Mitchell wins All-Sports trophy for second time in as many years
By JAMAL THALJI
Published June 6, 2004
TRINITY - This southwest corner of Pasco County certainly is booming. The Trinity nieghborhood is the second fastest growing subdivision in Tampa Bay. Publix, Kash n' Karry and Wal-Mart Supercenter all opened in recent years in the State Road 54-Little Road area. Soon, Chili's Grill & Bar will, too.
The ultimate beacon of civilization, Starbucks, opened just weeks ago.
So why would the Sunshine Athletic Conference All-Sports Award want to go anywhere else?
The 2003-04 SAC All-Sports champion is Mitchell, which won the trophy for a consecutive season. Pasco County's youngest high school has held the award for two of its four years in existance.
It's the best indicator that Mitchell is meeting the goals administrators and coaches set four years ago, athletic director Ian Mooney said.
"We set out to establish some solid traditions and set up some solid programs in all areas for the kids," Mooney said. "We've had kids stay with the same coaches and same programs.
"We've had people come and go, but we've been able to survive and get quality people to come in when we needed to."
Mitchell scored 137.83 points, besting runner-up River Ridge by 10.5.
This year Mitchell won the boys all-sports category for the first time, scoring 73.5 to edge second-place Ridgewood and Wesley Chapel by 2.5. River Ridge won the girls all-sports division, scoring 72.83 points to beat Mitchell by 8.5.
Seeing the county's newest school succeed so quickly doesn't surprise River Ridge athletic director Jack Homko. Not in a county that saw Wesley Chapel quickly grow into a power after siphoning off students from Pasco and Zephyrhills six years ago.
Mitchell has new facilities, and has drawn coaches and students from westside schools.
"Wesley Chapel, look at them, their first year in football they got beat by everybody," Homko said. "The last three years they've been in the playoffs. It's funny how when they build schools that happens.
"I understand how people feel. When River Ridge opened (12 years ago) we took a lot of kids from other schools, and when Mitchell opened they took a lot of kids from other schools."
The All-SAC sports award is given based on the nine county public high schools' standings in 21 sports. Last year, for the 2002-03 seasons, the Mustangs became the first school in SAC history to win the award without winning either the boys or girls' category. The school also beat Land O'Lakes by a point. That year Mitchell won three conference titles and didn't finish last in any sport - and that was without girls weightlifting.
This year Mitchell did even better. The school fielded girls weightlifting (placing seventh) and won four SAC titles. Also, none of the school's team finished eighth or ninth (last in the SAC.)
The Mustangs won titles in girls golf (for a fourth straight year), boys cross country (for a third-consecutive season), tied for the SAC crown in volleyball and won it outright in boys soccer (both firsts.)
Mooney credited Mitchell's senior class - the first class to attend all four years at the school - for making the difference in several sports.
"I believe it was the seniors, absolutely," Mooney said. "You have to have that kind of leadership on the court. The intangibles in coaching come from the kids. You need them to do what they're asked to do."
The SAC volleyball player of the year, Katelen Dixon, led the Mustangs to a share of the title with Hudson and River Ridge. Ryan Villiard and SAC coach of the year Pio Rizzo led the boys soccer team to its first conference title and first playoff games.
Nor was conference standing alone an indicator of succes for Mitchell, which finished 26th in the Florida High School Athletic Association's Class 5A all-sports standing. Seniors Austin Duffy, Jeremy Hopper, Steve Riley, Derek Mitchell and Ryan McCready led a boys basketball team that was fifth in the SAC to its first district title and first playoff game.
"They're on their third coach in four years," Mooney said, "and they were able to pull things together."
Even the football team, which was sixth in the SAC race, made the playoffs for a consecutive season. The baseball team was seventh in the SAC but earned its first district title and playoff appearance.
As for River Ridge's girls program, Homko said their success is no mystery.
"Honestly I think it's a strong middle school program and a very good coaching at the high school level," he said. "Look at coach Ernie Beck in softball, coach Heidi Castelamare in volleyball.
"Obviously we're blessed with some athletic young ladies with some talent, and that combines with good coaching."
Unlike the SAC, the FHSAA all-sports standings counts district, region and state titles and postseason success. Saddlebrook Prep was second in the Class A private school standings, scoring 180 and finishing 29.5 behind winner Maitland Orangewood Christian. Pasco was ninth in the Class 3A public school standings, Wesley Chapel 35th in the 4A standings and Land O'Lakes 20th in 5A.
