DADE CITY, Fla. , The Pasco High School football team is in a playoff race for the first time in years, riding a three-game winning streak to a 4-3 overall record under first-year head coach Cortez Stubbs. The Pirates most recently defeated Cypress Creek 35-2 last Friday night, improving to 2-1 in Class 4A-District 8 play and doubling their win total from each of the previous two seasons combined.
Friday night’s home game against River Ridge carries major playoff implications for both teams. River Ridge enters at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in district play, matching Pasco’s district record. Zephyrhills leads the district at 5-2 overall and a perfect 4-0 in district play, and appears headed for the automatic playoff berth awarded to each district champion under Florida High School Athletic Association rules. Gulf (4-3, 2-2) and Springstead (3-3, 2-1) also remain in playoff contention, while Fivay (1-6, 0-4) and Hudson (0-6, 0-3) have been eliminated from playoff consideration.
On the collegiate level, the Pasco-Hernando State College athletic programs are collecting honors across multiple sports. Freshman Ainsley Aeschleman of Lutz earned the Florida College System Activities Association Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week award. Sophomore Zachary Townsend of Belleview claimed the FCSAA Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week honor for the second consecutive week. Both PHSC cross country programs are nationally ranked.
The PHSC Bobcats volleyball team has also surged recently, winning back-to-back matches. The Bobcats defeated State College of Florida 3-1 on Friday and swept St. Petersburg College 3-0 on Saturday. The PHSC baseball team added to the college’s busy sports calendar by hosting a Scout Day last week, drawing 22 scouts to the event.
Originally reported by Hernando Sun
Sources: Hernando Sun
