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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Sunlake High School

Sunlake XC strides for another banner finish at states

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It’d be understandable if the Sunlake High School varsity cross country program took a slight step back following a banner 2019 campaign that saw its boys team finish fifth and girls team sixth at the Class 3A state championship — the best combined finish that year among schools in all classifications in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Those respective Seahawks’ seniors — many of whom are now running in college — all but carried the program to the banner showing, including:

  • Five of the boys team’s top seven runners were seniors, four of whom are now running on scholarship at in-state Flagler College, Saint Leo University and Southeastern University, respectively.
  • Three of the girls team’s top seven runners were seniors, including decorated and school record-setting Liina Winborn, who finished fourth overall at the 2019 state finals (18:11.16),

and is now on a distance running scholarship at Division I University of Florida.

But, this year’s Seahawks teams may soar to even greater heights, once the season officially crosses the finish line.

The Sunlake High School boys and girls cross-country programs are poised to each have its highest finish at the 3A state finals on Nov. 14 at Apalachee Regional Park, in Tallahassee. Each squad swept its conference and district meets. The boys team won regionals, while the girls finished runner-up, respectively. (Courtesy of Randal Reeves)

The boys and girls squads each swept its conference championship and district championships. At regionals on Nov. 7 at Holloway Park in Lakeland, the boys took first place and the girls took runner-up.

With that, both advance to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 3A state championships on Nov. 14, at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.

Expectations at states are a top three or four finish for the boys, and a top four or five for the girls, respectively.

So, what else separates this team from years past? A valuable combination of depth, dedication, accountability, and some natural talent, of course.

“We lost a lot of seniors last year who went on to run in college,” said Sunlake distance coach Randal Reeves, “but, returning runners from last year just really stepped it up, by putting in all the training over the summer; that’s what made the difference, and all that hard work is just paying off.”

Reeves further praised teammates for having the commitment to show up to practices and workouts each day, and doing what is asked of them, and more.

“These kids are extremely dedicated,” the seventh-year coach said. “You’ve gotta have the right kids involved, and I’m blessed. I do have the right kids.”

The effort level comes from many of the runners’ desires to earn college scholarships and compete at the next level, the coach said.

“Every single one of these kids is looking to run in college,” Reeves said. “They don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to get their training in so that they can perform well, so I think that’s what the difference is with these kids. They all want to get some races in so they can show a recruiter, ‘Hey, look at the times I’ve been running,’ so I think that might be where a lot of the dedication is from.”

The inner drive to succeed elsewhere comes from distance runners having what likely would’ve been a banner track season ripped away from them back in March, as all spring sports were canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic surge.

“I think it’s definitely a lot of build-up from almost having an incomplete season of track,” said junior Caitlyn Culpepper, a team captain.

“I think that motivation definitely carried into our summer training, because I know when I ended the (track) season, I was like, ‘Wow, I have so much more left to give,’ so we just carried that motivation into our summer training, ‘Hey, we’ve gotta work harder. We weren’t able to achieve this goal of state tracks, so let’s put this toward cross-country,’ so I think that drove a lot of us. We were just ready to get out there and start competing again.”

More with less
Other top-level 3A cross-country programs may have anywhere from 50 to 100 runners on their roster.

Sunlake has less than 30 runners combined between the boys and girls teams.

The 3.1-mile state meet course at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee features a mix of hills and flat terrain. The team has prepared for the course in training at Trout Creek Park in Thonotosassa. (Courtesy of Florida High School Athletic Association)

In this case, it’s about quality, not quantity.

Both squads boast eight closely matched runners who are strong enough to register points (finish in the top five for their team in a race).

Each squad’s No. 6 or No. 7 runner may finish as high as No. 4 or No. 5 in a particular meet or race.

It’s one of those good problems to have.

“I have the problem, of my top seven, any one of ‘em would be varsity on any team in the state of Florida. I mean, they’re that good,” Reeves said.

This tight margin among Sunlake runners has created an accountability factor among each other, keeping everyone on their toes and forced to give their best effort in practice and meets.

The girls team, for example, has eight runners who run a 5K (3.1 miles) under 22-minutes, led by senior Shannon Gordy, who’s personal record is 18:53. The boys team has eight runners who can finish under 18 minutes, led by junior Colby Robbins, who captured individual titles at conference, districts and regionals, and whose personal-best 15:56 is two seconds off the school record held by the graduated Gavin Kennedy (15:54.6).

“We’re so close in times, which gives us that awesome pack up in the front,” Culpepper said, “and, you know, we have that accountability for each other, so we’re able to push each other, so that inner competition among each other creates for great competition against other teams.”

The depth means “it could be anybody’s race,” even for those lower-ranked runners, said Gordy. “Those No. 6 and No. 7 runners, they know that we’re strong as a whole and they have a part in the team. They may not score points, but they know they’re important to our team. As the team runs, we run as a group,” she said.

Robbins likewise underscored how the depth — and corresponding camaraderie, he said — has carried the team so far: “If somebody decides to slack off, instead of just saying, ‘Oh, that’s not me, it’s individual sport,’ we’re going to get on them because we care, so I think that’s what sets us apart. We have a degree of responsibility that we uphold for each other, because I’m not going to be the one that holds my team back, because we all care about each other.”

Coach’s impact
Other reasons for the program forming as one of the state’s best is Reeves, who’s earned his fair share of Sunshine Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors in cross-country and track.

“He can take anyone and turn them into a great athlete, and if you have natural talent, he can then turn you into world-class,” said Robbins, who entered Sunlake as a soccer player but made the transition to distance running freshman year, and is now among the state’s best runners in Class 3A.

The Sunlake cross-country program is among the state’s top-ranked teams entering the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A state championships. The boys and girls teams compete on Nov. 14 at Apalachee Regional Park, in Tallahassee. (Courtesy of Florida High School Athletic Association)

“Even though we don’t have the biggest group, because of coach’s training and because of our buy into the training, he’s able to take a group of 15 boys and make them state contenders.”

Senior Cade Whitfield missed all of last season amid a hip injury. He returned this year as the team’s No. 3 runner and a personal-best 16:37.

Whitfield credits Reeves’ passion for the sport and attention to each runner’s needs and goals.

“I’ve never experienced a coach like him,” he said. “He sat down with me with college recruiting and told me every single step I’ve needed to take, and he’s honestly the one that inspired me to give it my all like he does, because I just didn’t want to give 50% for him.”

Gordy expressed similar feelings for the coach: “He knows every runner has different motivations and different goals, so he makes sure that he specializes our training to what we want to run, like our times, and like what we want to do after high school, and how we want to get there.”

Running through quarantine
Even with myriad medals and trophies earned this season, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Sunlake this season.

The team was forced to quarantine from Sept. 24 through Oct. 3 after one of its runners tested positive for COVID-19.

Unable to practice together as a group, runners had to train individually and log their times online each day. Meetings and workout instructions were held virtually, through Zoom.

The team took the setback in stride, viewing it as an opportunity to not take the season for granted.

“Being quarantined, it really showed the value of having teammates to run with,” said Culpepper. “When you’re running on your own, you’ve gotta push yourself a little more, versus, when you’re running with the team as committed as you are, it definitely helps you.

“It’s definitely made us more appreciative of our team and our dynamic, and the ability that we have to be able to run together and even have a season this year. It was kind of a new perspective that we needed,” he said.

Gordy believes the occurrence made the team stronger, in the end, too.

“I feel like when we came back, we were eager to race and be better at the races, and we were more rested,” she said. “It was like a refreshment, kind of. Like a break, and then we focus on what we want as a team.”

As Reeves puts it: “The world gave us lemons, and we decided to make lemonade out of it.”

Now, looking ahead to this weekend’s state championship, the Seahawks are confident for a strong showing — maybe even better than 2019’s version.

Training at Trout Creek Park in Thonotosassa — plus past experience competing at states —  has prepared Sunlake for the mix of hills and flat terrain at the Apalachee course, Reeves said.

“It plays well for us,” Reeves said of the state meet course. “We do a lot of our training that replicates parts of the state course, and so they’re not surprised. When they get out to that course, they’re going to feel fine, nothing’s going to shock them, they’re going to know how to run.”

Sunlake varsity boys cross-country

  • Colby Robbins, junior (15:56)
  • Alex Pena, sophomore (16:15)
  • Cade Whitfield, senior (16:37)
  • Cason Meyer, junior (16:48)
  • Andres Alfonso, junior (16:54)
  • Max Goserud, junior (17:13)
  • Nathan Lee, sophomore (17:39)
  • Cody Smith, junior (17:47)

Sunlake varsity girls cross-country

  • Shannon Gordy, senior (18:53, personal record)
  • Ashley Spires, senior (19:59)
  • Atlanta Lofton, sophomore (20:26)
  • Shelby Viseur, junior (20:44)
  • Caitlyn Culpepper, junior (20:44)
  • Sarah Ellingson, junior (20:48)
  • Annie Winborn, sophomore (21:01)
  • Abigail Williams, freshman (21:10)

Published November 11, 2020

School projects address district needs

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A global pandemic has cast uncertainty regarding what will happen in the coming school year, but the work goes on to build, expand and renovate schools in the Pasco County school district.

Rapid growth in recent years has caused school crowding. And, anticipated residential construction has created a need for schools in previously undeveloped areas.

Cypress Creek Middle School in Wesley Chapel will have its inaugural first day of school when the 2020-2021 school year begins. (B.C. Manion)

Across the district, enrollment is expected to increase by slightly more than 1,900 students for this coming school year, and that includes charter schools, according to Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district.

It remains unclear if that projection will come to fruition, in light of impacts from COVID-19 on residential construction.

The district’s enrollment will grow — but, it’s not clear how much, Williams said during a school board workshop on the district’s capital improvement plan.

Numerous projects are planned in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, according to Williams’ presentation.

The planning director also provided an overview of schools expected to face another crowded year in 2020-2021.

Construction is underway at the Starkey Ranch K-8 School, near the intersection of Long Spur and Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa. The project, which includes private and public partners, will feature a school, a library and a cultural center, next to a district park. The public will be able to take advantage of the library, cultural center and park. (B.C. Manion)

Williams said he expects Odessa Elementary to be “just slammed full,” for the upcoming school year. “I don’t know (if) we could put any more students there,” he said.

“Fortunately, the relief for Odessa Elementary is the Starkey K-8, which will open, of course, next year. So, Odessa, we’re just working with them to get them through this coming year.

“Oakstead Elementary continues to be a little bit over capacity.

“I don’t know how much opening Starkey K-8, as mostly a magnet, will impact Oakstead (Elementary), but certainly it could have some impact on Oakstead Elementary, as well.

“Connerton (Elementary) continues to be over capacity,” he said.

But, he said, Connerton is experiencing “slow growth,” so the district will monitor the situation.

Wesley Chapel Elementary is expected to be slightly over capacity, but two new charter schools opening this year in Wesley Chapel — Pinecrest and Innovation Preparatory (inPrep) — are expected to have an impact, Williams said.

An additional classroom wing has been added to Bexley Elementary in Land O’ Lakes, to increase its capacity to meet growing enrollment needs. (File)

At the middle school level, the construction of Starkey Ranch K-8 will provide relief to River Ridge and Seven Springs middle schools, and also will likely have some impact on Rushe Middle School, too, Williams said.

A magnet 6-12 school will be opening in 2023, in the upcoming Angeline development in Land O’ Lakes, Williams said. He expects that to have an impact on Pine View and Rushe middle schools, and perhaps on River Ridge Middle, too.

“By then, Ridge Road will be complete,” the planning expert said, creating access to the new 6-12 school from all of those areas.

“Finally, after many years, we finally provide some relief to John Long Middle, with the opening of Cypress Creek Middle,” Williams added.

“Weightman Middle certainly is in a growth area,” he said, but charter schools in the area are expected to have an impact.

Williams added: “Also, we are planning in 2024 to open a magnet school, K-8, over in Wesley Chapel that also will provide relief to some of those schools.”

Sunlake High School in Land O’ Lakes also has a new classroom wing this year, to accommodate enrollment growth. (File)

At the high school level, Williams said additional capacity was added to Land O’ Lakes High School during its renovation. A new classroom wing added to Sunlake High School will be ready for occupancy this year.

A new wing added to Bexley Elementary also is ready for the 2020-2021 school year.

The future 6-12 school in Angeline also will increase enrollment capacity in the Land O’ Lakes area, Williams said.

The opening of Cypress Creek Middle School this fall, will have a ripple effect on enrollments.

First, it allows Cypress Creek High School to house additional students in grades nine through 12, while Cypress Creek Middle School serves students in grades six through eight.

The additional capacity at the high school allows the school district to relieve crowding at Wiregrass Ranch High. The new middle school allows the district to relieve crowding at John Long Middle.

Wiregrass Ranch won’t feel the full impact for a couple years, Williams said, because the district grandfathered this year’s juniors and seniors at Wiregrass Ranch.

Construction continues on a remodeling project at Zephyrhills High School. (B.C. Manion)

And, of course, the planning director said, the Wiregrass area is still experiencing growth.

He also noted that Pasco High is over capacity. The area, however, isn’t experiencing much growth.

The district is evaluating projects that could add capacity at Pasco High in the future, he said.

Zephyrhills High’s capacity is being increased through a project now in progress at the school, he added.

When The Innovation Academy at Kirkland Ranch opens, expected in 2023, it likely will have a significant impact on enrollments in schools on the district’s east side, he said.

Besides work that has been wrapped up recently, is underway, or on the drawing board — the district also has been securing sites for future schools.

Previously, the district has found itself in the position of being unable to find affordable land for schools, Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd told school board members.

It has resolved that issue, he said.

“As a district, we are in tremendous shape when it comes to land to build schools,” Gadd said.

Published August 05, 2020

A sweet send-off for Sunlake band seniors

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Ed DelValle, left, poses with his family: daughter Erika; wife Miriam; and daughter Victoria. They work at Miriam’s Cakes, which donated individual cakes to celebrate seniors from Sunlake High’s band program. (B.C. Manion)

When it became clear that the Sunlake High School music program wouldn’t be able to have its traditional end-of-the-year banquet — Miriam’s Cakes stepped up to do something special for the seniors who would be graduating.

“We’ve been a band family for 10 years. That’s a very special group for us,” said Ed DelValle, who owns the Land O’ Lakes bakery along with his wife, Miriam Ruiz.

“Every year, we have the band banquet, where we recognize the achievements of each band member, with awards,” he said.

Each graduating senior of the Sunlake High band program received a personal cake, courtesy of Miriam’s Cakes in Land O’ Lakes. The family has been a band family for 10 years and wanted to do something for the graduates.

“I know the banquet is the biggest event for the band program every year. All of the kids look forward to it because it’s kind of like a mini-red carpet,” he said.

There’s anticipation, with members wondering, “Who is going to get the highest honor?” he added.

However, he continued, “this year, because of the pandemic, the banquet got canceled. We still wanted to do something special, especially for the seniors who are not coming back next year.”

Miriam and their 21-year-daughter, Victoria, came up with the idea of making an individual cake for each of the graduating seniors.

So, they made 29 individual cakes. Each was decorated with the school’s Seahawk mascot, with textured white frosting, blue piped frosting and sprinkles.

Victoria, and the couple’s other daughter, Erika, both work at the shop.

One of the cakes was for 18-year-old Erika, a member of the band program, and of the Class of 2020.

She was pleased by her family’s gesture.

“I really appreciate it,” she said.

Published June 10, 2020

Cypress Creek receives FHSAA sportsmanship award

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The Cypress Creek High School athletics department has made numerous strides in on-field performance since the school first opened in 2017.

But, it’s the way the school’s student-athletes, coaches and fans conduct themselves before and after athletic events that has garnered statewide attention.

Cypress Creek earned the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award for Class 4A for the 2019-2020 school year. In total, 14 high schools and two middle schools received the notable honor on June 4. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek athletics department)

Cypress Creek earned the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award for Class 4A for the 2019-2020 school year. In total, 14 high schools and two middle schools received the notable honor on June 4.

As part of the award, the Wesley Chapel-based school will receive a commemorative plaque and a $2,500 check, to go toward ongoing athletic department funding.

Cypress Creek, also known as the Coyotes, originally was nominated for the award because the school had not received any disciplinary actions or ejections among all athletes and coaches; the school also was required to submit information to the FHSAA outlining the athletic department’s overall philosophy and how it fosters good sportsmanship among all participants.

Cypress Creek athletic director Justin Pelliccia labeled the honor as “something we’re definitely very proud of” and “great publicity for Pasco County as a whole.”

“It’s definitely a huge honor for all of us, all of our coaches, all the countless hours that they’ve put in and dedication that they’ve put into their programs,” said Pelliccia, who’s served as athletic director since 2018.

“Sportsmanship is always key,” he said, noting if kids are respectful and they buy in and they are respectful to the coach and to other teams, it contributes to success.

The statewide award has been presented annually since 1991. It is named in honor of FHSAA Commissioner Emeritus Fred E. Rozelle.

This is the first time since 2014 that a school in The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area has received the distinction. Land O’ Lakes-based Rushe Middle School received the honor in 2014 and Sunlake High School received it for the 2012-2013 school year.

Cypress Creek athletic director Justin Pelliccia (Courtesy of Justin Pelliccia)

Cypress Creek principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles is elated the school received the prestigious designation.

“I am absolutely thrilled about our students, fan base, and coaches being recognized with this award,” she wrote in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

“This is truly an honor! This honor is a testament to the dedication of our coaches, community & students and their commitment to our H.O.W.L. mission, which is to Have a growth mindset, Own their education, Work as a Community, and to Lead responsibly. I am proud of our entire Coyote Nation for being honored with this award!”

When it comes to promoting good sportsmanship, the Cypress Creek athletics department takes a multi-faceted approach.

Student-athletes, for instance, are advised to keep a positive outlook on social media sites, and partake in various community service and fundraisers, such as pancake breakfasts and car washes.

In general, the school’s athletes are “very respectful” to opposing teams before and after competitions, Pelliccia said.

Also, Coyotes coaches “go above and beyond” in the name of setting a good example, Pelliccia said. As an example, he said many coaches make it a point to recognize rival schools’ student-athletes — in addition to their own —  during Senior Night ceremonies.

Moreover, the school is revered for its active spirit group — student fans who attend countless sporting events each year, both home and away.

The athletic director explained school administration outlines guidelines, ideas and expectations for appropriate student section behavior.

“I know you can go to some schools and their student sections are crazy and ruthless, so we’ve kind of taken the step to make sure that sportsmanship is their focus. We’ve had meetings with them, we go through kind of things they can use while they’re at the games, and they were great this year,” Pelliccia said.

The Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award honors schools whose athletic teams demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship during the regular season and the FHSAA State Series. The award is presented to one school in each classification whose entire sports program best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship as demonstrated by its coaches, players and spectators. (File)

Meanwhile, Cypress Creek athletics as a whole has come a long way since its inaugural year — when softball was then the only program to achieve a winning campaign.

Pelliccia acknowledged it was initially difficult for the upstart school to field competitive athletics teams. It also proved challenging for students rezoned from rival high schools — Land O’ Lakes, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch — to gel.

Pelliccia observed: “All these kids came from different schools, so getting them to be a cohesive unit in Year One was our struggle; they were still all sort of enemies at that point.”

However, as the school embarks on its fourth year in existence, triumphs have begun to show.

Besides the sportsmanship designation, the Coyotes had a banner year in terms of on-field success.

The school’s football team made its first playoff appearance; the boys soccer and girls weightlifting teams were district champions; and, boys cross-country and girls weightlifting were district runner-up, among other notable benchmarks.

“The kids are taking pride in their athletic teams, and the success is coming and definitely showing,” Pelliccia said.

The athletic director himself has picked up some individual recognition, while serving as the school’s varsity boys soccer coach. Pelliccia was named Sunshine Athletic Conference East Boys Soccer Coach of the Year, after guiding the program to an 11-6 mark and a Class 4A regional semifinals appearance this past year.

Published June 10, 2020

Locals among top MLB draft prospects

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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Baseball (MLB)’s 2020 first-year player draft has been shortened to five rounds, from the usual 40 rounds in previous years.

The draft, scheduled for June 10 and June 11, assigns amateur baseball players to MLB teams.

Even with the new consolidated format, however, several locals from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area have a solid chance at being among the 160 athletes drafted. And, they have the possibility of living out their boyhood dreams and landing signing bonuses of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.

Steinbrenner High product CJ Van Eyk, now at Florida State University (Courtesy of Florida State University athletics department)

Four athletes with area ties are listed among MLB.com’s top 200 nationwide draft prospect rankings, including two within the top 100.

The highest-rated local is Steinbrenner High alum CJ Van Eyk, a junior right-handed pitcher at Florida State University (FSU) — listed as the No. 39 overall draft prospect, by the website.

The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Van Eyk registered an 18-5 win-loss record, 3.21 ERA, 1.274 WHIP and 225 strikeouts in 176.2 innings pitched across three college seasons.

The Lutz native has been a known commodity going back to his prep days, earning first-team All-American honors and a gold medal with the 18U USA National Team. He also led Steinbrenner to its first state championship as a junior in 2016 and was crowned Florida Dairy Farmers’ Class 8A Player of the Year.

Van Eyk was drafted out of high school by the New York Mets in the 19th round of the 2017 draft, but didn’t sign, opting for college instead.

A snippet of MLB.com’s analysis on Van Eyk reads: “The Florida State ace is capable of being a complete pitcher because of his willingness to pitch in with his fastball, his ability to throw his breaking ball at any point in the count and his feel for mixing his pitches to keep hitters off-balance, though issues with his command persisted over his first four starts in 2020. His potential as a starter still should have him in consideration in the top two rounds of the Draft.”

Sunlake High product Tommy Mace, now at the University of Florida (Courtesy of University of Florida athletics department)

The next highest-ranked local is Sunlake High product Tommy Mace, a junior-right handed pitcher at the University of Florida — rated the No. 70 overall prospect for the 2020 draft.

In three seasons at Florida, the 6-foot-6, 200-pound Mace compiled a 16-5 win-loss record, 4.37 ERA, 1.299 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 179.1 innings pitched. He was off to his best college campaign this year, tallying a 1.67 ERA in a team-high 27 innings, until the remainder of the season was canceled thanks to COVID-19.

Mace was a three-year varsity player at Sunlake. His senior year he guided the program to a 17-12 mark and the Class 7A regional final. He then was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 12th round of the 2017 draft, but like Van Eyk, didn’t sign to pursue the college route.

MLB.com’s profile on Mace reports states the following: “Mace generally does a nice job of throwing strikes, keeping the ball down in the zone and getting ground ball outs. He gets high marks for his mound presence and makeup, putting him among a solid crop of top two round college pitchers in Florida.”

Though slightly outside our coverage area, an athlete in west Pasco County also cracked MLB’s top 200 prospect list.

Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High product Carson Ragsdale, now at the University of South Florida (Courtesy of University of South Florida athletics department)

Trinity native Jackson Miller, a senior catcher at Mitchell High, is rated as the 2020 draft’s No. 105 prospect. The Wake Forest University commit posted a .414/.498/.591 slash line in 88 games across four varsity seasons.

Meanwhile, Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High product Carson Ragsdale, a redshirt junior right-handed pitcher at the University of South Florida (USF), is ranked as the draft’s No. 170 prospect.

The 6-foot-8, 225-pound Ragsdale transitioned to a starter’s role this year at USF, after pitching out of the bullpen his freshman and sophomore seasons. (He missed the 2019 season following Tommy John surgery). He posted a 3.75 ERA, 1.391 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in 50.1 innings across three college seasons. Off the field, he was selected to the 2018-2019 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.

Ragsdale was a four-year letter winner at Bishop McLaughlin. He compiled a 1.58 ERA and .352 batting average in his high school career. Those Hurricanes teams that Ragsdale played on went a combined 77-21 from 2013 to 2016.

MLB.com’s report on Ragsdale observes: “Ragsdale threw a lot of strikes this spring, but is still more control than command at this point. Given that scouts only saw four outings from Ragsdale as USF’s Sunday starter, there’s very limited track record for teams to look at, but his size and arm strength, even if it ends up in the bullpen, could be enough for teams to take a chance on him in this year’s Draft.”

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

Last year, Land O’ Lakes High/St. Petersburg College second baseman Dustin Harris was selected in the 11th round by the Oakland Athletics, while Pasco-Hernando State College/University of Tampa pitcher Tyler Beck was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 30th round.

The 2018 draft yielded four local products:

  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of North Florida pitcher Frank German (fourth round, New York Yankees)
  • Saint Leo University pitcher/first baseman Jake Sims (31st round, San Diego Padres)
  • Saint Leo University second baseman Zach Scott (32nd round, Seattle Mariners)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High/University of North Florida pitcher Austin Drury (34th round, Los Angeles Dodgers)

The 2017 draft also was particularly kind to local talent. In addition to Van Eyk and Mace getting drafted out of the prep ranks, six other athletes with local ties were chosen:

  • Odessa native/Bishop McLaughlin/College of Central Florida pitcher Nate Pearson (first round, Toronto Blue Jays)
  • Steinbrenner High/USF shortstop Kevin Merrell (first round compensatory, Oakland Athletics)
  • Steinbrenner High first baseman Patrick Morris (14th round, Toronto Blue Jays)
  • Steinbrenner High/Bishop McLaughlin/University of Pittsburgh pitcher Josh Falk (17th round, Oakland Athletics)
  • Odessa native/Alonso High pitcher Jordan Butler (34th round, New York Yankees)
  • Bishop McLaughlin outfielder Paul Coumoulos (40th round, Philadelphia Phillies)

Locals on MLB.com’s top 200 prospect rankings

  • Steinbrenner High/Florida State University pitcher CJ Van Eyk (No. 39 overall draft prospect)
  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace (No. 70)
  • Trinity/Mitchell High catcher Jackson Miller (No. 105)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of South Florida pitcher Carson Ragsdale (No. 170)

Published May 27, 2020

School remains in session, online

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Students aren’t returning to campus, but leaders in the Pasco County school district are encouraged by the progress students are making online.

The district went to online learning on March 31, after Gov. Ron DeSantis closed school campuses until at least April 15, due to concerns about the threat of the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

DeSantis has since announced that school campuses would remain closed for the remainder of the school year.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said that he supports keeping the campuses closed because he could not “in good conscience” reopen the campuses.

Still, the district remains engaged in online instruction, the superintendent said during the board’s April 21 meeting.

Vanessa Hilton, chief academic officer for the district, shared some statistics from the district’s foray into distance learning.

“We definitely have some trends in the data,” she told school board members, and those listening in on the meeting.

“Monday engagement is always higher for each week so far,” Hilton said.

But, she also noted: “We do have students engaged throughout the week. Even on Saturday and Sunday, we average 20,000 to 36,000 participation, which are actions of engagement.

“Overall, in Week 3, we had about 98% engagement of students,” she said.

School board member Alison Crumbley responded: “Wow — to those numbers you shared. Ninety-eight percent engagement is unbelievable to me.”

The school board member said that Pasco County’s efforts are vastly different than what’s happening around the country.

She said she recently listened to a call-in show, which involved people from around the country.

“Many kids have no devices. Some districts aren’t even doing anything,” Crumbley said.

Hilton also told board members that the district is in the process of issuing hot spots to some families to enable Internet access.

“Those will be prioritized initially for some of our homeless families and families that really are away where there would be infrastructure for Internet,” she said.

“Since Day 1, I wanted to let you know that we have had over 43 million page views and access of files, and just under 15 million modules of units of study.

“We had 7,278,753 assignments submitted; 4,438,379 engagements in discussions; and, 1,214,552 announcements — which are direct communications between teachers and leaders to the students and families, that we miss so much.”

Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, provided an update regarding device distribution to students.

“We are just shy of 18,000 computers that we have issued to students, to aid them in distance learning. We are continuing to have schools enter devices that they have distributed to students, so I expect that number to continue to creep up in coming weeks,” Shibley said.

Hilton also told board members that the district is issuing hot spots to some families to enable Internet access.

Hilton also noted that some changes have been made.

“Through feedback of families and students — students themselves, very resourceful students themselves, and staff — we have made adjustments, particularly to our elementary workload, to minimize stress and ensure that learning continues,” Hilton added.

The district also has been creating weekly parent newsletters, teacher newsletters and periodic secondary student newsletters, she said.

Plus, she noted, “our teachers also have their own collaborative space on Facebook. It’s incredibly impressive, impressive evidence of their sharing and learning together across the district.”

Finally, she reported that on April 20, students submitted 111,150 assignments.

“We had almost 66,000 users working across the day, and at the peak time — which is about midday for us — almost 21,000 students were learning at the same time together,” Hilton said.

School board members heaped praise on the efforts of district staff, teachers and parents, grandparents and guardians.

Board chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin said she’s seen the collaboration taking place among teachers, and she recognized that the volume of student assignments being completed also means that a significant amount of grading is being done by teachers.

She also added: “I have seen our school-based teachers and leaders, and they are extremely creative in the ways they are connecting with the students and each other.

“Our principals and our teachers are really going all out. Their posts have been entertaining, inspiring, innovative and heartwarming.”

Marcy Hetzler-Nettles, assistant superintendent for middle schools, gave a shout-out to Rushe Middle School students who had been planning to put on the play, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

When the show was cancelled because of COVID-19, a student put together a video of cast members singing the song, “Happiness,” which he sent to drama teacher Jeff Roush.

Also, Tom Schimmer, author of “Grading from the Inside Out,” made a surprise pop-in visit during a Zoom book study group meeting of teachers, Hetzler-Nettles added.

Monica Isle, assistant superintendent for high schools, told the board about an act of generosity made by seniors from Sunlake High School. They made a donation to Keystone Community Church’s Second Serving program, after their trip to Grad Bash was canceled. They had raised the money to pay for buses to Grad Bash.

Isle also mentioned the band from Mitchell High School will be doing a virtual concert series.

David Scanga, assistant superintendent for elementary schools, told the board that elementary school principal Todd Cluff has been doing nightly readings for students from “Little House on the Prairie.”

Scanga added: “I thought that was an excellent book to choose, in terms of a family that’s rather isolated and dependent on themselves to entertain and survive.”

Scanga also observed that “teachers and administrators are finding fun ways to engage,” which he thinks offers a good way to build connections with families.

Board member Megan Harding also expressed appreciation for the dedication of the district’s teachers and to the help provided by parents and guardians.

She said she’s attended some teacher Zoom meetings with their students.

“I’ve been blown away,” Harding said. “Those students are engaged. They are excited to be there.

“They miss their teachers, their teachers miss them.”

Harding also praised the parents and guardians.

“I know this isn’t something that they signed up for. They’re trying to work from home and to try to help their child be academically successful, and they’re also trying to keep their household afloat while ensuring their children are doing their schoolwork. I want to thank them for their partnership. I want to  thank them for doing their best to balance it all,” she said.

Published April 29, 2020

Lifting spirits in all sorts of ways

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(Courtesy of Blaise Ryndes)

Spreading joy through bubbles
Blaise Ryndes, of Land O’ Lakes, attracted national attention when he took his bubble-making skills to America’s Got Talent.

Now, during a time of a global pandemic, the performer decided to take to his neighborhood streets, to help spread joy during a time of social isolation.

He recently put on a one-car bubble parade for his neighbors.

“To abide by social distancing, everyone stayed in their own yards and we went house to house spreading fun bubbles around, or as I like to call them, little orbs of happiness and cleanliness,” Ryndes reports, in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

He described his act as “an effort to relieve the angst of quarantine.”

And, based on the photos, it looks like his mobile “Spheres Bubble Show,” was a hit.

AdventHealth staff is joined by volunteers, including Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman, after the meals are delivered to the Dade City hospital. (Courtesy of Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey)

Helping two groups, at the same time
When Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey heard about an effort to show appreciation to front-line workers during the global pandemic, she latched onto it — immediately.

The initiative — launched by Liz Bernich, of Chatham, New Jersey, and Gina McGuire, of Madison, New Jersey – is called the Frontline Appreciation Group (FLAG) 2020.

They wanted to show appreciation to front-line workers, and help restaurants at the same time.

So, they began raising money that they spent to help feed front-line workers.

When Starkey heard about the initiative she launched a Pasco chapter, which is known as FLAG2020Pasco.

As of last week, a total of 105 meals had been delivered, with 64 going to AdventHealth Dade City, and 41 to BayCare’s North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey. Another delivery was planned for the evening of April 24 at AdventHealth Zephyrhills.

So far, restaurants that have participated include Boulevard Beef & Ale and Rose’s Bistro Off Main, both in downtown New Port Richey, which provided meals for North Bay Hospital; and, Green Door on 8th, which provided meals for AdventHealth Dade City.

Donations supporting the efforts so far have come from citizens, as well as county officials including Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and former Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’Neil.

When she saw the initiative on the news, Starkey said she wanted to get involved because it is innovative and smart.

To help, send donations to:

Venmo: @FLAG2020Pasco

PayPal: PayPal.me/FLAG2020Pasco

Those donating $100 or more will get a sign to place in their yard, which Starkey has purchased as a show of appreciation to contributors.

Make a veteran’s day brighter!
As nursing homes remain off-limits to visitors, the Friends of the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home have launched a project aimed at brightening veterans’ days.

The project is called Operation FAV (For Any Veteran) and it seeks to enlist the help of anyone who wants to get involved to help overcome social distancing requirements by writing a note or sending a card to residents at the nursing home.

Organizers of the effort note, “this Land O’ Lakes nursing home has, like nursing homes throughout the world, been closed for visitors, leaving the residents there somewhat isolated.”

The great thing about this project is that anyone, of any age, can get involved.

All you have to do to is make up a card, note or letter, and address them:

For Any Veteran

Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home

6919 Parkway Blvd.

Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639

The staff will make sure your cards and notes are distributed to the veterans there who haven’t had visitors in a while. Cards also can be sent in bulk to the same address.

A unique way of reaching out
While acknowledging that a swimming pool is not the most important necessity in life, Glenn Simpson, of GPS Pool, is offering a free chemical pool service to those age 60 and older. For many people, swimming in their pool is the only activity they have during this time of pandemic, Simpson says, in a blurb about his offer. Call (813) 948-9091 for details.

Gerry Ackley and Yvonne Wassman stand on one side of the truck loaded with food, while Steve Graves and Sandy Graves stand on the other. The food goes to help the hungry and is being supported through a donation by the seniors at Sunlake High School. (Courtesy of Lisa Kamps)

Sunlake High seniors step up
When Pasco 2020 Grad Bash was canceled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors from Sunlake High School decided they wanted to do something worthwhile with the money they’d raised to pay for the event’s buses. They decided to make a big donation to Keystone Community Church’s Second Serving program. That program provides food for the homeless, operates a food pantry and helps people with other essentials, during their time of need.

The church is immensely grateful, said Lisa Kamps, of the Second Serving program.

“The most important thing, I think, for the senior class was to reach out in the Lutz, Land O’ Lakes area, because we don’t have as many opportunities here to assist families in need.

“They wanted to be sure that we were reaching people in this area,” Kamps said, noting that not all of the money will go for food. “We have to see what the need is, and meet it.”

Monica Isle, assistant superintendent of high schools for Pasco County Schools, gave kudos to the Sunlake seniors during the April 21 school board meeting.

“I think it just speaks to our graduating class that we have — of how much they’re thinking of how they can give back to the community,” Isle said.

Coty Darmoth is one of the chefs at Nabruzzi Trattoria. (Courtesy of Dana Nabruzzi)

Serving meals, in show of gratitude
It’s not uncommon for a restaurant to have a special, but Nabruzzi Trattoria has taken its Wednesday night specials to an entirely new level.

It is delivering free hot meals to people who serve the community.

“Every Wednesday we’re going to pick somebody in the area that has put themselves at risk, that are out there every day,” said Massimo Sabetti, the chef/owner of Nabruzzi Trattoria at 6062 Van Dyke Road in Lutz.

The restaurant was closed for about two weeks, before deciding to reopen for take-out and curbside, only.

When it reopened, Sabetti and his wife decided: “We have to do something for the community during this time,” he said.

After all, the community support is the reason the restaurant has done well.

So, on April 8, a meal was delivered to support the workers at Publix, and then another delivery was made that night to support the emergency room staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

On April 15, the restaurant delivered a meal to Hillsborough County Rescue Station 34, on Van Dyke Road, and then, on April 22, it delivered a meal for workers at Magnolia Manor Assisted Living Facility.

“We pick a place every week, I call, coordinate, what time is good for them? I get my chefs to make it and we bring it to them,” said Sabetti said.

He’s giving back to a community that has been very good to him, he said.

“The neighborhood has been very, very supportive. I’m very fortunate.”

Tell us about acts of kindness
If you know people who are going out of their way to make life easier for others during this time of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, please let us know by emailing .

Published April 29, 2020

Cancellation of spring sports leaves many dejected

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“The kids deserve it,” he said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published April 29, 2020

New Land O’ Lakes coach enjoys the gridiron

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When Ronald “Trac” Baughn moved to Florida a couple years ago, his sights were set on enjoying retirement.

He pictured himself fishing every day and visiting nearby family members on a regular basis.

But, it wasn’t long before he fantasized about stepping back on the gridiron again.

And that’s after three long decades of coaching high school and college football — mostly throughout Mississippi.

New Land O’ Lakes head football coach Ronald ‘Trac’ Baughn served as the program’s defensive coordinator the last two seasons.(Courtesy of Brandon Franke)

The coaching bug bit again in summer 2018 — when he accepted a position to become assistant coach/defensive coordinator for the Land O’ Lakes High School varsity football program.

“I thought I was just going to fish for a little while, and then it got to being late June and I said, ‘I don’t think I can do this.’ I about had enough fishing,” Baughn said of his foray back into coaching.

Fast-forward to 2020: Baughn is now the Gators new head football coach.

He replaces the man he spent the past two seasons working for — Chad Walker, who in January accepted a head football coach position at Cambridge Christian School, in Tampa.

Baughn was selected from among 40 applicants for the position.

About 15 of the applicants were interviewed, according to Land O’ Lakes athletic director Michael Frump.

Baughn’s decorated coaching background, plus recent time with the Gators, served him well.

During 32 years of coaching football, Baughn has molded NFL veterans. He’s rubbed shoulders with legendary SEC coaches in the Mississippi junior college ranks. And, he found notable success as head coach and defensive coordinator throughout the Mississippi preps scene.

His college coaching stops have included the following: tight ends coach at Division I FCS Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, Tennessee), running backs coach at Division II Delta State University, defensive assistant East Mississippi Community College, and defensive coordinator Holmes Community College (Goodman, Mississippi).

His high school experience, which all came in the Magnolia State, is varied, too. He coached at Cleveland Central High School, Meridian High School, Kosciusko High School, New Hope High School and Wayne County High School, respectively.

Baughn said his experience equates to “an awful lot of time dealing with kids and working with (football) schemes.”

He added, modestly: “I don’t know, 32 years of coaching experience, it’s all been valuable to me.”

His two seasons as Kosciusko’s head football coach may serve most relevant to the Gators program.

He guided that team to 10-3 marks in both 2015 and 2016, reaching the third round of Mississippi 4A playoffs both years. He was twice named “Area Coach of the Year” as those teams finished ranked in the Mississippi Associated Press 4A top 5.

Baughn feels his time as head coach at the Central Mississippi-based school can translate to his new undertaking at Land O’ Lakes.

He put it like this: “I thought that I had been successful as a head coach before, and I kind of know what it entails, and I felt like I might be able to help right the ship over time.

“We’ve got really good kids (at Land O’ Lakes), and just felt like they deserved somebody that that was willing to give their best shot,” the coach said.

Success starts with large senior classes, rosters
The past two seasons at Land O’ Lakes offer a glimpse of the highs and lows of the Land O’ Lakes football program.

The Gators went 7-3 in 2018, narrowly missing the playoffs. That was the school’s first winning campaign since 2013 — restoring some confidence in the historic program.

Perhaps just as important that year, the Gators finally supplanted crosstown foe Sunlake High in the annual “Butter Bowl” rivalry game — the first such victory in eight years.

The 2019 team, however, was another story. It finished the season with a 2-8 mark.

The only wins came against Freedom High and Zephyrhills Christian schools. And, most of the team’s losses were blowouts, with a 31-point loss, three 40-plus point losses and two 50-plus point losses, among others.

All told, the Gators were outscored 137-363.

As a member of the coaching staff both years, Baughn knows what went wrong in 2019.

The coach blamed a “much more difficult” schedule and an “extremely young” roster with few seniors. “It kind of created a situation where we had a bunch of young kids that were going to struggle a little bit. That’s just the way it went,” Baughn said.

While a tough schedule will remain in 2020, Baughn is on a mission to “get the numbers up” and recruit more athletes from inside the school’s hallways to join the football program.

He has a list of more than 65 athletes interested in playing football, and he’s still actively looking for more.

“We need kids to come out,” Baughn said. “You can’t have four or five or six seniors every year. You need to have some classes with 15 to 20 (seniors) in it.”

So, what’s in store for next season?

Baughn’s philosophy, in a nutshell, is predicated on running the football and being fundamentally sound on defense.

“We’re gonna be a lot more physical, a lot less finesse than we have been,” the coach said.

He plans to teach those principles through a mantra centered on “tough love.”

“When they’re out there, I’m going to demand they do their best, and I won’t put up with anything less than that,” Baughn said.

“We are going to hold their feet to the fire and make them do the right thing, and try to develop and instill some work ethic in them, not that they don’t have that already, but we’re going to demand a lot of them.”

‘Last Chance U’ ties
Interestingly, Baughn has several ties to the hit Netflix original documentary series, “Last Chance U,” which profiles junior college football programs and recruits.

Fans of the widely popular show are familiar with East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), profiled in seasons 1 and 2 of the show.

Long before EMCC became a household name and drew a cult following, Baughn was a defensive assistant there.

“I watched some of (Last Chance U), and I was like, ‘Hey, there’s our old house right there…,’” Baughn quipped.

Baughn has coached against EMCC head coach Buddy Stephens, a prominent figure in the series, throughout the Mississippi JUCO ranks.

Baughn pointed out he notched a win against Stephens when he was then-defensive coordinator at Holmes Community College and Stephens was then-offensive coordinator at Pearl River Community College.

Stephens, notorious for his firebrand demeanor, has gone on to win five NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) national championships at EMCC.

“He’s done a phenomenal job there,” Baughn said.

The new Land O’ Lakes coach also claims to have once hired and worked with Marcus Wood — another prominent Last Chance U regular as EMCC’s offensive coordinator.

Baughn said the show is “kind of neat, because you know all those people.”

At the same time, he feels some of the moments are sensationalized for entertainment’s sake.

“TV kind of makes things one-sided a little bit,” he said. “Some people say, ‘Is it really like that?’ and I say, ‘Well, sometimes it’s really like that, but not all the time.’”

Key losses

  • Ethan Forrester, quarterback
  • Brett Gwinn, tight end
  • Michael Lansford, running back/linebacker

Key returnees

  • Isaac Tavo, offensive lineman
  • Zavian Mckinnon, defensive lineman
  • Nick Kleoppel, wide receiver

Worth noting about Ronald ‘Trac’ Baughn

  • He has much of the assistant coaching staff in place, which includes offensive coordinator Spencer Van Meter (previous coach at Chamberlain and Jefferson high schools, respectively).
  • Is seeking two more assistant coaches, including a defensive coordinator, though he didn’t rule out the possibility of handling those duties himself. “If we can find somebody that I feel good with running our defense, that I have confidence in, then I’ll go that route. If I can’t (find someone), I’ll do it myself,” he said.
  • While coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has halted offseason football workouts, Baughn has spent the downtime evaluating game film, scouting 2020 opponents, putting playbooks together and assigning at-home workouts to players, among other activities. Baughn acknowledged all the mandated coronavirus precautions “kind of set us back in the plan that we had moving forward, for sure” and “puts us a little further behind the eight-ball than we already were in regards to trying to get things going.”
  • He’s coached at least “15 or 20” players who’ve gone on to play in the NFL, a list that includes two-time Super Bowl Champion running back Antwowain Smith.
  • Has worked with prominent coaches including longtime (SEC) coaches Tom Goode, S.E. Sullins and Robert Henry.

Published April 08, 2020

All-Pasco County winter awards announced

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High school coaches from the Pasco County School District recently announced the Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) All-Conference Teams, Athletes of the Year and Coaches of the Year, for the 2019-2020 winter sports season, which included basketball, competitive cheerleading, soccer, weightlifting and wrestling.

Selections were made for both the East and West division.

The following high 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 Sunlake High varsity boys basketball team finished 17-8 this season and reached the district finals. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School athletics)

Winter Sports (Boys)
SAC East All-Conference Boys Basketball
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: David Puhlaski, Land O’ Lakes
Player of the Year: Mekhi Perry, Land O’ Lakes

First-Team
Chase Farmer, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Jordan Golden, Sunlake, senior
Dontae Marchman, Zephyrhills, senior
Brian Parker, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Mekhi Perry, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Second-Team
Jelani Vassell, Wesley Chapel, senior
Matt Webster, Pasco, sophomore
Ethan Jones, Wesley Chapel, senior
Jacob McCaslin, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Josh Bent, Sunlake, senior

Honorable Mention(s)
Joe Vreeland, Cypress Creek, senior

SAC East All-Conference Boys Soccer
Team Champion: Wiregrass Ranch
Coach of the Year: Justin Pelliccia, Cypress Creek
Offensive Player of the Year: Malcolm Lewis, Wiregrass Ranch
Defensive Player of the Year: Ben McQuay, Wiregrass Ranch

First-Team
Logan Grace, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Ethan Sternberg, Sunlake, junior
Justin Amis, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Joey Maulorico, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Carter Corrao, Cypress Creek, senior
Alec Santiago, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Sebastian Victoria, Sunlake, junior
Malcolm Lewis, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Ben McQuay, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Jake Bierhorst, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Derek Isajar, Sunlake, junior

Second-Team
Jaxon Landry, Sunlake, senior
Spencer Rawlings, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Jared Jimenez, Pasco, senior
Jori Ndrita, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Carlos Morales, Zephyrhills, senior
Landon Craven, Pasco, senior
Mario Garcia, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Sam Salas, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Brock Montei, Sunlake, junior
Alex Bronnan, Cypress Creek, junior
Julian Padilla, Pasco, senior

Honorable Mention(s)
Destin Rogers, Wesley Chapel, senior

The Pasco High varsity boys wrestling team won an SAC conference championship. (Courtesy of Pasco High School athletics)

SAC East All-Conference Boys Wrestling
Team Champion: Pasco
Coach of the Year: Tim Maples, Pasco
Wrestler of the Year: Zach Spicer, Sunlake

First-Team
106-pound: Donavan Eury, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
113-pound: Deshawn Creary, Wiregrass Ranch, freshman
120-pound: Orion Magoon, Sunlake, sophomore
126-pound: Dante Reese, Land O’ Lakes, senior
132-pound: Travis Knowlton, Pasco, senior
138-pound: Jacob Thornton, Pasco, senior
145-pound: Jake Koener, Sunlake, junior
152-pound: Kevin Johnston, Pasco, senior
160-pound: Devin Jernigan, Pasco, junior
170-pound: Savion Spaights, Pasco, junior
182-pound: Zach Spicer, Sunlake, senior
195-pound: Amir Burgess, Pasco, junior
220-pound: Theotis Smith, Zephyrhills, sophomore
285-pound: Cayman Wiseman, Sunlake, senior

Second-Team
106-pound: Jason DeSantis, Cypress Creek, sophomore
113-pound: James Day, Zephyrhills, freshman
120-pound: Exavier Beckwith, Wesley Chapel, junior
126-pound: Kyle Dickerson, Pasco, senior
132-pound: Morgan Ray, Land O’ Lakes, junior
138-pound: Jackson Hudson, Cypress Creek, sophomore
145-pound: Jack Evans, Pasco, junior
152-pound: Idaael Reyes, Zephyrhills, sophomore
160-pound: Collins Bogie, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore
170-pound: Renso Fernandez, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
182-pound: Chance Kuber, Pasco, senior
195-pound: Zavion McKinnon, Land O’ Lakes, junior
220-pound: Cassidy Grubs, Pasco, freshman
285-pound: Dujuan McCullough, Zephyrhills, junior

Honorable Mention(s)
Briac Riles, Wesley Chapel, sophomore

The Wesley Chapel High School varsity girls basketball team went 26-4 and reached the Class 4A regional final. (Courtesy of Wesley Chapel High School athletics)

Winter Sports (Girls)
SAC East All-Conference Girls Basketball
Team Champion: Wesley Chapel
Coach of the Year: Peter Livingston, Wesley Chapel
Player of the Year: Kayla Grant, Wesley Chapel

First-Team
Kayla Grant, Wesley Chapel, senior
Zoi Evans, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Arianna Rivera-Heppenstall, Wesley Chapel, senior
Taija McCullough, Zephyrhills, junior
Daisy McQuain, Sunlake, senior

Second-Team
Mia Nicholson, Wesley Chapel, junior
Natalie Rodriguez, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Allison Fleming, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
April Davis, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Emari Lewis, Wesley Chapel, sophomore

Honorable Mention(s)
Evelyn Randall, Pasco, sophomore
Adrianna Villanueva, Cypress Creek, freshman

SAC East All-Conference Competitive Cheerleading
Team Champion: Land O’ Lakes
Coach of the Year: Danielle Hammer, Wiregrass Ranch
Cheerleader of the Year: Sarah Spitzig, Land O’ Lakes

First-Team
Sarah Spitzig, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Laura Madison, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Lauren Jones, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Gabriela Miller, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Emma Flannery, Pasco, senior
Kristal Prado Zapata, Wesley Chapel, senior
Layla Gilyard, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Taryn Clower, Cypress Creek, junior
Brooke Sokolowski, Cypress Creek, junior
Brianna Cunningham, Zephyrhills, junior

Second-Team
Christina Agovino, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Mayah Ocasio, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Camryn Steele, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Emma Runkel, Land O’ Lakes, junior
Juliette Pacheco, Sunlake, senior
Julia Thomas, Sunlake, senior
Sydeny Taylor, Wesley Chapel, junior
Laynye Longley, Wesley Chapel, sophomore
Brooke Pudoka, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
Alyssa Pollicita, Cypress Creek, sophomore

SAC East All-Conference Girls Soccer
Team Champion: Wiregrass Ranch
Coach of the Year: Jen Craven, Land O’ Lakes
Offensive Player of the Year: Avery Damjanovic, Wiregrass Ranch
Defensive Player of the Year: Sydney Bauer, Wesley Chapel

First-Team
Ashley Doers, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Nisa Cahoon, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Sydney Bauer, Wesley Chapel, junior
Jada Silvest, Land O’ Lakes, freshman
Gaby Cardenas, Wesley Chapel, senior
Kylee Ehmann, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Avery Damjanovic, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Jordan Green, Land O’ Lakes, freshman
Madison Holcombe, Wesley Chapel, junior
Maddy Golka, Wesley Chapel, sophomore
Avery Wild, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Second-Team
Katelyn Hicks, Sunlake, sophomore
Kelsey Kadlub, Pasco, junior
Jaydean Ireland, Zephyrhills, senior
Ashley Roth, Sunlake, senior
Abby Murphy, Cypress Creek, senior
Kaylei Koschman, Wesley Chapel, junior
Amaris Hamilton-Grein, Wesley Chapel, freshman
Raegan Bourne, Cypress Creek, senior
Kobi Page, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore
Rylee Humphries, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Delaney Sanders, Cypress Creek, senior

SAC East Girls Weightlifting
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: Denise Garcia, Sunlake
Athlete of the Year: Juliette Pacheco, Sunlake

First-Team
101-pound: Andje Costa, Cypress Creek, sophomore
110-pound: Gabriella Schwarz, Sunlake, sophomore
119-pound: Madison Guincho, Sunlake, junior
129-pound: Delaney Pratt, Sunlake, senior
139-pound: Gianna Levy, Sunlake, senior
154-pound: Sarah Davis, Zephyrhills, senior
169-pound: Juliette Pacheco, Sunlake, senior
183-pound: Brianna Caban, Sunlake, senior
199-pound: Antoinette Farmer, Sunlake, senior
Unlimited: Sarita Alzate, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Second-Team
101-pound: Alexandria Black, Wiregrass Ranch, junior
110-pound: Savannah Lee, Wesley Chapel, senior
119-pound: Gianna Long, Sunlake, freshman
129-pound: Asia Wilmer, Zephyrhills, junior
139-pound: Gianina Rios, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
154-pound: Madison Aguilera, Zephyrhills, junior
169-pound: Alyssa Kremer, Land O’ Lakes, senior
183-pound: Lakisia Thomas, Zephyrhills, senior
199-pound: Kyleigh Smith, Zephyrhills, senior
Unlimited: Juliana Garcia, Sunlake, junior

Honorable Mention(s)
Moriah Tucker, Pasco, freshman