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Weather Affecting Passing League

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By BART O'CONNELL

Tribune correspondent

Published: July 10, 2008

WESLEY CHAPEL - Until this week, the 7-on-7 football passing league organized by several Pasco County high schools has avoided the wrath of Florida's summer storms and proceeded without interruption.

But playing was not an option Tuesday, as a severe band of rain, thunder and lightning pelted Wesley Chapel High. It promp-

ted Wildcats coach John Castelamare to call the other coaches in the league and inform them of the cancellation.

The impact of the weather didn't end there, as two of the final three scheduled sites for games will have to be changed due to the heavy rain and other factors.

The second-year league, which will not be making up this week's games, will resume Tuesday, but not at Sunlake, the original plan. Wesley Chapel will host the action due to soggy conditions and new drainage being installed on the Seahawks' fields.

Another session, scheduled to be played at River Ridge, will be moved to Ridgewood, Castelamare said. The Jim Valentine Athletic Complex is notorious for wet, sweltering conditions, and even a little rain can make the fields close to unplayable.

"The hard thing is to get in touch with everyone and let them know plans have changed," Castelamare said. "Until now, we've been very fortunate. Normally the weather is tough to deal with right up until September, October."

Future changes aside, the relatively smooth season has been a great help to the coaches and players as they prepare for the season.

About the only set part of the league is the 5:30 p.m. starting time every Tuesday. There are no specific games, statistics, standings or playoffs. Castelamare just tries to pair teams up with opponents they haven't played.

Ridgewood, River Ridge, Hudson, Sunlake, Mitchell, Pasco and Hernando County's Nature Coast Tech are in the league.

Every player on Wesley Chapel's 20-man team, including quarterbacks Chris West, Geoffrey DeGroot and Mike Vizza, gets to play in each game, which includes two 15-minute halves.

Castelamare said he has been pleased with the play of defensive backs Arron Duncan, Keenan Reynolds, Jon Mahan, Lionel Rayford, Sebastian Pinkney and Earon Hicks, and linebackers Jacob Fisher, Mitchell Wozniak, Sean White and Vizza. Tight end/receiver Chris Pierre-Charles and fullback Hunter Joyer also have played well.

Even though winning is secondary to coaching, many of the traditional, heated rivalries remain, including Wesley Chapel against Pasco.

"You want to win, but it's not a do-or die situation," Castelamare said. "Pasco's going to be a very good team, but it's hard to do much scouting because the linemen aren't out there. The games are won up front."

Correspondent Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@

pop.tampatrib.com.

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