WCNT-TV, a new multimedia project from Neighborhood News and Full Throttle Intermedia, in conjunction with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, will debut next month from the Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Studios.
The bi-weekly show will feature news and events in and around New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, a feature on a WCCC member business and editor Gary Nager’s Neighborhood Dining News. Look for more updates soon.
Here’s a sample of what you can expect:
Anyone looking for a truly upscale, European spa experience in New Tampa is probably looking again, as Spa Moritz â the European-style spa located in the OrthoTechnology building on Commerce Park Dr. in Tampa Palms (across from Freedom High) â has closed its doors again, apparently for good this time around.
Spa Moritz, which built a loyal following despite changing owners more than once, closed just a few weeks after announcing that physician-directed cosmetic procedures were to be added to the existing massages, facials, hair styling and nail services for which the spa was known. In fact, owners Martin and Patricia Anello hosted a party at the spa for about 50 existing and potential clients to meet with the doctor who was going to provide the expanded services.
At press time of our latest issue, no further information was known about why Spa Moritz closed so abruptly and the Anellos did not respond to multiple messages after the closing of the spa.
OrthoTechnology also has exited the 20,000-sq.-ft. building and a spokesperson for the leasing company trying to fill both spaces says there has been a lot of interest in the building, although nothing was ready to be announced.
By Nick Ketchum
It won’t count in the official record book, but don’t tell that to Wiregrass Ranch, which dominated play and defeated Pasco in Friday’s spring football game 40-6, the first time the Bulls have ever beaten the Pirates.
Top Players
Dada McGee was stellar tonight for the Bulls, carrying the ball 19 times for a total of 144 yards to go along with three touchdowns from 2, 10 and 18 yards out, respectively. McGee had seven runs of 10+ yards.
Justin Mosley was very stout on defense as he had a nose for the football, recovering three fumbles.
Although Jordan Miner didnât see much action at cornerback, he did return a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown to close out the first quarter.
Chris Faddoul tallied a rushing touchdown and made kicks of 20 yards and 45 yards to extend the Bulls lead.
Wiregrass Ranch’s offensive and defensive lines won the line of scrimmage battle all night, leading to the Bulls offense rushing for 266 yards, while holding Pasco to only 202 yards.
Wiregrass Ranch RB Chase Oliver had a nice return after missing all of last year with an injury. He rushed for 69 yards on 8 carries, including a big run of 28-yards.
Top Plays
Minerâs 92 yard kickoff return was a game breaker for the Bulls offense and defense as Pasco didnât score again after it.
Faddoul, who also stars on the Wiregrass Ranch soccer team, was on fire, as he booted most of his kickoffs into the end zone, as well as converting a long 45-yard field goal that energized the Bulls offense.
The only passing completion of the game was a 53-yard pass from Faddoul to Cameron Leonard, but Leonard was caught from behind by a Pasco defender who forced a fumble and grabbed it for a takeaway.
Top Position Battles
For Pasco, both Chris Debyah and Javion Hanner split snaps, although Debyah took the majority of snaps. Neither completed a pass.
Top Quote
Wiregrass Ranch coach Mark Kantor was most impressed tonight with his team’s physicality. âI thought defensively we were flying around, and just making tackles.â
He credited his teams success to his coaches: â[They] do such a bang up job for six months in the weight room, and then come out in the spring game and get physical. Itâs the coaches who did a whole lot of work with these kids, and Iâm proud of them.”
Top Takeaways
Wiregrass Ranch’s offensive and defensive lines proved their worth tonight as they dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. This is a step in the right direction for the Bulls as they look to be a playoff contender in district 7A-8.
Miner and Shamaur McDowell both received recent offers from multiple FBS college programs, and both showed why they are top athletes in Pasco County for the Class of 2018.
By Derek Lariviere
WEEKI WACHEE â Wesley Chapel brought out a new philosophy under first-year coach Anthony Egan, and the results were obvious almost immediately as the Wildcats ran all over Weeki Wachee. The Wildcats dominated, winning 54-20 in rainy conditions.
Top Players
Heading the list is Dexter Leverette (15 carries, 282 yards, 5 TD). In his first appearance in a Wesley Chapel uniform, he amazed many on hand with his game-breaking ability. He raced up the middle for a 59-yard touchdown in the first quarter and never looked back. The rising junior moved in from South Carolina prior to his sophomore year but was ineligible to play football last season due to transfer rules. Now thatâs he back on the gridiron, Leverette is chomping at the bit.
Defensively, the front seven for the Wildcats was aggressive throughout the night. LB Donovan Willingham sacked Weeki Wachee QB Alec Cromie early, and DE Christian Austin took Cromie down twice. DT Andrew Brooks recovered a fumble and knocked down a couple passes as this group dominated the battle at the line of scrimmage.
Top Plays
In addition to a 59-yard touchdown sprint with 6:38 left in the first quarter, Leverette also had scoring runs of 27, 27, 1, and 63 yards. His production overshadowed Melvin, who broke for long touchdowns of 46, 22, and 35 yards. The last of Melvinâs runs cemented the final score with 2:09 left in regulation.
Top Position Battles
Prior to Friday night, Egan challenged his running backs. All had shown good burst in practice, but he was hoping someone would separate himself in this game. Leverette and Melvin answered the call, but Egan fully expects Ellrie Allen and a host of others to earn carries along the way.
Ben Goins and Devin Singletary were expected to be the lead receivers and big weapons for Jacob Thomas after the quarterback passed for 1,825 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Goins has moved away, according to Egan, and Singletary didnât receive a touch in the spring game. Thomas only attempted five passes, going 2-of-5 for 21 yards. Both he and backup Justin Sylvester were banged up during a scrimmage last week, but they each played the entire game.
Top comments
When asked how good he was as a freshman in South Carolina, Leverette said with a smile, âWhat do you think, man? Of course.â
âIt is a tribute to (River Ridge),” said Egan. “I brought a couple things from their system, but we added to it, and weâre multi-dimensional. Weâre going to do some different things.â
Top Takeaways
If Jacob Thomas gets the opportunity to bring some more balance to the offense than what happened against Weeki Wachee, this could be the areaâs surprise team.
Leverette made some moves on guys that literally shook defenders off of their feet, and even though most of his work was between the tackles, he showed the speed and ability to do damage on the edge and in the pass game.
With Egan using River Ridge as a blueprint, expect the defense to take some good steps this year. If that group can make some plays, the offense has enough talent to win games.
The Wharton Wildcats held down Hillsborough and speedster Duran Bell for most of the first half of their spring jamboree at King High School. In their first two drives, the Terriers went for minus 20 yards. Only late in the second quarter with the field cut in half did Bell get around the Wildcat defense for a 25-yard touchdown. A late pick-six hung a 14-0 loss on the Wildcats but head coach David Mitchell was not discouraged.
âI think we played better than we thought we would,â Mitchell said. âWe raised the bar, thereâs still room to get better but as a group we played well; thereâs nothing to be upset about.â
Top Players
The Wildcats will look to rising junior running back Shannon King this season. King ran for just shy of 400 yards in 2015 and is the source of veteran leadership on the Wildcat offense.
âHe (King) in the man on the team this year,â Mitchell said.
King only picked up 20 yards on Thursday night against a stout Hillsborough defense but with a hefty offensive line and a whole summer to develop, look for King to be a thousand-yard rusher this fall.
Rising senior wide receiver Justin Brown will be depended on to make up for the top three Wildcat receivers from 2015 moving on. Brown didnât log any catches in the spring game against Hillsborough but gained 25 yards on a pair of jet sweeps that netted first downs for the Wildcat offense.
The Wildcats should be fine on defense as veterans AJ Hampton (rising junior), rising senior Chase Goode, and rising senior Justin Visconti return. Goode was second on the team in tackles (71) in 2015 and Visconti was second in sacks (5).
Top Plays
Some other Wildcat defenders emerged in the spring game as rising sophomore Cade Coleman had a drive-killing tackle-for-loss in the second quarter.
Linebacker Christian Thompson and lineman Lavel Dumont combined for a sack that ended up with the Terriers turning it over on downs.
Defensive back Hunter McCain had a bone-jarring hit that broke up a sure completion deep in Wildcat territory.
Top Position Battles
The biggest question mark for the Wildcats this year is at quarterback. The Wildcats started Andrew Curtin who struggled, then Harrison Hawk, who also struggled.
Mitchell thinks that rising sophomore Reshae Soloman, who is listed at 5-6, 125 is going to be the guy in the fall. He was ineligible for the spring game but Mitchell said, âHeâll be the number one guy unless someone beats him outâ.
Top Comment
âOur defense is going to be solid but we have to keep them off the field,â Mitchell said.
Top Takeaways
The Wildcats still have some big questions to answer this summer. The quarterback controversy is going to hurt them and prevent them from scoring a ton of points, but if youâre in a situation where youâre looking for a quarterback to step up, Â youâd better have a stout defense and solid ground game.
The Wildcats seem to have that as a hefty offensive line with Nikolas Dominguez, Coty Meier and tight end Lavel Dumont. It will be a tall task to get past Plant and the Sickles in the district, but the Wildcats were one win away from grabbing one of those playoff spots last year.