Gators Just Trying To Put It All Together

DADE CITY - Land O' Lakes has cruised to two victories in as many games this season, and the Gators have noticed some bright spots as well as some areas in to improve.

"In spurts, we had some great things, and other spurts we didn't look so good," Land O" Lakes coach Laurie Pacholke said. "There's still a lot of things to work on, but overall I think our ball movement is really strong right now. We were missing a lot of open shots, but again, in spurts we looked really, really good and in others you can tell it's early in the season."

The Gators were without Brittany Knipp on Wednesday against Pasco because she had a softball commitment. Knipp signed a scholarship earlier that day to play softball at Stetson University.

"Defensively, we were missing Brittany in the backcourt, so that hurt us a little bit on defense," Pacholke said. "But every day we've been picking up our defense a little more."

It seems like it will be only a matter of time before the Gators are strong in all phases.

In addition to continuing to improve on offense and defense, Land O' Lakes has a pair of freshman guards, 5-foot-2 Kaitlynn Pacholke, daughter of Laurie Pacholke, and 5-6 Meghan Keough, sister of Kayli Keough, who have adapted well to the high school game after playing together for years on travel teams.

Kaitlynn Pacholke had eight points, five assists and five steals against Tampa Prep and followed that with eight points, eight assists and seven steals against Pasco.

Meghan Keough had a big game against Pasco with 17 points, including a 7-for-12 performance from the line, and two steals.

SCHNEIDER OUT UNTIL JANUARY: Pasco G Lucy Schneider unknowingly broke her hand recently, but she played through it until the bruise turned into a lump during the Pirates' 59-27 loss to Land O' Lakes on Wednesday.

After seeing a doctor Thursday, she learned she had broken her hand. She was fitted for a cast Saturday, and she is expected to be out until the new year.

Schneider is one of three players the Pirates have to do without from their starting five after Pasco coach John Edwards dismissed Sharita Jenkins and Tasha Byrd.

G Ashley Gibson has fluid buildup and tendinitis in her foot, but she is not expected to miss time. Edwards said she just needs some rest.

The Pirates will have to make four call-ups from junior varsity, which will thin the roster to the point that they might not be able to play a JV schedule until the team can find more players.

WILDCATS GEARING UP FOR SHOOTOUT: Wesley Chapel is off to a 2-0 start after decisive victories against Wiregrass Ranch and Hudson, and faces Wildwood on Wednesday before hosting the inaugural Beef O' Brady's Thanksgiving Shootout on Friday and Saturday.

The shootout features Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, Pasco, Ocala Trinity Catholic, Armwood, Sickles, Venice and The Rock, an independent school out of Gainesville.

On Friday the schedule is as follows: 3:30 p.m., Pasco vs. Armwood; 4:45 p.m., Venice vs. Trinity Catholic; 6 p.m., Sickles vs. Wesley Chapel; 7:15 p.m., The Rock vs. Land O' Lakes.

On Saturday, the schedule is: Noon, Pasco vs. The Rock; 1:45 p.m., Venice vs. Sickles; 3:15 p.m., Land O' Lakes vs. Armwood; 4:45 p.m., Trinity Catholic vs. Wesley Chapel.

RAMS, MUSTANGS TANGLE TONIGHT: The free-wheeling Ridgewood Rams travel to Mitchell tonight for what appears to be the best matchup of the week before Wesley Chapel's Thanksgiving Shootout this weekend.

Mitchell won its first game, 37-26 in a district matchup against St. Petersburg last week, and played Sunlake on Monday night.

Ridgewood is 2-0 after beating Sunlake, 72-9, and Zephyrhills, 66-25.