The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes High School

Local teen spreads anti-human trafficking awareness

By

Walk through any public middle or high school in Pasco County, and you’re bound to come across impactful posters bringing awareness to the issue of human trafficking.

They’re pretty hard to miss.

Displayed in bright pink and green colors, with large fonts in English and Spanish versions, the posters explain that human trafficking is a crime where someone is forced to work or engage in a commercial sex act against their will. They warn that anyone, especially young people, can be a victim, and that it’s happening in Florida.

These posters, which provide awareness about human sex trafficking, have been placed throughout Pasco County middle and high schools. They were created by Priceless Youth Movement, an anti-human trafficking club at Land O’ Lakes High School. (Courtesy of Makayla Hildebrand)

The posters lists warning signs that someone, particularly a friend or another student, may be involved in human trafficking. They may be a victim if she or he:

  • Often runs away and skips school
  • Has bruises, scars, brands or untreated injuries
  • Is distant from family/friends
  • Has a controlling older boyfriend/girlfriend
  • Suddenly has expensive possessions

The posters informs students on ways to help. They can:

  • Be aware and learn to recognize the signs
  • Immediately report suspected trafficking to your school’s Corporal/SRO(School Resource Officer)
  • Encourage anyone you suspect is being trafficked to talk to a school social worker
  • Provide support; remind your friend that help is available and they are not alone

Contact information for the National Human Trafficking Hotline is listed, too.

The posters were placed in schools this year.

They’re the brainchild of the Priceless Youth Movement, an anti-human trafficking club at Land O’ Lakes High School.

The club also collaborated on the project with the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking and the Pasco County School District.

The club was founded by Makayla Hildebrand, now an 18-year-old freshman at the University of South Florida, studying political science and criminology.

She created the club her senior year of high school, after being moved by the 2016 film, “Priceless,” a drama about human trafficking based on true events.

“I was pretty shocked that I hadn’t known (human trafficking) was something going on,” Hildebrand said. “Before that, I didn’t even know it existed.

“I didn’t know there was something going on this big. That’s when I started looking into it more,” she said.

She figured a poster campaign would be a good way to spread awareness to youth in schools.

Hildebrand and others gathered input from students and youth from the Runaway Alternatives Project (RAP) House in New Port Richey, on designs to best get the messages across.

Something big, bold, and vibrant was suggested.

Makayla Hildebrand founded Priceless Youth Movement her senior year at Land O’ Lakes High School. Now in college, Hildebrand is an active volunteer with the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking, serving as a youth-friendly advocate.

“The main idea behind them, is that we want kids to look at these,” Hildebrand said. “I’m getting feedback that kids are actually noticing them and they know that they’re there, and not just something else that’s hanging on their school wall.”

The posters have since reached recreation centers and courthouses in Pasco.

Many other local organizations have also requested posters, Hildebrand said.

“We’ve had a lot of people ask us for them,” Hildebrand said. “They’re getting around, which we’re really happy about.”

Besides the poster initiative, Hildebrand’s club — which had over a dozen members — also participated in a handful of fundraisers.

They assisted with a supplies drive for Redefining Refuge, a Tampa Bay organization that helps young trafficking victims.

They also partnered with the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, selling T-shirts to raise money for the organization’s safe home for trafficked boys.

And, although Hildebrand has since moved on to college, she remains an active volunteer with the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking.

There, she serves as a youth-friendly voice to what can be sensitive subject matter, human sex trafficking.

“I just want to encourage more kids to get involved and do something about it, that they’re not only priceless, but they’re capable and able to take a stand,” she said.

Human trafficking is a multibillion dollar industry that enslaves approximately 25 million people around the world, according to the Polaris Project, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that works to combat and prevent modern-day slavery and human trafficking.

The United States leads all other countries in the demand for trafficked victims.

Florida ranks No. 3 in the volume of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Published February 13, 2019

Local softball sensations make junior national team

By

They’ve bewildered hundreds of batters.

They’ve won state titles.

They’ve earned state player of the year honors.

They’ve signed with powerhouse Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools.

Academy at the Lakes’ Lexi Kilfoyl and Land O’ Lakes High School’s Callie Turner have raked in their fair share of achievements across their prep fastpitch softball careers.

And, the latest, places the pitching sensations together on the national stage.

Academy at the Lakes senior pitcher and Alabama signee Alexis Kilfoyl is one of just 20 athletes nationwide chosen to the 2019 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Training Team. She also made the team in 2017. (Courtesy of USA Softball)

Kilfoyl and Turner are among just 20 athletes nationwide chosen to the 2019 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Training Team.

The high school seniors made the under-19 team following a three-day tryout in Clearwater in December; they were evaluated by members of the Women’s National Team Selection Committee.

Kilfoyl and Turner represent the only selections from Florida. Others on the roster represent just eight additional states (Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Virginia, Texas).

Both being from Land O’ Lakes — and close friends, at that — makes the prestigious designation that much sweeter.

Kilfoyl and Turner’s friendship began when they played Little League together, and has been forged through high school and travel ball.

The bond is sure to continue, even as college rivals at the University of Alabama and University of Tennessee, respectively.

“We’re just like really close,” said Turner. “I’d probably say she’s one of my best friends with all that stuff.”

“It’s definitely crazy how things worked out,” Kilfoyl said, “because…we’ve been there for each other pretty much our entire softball careers.”

That was the case in point during the national team tryouts.

Kilfoyl, a 6-foot-1 right-hander, made the squad back in 2017 — then the team’s youngest member as a 16-year-old sophomore.

Knowing what to anticipate, Kilfoyl guided Turner throughout the tryout process, calming her nerves.

“She was kind of my mentor,” said Turner, a 5-foot-10 left-hander. “If she wasn’t there, I’d probably be a little bit more uncomfortable but, since she was there, it really helped me with being comfortable.

Alexis Kilfoyl

“It was really like nerve-wracking at the beginning, just because like everyone that was there deserved to be there because of their talent.”

Kilfoyl added, “Being there two years ago, I knew what to expect, so I explained it to her and it helped a little bit more, and she knew what was coming and there were no surprises for her.”

Turner recalls “tears of joy” upon discovering she made the team.

“I was crying,” she said, “just because it was definitely a hard-work experience getting there, so when you find you find out that your hard work actually paid off in some ways, it was really exciting.”

Kilfoyl, meanwhile, felt some added pressure to make the team a second time around as an older, more mature pitcher.

“It was definitely a relief knowing that they wanted me back again,” Kilfoyl said. “Getting the (selection) email was definitely a relief to know that all the hard work paid off.”

Proud to represent their schools, and Land O’ Lakes
“It really isn’t about one person,” Kilfoyl said. “It’s definitely about the whole team and the whole school.”

“I think it did bring a lot of pride,” Turner said. “People are still congratulating me to this day because it’s such an honor.”

Kilfoyl and Turner will compete in a training camp and exhibition games in Columbus, Georgia, at the 2019 USA Softball International Cup, throughout June and July.

The roster then will be trimmed to 17 athletes to participate in the WSBC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) Junior Women’s World Cup, in August, in Irvine, California.

Kilfoyl said the experience back in 2017 helped heighten her overall level of play.

Specifically, because she was practicing alongside the nation’s top talents, facing elite international competition, and getting instruction from renowned Division I college coaches.

“It was very beneficial,” Kilfoyl said. “I really got a feel of like what is expected at that age and how you have to be able to do everything right. You can’t leave balls over the plate when you’re pitching. You have to be able to locate very well, and you have to spin very well.”

Land O’ Lakes High School senior pitcher and Tennessee Callie Turner joins Kilfoyl on the U.S. junior national team. She made the team after a three-day tryout in December.

But, before they go off and compete for the United States this summer, Kilfoyl and Turner are gearing up for their high school softball swan songs.

Kilfoyl posted a 23-1 mark in the circle last season, with a 0.32 earned run average and 249 strikeouts in 154 innings pitched. She guided Academy at the Lakes to a 26-4 record and the Class 2A state championship.

She also produced a .482 batting average with five home runs, 35 RBI, a .585 on-base percentage and a .788 slugging percentage.

The play earned Kilfoyl 2017-2018 Gatorade Florida Softball Player of the Year honors, distinguishing her as the state’s best high school softball player.

Both players aim for continued excellence
Defending the team’s state championship this season is among Kilfoyl’s top priorities in 2019.

She wants the team to make it as far as it did last year.

“Winning a state championship would be crazy again, and I know we’re going to have a huge target on our backs and it’s going to be that much harder, but definitely want to do that again,” she said.

“As far as personal goals, I guess I’d like to push myself a little bit more.

“I definitely want to go into this year pitching every game like it’s a state championship game, striking out as many as I can and just having a bunch of energy,” Kilfoyl said.

Callie Turner

Turner has similar goals in mind.

After winning the Class 6A state crown in 2017, Land O’ Lakes fell just short of another last season. They went 25-7 and finished state runner-up after falling to Plantation American Heritage 5-1 in the Class 6A state championship game in May.

“I definitely want to end up on top this year,” Turner said. “Last year was kind of rough, just not getting over the peak, especially for our seniors.”

The two-time Class 6A Pitcher of the Year and 2018 Class 6A Player of the Year surely did her part for the team.

Turner posted a 17-6 mark with a 0.78 earned run average and 252 strikeouts in 153.1 innings pitched, including 20 complete games, a no-hitter and six shutouts. She also batted .309 and six RBIs in 65 plate appearances

In the quest to win a second state title in three years, Turner is fine-tuning her repertoire of pitches — changeup, curveball, riseball and dropball.

Turner said she wants to “keep on feeling comfortable with my pitches” and “try to get them more consistent.”

“Sometimes they don’t work, and I just want to be able to like rely on the pitches every time,” Turner said, “so just the practice of the basic things is what I really want to work on this season.”

Kilfoyl and Turner will likely match up against each other on April 23, when Academy at the Lakes hosts Land O’ Lakes in a nonconference game.

Published February 6, 2019

Cypress Creek girls soccer finds success in year two

By

They went from one of Pasco’s worst, to one of the firsts.

That’s one way to describe the turnaround the Cypress Creek varsity girls’ soccer team experienced this season.

After winning just three games in its inaugural campaign during the 2017-18 season, the Coyotes this year emerged as one of the county’s top programs.

They finished the season with an 11-4 mark — quite the contrast to last year’s 3-13 finish.

It included wins against such rival schools as Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch, each of whom have fielded top-flight squads over the years.

The Cypress Creek varsity girls soccer team recently won the first conference championship among all sports in school history. (Courtesy of Jennifer Richardson)

In fact, the Coyotes went undefeated against all of its Pasco opponents.

The team’s only defeats came against private schools: Berkeley Prep, Clearwater Central Catholic, Academy of the Holy Names, and a season-ending 1-0 loss in the District 9-2A quarterfinals to Tampa Catholic.

The Coyotes biggest accomplishment, however, was winning the Sunshine Athletic Conference East championship.

It marked the first conference championship for any boys’ or girls’ sport for the second-year Wesley Chapel-based school.

They claimed the title after securing late-season conference wins against Pasco (5-0) and Wiregrass Ranch (2-1), respectively.

“It’s super exciting,” Coyotes second-year head coach Jennifer Richardson said of the conference crown. “It’s a great accomplishment for the team, for the school. The girls were very excited and they knew what was on the line in the last game, and they came and they played hard.”

Said senior sweeper Katelyn Leavines: “It makes me proud that I know I can end my senior year like this, and, like helping the school bring its first conference championship in history…makes me really happy.

She added, “Going from winning three games last year to now being conference champs, it just shows like the dedication that we all have and the hard work that we put in to make it happen.”

So, how exactly did Cypress Creek secure a winning season so quickly?

An influx of talented newcomers — including a group of eight freshman — bolstered a roster that previously lacked much soccer experience.

“Last year we didn’t have as many players that were soccer players. We had people that came out to the team that had never played soccer before, so this year, more people came out to play that had played soccer previously,” Richardson explained.

The most significant addition perhaps was junior goalkeeper Alina Vizza. She joined the team after not playing last year.

Vizza’s contributions can be summed up in the team’s goals allowed per game.

This year the team surrendered less than two goals per game, with three shutouts.

Compare that to last season, when the Coyotes gave up an average of 5.5 goals per game.

“She made a huge difference in our game,” Richardson said. “She’s tall. She knows how to move in the right spot and cut the angles. She wants to win.”

Freshman striker Emily Dominguez was another key addition. She finished the season as one of the team’s top scorers with nine goals.

Meanwhile, the Coyotes returned some experienced playmakers in juniors Raegan Bourne (who led the team in with 12 goals and five assists) and Sophia Mitchell (nine goals).

The new-look squad brought a hard-nosed approach to each game.

“We’re physical players,” Richardson said. “We’re tough, physical players. Our midfield is strong, physical.”

An upbeat mindset and newfound confidence also helped throughout the season’s course, players said.

Leavines put it this way: “Every week we always kept it positive no matter who we were playing, and, we never had an attitude of, ‘Oh, this team’s going to beat us’ or like, ‘Oh. they’re better than us.’ We just kept it positive and knew that we had a chance every single time, and, to just play our hardest.”

Added Dominguez: “It was like after our fifth game, and we kept winning, and all we could think about was winning. so we practiced hard…and it like improved us.”

Losing just three seniors and all but one starter expected to return next season, Cypress Creek figures to be more than just a one-year wonder.

“The majority of our starting team will be back next year, which is good,” Richardson said, “and I know that there’s middle school girls that know how to play that are coming up, so it’s exciting to know for the future that we’re still going to have players for next year, and we’re going to be a contender again.

“I think we shocked a lot of people, because last year we had three wins.”

2018-2019 Cypress Creek girls varsity soccer roster

  • Head coach: Jennifer Richardson
  • Abby Murphy, junior, midfielder
  • Alina Vizza, junior, goalkeeper
  • Anna Margetis, junior, defender
  • Briana Rivera, freshman, midfielder
  • Brianna Sharpe, freshman, midfielder
  • Emily Dominguez, freshman, striker
  • Hailey Canady, freshman, goalkeeper/striker
  • Katelyn Leavines, senior, sweeper
  • Raegan Bourne, junior, forward
  • Riley Copeland, junior, defender
  • Rylee Crawford, freshman, defender
  • Rylie Showalter, freshman, defender
  • Sierra Rivera, senior, midfielder
  • Sofia Ibata, freshman, midfielder
  • Sophia Mitchell, junior, midfielder
  • Tiffany Pike, senior, goalkeeper/defender
  • Ximena Garcia, freshman, midfielder

Game-by-game results for 2018-2019 season
Nov. 12: Gulf (8-1 win)

Nov. 14: Wesley Chapel (3-2 win)

Nov. 15: at Brooke DeBartolo Collegiate (5-0 win)

Nov. 26: Sunlake (3-1 win)

Nov. 27: Berkeley Prep (3-0 loss)

Nov. 29: Tampa Prep (2-1 win)

Dec. 4: Clearwater Central Catholic (4-1 loss)

Dec. 7: at Land O’ Lakes (3-2 win)

Dec. 11: at Fivay (4-2 win)

Dec. 13: at Academy of the Holy Names (8-0 loss)

Jan. 9: at Tampa Prep (1-0 win)

Jan. 11: Tampa Catholic (4-1 win)

Jan: 18: Pasco (5-0 win)

Jan. 22: Wiregrass Ranch (2-1 win)

Jan. 25: District 9-2A quarterfinals Tampa Catholic (1 – 0 loss)

Published January 30, 2019

Pasco High gets new football coach

By

Pasco High School will have a new head football coach roaming the sidelines, for the first time in more than a decade.

The school recently announced its next head coach is Jason Stokes — a coaching mainstay in the Tampa Bay area, most notably at Gaither High School.

Jason Stokes has been named Pasco High School’s football coach. (File)

Stokes, 43, replaces longtime Pasco coach Tom McHugh, who was relieved of his coaching duties following four consecutive losing seasons, including a 2-8 mark this past year.

Stokes most recently coached at Lake Region High School, in Polk County. The perennially struggling program went winless in his lone season there.

Stokes has achieved coaching success elsewhere, however.

In 2017, he served a season as offensive coordinator at Indian Rocks Christian High School, which went 9-3 and reached the 2A regional finals.

He’s best known for his time at Gaither, from 2011 to 2016 — steering that program to playoff appearances in each of his first three seasons. (He later resigned in the middle of the 2016 season after reports surfaced about using ineligible players, which led to three games forfeited that year.)

Before that, Stokes was the head football coach at Bloomingdale (7-5 in 2008) and Middleton (10-10 combined record in 2009-10) high schools.

In taking over for McHugh, Stokes undoubtedly has big shoes to fill.

McHugh compiled an 86-50 mark in 12 seasons, winning six district titles (2007-12) and two regional titles (2008, 2011).

He is the county’s fifth winningest coach in public schools, behind John Benedetto (195 wins at Land O’ Lakes), Tom Fisher (124 wins at Zephyrhills), John Castelamare (103 wins at River Ridge, Mitchell) and Scott Schmitz (94 wins at River Ridge, Mitchell).

McHugh also coached a trio of Pasco players who would go on to the NFL— Josh Johnson, a former San Diego Charger and Jacksonville Jaguar cornerback who now plays for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League; Janarion Grant, a wide receiver currently on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad; and, Joey Ivie, a defensive tackle currently on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.

Yet, the Pirates have struggled in recent years under McHugh, going a combined 10-30 the past four years. Moreover, the program suffered four straight defeats to crosstown foe Zephyrhills High School in the annual 9-Mile War rivalry game, losing those games by an average margin of nearly 40 points.

Despite the difficulties of late, the Pirates do have a young roster stocked with promising players.

That includes linebacker Gabriel Barnes, tailback Malcolm Gibbs, receiver Darrion Robinson and lineman Savion Spaights, who will all be juniors next season, as well as rising seniors in quarterback Desmin Green, defensive back Jordan Mclaughlin and offensive/defensive tackle Cody Rand, among others.

New Sunlake football coach Trey Burdick, left, pictured with former Sunlake all-star linebacker Adam Jarvis. (Courtesy of Trey Burdick)

Meanwhile, Pasco isn’t the only local school to undergo a coaching change this offseason.

In early December, Sunlake High School named assistant Trey Burdick as its next head coach, to replace the now-retired Bill Browning, the only head varsity football coach in the school’s history.

Burdick, 36, has been an assistant at Sunlake since 2008, where he’s coached linebackers, tight ends, special teams, and served as the team’s recruiting coordinator; he’s also been the school’s head track coach for six years, a role he’ll continue as head football coach.

Prior to Sunlake, Burdick was an assistant for two years at Tallahassee Godby High School, working under Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Famer Shelton Crews. He also played football for Tallahassee Lincoln High School, where he was a member of the 1999 6A state championship team.

Sunlake is coming off back-to-back 4-6 marks. Before that, from 2010 to 2016, the Seahawks strung together seven consecutive winning seasons and four playoff appearances.

Published January 16, 2019

New Year in sports offers plenty to watch, experience

By

As we embark on a new year, the sports world within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area promises to deliver plenty to watch, experience, and perhaps appreciate.

Here’s a closer look at some of the happenings in 2019:

One major development will be the progression of new sports facilities throughout East Pasco County  —  whether it’s the end-of-year completion of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex, or the beginning of construction of others like the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center in Zephyrhills and the Christopher N. Chiles Aquatic Center in Land O’ Lakes.

Tied into all that, keep an eye on the initiatives put forth by Visit Pasco, the county’s tourism agency. Since rebranding its slogan to “Florida’s Sports Coast,” the county is looking to become a destination nationwide for youth and amateur sports.

Speaking of amateur sports, the new year is a good time to jump off the couch, get outdoors and pick up a new sport or activity.

AdventHealth Center Ice (formerly Florida Hospital Center Ice) will host several major tournaments in 2019, such as the USA Hockey adult men’s recreational national championships. (File)

The region presents countless opportunities year-round, from adult softball leagues at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, to recreational hockey leagues at AdventHealth Center Ice (formerly Florida Hospital Center Ice) in Wesley Chapel. Many local churches, including Idlewild Baptist Church, Grace Family Church and St. Timothy Catholic Church, offer their own sports leagues for all skill levels, from kickball and basketball, to flag football and soccer.

The cooler, early year temperatures are also a prime time to hit up the myriad of golf courses in Pasco. The St. Leo Abbey Golf Club in San Antonio and Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity are well-regarded, as are the more exclusive 36 holes offered at the Saddlebrook Resort & Spa.

Meantime, the adventure-seeking, fitness-oriented crowd may find it worthwhile to bike the Upper Tampa Bay Trail and the Withlacoochee State Trail; sign up for a Savage Race at Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City; or, partake in Hillsborough County’s annual hiking spree, which includes visiting a number of nature parks and preserves countywide.

Several local churches, such as Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, offer a multitude of recreational sports leagues. (Courtesy of Idlewild Baptist Church)

There’s other fun, outdoor activities to give a try, too.

Exhilaration and excitement can also be found at places like TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park in Dade City and Skydive City in Zephyrhills. Horseback riding at Odessa’s Northwest Equestrian Conservation Park and rifle shooting at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays in Land O’ Lakes create a fun change of pace, in their own right.

Local sporting events are another highlight of the new year.

AdventHealth Center Ice will showcase its fair share. They include the Mrs. Hockey Invite, featuring the top U-12 girls talent from across the world; the 15th annual Toyota-USA Disabled Hockey Festival, the largest disabled hockey event of its kind; and, the USA Hockey adult men’s recreational national championships.

Silver Dollar Shooters Club in Odessa will play host to a series of premier events, including the Florida Hall of Fame Shoot/Silver Dollar Open, the Florida State Trap Shooting Championships, and the Southern Grand American Tournament.

This rendering shows the proposed Christopher N. Chiles Aquatics Center in Land O’ Lakes, which would add to the growing list of sports facility assets in Pasco County. (File)

Elsewhere, traditional sports-goers should also make a point to check out the various men’s and women’s college sports at Saint Leo University — consistently one of the nation’s Division II athletic programs — and Pasco-Hernando State College. Both institutions provide an up-close look at many athletes who wind up finding success in the professional sports ranks. That’s particularly been the case for Saint Leo’s baseball program, which has yielded seven MLB Draft picks since 2013.

Of course, the high school sports scene is worth watching as well.

The winter prep season is already underway, whereby several local schools are fielding top-notch basketball and soccer teams.

For instance, the Wesley Chapel boys basketball and Sunlake girls basketball have shown early promise, as have the boys and girls soccer teams at Wiregrass Ranch, among some others.

So, don’t be surprised if one or more of those squads wind up making deep playoff runs in their respective sport a couple months from now.

Come springtime, the central Pasco softball scene is sure to provide some exciting moments, as Academy at the Lakes, Land O’ Lakes and Sunlake each are coming off 20-plus win seasons.

The Savage Race, an extreme mud obstacle course, is held twice a year at Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City. (Courtesy of Savage Race)

Academy at the Lakes will be seeking its second-straight Class 2A state title, while Land O’ Lakes will be seeking its second Class 6A title in three years, respectively.

Both squads unquestionably have the veteran pitching firepower to again win state crowns, armed with Alabama signee Lexi Kilfoyl (Academy at the Lakes) and Tennessee signee Callie Turner (Land O’ Lakes) in the circle.

Other local softball programs like Gaither, Freedom, Steinbrenner and Cypress Creek are also coming off strong campaigns to inject some competition in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The 2019 football season, too, should offer some interesting wrinkles.

New coaches will take over at Pasco and Sunlake, effectively replacing two household names in Tom McHugh and Bill Browning, respectively.

Those programs — along with the other public schools throughout Pasco — will look to unseat Zephyrhills, which went undefeated last regular season and is now up to 19 straight regular season victories.

Another storyline to follow: Land O’ Lakes and the progression they make under second-year coach Chad Walker. In his first season as a high school football head coach, the 34-year-old Walker guided the Gators to a 7-3 mark in 2018 — the program’s first winning season since 2013.

The eight-man football ranks is sure to create intrigue, as well.

Academy at the Lakes will be seeking an unprecedented third consecutive state title.

The team — which also went undefeated in 2018 and is on a 20-game win streak — is expected to return many key pieces, including standout quarterback Jalen Brown, who will be a junior.

Published January 2, 2019

Top moments in sports during 2018

By

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

SAC All-Conference football teams announced

By

The Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) All-Conference football teams recently were announced for the 2018 season.

Selections were made by high school coaches for both the East and West division, reflecting Pasco County’s 14 public high schools.

The following schools from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were represented in the East: Cypress Creek, Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills.

The Zephyrhills Bulldogs (11-1) were awarded SAC East team champions after finishing the regular season undefeated and reaching the second round of the Class 5A playoffs; Bulldogs third-year head coach Nick Carroll was awarded SAC East coach of the year.

Zephyrhills also registered the most All-Conference selections with 14, followed by Wiregrass Ranch and Land O’ Lakes, each with nine selections.

Meanwhile, Land O’ Lakes senior running back Kyle Leivas was named SAC offensive player of the year — rushing for 1,252 yards and 12 touchdowns on 184 carries (6.8 yards per carry), and catching 16 passes for 239 yards and three touchdowns.

Wiregrass Ranch junior linebacker Dylan Ridolph was named SAC defensive player of the year — registering a county-leading 22 sacks along with 82 total tackles; his career total of 37 sacks (12 as a sophomore) is a Pasco County record.

Nick Carroll (File)

SAC East All-Conference Teams


Team Champion: Zephyrhills High School

Coach of the Year: Nick Carroll, Zephyrhills

Offensive Player of the Year: Kyle Leivas, Land O’ Lakes

Defensive Player of the Year: Dylan Ridolph, Wiregrass Ranch

First-Team
Offense:
QB – Doug Crawford, Zephyrhills, senior

Kyle Leivas

RB – Kyle Leivas, Land O’ Lakes, senior

RB – Cartrell Strong, Zephyrhills, senior

WR – Jelani Vassell, Wesley Chapel, junior

WR – Ja’Quan Sheppard, Zephyrhills, senior

OL – Seth Petty, Wesley Chapel, senior

OL – Ethan Vest, Zephyrhills, senior

OL – Tyler Verscharen, Sunlake, senior

OL –Taivon Jackson, Sunlake, senior

OL – Demetrius Wright, Zephyrhills, junior

TE – Steven Mira, Wesley Chapel, junior

Utility/Athlete- Tre’Pavis Mobley, Zephyrhills, senior

Defense:

Dylan Ridolph

DL – Dylan Ridolph, Wiregrass Ranch, junior

DL – Tyler Wittish, Wesley Chapel, senior

DL – Samuel Bergeron, Zephyrhills, senior

DL – Kasean Ridgel, Wiregrass Ranch, senior

LB – Myron Bloom, Land O’ Lakes, junior

LB —Grant Henderson, Sunlake, senior

LB – Caleb Keeling, Zephyrhills, senior

LB – Brenden Maddox, Wesley Chapel, junior

DB – Jelani Vassell, Wesley Chapel, junior

DB – Nathan Howard, Land O’ Lakes, senior

DB – Jacquez Mobley, Pasco, senior

P – Clark Cooley, Sunlake, senior

K – Collin Corrao, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Second-Team
Offense:
QB – Ethan Forrester, Land O’ Lakes, junior

RB – Nathan Miller, Wiregrass Ranch, junior

RB – Woodjy Colas, Sunlake, senior

WR — Jacob Neary, Land O’ Lakes, senior

WR— Tyreese Wigfall, Zephyrhills, senior

OL – Corbin Doers, Land O’ Lakes, senior

OL – Connor Lenczden, Wiregrass Ranch, junior

OL – Barit Dhungana, Wiregrass Ranch, junior

OL – Robert Gibb, Wiregrass Ranch, junior

OL – Trevor Jones, Land O’ Lakes, senior

TE – Johnathan Hoback, Sunlake, senior

Utility/Athlete – Jacquez Mobley, Pasco, senior

Defense:
DL – Jonathan Wallace, Sunlake, sophomore

DL – Alex Wingbigler, Zephyrhills, senior

DL – Tim Johnson, Pasco, senior

DL – Devin Santana, Cypress Creek, senior

LB – Cameron Lee, Wiregrass Ranch, senior

LB – Ja’varrius Wilson, Zephyrhills, senior

LB – Tyler Verscharen, Sunlake, senior

LB – Clayton Hendriksen, Land O’ Lakes, senior

DB – Cartrell Strong, Zephyrhills, senior

DB – Dorien Green Wiregrass Ranch, senior

DB – Ja’Quan Sheppard, Zephyrhills, senior

P – Tyreese Wigfall, Zephyrhills, senior

K – Hayden Wills, Wiregrass Ranch, senior

Published December 19, 2018

‘Traditions’ goes on, despite rain

By

Traditions on the Green didn’t let the forecast of a rainy day wash out the Dec. 1 event. Instead, it shifted from its planned location at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park to  Sanders Memorial Elementary School, at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes.

Diana Journy, left, and her daughter, Elizabeth Richardson, browse the dozens of raffle prizes up for grabs during the ‘Traditions on the Green’ program. The Land O’ Lakes residents were at the concert to watch a performance by Elizabeth’s daughter, Journy — whose name honors the family’s name. She is a cheerleader at Pineview Middle School. (Christine Holtzman)

The Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes, which hosts the free holiday event, made the call to bring the concert indoors — instead of cancelling it.

Sandy Graves, who has been involved with the event for its 11-year history, said this was the first time it has been held at a different venue.

“The school district worked well with us to make sure that we had a place to hold this event,” Graves.

And, she told the audience that it would still be OK to call the event ‘Traditions on the Green,’ because the benches in the auditorium were green.

The change in location didn’t deter the crowd or its enthusiasm.

Hundreds of people were there to enjoy performances from Denham Oaks, Sanders Memorial Elementary and Lake Myrtle Elementary schools, Pine View Middle School and the Land O’ Lakes High School. Santa Claus dropped by, too.

Those attending could buy chances on raffle prizes, such as gift cards and gift baskets. Among the items up for grabs were two cookbooks donated by Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano and an official flag that once flew over the U.S. Capitol, which was donated by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

Proceeds from the chance drawings benefit schools taking part in the event.

By Christine Holtzman

Published December 12, 2018

The Land O’ Lakes High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Jonathan Mulder, performs ‘Deck the Halls’ during the Traditions on the Green concert on Dec. 1.
While her father, Darnell, records the Pine View Middle School dance club performance with his cellphone, 10-month-old Aubrey Meadows, of Land O’ Lakes, explores the crowd from over her dad’s shoulder. The family, including mom Jennifer were in attendance to see Aubrey’s older sister, Danaye, perform with Pine View Middle’s dance club.
The Pine View Middle School afterschool dance club, directed by instructor Nicole James, delighted the audience with several high-energy performances during the evening, including a dynamic routine set to Earth, Wind, & Fire’s hit song, ‘September.’
Ten-year-old Nicholas Hunter of Land O’ Lakes, center left, and his 8-year-old cousin, Keegan Price, right, are focused on the stage as they watch Keegan’s sister, Savannah, perform with the Pine View’s afterschool dance club.

 

Local author hopes his story will help inspire others

By

Remington Walls hasn’t let his disease define him — and he wants the same for those dealing with similar circumstances.

The 18-year-old Land O’ Lakes native has lived a life without regular food or drink since he was diagnosed at age 4 with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), a rare, incurable disease where all food deteriorates his esophagus.

Remington Walls (Courtesy of Stephanie Walls)

His only source of nutrition has come via a hypoallergenic amino acid-based liquid formula, called Neocate EO28 Splash.

The abnormal disorder has not stopped him from living a normal life, however.

Remington overcame the hardship to become a standout varsity baseball player at Land O’ Lakes High School — and good enough to be selected to play in the Pasco County Senior All-Star Baseball game last year.

He was also a solid student, earning multiple college scholarships.

Remington is now a freshman a Valdosta State University (Valdosta, Georgia) where he’s studying to become an athletic trainer. He is also a volunteer assistant with the Valdosta State baseball team.

Published author can also be added to Remington’s list of accomplishments.

‘Homeplate: A True Story of Resilience’ follows the journey of Land O’ Lakes native Remington Walls who has a rare esophageal disease that prevents him from consuming regular food or drink. Walls persevered to become a standout varsity baseball player at Land O’ Lakes High School and Pasco County Senior All-Star selection. He is now a freshman at Valdosta State University, where he is studying to become an athletic trainer. (Courtesy of NOW SC Press)

His autobiography, “Homeplate: A True Story of Resilience,” delves into his foodless life, with the hope of inspiring others.

The 118-page book is co-authored by his mother, Stephanie Walls, who shares her memories and insights on coping with the disease from a parent’s point-of-view.

The book will be released on Nov. 25.

“Remington wanted just to kind of motivate people and encourage people that regardless of your situation, find a way to overcome and persevere. There’s some pretty powerful things he has to say in his book,” Stephanie Walls said during a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

The book, which was written this past summer, is particularly geared toward anybody dealing with a life-altering disease, said Stephanie, an eighth-grade language arts teacher at Cypress Creek Middle High School in Wesley Chapel.

“The book is really more of an inspiration from Remington’s perspective,” she said. “We can either choose to wallow over the cards we’ve been dealt in life, or we can just pick up those pieces and somehow make a way to where there is no obstacle that’s going to get in our way.”

Last year, Remington’s life was thrown another curveball when his family’s insurance no longer covered the liquid formula that’s required for sustenance.

Since then, Remington and Stephanie have both advocated for state and federal legislation for formula coverage for medical nutrition. They also continue to work closely with the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED), a nonprofit advocacy organization for those living with eosinophilic related disorders.

To order the book, visit NowSCPress.com/product-page/homeplate.

Remington Walls book release

Book Signing
Where: Barnes & Noble, The Shops at Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel
When: Nov. 25, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Info: (813) 907-7739

Book Launch
Where: Barnes & Noble Carrollwood, 11802 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
When: Nov. 25, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Info: (813) 962-6446

Published November 7, 2018

Prep football regular season recap

By

With the 2018 prep football regular season coming to a close — and playoffs set to begin — here’s a look at some of the storylines and highlights from schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Zephyrhills notches perfect campaign
The 2018 campaign will be one to remember for the Zephyrhills Bulldogs.

Zephyrhills High finished the regular season with an undefeated 10-0 mark. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills High School)

They finished 10-0 and captured their second straight Class 5A, District 8 title — becoming the only public school in Pasco County to finish the regular season undefeated, and, marking the first time the program has had a perfect regular season since 1995.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs closed the year with a 49-0 shutout of the Pasco Pirates — the largest margin of victory in the long-standing 9-Mile War rivalry game that dates back to 1941.

Of course, the Bulldogs recent success is no fluke.

The program has posted eight straight winning seasons and five playoff appearances under its last two coaches, Nick Carroll and Reggie Roberts. Carroll is now 28-5 through his first three seasons as head coach. That includes 19 straight regular season wins dating back to last season.

Now Zephyrhills hopes for a deeper run in the playoffs than last season, when they lost an emotional 52-49 home contest to Green Cove Springs Clay in the Class 5A regional semifinals. They host Crystal River (8-2) on Friday in the Class 5A regional quarterfinals.

Gaither finishes strong to reach playoffs
Heading into the final week of the regular season, the Gaither Cowboys were on the outside looking in to the Class 7A playoffs. But, a remarkable 21-20 win over Tampa Bay Tech in the regular season finale — as part of a three-game winning streak — propelled them to a No. 6 seed in the Class 7A, Region 2 bracket.

The win gives Gaither (7-3) some momentum in notching its second straight playoff berth, something the Cowboys will need this Friday against Plant (9-1) — a team they haven’t beaten in 10 contests, including a 44-34 loss back on Sept. 21.

But, don’t totally discount the Cowboys, who feature a balanced offensive attack and a dangerous pass rush to hang with many teams.

Land O’ Lakes thrives under new head coach
While the Land O’ Lakes Gators narrowly missed the playoffs, it was undoubtedly a successful  season for first-year head coach Chad Walker.

The Gators (7-3) notched its first winning season since 2013.

And, they finally upended crosstown rival Sunlake in the annual Butter Bowl game — winning for the first time in the series since 2009.

The big question is whether Land O’ Lakes can maintain the newfound success after losing a large senior class that includes a bevy of contributors on offense and defense. Working in the team’s favor, however, is the expected return of junior quarterback Ethan Forrester, who posted a 51.6 completion percentage for 1,252 passing yards and 12 touchdowns (three interceptions).

Local private schools are playoff-bound
It’s been a solid year for private schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, as Carrollwood Day School, Zephyrhills Christian, and Academy at the Lakes (eight-man) each qualified for the playoffs. Carrollwood Day (5-5) and Zephyrhills Christian (7-3) locked up No. 3 seeds in their respective Class 2A regions. Carrollwood Day is making its first playoff appearance since 2015, while Zephyrhills Christian is making its third straight postseason appearance.

Academy at the Lakes (6-0), meanwhile, with one regular season game remaining, has already secured the No. 1 seed in the Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools (FCAPPS) eight-man playoffs. The defending FCAPPs state champions, Academy at the Lakes, is on a 15-game winning streak.

Sunlake head football coach Bill Browning retires as one of Pasco County’s most accomplished coaches. (FIle)

Farewell to longtime Sunlake coach
After 29 years as a high school football head coach in the North Suncoast, Sunlake’s Bill Browning is hanging up his headset and putting away his playbook. The longtime coach made the announcement over the weekend after the Seahawks wrapped up its second straight 4-6 campaign.

Browning built the Seahawks program from scratch in 2007, turning it into one of Pasco County’s most dominant programs across the last decade, with a string of seven straight winning seasons. Browning now retires as the seventh-most winningest coach in Pasco County history (73). Prior to Sunlake, Browning coached a combined 17 years for Springstead and Hernando high schools, racking up a combined 92 wins— second all-time among Hernando County coaches.

Browning at Sunlake
2018: 4-6
2017: 4-6
2016: 7-3
2015: 8-3 (district runner-up)
2014: 9-3 (district champion)
2013: 9-2 (district runner-up)
2012: 8-2
2011: 10-2 (district runner-up)
2010: 9-1
2009: 4-6
2008: 1-9
2007: 0-10

Stat Stuffers
A look at some individual players who shined during the 2018 regular season

Dylan Ridolph

Doug Crawford, Zephyrhills, senior quarterback: Ranked among the region’s most efficient signal-callers, with a 72.3 completion percentage for 1,010 yards and 17 touchdowns (three interceptions).

Dylan Ridolph, Wiregrass Ranch, junior linebacker: Leads the state with 20 sacks, to go along with 77 total tackles and 30 tackles for loss.

Kyle Benedict, Carrollwood Day School, senior receiver: Extremely productive wideout tallied 42 catches for 742 yards and six touchdowns. Has over 116 career receptions for over 2,000 yards in four years on varsity.

Kyle Leivas

Kyle Leivas, Land O’ Lakes, senior tailback: Posted 2,180 all-purpose yards and 17 total touchdowns. Also eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second time with 1,252 rushing yards on 6.8 yards per carry.

Kavbion Marbra, Zephyrhills Christian, athlete: Seven interceptions is tied for fourth-most in the state.

Nyhohn Moody, Zephyrhills Christian, senior linebacker: Tackling machine ranks fifth in the state with 132 stops. Also has six tackles for loss and a sack.

Schools in The Laker/Lutz News Coverage Area (and their 2018 regular season records)

Hillsborough County:
Carrollwood Day School Patriots (Class 2A-Region 3): 5-5 overall, 2-2 district

Freedom High School Patriots (Class 7A-Region 8): 4-6 overall, district 2-4

Gaither High School Cowboys (Class 7A-Region 8): 7-3 overall, 4-2 district

Steinbrenner High School Warriors (Class 8A-Region 6): 5-5 overall, 4-2 district

Pasco County:
Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man Florida Christian Region 2): 6-0 overall, 6-0 district (One regular season game remaining)

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent-Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC): 4-5, 4-1 district

Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (Class 4A-Region 3): 3-7 overall, 1-0 district

Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (Class 6A-Region 6): 7-3 overall, 2-2 district

Pasco High School Pirates (Class 6A-Region 6): 2-8 overall, 0-4 district

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

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

Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (Class 7A-Region 8): 7-3 overall, 4-2 district

Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (Class 5A-Region 8): 10-0 overall, 6-0 district

Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (Class 2A-Region 2): 7-3 overall, 1-0 district

FHSAA football playoff pairings for local schools
All kickoff times are set for Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Class 7A
Region 2 Quarterfinals

No. 6 Gaither (7-3) at No. 3 Plant (9-1)

No. 8 Wiregrass Ranch (7-3) at No. 1 Lakeland (10-0)

Class 5A
Region 2 Quarterfinals

No. 7 Crystal River (8-2) at No. 2 Zephyrhills (10-0)

Class 2A
Region 2 Quarterfinals

No. 6 St. Francis Catholic Gainesville (4-5) at No. 3 Zephyrhills Christian (7-3)

Region 3 Quarterfinals
No. 6 Southwest Florida Christian (2-8) at No. 3 Carrollwood Day School (5-5)

Published November 7, 2018