WESLEY CHAPEL — With one of the top sprinters in the country leading the way, the Wesley Chapel boys stormed to a Sunshine Athletic Conference East track and field championship last week.
The Wildcats got a blistering 10.53-second sprint from Brady Pineo in the 100 meters, and a 21.39 in the 200 as they outdistanced the rest of the field.
Pineo wasn’t the only star of the night for the Wildcats. Kiyh Anderson captured two conference titles in the high jump and triple jump and also finished second in the 100 hurdles and the jump, while Kamari Johnson took top honors in discus with a toss just over 41 feet.
Mike Johnson was another big scorer for Wesley Chapel, taking second in the 100, 200 and high jump, while also running on the 4x100 relay that posted a 42.47 time to win that event.
Caleb Walsh was another runner on the relay (along with Brian Watkins and Thomas Zavo) and also ran on the conference-best 4x400 team with Charles Greene, Jesiah Williams and Stanley Adelson.
Pineo wasn’t the only two-time SAC champ — Wiregrass Ranch’s Clemson Harrod proved best in both hurdles event, winning the 110 in 15.25 seconds, and the 400 in 57.92.
Bulls’ teammates Bogdan Anghel won the 3200-meter race and Malik Williams had the best javelin throw (164 feet) of the SAC meet, and Jonah Gonzalez turned in an outstanding all-around performance, winning the long jump, taking second in the triple jump and 100, and finishing third in the 200.
Cypress Creek’s Aaron Barnes (1600 meters) and Daniel Diaz (pole vault) also captured conference championships for Wesley Chapel-area schools.
In the girl’s competition, Natalia Gaona-Zelaya picked up a conference meet best three championships. She continued her county dominance in the 800- and 1600-meter races, winning both, while also running a leg on the winning 4x400 team (with Leylah Aromashodu, Camila Angulo and Liliana Medina).
Angulo also won the 400-meter championship.
Kassidy Ejene led the Cypress Creek girls win in the 100 hurdles and finished second in the 400 hurdles and triple jump.
Ejene was outjumped in the triple by her teammate Makenzie Lachance, who jumped three inches better at 33 feet.
Alijeah Lopez won the javelin for Cypress Creek with a toss of 92-6.
Nandi Demin ran the leadoff leg for the gold medal winning 4x100 team at Wesley Chapel, and also added a second championship in the 400 hurdles. Denning was joined on the 4x100 relay team by Leilana Denning, Namarrah Smith and Jamee Joseph.
Joseph was the 200-meter champion, and took second in the 100, while Leilana Denning added a second title in the long jump. Wesley Chapel also earned a gold in the high jump, as Ajanae’ Hill won that event.
BASEBALL DISTRICT BREAKDOWN
CLASS 5A, DISTRICT 8
Top seeds: Wesley Chapel is No. 1, Cypress Creek is No. 2.
Semifinal games: Wesley Chapel hosts the winner of Lecanto-Springstead, while Cypress Creek will host the River Ridge-Zephyrhills winner. Both games are Wednesday at 7 p.m. The championship will be played Thursday at 7 p.m. at the highest seed remaining home field.
Favorite: Wesley Chapel (13-7) is the favorite, but Cypress Creek’s 7-3 win over the Wildcats in March certainly gives the Coyotes a little confidence.
The Coyotes (12-8) started out the season with three straight losses but have played well of late, and the pitching has been solid. Cooper Neale has wins in his last four outings, allowing just eight hits and one earned run 20 innings, and reliever Colton Burrmann has only allowed runs in two of his seven outings this season while posting a 1.68 ERA. Jason Olds and Gavyn Mullis are both hitting over .400, and while Jack Grzanka and Gavin Shefsky are both hitting under .300 they are leading the team in RBI.
Wesley Chapel, coming off a state runner-up appearance, still has the best combo of talent and experience. Their biggest concern might be that lack of a strong and consistent No. 2 starter emerging to get them through the best-of-three FHSAA playoffs. While ace Aiden Nguyen has been terrific again, posting a 1.91 ERA in 40.1 innings with 81 strikeouts — and leaving two games after six innings with a no hitter going — the rest of the staff has posted a 4.27 ERA. But the batters are improved over last year. Noah Hartley is batting .500, and Mills Carrillo is hitting .492, and both players have nine doubles and two homers. Sean Roche is hitting .339 and leads the team with 21 RBI.
Outlook: Based on state rankings, both local teams are almost certain of being assured a regional playoff berth regardless of what happens in district play. Wesley Chapel is No. 2 in the region, thanks to a strong strength of schedule rating, and Cypress Creek is No. 4.
CLASS 6A, DISTRICT 9
Top seeds: Land O’Lakes is No. 1, Wharton is No. 2.
Semifinal schedule: Both games are Tuesday, April 14, with Wiregrass Ranch playing at Land O’Lakes and Sunlake visiting Wharton. The championship game is Thursday at 7 p.m. at the highest seed remaining.
Favorite: Wharton is coming off a state final four appearance, but has been struggling recently.
That could open the door for anyone in the 4-team district, including Wiregrass Ranch.
The Bulls (9-10) have been inconsistent this year, but have beaten Wesley Chapel in extra innings after being no-hit through six innings and squandered a three-run lead in the seventh inning before falling to Land O’ Lakes in extra innings. KJ Cain (.345) and Will Powell (.342 with two homers) have led the way offensively, with Powell also logging a team-high 28.1 innings pitched.
Outlook: The Bulls likely need to win the tournament to advance to the FHSAA tourney, as they are ranked No. 10 in the region. A win over the top-seeded Gators (18-4 and third in the region) may not be enough to vault them past No. 9 Sunlake and No. 8 Parrish Community.