Inside:
Volume 22 Issue 5
See Neighborhood Magazine!
March 1, 2014
La Fuente Mexican Adds Cuban Cuisine!
The Direct - Mail News Magazines Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993! THIS INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWS MAGAZINE IS DIRECTLY MAILED TO: NEW TAMPA: Arbor Greene • Cory Lake Isles • Cross Creek • Easton Park • Grand Hampton • Heritage Isles • Hunter’s Green • Hunter’s Key • K-Bar Ranch Lake Forest • Live Oak Preserve • Pebble Creek • Richmond Place • Tampa Palms • The Hammocks • West Meadows WESLEY CHAPEL: Aberdeen • Belle Chase • Bridgewater • Brookside • Chapel Pines • Country Walk • Lexington Oaks • Meadow Pointe • New River • Northwood • Pinewalk • Pine Ridge Saddlebrook • Saddleridge Estates • Saddlewood • Seven Oaks • The Lakes at Northwood • The Villages of Wesley Chapel • Watergrass • Wesley Pointe • Westbrook Estates • Williamsburg
Freedom Falls In Regional Finals; Wharton Wins Fifth Straight District Title By Matt Wiley
It’s been quite a year for both the Wharton High Wildcats and Freedom High Patriots boys basketball teams in their respective runs at a state title, each setting impressive milestones for their schools that will live on as some of these players graduate and move on to college. This especially is true for head coach Cedric Smith’s Patriots (19-6), who have created a new name for themselves as this year’s Class 7A, District 8 champs, with a solid 8-2 final record in the District. Just three game after winning their first District hoops title since 2005, the Freedom boys’ sensational season came to halt against the Bartow High Yellow Jackets (20-10) on February 22, falling 69-54. Although the Patriots battled to continue their State title run, they couldn’t overcome Bartow’s strong inside game. Trailing 17 points with seven minutes left to play, Freedom capitalized on two consecutive Bartow turnovers that brought the Pats within 11, but it was the closest they would come to defeating the Yellow Jackets. Humble in his third season, despite coaching his team to its second-ever District title, taking down area rival Wharton for the first time in eight years and
making it all the way to the FHSAA Regional Finals, Smith says that he didn’t expect to go this far heading into the 2013-14 season. “We lost a lot of seniors last year,” Smith explained. “We’ve had a young squad. Typically, younger teams have a tougher time. This season has been beyond my vision. I’m very proud.” However, thanks to attention to detail, the Patriots have prevailed. Smith says that each player has bought into their role on the team, learned to share the ball, resulting in a committed, tight-knit group of players. Standout performances from junior forward Miguel Rojas (av- (Left) Fredom High’s Miguel Rojas puts up a jumper late in the Patriots’ narrow win over Strawberry Crest eraging 6.6 PPG), senior forward High on Feb. 18 in the Class 7A Regional Semi Finals. (Right) Wharton’s captain Jack Taylor drives to the Daniel Thompson (averaging 4 hoop during the Wildcats’ 55-23 blowout District 8A-7 title win over Palm Harbor University on Feb. 13. PPG), sophomore winger Shelfollowed by no call from the referees. strongly the players felt about Smith and don Odunna (averaging 8 PPG) have “It was nerve-racking not being able how motivated they were to get on a roll largely contributed to the Patriots’ suc- to be there and getting updates through- to show their support for him. Smith cess, Smith says. out the game,” Smith says. “It’s really added that he is proud that his players The last six weeks of the regular sea- tough not being able to be there for your developed into a solid squad and set this son were tough, Smith explains, as he team.” Letters sent to the New Tampa milestone for their school. was suspended for the use of profanity, Neighborhood News by parents of the “People are now going to know after watching one of his players get in- players on the team indicated that part of that when they play Freedom, it’s going jured when he was knocked down during the reason for the success of the team this to be a fight,” Smith said. “Other teams a breakaway at Spoto High on Dec. 20, season in the coach’s absence was how See ‘Basketball’ on page 43
Logistical Problems Postpone New Tampa Rotary PigFest Indefinitely New Tampa Rotary Club president Peter Gambacorta says he had no choice but to postpone indefinitely this year’s New Tampa Rotary PigFest. This year’s planned tenth annual event had been scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 21-22 at Primrose Park off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms, but Gambacorta says he just couldn’t make it happen. The PigFest — an event which was
started ten years ago by New Tampa’s “Breakfast” Rotary Club (which meets Fridays at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club) — was last held in 2012 at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. The 2013 event was actually cancelled, despite its previously successful run, first at TPGCC and then at St. Mark. The annual PigFest, which grew to benefit the charities of as many as six local Rotary Clubs, featured barbecue teams each roasting a pig all night and serving samples
News, Business, Sports & Education Updates
Neighborhood Magazine
By Gary Nager
Also Inside This Issue!
Dist. 63 Primary Race Heating Up, Legacy At Highwoods Preserve Under Way, Freedom & Wharton Students Sign With Colleges, Plus Lots Of Local Business Features & More!
Peppe Is Back At Biagio’s, Tampa Palms Eagle Scout Organizes Book Drive, Honest Abe 5K Raises Thousands, Plus More Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes!
Pages 1-46
Pages 47-64
the next day for a panel of judges, along with other food, beer and wine, great entertainment and even pie-eating contests and cash prize drawings. “I really had hoped to be able to bring the Rotary PigFest back to its former glory,” says Gambacorta, “but I had to have a committed committee of Rotarians to make it happen. I couldn’t sell 1,000 or more tickets and handle all of the logistics and The 2012 Rotary PigFest brought a sizable crowd to the parking lot at St. planning myself.” Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd. This year’s Gambacorta, who planned PigFest 10 has been postponed indefinitely. owns the Private Chef of Tampa catering company, also had planned to expand the PigFest by offering a wild game dinner the night before the big event, but that dinner also has been postponed.