medalists in Wesley Chapel led them to later be dubbed by some residents as ‘Pasco’s team.’

The stay in Wesley Chapel likewise proved special for the elite athletes, from top-flight training digs and hospitality, to the warm, sunny weather.

Said defenseman Cayla Barnes, then the youngest member of Team USA at 19 years old: “These facilities were awesome, the staff here was amazing, and they really helped us with everything we needed. It was great to be down here, such nice weather, and really nice to train out here in preparation for the games.”

Added two-time Olympian and forward Kendall Coyne: “Hockey in Florida was new to a lot of us, but I don’t think it took long for us to realize that hockey is serious in Florida.”

Local small-school sprinter wins state title
It’s not often a small-school athlete gets to celebrate on a big stage.

But, that’s what happened to Zephyrhills Christian Academy senior Evan Miller.

He captured the Class 1A boys 100-meter dash title in a blistering 10.75 seconds at the Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships, at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy senior Evan Miller won first place in the 1A boys 100-meter dash in 10.75 seconds at the Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships.

The senior was also the final leg of the school’s gold-medal winning 4×100-meter relay team that scorched the competition with a 42.10 second mark — joining junior NyJohn Moody, sophomore Tyler Davis and senior Calvin Samuel.

Those marked the only first-place finishes at the state track & field meet among athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

It’s also noteworthy, considering Zephyrhills Christian has about 250 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade and was in just its second year offering a boys and girls track & field program.

For Miller, the memorable showing had been a year in the making.

The previous summer, the multi-sport athlete suffered a broken ankle during a 7-on-7 football tournament.

The injury forced Miller, a standout defensive back, to miss several games in the fall as a member of the Zephyrhills Christian varsity football team.

Unable to hit the gridiron, Miller hit the starting blocks instead, as part of his rehabilitation process.

The newfound sport proved to be his true calling.

Miller linked up with well-regarded AAU track coach and personal trainer BB Roberts, who runs the Wesley Chapel-based Speed Starz Track Club, and lists NFL and MLB athletes as training clientele.

Roberts, a former track star in his own right at Wesley Chapel High School and Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College, worked to correct Miller’s running form and technique, among other tips.

The fixtures shaved Miller’s 100-meter personal record from a still-impressive 11.2 to a 10.69 — which he set at the Steinbrenner High Invitational in early April.

Miller is now a freshman sprinter at Division I University of South Carolina, where he’s training under the Olympic pedigree of legendary head coach Curtis Frye.

Academy at the Lakes wins first state softball title
Buoyed by a longtime Division I coach in Diane Stephenson, one of the state’s top arms in Lexi Kilfoyl, and a potent offense averaging nearly seven runs per game, the 2018 Academy at the Lakes varsity softball team lived up to the preseason hype — finishing with a remarkable 26-4 record and winning its first-ever Class 2A state championship.

The state crown was a follow-up to an impressive 20-win season and regional final appearance in 2017.

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.

For the Wildcats, the most dramatic moment of the 2018 campaign came in its most important game.

Academy at the Lakes outlasted Monticello Aucilla Christian 1-0 in 11 innings on May 22 at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, in a game that featured a pitcher’s duel through wet, muddy conditions.

Kilfoyl, then a junior, outlasted Aucilla Christian senior and Florida signee Elizabeth Hightower by unleashing a 13-strikeout, fourth-hit shutout.

The softball sensation and Alabama signee also did some work with the bat.

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 — unseating an Aucilla Christian program that had won state crowns two of the last three years.

Forecasting ahead, a state title repeat for the Wildcats  in 2019 certainly seems within reach.

Kilfoyl and Stephenson return, as do much of the key contributors from its state-winning squad.

Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex breaks ground
The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex’s June 7 groundbreaking represented a major step for Pasco County, as it looks to become a premier sports tourism destination in the years ahead.

Expected to open in late 2019, the $44 million, 98,000-square-foot complex is slated to feature eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, a cheer and dance studio, a fitness center, and sports medicine and athletic training offerings.

The $44 million Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is expected to open in late 2019. The 98,000-square-foot complex will have eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, a cheer and dance studio, a fitness center, and sports medicine and athletic training offerings. Also, besides the indoor gym, the complex will have seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground.

In addition to its indoor offerings, the complex will have seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground.

The complex — being built off State Road 54, near The Shops at Wiregrass— will operate on Monday through Thursday as a community-based sports center for youth, adults and seniors, while weekends will be set aside to host tournaments, competitions and other events that will generate hotel stays and tax revenues for the county.

The county will own the facility and share in anticipated profits with RADD Sports, a private company that will operate and manage the sports complex.

Officials say annual economic impact would be about $6.5 million for the new facility. Over 10 years, about $8 million or more in sales and use taxes would be generated, not including tourism taxes from hotel stays, officials say.

The  complex adds to a growing list of premier, state-of-the art sports facilities in east Pasco — and further markets the area as a sports tourism destination primarily for youth and amateur sports.

Other nearby offerings include Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, which opened in early 2017 as the largest hockey complex in the southeastern United States; Saddlebrook Resort & Spa, an upscale resort renowned for world-class golf and tennis training; and, Wesley Chapel District Park, which sits on 144 acres and contains 10 full-size athletic fields, and lighted outdoor tennis courts and basketball courts. Efforts also recently began in a quest to build a premier aquatics facility in Land O’ Lakes, as well as a multimillion dollar tennis complex in Zephyrhills.

Land O’ Lakes High honors ‘Voice of the Gators’
For Land O’ Lakes High School, the 2018 ‘Butter Bowl’ will go down as one of the most historic, as the Gators football team finally cracked an eight-game losing streak to crosstown rival Sunlake High School, with a 35-24 home victory.

Matt Connor, top, and Meaghan Connor of Land O’ Lakes positioned Mike Connor on the sideline area for a dedication of the press box in his name.

The most enduring moment of that Sept. 14 evening, however, happened right before kickoff.

That’s when a special dedication ceremony was held to honor longtime athletics booster Mike Connor. The press box space at John Benedetto Stadium named the Mike Connor Family Press Box.

The dedication drew dozens of friends and family, as well as current and former Gators coaches, who showed their support and appreciation for Connor, who passed away a month later at age 69.

Connor, a volunteer at the school since 1989, was instrumental in building a sustainable athletic and football booster club. His efforts also helped established a yearly scholarship fund for a male and female at the high school.

Connor, too, served as the ‘Voice of the Gators,’ calling the action of every Friday night home game for nearly two decades, and creating catchphrases, such as ‘a gaggle of Gators.’

An area business owner and Land O’ Lakes resident since 1982, Connor operated Taco John’s on the corner of State Road 54 and U.S. 41, as well as Beef O’ Brady’s in Wilderness Lakes. He was also noted for being a key part of the early successes of the Flapjack Festival and, later, in helping to create the Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest.

Academy at the Lakes wins its second straight football title
Following last year’s historic eight-man state title run, questions swirled about how the Academy at the Lakes football program would handle a newfound target on its back and the loss of several impactful players.

The team responded with aplomb— finishing with a perfect 10-0 record and winning its second straight eight-man state title, downing Miami Citi Christian Academy Fire 36-18 in the Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) championship game on Dec. 8, at Southeastern University in Lakeland.

In contrast to last year’s Wildcats team that relied heavily on do-it-all running back/linebacker Daniel Gonzalez — the  2017 Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) Heisman Trophy winner — the 2018 squad was forced to play together in all phases of the game.

Filled with new faces and inexperience at some positions, the Wildcats proved to be greater than the sum of its parts, winning games by way of stout defense and timely offense.

The Wildcats, too, showed their share of resiliency throughout the season.

For instance, they withstood a nagging early season injury to senior tailback Jamaal Johnson, who was expected to be one of the most dynamic players on offense; instead, he was only able to play bits and pieces of games from mid-October through the end of the season.

Meanwhile, in the playoffs, the Wildcats overcame a 16-0 halftime deficit in the state semifinals game against Duval Charter, ripping off 27 unanswered points to send them to the state championship game. The state title game also proved to be a test of mettle, as the Wildcats held onto a 22-18 lead late into the fourth quarter before pulling away for good.

Here’s a rundown of some other notable highlights throughout 2018:

  • Zephyrhills shuffleboard great Earl Ball surpasses 1,000 career points
  • Steinbrenner High School baseball coach John Crumbley enters the Florida High School Athletic Hall of Fame
  • Gaither High School alum/Florida International University quarterback Alex McGough is drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft
  • Land O’ Lakes High School’s Sydny Nasello wins Class 3A Player of the Year, and is named a 2018 Miss Soccer finalist
  • Saint Leo men’s lacrosse becomes the state’s first lacrosse program to make a national championship appearance
  • Carrollwood Day School varsity baseball reaches program’s first state final four
  • Academy at the Lakes varsity baseball celebrates its first winning season
  • Land O’ Lakes High School is one of three Pasco Schools named a Special Olympics National Banner Unified Champion School
  • Land O’ Lakes youth resident Brett Swanbom wins a world championship as a member of the 2018 U.S. Junior Barefoot Water Ski Team
  • Sunlake High School girls swimming & diving team unseats Land O’ Lakes High School to win the 2018 Sunshine Athletic Conference Championships
  • Former Gaither High School/current Hillsborough High School football coach Earl Garcia becomes all-time winningest coach in Tampa Bay
  • Wiregrass Ranch junior linebacker Dylan Ridolph sets the Pasco County record for career sacks, with 37
  • Longtime Sunlake High School football coach Bill Browning retires following a 29-year head coaching career throughout the North Suncoast
  • Zephyrhills High School football records an undefeated 10-0 regular season
  • Wesley Chapel High School basketball coach Doug Greseth wins 500th career game

Published December 26, 2018

Prep football midseason review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Earl Garcia (File)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published September 26, 2018

Prep football primer

By

With high school football practices in full swing and games beginning Aug. 24, here’s a look at teams, players and games to watch as the 2018 season unfolds, for programs in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Teams to watch:

Academy at the Lakes will aim to defend its FCAPPS eight-man state title. (File)

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats
The defending Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools’ (FCAPPs) eight-man champions — who also went 11-1 — appear to be in line for another solid campaign, even with the exodus of a handful of top players such as running back/linebacker Daniel Gonzalez, receiver Isaiah Smith and defensive back Jordan Oladokun, who transferred to Gaither High School for his sophomore season.

The talent cupboard isn’t completely bare, with a roster that includes a combined 17 juniors and seniors. Along with FCAPPS Coach of the Year Shawn Brown, the Wildcats return a handful of All-Conference or All-State players in sophomore quarterback Jalen Brown, sophomore offensive lineman Andrew Kilfoyl and senior defensive lineman Dylan Price. Also expect significant contributions from senior tailback Jamaal Johnson (1,093 all-purpose yards, nine touchdowns) and senior tight end/defensive end Tioma Stepanets (221 yards, four touchdowns; 52 tackles, four sacks).

New Land O’ Lakes head coach Chad Walker looks to steer the Gators to its first winning season since 2013.

Land O’ Lakes High Gators
The Gators will look to secure its first winning season since 2013, under new head coach Chad Walker. The 34-year-old played professional football in Italy and Sweden, and spent several years as a college assistant, before delving into the high school coaching ranks. Walker inherits a sizable roster that includes 1,000-yard rusher Kyle Leivas and leading tackler Myron Bloom (76 tackles, five tackles for loss). Aside from those senior standouts, the Gators must find consistent quarterback play and additional offensive contributors.

The schedule doesn’t offer a ton of favors for the new Gators coaching staff. A tough district slate includes Mitchell and Springstead, along with other formidable opponents, such as Anclote, Hernando, and Lakeland Christian — each of which had winning seasons last year.

Wiregrass Ranch High Bulls
Wiregrass Ranch will have to move on from having one of the county’s most highly recruited football prospects in years — defensive back Jordan Miner, now at Penn State — plus a bevy of top contributors on offense such as 1,000-yard rusher Adrian Thomas, now at Division III Thiel College (Greenville, Pennsylvania).

The Bulls, however, should have enough reinforcements in place for a third straight winning season, after going 9-3 last year and 7-4 in 2016 under head coach Mark Kantor.

Incumbent quarterback Grant Sessums returns for his senior year after throwing for 1,483 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. Other key returnees include senior receiver/defensive back Dorien Green, senior defensive lineman Kasean Ridgel, and junior linebacker Dylan Ridolph, who tallied 89 tackles, and led the team in sacks (15) and tackles for loss (23). Also expect contributions from several up-and-coming players who’ll move up from a junior varsity team that went 6-1 last season.

Coming off a 10-2 mark and District 8-5A crown, Zephyrhills High could be in store for another dominant season.

Zephyrhills High Bulldogs
Zephyrhills fans will have to get used to rooting for a new quarterback, following the graduation of Charles Harrison III — who became one of the county’s most prolific signal callers in his three years as a starter.

Luckily for the Bulldogs, whoever takes snaps certainly won’t lack throwing options, with arguably the region’s top receiving corps — seniors Ja’Quan Sheppard (35 catches, 797 yards, 13 touchdowns), Tre’ Pavis Mobley (41 receptions, 640 yards, 10 touchdowns) Cartrell Strong (25 receptions, 410 yards, four touchdowns) and Tyreese Wigfall (15 receptions, 286 yards, seven touchdowns). Another constant is third-year head coach Nick Carroll, who’s tactfully built off the sustained success of former coach Reggie Roberts, going 10-2 and 8-3 his first two seasons, respectfully. With a collection of Division I and college talent, don’t be surprised if the program secures its eighth straight winning season. Last year the Bulldogs outscored opponents by a margin of 562-209 and went undefeated in District 8-5A. That included several blowouts against the likes of Sunlake (36-7), Ridgewood (59-7), Fivay (70-0), Gulf (70-0), Hudson (63-0) and Pasco (43-13).

Zephyrhills Christian Academy’s Malik Jones (Courtesy of Zephyrhills Christian Academy)

Zephyrhills Christian Academy
The Warriors have transitioned to 11-man football under head coach Mike Smith, going 8-3-1, 7-2 and 4-4 the past three years, respectively. Now coming off a playoff appearance in the Class 2A ranks, the team figures to have another big season, as 24 of its 27 players are juniors or seniors. Among that senior group, on offense, is starting quarterback Jacoby Braxton, leading receiver Kavbion Marbra, and Javion Hanner, who tallied over 1,000 all-purpose yards and led all skill players with 10 touchdowns. Meanwhile, on defense, most contributors return to a unit that last season allowed fewer than nine points per game and racked up 51 sacks and 16 interceptions. Among the standouts are Marbra (five interceptions at cornerback) and defensive end/linebacker Jalen Spencer (21 sacks). The team’s second-leading tackler from last season, Eugene Davis (94 total tackles), also returns.

Five more players to watch:

Chris Butash, quarterback, Carrollwood Day School, senior
The skinny: Butash, who lives in Wesley Chapel and formerly attended Academy at the Lakes, is coming off a season where he threw for 2,088 yards and 18 touchdowns/15 interceptions, and rushed for 570 yards and six touchdowns. Verbal commit to Division I FCS Holy Cross (Worcester, Massachusetts).

Darrion Robinson, receiver, Pasco High School, junior
The skinny: Coming off a breakout season where he caught 25 balls for 577 yards and eight touchdowns. His 23.1 yards per reception ranked tops in Pasco County.

Malik Jones, offensive/defensive lineman, Zephyrhills Christian Academy, junior
The skinny: The 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman is an intimidating force on both sides of the trenches, particularly on defense posting 60 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and four sacks last season. A multisport athlete, Jones is also one of the state’s top heavyweight wrestlers, finishing third at the 2018 FHSAA Class 1A State Championship in March. Holds a scholarship offer from Division III Mount Union (Alliance, Ohio).

Freedom High’s Jeremiah Ashe (Courtesy of Freedom High School)

Jeremiah Ashe, receiver/safety, Freedom High School, senior
The skinny: Formidable two-way player that snagged six interceptions on defense, while posting 945 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns on offense. Claims over a dozen Division I FBS offers, including Cincinnati, South Florida and Rutgers universities.

Jeromy Reid, running back, Gaither High School, senior
The skinny: Rushed for 1,110 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Tallied five 100-yard games, including a monstrous 267-yard, two touchdown performance against Brandon High early last season. Holds Division I FBS offers from Western Kentucky and South Florida universities.

Games to watch:

Wiregrass Ranch at Zephyrhills  (Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m.) — Two of Pasco County’s top squads last year square off in the first week of the 2018 season.

Sunlake at Land O’ Lakes (Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m.) — The annual “Butter Bowl” rivalry has been one-sided of late — Sunlake has won eight straight (including one via forfeit in 2011) — but Land O’ Lakes figures to be more competitive with the matchup on its home turf and the Seahawks coming off an uncharacteristic losing season (4-6 in 2017).

Zephyrhills at Pasco (Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.) — The annual 9-Mile War may be more heated after Pasco head coach Tom McHugh this summer accused Zephyrhills’ coaches of recruiting improprieties, based on a July letter sent to Pasco County athletic director Matt Wicks. While the Pirates lead the all-time series 40-20, Zephyrhills has won the past three contests by a combined 138-29.

Zephyrhills Christian at Victory Christian (Lakeland) (Oct. 5, 7 p.m.) — The Warriors seek to avenge its 12-0 loss in the first round of last year’s FHSAA Class 2A playoffs.

Gaither at Wiregrass Ranch (Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m.) — Matchup could decide the District 8-7A runner-up — as it has the past two years — assuming Plant High repeats as district champs.

Schools in Laker/Lutz News Coverage Area (and their 2017 records)

Hillsborough County:
Carrollwood Day School Patriots (Class 2A-Region 3): 2-7 overall, 1-2 district
Freedom High School Patriots (Class 7A-Region 8): 3-6 overall, 2-4 district
Gaither High School Cowboys (Class 7A-Region 8): 7-4 overall, 5-1 district
Steinbrenner High School Warriors (Class 8A-Region 6): 2-7 overall, 1-5 district

Pasco County:
Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man Florida Christian Region 2): 11-1 overall, 7-0 district
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent-Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC): 3-7 overall, 2-2 district
Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (Class 4A-Region 3): 0-11 overall, 0-0 district
Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (Class 6A-Region 6): 4-5 overall, 1-3 district
Pasco High School Pirates (Class 6A-Region 6): 4-7 overall, 0-4 district
Sunlake High School Seahawks (Class 6A-Region 6): 4-6 overall, 2-2 district
Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (Class 5A-Region 8): 6-4 overall, 4-3 district
Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (Class 7A-Region 8): 9-3 overall, 4-2 district
Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (Class 5A-Region 8): 10-2 overall, 7-0 district
Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (Class 2A-Region 2): 8-3 overall, 0-1 district

Published August 15, 2018

Local sprinter wins state title, has promising future

By

It took an injury playing football for Evan Miller to unleash his potential at the track.

Miller, from Zephyrhills Christian Academy, recently captured the Class 1A boys 100-meter dash title in a blistering 10.75 seconds at the Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships at the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy senior Evan Miller won first place in the 1A boys 100-meter dash in 10.75 seconds at this month’s Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships. Courtesy of Erica Miller)

Moreover, the senior was the final leg of the school’s gold-medal winning 4×100-meter relay team that scorched the competition with a 42.10 second mark — joining junior NyJohn Moody, sophomore Tyler Davis and senior Calvin Samuel.

Those marked the only first-place finishes at the state meet among athletes from The Laker/Lutz News Coverage area.

The event was held May 4 and May 5.

For Miller, the memorable showing has been a year in the making.

Last summer, the multisport athlete suffered a broken ankle during a 7-on-7 football tournament.

The injury forced Miller, a standout defensive back, to miss several games in the fall as a member of the Zephyrhills Christian Academy varsity football team.

Unable to hit the gridiron, Miller hit the starting blocks instead, as part of his rehabilitation process.

“It was like an epiphany, ‘Well, we could do track,’ to help work him back into shape,” said his mother and track coach Erica Miller. “He still always had his eye on football, but we just didn’t really realize he was that good at track, so it kind of fell into place.

“For him now, a year later (after the injury) to be state champ, that’s awesome; miraculous, really,” she said.

Though Miller ran track his freshman year (then for Wiregrass Ranch High School) and for Zephyrhills Christian Academy as a junior, the speedster admitted this was the first time he really began to seriously train for the sport. His focus on it intensified after his football-related setback.

Around December, Miller linked up with AAU track coach and personal trainer BB Roberts, who runs the Wesley Chapel-based Speed Starz Track Club, and lists NFL and MLB athletes as training clientele.

Roberts, a former track star in his own right at Wesley Chapel High School and Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College, worked to correct Miller’s running form and technique, among other tips.

Miller explained: “He helped me with my start. My start was something I really needed to work on — coming off the blocks. And then sprinting, finishing the race. He taught me transitions through the race. It’s not just getting from point ‘A’ to point ‘B,’ there’s a transition, a drive phase, all that stuff…”

The fixtures shaved Miller’s 100-meter personal record from a still-impressive 11.2 to a 10.69 — which he set at the Steinbrenner High Invitational in early April.

Meanwhile, Miller’s time of 10.75 second in the state finals bested a 10.77-second effort from the second-place finisher, Community School of Naples senior Alex Murphey. The next fastest time in the 1A finals was a 10.98.

Miller no doubt believed in himself at the event.

“I was very confident,” Miller said, “because it wasn’t that I was much faster, but every meet I was placing either first or second, so I was very confident going into states and regionals, knowing I’ll be able to win.”

He added: “I was ready to run that day. I went into the finals with the mindset of, ‘I’m going to get a gold medal. I’m going to get first place. I’m not accepting under that.’ So, it felt good to cross the finish line, at first. And, it had me in a good mood for the 4×100 (relay) as well, because that was the next race.”

Miller is also proud to represent his small school — which has about 250 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade — in just its second year offering a boys and girls track & field program.

A budding program, Zephyrhills Christian Academy also reached states last year and came home with gold in the boys 4×100 relay (43.3 seconds). That relay squad featured Miller, Samuel, Jevan Smith and Dominic Moses.

“It’s kinda cool. Since last year was actually our first year ever running track and actually made it to states, it feels good to bring attention to the school for track,” Miller said.

Aside from natural ability and learning to master sprinting fundamentals, Roberts credits Miller’s motivation, determination and never-give-up attitude as reasons for the prep sprinter’s all-but immediate success.

“He had will. He had the potential,” Roberts said. “It wasn’t magic or anything like that. He was willing to listen, willing to learn, willing to take criticism. He came out the very first track meet, and I saw him and I said, ‘Hey, let’s work on this.’ Every other track meet we’d work on something else, until we perfected it.”

Miller just turned 17 and plans to compete in football and track at Warner University, in Lake Wales.

A state title in hand, perhaps Miller’s next goal is supplanting Roberts’ own 100-meter best of 10.64 seconds.

“I’m going to get him past that. I want him to be better than me,” said Roberts, noting he could see Miller reach the 10.4s by July.

The track star has other bold aspirations in sight, too.

Miller explained: “I’m looking to chop down my time as much as I can, maybe even try out for the Olympics. My parents were talking to me about the 2020 Olympics, maybe getting in that if I get my time down, in time. But, I’m just going to keep running track in college, see where I can get from that.”

Roberts acknowledged such a goal is attainable for Miller, with athletic bloodlines to further tap into. Along with his mother who ran track in high school, his father, Selvesta Miller, played football at the University of South Carolina and also had a stint with the Miami Dolphins, as a linebacker/defensive end.

“He can go far,” Roberts said. “He’s definitely an amazing kid, and I’m excited for what the future holds for him.”

2018 FHSAA Track & Field Championships

Results of top finishers in T he Laker/Lutz News Coverage area, for Classes 1A-4A:
1A
Boys
Team(s)
Zephyrhills Christian Academy (tied for 7th out of 57 schools)
Carrollwood Day School (48th)

100-meter dash
1st place: Evan Miller, Zephyrhills Christian Academy (10.75 seconds)

110-meter hurdles
6th place: Seth Cribben, Carrollwood Day School (15.44 seconds)

4×100-meter relay
1st place: Zephyrhills Christian Academy—NyJohn Moody, Tyler Davis, Calvin Samuel, Evan Miller (42.10 seconds)

Triple Jump
9th place: Kavion Mabra, Zephyrhills Christian Academy (12.93 meters)
23rd: Christopher Sheppard III, Carrollwood Day School (11.45 meters)

Girls
Team(s)
Carrollwood Day School (31st out of 48 schools)

Pole Vault
4th place-tied: Hailey Crow, Carrollwood Day School (3.00 meters)

2A
Boys
Team(s)
Zephyrhills High School (tied for 30th out of 55 schools)

Long Jump
8th place: Cartrell Strong, Zephyrhills (6.66 meters)

Triple Jump
5th place: Cartrell Strong, Zephyrhills (13.49 meters)

3A
Boys
Land O’ Lakes High School (tied for 23rd out of 54 schools)
Wesley Chapel High School (tied for 23rd)
Pasco High School (tied for 36th)

100-meter dash
3rd place: Isaiah Bolden, Wesley Chapel (10.75 seconds)

200-meter dash
7th place: Isaiah Bolden, Wesley Chapel (23.07 seconds)

400-meter dash
4th place: Mario Watson, Pasco (48.52 seconds)

3200-meter run
19th place: Alejandro Michel, Freedom (10:11.77 minutes)

4×800-meter relay
16th place: Land O’ Lakes—Adam Hahn, Josiah Pineda, Joseph Pineda, Alex Normandia (8:21.95 minutes)

Pole Vault
2nd place: Tucker Brace, Land O’ Lakes (4.65 meters)

Shot Put
11th place: Gregory Zellers, Sunlake (15.21 meters)
23rd: Thomas Calta, Land O’ Lakes (13.40 meters)

Girls
Gaither High School (tied for 17th place out of 46 schools)
Sunlake High School (tied for 32nd)
Land O’ Lakes High School (46th)

100-meter dash
4th place: LaSarah Hargove, Gaither (11.95 seconds)

200-meter dash
4th place: LaSarah Hargrove, Gaither (24.00 seconds)

1600-meter run
20th place: Natalie Abernathy, Land O’ Lakes (5:27.76 minutes)

3200-meter run
8th place: Natalie Abernathy, Land O’ Lakes (11:15.71 minutes)
24th: Shannon Gordy, Sunlake (12:47.54 minutes)

Long Jump
6th place: Arielle Boone, Sunlake (5.43 meters)
20th: Gianna Levy, Sunlake (4.89 meters)

Triple Jump
13th place: Arielle Boone, Sunlake (11.05 meters)

Shot Put
7th place: Lauryn Beacham, Sunlake (11.20 meters)

Discus
19th: Keyvyn Stinyard, Pasco, (29.54 meters)

4A
Boys
Steinbrenner High School (44th place out of 52 schools)

4×800-meter relay
18th place: Steinbrenner—Marcus Quinones, McCrea Weller, Zachary Harrigan, Zachary Whitmer (8:18.78 minutes)

Girls
Steinbrenner High School (tied for 18th place out of 53 schools)

400-meter dash
6th place: Ken’naria Gadson (56.77 seconds)

1600-meter run
15th place: Sophia Piniella, Steinbrenner (5:17.97 minutes)
18th: Alexandra Staumann, Steinbrenner (5:22.61 minutes)

3200-meter run
8th place: Sophia Piniella, Steinbrenner (11.07. 57 minutes)

4×400-meter relay
9th place: Steinbrenner—Natalie Brown, Serena Gadson, Ken’naria Gadson, Dana Elkalazani (3:58.15 minutes)

Long Jump
10th place: Ashley Allen, Steinbrenner (5.23 meters)

Pole Vault
10th place: Ashlyn Ludovici, Steinbrenner (3.15 meters)

Triple Jump
9th place: Sara Grofter, Steinbrenner (11.07 meters)
16th: Harmony Shellman, Steinbrenner (10.45 meters)

Published May 16, 2018

Expanded playoffs, other changes on tap for high school football

By

An expanded playoff format and other changes are likely headed to Florida high school football next season.

During the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Athletic Director Advisory Committee (ADAC) meeting earlier this month, the group endorsed a handful of proposals that would affect the sport beginning this fall.

The first would be to add two more teams from each region to the state playoffs for Classes 1A-4A.

Under the FHSAA’s revamped playoff system implemented for the first time last season, four teams in each of the four regions qualified for the postseason based on points.

This year, six teams would qualify, with the top two seeds earning byes into the second round — thus increasing the playoffs from 16 to 24 teams.

Small schools like Zephyrhills Christian Academy could benefit from the FHSAA’s playoff expansion proposal for high school football. (Courtesy of Zephyrhlls Christian Academy Athletics)

The proposed changes are an effort to allow more teams to qualify for the playoffs, and also give the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds the opportunity to play a home game, thereby increasing revenue for their schools.

The FHSAA’s Board of Directors will vote to implement the change at its Jan. 29 meeting. If approved, the rule takes effect this fall.

The FHSAA’s Football Coaches Advisory Committee previously voted unanimously to recommend the increase in the number of Classes 1A-4A teams advancing to the postseason from each region.

The FHSAA passed the original playoff system in September 2016, as a measure to base football postseason berths on a points system in Classes 1A-4A, rewarding teams for winning records and strength of schedule; Classes 5A-8A are still in districts and eight teams in four regions get into the playoffs.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy (Class 2A) was the only small school from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area to make the playoffs last season. The team, which was a No. 4 seed, lost in the first round.

Other small schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area that could be affected by the playoff expansion format are Carrollwood Day School (Class 2A) and Cypress Creek Middle High School (Class 4A).

The ADAC also endorsed several other football-related changes:

  • To clearly define the FHSAA’s procedures for postponed and interrupted games. For example, if a game is interrupted due to weather, teams will effectively be required to finish the following day or set up a mutually agreed-upon date by 9 a.m. the next day. The final procedures are expected to be modified before August, in order to be enforced for the 2018 season.
  • To increase points for a “high-quality” loss. Starting this fall, 35 points will be awarded for losing to a Category 1 team (previously 30). The five-point increase also applies for losses to Category 2 (30), 3 (25) and 4 (20) teams.

The measure ensures a loss to a Category 1 team (8-2 record or better) is the same as beating a Category 4 team (0-10 to 3-7 record). There was a five-point discrepancy before, allowing teams to play lesser teams and be rewarded more than playing and losing to a top team. Category 1 teams are those that won 80 percent or more of their games; Category 2 teams won at least 60 percent of their games, but no more than 79 percent; Category 3 teams won at least 40 percent of their games, but no more than 59 percent; and Category 4 teams won less than 39 percent of their games.

  • To approve a 40-second play clockpending approval by the National Federation of State High School Associations. The rationale is to make every game more uniform in that each referee has the ability to speed up or slow down a game. There would be parameters to move to a 25-second play clock following penalties, on kickoffs and so on.

FHSAA rules changes are imminent in several other sports, too.

  • Swimming & Diving: The committee agreed to allow the FHSAA to create guidelines regarding pay structure for schools to follow. Lastly, the ADAC voted to have a minimum of four officials at the state swimming & diving meet.
  • Cross Country: The ADAC approved two action items that will next go before the Cross Country Advisory Committee this December. The first approval was to allow the use of watches with GPS capabilities during all cross-country meets. The final item supported was awarding the top-15 placing runners at the state meet.
  • Track & Field: The ADAC accepted the Track & Field Advisory Committee’s recommendation to add javelin to the state series in 2020. The rule change will reappear in front of the Track & Field Advisory Committee this May.
  • Golf: The ADAC voted to extend golf’s regular season from 14 contests to 16 contests. The FHSAA Board of Directors will vote on this as an action item in the near future.

Published January 24, 2018

Pasco all-star football game on tap for Dec. 7

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It’s back.

Football fans again will be able to see Pasco County’s top senior football players face off on one field, at the 2017 Pasco County East-West Classic.

The third annual all-star showcase is slated for Dec. 7 at 7 p.m., at Sunlake Field, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The game, organized by the Pasco County Fellowship of Christian Athletes, features the top senior players from each of the 15 public high schools in Pasco County.

It provides one last chance to perform in front of college recruiters, many of whom attend the game from across the Southeast region.

The game also has proven to be a hit among fans, drawing more than 2,000 attendees its first two years. The series is tied 1-1.

Players on the East team will represent Land O’ Lakes, Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Pasco, Bishop McLaughlin and Zephyrhills Christian Academy.

Players on the West team will represent River Ridge, Ridgewood, Mitchell, Anclote, Hudson, Fivay, Gulf and Sunlake.

Athletes from the newly opened Cypress Creek Middle High will be represented in next year’s game, as the school doesn’t have a 2017-2018 senior class.

Rosters were selected last month in a “draft day” format, where high school coaches bantered and bartered, doing their best to present their athletes as worthy of a spot. After much deliberation, all-star teams were whittled down to the best 40 players in the East and best 40 players in the West.

An all-star cheerleader team also has been assembled for the showcase. As part of the festivities, cheerleaders will participate in an awards dinner banquet, which will include a special guest speaker.

Tickets for the game are $10. For information, visit PascoAllStarGame.com.

East team:
Bishop McLaughlin
Carson Borak, Caleb Chesnut, Shane Haynes, Julio Herrera, Michael Keough

Land O’ Lakes
Xavier Arroyo, Justin Collier, Guston Farr, Matthew Geiger, Taylor Winn

Pasco High
Luke Kohlhof, Cody Mercer, Cameron Smith, Gavin Sowell, Zach Williams

Wesley Chapel
Dexter Leverett, Malik Melvin, Chaz Neal, Matt Severson, Justin Trapnell, Austen Wittish

Wiregrass Ranch
Daniel Biglow, Jacob Hill, Kwesi Littlejohn, Chase Oliver, Alex Sherman, Adrian Thomas

Zephyrhills Christian
Jordan Hyppolite, DJ Jackson, Evan Miller, Alonzo Sampson, Calvin Samuel, Dwight Thomas

Zephyrhills High
Kameron Allen, Charles Harrison, Zac Masci, Elijah Thomas, Cameron Tucker, Sterlin Williams

West team:
Anclote
Riley Curry, Tim Dallaire, Ryan Flint, John Leto, Jessy Schooler, Deontrae Stacey, Kristopher Valley, Noah Winens

Fivay
Tyler Austin, Jessy Schooler

Gulf
John Jukas, Kevin Powell, Marquice Victor

Hudson
Trey Doran, Shane Monn, Ceith Rivera, Oshea Spahr

Mitchell
Canyon Albergo, Mychael Hamilton, Stephaun Peters, Adam Rodgers, Chris Thomas, Garrett Wiwi

Ridgewood
Terrance Lake, Aaron McCarthy

River Ridge
Thomas Carrano. Dio Defalco, Anthony Grassi, Anthony Kendall, Mikey Russos, Bryce Smith, Tanner Smith, Jason Utegg, Austin Vellucci, Michael Webster

Sunlake
Jeremiah Baker, Bryant Beacham, Dylan Bradley, Justice Goodloe, Adam Jarvis

East coaches
Head Coach: Tico Hernandez (Bishop McLaughlin)
Nick Carroll (Zephyrhills High)
Brian Colding (Pasco High)
Tony Egan (Wesley Chapel)
Tyler Farr (Land O’ Lakes)
John Grone (Wiregrass Ranch)
Sly Miller (Zephyrhills Christian)

West coaches
Head Coach: Ryan Benjamin (River Ridge)
Matt Kingsley (Anclote)
Mark Feldman (Mitchell)
Will Fulmer (Ridgewood)
Jason Grain (Gulf)
Tim Hicks (Hudson)
Matt Durchik (Fivay)
Trey Burdick (Sunlake)

All-Star cheerleaders
East team:

Bishop McLaughlin
Piper Gotsch, Elizabeth Kantor

Land O’ Lakes
Claire Goltermann, Hope Wainraich

Pasco High
Alyssa Rodriguez-Urich, Emily Weiser

Wesley Chapel
Chloe Covington, Taylor Waton

Wiregrass Ranch
Korbett Canady, Kati Helton

Zephyrhills Christian
Kylee Ramos

East coaches
Lisa Booker (Pasco High)

West team:
Anclote
Amber Grambling, Samantha Wibirt

Fivay
Sharona Campbell

Hudson
Chris Kennedy, Faith Schuller

Mitchell
Brie Chamberlin, Sarah Shannon

Ridgewood
Madison Clark, Raeanna Wipert

River Ridge
Krysten Hart, Samantha Quinn

West coaches
Cody Baer (Ridgewood)
Chelsea Hatcher (Hudson)

Published November 8, 2017

Prep football mid-season review

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With the midway point of the 2017 prep football season recently passing by, here’s a look at some noteworthy teams and players in The Laker/Lutz News coverage.

Best team: Zephyrhills High Bulldogs (6-1 overall, 5-0 district)

The Zephyrhills Bulldogs have been dominant under second-year head coach Nick Carroll. (File)

Aside from an early season hiccup to Wiregrass Ranch (31-to-29 loss), the Bulldogs have planted themselves as one of the top — and most electrifying— teams in the Tampa Bay area, under second-year head coach Nick Carroll. Look no further than its balanced, yet potent offense, which is averaging 49 points and nearly 400 total yards per game.

And, Zephyrhills now stands alone at the top of District 8-5A after securing a 38-35 win over River Ridge on Oct. 13 — ending the Knights’ 23-game district win steak that spanned back to 2013.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs’ toughest remaining game is an Oct. 20 road matchup against Wesley Chapel (6-2 overall), which has won two straight games since the departure of its top player, senior cornerback Isaiah Bolden. (Bolden was dismissed from the team on Oct. 4 due to undisclosed reasons).

Should Zephyrhills win two more contests this season, it will mark the fourth consecutive year the program has won eight games.

Consideration for best team also given to: Gaither Cowboys, Wesley Chapel High Wildcats, Wiregrass Ranch Bulls, Zephyrhills Christian Warriors

 

Biggest surprise: Gaither High Cowboys (5-2 overall, 4-1 district)

The Gaither High Cowboys are looking for their first winning season since 2014. (Courtesy of Gaither High football)

The Cowboys have utilized an explosive running game (280 rushing yards per game, 7.7 yards per carry) and suffocating defense (13 points per game allowed) to become one of the toughest teams to face in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. Quite a feat, considering the Cowboys entered the season with just five seniors for first-year head coach Kirk Karsen.

Expectations this season were relatively tame, moreover, following the graduations of two Division I talents — linebackers Decalon Brooks and Estefano Feliciano — and top offensive playmaker in TJ Williams. Standout quarterback Gavin Denboer’s offseason transfer to Alonso High School didn’t help the team’s preseason outlook, either.

Though several of Gaither’s wins have come against struggling teams, the Cowboys quieted doubters after a convincing 23-13 win over Wiregrass Ranch on Oct. 6. In that game, the Cowboys rushed for a combined 259 yards, while garnering four sacks and forcing three turnovers.

With three regular season games remaining, the Cowboys look to secure its first winning season since 2014.

Consideration for biggest surprise also given to: Pasco High Pirates

 

Biggest slide: Sunlake High Seahawks (3-4 overall, 2-1 district)
While Sunlake was expected to be in rebuilding mode this season, it’s still startling to see a losing

Sunlake running back Bryant Beacham has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the Seawhawks. (File)

record attached to the historically dominant program, under longtime head coach Bill Browning.

The Seahawks have had to mold a new quarterback and several starters, both on defense and at multiple skill positions.

A brutal regular season schedule hasn’t offered many favors, either.

Sunlake’s first three contests were against Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Wiregrass Ranch high schools — who have a combined 18-4 overall record.

And, it doesn’t get any easier, with road dates remaining against Mitchell High (7-0 overall) and River Ridge High(4-3 overall).

The Seahawks, meanwhile, will need to win two of its last three games to prevent suffering its first losing season since 2009. From 2010 to 2016, the Seahawks went a combined 60-16.

Disappointing season aside, Seahwawks fans have been able to witness one of the county’s top offensive playmakers, in running back Bryant Beacham. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior is averaging over 100 yards per game to go along with nine rushing touchdowns. He’s also on pace to become the program’s first single-season 1,000-yard rusher since 2014, when then-senior Nathan Johnson tallied 1,088 yards.

 

Five who’ve shined:

  • Charles Harrison III, senior quarterback, Zephyrhills High Bulldogs
    The three-year starter is arguably the county’s top signal-caller, tossing 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions, to go with a 62 percent completion rate.
  • Jordan Miner, senior cornerback/wide receiver, Wiregrass Ranch High Bulls
    The Penn State signee and four-star prospect has lived up to the hype as a jack-of-all-trades, making key contributions on offense (424 yards), defense (25 tackles, two interceptions, seven passes defensed) and special teams (125 return yards).
  • Austen Wittish, senior linebacker, Wesley Chapel High Wildcats
    The 6-foot, 195-pound inside linebacker ranks among the state’s top tacklers (104 total tackles), to go along with five sacks.
  • Darrion Robinson, sophomore wide receiver, Pasco High Pirates
    The young 5-foot-11 wideout has quickly developed into one of the county’s most productive receivers, tallying 17 receptions for 412 yards and eight touchdowns.
  • Jeromy Reid, junior running back, Gaither High Cowboys
    The 5-foot-11, 190-pound tailback is having a breakout campaign, pacing all of District 8-7A with 863 rushing yards (123 yards per game, 9.5 yards per carry) and six touchdowns.Team records:
    The Laker/Lutz News coverage area includes the following schools from Hillsborough and Pasco counties:

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

    Freedom High School Patriots (Class 7A-Region 8): (2-5 overall, 1-3 district)

    Gaither High School Cowboys (Class 7A-Region 8): (5-2 overall, 4-1 district)

    Steinbrenner High School Warriors (Class 8A-Region 6): (2-5 overall, 1-3 district)

    Wharton High School Wildcats (Class 7A-Region 8): (2-5 overall, 1-3 district)

    Pasco:
    Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (8-man-Florida Christian Region 2): (5-1 overall, 5-0 district)

    Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent-Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC): (3-4 overall, 2-2 district)

    Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (Class 4A-Region 3): (1-6 overall, 0-0 district)

    Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (Class 6A-Region 6): (2-4 overall, 0-2 district)

    Pasco High School Pirates (Class 6A-Region 6): (4-4 overall, 0-2 district)

    Sunlake High School Seahawks (Class 6A-Region 6): (3-4 overall, 2-1 district)

    Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (Class 5A-Region 8): (6-2 overall, 4-1 district)

    Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (Class 7A-Region 8): (6-1 overall, 3-1 district)

    Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (Class 5A-Region 8): (6-1 overall, 5-0 district)

    Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (Class 2A-Region 2): (6-1-1 overall, 0-1 district)

–Stats compiled from Maxpreps.com—

Published Oct. 18, 2017

Locals shining in college football

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With the college football season in full swing, dozens of players from Pasco County can be seen showcasing their skills on Saturdays throughout the fall. Nearly 50 players from east Pasco are a part of various programs at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Series (FCS) levels, Division II, Division III National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and Junior College.

Three to watch:

(Courtesy of Rutgers University)

Janarion Grant; Rutgers University; senior wide receiver
The former Pasco High School star has proved himself a dynamic all-purpose playmaker at the Division I level ever since stepping foot on the Rutgers campus. Besides one of the program’s receiving leaders this season (12 receptions, 113 yards through three games), the fifth-year senior is tied for the NCAA all-time record for kick/punt return touchdowns with eight. At 5-10, 178 pounds, Grant is often praised for his elusiveness and straight-line speed — qualities that may make him a highly sought special teamer priority in the NFL.

The speedster was granted a medical redshirt for this season after he underwent broken ankle surgery last September and missed the final eight games of the 2016 season.

Grant had an illustrious career at Pasco High School, where he set the county record with 77 career touchdowns. In his final two prep seasons, Grant was part of Pirates squads that reached the Class 5A state final four in 2011 and made a regional final appearance in 2012.

(Courtesy of Samford University)

Shaheed Salmon; Samford University; senior linebacker
Salmon was one of 97 players selected in July to the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team. Thus far, the sturdy 6-foot-2, 232-pound Land O’ Lakes High School product has lived up to the hype, ranking among the nation’s leaders in tackles per game (10.3).

That production has some outlets coining him a legitimate NFL prospect.

He had his breakout campaign last season, where he started 11 games at linebacker and finished second on the team with 93 tackles, including 50 solo stops.

Salmon graduated from Land O’ Lakes High in 2014. He led the Gators in tackles (117), tackles for loss (21.5) and sacks (8.5) as a senior, and earned third team All-State, and first team All-County and All-Conference honors.

(Courtesy of Charleston Southern University)

Shane Bucenell; Charleston Southern University; sophomore quarterback
Bucenell earned Charleston Southern’s starting quarterback out of camp after he went 6-2 as a starter last season, passing for 1,100 yards and a Big South Conference-leading 15 touchdowns. Besides arm talent, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder redshirt sophomore also is a viable threat with his legs — he rushed for 325 yards and four touchdowns in 2016.

In three games this season, Bucenell has passed for 396 yards and three touchdowns, with a 52 percent completion rate.

Bucenell graduated from Wiregrass Ranch High School in 2015. He became the school’s career touchdown passing leader, and set school records for passing yards and completions in a single game. He also was a standout in baseball and track throughout his high school career.

Here’s a running tally of known Pasco County players from The Laker/Lutz News coverage currently competing at the next level:

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School

  • Patrick Beatty (defensive back) — Luther College (Decorah, Iowa)
  • Scott Edwards (defensive back) – Luther College
  • Marc Herrera (linebacker) — Malone University (Canton, Ohio)
  • Joe Mastrino (wide receiver) – Lyon College (Batesville, Arkansas)
  • RJ Perciavalle (defensive back) — Washington and Lee (Lexington, Virginia)
  • William Potosky (tight end) — University of Southern Mississippi
  • Luis Valentin (wide receiver) – Ave Maria University

Land O’ Lakes High School

  • Joshua Brown (cornerback) – Warner University (Lake Wales)
  • Spencer Childress (quarterback) – Lyon College
  • Andy Dowler (punter/kicker)— Geneva College (Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania)
  • Jordan Ferrante (linebacker/defensive lineman) – William Jewell College (Liberty, Missouri)
  • Liam Heaney (tight end)— Black Hills State University (Spearfish, South Dakota)
  • Dylan Hothenthaner (kicker) – Indiana State University
  • Cedric Lowe (linebacker) – Huntingdon College (Montgomery, Alabama)
  • Shaheed Salmon (linebacker) — Samford University (Homewood, Alabama)
  • Larenz Scroggins (running back) – Jacksonville University
  • Quentin Smith (wide receiver/running back) – Malone University
  • Ethan Weilant (wide receiver) — William Jewell College

Pasco High School

  • Janarion Grant (wide receiver)— Rutgers University (Piscataway, New Jersey)
  • Jayvaughn Myers (defensive back) – Auburn University (Alabama)

Sunlake High School

  • Tommy Berrios (defensive back)—Southern Virginia University
  • Joseph Jean-Baptiste (defensive back) – University of West Florida
  • Tyler Peretti (wide receiver)—Southeastern University (Lakeland)
  • Chris Williams (defensive back)— Ohio Wesleyan University
  • Austin Yeloushan (linebacker)— Jacksonville University

Wesley Chapel High School

  • Ellrie Allen (safety)— Florida A&M University
  • Kyle Brown (defensive back) — Beloit College (Wisconsin)
  • Davon Henry (wide receiver) — Missouri Valley College
  • Angel Ramos (linebacker) – Missouri Valley College
  • Na’im Smith (offensive lineman) — North Park University (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Jacob Thomas (quarterback) — Mars Hill University (North Carolina)

Wiregrass Ranch High School

  • Taylor Bleistein (wide receiver) — Hanover College (Indiana)
  • Elijah Brooks-Davis (defensive lineman)—Sewanee University (Tennessee)
  • Dylan Bryan (wide receiver/linebacker) — Ave Maria University
  • Shane Bucenell (quarterback) — Charleston Southern University (South Carolina)
  • Chris Faddoul (punter) — Florida A&M University
  • Vinnie Haider (offensive lineman/defensive lineman)— Sterling College (Kansas)
  • John Harris-Scott (safety) — Trine University (Angola, Indiana)
  • Evan Hogan (offensive lineman)—Keiser University (Fort Lauderdale)
  • Mark Hutchinson (wide receiver) — Florida International University
  • Brandon Mosley (defensive back) — Feather River Community College (Quincy, California)
  • Jason Winston (defensive lineman) — Stetson University (Deland)

Zephyrhills High School

  • Jaylen Pickett (linebacker) — Eastern Michigan University
  • Antwione Sims (running back/safety)— United States Naval Academy (Annapolis, Maryland)

Zephyrhills Christian Academy

  • Serion Bellamy (running back) — Shorter University (Rome, Georgia)
  • Mykh’ael Chavis (running back) — Minnesota State College
  • Matt Iovine (quarterback) — Minnesota State College

Published September 27, 2017