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SOCCER NOTEBOOK: Get Ready For District Shakeup

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 3, 2008

It was a foregone conclusion Mitchell athletics would drop from the large-school division next year when Anclote High in Holiday opens in August.

But it looks like the Mustangs will drop farther than most thought. If the initial numbers are correct, sports that Mitchell currently compete in Class 6A will probably be lowered to Class 4A.

Currently, the Trinity school has 2,509 students. Reports have nearly 1,100 students moving from Mitchell to Anclote next year. That would leave roughly 1,400 students staying.

Based on this year's criteria used by the Florida High School Athletic Association, the Mustangs would fall between the 1,039-1,782 enrollment for Class 4A currently being used.

Other schools also could fall to Class 4A next year. Land O' Lakes, with the opening of Sunlake since the last district alignment, is currently at 1,517 and Wesley Chapel is at 1,309. Both are currently Class 5A schools.

On the other end of the scale, Wiregrass Ranch entered FHSAA play without seniors and currently plays in Class 5A. Using its 2008-09 enrollment, the Bulls would move up to Class 5A – but only by 12 students.

Next year's districts could look something like this: Class 5A – Ridgewood, River Ridge and Wiregrass Ranch; Class 4A – Gulf, Hudson, Land O' Lakes, Mitchell, Pasco, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills; Class 2A – Academy at the Lakes, Bishop McLaughlin.

Anclote will open with students in all classes but seniors and also should be a Class 4A school, giving District 8 a full house (12 schools) when you add the three Hernando County schools (Hernando, Nature Coast and Springstead). Some type of split will need to be made by the FHSAA.

Official fall sports classifications will be announced in February.

SURPRISING SUNLAKE: The Seahawks boys will find out what they are made of in their next three games. On Wednesday, Sunlake hosts Class 5A Wesley Chapel (3-3-1); travels to district-leading Gulf (4-0-2, 4-0-1 4A-8) on Friday and hosts Hudson (4-1-1, 3-1-1) on Monday.

The Seahawks are off to a 4-0-1 start, 3-0-1 in 4A-8.

"It's definitely been a good start to the season," Coach Sam Koleduk said. "We start five or six freshman so the youth has been a benefit … and a little bit negative as well. We still have a little inexperience but I don't think they know any better right now."

The Seahawks have a deeper roster this year, aiding them in their quick start.

"Last year, we only had 12 players on varsity and 12 on junior varsity," Koleduk said. "This year, a lot of the ones that played varsity last year are playing JV this year."

The question is whether Sunlake can hang with the Gulfs and Hudsons and Pascos when tournament time comes.

"It's kind of crazy," Koleduk said. "There are six really good teams in our district. It's kind of wide open this year which is kind of nice. I think everybody has a chance."

ANOTHER DISTRICT WIN: Mitchell's girls remained perfect in 6A-7 with a 2-0 win Tuesday against Countryside. Marisa Russo scored both goals for the Mustangs (6-1, 3-0).

The Mustangs only loss is a 5-0 loss to Lakeland Jenkins, the No. 9-ranked team in the ESPN Rise Fab 50 national preseason poll.

"It's always nice to get a district win," said Mitchell coach Karl Kukec. "It's important to get one of those district tournament byes."

The Mustangs have district games at Gaither (Dec. 9) and at St. Petersburg (Jan. 8) remaining before the tournament begins Jan. 19.

TOUGH LOSS: Mitchell's boys dropped a tough 1-0 district decision to Countryside on Tuesday, giving up a goal in the 20th minute but outplayed the Cougars most of the game.

"I thought we might be able to get a tie but we weren't aggressive enough going toward the net," said Mitchell coach Oscar Ubillus. "We controlled the mid-field but didn't have that extra thing. We weren't aggressive enough."

Mitchell dropped to 3-4 overall and 0-3 in 6A-7.

BIG WEEK: There are plenty of huge games this week with district implications, beginning tonight with the Land O' Lakes boys (6-1-1, 3-0 5A-7) traveling to Brooksville to face Central (8-0, 3-0 5A-7). The Bears have outscored their opponents 39-4 while Land O' Lakes played well in the Puma Challenge Thanksgiving week in Clearwater. The Gators tied Class 6A power Countryside and outplayed Winter Park, despite losing 2-1.

In boys Class 4A, Gulf, Hudson, Pasco and Sunlake are battling for the tournament bye. Sunlake is host to Hudson on Friday and is at Gulf on Monday. In a non-district game, Hudson travels to Land O' Lakes on Monday.

Bishop McLaughlin (3-1) hosts Tampa Prep on Tuesday. These two teams usually find a way to hook up in the regionals.

On the girls side, River Ridge is quietly off to a 7-0 start, 4-0 in 5A-7. The Royal Knights have three consecutive district games, beginning tonight when they host Wesley Chapel. On Monday, they travel to Central and host Ridgewood on Dec. 10.

Hudson, Zephyrhills and Gulf are all battling for the 4A-8 tournament bye. Hudson leads with a 6-0-1 mark, followed by Zephyrhills (5-1-1) and Gulf (4-1-2). Hudson hosts Hernando tonight and travels to Sunlake on Friday; Gulf hosts Wiregrass Ranch tonight and travels to Springstead on Friday, and Zephyrhills hosts Nature Coast tonight and travels to Pasco on Thursday.

For complete standings and statistics, go to TBO.com, Keyword: Prep Sports for a list of statistics compiled by MaxPreps.com.

Correspondent Rick Harmon can be reached at tampabaystringer@gmail.com

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