WIREGRASS RANCH BULLS


2015: 2-8, 6th in 7A District 8

Last Playoff Appearance: 2010 Regional Quarterfinalist (4A District 6 Champions)

Head Coach: Mark Kantor, 65-79 in 13 seasons

Key Returners: OLB Ryan Scamardo (108 TKL, 7 TFL), DE Jason Winston (57 TKL), RB Daquon “Da Da” McGee (67 rush attempts, 333 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD), QB Jacob Hill (413 total yards, 4 total TD), ATH Alquonne Brown (332 total yards)

The Scoop: Even though the Bulls only won two games in 2015, they feel like they have already won in 2016 just by having a coach stick around. This is the first offseason in 5 years that the program will not change head coaches. In 2015 the Bulls only had one receiving touchdown. They were led at quarterback by two players: Jacob Hill and Alquonne Brown. The two combined for 516 passing yards, 1 TD, and 6 INT. Mark Kantor has been working hard to increase the knowledge and intensity of the players this fall. The Bulls were shutout in five games in 2015.

Quotable: “Once they saw that I was back, you could see these older guys really buying in and working harder and faster than ever before in their lives.” -Mark Kantor

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Wiregrass Ranch Football went 2-8 on 2015 - but the team is off to a solid start in 2016 - mainly because it finally has a coach staying for a 2nd season.

"A lot of the kids didn't honestly believe that I would be back, because they have had that cycle over the last few years," said head coach Mark Kantor. "We could see the difference when we got back into the weight room in November and December. We started rolling and the kids were kind of like 'hey, he is going to be back for a second year.' And now you have kids buying in."

Kantor knows what it takes to turn around a struggling program. At Hudson he inherited a team that lost 22 straight games. He made it a playoff team.

Now he has his players developing strengths, which begin, and end, in the weight room. 

"He's been putting in a weight room program for us," said senior offensive lineman Aaron Beardsley. "We are in there back-to-back and we don't have any weekdays off except for Friday."

"A lot of the kids have said they haven't worked this hard in a long time here," said Kantor. "That weight room has to be like being on a practice field. It has to be a constant stream of great effort in there."

Mark Kantor has his players focused. And they have their eyes on big things.

"To make the playoffs would be a legitimate goal," says senior leader Dylan Bryan. "If we keep working and we keep showing up, united as a team, then I believe we can do it."

"We have a lot better this year," says Beardsley. "We are working harder. I think we can make it to the playoffs."

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2016 Schedule
8/18 at Nature Coast
8/26 at Zephyrhills
9/2 Wesley Chapel
9/9 at Sunlake
9/16 Sickles
9/23 at Leto
9/30 Freedom
10/7 at Wharton
10/14 Mitchell
10/21 at Gaither