No. 20 – WIREGRASS RANCH BULLS
2016: 7-3, Runner-Up in 7A District 8
Head Coach: Mark Kantor, 9-11 in two seasons
Key Returners: FS Alquonne Brown(62 TKL, 1 INT), RB Dada McGee (1,063 rushing yards, 11 TD), CB/WR Jordan Miner (3 INT; 3 REC, 2 TD), RB/LB Chase Oliver (443 rushing yards, 4 TD), QB Grant Sessums (119 passing yards, 1 TD, 3 INT).
The Scoop: For the first time in a long time, the Bulls enter a season with expectations. Coming off the team’s first playoff appearance since 2010, Wiregrass Ranch is poised to make another run at the postseason. Unfortunately, the Bulls has been dealing with a variety of offseason distractions.
During the winter the team received Carrollwood Day transfer Raymond Woodie III, who was slotted in to start in the secondary for Mark Kantor’s crew. He will never play a snap for the Bulls because his father, Raymond Woodie, took a job on Willie Taggart’s staff out at Oregon. The family had tried to live apart to allow for Raymond to be a Bull, but in the end the decision was to keep everyone together. “Family is family,” said Kantor, “You cannot replace that and we would never ask anyone to choose us over their family. We will miss him.” Another departure came from rising senior Shamaur McDowell. In 2016, McDowell led the Bulls with four interceptions. In a story broken by Spectrum Sports, McDowell chose to play his final year in high school at IMG Academy in Bradenton. He will be playing on the “B-Team” due to the level of talent for the Ascenders. McDowell is a Minnestoa commit.
The pride of the defense returns with new-Penn State commit Jordan Miner. The cornerback has also been getting more reps at wide receiver and has become a favorite target of quarterback Grant Sessums during 7-on-7 action this summer. The Bulls have seven players back that appeared in all 10 games in 2016. A number of players on the roster saw action in at least eight games. The Bulls will, once again, have to compete in their district with a reload Plant, defensive-minded Wharton, and a sleeper in Sickles. But Wiregrass Ranch no longer hopes to make the playoffs – they expect it.
Quotable: “We have to keep the train on the tracks. We are definitely out of the station, but now it’s about staying on our path. We believe, as a staff, we will do that.” – Mark Kantor
2017 Schedule
8/25 vs. Zephyrhills
9/1 @ Wesley Chapel
9/8 vs. Sunlake
9/15 @ Sickles
9/22 vs. Wharton
10/6 @ Gaither
10/13 @ Freedom
10/20 vs. Leto
10/27 vs. Plant
11/3 @ Auburndale
At Wiregrass Ranch, football begins and ends in the weight room.
“They tell me 'You can't work out four days a week.' Oh yes you can!” laughed Mark Kantor.
And no one seems to be disagreeing anymore. Especially after a 2016 season that saw the Bulls go to the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
I think that it has just changed the way we play football,” Said senior running back Chase Oliver. “We are more of a nasty team. We lay the wood a lot more. I think that those things have changed and it has carried on out to the field.”
“We went from being a team with two wins a few years ago and now we are a playoff team,” said newly crowned starting quarterback Grant Sessums. “And we are going to keep going further and keep pushing.”
I think the train is rolling out of the station,” said Kantor. “Now, can we keep it on the tracks. Sometimes you can get derailed a little bit. But we believe, as a staff, we are on the right path. We are on the right tracks.”
And how can they not. The Bulls have a conductor on defense, corner back Jordan Miner. He is a top-20 player in the Bay Area and recently made his college commitment on Spectrum Sports.
“We are trying to go back to the playoffs but in the regular season we don't want to lose any games, so we have to keep working,” said Miner.
The train is definitely out of the station...the thing is, everyone can hear when the train is coming.
Meaning Wiregrass Ranch won't be surprising anyone in 2017.