By Andy Warrener
As winter sports start to wind down their regular seasons, it’s time to take a look at some of the teams from Wesley Chapel High that have a chance at postseason berths.
Topping that list is the Wildcat boys basketball team. The Wildcats are now 14-4 after a heartbreaking 64-57 loss to Zephyrhills on Dec. 5. The Bulldogs are the current top seed in Class 5A, District 8 and while they’ve swept the Wildcats this season, the Wildcats have been agonizingly close to beating them each time they have played.
“It was 38-37 in the first game and we blew a big lead in the second,” Wildcat head coach Doug Greseth said. “The key (December 5) was Sam (Schneidmiller) fouled out. We have to stay out of foul trouble, learn to finish games and keep our composure. I think we’re right there.”
Schneidmiller has bounced back strong from an illness that cut short last season, averaging 10 points and six assists per game.
He led the Wildcats to a 16-point lead heading into the fourth quarter against Zephyrhills with four assists, including a highlight reel play where he dribbled behind his back on penetration and sent a no-look pass to Reggie Jennings for a dunk, before the team wilted.
“He has a great ability to drive and go hard to the basket,” Greseth said. “He’s been and pleasant surprise for us this year.”
Schneidmiller doesn’t do it alone. The Wildcats have one of the better big men tandems in the county in Jennings and Theo Williams. Jennings plays more of a forward position based on his ability to hit shots from the perimeter ; Williams is a few inches taller and plays center as much as forward.
Jennings has been great from all over the floor this season, leading the team with 19.7 points per game, bolstered by his 29 in the loss against Zephyrhills. He also surprisingly leads the team in steals, averaging 3.7 per game and having more than twice the number of steals (63) as anyone else on the team.
“Jennings has good anticipation and knows how to get in the passing lanes,” Greseth said.
Helping out under the basket is 6-foot-6 senior Williams, who averages over 13 points a game and leads the team in rebounding. As a team, the Wildcats post 33.5 rebounds per game, always a Wesley Chapel strong suit .
“He (Williams) gives us a scoring option inside, he gets usually double figures in rebounds and scoring every night,” Greseth said. “He also helps us out on the back side on defense. He has been a key contributor for us this season.”
The Wildcats have some key contributors come off the bench, too. Seniors Malik Dillard and Ce’Vean Davis Payden get called in when the Wildcats need a spark. Payden has the best field goal percentage on the team and came up big during the Rotary Ram Classic at Ridgewood (in New Port Richey) over the holiday break, kicking in four rebounds and eight points in a win versus Countryside that put the Wildcats into the tournament finals.
Also over Christmas break, the Wildcats set down last season’s district champion Nature Coast Tech 42-35 at the Nature Coast Holiday Tournament and topped Hernando 56-41 at that same tournament. Both the Sharks and Leopards are now in Class 5A, District 7, the district that goes up against District 8 for the first couple rounds of the regional playoffs. Greseth likes his chances against any of them and doesn’t really care which one they play.
“We are going to take whomever is there,” Greseth said. “Nature Coast and Hernando aren’t as strong as they were last year and the bottom line is if you’re in the playoffs, you have to play a good team one way or the other.”
Right now, Greseth and the Wildcats have their sights set on the remainder of the regular season and the district tournament beginning Feb. 1. “We’d really like to have a rematch with Zephyrhills,” Greseth said.
The Wesley Chapel girls soccer team also looks like a contender to make the regional playoffs. They are the No. 1 seed in Class 3A, District 7 starting today with a 14-4-1 record and a 10-1 record within the district. The one loss came at the hands of second-seeded Pasco.
Since that 9-1 loss on Dec. 7, the Wildcats are unbeaten, closing out the regular season 5-0-1.
Keep your eyes on junior Bailey Hern, who has a district-leading 24 goals for the regular season. Victoria Mitchell added 17 goals for the Wildcats.
Here’s the schedule for the girls soccer tournament, which is being hosted by Brooksville Nature Coast:
Monday
Zephyrhills (7) vs. Pasco (2), 4 p.m.
Weeki Wachee (6) vs. Spring Hill Springstead (3), 6 p.m.
Brooksville Hernando (5) vs. Nature Coast (4), 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Springstead-Weeki Wachee winner vs. Pasco-Zephyrhills winner, 6 p.m.
Nature Coast-Hernando winner vs. Wesley Chapel (1), 8 p.m.
Friday
Championship game at 7 p.m.
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