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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes High School

Land O’ Lakes teen preps for first Muay Thai fights

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Fifteen-year-old Stephanie Whipple didn’t know anyone when she moved to Land O’ Lakes from Aurora, Illinois, last December.

While Whipple, now a sophomore at Land O’ Lakes High School, was saying goodbye to the freezing Midwest winters in favor of the more enjoyable subtropical climate, she would also leave behind her childhood friends and family members.

To help her transition with her new Florida surroundings, her mother, Jenni, encouraged her to enroll in classes at Koh Muay Thai, 6450 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

“I actually didn’t even know what it was,” Whipple said. “A friend back home did boxing for fun, and I was like, ‘Oh, that seems cool,’ but I never actually thought I’d do anything like it.

“I was really, really nervous to start. I was like, ‘Oh no, this is going to be terrible, I’m going to be terrible,’ and then once I started, it was like a click.

“I automatically was in love with it.”

Stephanie Whipple was named Koh Muay Thai’s Athlete of the Month for April. She is undergoing her Level-1 Blue Shorts testing and is gearing up for two sanctioned fights over the summer. (Courtesy of Jenni Whipple)
Stephanie Whipple was named Koh Muay Thai’s Athlete of the Month for April. She is undergoing her Level-1 Blue Shorts testing and is gearing up for two sanctioned fights over the summer.
(Courtesy of Jenni Whipple)

As opposed to boxing or (MMA) Mixed Martial Arts, the concept of ‘respect’ within Muay Thai intrigued her.

“You respect your trainers, you respect your opponent, you respect your peers, and that’s really the thing that got me,” Whipple said.

“When you walk in here, there’s a feeling that people will accept you…even if you’re fighting against somebody. It’s not like if you were to do dirty fighting or boxing or something, where they kind of bad-mouth you.”

Her immediate embrace of the combat sport helped skyrocket her development as she begins testing for her Level 1 Blue Shorts, a process that typically takes most fighters nine months to a year.

“Stephanie is incredible,” said Melisa Male, operations manager of Koh Muay Thai. “All she does is she works. She comes in here, she focuses, she trains. Every day, she’s pushing herself to be better and perfect her skills.

“Stephanie has put in so much work that she has fast-tracked and has become the fastest developed student since we opened.”

To reach Level 1-status, Whipple must undergo a rigorous fitness test that combines strength, endurance and toughness.

The fitness test entails 10 minutes of continuous jumping rope, 60 pushups, 60 half-spring ups, 200 skip knees (kneeing a free-standing punching bag) and 10 pull-ups.

She will also have to sustain two rounds in the ring with her Kru (trainer) and perform the Wai Khru, a traditional Thailand dance performed before fights as a show of respect.

“It’s a pretty tough test, but what’s awesome is once they pass, they can start sparring,” Male said. “You don’t just come in and start sparring — you have to earn it. That gives them the opportunity to try their skills out with somebody else in the ring.

“The strength and conditioning of Muay Thai training is probably the most intensive, rigorous strength and conditioning you can get,” Male added.

In preparing for the test, Whipple trains at Koh Muay Thai six days a week, working with head trainer Ben Marrs anywhere from two to four hours in a session.

The dedication and extra training has paid off, as she’s transformed her body, packing on 10 pounds of muscle to her 114-pound frame.

“She’s gained muscle, she’s stronger. It’s come very quickly to her,” Male said.

“I never had abs before, and now I have them, which is super cool,” said Whipple, a former competitive swimmer. “It’s helping more than just physically, it’s helping emotionally.”

As Whipple prepares for the Level 1 assessment, the Land O’ Lakes High sophomore is also gearing up for her first two sanctioned fights this summer.

She’s slated to compete in the Amateur Fight Night 29 full-contact kickboxing and MMA event in St. Petersburg on June 18, and the 2016 IFK (International Kickboxing Federation) World Classic Muay Thai-Kickboxing Championship from July 22 to July 24 in Orlando.

While a bit nervous at the prospect of fighting so quickly after starting the sport, Whipple is looking forward to the opportunity to display her in-ring skills.

“I know because of Ben — he’s a really great trainer — and he knows when I’m ready or if I’m not ready. He wouldn’t put me in the fights if I was not ready,” said Whipple, whose nickname is ‘The Human Torch’ because her skin “turns red” when she spars with others at Koh Muay Thai.

While Whipple has been told that she could one day fight professionally in Thailand, she has another career path in mind.

“I want to go into science and become a forensic science technician, but I actually love (Muay Thai) and want to do it, too,” she explained. “I really do want to fight, but I don’t want to go the professional (route), I’m fine with staying (as an) amateur.”

Published April 27, 2016

Land O’ Lakes baseball’s memorable season ends

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It was a case of too little, too late.

The Land O’ Lakes High School’s Gators’ baseball team’s memorable season came to an end on April 19, after an upset loss to the Zephyrhills High School’s Bulldogs in the Class 6A, District 7 semifinals at Pasco High.

The score was 3-2.

The Gators entered the game with a 20-4 record and an unblemished 10-0 mark in district play, before falling to a Bulldogs team that hadn’t won a district game in nine years.

However, the Gators didn’t have much of an answer when matched up against Zephyrhills senior right-hander Riley McClellan (2.49 ERA), who held the Gators to four hits in the game. McClellan did not allow a run until the seventh inning, when Land O’ Lakes junior outfielder Brayden Lyman hit a two-run home run. But, it was not enough to overcome the Bulldogs, who amassed eight hits and three runs against Land O’ Lakes senior righty and High Point (North Carolina) University signee Kirby Osborn.

Despite an impressive overall record, the Gators were somewhat reeling down the stretch of the regular season with non-district losses to Sunlake High (2-0) on April 8 and Fivay High (4-3) on April 12.

Armed with two of Pasco County’s best pitchers in Osborn (0.84 ERA, 76 strikeouts) and junior right-hander McCabe Sargent (0.48 ERA, 55 strikeouts), the Gators had their eyes set on a deep playoff run, with state championship aspirations.

“We had something a lot of teams didn’t have—two really good pitchers,” Gators coach Jeff May said. “Pitching was definitely our backbone. It wasn’t because of our hitting.”

With a team .273 batting average that lacked power hitters—Land O’ Lakes hit two home runs all season— the Gators often would get just enough hits to win a ballgame.

Though the Gators had a .83 win percentage, several of the team’s victories were by small margins. Of the team’s 20 wins, seven of them were by two runs or fewer.

May acknowledged a lot of those games “really could’ve gone either way in the end.”

Oftentimes, the Gators struggled to put runs on the board, placing additional pressure on the pitching staff. They scored three runs or fewer in 10 games, including the loss to Zephyrhills—a team they had beaten twice this season.

“That’s been our problem all season, and it came back to bite us,” May said about the team’s dearth of offense throughout the season.

Their season ends on a sour note, and short of their lofty postseason expectations, but the Gators expect to be one of Pasco’s better teams in 2017.

They will lose productive seniors in Osborn, catcher Jake Weber and outfielder Austin Forest, but much of the team’s key pieces return, including Sargent, shortstop Max Law (.389, six doubles, 14 RBIs) and second baseman Dustin Harris (.354, 21 runs scored). Pitcher Troy Klemm (1.81 ERA in 27 innings pitched), a lanky 6-foot-5 right-hander, also figures to emerge as the No. 2 pitcher after Sargent next season.

The Gators certainly won’t lack experience, as the roster is expected to feature more than a dozen seniors in 2017.

There’s always next year:
The Land O’ Lakes Gators figure to be one of the more senior-laden teams in the area next season, with more than a dozen seniors expected to be on the 2017 varsity roster.
Key Returnees:

  • Pitcher/Third Baseman Lance McCabe Sargent
  • Shortstop Max Law
  • Second baseman Dustin Harris
  • Pitcher Taylor Klemm

Key Departures:

  • Pitcher Kirby Osborn
  • Outfielder Austin Forest
  • Catcher Jake Weber

Published April 26, 2016

 

 

Land O’ Lakes in line for bus service

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Land O’ Lakes is experiencing unprecedented growth as more residential and commercial ventures pop up, especially northward along U.S. 41. But, one item that isn’t seen in the area is public bus transit.

Pasco County commissioners are preparing to change that by adding a circulator bus route to its list of capital improvement projects for fiscal year 2017.

On April 12, commissioners directed staff members to craft a business plan for operating the route.

A circulator public bus route on U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes will be considered for funding in fiscal year 2017. (Courtesy of Pasco County)
A circulator public bus route on U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes will be considered for funding in fiscal year 2017.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

Commissioners will review the proposal, along with other projects, when they begin discussions in summer for the 2017 budget.

Estimated costs for the route include an annual operating budget of about $300,000, plus a one-time purchase of a bus at a cost of about $110,000.

The circulator route currently is on the county’s unfunded capital improvement list. Funding for the circulator route could come from the county’s tax increment financing, which directs a portion of property tax revenues to community-based projects.

“We are getting a lot of requests from Land O’ Lakes,” said Philip Pumphrey, the county’s public transportation manager.

The proposed route would have stops on North Dale Mabry Highway at Target and Walmart.

Moving north along U.S. 41, bus stops would include the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Department of Health, Land O’ Lakes Community Center, the post office, Wilderness Commons Plaza, Land O’ Lakes High School, the Pasco County school district headquarters, and the detention center.

Buses also would follow a loop east on State Road 54 to Collier Commons and the Land O’ Lakes library.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore suggested adding as many stops as possible at government buildings.

“I think about how this is a major corridor, and we don’t have services there. The area is growing by leaps and bounds. Now we have a chance to correct that and make something happen,” he said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader likes the concept, but he wants to see cost data on this and other proposed projects.

“Before I support this, I want to know exactly what is going to be impacted,” he said. “I just want to make it clear this commissioner has concerns about where the money is going to come from. I do have concerns when we start talking about cutting other capital concerns.”

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano looked ahead to the potential for the route to connect to bus service in Hernando County. “I think that’s a huge opportunity as well,” he said. “This line is so important to the future.”

Bus routes along State Road 54, and in the Moon Lake area of New Port Richey, will see more immediate improvements with the arrival of new buses.

Two-hour waits between buses will drop to one hour on State Road 54 on July 18. The Moon Lake area also will get expanded service on Dec. 5.

Published April 20, 2016

A dominant ‘Sargent’ on the mound

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Land O’ Lakes High School junior Lance McCabe Sargent admits that if you watched him throw two years ago, you’d never expect him to be one of Tampa’s top prep pitchers.

“I didn’t have the best mechanics,” said Sargent, who doubles as the Gators’ starting third baseman. “When I’d go in from third (base) to pitch, I’d be all around the place, just kind of poor mechanics. I’d just go on the mound and throw because I had a pretty decent arm, so I’d just sling it.”

Lance McCabe Sargent has the lowest ERA (0.49) in Pasco County. His presence on the mound is one reason why Land O’ Lakes High School stands at 19-3 overall. (Photos courtesy of Lorraine Sargent)
Lance McCabe Sargent has the lowest ERA (0.49) in Pasco County. His presence on the mound is one reason why Land O’ Lakes High School stands at 19-3 overall.
(Photos courtesy of Lorraine Sargent)

Through 43 innings, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hander boasts a miniscule 0.49 ERA — the best mark in Pasco County — making him one of the area’s toughest pitchers to face.

Though he’s always had a powerful arm, the Land O’ Lakes coaching staff wasn’t quite sure they had a pitching gem on their hands, until the start of the season.

“Their first words to me were, ‘Why haven’t you told me you could pitch before? Why haven’t you asked me to throw in the bullpen?’” said Sargent, who’s in his first year pitching on the varsity level after throwing extensively in summer travel ball.

“We had an idea he was a pitcher, but he didn’t pitch at all last year,” said Land O’ Lakes head coach Jeff May. “We didn’t know how good of a pitcher he was going to be — we just knew that he had a very good arm. He was a little wild when he first came up with us, but…as he’s gotten bigger and stronger, he’s been throwing harder, and it kind of dawned on us, ‘Hey, let’s give him a shot,’ and he’s performed really well.”

Sargent’s path to success this year began in the offseason and over the summer. He worked extensively with Tampa-based pitching instructor Anthony Telford, a former MLB middle reliever who spent parts of 10 seasons playing for the Baltimore Orioles, Montreal Expos and Texas Rangers throughout the ’90s and early ’00s.

Telford focused on improving Sargent’s pitching motion and follow-through, which has allowed the Land O’ Lakes standout to increase his fastball velocity from 82 mph to 89 mph, paving the way for a dominating junior season.

Once his senior year rolls around, Telford wouldn’t be surprised to see Sargent’s fastball velocity increase even further, perhaps reaching the low-to-mid 90s.

In addition to his duties on the mound, Sargent is the starting third baseman for the Land O’ Lakes Gators.
In addition to his duties on the mound, Sargent is the starting third baseman for the Land O’ Lakes Gators.

“He’s certainly strong enough,” Telford said. His arm action works real well — he has the athletic ability. What we focused on mostly with McCabe was just the mechanics…. of trying to get him to be able to throw the ball in the strike zone consistently.

“There’s a lot more development. He’s got the physical ability, and the thing that he does the best is he loves to compete,” Telford added.

In addition to a blazing fastball, Sargent is equipped with a curveball, slider and changeup — which he uses to keep opposing hitters off-balance.

“On the lower part of the lineup, I throw more changeups just to not waste the curveball,” said Sargent, who models his game after New York Mets all-star pitcher Jacob deGrom. “In the 3, 4 and 5 hole, I’ll mix in a curveball, because they’re a little bit better hitters.”

The difference in pitch speed between his “violent” fastball and changeup has allowed Sargent to be virtually unhittable, and roll through opposing lineups with ease in the process.

“When you throw harder, it’s going to make your off-speed pitches that much better, and he’s got a very good off-speed pitch, too,” his varsity coach said. “It’s a good one-two punch.”

“He’s got a natural ability that you can’t teach a lot of guys, which when you’re a coach, you’re immediately drawn to it,” May added. “He’s in the learning curve right now of becoming a good pitcher; he’s got the tools, and he’s (still) learning the game of pitching, too.”

Sargent’s current stats and high ceiling have already caught the eyes of several major Division I collegiate baseball programs, including the University of Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, Alabama A&M, Stetson University, Radford (Virginia) University and High Point (North Carolina) University.

As he manages the extra attention — getting inundated with phone calls and messages from college coaches — Sargent is trying to stay focused on the task at hand: leading Land O’ Lakes (20-3) through a deep playoff run.

Beyond that, the right-hander has a more ambitious long-term goal in mind.

“My main goal has always been to play in the big leagues,” he said. “Since I was a little kid, that’s what I grew up wanting to do.”

Lance McCabe Sargent
Land O’ Lakes junior starting pitcher and third baseman
Pitching Stats: 43 innings pitched, 3 complete games, 7 wins, 0.49 ERA, 53 strikeouts, .137 opponent batting average
Batting Stats: .394 batting average, 1 home run, 6 extra base hits, 17 runs, 16 RBIs
Travel Club: Orlando Scorpions
College interest: University of Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, Alabama A&M, Stetson University, Radford (Virginia) University and High Point (North Carolina) University.
MLB pitching comparison: New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom

Published April 20, 2016

Land O’ Lakes softball primed for deep playoff run

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Land O’ Lakes High School softball coach Mitchell Wilkins is taking things “one game at a time.”

Despite wrapping up a marvelous regular season (24-2-1), the third-year coach is trying not to get ahead of himself in looking at the pathway to a state title, though he knows his team matches up well against most opponents.

Head Coach Mitch Wilkins has led the Gators to two straight 20-win seasons. The team will compete in the Class 6A FHSAA regionals, starting April 20. (Courtesy of Land O' Lakes Football)
Head Coach Mitch Wilkins has led the Gators to two straight 20-win seasons. The team will compete in the Class 6A FHSAA regionals, starting April 20.
(Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes Football)

The Gators are rolling into the playoffs as one of the state’s hottest teams—reeling off 15 straight wins, many by large margins of victory.

“I think we’re set,” the third-year coach said. “I have in my mind how I want to approach as we go through regionals.”

To win the Class 6A FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) state title, the Gators will have to win five straight games in the process, starting on April 20.

But, Wilkins is careful not to look too far ahead.

“I can’t be distracted by that, because we know what happened last year—we lost in the second round at the districts semifinals and didn’t get to go any further — so we have to look at each game and figure out what’s the best approach for that game before we start looking at a state championship.”

After finishing 24-3 last season—district semifinals’ hiccup aside— Wilkins knew he had an established team with lofty expectations entering the 2016 season.

“We knew we had good players, but we wanted to see how they matched up — and so far so good,” Wilkins said. “We’re really happy with what we have, not only one through nine, but we’ve got weapons on the bench that I can put in and feel just as comfortable having play.”

One player that Wilkins is always comfortable playing is senior ace pitcher Shannon Saile (four no-hitters, 0.66 ERA), who’s struck out 221 batters —which ranks fifth in the state. Her ability to throw all her pitches—fastball, curveball, screwball, riseball— in each quadrant of the strike zone has made the FIU (Florida International University) softball commit a nightmare for opposing hitters.

“She’s been a monster,” her coach said. “She hits both sides of the plate. …She loves to pitch at the bottom of the strike zone.

“She gets a lot of swinging strikes—pitches out of the zone—because the (opposing) girls know they have to be ready and swing early, because she throws so hard.”

Averaging more than two strikeouts for every inning pitched, Saile’s presence in the circle has taken a significant burden off of the team’s defense, Wilkins said.

“Defensively, when I only have to account for one out an inning — that is such a blessing,” the Gators coach said. “That takes a lot of stress off our defense. The most stressful thing they have is waiting to see if somebody’s going to hit the ball and put it in play. …They have to stay on the balls of their feet the whole time, if somebody does hit it.”

Giving the Gators additional assurance heading into the postseason is the emergence of several young players, including two-way freshmen Callie Turner and Shelby Westbrook, and sophomores Brianna Lindner, Ashley Smith and Tia Williams.

“We have a good mixture of youth and veterans,” Wilkins said, noting eight of the team’s 14 players will earn their first varsity letter. “This year, we are better pitching, but we haven’t hit quite as well as we did last year—but we haven’t needed to. In the same respect, we’ve played better competition this year.”

That “better competition” includes Springstead (24-1)— a team the Gators fell to 1-0 in extra innings in the season opener—whom Land O’ Lakes may rematch if both teams reach the regional finals.

“We know they’ve made some improvements since then, and we’ve made some improvements since then, so it’ll probably be a little bit different game,” Wilkins said, adding, “we’re confident we can play with them.”

“We feel — especially with Shannon pitching and our defense, and the emerging offense from our sophomore starters — that we can compete with anybody in the state.”

Land O’ Lakes Gators softball
Head Coach: Mitchell Wilkins (3rd year)
Record: 24-2-1
Player to watch: Senior pitcher Shannon Saile (15-2 W-L, 0.66 ERA, 221 Ks, four no-hitters)

“Shannon’s been great. She’s done everything we’ve asked her to do and more. She elevated her game a couple summers ago when she realized she had the opportunity to be the No. 1 pitcher. She added some miles per hour to her pitching speed and worked on her different pitches to be that dominant pitcher. She has worked hard to become that.” –Coach Mitchell Wilkins

Sophomore sluggers: Brianna Lindner (.375 avg., 4 HRs, 26 RB)
Tia Williams (.463 avg., 4HRs, 30 RBI)
Ashley Smith (.443 avg., 2 HR, 16 RBI)
X-Factor: Freshman Shelby Westbrook (29 runs scored, 16 stolen bases)

“Shelby has really emerged as a weapon just with her speed. She creates a lot of havoc when she’s on base. All she has to do is put the ball in play, and it’s a really good opportunity for her to get on base.” –Coach Mitchell Wilkins

Published April 20, 2016

Band trailer gets a whole new look

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The Land O’Lakes High School band trailer was in desperate need of repair.

Not only was it wearing down after 25 years of continual use, but there was also a gaping hole in the trailer’s side panel — the result of a parking lot accident last October.

In simple terms, the beaten-up trailer was an eyesore and in dire need of a paint job.

While a new trailer would have been great, there wasn’t $6,000 in the school’s budget to buy one.

Riley Batts, in his first year instructing the band, found the situation a bit perplexing.

The trailer was involved in a parking lot accident last October, creating a gash in the side panel. The exterior’s paint was wearing off, too. (Courtesy of Jeanine Womack)
The trailer was involved in a parking lot accident last October, creating a gash in the side panel. The exterior’s paint was wearing off, too.
(Courtesy of Jeanine Womack)

“I never expected my trailer to get into an accident the first year I’ve been teaching here,” Batts said with a chuckle. “I had no idea what to do. I wasn’t sure how or when it was going to get fixed.”

Then, a band member’s parent stepped in to help solve the problem.

John Womack — whose daughter, Morgan is a freshman alto saxophone player — offered to try to repair the decrepit trailer.

Initially, Womack and his father-in-law, John Jones, were planning to repair the side panel and add a fresh coat of paint.

But then, they went a step further.

“I just kind of started off with the idea of redoing it,” said Womack, a sergeant with the Tampa Police Department. “The idea was just to fix what it was, and try to repaint it. I wasn’t going to go and do nearly the stuff that we did.”

But, with several connections in the community, Womack was able to secure material and service donations from local businesses including Eddie’s Auto Paint and Body, Meredith Tire and Auto, and Sign Parrot.

Besides the priority repairs, other improvements were made, too. New lights were installed, both inside and outside the trailer. Carpet, shelving and netting for instruments also were installed in the trailer’s interior. A spare tire mount was built, too.

Though Womack helped coordinate the trailer’s massive overhaul, he is quick to deflect the credit to the three businesses.

The refurbished trailer has new, bold decals and sparkling blue paint. (Courtesy of Riley Batts)
The refurbished trailer has new, bold decals and sparkling blue paint.
(Photos courtesy of Riley Batts)

“Most of it was done by the outside,” he said. “The only thing I did that was super intensive was we couldn’t find anything to take those old decals off, so we had to pressure-wash all of those decals off; I got like 17 hours of pressure-washing under me.”

The Land O’ Lakes band instructor was awestruck by all the improvements, calling them “mind-blowing.”

“I didn’t expect that. They said they were just going to take it in to get the side fixed from the crash,” said Batts, who oversees about 85 band members.

They also improved the trailer’s security, Batts said.

“They put new locks on everything, which is awesome, because anyone probably could’ve broken into the old one, and we have thousands of dollars’ worth of instruments on that (trailer).”

Batts is especially impressed by the trailer’s exterior, which features fresh, extravagant school decals to complement the surrounding sparkling blue coloring.

“The whole outside looks amazing. People seeing that on the road are going to be like, ‘Wow, Land O’ Lakes Band is awesome,’” she said.

Perhaps the most critical new feature is the interior lighting that was installed so band members, especially percussion students, can safely load heavy equipment after a nighttime event.

The inside of the trailer features new lighting, shelving, carpeting and netting.
The inside of the trailer features new lighting, shelving, carpeting and netting.

“After football games at midnight, these kids were putting away instruments and trying to play Tetris,” she said, comparing it to the video game about creating order. They were moving large instruments, without the benefit of lights, she said, forcing students to rely on the lights on their cellphones to maneuver the equipment.

When band students were first introduced to the revamped trailer, many thought the school had purchased a new one — considering its pristine appearance.

“It came out as a surprise, and my jaw literally dropped,” said sophomore Jacob Barber, who’s in the drum line. “It was just so nice.”

Phoebe Dunne, a sophomore snare player, said the refurbishments have made fellow members more eager to start the next marching season.

“I think it just shows off more of what the band is,” Dunne said. “We’re more cheerful.”

Sophomore marimba player Sydney Crino said band members appreciate the overhaul.

“It really means a lot to my section, because we have really big instruments, and we have to use the trailer; it’s so hard to load it when you can’t see what you’re doing or the walls are falling off and everything,” she said. “I really think it’s going to help with our school spirit, because we’re not going to be embarrassed about it anymore.”

Published April 13, 2016

Land O’ Lakes coach notches 400th win

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Land O’ Lakes boys basketball coach Dave Puhlaski got his 400th career win when the Gators defeated Sunlake High 76-40 on Feb. 3.

Many expected the longtime coach to reach the milestone on Jan. 29, when his team held a sizeable 20-point halftime lead over River Ridge, but the Gators collapsed and ultimately lost in overtime, 57-55.

Land O’ Lakes boys basketball coach Dave Puhlaski won his 400th career game on Feb. 3. He’s been coaching at the school for 27 years. (Courtesy of Ted Poore)
Land O’ Lakes boys basketball coach Dave Puhlaski won his 400th career game on Feb. 3. He’s been coaching at the school for 27 years.
(Courtesy of Tedd Poore)

“I thought we might get it then and could focus on the district (tournament) totally, but it didn’t work out,” said Puhlaski, who’s in his 27th season as head coach at Land O’ Lakes.

While a 400th win is an impressive coaching milestone, Puhlaski deflected credit for his accomplishment —instead praising his players, assistant coaches and his wife, Erika.

“It’s just been the combination of a lot of good players over a lot of years and a lot of good assistant coaches,” he said. “And, my wife — she’s been at every win and every loss — she’s been an integral part of it.

“It just means I’ve been around for a long time,” he added.

While Land O’ Lakes (14-9) enjoyed a 36-point victory over Sunlake (0-17), the Gators trailed 15-12 at the end of the first quarter in the Class 6A, District 8 semifinal.

“We were trying to do too much in the first quarter,” said senior guard Taddeus Dixon. “The team just came together and said, ‘We have to (work) together and not individually.’”

Puhlaski said both defensive breakdowns and turnovers were to blame for the early deficit against an overmatched Sunlake squad.

“They hit a few shots on us, and usually we try to live off our defense, but we weren’t collapsing or pushing the ball to the middle of the floor,” he explained. “We were not gelling.”

After the initial back-and-forth, the Gators pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Seahawks by a 39-15 combined margin in the third and fourth quarter.

“It felt really good for the whole team,” Dixon said about the win and his coach’s milestone. “We always say it’s never over ‘til it’s over.”

Land O’ Lakes athletic director Karen Coss said Puhlaksi’s 400th career win “definitely shows his dedication and his commitment to the school.

“That is one heck of a milestone, that’s for sure,” Coss said.

Puhlaski’s success over the years also can be attributed to his passion and his ability to motivate, said Tedd Poore, who’s had three sons — Max, Jake and Nick — coached by Puhlaski.

“Everybody ‘s real excited for Dave. He’s been an institution in this community for over 20 years,” Poore said. “A lot of kids have come through his program, and he’s been instrumental in advising and guiding boys when they needed it the most.

“He really cares.”

Puhlaski didn’t say how much longer he plans to coach at Land O’ Lakes, but there’s some indication he may stick around at least until his son David Jr., who’s a sophomore, graduates from the school.

Coaches in Pasco County serve on annual contracts, but Coss said she doesn’t foresee any changes occurring with Puhlaski’s role with the program “as long as he’s teaching (physical education) here and wanting to coach here.”

Prior to being named the Land O’ Lakes head coach in 1989, Puhlaski served as an assistant at Ocala Vanguard for three seasons. That was followed by a one-year stint as an assistant at the University of Tampa.

Published February 10, 2016

New Wesley Chapel football coach settling in

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It’s been a while since the Wesley Chapel High School football team has celebrated a winning season—since 2011 to be exact.

Anthony Egan, the new head coach, hopes to change that.

Egan coached both the offensive and defensive line at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey for the past three seasons. He was named the Wildcats’ head coach in early January.

He officially begins working for Wesley Chapel High on Feb. 1 as an autism spectrum disorder specialist.

Anthony Egan was recently named the new head football coach at Wesley Chapel High School. He spent the past three seasons as an assistant offensive/defensive line coach at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey. (Courtesy of Anthony Egan)
Anthony Egan was recently named the new head football coach at Wesley Chapel High School. He spent the past three seasons as an assistant offensive/defensive line coach at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey.
(Courtesy of Anthony Egan)

His first few weeks as Wesley Chapel’s head football coach have been a bit of a challenge logistically, as he’s had to drive from River Ridge to Wesley Chapel to orchestrate the football team’s offseason workouts and conditioning sessions.

Egan replaces Tico Hernandez, who stepped down after three tough seasons at Wesley Chapel, where he finished with a combined record of 4-26.

Despite the football program’s struggles over the past few seasons, Egan is confident he can improve the record, noting the program’s foundation and culture have already been instilled by the previous coaching staff.

“I’ve been checking out some of the talent we have, and I’m pretty excited about the quarterback, some returning running backs, and (we) even have a really good returning running back/linebacker, so I’m excited about coaching the kids that are coming back,” Egan said. “I’ve met the kids, and the kids seem to be excellent kids. …The (coaches) in the past have instilled that character in the kids.”

Quarterback Jacob Thomas, who’ll be a senior next season, is expected to be the centerpiece of the offense after throwing for more than 1,800 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2015.

“That quarterback, J.T., is pretty good, so definitely I’m going to try to give him opportunities,” Egan stated. “If that means running a little bit of the spread (offense), that’s fine, but I definitely want to give him his due opportunities because he was a very good quarterback for (Wesley Chapel) last year.”

While Egan plans to implement some principles of the spread offense to accommodate the skillset of Thomas, he also plans to put his own stamp on the team’s offensive philosophy, with the hope of giving them a better chance to win more regular season games.

“They struggled at times last year when they tried to spread it out and run that type of offense, and I think they’d be a lot closer in some of those games, and maybe have a chance to win some of them at the end, if they’d kept it closer with a little bit more ball control,” said Egan, who’s a former high school offensive lineman. “Maybe by taking a different approach and what I’m going to try to do with the (team), we can try to get the wins up and the losses down.”

Despite a lackluster record in 2015, the Wildcats had opportunities for more wins —losing three games by a margin of 7 points or less, and another by just 12 points.

Besides a different offensive philosophy from the previous coaching staff, Egan will also implement a pressure-oriented, 4-3 defense on the other side of the ball.

“It’s an aggressive, run-stopping defense with a lot of blitzing,” Egan explained. “It’s kind of a newer defense, and I don’t know if a whole lot of people know about it.”

As he transitions to his new post, Egan is also in the process of filling out his coaching staff at Wesley Chapel. He retained both Leon Haynes and JV coach Kudura Douglas from Hernandez’s staff, but is looking to add two, or possibly, three more assistants.

Egan joins a solid list of River Ridge alums who’ve gone on to become high school head football coaches at some point in their careers. The others include Mike Gregory (Tampa Catholic), Ryan Benjamin (River Ridge), Andy Schmitz (Mitchell High School), Brian Wachtel (Land O’Lakes High School) and Justin Fenton (Hudson High School).

Published January 27, 2016

Benefit aims to help college-bound homeless

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Paul Gigante is hoping for a gigantic 50th birthday bash, but the party won’t be merely to celebrate him turning a half-century – it also will benefit homeless high school graduates who are college-bound.

Gigante, who earns his living through his school photography business, said he became aware of the plight of homeless students through his wife’s involvement in Wharton High School’s Parent Teacher Association.

“Our kids are in college now. But, it was brought to my attention a few years ago that there were over 14 homeless high schoolers at Wharton High School,” he said. “It has bothered me for the past number of years.”

Over time, he learned more about the problem, and he decided he would use his 50th birthday party to try to do something to help.

“In Pasco alone, there are 78 homeless high school seniors,” he said.

Paul Gigante poses near the sign for his school photography business, based in Wesley Chapel. He is planning to turn his 50th birthday party into a benefit to help college-bound, homeless students. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Paul Gigante poses near the sign for his school photography business, based in Wesley Chapel. He is planning to turn his 50th birthday party into a benefit to help college-bound, homeless students.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“There are so many levels of homelessness. They could be kicked out of their house. A parent or two parents could be in jail. They could have been abandoned by their parents,” he said.

“There are so many scenarios. They’re living in a car. Or, they’re bouncing from apartment to apartment, staying on friends’ couches. There’s many, many scenarios.

“I don’t need to know all of the scenarios. I just want to know what it is that I can do to help them,” Gigante said.

To make that happen, he enlisted the help of his staff and his friends to organize a fun way to raise money.

The benefit will be on Jan. 24, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Skipper’s Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road in Tampa.

“My goal is $50,000 for my 50th birthday,” Gigante said.

“I’ve assembled three bands, four DJs — and I’m a DJ myself. So, at the end of the entire event, I’m going to be DJ’ing,” he said.

He’s hoping for a big turnout.

“We have a lineup that’s really fun. It’s going to be nonstop entertainment.

“I start off with the USF “Hot” Band. They’re going to have about 30 members there,” he said, noting the band has waived its appearance fee.

Gigante also has the Butch Ryan Band, which is made up of a bunch of band directors from Wharton; they’re going to do classic rock.

“We’re going to have about 20 baskets, everything from pampered chef theme to sports themed to wine theme to IPA beer. There’s going to be a whole bunch of different things,” he said.

Instead of holding a silent auction, he’ll be selling tickets for drawings to see who wins the baskets.

“I’ve invited all of the krewes (of Gasparilla) because I’m part of the krewe life,” he said.

He also has talked to the principals at the 35 to 40 schools where he shoots school photographs, encouraging them to spread the word.

After the party, Gigante plans to accompany a social worker to meet with homeless students who are college-bound to find out how he can help them.

“I could buy shoes. I could buy computers. I could give them out to everyone. But, what if they don’t need that? What if they need rent for 2 ½ months? What if they need food? What if they need clothes? What if they need a laptop? What if they need books?”

He wants to address specific needs.

“I want to make sure that from when they graduate until they start college, they don’t fall off the boat,” Gigante said.

He’s not sure how many students he’ll be able to help, or how much he’ll be able to provide.

He’s going to start with the schools served by his photography business.

In Pasco, those are Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch, Mitchell, Anclote and River Ridge high schools. In Hillsborough, they are Wharton, Jesuit and Steinbrenner high schools.

“This is a one-time deal for me,” said Gigante, who lives in Hunter’s Green.

“It’d be great, if everyone, when they turned 50, would decide to do something like this,” Gigante said.

Homeless benefit
What: Paul Gigante’s 50th birthday bash, including DJs, bands, raffles and 50/50.
Why: To benefit college-bound homeless graduates from Hillsborough and Pasco counties.
Where: Skipper’s Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road in Tampa.
When: Jan. 24 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
How much: Cover charge is a suggested $10 donation, plus a birthday card for Paul Gigante.
For information, contact Paul Gigante at (813) 340-4080.

Published January 13, 2016

LOL girls soccer works hard, aims high and consistently wins

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When a team lets the opponent score 11 goals in soccer, it sounds like the defense is struggling.

But, when those goals occur over a 17-game span, it sounds like a championship defense.

The Land O’ Lakes Gators girls soccer team is seeking a championship, and the defending Class 3A-8 champions are off to a 15-2 start.

Earlier this year, the Gators closed out its previous season in a 2-1 loss in the title game against American Heritage from Plantation.

While some teams might stumble a bit after that kind of loss, Land O’ Lakes has raced to a strong start. Aside from a 3-0 loss to Academy of the Holy Names on Dec. 1 and a 2-3 loss to Mitchell High on Dec. 14, only a handful of their games have been particularly close. And, they have won several of their games by sizable margins.

Coach Vicky King doesn’t see any secret formula to the Gators’ success.

“We work hard. We do have a good bit of talent. They have high expectations,” she said. “We work for everything we get. We know that nothing is given to us.”

That work includes a preseason conditioning program, which ensures that the athletes are in good shape when the first whistle sounds. Many of them also play club soccer, which helps, King said.

Many of them also play on different club teams, which the coach sees as an advantage. The players come together after being exposed to a variety of philosophies and styles of play, and when they play for their high school team, they execute at a high level on the field.

Even bumps in the road can have positive benefits. The loss to the Academy (who was also undefeated) was a lesson that they still have areas that need improvement.

“It was a good game. It was very challenging for us and shows what we need to work on,” King said. “It makes us refocus. If we want to reach our goals and succeed, then we know we have work to do.”

“Work” is a common theme with King. It has built a strong program over her 29 years as the team’s soccer coach, and it’s something she discusses with her players regardless of their opponent or their record at the time. By maintaining that focus, it builds a level of expectation that freshmen and sophomores recognize immediately, and work to meet or exceed from the very beginning.

It also helps maintain impressive records from year to year. Including the two losses this year, the team has lost only six games since the beginning of the 2013-14 season.

With that much success, some coaches might see a return to the state championship game as a likely event, or at least one that has a good chance of happening. But, King lives by the “one game at a time” mentality she preaches to the athletes. Like her players, she takes nothing for granted and only allows that continued success is a possibility if they remain focused and work hard.

“A lot of things can happen. They’re teenagers. Injuries, illness — the cards have to fall just right,” she said.

Those cards tend to fall into place for Land O’ Lakes, but it doesn’t happen with animated yelling or aggressive coaching on game days. The real work is done in practice, King said. If a team is prepared and focused, that should show up on the field. And, with all the players understanding what’s expected of them, most of the pieces are already in place when they step onto the field.

At that point, it’s up to them to execute. With all her success (the team won a state title in 2003) King said it’s ultimately their team, and they understand what it takes to continue the winning legacy of Land O’ Lakes girls soccer.

“I coach the team, but the team belongs to the players,” she said. “It’s their team. They know what our expectations are as far as performance on the field, performance in the classroom and performance in the community.”

The team has two remaining games on its schedule. It plays Pasco High on Jan. 6 at 7:45 p.m., and it plays Tampa Catholic on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.

Published December 30, 2015