Springstead: Ready For A Run?

For most of last season, everything pointed to Springstead High walking away with a third straight district championship and making a postseason run.

Utilizing an entertaining, up-tempo system under first-year Head Coach Pat Kelly, a veteran mentor from Delaware, to go along with athletic personnel, the Eagles went 21-4 in the regular season, including a 15-1 mark in Class 4A, District 8.

But a late-season injury cost them point guard and leading scorer Dante Valentine, and Springstead got upset by Hudson High in the district tournament semifinals.

Still, the Eagles, who have at least won a piece of the county championship each of the past four seasons, are returning 6-of-8 key players from 2007-08.

That includes Valentine, who averaged 20 points per game, All-County guard/forward Domnique Roberson, unsung forward Addison O'Neil and talented forward/center Isaiah Mason, who didn't play until the end of last season because of eligibility issues.

Springstead also returns guard Ben Noury and Nick Steadman, who should help fill the void of graduated All-County shooting guard Nehemiah Mason.

"We've been working hard at getting better at things we didn't do at the end of last season," Kelly said. "We're trying to build a team to be competitive in the long run and not the short run.

"...My expectations, I'm not a forecaster or a guy who predicts stuff before stuff happens. Our goals are the same as last year, win the district, win the region, win the state. But my expectation is anyone that plays Springstead has a tough game night in and night out."

The Eagles are certainly a favorite to regain their 4A-8 crown and remain atop the county standings.

Nature Coast Technical has provided a stout challenge in both the district and county the past two seasons, but lost many key players from a 19-8 squad.

Hernando High, also in 4A-8, has a new coach in Mark Latsko, and is in total rebuilding mode following a 1-25 campaign.

But over at Central High, though the Bears are members of the rugged 5A-7, they are perhaps poised to break out in their third season under Eric Hayes.

Gradual improvement

Improvement under Hayes has come gradually, from 2-22 in 2006-07 to 7-20 a season ago. But Hayes has had the luxury of developing the same basic nucleus.

Central has no key losses to deal with, and can enjoy the third year of its starting backcourt of Darryn Frazier, the county's two-time scoring champion, and point guard Barrett Sheffield, both seniors.

Everything starts with Frazier, coming off a junior season in which he averaged 23.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.

Meanwhile the addition of 6-foot-5 junior forward Adam Smith, a transfer from New Jersey, should boost the frontcourt.

If only the Bears did not play such a perennially strong district, including Ridgewood, Land O' Lakes, Wesley Chapel and River Ridge led by former Central coach John Sedlack.

Hayes believes the key is to set the tone early with district victories and take care of the home court.

"One of our goals is to be district champs," Hayes said. "I always put lofty goals in front of them, but that's something I think it obtainable. I know we play in a tough district, but I think our kids understand what it takes to be a champion."

Nature Coast has to replace county Player of the Year Joe Silvestri, All-County forward Reshad Terry and starting guards P.J. Orgass and Bryant Pent.

To make matters worse, promising 6-foot-7 freshman Tyler Bergantino fractured the growth plate in his knee and will miss the entire season.

The Sharks will look to returning senior guards Mike Fields and Mike Adams to carry the load, as well as fellow senior Jake Meier, who takes over for Pent at point guard.

"I think we've got some good shooters," said second-year Nature Coast Head Coach Dave Pisarcik. "We're going to be talented in some areas, but we just want to be able to compete, play the district tough.

"These guys are coming to practice and working hard and it's going to pay off. Just hopefully it pays off this year."

Latsko, who came over from Trenton High, has his work cut out for him at Hernando. The Leopards have only one returning starter (guard James Stephenson) and a mostly inexperienced core.

"We're carrying seven sophomores," Latsko said. "We're going to be real young. We'll go through growing pains in the beginning but hopefully we'll start peaking after Christmas and make a district tournament run."

HCA rebuilds

The only team that actually advanced to regionals last season, Hernando Christian Academy, will have to defend its 1A-6 crown with a rebuilt roster.

Star point guard Marty George graduated, and a few other players transferred to Hernando. That leaves senior forwards Josh Westfall and Brett Eastin as the only key returnees.

Veteran headman Bill Brooks, the county's reigning Coach of the Year, realizes he has an uphill battle in what figures to be a competitive district.

Then again, the HCA football team shocked everyone going 10-0 despite similar personnel issues.

"We're going to learn the game as we play game-to-game," Brooks said. "The biggest thing I see carrying over from football is the camaraderie we have as a team. I think we have everyone on the same page. The unity is there and that'll really help us hopefully be competitive in the district."

CENTRAL BEARS
Head coach: Eric Hayes (3rd year)
District: 5A-7
2007-08 record: 7-20 (2-6 5A-7, lost in district semifinals)
Key losses: none.
Key returnees: Darryn Frazier (Sr., G), Barrett Sheffield (Sr., G), Greg Rodriguez (Sr., G), Joe Lula (Jr., F), Michael Lula (So., F).
Key newcomers: Adam Smith (Jr., F), Matt Dennis (So., F).
Coach's outlook: "One of our goals is to be district champs. I always put lofty goals in front of them, but that's something I think it obtainable. I know we play in a tough district, but I think our kids understand what it takes to be a champion."

HERNANDO LEOPARDS
Head coach: Matt Latsko (1st year)
District: 4A-8
2007-08 record: 1-25 (0-16 4A-8, lost in district play-in)
Key losses: Lamon Neal, Nate Howell.
Key returnees: James Stephenson (Sr., G).
Key newcomers: Thomas Bronson (So., F), Derek Wilson (So., G), Alvin Delaine (So., G), Corey Thomas (Jr., G).
Coach's outlook: "We're carrying seven sophomores. We're going to be real young. We'll go through growing pains in the beginning but hopefully we'll start peaking after Christmas and make a district tournament run."

HERNANDO CHRISTIAN LIONS
Head coach: Bill Brooks (3rd year)
District: 1A-6
2007-08 record: 20-3 (8-2 1A-6, won district, lost in regional quarterfinals)
Key losses: Marty George, Jake Gaustad, Tim Hellmers, Clay Kessler, Thomas Bronson, Blake Hunter, Derek Wilson.
Key returnees: Josh Westfall (Sr., SF), Brett Eastin (Sr., F).
Key newcomers: David Rotteveel (Sr., F), Jeremy Knight (Jr., G), Garrett Mikkola (Jr., C), Nate Kautsky (So., F), Ian Townsend (So., F), Devon Kuka (Fr., PG), Winsor Sineus (Fr., C).
Coach's outlook: "We're going to learn the game as we play game-to-game. The biggest thing I see carrying over from football is the camaraderie we have as a team. I think we have everyone on the same page. The unity is there and that'll really help us hopefully be competitive in the district."

NATURE COAST SHARKS
Head coach: Dave Pisarcik (2nd year)
District: 4A-8
2007-08 record: 19-8 (11-5 4A-8, lost in district semifinals)
Key losses: Joe Silvestri, Reshad Terry, P.J. Orgass, Bryant Pent, Tyler Bergantino (injured, out for season).
Key returnees: Mike Fields (Sr., G), Mike Adams (Sr., G), Jake Meier (Sr., PG).
Key newcomers: Cory Emerson (Sr., C), Blake Lowman (Fr., PG).
Coach's outlook: "I think we've got some good shooters. We're going to be talented in some areas, but we just want to be able to compete, play the district tough. These guys are coming to practice and working hard and it's going to pay off. Just hopefully it pays off this year."

SPRINGSTEAD EAGLES
Head coach: Pat Kelly (2nd year)
District: 4A-8
2007-08 record: 22-5 (15-1 4A-8, lost in district semifinals)
Key losses: Nehemiah Mason, Andrew Echanique.
Key returnees: Dante Valentine (Sr., PG), Domnique Roberson (Sr., G/F), Isaiah Mason (Sr., F/C), Addison O'Neil (Jr., F), Ben Noury (Sr., G), Nick Steadman (Jr., G), Naquan Inniss (So., G), Ryan Sabaski (Jr., C).
Key newcomers: Sal Latimer (So., C), Trevor Wild (Jr., G).
Coach's outlook: "We've been working hard at getting better at things we didn't do at the end of last season. We're trying to build a team to be competitive in the long run and not the short run."