Community News Publication, The Laker - Lutz News

Wesley Chapel football’s youth movement

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:20:37 +0000

By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com The 2011 Wesley Chapel football team had its first winning season in seven years, but the job to stay above .500 will fall on a new cast of characters. The Wildcats (6-4) lost 19 seniors to graduation, including a Pasco County-leading 13 who signed to play in college. “We’re young and [...]

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:08:14 +0000

Ultimate motivation Land O’ Lakes football looks to regain playoff form By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com Every high school football team has a goal of making the playoffs, but Land O’ Lakes has more motivation than most. The Gators had their 14-year postseason streak snapped following a 7-3 year. The program was dealt another [...]

Steinbrenner learns from near miss in 2011

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:07:22 +0000

By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com The Steinbrenner football team felt ready for a district championship and to make its first postseason a year ago, but injuries and inexperience dashed those dreams. The returning Warriors are using lessons learned from a 7-3 campaign to take that next step. “We’re hungry,” said junior inside linebacker Logan McKnight. “We [...]

Freedom football’s fresh beginning

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:07:03 +0000

New coach, new mentality, new outlook By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com Freedom football has known nothing but change in its nine-year history. The Patriots have had five coaches since 2006 and have made the playoffs only once in that stretch, a first-round exit in 2009. The program has a 17-32 record in that time, 6-13 in [...]

Gaither loses home field, then game to Venice

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:06:02 +0000

By Jeff Odom The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent Gaither baseball coach Frank Permuy could only look on in disbelief as a mass of green jerseys mobbed the infield. His Cowboys’ (19-10-1) bats were left silent in a 2-0 loss to Venice in the Class 7A regional finals May 11. The game was scheduled to be played [...]

Wharton’s dream season comes to an end

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:05:14 +0000

By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com The most successful season in Wharton baseball history came to a close May 11 with a 5-3 loss at Orlando Timber Creek in the Class 8A regional finals. The Wildcats (21-9) came up a few steps short of their ultimate goal, but the squad did accomplish many firsts in the program’s [...]

Gators send two to state Special Olympics

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:03:10 +0000

By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com Land O’ Lakes will send both of its Special Olympics soccer teams to the state games for the third straight year. That was the first goal for LOL Blue and LOL Gold players. Next up is claiming a second championship in as many years. “It’s exhilarating,” said midfielder Tara Chamblin, who [...]

Bulls’ ace signs with Lenoir

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:01:20 +0000

By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com Wiregrass Ranch’s Ryan Kopenski wanted to be a pitcher from the first time he stepped on a baseball field. Even in T-ball before he could pitch the lefty played the defensive position. Now the 6-foot-2, 155-pounder will get to toe the rubber with the Lancers of Lenoir Community College in North [...]

Fernandez picks Lon Morris

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:00:28 +0000

By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com Six years ago Samantha Fernandez was cut from her middle school basketball team. Instead of sulking, the Academy at the Lakes point guard worked harder, and her efforts paid off as she signed May 8 to play at Lon Morris College, a junior college in Texas. “This journey has been the [...]

Connerton development sparks again

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:17:07 +0000

By Kyle LoJacono klojacono@cnewspubs.com When construction on Connerton started in 2004 there were grand visions for future growth in Central Pasco County. Up to 8,500 homes were to be built in the heart of Land O’ Lakes. Hundreds of businesses were sure to follow. Basically a mirror of what happened in Wesley Chapel around Meadow [...]

Steinbrenner’s record-setting signing

kloJacono — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:15:57 +0000

By Jeff Odom The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent A school-record five Steinbrenner student-athletes signed to continue playing their sport in college. Volleyball player Miranda Powell (Florida Atlantic University), softball player Anna Wilkins (Fisk University in Nashville) and football players Alex Vega (Lindenwood University in Illinois), Daniel Fernandez (Florida Institute of Technology), Brian Gainer (University of Mount [...]

A Mother’s Day bouquet

bcmanion — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:45:09 +0000

Sons and daughters share their favorite memories of Mom Mr. Blue Eyes Lynn Duriez, 42, a maintenance worker for Pasco public schools has many happy memories of his mom, Alycia Duriez, who lives in Zephyrhills. But the Dade City man offered up this one, in particular: “When was I was in elementary school, [...]