Wildcats volleyball has eyes on postseason run


Wesley Chapel High volleyball sisters Chloe (left) and Jordan (right) Danielson led WCH to a 14-11 season in 2019 and are eyeing a district title in 2020. (Photo: Mike Camunas) 

The Wesley Chapel High (WCH) volleyball program — barely older than its players — may be coming of age.

Although its past is littered with losing records — prior to last season, the team had won as many as eight games just once (in 2013) — the Wildcats (11-4) are streaking heading into Tuesday’s showdown against Sunlake (11-1), winning six straight games.

WCH team is coming off a 14-11 season.

“The year before that we were 3-17, so, yeah, it was a complete turnaround
 and we’re looking to be (Class 4A, District 6) champs this year,” said Brittany Collison, who is in her fourth season as the team’s head coach. “That’s the endgame.”

Turnarounds happen a lot quicker when you add a couple of high-jumping, spike-pounding, six-foot volleyball players like sisters Jordan and Chloe Danielson. The duo, who also play for Collison’s Club Steel team in the offseason, played together up on the net last season.

Chloe leads the team in kills with 121; Jordan is right behind her with 107, and leads the team with 197 assists.

In her first high school season, Chloe, now a sophomore, led the team in kills (216) and blocks (95), while Jordan, a senior, was second in kills with 204 and led the team with 328 assists.

“They play all year for me at Club Steel, so I know what I’m getting with them,” said Collison, a former collegiate libero at Eastern Florida State College. “There’s high-level playing from both of them. They just bring the energy and passion to this team.”

But, it wasn’t always this much fun, especially for Jordan.

“My freshman year was super rough,” she said. “We weren’t good at all and neither was I. I wasn’t even close to how good I am now or how good we are now. 
 I’ve only been playing club for 3-4 years, but there I’m not the captain. Here, I’m the captain, so I’m like, ‘Let’s get this done.’” 

It is not, however, only a two-person show at WCH, which boasts plenty of experience. Senior middle blocker Amiya Oliver is a force at the net with 77 kills and 38 blocks, sophomore setter Vanessa Campos is emerging as a standout with 131 assists and senior libero Carina Santiago-Sanchez led the team in digs last year with 247.

But, once Chloe was added to the roster, the Wildcats’ success — especially at the net — could not contained.

“We were good and were winning, so that helps,” Chloe said. “Jordan was already here, so that made it easier and things were great from the start. She has a lot of energy up on the net, which gets me really hyped at the net, too. She’s a really huge role model for me because I’ve watched her even before I started playing, so when I see her and what she can do, it makes me want to improve myself and my game, too.”

The two sisters are able to feed off each other, and their versatility is an added bonus. They can both play most any position, and in fact, Jordan led the team in assists and was second in digs, and Chloe was first with serving aces last year.

“Since we’re used to each other’s energy, we just bounce off each other all the time,” Jordan says. “When she does something good, it pushes me to do something good, and I push her back. So, it’s nice to have the same energy as someone playing next to you.”

Parades Celebrate Graduates (with photo gallery!)

Wesley Chapel seniors celebrated their graduation on June 1 at The Grove.

As the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, the 2019-20 school year was forced to come to a premature end.

Senior year, which can be the best and sometimes most eventful year of a teenager’s life, ended with a whimper, instead of a bang.

High school sports, proms and Grad Bashes were canceled. Yearbooks were passed out through open car windows by folks wearing masks. Graduations were postponed until August. Final goodbyes among classmates would have to wait.

As the mother of a Wiregrass Ranch High senior, and the president of the Pasco County Council PTA, Denise Nicholas found it all to be a shame. So, she decided to do something.

With the help of all the PTAs across the county, a host of volunteers and the determination to give all of Pasco’ seniors a sendoff, Nicholas and a team of helpers organized a car parade for the outgoing seniors for every school in the county.

“I brought the idea to my (PTA) board and they were very excited about it,” Nicholas says. “And, we found people to help at each of the schools that do not have PTAs. The schools that do not have PTAs, we found people to help at each of those schools. We really wanted to give the same experience to every senior in the county.”

Here in Wesley Chapel, The Grove shopping center enthusiastically stepped up and offered a parade route in front of its shopping plaza after a few other sites declined.

Cypress Creek and Wiregrass Ranch high schools had their parades — which featured decorated cars and large groups of friends and family cheering along the parade route — on May 19 and 20, respectively, while Wesley Chapel High’s parade, which was delayed by rain, was held June 1.

“Obviously with the pandemic, the (way school ended) was very saddening for our students and their families,” said Monica Ilse, Ed.D., assistant superintendent for Pasco Schools. “But, Denise reached out and wanted to do something to provide some community support for the seniors, which we appreciate beyond words.”

Nicholas had no shortage of volunteers to pull off the project. Pasco County Commissioners Mike Moore and Ron Oakley agreed to introduce the seniors and serve as the parade emcees, local professional photographers Jess Montgomery and Paul Gigante took pictures, Makayla Gulash (aka DJ Night Mixer) provided the music, Troy Stevenson (of Acme On The Go multimedia) also contributed video trucks at each event, and former Tampa Bay Bucs tight end (and father to a Wiregrass Ranch sophomore) Anthony Becht also donated time and services.

Ilse said the county hopes to be able to hold traditional graduations in August at the Yuengling Center on the campus of the University of South Florida, but that will depend upon the CDC and the status of the pandemic. If they can’t be held, she thinks the car parades made a nice send off.

“I took my niece to the Wiregrass Ranch one, and she had a great time,” Ilse said. “It was a lot of fun.”

Nicholas said the smiling senior faces across the county helped end their final years on a happy note, which was her primary goal. “Bryce (her son) thought it was a great idea, but he had no idea how much he would enjoy it,” Nicholas says. “Seeing how his face lit up, to be able to drive in the parade and hear the horns and the cheering and see the signs
.it was worth every second.”

School Notes: A Homecoming For The New Wesley Chapel High Principal

New Wesley Chapel principal Matt McDermott.

Matt McDermott is the new principal at Wesley Chapel High (WCH), replacing Dee Dee Johnson.

Johnson was selected to take over as principal at Pasco Middle School, where former principal Jeff Wolff was removed in September amid concerns about low teacher morale at the middle school in Dade City.

“I’m super excited,” McDermott says. “I’ve lived in the community since about 2000, and I was briefly an assistant principal there from 2009-2010, before I opened Fivay High (in Hudson).”

Some of the young Wildcats approve.

“The kids who live in my neighborhood have been by to say congratulations and tell me they’re excited to have me as their principal,” McDermott says.

McDermott has worked for Pasco County Schools since 1996 and has been a teacher, coach, athletic director and school administrator. He started as an AP environmental science and biology honors teacher and football and wrestling coach, and became the athletic director at Sunlake High in 2007 before a brief stay as assistant principal at WCH in 2009. He helped open Fivay in 2010, and returned to Zephyrhills as an assistant principal in 2015.

This is McDermott’s first appointment as a principal.

“You always think you’re ready to be a principal,” McDermott says. “I have good mentors and people I can reach out to if I need something. I’ve been in the principal pool for a while and prefer the southeast part of the county because that’s where I live. This is one of my dream jobs and I’m excited to be given the opportunity.”

Judy Choinski is a parent of two students at WCH, and a member of its School Advisory Committee (SAC). She says she’s happy for Johnson, the school’s now-former principal. “It’s a huge compliment to her that she was chosen to bring [Pasco Middle] back up to where it needs to be,” Choinski says. “She’s going to turn that school around.”

Choinski acknowledges that there’s disappointment in losing Johnson, and in having yet another new principal. But, she says there is just as much excitement about McDermott.

“His reputation is really good,” she says. “Some parents and teachers I talked to said they were hoping he would be selected, that he would be the perfect fit for Chapel.”

At our press time, McDermott had been recommended as principal by Pasco School Superintendent Kurt Browning and was expected to be approved by the School Board on October 16, with a start date of October 17.

“It’s a win-win for everybody,” Choinski adds. “Hopefully, everything will stay solid for a while.”

Good As Gold
At a Pasco County School Board meeting on Oct. 2, Browning and members of the Board were presented with the Florida Healthy School District Gold Flag by Florida Action for Healthy Kids.

The county received the Gold Flag “for establishing a culture and climate in which students and staff can reach their personal potential and for continuing to serve as a leader in the state in reducing and eliminating the barriers to learning, resulting in increased academic achievement.”

Pasco County Schools earned the Silver award in 2016, but this year is its first-ever gold. The district will hold the Gold award designation through 2020.

To earn the Gold designation, the district demonstrated high scores in areas like creating a healthy school environment, contributing to employee wellness and excellence in counseling, psychological and social services and health education.

The Florida Partnership for Healthy Schools is a grassroots partnership that advocates for school health issues and recognizes excellence among Florida school districts.

PTAs Honored Nationally
Double Branch Elementary and John Long Middle School have both earned recognition as a National PTA (Parent Teacher Association) “School of Excellence,” with a designation that lasts from 2018-20.
The National PTA School of Excellence recognition program “supports and celebrates partnerships between PTAs and schools to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being for all students,” according to the National PTA website.

Schools apply to be recognized, then complete a series of steps designed to improve relationships between schools and families, which are individual to each school. If they meet their goal, they earn the designation.

In addition, the county-wide Pasco County Council of PTAs (PCCPTA) was recognized for having the highest increase of membership in Florida for the 2017-18 school year. PCCPTA representatives Mahalia Surin, Denise Nicholas and Andria Roscart presented the trophy they received to Pasco School Board chair Cynthia Armstrong and Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning (photo above).

Teachers Wanted
Want to work as a teacher in Wesley Chapel? Pasco County Schools will host a fall instructional job fair on Wednesday, November 14, 4 p.m.-6 p.m., at Sunlake High in Land O’Lakes.

The district is looking for teachers in math, science, emotional and behavioral disorders/autism spectrum disorders (EBD/ASD), exceptional student education (ESE) and elementary education. They also have openings for guest teachers, behavioral analysts and school nurses.

All education interns, teachers, student services employees, and those who have a Bachelor’s degree and are interested in becoming certified educators are invited to attend. Applicants can meet with administrators and hiring managers for on-the-spot interviews and job offers.

Anyone interested in attending should register at https://pascofalljobfair2018.eventbrite.com, visit http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/hreq/ or contact work@pasco.k12.fl.us.

QB No Longer A Question Mark For WCH Wildcats Football Team

Isaiah Bolden (above, left, with the ball) won the starting QB job in the spring and delivered a long TD run and TD pass in the 31-14 victory over Mitchell High on May 18.

Like every high school football team in the Tampa Bay area, Wesley Chapel High (WCH) came into spring practice with a number of important questions.

On May 18, however, the Wildcats may have answered their most important question during their 31-14 spring football victory over Mitchell High, based in the Trinity area of New Port Richey.

After a three-way battle to replace last year’s starting quarterback Jacob Thomas, second-year Wildcats coach Anthony Egan declared Isaiah Bolden the winner of a three-way battle with senior Tyler Wittish and junior Jelani Vassel to call his signals during the 2017 football season, which begins in August.

All Bolden did was go out and threw for a touchdown and run for another in the victory by the Wildcats over Mitchell. WCH is coming off a 7-2 record in 2016, their most successful season since 2004.

“He (Bolden) started looking really good in 7-on-7s this season, so I thought we should give him a shot, see what happens,” Egan said.

Isaiah Bolden’s favorite target during the spring game was WR Justin Trapnell, who had more than 90 yards receiving, including a 58-yard TD.

While Egan also says he liked what he saw in Whittish and Vassel, it was hard to resist the temptation of putting his best athlete under center. An oral commitment to the University of Oregon in Eugene (ranked 21st in the nation by an Athlon Sports preseason poll), after initially committing to Florida State University in Tallahassee, Bolden is another threat in a backfield filled with guys who are a threat to score every time they touch the ball.

And, it’s no secret that the Wildcats want to get Bolden more touches. He had nearly 500 return yards last season, including three touchdowns (two on kickoffs and one on a punt return), but with Thomas under center and the Wildcats committed to the running game, Bolden was limited on offense.

WCH attempted fewer than eight passes a game in 2016 despite having Jacob Thomas, the county’s leading passer the year before, under center. Bolden may not throw much more than that, but expect those attempts to be a lot more exciting, as the future Duck opens things up, whether he throws the ball or tucks it under and runs. Bolden has high-level speed and his presence under center will pull attention away from the Wildcats’ receivers and backs, who are already talented and numerous.

Bolden threw for 95 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown pass to Justin Trapnell, to give WCH a 10-7 lead over Mitchell at halftime in the spring game.

On the opening drive of the second half, Bolden scrambled out of the pocket, dodged one defender and raced 64 yards for a touchdown to extend that lead to 17-7. He finished with 81 yards rushing.

Bolden won’t have to do it all, if the spring game is any indication. With a number of talented skill players returning, as well as a good group of linemen, the Wildcats seem poised to take another step in 2017, which kicks off with a home game Aug. 18 against Land O’Lakes.

Dexter Leverett, who ran for 1,249 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2016 and had 100+ yards in all nine of his starts, ran for 55 yards against Mitchell, and also led the way with some key blocks.

“Us backs, we have to take care of each other,” Leverett said. “Everyone has to do their thing.”

Malik Melvin ran for 123 yards in the spring game on eight carries, with two scores. He is a rising star and would likely be the main guy on a different team, and is coming off a solid 2016 campaign.

Keith Walker

“If you take one thing from our backfield, it’s unselfishness,” Coach Egan said. “They want to block for each other. Now we have three or four guys who want to do it.”

About the only bad news out of the Wildcats vaunted backfield this spring was the expected loss of sophomore Keith Walker, who ran for 48 yards on four carries with a TD but is zoned to attend Cypress Creek in the fall.

The WCH defense looked a little wobbly out of the gates in the spring game, giving up a three-play, 64-yard drive, but tightened up and didn’t allow another score the rest of the way (Mitchell’s second, and final, touchdown came on a kick return).

Do-everything defensive lineman Austen Wittish is the only returning starter from the 2016 front seven. He led the team in tackles last year with 93, including four for a loss of yards. The Wildcats’ success this season could hinge on how Wittish, his brother Tyler (a junior), seniors Andrew Brooks and Matt Severson and junior Ben Thomas can gel. Egan mentioned Chase Harris and Nick Hoffman as guys who will factor into the defensive alignment in 2017.

“It’s the same system but we’ll have six new guys up front this year,” Egan said.

WCH Softball Caps Huge Turnaround With First Playoff Appearance!

The Wesley Chapel softball team won almost as many games this season (19) as it had in 10 previous seasons (22), setting a school record.
(Photo courtesy of Steve Mumaw)

The Wesley Chapel High (WCH) girls basketball team won eight more games this season than it did last season. The WCH football team, just two years removed from an 0-10 season, went 7-2. The Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) football team made the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

However, when it came to the 2016-17 school year, there weren’t any high school teams in Wesley Chapel that turned things around quite like the WCH softball team did.

Buoyed by a bevy of youngsters and first-year coach Steve Mumaw, the Wildcats did the improbable this spring — they beat softball powerhouses Pasco, River Ridge and Land O’Lakes in one of Tampa Bay’s toughest districts, won 19 games and made it to the Class 6A Regional semifinals before losing 4-2 to the eventual State champion Gators.

“Now that it’s over and the tears are gone, we can reflect,’’ said Mumaw. “Land O’Lakes won the State championship, and we were pretty close to (beating) them. It could have been us.”

Depending upon how many players return —the new Cypress Creek Middle/High School zones are expected to claim at least a few players — the Wildcats have the makings of what could be a state contender the next few years.

That was hardly imaginable before 2017. Although they showed signs of promise last year, winning seven games in their best season ever to that point, the previous eight years had yielded records like 2-22, 2-21, 2-20, 1-22, 1-15 and 0-24. At one point, WCH lost 27 straight games and 43 of 44 over a three-span.

Things changed this spring with the infusion of some key freshmen, who meshed instantly with a talented crop of sophomores.

“We had high expectations,’’ said Mumaw, who has had two stints as the baseball coach and one as the athletic director at WCH. “I wouldn’t say we expected to get to the point we did, but we knew we were going to be a much-improved team.”

An Ace In The Circle

You don’t win in softball if you don’t have a good pitcher, and the Wildcats have a very good one in Jordan Almasy. The newcomer went 13-6 in the circle this year, including a complete game shutout over the Gators during the season, and striking out 130 batters in 116 innings.

Catcher Neely Peterson and pitcher Jordan Almasy confer during a game this season. (Photo courtesy of Steve Mumaw)

“She was tremendous,’’ said Mumaw. “She was the reason we were what we were at the end of the season. The way she could just take another team and kind of dominate them was a key.”

The Wildcats got strong seasons from returning players like the coach’s daughter, senior Dana Mumaw (a .286 batting average and 16 RBI), as well as from sophomores Payton Hudson (.328), Ashley Nickisher (.367, 15 RBI) and Neely Peterson, who set a school record for home runs (3) and RBI (20), while hitting a team-high .443.

Peterson has to share both of those new school records with one of the talented freshmen who helped drive the Wildcats, Anna Margetis, who also added a .338 average to her exploits, and fellow frosh Morgan Herndon batted .370.

Herndon wasn’t even a starter at the beginning of the year, and came on late, as did so many of the Wildcats. Peterson, who hit in the middle of the lineup, was walked 17 times, as teams avoided her this season. But, once the rest of the lineup came around, that became a dangerous proposition. After driving in just one run during a nine-game stretch in the middle of the season, Peterson took advantage of a hot lineup, driving in 13 runs over the last 10 games.

“When they had to throw to her later in the season because girls were on base, she always came up with the hit to drive them in,” Mumaw said.

She wasn’t alone. In fact, after a season in which a school-record five players had 10 or more RBI, this spring, the Wildcats doubled that with 10 players with double figures in RBIs.

Mumaw says it was a complete team effort.

“It was enjoyable,’’ he said. “I wouldn’t say I did a better coaching job or anything, they did it all. I just had to stay out of their way.”

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