Wiregrass Ranch High’s event honors family’s memory
By Kyle LoJacono
Scores of people packed the stands at Wiregrass Ranch High on Saturday, Jan. 21.
They came to see some of the top boys basketball teams in the area battle on the court, but they also were there to remember the Ulrich family.
Jeff and Ronni Ulrich, along with their children Carlie and Lexi, died in the summer of 2010 when the Wesley Chapel family’s single-engine airplane crashed in Arizona while they were going to see the Grand Canyon on vacation.

Carlie had just finished kindergarten at Seven Oaks Elementary, while Lexi would have been a senior at Wiregrass Ranch this school year.
Lexi was a constant at the Bulls basketball games while on the cheerleading team.
“She used to come to all the games, and she was a huge supporter of ours,” said Wiregrass Ranch boys basketball coach Jeremy Calzone. “She would always get the cheering section started. Once I heard she died I went to the family and said, ‘can we do something.’ ”
Calzone worked with Mikki and Stan Glantz, Lexi’s grandparents, to create the Ulrich Family Classic last year to keep the family’s memory alive.
“I can’t believe it,” Mikki said. “They have gone far beyond anything we’ve ever expected. The whole school has. So much support they’ve given. To see her classmates and the whole community means so much.”
The Glantzes attended the event the last two years and were overjoyed with the outpouring of affection toward Lexi and the entire Ulrich family. Calzone presented the Glantzes with a shirt and ball with signatures and messages from the Wiregrass Ranch basketball players.
“It’s just mind boggling to see this,” Stan said. “Generally when something happens people feel sorry for you for a few days and then go on with their lives. For the school, the teachers and the faculty to create this ongoing thing is just amazing in today’s world.”
Calzone said he wants to keep the classic going every year.
“I want this to be the biggest event in Pasco County,” Calzone said. “We’ve tried to get teams from Pinellas and Hillsborough counties too so it can generate more money for the scholarship fund. We have some really good teams playing in it this year, but I want to see it have a lot more good so it has a lot of excitement.”
Money raised from ticket and concession sales went to the Ulrich Family Scholarship fund.
“I can’t believe the support that the school has given my family,” Stan said. “Putting on this event and raising money for a scholarship that’s given every year is just unbelievable. It’s been really hard for us, and of course we remember them every day, but to see all these people remembering them like this is really special.”
Calzone said he didn’t know Lexi very well, which makes his efforts to put the classic together even more amazing to her grandparents
“It’s so amazing to us that Mr. Calzone wants to keep this going,” Mikki said. “He’s a gem. He has been working with us to get pictures in the program. I don’t know how closely connected with him Lexi was because she was into so many different things, but what Mr. Calzone has done is amazing.”
As for the games that included area squads, Land O’ Lakes (12-6) defeated Freedom (5-7) 58-54 in the third contest while Wharton (18-3) beat Wiregrass Ranch (11-6) 86-72 in the final matchup of the day.
Senior guard Ernest McClendon led the way for the Gators with 18 points, while senior forwards Jackson Cannon and Mike Morrow each kicked in 13. Patriots junior point guard Antwan Bradley put up 16 points, and junior center Brandon Patchan added 12.
The Wildcats had four players in double-digit points, led by junior guard Jaken Grier’s 21 and sophomore forward Chase Litton’s 18. Junior guards Troy Holston and Sir Patrick Reynolds had 14 and 10, respectively.
The Bulls were led by a pair of 25-point efforts by junior forward Rico Kerney and junior point guard Chris Parra. Junior guard Dimarco Burgess posted 10.
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