Presenting: the preseason

By IZZY GOULD, Times Staff Writer
Published August 19, 2007

Wesley Chapel 

Every day leading up to football season, we'll drop by each school in Hernando and Pasco counties and take a look at an area team's preparations for the fall. Log on to the Times' high school sports blog at blogs.tampabay.com/preps for daily updates on North Suncoast sports.

The setting: A tired practice field just beyond the varsity baseball field at Wesley Chapel.

The date: Friday

The time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The weather: A not-so-painful late-summer morning with the temperature rising to 86 degrees and climbing.

The atmosphere: Quick and intense. The coaches were in sharp form shouting out assignments, drills, plays and snapping at the kids to stay quick and on their toes. The players seemed hyped and fired up, and they moved quickly from drills to sidelines. There was a feeling of confidence as players encouraged and congratulated each other.

The routine: This was one of those deals where coaches wanted to see how sharp the players were and if they could follow orders precisely. Coach John Castelamare had players do everything from third-down drills, fourth-down drills and punt drills to goal-line sets. They also did seven-on-seven drills and the typical stretching and running.

Preseason star: Begging to play defense, begging to be on special teams, wondering if college scouts would want him as a receiver - senior Greg Jenkins wants it all. The Wildcats starting quarterback has maintained the intense competitive edge that has made him one of the standout athletes in Pasco County. He wants to be involved - from running the ball to smacking a teammate's shoulder pads and yelling words of encouragement.

Preseason surprise: Junior Keenan Reynolds got our attention on this particular morning. A shifty runner with a burst of quickness, we watched him find holes, break tackles and bust out for what looked like a 30-yard touchdown run during the first-team offensive drills. The 5-foot-8, 155-pound tailback/cornerback looks promising to help absorb the loss of Mario Melvin to graduation.

Dreaded drill: We went to senior Greg Jenkins on this one, and he told us one drill the guys don't like is the gantlet. This involves a player taking a handoff and running through a machine that simulates a group of hands trying to strip the football loose. The idea is to make players aware of keeping a tight hold on the ball. Jenkins says he got hit low once and has hated the gantlet ever since.

Three things we thought

1. Wesley Chapel is no longer the baby in the county. Still less than 10 years into its existence, when you think of Wesley Chapel you no longer think of the new kid on the block. From the facade of its buildings to its fields to its stadium to the faces on the coaching staff, Wesley Chapel is one of the veteran programs in Pasco County. When was the last time you thought of Tyrone Tomlin, Seth Fabin or Danny Tolley, arguably some of the greatest players to impact the Wildcats program?

2. Picking the order of finish in Class 5A, District 5 is pretty tough. It's clear even before any games are played that trying to rank Wesley Chapel, Mitchell, Gaither and Wharton won't be easy. The obvious pick is Gaither, Wharton, Mitchell, Wesley Chapel. Or is it Wharton, Gaither, Wesley Chapel, Mitchell? Or is it, oh, just wait until Aug. 31 to see what we have decided. But even then our editors will have to yell at us to file our predictions. It's okay to be wrong once in your life, right?

3. Love him or hate him, Castelamare is one of those Pasco County icons. From his floppy hat to the loud barking to his stance on wearing earrings (he doesn't allow it), Castelamare is one of the first coaches you think of when you talk about Pasco County football. He's part of a core group of icons headed by the dean at Land O'Lakes in John Benedetto. And when you talk about icons you have to mention Zephyrhills coach Tom Fisher and Scott Schmitz at Mitchell. It's good to see these guys around for another season, and likely a lot longer.

Izzy Gould, Times staff writer

[Last modified August 18, 2007, 21:10:04]