The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Wiregrass Ranch High

2023 Volleyball Team Previews

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With a new school year means the local high school volleyball teams are headed back to their respective courts, looking to spike the competition. Here’s our preview of the prep teams in our coverage area:

Pasco County
Academy of the Lakes
2022 record: 7-8
District: 2A-9
Coach: Jeffrey Saxton
Outlook: The Wildcats lose their top scorer, Malia Nelson (173 kills), but replenish their depleted roster with several incoming freshmen. Molly Blackwood, who is returning from a softball injury, had 92 kills last season.

Bishop McLaughlin
2022 record: 5-16
District: 3A-9
Coach: Elizabeth Klauka
Outlook: The Hurricanes are looking to bounce back from a disappointing season, and will lean on the team’s returning top scorer, D’Yanna Spicer, who had 91 kills and 66 blocks, while Samanta Banner, also returning, added 48 kills.

Cypress Creek
2022 record: 17-8
District: 5A-5
Coach: Angel Ramirez
Outlook: The Coyotes had their best season in the program’s short history, however, nearby rivals, Wesley Chapel, were a powerhouse last season. While their season ended in the region semifinals to Merritt Island, the Coyotes, who lost 10 seniors, return outside hitter Addison Fast (55 kills) and Camryn Paradise (254 assists, 22 digs).

The Land O’ Lakes High Volleyball Team advanced to the Class 6A state tournament in 2022, and returns several of its star players this season. (File)

Land O’ Lakes
2022 record: 24-8
District: 6A-9
Coach: Emily Frazer
Outlook: The Gators get a new coach coming off its best season in program history that saw them reach the Class 6A state tournament, led by County Player of the Year Bella Horruitiner (284 kills, 31 aces, 211 digs), who returns for her senior season. Carissa Mixon also returns (219 kills), as does Katelyn Hurley (73 kills), while the Gators look to push past district rival Mitchell again for another deep postseason run and are ranked 14th in Class 5A.

Pasco
2022 record: 6-15
District: 5A-6
Coach: Ramiro Tejada
Outlook: The Pirates sit in a deep district with several teams, though look to lean on some of its tall outside hitters in Mylianna Lane, Karaline Burnap and Skye Gagne. Emma LeTourneau, who played at Wesley Chapel last season and had 171 kills, returns to the team this season.

Sunlake
2022 record: 13-10
District: 6A-9
Coach: Elyse Garcia
Outlook: The Seahawks return Kendyl Okin (117 kills, 43 blocks) and look to keep pace with the likes of in-town rival Land O’ Lakes and Mitchell. Okin will be helped at the net by outside hitter Elanah Hardeen (88 kills) and Zayda Thomas (56 kills).

Wesley Chapel senior Annabelle Grace Korta returns to a loaded Wildcats team after racking up 191 kills in 2022.

Wesley Chapel
2022 record: 23-6
District: 5A-5
Coach: Brittany Collison
Outlook: The Wildcats, coming off arguably the program’s best season that ended in the Class 5A state tournament, do lose one of the county’s top players in Chloe Danielson (1,031 career kills), but still return a wealth of talent, especially on the net. The team will have a power hitting attack from seniors Elizabeth Ekechi (201 kills, 85 digs, 45 blocks) and Annabell Grace Korta (191 kills, 59 digs, 38 blocks), while also returning is Brooke Ashkenase, who had 347 digs last year. The Wildcats are ranked fifth in Class 5A.

Wiregrass Ranch
2022 record: 12-10
District: 6A-10
Coach: Amy Strawser
Outlook: The Bulls were looking to bring back senior Haley Strawser (318 assists, 308 digs, 162 kills) to keep pace as the only Pasco County team in their district that also features Bloomingdale and Wharton, but Stawser is now out due to injury. Also returning will be Ayanna Klaiber-Norris (121 kills) and Kamryn Hill (94 kills).

Zephyrhills
2022 record: 6-13
District: 5A-6
Coach: Maya Clark
Outlook: The Bulldogs get a new coach with Emily Frazer departing for Land O’ Lakes, and look to build on its best season in years that resulted in six wins, a total they hadn’t reached since 2012.

Zephyrhills Christian
2022 record: 0-7
District: Independent
Coach: Amy Jones
Outlook: The Warriors, will once again, play as an independent team, but this year with a 15-game schedule. 

Hillsborough County
Carrollwood Day
2022 record: 20-7
District: 3A-9
Coach: Douglas Chinchar
Outlook:The Patriots return a pair of coach’s daughters, who dominated at the net last year: freshman Lydia Chinchar had 535 kills, 192 digs and 43 blocks, while the elder sister, senior Naomi Chinchar, had 179 kills, 104 digs and 41 blocks. Throw in junior Lorelei Church (844 assists, 169 digs, 75 kills), and the Patriots have a potent lineup looking to move past the first round of the regional tournament. The Patriots are ranked 13th in Class 3A.

Freedom
2022 record: 10-5
District: 5A-9
Coach: Renee Thompson
Outlook: The Patriots, coming off one of their best seasons in recent team history, look to build on that by returning Addison Barno (148 kills, 122 digs) and Liliana Palacios (77 kills, 107 digs), and a weak district might just help the team to the regional tournament.

Gaither
2022 record: 12-7
District: 6A-10
Coach: Kesha Lindo
Outlook: The Cowboys will look to keep pace in a tough district, and will do so by turning to Angelina Hanson (89 kills, 80 digs) and Haven Osler (80 kills, 60 digs), whose little sister, freshman Kendall Osler, also joins the team. Junior Mya Crow also had 67 kills in 2022. 

Steinbrenner
2022 record: 8-19
District: 7A-9
Coach: Jandra Fabian
Outlook: The Warriors will look to rebound off a down year, but do so in returning Andrea Ruiz (119 kills) and Malloy Baruch (71 kills), though still find themselves in a very tough district led by powerhouse Plant.

Wharton
2022 record: 15-10
District: 6A-10
Coach: Eric Barber
Outlook: The Wildcats lose their top two scorers to graduation, but return Naree Kately (114 kills), Josiya Teague (82 kills) and Paige Boyd (43 blocks), as the team looks to battle against the likes of Bloomingdale and Wiregrass Ranch for district dominance.

Published September 06, 2023

Girls giving back, globally and locally

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Tanvi Handoo doesn’t mind picking up trash at a local beach.

She knows that as she removes garbage from a sandy shore here, her actual reach is global.

From left, members of the Tampa chapter Girls Give Back organization, Land O’ Lakes High seniors Chloe Stout and Tanvi Handoo and Wiregrass Ranch High senior Meghna Manjith took part in a community service project at Ben T. Davis Beach in Tampa, as part of the chapter’s initiative. Handoo is the Tampa chapter president of Girls Give Back, a global organization that provides a platform and space for girls to become leaders by tackling social issues such as women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, human trafficking and homelessness. (Mike Camunas)

Handoo, a senior at Land O’ Lakes High, started the Tampa chapter of Girls Give Back — a global nonprofit that provides a platform and space for girls to become leaders in their communities and beyond. They raise awareness about social issues through community projects and services. They also connect throughout the world to discuss injustices, allowing these young women to cultivate skills to become  leaders in their own communities.

“We try to find an area where we can come together and say, ‘I’ve noticed this in my area and community and I want to do something about it,’” Handoo said. “(It’s) where we do projects that raise money or awareness or both — and our group gives us the platform to do this and a place for young women to come together.

“And, from a global role, to get young women from around the world to hear each other, to talk to each other and see their perspectives and voices and realize that there are other young women out there, just like them, that feel just like them and that they can connect with,” she added.

Remarkably, Handoo started her Girls Give Back (GGB) chapter when she was a freshman, during the height of the COVID pandemic. At that time, it was a lot of online meetings and discussions until she could get to community projects and build up membership.

Each chapter plans and carries out events that are tailored to address the disparities and issues in their own communities. 

Wiregrass Ranch High senior Meghna Manjith, left, and Land O’ Lakes senior Chloe Stout, right, help pick up trash during a Girls Give Back Tampa Chapter community service project on June 24.

Some events Handoo and her chapter have planned and executed include a Feminine Hygiene Drive for women and abuse victims; a “Moving FL Forward” forum with chapters across Florida; a global forum with the India chapter about the COVID crisis in India; beach cleanups; creating and mailing cards to kids at St. Jude’s Hospital; and the EQ4U series — webinars serving as a safe space for Tampa youth to discuss setbacks in mental health and learn about scientifically proven, healthy coping mechanisms.

Additionally, Handoo co-founded the India Chapter of GGB, was promoted to GGB Global Ambassador (second hand to founder, Salma Murphy) and led and participated in a multitude of events.

“A lot of us are very passionate about social justice advocacy, and we all have our range of passions,” Handoo said. “Be it mental health, feminism, climate justice — and this (group) allows them to become a leader and they don’t have to be a specific gender or identity or background to be a leader in their community or to create change.

“Anyone who is passionate about making a difference and change, can join,” she said.

As of now, the Tampa chapter has 15 members with nearly all of them coming from Pasco County schools, such as Land O’ Lakes and Wiregrass Ranch.

Girls Give Back Tampa Chapter founder Tanvi Handoo, a senior at Land O’ Lakes High, picks up trash along Ben T. Davis Beach in Tampa during a community service initiative.

Globally, GGB is trying to expand more, including creating middle-school aged chapters, she said.

Handoo only started “recruiting” new members at the beginning of 2023, however, she quickly found other like-minded young women.

“I thought it was very interesting to have a global group that focused on making change in our communities,” said Wiregrass Ranch senior Meghna Manjith, a longtime friend of Handoo. “GGB is so broad and it has all these chapters and you can reach out to members, so it’s very diverse with plenty of resources. … And with the projects, you come into the community and interact with members of the community — it’s just helping everyone out and it makes that much bigger of an impact.”

Manjith said she is passionate about raising awareness on human trafficking in her community, including running Teens Battle Human Trafficking, a student-organization at her school.

Handoo, for her part, is passionate about feminism and fighting “sexism and gender bias in my own community.”

“Especially,” she added, “with my parents being Indian immigrants, so I’ve seen it in my home country and in America and it’s something that I’ve seen from a young age and continue to see.”

Another member, fellow Land O’ Lakes senior Chloe Stout, is deeply interested in speaking up for all social injustices, as long as all women’s voices are heard.

“I think it’s important to empower women and bring light to their struggles,” Stout said. “We need to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard, so people are not made to feel less than others or inferior.

“I think, as a group, we do a good job at that and that everyone is aware of the important topics and being able to talk to other women about these topics.”

As for Handoo, and her Tampa chapter, it’s all about reaching out — to support one another.

“Honestly, I think there’s a lot of people, girls and boys, that are passionate about these types of things, but aren’t encouraged to be active in their community,” she said. “I think about all those out there, and they have no voice, but we can come together and be a part of something that supports one another and do great things together.”

Girls Give Back Tampa Chapter
Details: Girls Give Back Global (GGB) was founded in May 2020 by Salma Murphy in Boston and quickly expanded to become a national and global non-profit. GGB provides a platform and space for girls to become leaders in their communities and beyond. The girls are able to lead projects they’re passionate about that target issues unique to their community, but also are able to lead global impact projects — while connecting with other passionate young women across the globe.
For more information, or to join the Tampa chapter, contact Tanvi Handoo at and visit the chapter’s Instagram: @ggbtampa.
For more information, visit www.girlsgivebackglobal.com.

Published July 04, 2023

These shelters run so seamlessly, it looks easy, official says

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While Pasco County was spared the death and destruction that Hurricane Ian left its in path, it didn’t escape massive disruptions caused by the hurricane’s threat.

As Hurricane Ian headed toward Florida, weather experts and local officials feared there could be a direct hit on the Tampa Bay region.

Bracing for that possibility, local governments issued mandatory evacuations for residents living in the most vulnerable areas.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning praised the school district’s staff and volunteers for the smooth operations of the district’s shelters for Hurricane Ian evacuees.(File)

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning closed the district’s schools and child care programs, and canceled school-related events.

The district was forced to close its schools because of the serious nature of Hurricane Ian’s potential dangers, Browning said.

The district also opened shelters to give evacuees a place to go.

The operations ran so smoothly that people often forget the massive amount of effort required to make that happen, Browning said, during the Pasco County School Board’s Oct. 4 meeting.

The superintendent complimented everyone involved in the shelter efforts.

He took a few minutes to detail the efforts required.

He thanked the staff and volunteers who were involved in getting schools ready to serve as shelters, then operating the shelters and then getting the schools ready for classes to resume.

The district had shelter operations at Cypress Creek, Sunlake, Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel and Fivay high schools; at Cypress Creek, Centennial, Weightman and Pasco middle schools; and, at the River Ridge Complex.

The superintendent told the school board, audience and those watching the board meeting on YouTube that he couldn’t let the day pass without expressing gratitude for the district’s incredible team.

“The folks that make it look seamless in this district are sitting before you today,” Browning said. “These men and these women, around this table, are the ones that make it happen.

“The problem with making it look so seamless is that people don’t actually understand the amount of work that goes into preparing to close schools, open shelters, make sure they’re staffed, make sure you have food,” Brown said.

“They make it seamless. They do. But I’ll tell you, the people who are sitting around this table today worked their tails off.”

The superintendent praised the efforts of Mary Martin and her human resources team, who ensured the shelters were staffed.

“Mary and her team just knocked it out of the park,” Browning said.

He singled out Stephanie Spicknall, director of food and nutrition services (FNS), and her team, too.

Browning said he suspects some evacuees are “somewhat shocked” when they arrive at a school-based shelter and are served hot meals, instead of cold sandwiches.

“That doesn’t happen by accident, it happens because the FNS teams are there in those schools and they are preparing meals for those evacuees,” the superintendent said.

Browning also highlighted the efforts of Gary Sawyer, transportation director, and his drivers for getting people where they need to go.

He gave a shoutout to the system’s maintenance and custodial crews for getting the shelters ready for evacuees, and then after those sheltering had left, getting the schools ready to resume classes.

Browning also had good words for Michael Baumaister, the district’s chief of safety and emergency operations, and for Lt. Tom Perron, on that team, who was at the county’s Emergency Operations Center.

School board member Allen Altman noted that during Hurricane Irma, district shelters had a greater influx of evacuees, and issues arose because they had not been staffed with security or medical teams.

Those issues have been resolved, improving shelter operations, Altman said.

The changes occurred because of suggestions made after Hurricane Irma, the school board member said.

Browning said he’s looking forward to the debriefing regarding this year’s shelter operations, to see what other improvements can be made.

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services, told the board: “I know there are things that our shelter operations can do better, but I think, overall, we were very encouraged by what we saw.”

Kuhn was happy to see improvements implemented in this year’s operations, based on lessons learned from Hurricane Irma.

She expressed gratitude for the help by human resources, to manage shelter staffing.

“That was a huge lift,” Kuhn said.

She also mentioned the contributions from Chief Baumaister and Lt. Perron, of the safety and emergency operations team.

“Issues like this really show how people come together and how amazing of a team we have,” Kuhn said.

She described a moment that was particularly gratifying.

She said she was at a shelter and observed a principal checking in an evacuee.

“You would have thought this person was checking into the Ritz Carlton, the way this principal was treating this evacuee,” Kuhn said.

“It was just a very heartwarming thing to see that our team comes together in a crisis. No egos. Everybody pitches in, does the work and gets it done,” Kuhn said.

School board chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong also weighed in: “I can tell you what’s most meaningful to the evacuees … is the fact that they felt so welcomed and they felt so safe.

“That’s what our employees and our staff, and our teachers and principals were able to do — able to give those people a place where they felt safe and they felt welcomed,” the board chairwoman said. “If we can make them feel like that, then we were a success.”

Published October 12, 2022

New schools being planned in Pasco

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Pasco County is on the grow and the public school district is planning to increase its capacity.

The Pasco County School Board recently approved the district’s five-year school plant survey, which includes existing conditions and recommended plans.

Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, slated to open this fall, is one of the new schools on the list.

It’s a magnet school that will specialize in preparing students in career fields and technical trades such as automotive maintenance and repair, including diesel; biomedical sciences; building trades and construction technology; cybersecurity; digital media and multimedia design; engineering and robotics; welding; electricity; and, patient care technology.

Kirkland Academy of Innovation is a magnet school that will open in the fall in Wesley Chapel. It will feature a curriculum that allows students to earn a standard diploma, while having the opportunity to earn industry certifications in an array of technical fields. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Students attending the new high school are primarily coming from Wesley Chapel High, Pasco High, Zephyrhills, some from Wiregrass Ranch, and some from Cypress Creek, according to Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district.

Kirkland Ranch K-8, another school on the list, is expected to begin construction soon.

“As soon as they’re done with the Academy of Innovation, they’re moving to the back of this property. That’s going to be a magnet. Similarly, we expect that to have impact on primarily the east side. Weightman, John Long, Centennial (middle schools),” Williams said.

The elementary school students primarily will come from “Watergrass, Wesley Chapel, San Antonio, and even farther out, Double Branch, Seven Oaks, Wiregrass, that whole region,” he said.

The school plant survey also includes a number of other projects that are either planned soon, or are on a longer horizon.

A 6-12 STEM magnet school, in the emerging community of Angeline in Land O’ Lakes, is a four-story building under construction near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco Campus.

The school is expected to open in the fall of 2023, and the school district is delighted by the partnerships it anticipates with Moffitt.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity we’ll have for our students there,” Williams said.

That school also will be the district’s tallest school, the planning director said, noting there is no other four-story school in the system.

A new traditional K-8 is planned on the south side of State Road 54, across the road from the Ballantrae subdivision. The school will be built behind a Ballantrae office complex.

This magnet school, for students in grades six through 12, is expected to open in the fall of 2023. It will feature partnerships with Moffitt Cancer Center, which plans to create its Pasco County campus nearby. It also will be the tallest school in the Pasco County system.

Other plans call for a school campus in the new Two Rivers development off State Road 56, near Morris Bridge Road.

A site has been identified for the campus, but the school district hasn’t purchased it yet, Williams said. The site likely will be co-located with a regional park.

“We have done some preliminary thinking of how that might look. Because we’re going to have a whole campus there, probably K-8 and a high school, along with the park,” he said.

It’s not clear yet whether there will be a joint-use library, although it’s a possibility, he said.

“What are we going to be sharing? Certainly, we’ll be sharing the (athletic)  fields and the parking,” Williams said.

The planning director noted that projects listed in the district’s five-year plan are subject to change because available funding will be influenced by the collection of impact fees, whether the extension of the Penny for Pasco infrastructure surtax is approved by voters, local capital millage funds, and the overall economy.

If there’s a recession, for instance, there will be less construction activity and fewer revenues collected through impact fees.

Also, voters will decide in November whether to extend the Penny for Pasco surtax for 15 additional years.

That being said, a number of  other projects within the Laker/Lutz News coverage area are on the five-year list:

• Starkey Ranch K-8: Expansion for 400 student stations
Work is starting on that immediately, Williams said. When the district opened the school, it knew that the Starkey Ranch development would grow, but it turned out that the magnet school also attracted students who had been attending private schools and charter schools, Williams said.

• West Zephyrhills Elementary: Expansion for 400 student stations
If Penny for Pasco passes, the remodeling of West Zephyrhills Elementary will likely be one of the first projects that’s completed, Williams said. That project would include additional capacity.

• Pasco Senior High: Expansion for 400 student stations
When the first Penny for Pasco passed, the district did a significant project at Pasco Senior High, Williams said. That work did not include substantial work in the cafeteria or kitchen.

The conceptual plan for this project calls for tearing down the one-story building and constructing a two-story structure. The first floor would contain a kitchen and larger cafeteria. The second floor would be classrooms, Williams said. The media center likely would be remodeled, too, he said.

In addition to district projects, Williams said there’s also an expectation of some charter school expansions, as well as some new charter schools that will come online in the next few years.

Long-term school plans
These Pasco County school district projects are possibilities within the next 10 years:
• Classroom wing at these schools: Wiregrass Ranch High; Centennial Middle; and, Chester Taylor and West Zephyrhills elementary schools
• New K-8 school: Villages of Pasadena Hills and in Two Rivers
• New high schools in Bexley Ranch and in Odessa area

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published July 13, 2022

Chalk Talk 04/27/2022

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Jazz performance
The Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road in Tampa, will host “Jazz with Jim” on April 29 at 7:30 p.m.

The show with Jim Burge and The Jazz Directions will feature young performers of the Hillsborough County High School All-Star Jazz Ensemble.

Burge hand-selected the musicians during the All-County Jazz event on April 22 and April 23, and invited them to perform with him and his band.

Tickets are $13 for cultural center members and $18 for non-members.

For information and tickets, visit CarrollwoodCenter.org, or call 813-922-8167.

Enrollment Day events
Hillsborough Community College (HCC) will host High School Enrollment Day events at each of its five campuses.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in advising and financial aid sessions, complete fall registration, and leave with a full course schedule.

The event is for high school graduates only.

To attend, students must RSVP online, complete the HCC admission application for the fall term, and provide any ACT, SAT, PERT, AP or IB test scores, if taken.

Only one guest per registrant is allowed, if attending in person.

Space is limited. Registration is online at HCCfl.edu/enrollment-day.

In-person enrollment days:

  • April 30, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Dale Mabry, Plant City, SouthShore, Ybor City campuses

Virtual enrollment days:

  • May 3, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Brandon campus
  • May 10, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Dale Mabry, Plant City, SouthShore, Ybor City campuses

For more information, contact individual campuses by email: Brandon, ; Dale Mabry, ; Plant City, ; SouthShore, ; and YborCity, .

Textbook drop-off/pickup
Pasco County Schools has released the dates for Dual Enrollment spring textbook drop-off and summer textbook pickup.

Drop-offs:

  • Central Pasco: May 2 to May 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the District Office Complex, 7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.; park in front of Building 3N, by the ATM
  • East Pasco: May 2 to May 4 from 3:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Thomas Weightman Middle School, 30649 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel; park in the lot between Weightman Middle and Wesley Chapel High
  • West Pasco: May 3 to May 5 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Marchman Technical College, 7825 Campus Drive, New Port Richey; park in the lot in front of the administration building

Pickups:

  • Central Pasco: May 9 to May 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the District Office Complex
  • East Pasco: May 9 to May 11 from 3:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Weightman Middle School
  • West Pasco: May 10 to May 12 from 3:30 p.m., at Marchman Technical

For more information, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/oll/age/dual-enrollment, and click on the “Textbooks” tab.

Odyssey of the Mind
Pasco County Schools on its Facebook page congratulated the Odyssey of the Mind teams from Dayspring Academy (Port Richey), Sunlake High (Land O’ Lakes) and Wiregrass Ranch High (Wesley Chapel), as they will be competing in the OM World Finals, in May.

Nominate a student
Hillsborough County is accepting nominations for the Youth Excellence and Achievement Awards (YEA! Awards), until 5 p.m., on May 13.

The YEA! Awards were created in 2010, to recognize Hillsborough County students for making a difference in their community.

Students honored show initiative, innovation, and a commitment to themselves and others, while pursuing excellence in a leadership capacity. This can be demonstrated in academics, community service, athletics, performing arts, conservation, or other areas.

Nominations can be submitted for both middle and high school students, in each of these categories:

  • Leadership — demonstrating positive impact on others in an ongoing endeavor, such as sports, academics or the arts
  • Success Despite Difficult Odds — overcoming tremendous personal difficulty to attain success and to make a positive impact on others
  • Volunteer or Community Service — allocating discretionary time to help others to complete a project that has improved the community

Nominations will be reviewed by the Commission on the Status of Women.

The awards will be presented in June by the Hillsborough County Commission.

Forms are available for online submissions at HCFLGov.net/YEA.

For more information, call Hillsborough County Communications & Digital Media at 813-272-5194.

Fifth-grade exhibition
Pine View Elementary, an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, will host the Pine View Elementary International Baccalaureate Magnet School PYP Exhibition on May 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at 5333 Parkway Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Fifth-grade students will showcase their culminating, collaborative experience of their final year of the IB primary Years Program. The exhibition is a “demonstration of student agency, as learners exercise voice, choice and ownership by inquiring into local or global issues that are significant to them,” an email to The Laker said.

The opening ceremony will be at 5:30 p.m., followed by student presentations.

Girls’ lacrosse continues rapid growth in Pasco area

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Less than a decade ago when someone in the Pasco County area mentioned girls’ lacrosse, the reactions varied: Many didn’t know it existed in the area, and some weren’t even 100% sure what it was.

Suffice it to say, lacrosse has come a long way. That’s especially true when it comes to girls’ lacrosse.

Now, each local high school boasts a varsity lacrosse team. And, there’s a travel team based out of Pasco, too.

It has been a slow process.

High schools in the Pasco area started by adopting lacrosse as a club sport more than a decade ago.

Last season’s Titan’s squad from top left: coach Miri Perez, Olivia Dusch, Maddy Coker (goalie), Isabella Butler, Alessia Lloyd, Bridgette Currin, Chloe Norman, Miranda Garcia and coach Craig Havemann. Bottom left: Paige Peters, Bethany Bonds, Kennedy Young, Hailey Allen, Eva Risinger, Jerianne Morris, Luna Khatib, Mackenzine Smith and Presley Sartori. (Courtesy of Jessica Norman)

In those days, they searched long and hard to find opposing teams.

Back then, most schedules included just a few games each season and there weren’t any playoffs.

But for the past five years, it has been a school-sanctioned varsity sport. Each school now plays  full district schedules, beginning in mid-February.

The teams play 12 games to 15 games a season. They have a chance to  compete in playoffs, and, then, of course, go for a state title.

The Tampa Titans — the only girls’ lacrosse travel team in Pasco — provides a chance for girls to play the sport year-round.

Some of those players aspire to play at the collegiate level, and some receive offers to do just that.

In addition to the Titans, there’s a team called Titans Carolina, which is for girls who are new to the sport or who are at an intermediate skill level and hope to move up to play for the Titans.

Both the Titans and Titans Carolina are led by experienced coaches from Wiregrass Ranch, Land O’ Lakes, Cypress Creek and Wesley Chapel high schools.

The league also offers clinics during the year for those interested in learning the game or who want to remain active, during their high school team’s off-season.

In case you’re one of those people who is unfamiliar with the sport, lacrosse is a game where opposing teams try to get a small rubber ball into their opponent’s goal. Instead of kicking or throwing the ball with their hands or feet, they use long sticks with a net-like basket, which they use to pick up, carry, throw, catch and shoot the ball.

The Titans lacrosse program is now limited to girls who are in currently in seventh grade up to those entering senior year. But later this year, the organization plans to begin allowing girls as young as age 5 to play.

Jessica Norman, vice president of operations for the Titans, has witnessed the benefits of girls playing lacrosse beyond their school team’s schedule.

Her daughter, Chloe, gave up volleyball and track as a freshman at Land O’ Lakes to concentrate on playing lacrosse. She plays for the Gators and the Titans.

She decided to focus exclusively on lacrosse after noticing interest in the sport beginning to grow.

The senior midfielder’s dedication has resulted in a scholarship to play at the University of Montevallo (Division II) in Alabama in the fall.

Jessica Norman is enthused about opportunities to play lacrosse is being expanded for younger players.

“The biggest benefit will be learning and playing the sport together from a young age,” she said. “When a team plays together from a young age, it can be a force to be reckoned with for many years to follow,” she said. That, she added, “helps build a very strong team as well as many lifelong friendships.”

Alix Baldini coaches Chloe Norman for the Land O’ Lakes girls’ lacrosse team and the Titans.

Baldini knows how beneficial it can be for the girls to essentially play lacrosse year-round.

It gives them more chances to build their skills and to gain exposure, which can be beneficial if they are interested in competing at the college level, she said.

“Lacrosse has grown tremendously within the last decade, especially in areas where most had never heard of the sport unless they were from up north along the east coast,” said the sixth-year coach. “High school lacrosse continues to be one of the top sports played by girls due to its versatility of movements from sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball and hockey, as well as its genuine fun and action-packed atmosphere.”

As the league allows more players, the sport will gain greater exposure and is likely to grow, Baldini said.

“Getting kids into the sport at a young age makes it easier to grow and advance compared to those — who, like me — just started playing when they are introduced to the sport in high school,” she said.

Tampa Titans Tryouts
What: Tryouts for the summer season of the Tampa Titans
When: March 6 and March 21, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, at the fields
Who: Tryouts open to players currently in seventh grade to 11th grade
Info: Email , or visit https://tampatitanslacrosse.sportngin.com/

By Justin Dargahi

Published February 02, 2022

All-Pasco County fall awards announced (Part Two)

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High school coaches from Pasco County Schools recently announced Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) All-Conference Teams, Athletes of the Year and Coaches of the Year, for the 2021-2022 fall sports season.

Selections were made for both the East and West divisions.

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.

Here is a listing of girls team and individual recipients within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area for cross-country, football, golf, swimming & diving, and volleyball.

NOTE: The Laker/Lutz News published the Boys All-Conference listings in its Jan. 12 edition.

Fall Sports (Girls)

SAC East All-Conference Cross-Country
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: Randal Reeves, Sunlake
Runner of the Year: Carlie Ortiz, Cypress Creek

First-Team
Carlie Ortiz, Cypress Creek, sophomore
Abigail Williams, Sunlake, sophomore
Maranda Hildebrand, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Sara Ashley, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Ava Schmitt, Wiregrass Ranch, freshman
Sara Ellingson, Sunlake, senior
Shelby Viseur, Sunlake, senior

Second-Team
Elyse Alagal, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Avery Pham, Sunlake, sophomore
Virginia Webb, Cypress Creek, senior
Jaiden Wickert, Sunlake, junior
Emma Burleson, Sunlake, senior
Aileen Castillo, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore
Ava Adriani, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore

Honorable Mention
Madison Poe, Zephyrhills, senior
Trystan Hanly, Pasco, senior
Alexi Benitez, Wesley Chapel, senior

The Land O’ Lakes varsity volleyball team went 25-5 this season en route to its second straight Sunshine Athletic Conference championship title. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School athletics department)

SAC East All-Conference Volleyball
Team Champion: Land O’ Lakes
Coach of the Year: Brittany Collison, Wesley Chapel
Player of the Year: Chloe Danielson, Wesley Chapel

First-Team
Kylie Ciani, Sunlake, senior
Jasmine Christian, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Catie Grimes, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Izabella Horruitiner, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Zoe Van Putten, Sunlake, sophomore
Kayla Baer, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
Brooke Ashkenase, Wesley Chapel, sophomore

Second-Team
Jenna Ly, Wesley Chapel, junior
Laney Brinson, Cypress Creek, junior
Alice Stryker, Sunlake, junior
Kendyl Okin, Sunlake, sophomore
Emma Letourneau, Pasco, sophomore
Kaitlyn Klemm, Land O’ Lakes, senior
Emma Hatcher, Land O’ Lakes, senior

Honorable Mention
Aamahri Lewis, Zephyrhills, senior

The Sunlake varsity girls golf team finished in 10th place in the 3A state finals. (File)

SAC East All-Conference Golf
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: Rob Patterson, Cypress Creek
Golfer of the Year: Alyssa Mixon, Sunlake

First-Team
Alyssa Mixon, Sunlake, sophomore
Taylor Zachary, Sunlake, senior
Tiffany Colin, Cypress Creek, junior
Carmen Phousirith, Cypress Creek, junior
Nikki Watson, Wesley Chapel, freshman

Second-Team
Hailey Stricker, Sunlake, sophomore
Annamarie Ratican, Cypress Creek, junior
Katelyn O’Neil, Wiregrass Ranch, freshman
Brooklyn Beckstead, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore
Hanna Mathis, Sunlake, senior

Honorable Mention
Brooke Baldus, Zephyrhills, senior
Evelyn Randall, Pasco, senior
Eve Garrett, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore

SAC East All-Conference Swimming and Diving
Team Champion: Sunlake
Coach of the Year: Karen Westerman, Sunlike
Swimmer of the Year: Lili Hilt, Sunlake
Diver of the Year: Jessica Roehrig

First-Team
200 medley relay: Sunlake — Amber Ewald, senior; Lilli Hilt, senior; Ava Edwards, sophomore; Madi Houck, junior
200 freestyle: Leah Fonnotto, senior
200 individual medley: Lilli Hilt, senior
50 freestyle: Madi Houck, Sunlake, junior
100 butterfly: Lilli Hilt, Sunlake, senior
100 freestyle: Maryam Khalil, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
500 freestyle: Leah Fonnotto, Sunlake, senior
200 freestyle relay: Land O’ Lakes — Catherine Pinkos, senior; Katherine Purcell, freshman; Abigail Hahm, sophomore; Jahzara Ramsey, sophomore
100 backstroke: Madi Houck, Sunlake, junior
100 breaststroke: Maryam Khalil, Wiregrass Ranch, senior
400 freestyle relay: Sunlake — Lilli Hilt, senior; Ava Edwards, sophomore; Amber Ewald, senior; Madi Houck, junior
Diver: Jessica Roehrig, Wesley Chapel, junior

Second-Team
200 medley relay: Land O’ Lakes — Abigail Hahm, sophomore; Catherine Pinkos, senior; Sandali Idippili-Pathiran, sophomore; Jahzara Ramsey, sophomore
200 freestyle: Ava Edwards, Sunlake, sophomore
200 individual medley: Abigail Hahm, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore
50 freestyle: Jahzara Ramsey, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore
100 butterfly: Ava Edwards, Sunlake, sophomore
100 freestyle: Amber Ewald, Sunlake, senior
500 freestyle: Katherine Purcell, Land O’ Lakes, freshman
200 freestyle relay: Sunlake — RaeAnna Pontliana, sophomore; Ella Dobrzanski, junior; Katie Madley, sophomore; Leah Fonnotto, senior
100 backstroke: Amber Ewald, Sunlake, senior
100 breaststroke: Catherine Pinoks, Land O’ Lakes, senior
400 freestyle relay: Land O’ Lakes — Katherine Purcell, freshman; Ava Adriana, sophomore; Emily Coss, freshman; Sandali Idippili-Pathiran, sophomore
Diver: Isabelle Le-Nguyen, Cypress Creek, junior

Honorable Mention
Victoria Vaile, Wesley Chapel, senior
Kiley Naramore, Cypress Creek, freshman
Kasey Lang, Pasco, sophomore
Alex Bowe-Wootton, Zephyrhills, junior

Published January 19, 2022

Local swimmers make waves at state championships

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Local athletes and teams performed well at the 2021 FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Swimming and Diving Championships, held last month at the Sailfish Splashpark Aquatics Athletics Center, in Stuart.

The Freedom High School girls swimming and diving team finished in fifth place at the 3A state championships last month in Stuart. The squad collected seven medals, including the 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay. From left, freshman Alex LaBohn, senior Carly Joerin, senior Michelle Morgan and senior Alexa Valdez Velez. (Courtesy of John Olewski)

Eleven local schools were represented across the four classifications —  Academy at the Lakes (Class 1A), Carrollwood Day School (1A), Cypress Creek High (2A), Wesley Chapel High (2A), Freedom High (3A), Gaither High (3A), Land O’ Lakes High (3A), Sunlake High (3A), Wharton High (3A), Wiregrass Ranch High (3A) and Steinbrenner High (4A).

Two of these programs registered top-10 finishes — the Freedom Patriots girls team finished fifth among the 46 schools competing in 3A, while the Sunlake Seahawks girls team finished eighth in the same classification.

Other noteworthy team showings came on the boys side in 3A — with Freedom notching a 14th place finish and Wiregrass Ranch a 15th place finish, out of 46 schools, respectively.

Freedom had a banner season — its boys and girls squads each won regional titles for the first time in school history — under the guidance of coaches John Olewski and Catherine Wright.

The Steinbrenner High School swimming and diving team was well-represented at this year’s state championships in Stuart. (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School athletics department)

The squads claimed district and conference titles during the season, too.

“We had a phenomenal season,” Olewski wrote in an email to The Laker/Lutz News. “Assistant Coach Catherine Wright and I are so proud of the Freedom swimmers and divers. The administration, faculty, staff, and students of Freedom High School applaud the Freedom Swim & Dive team members and join them in celebrating their many successes this season.”

Freedom senior Michelle Morgan — a Division I University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill commit —  registered the best individual showing among all area swimmers.

Morgan is a familiar name, for those who follow swimming.

She was one of the state’s top distance swimmers for years and she qualified for the 2020 U.S. Olympics Trials in the 400-meter individual medley.

Carrollwood Day School sophomore Adele Sands finished third in the Class 1A 100-yard freestyle (51:50) and fourth in the 1A 200-yard freestyle (1:50.59). (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School athletics department)

At states, Morgan took gold in the 3A 200-yard individual medley, clocking 2:01.06 to finish ahead of Gainesville High senior Katherine Sammy (2:01.90).

She also won the event last year, posting a 2:00.92.

For reference, the state record in the girls 200-yard individual medley is 1:57.07 set in 2009 by then Countryside High’s Melanie Margalis, who went on become an Olympic relay gold medalist for the U.S. National Team.

Morgan collected more hardware, taking silver in the 3A 500-yard freestyle.

Her time of 4:53.78 trailed only Chiles High senior Stella Watts, who swam in 4:46.86.

She also was a leg on the Patriots’ medal-earning 200-yard medley and 200-yard freestyle relay teams, which finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Other Freedom relay members were seniors Carly Joerin and Alexa Valdez Velez, and freshman Alex LaBohn.

Joerin — a Division I Dartmouth College commit — likewise notched robust individual medalist performances, taking fourth in the 500-yard freestyle (5:00.03) and fifth in the 200-yard individual medley (2:08.56).

The Sunlake High School swimming and diving team earned five individual and relay medals at the state meet. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School athletics department)

Also in 3A, the Sunlake girls tallied five medals (or top-eight finishes).

The Seahawks best showing was the 400-yard freestyle relay, which finished in sixth place with a 3:42.12. The squad consisted of seniors Lillian Hilt, Amber Ewald and Leah Fonnotto, and junior Madison Houck.

Carrollwood Day sophomore Adele Sands was another area standout, in the small-school 1A competition. She took third in the 1A 100-yard freestyle (51:50) and fourth in the 1A 200-yard freestyle.

In the boys’ end of the pool, the highest individual finish came from Gaither freshman Aidan Levine, who took sixth in the 3A 100-yard backstroke (52.85).

Levine also was a leg on Gaither’s 3A 200-meter freestyle relay, which finished 16th (1:33.11).

The next best showing was Wiregrass Ranch senior Noah Porter, who earned seventh in the 3A 100-yard freestyle (48.11).

He also took 11th in the 200-yard individual medley (1:59.12) and was a leg on the team’s 200-yard medley relay (ninth, 1:40.98) and 400-yard freestyle relay (3:21.40).

Altogether, local boys and girls individual and relay teams combined to register 16 medals (top-eight finishes).

Also noteworthy: The girls state 50-yard free record (22.22) set last year by former Steinbrenner High swimmer Lexi Mulvihill remained intact.

The closest to that mark came in the 1A meet, when South Florida HEAT (Home Educated Athletic Teams) sophomore Erika Pelaez posted a 22.29 — .07 behind the record.

Mulvihill is now a freshman scholarship swimmer for Auburn University.

Results among locals at the state meet:

4A Boys
Steinbrenner (tied 41st place, out of 47 schools)

Events:
50-yard freestyle: Gavin Peck, sophomore (disqualified, false start)
100-yard freestyle: Gavin Peck, sophomore (10th, 47.18)

4A Girls
Steinbrenner (22nd place, out of 43 schools)

Events:
200-yard individual medley: Kayla Daley, junior (16th, 2:11.26)
100-yard butterfly: Kayla Daley, junior (14th, 57.69)
100-yard freestyle: Gavriela Daniels, sophomore (15th, 52.96)
200-yard freestyle relay: Charlotte MacGregor, sophomore; Kayla Daley, junior; Gavriela Daniels, sophomore; Abigail Greene, senior (ninth, 1:38.36)

3A Boys
Freedom (14th place, out of 46 schools)

Events:
200-yard medley relay: Martin Ferrebee, junior; Anthony Murashkin, freshman; Gregory Murashkin, freshman; Sean Thatavakorn, freshman (10th, 1:41.27)
200-yard freesyle: Martin Ferrebee, junior (14th, 1:45.62)
200-yard individual medley: Sean Thatavakorn, freshman (15th, 2:00.69)
100-yard freestyle: Sean Thatavakorn, freshman (12th, 48.82)
500-yard freestyle: Martin Ferrebee, junior (10th, 4:41.90)
100-yard breaststroke: Anthony Murashkin, freshman (15th, 1:02.02)
400-yard freestyle relay: Martin Ferrebee junior; Ethan Udagawa, junior; Brandon Thatavakorn, freshman, Sean Thatavakorn, freshman (11th, 3:19.90)

Wiregrass Ranch (15th)
Events:
200-yard medley relay: Parker Munari, senior; Noah Porter, senior; Robert Childers, senior; Kevin Chen, senior (ninth, 1:40.98)
200-yard individual medley: Noah Porter, senior (11th, 1:59.12)
100-yard freestyle: Noah Porter, senior (seventh, 48.11)
400-yard freestyle: Kevin Chen, senior; Robert Childers, senior; Parker Munari, senior; Noah Porter, senior (13th, 3:21.40)

Gaither (tied 31st)
Events:
200-yard freestyle relay: Aidan Levine, freshman; William Acero Clark, senior; Anibal Utrera, senior; Zachary Cannon, senior (16th, 1:33.11)
100-yard backstroke: Aidan Levine, freshman (sixth, 52.85)

Sunlake (tied 31st)
Events:
200-yard freestyle relay: Tien Duong, junior; Jackson Houck, junior; Connor Canfield, sophomore; Alex Thai, junior (13th, 1:32.37)
100-yard breaststroke: Alex Thai, junior (10th, 1:01.04)

Land O’ Lakes (40th)
100-yard butterfly: Michael McCloskey, junior (ninth, 51.83)

3A Girls
Freedom (Fifth, out of 46 schools)
Events:
200-yard medley relay: Michelle Morgan, senior; Alex LaBohn, freshman; Carly Joerin, senior; Alexa Valdez Velez, senior (fourth, 1:49.36)
200-yard individual medley: Michelle Morgan, senior (first, 2:01.51); Carly Joerin, senior (fifth, 2:08.56)
500-yard freestyle: Michelle Morgan, senior (second, 4:53.78); Carly Joerin, senior (fourth, 5:00.03)
200-yard freestyle relay: Carly Joerin, senior; Alexa Valdez Velez, senior; Alex LaBohn, freshman Michelle Morgan, senior (fifth, 1:39.58)
100-yard breaststroke: Alex LaBohn (15th, 1:09.10)

Sunlake (Eighth)
Events:
200-yard medley relay: Amber Ewald, senior; Lillian Hilt, senior; Piyarmard Edwards, sophomore; Madison Houck, junior (seventh, 1:51.26)
200-yard individual medley: Lillian Hilt, senior (seventh, 2:10.31)
50-yard freestyle: Madison Houck, junior (14th, 24.81)
500-yard freestyle: Leah Fonnotto, senior (16th, 5:22.77)
100-yard backstroke: Madison Houck, junior (seventh, 58.77); Lillian Hilt, senior (eighth, 59.57); Amber Ewald, senior (10th, 58.93)
400-yard freestyle relay: Lillian Hilt, senior; Amber Ewald, senior; Leah Fonnotto, senior; Madison Houck, junior (sixth, 3:42.12)

Wiregrass Ranch (28th)
Events:
50-yard freestyle: Maryam Khalil, senior (tied 11th, 24.60)
100-yard breaststroke: Maryam Khalil, senior (seventh, 1:07)

Wharton (37th)
Events:
100-yard breaststroke: Lauren Blevins, sophomore (12th, 1;07.41)

Land O’ Lakes (No points)
Diving: Lillianna Diberadinis, sophomore (20th, 223.55)

Class 2A Boys
No local schools or individual placed finishers

Class 2A Girls
Cypress Creek (No place)
Events:
1-meter diving Isabelle Le-Nguyen (17th, 204.80)

Wesley Chapel (No place)
Events:
1-meter diving: Jessica Roehrig, junior (21st, 126.40)

1A Boys
Academy at the Lakes (34th, out of 38 schools)
Events:
50-yard freestyle: Nathaniel Smith, sophomore (15th, 22.02)
100-yard freestyle: Nathaniel Smith, sophomore (13th, 23.11)

1A Girls
Carrollwood Day School (18th, out of 44 schools)
Events:
200-yard freestyle: Adele Sands, sophomore (fourth, 1:50.59)
100-yard freestyle: Adele Sands, sophomore (third, 51.50)

Published December 01, 2021

Pasco County football all-stars will face off on Dec. 10

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Football bragging rights in Pasco County again are up for grabs — at the upcoming 2021 FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) East-West Classic all-star game.

The seventh annual showcase is slated for Dec. 10 at 7 p.m., at Sunlake High School Field, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The game — organized by the Pasco County Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) — features dozens of the best senior players from 15 county high schools (13 public, two private).

The event is branded as, “the best players from every position, from every school, showcasing their talent.”

Tickets are $10 and can be pre-purchased at any participating high school and at the Sunlake stadium ticket gate on gameday. Tickets also are available online at 2021PascoAllStars.eventbrite.com.

Parking will be $5.

The top senior high school football players in Pasco County will face off in the 2021 Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) East-West Classic all-star game on Dec. 10, at Sunlake High School. The showcase features dozens of the best senior players from 15 county high schools. (File)

Players on the East squad will represent Cypress Creek, Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills, and Zephyrhills Christian high schools.

Players on the West squad will represent Anclote, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic, Fivay, Gulf, Hudson, Sunlake, Mitchell and River Ridge high schools.

Land O’ Lakes head coach Trac Baughn will lead the East squad and Hudson head coach Tim Hicks will guide the West squad.

Baughn steered the Gators to a 9-1 record, playing an independent schedule.

Hicks led the Cobras to a 6-4 mark, and qualified for the playoffs for the first time within district play since 2013.

To select the rosters, coaches from each county high school gather in a “war room” and draft players from every school, and every position.

After much deliberation, the all-star teams get whittled down to 40 players in the East and 40 players in the West.

Wesley Chapel garnered the most All-Star team selections with nine picks, followed by Zephyrhills (eight), Mitchell (seven), River Ridge (seven) and Sunlake (seven), respectively.

The squads are scheduled to begin practices on Nov. 30, where they will devise various plays and strategies.

The idea for a countywide all-star football game was spearheaded several years ago by FCA area director Bob Durham, upon the suggestion of local FCA board of directors. The directors recommended the annual event, pointing to the success of long-established all-star games in both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

The Pasco County chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has put on the senior all-star football game every year since 2015. (Courtesy of Fellowship of Christian Athletes-Pasco County)

The local FCA chapter also organizes an annual Pasco County All-Star baseball and softball game in the spring.

The gridiron matchup has proven to be a hit among fans, typically drawing a couple thousand attendees each year.

The all-time series is tied 3-3, though the West team has won the past two years, with scores of  28-0 in 2020 and 23-21 in 2019.

For many players, the showcase provides a chance to perform in front of college recruiters, many of whom attend the game from across the Southeast region.

Though it may signal the last football game ever for some, the event also will feature athletes destined for big-time NCAA Division I FBS football, such as Zephyrhills linebacker Maguire Neal (University of North Carolina at Charlotte verbal commit), Hudson wideout Ladamien Starks (University of Maryland scholarship offer), and Wesley Chapel linebacker Jorden McCaslin (Marshall University scholarship offer), among others.

In addition to the all-star game, players will be recognized at a dinner banquet at Word of Life Fellowship in Hudson, where character awards, courage awards, GPA awards, and various skill awards will be distributed. A “Coach of the Year’” also will be named and voted on by county coaches. An all-star cheerleader team has been assembled for the showcase, too.

The FCA is a 68-year-old ministry in public schools. There are chapters in every high school in Pasco and at five middle schools. Through the many student-led meetings, or “huddles,” that take place on campuses, the FCA works to promote character, integrity, leadership and faith-based principles.

For more information, visit PascoAllStarGame.com, or email Bob Durham at .

Football
East All-Stars
Cypress Creek: Andrew Burgess, Dontrell Clerkley, Colton Corrao, Kione Roberson, Owen Walls
Land O’ Lakes: David Alejandro, Calvin Cockerman, Nick Kleoppel, Xavier Lewis, Hunter Sullivan, Isaiah Tavo
Pasco: Ethan Ayo, Elijah Chilbert, Javon Jeune, Cody Tadlock
Wesley Chapel: Jaylan Blake, Dylan Chana, Sebastian Gutierrez, Ethan Harper, Nehemiah Morgan, Jorden McCaslin, Briac Riles, Ayden Roysdon, Tony Salatino
Wiregrass Ranch: Abram Beer, Nate Kidd, Christian Loaiza, Steven Prevaux, Logan Ridolph, Tucker Schwab
Zephyrhills: TJ Jackson, Tymar McKever, Maguire Neal, Willie Queen, Jackson Rivera, Nick Sheldon, Theotis Smith, Jalen Thomas
Zephyrhills Christian: Austin Henderson, Dontrevius Jackson, Adrian Miller, Donnie Lloyd, Reggie Pry, Demetri Whitehead

East coaches
Head coach: Trac Baughn, Land O’ Lakes
Jason Stokes, Pasco
Cameron Culbertson, Wesley Chapel
Mark Kantor, Wiregrass Ranch
Nick Carroll, Zephyrhills
Mike Smith, Zephyrhills Christian

West All-Stars
Anclote: Gavin Allen, Alec Hale, Daryon James, Quinten Moore
Bishop McLaughlin: Ben Norris
Fivay: Steven Carrol, Zario McCray, Nick Monfre, Melvin Rivera
Gulf: Keonte Adams, Al Blanton, Terrance Henderson, Angel Ortiz
Hudson: Ivan Barahona, Tyler Gauci, Victor Gouveia, Cole Kanehl, Bryan Lindsay, Ladamien Starks, Hunter Young
Mitchell: Adam Buannano, Tyler Geary, Adrian Divcic, Hunter McFarland, Trey Montgomery, Ethan Rice, Deomari Thorpe
River Ridge: Anthony Adams, Mason Cline, John Finch, Tyler Gillespie, Trenton Hawks, Ali Mumtaz, Aiden Schmitz
Sunlake: Owen Campione, Quinn Hewitt, Zeph Johnson, Daniel Lester, Luis Nunez, Kevin Spillane

West coaches
Head coach: Tim Hicks, Hudson
Antony Smith, Anclote
Ken Stills, Bishop McLaughlin
Billy Blair, Fivay
Sean Eperjesi, Gulf
Tim Boggess, Mitchell
Ryan Benjamin, River Ridge
Jordan Gold, Sunlake

Cheerleaders
East All-Stars
Cypress Creek: Faith Welling, Campbell Young
Land O’ Lakes: Peyton Fields, Breana McClung, Paige Randall
Pasco: Haley Enea, Kylie Weiser
Wesley Chapel: Arianna Kiser, Dehlia Lussier
Wiregrass Ranch: Alexis Burns, Chloe Gilligan
Zephyrhills: Emily Kirk, Madison Long
Coach: Ashley Linden, Land O’ Lakes

West All-Stars
Anclote: Crystal Le, Lacey Vey
Bishop McLaughlin: Courtney Deese, Niki Papageorgiou
Mitchell: Hailey Dolen, Colson Gantt
Coach: Mathea Frerichs, Gulf

Pasco County East-West Classic year-by-year results:
2020: West wins 28-0
2019: West wins, 23-21
2018: East wins, 29-22
2017: East wins, 17-14
2016: West wins, 27-21
2015: East wins, 14-2

Published November 17, 2021

Fall football preview: Pasco County

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Fans of the local prep football scene can finally get excited — the 2021 varsity high school season is quickly approaching.

Preseason classics took place Aug. 20, while the regular season kicks off Aug. 27 in the state of Florida.

Here we take a closer look at Pasco County teams in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area —Academy at the Lakes, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic, Cypress Creek, Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills, and Zephyrhills Christian Academy.

We break down how they stack up for this upcoming campaign, where some teams figure to be powerhouses, while others are in rebuilding mode.

A preview of Hillsborough programs from the coverage area published last week.

Schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their 2020 records):

Pasco County

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

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man)
Coach: Shawn Brown, eighth year
The Academy at the Lakes Wildcats appear to be in retooling mode following the graduations of numerous impact players, most notably veteran dual-threat quarterback Jalen Brown, who anchored the program for five seasons (starting as an eighth-grader) and won back-to-back eight-man state titles in 2017 and 2018. (Brown now will be playing collegiate basketball at NCAA Division II Tiffin University in Ohio.) At least one player to watch is junior defensive end David Scamporino-Blount, who posted 28 tackles (including 6.5 for loss) and 4.5 sacks in six games last season.

 

 

 

 

 

Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes (3A-2)
Coach: Ken Stills, second year
Following three consecutive losing seasons, head coach Ken Stills helped turn things around for the Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes in 2020, guiding the program to a 6-4 mark and runner-up in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC). (Though two of its wins came via forfeit.)

Building upon last year’s success could prove difficult, though, as its 34-man roster includes just four seniors.

The program will miss several impact players including All-State quarterback Adrian Miller (transfer), starting tailback Dontrevius Jackson (transfer) and cornerback Malik Giles (graduated), to name a few.

Another challenge to navigate — the Hurricanes are advancing from the SSAC to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA).

On the bright side, Stills may be able to coach his way through it.

After all, he played six NFL seasons from 1985-1990 and brings professional coaching experience from the United Indoor Football and XFL, as well as the nationally recognized IMG Academy in Bradenton.

Cypress Creek Coyotes (5A-9)
Coach: Michael Johnson, fifth year
Cypress Creek comes off a disappointing 3-7 season due in part to a really challenging schedule that featured local powerhouses like Mitchell, Tampa Catholic and Zephyrhills.

Working in the team’s favor in 2021 is an experienced group of upperclassmen headlined by senior quarterback Owen Walls, who completed 54% of his throws for 1,233 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions in eight games last season.

Several of Walls’ top targets return, including leading receiver Dontrell Clerkley (29 receptions, 427 yards, six touchdowns), Merrick Simmons (27 catches, 331 yards, six touchdowns) and Dernere Jones (11 catches, 166 yards), among others.

“He’s loaded with weapons on the outside, we’ve got a really deep backfield; he’s going to have a lot of options,” Coyotes head coach Mike Johnson said of his quarterback earlier this month, at North Suncoast prep football media day.

The Coyotes implemented a new playbook, too, since last season.

The coach noted players “put a lot of time in over the summer” familiarizing themselves with the playbook’s concepts and schemes.

Altogether, Johnson said the team is showing “cohesiveness and consistency” in early season practices. “We got better as a team,” he said.

The Coyotes move up from Class 4A to 5A, joining a district that includes Hudson, Brooksville Nature Coast, Weeki Wachee, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills high schools.

They open the season with a home game against Estero Bonita Springs High, who went 3-6 last year.

Land O’ Lakes Gators (Independent)
Coach: Trac Baughn, second year
Land O’ Lakes Gators head coach Trac Baughn made the curious decision to go independent this year, rather than play a Class 7A slate.

The move is based, in part, to give a youthful roster chock-full of freshmen and sophomores more opportunities to have success and compete game-to-game, rather than get discouraged by a daunting large-school schedule.

After all, the team went just 1-7 last year and was outscored by a 268-72 margin.

At North Suncoast media day, Baughn characterized the independent route as “the best decision for our program at this time.”

There’s still much to be learned about the complexion of this team, as Baughn noted he’s unsure of where the team’s calling card lies, be it offense or defense. “I really don’t know at this point what the strength would be,” he said. “We’re still trying to find ourselves a little bit on both sides.”

In any case, Baughn knows what he’s doing, given that he brings nearly three decades of coaching high school and college football, mostly throughout Mississippi.

Also during media day, Gators players emphasized fellow teammates have entered the year stronger, in better shape and generally positive vibes surrounding the program overall.

Pasco Pirates (6A-5)
Coach: Jason Stokes, third year
The Pasco Pirates have methodically built momentum the last two seasons under the guidance of Jason Stokes, who’s trying to steer the program back to its first winning season since 2014.

Stokes has a decorated resume of doing that over his career, having led three other prep programs to playoff appearances — Bloomingdale, Gaither and Indian Rocks Christian high schools.

The Pirates look to build off a defense which allowed 20.5 points per game, that registered two shutouts and held three other teams to eight points or fewer.

Big responsibility will be given to senior inside linebacker Ethan Ayo, senior outside linebacker/defensive end Javon Jeune, and senior defensive tackle/guard Cody Tadlock, among others.

The Pirates have one of the toughest schedules in all of Pasco County this season. There aren’t many breathers with contests against Nature Coast Tech (8-2 record in 2020), Hernando (8-2), Ocala Vanguard (8-3), Lake Gibson (12-2) and Zephyrhills (8-3).

Sunlake Seahawks (6A-9)
Coach: Trey Burdick, third year
The Sunlake Seahawks expect to make significant strides under third-year starting quarterback Kevin Spillane, who completed 51% of his throws for 873 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games last season.

Sunlake head coach Trey Burdick heaped heavy praise on the senior signal-caller, noting his leadership and work ethic qualities, plus combination of strength, speed and understanding of the game. “One of the hardest kids I’ve ever been around,” Burdick said of Spillane during this month’s North Suncoast media day. “Anything he doesn’t have naturally, he works his tail off to earn it.”

Spillane’s veteran experience further allows the coaching staff to implement tempo, motion and numbers advantages at the point of attack, too, the coach explained.

Besides Spillane, the program shouldn’t lack for depth in the case of attrition, with some 80-plus players expected on the roster.

“We’re excited,” Burdick said. “We feel very confident that this year we’ll be competitive in every game and find ourselves in the end of a game with a chance to win.”

Wesley Chapel Wildcats (5A-9)
Coach: Tony Egan, sixth year
Wesley Chapel head coach Tony Egan is motivated to lead his program to greater heights — following a 5-4 mark last season and back-to-back 5-5 campaigns in 2018 and 2019.

Though the Wildcats technically made the playoffs in 2020 — like every other team under new COVID-19 rules —  the coach is out for a more meritorious postseason berth this time around.

“Last year, people can say it was our first year we went to the playoffs,” Egan said during North Suncoast media day earlier this month. “It really wasn’t, because everyone made the playoffs, so I don’t feel any accomplishment from that.”

“It’s time for us to turn that around and do a lot better and make it to the playoffs, and win a playoff game — that’s our main goal. Our immediate goal is to get to the playoffs and win a game this year.”

The veteran coach is bullish on this year’s Wildcats group, given a hefty senior class of skill players and offensive linemen.

With that, Wesley Chapel is installing a run-heavy offensive attack — therefore steering away from the spread looks of the last few years.

Said Egan, “I think that this year we’re going to surprise some people with what we’re doing, we’re really getting out of that whole, ‘Spread it out, get cute on offense thing.’ It’s coming at you. It won’t be a secret in a week, so I might as well say it right now, we’re going to pound the rock, man, that’s what we’re all about.”

Defensively, it doesn’t hurt the Wildcats to have one of the area’s top linebackers in senior Jorden McCaslin, a bonafide Division I FBS prospect who recently picked up a scholarship offer from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

Wiregrass Ranch Bulls (7A-10)
Coach: Mark Kantor, seventh year
Wiregrass Ranch looks to rebound from a 4-5 mark and a season that ended prematurely due to a COVID-19 confirmation.

The program seems poised for a breakout, thanks to one of the Tampa Bay area’s more potent offenses — which racked up at least 41 points in four its games last season.

Senior quarterback Rocco Becht and junior wideout Bryson Rodgers are arguably the most lethal duo in Pasco County — as two of the most highly-touted Division I FBS prospects in the Tampa Bay area.

Becht — an Iowa State verbal commit — completed 53.4% of his throws for 1,550 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven picks last season.

Rodgers — who caught 47 of those passes for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns — is a consensus four-star recruit with more than a dozen college scholarship offers, including blue-chip programs such as Alabama, Penn State and Virginia Tech, among others.

Becht should have ample time to go through progressions and reads, with a more experienced offensive line buoyed by senior blindside Cristian Loaiza, who measures 6-foot-5, 320-pounds.

Bulls head coach Mark Kantor otherwise commended his team for its focus and preparation during early season practices, as well as senior leadership, during North Suncoast media day.

Zephyrhills Bulldogs (5A-9)
Coach: Nick Carroll, sixth year
The Zephyrhills Bulldogs have been a model of excellence over the past five years under head coach Nick Carroll — going a combined 42-14 record in that time, with no losing seasons either.

Following last season’s respectable 8-3 run, expectations again remain high for a Bulldogs squad that offers balance on both sides of the ball.

Senior Jaxon Rivera returns as the team’s starting quarterback (53.5% completion rate, 724 yards, 11 touchdowns, four interceptions), along with a solid complement of weapons such as leading receiver Timothy Jackson (14 receptions, 308 yards, four touchdowns) and second-leading rusher Jaylin Thomas (89 carries for 630 yards, 11 touchdowns).

On defense, middle linebacker Theotis Smith and All-State defensive end McGuire Neal return as the team’s leading tackler and sack artist. Smith posted 85 tackles, while Neal posted 13 sacks, respectively.

All told, Zephyrhills appears to be the early frontrunner to claim Class 5A, District 9, which also features Cypress Creek, Hudson, Nature Coast, Weeki Wachee and Wesley Chapel high schools, respectively.

Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (2A-2)
Coach: Mike Smith, seventh year
Zephyrhills Christian is poised to keep momentum going from last season’s 8-3 mark — and continue its streak of four straight playoff berths.

The Warriors have proved they can not only defeat smaller private schools, but larger public schools as well — handily downing Mulberry (34-2), Hudson (42-9) and Sunlake (28-17) high schools last season alone.

Besides several key returnees, the Warriors added even more playmakers to the fold, headlined by dual-threat All-State quarterback Adrian Miller III and tailback/linebacker Dontrevius Jackson, who both transferred in from Bishop McLaughlin.

Miller III completed 60.3% of his throws for 768 passing yards, seven touchdowns and three picks last season for Bishop McLaughlin, while adding another 1,003 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns with his legs.

Jackson posted 973 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns on offense, and 37 tackles and two interceptions on defense for his former team.

Jackson’s also one of the state’s fastest sprinters.

At the 2021 FHSAA Class 1A Track & Field State Championships, he finished fourth overall in the 200-meter dash (22.19 seconds) and fifth overall in the 100-meter dash (10.83 seconds).

This should further boost a team that already was averaging nearly 29 points per game last season.

Adding to the program’s winning swagger is a brand-new artificial turf football field, and weight room, among other frills.

Published August 25, 2021