Zephyrhills doesn't have much recent success but some talented underclassmen might make history.
By JAMAL THALJI
Published March 17, 2004
ZEPHYRHILLS - Before you ask coach Michael Stanton to list some of the standouts from his Zephyrhills girls track team, better clear your calendar.
Because it's going to take a while.
In the field events there are jumper Santana Lennon and throwers Tanya Bruton, Sabrina Simpson and Christine Heim. There are sprinters Maria Penix, Allison Ramirez, Lauren Bollmer, Rene Austin and Brandy Blue. There are hurdlers Marta Heidenreich, Kristen Vollmer and Katy Neiswender. In the middle distance races there are Nelly Guzman, Deja Dukes, Chasity Morris, Nicole Mears and German exchange student Kat Vordemfelde. And in the long distance races there's still Kristen Donahue.
That's not all. This season, the Bulldogs hope they have the talent and depth to challenge the established Sunshine Athletic Conference powers.
"It all adds up to a very deep and young team," Stanton said. "If they continue to progress I think we have a good shot at the conference championship as Ridgewood and Wesley Chapel do.
"But I definitely think we're the underdog. It will take a lot of hard work and we definitely need some things to happen for us, but it's just very exciting to be competitive and to see the girls progressing and improving so much."
Maybe the SAC title is out of reach, but now that Wesley Chapel is a Class 3A school, the district title is not. Zephyrhills, now in 2A, District 9, hasn't won its district in more than a decade. The last titles Stanton can track down came in the mid-1980s.
Not only that, but none of the team's runners are seniors. That means if the Bulldogs don't reach their goals this season, they might reach them next season.
The key, Stanton said, is that his rookie underclassmen are just good as his veteran upperclassmen.
"I realized that about the second week of practice, when I saw the girls at work," the coach said. "When I saw them doing the workouts, they held their own against the sophomores and juniors. I saw the times and the splits they were running, and it was obvious they have talent."
Stanton has found talent everywhere. Vordemfelde, a junior, might be the best public school tennis player in the county. But Stanton found out she's also a natural at the 800. "She's fantastic," Stanton said, "but she didn't know what the 800 was. I had to explain it to her in German." The coach also moved Guzman from sprints to middle distance.
But the throwers might be the team's strongest area. Zephyrhills Police Officer Joe Rinaldo, the school resource officer and a new track assistant, is teaching them all the techniques he learned in college. "He's bringing out the best in them," Stanton said.
Together, they won their first meet Feb.27, the 2A Season Classic, with 280 points. It was only against 2A teams, but then these girls never had won a meet. After that came runner-up finishes to Ridgewood at the March 5 Chasco Open and Zephyrhills' Bulldog Open Thursday.
"They were overjoyed," Stanton said of his team after the 2A meet. "I don't think they really believed it. Because they're all so young, and for many it was their first track meet ever."
