The Top 99 Players in Pasco County History up to 1999

Put together by the St. Petersburg Times in 1999

Click HERE for more info

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Pasco Pirates
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Wesley Chapel Wildcats
Wiregrass Ranch Bulls
Zephyrhills Bulldogs

The best ever

PASCO COUNTY

Player, school, pos., sr. seasonComment
1. Darren Hambrick, LB, Pasco, '92Physically dominant two-way starter on state title team.
2. Bo Harrison, QB/RB, Mickens, '65Passed, ran for 40 TDs as a junior; 15 more as a senior.
3. Greg Pittman, DT, Pasco, '72Broncos drafted ferocious hitter who starred at Iowa State.
4. Henry Pope, FB, Mickens, '62Wildcat famous for dragging three, four tacklers every play.
5. Ryan Pickett, DT/OL, Zephyrhills, '97USA Today All-American, Buckeye owned the trenches.
6. Troy Hambrick, RB, Pasco, '94Times POY scored 38 TDs on offense, defense, special teams.
7. Billy Backlinie, RB, Pasco. '61Blazing speed and toughness made him the best of his time.
8. Warren Bennett, RB, Pasco, '56Big for his era, Bennett mixed power and outstanding speed.
9. Teddy Wilson, RB, Zephyrhills, '81NFL called on 1,000-yd rusher-turned-WR at UCF.
10. Jack Dennis, RB, Pasco, '48Fleet halfback scored 126 points for undefeated Pirates squad.
11. Ricky Bryant, RB, Pasco, '76Great RB, better LB; colleges drooled over the All-GCAC player.
12. Ricky Thomas, RB, Pasco, '73Blue chipper had 1,300-yards, 18 TDs; Pirate coach ran for B-CC.
13. Lloyd Maness, HB/QB, Pasco, '47All-WCC pick did it all for Pirates; signed with Auburn.
14. Mike Penix, RB/DB, Pasco, '91Solid two-way threat ran for 1,328 yds and scored 120 pts.
15. Taras Ross, DE/TE, Pasco, '92""Bull'' was first team 3A All-State pick on state champs.
16. Johnnie Clower, TE, Pasco, '86FSU signed first-team 3A All-State TE; had 454 yds, 4 TDs.
17. Greg Sims, RB, Pasco, '83First-team 3A All-State; 1,300-yd season ended in semifinals.
18. Cleo Stinyard, RB, Pasco, '96Total package had nearly 2,500 yds and 30 TDs in two seasons.
19. Billy Southward, QB, Mickens, '63Pinpoint passer tossed 20 TDs his senior year.
20. Mott Jackson, QB, Pasco, '48Ran Pirates offense that averaged more than 30 points per game.
21. James Giles, TE/LB, Zephyrhills, '69""Ricky'' terrorized opponents both ways; 13 TD catches.
22. Chuck Pitcock, OL/DL, Gulf, '75Tulane tackle a fixture on USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits.
23. Issac Johnson, QB, Pasco, '92Controversial QB led Pasco to state 3A championship.
24. Jim Watson, OL, Gulf, '88First team 4A All-State pick went on to play in Gainesville.
25. Joel Byrd, WR, Mickens, '63Natural ""radar,'' exceptionally soft hands, ran like a deer.
26. Baron Harmon, RB, Pasco, '76Swift back gave the Pirates 1,300 rushing yards.
27. Booker Pickett, RB/LB, Zephyrhills, '91After two 1,000-yard seasons, played LB at Miami.
28. Orion McCants, QB, Zephyrhills, '88All-GCAC First-Teamer nicknamed ""Big-O'' ran the option.
29. Eddie Johnson, LB, Pasco, '83""Dick Butkus'' was Times defensive POY on '83 semifinal team.
30. Howell Mickler, E, Pasco, '48Captain on those great Pirates teams of the late 1940s.
31. Bobby Highhouse, LB, Gulf, '85D-I couldn't compete with medical school for 4A All-State LB.
32. Rob Roberts, C/TE/DL, Pasco, '96One of county's best-ever lineman, but UF likes him at FB.
33. Jimmy O'Neal, RB, Saint Leo Prep, '48Scored more than 100 points in first five games.
34. T.J. Tucker, K/QB, River Ridge, '96Parade All-American kicker/punter drafted by Expos.
35. Eddie McKenzie, RB, Zephyrhills, '88All-time scorer with 210 pts; Citrus Bowl '86 MVP.
36. Kendell Blue, WR, Zephyrhills, '78Single-season wonder caught 8 TDs, ran for 6 in '78.
37. R.J. McKenna, QB, Land O'Lakes, '81Two-time Times POY ran for 737 yds and threw for 777 yds.
38. Kaivon Madani, OL, Pasco, '92Four-year starter was second-team 3A all-state tackle.
39. Jimmy Sessoms, QB/HB, Pasco, '64Great RB, even better QB; returned to coach '75-78 Pirates.
40. Tony Albanese, LB, Zephyrhills, '87Times county POY; tackling machine had 21 in one game.
41. Mike Barber, RB, Zephyrhills, '96Career 3,229 yds, 32 TDs; had 272 yds, 3 TDs in last game.
42. Reggie Roberts, LB/TE, Zephyrhills '89First team 3A all-state defensive star was Times POY.
43. Wayne Hodges, E, Pasco, '48Two-way Pirates star with knack for blocking kicks
44. B.J. Booker, TE/DL, Zephyrhills, '94Pass rusher, pass catcher was 4A All-State hon. mention.
45. Damien Pickett, WR/DB, Zephyrhills, '94Second team 4A All-State pick was Times All-NS POY.
46. Bobby Jamison, OL, Pasco, '61All-SWFC selection, great blocker went on to the Seminoles.
47. Toby Carter, QB, Mickens, '61Dimunitive force (145 pds) had rocket arm and accurate touch.
48. Trevor Lansford, RB, Land O'Lakes, '93Hon. mention 3A All-State, SAC POY; 3,000 career yds.
49. Marcus McCants, QB, Zephyrhills, '91Two-time GCAC POY finished with 1,889 yds, 23 TDs.
50. Leonard Wynn, RB, Mickens, '64Super quick back dies on battlefield in Vietnam.
51. Page Sessoms, RB/DB, Pasco, '93Second-team 4A All-State DB; as RB avg. 12.9 yds a carry.
52. Fred Tillis, WR, Pasco, '84Second-team 3A All-Stater passed, cauight and ran for 10 TDs.
53. Rick Mahler, RB, Hudson, '86""Mahlervelous'' was All-GCAC pick, Times county POY on 6-4 run.
54. Gary Laging, RB/DB, Gulf, '86Cowboys drafted this Carson-Newman NAIA national title veteran.
55. Billy Faulk, HB, Pasco, '61All-SWFC pick and Backlinie were incredible backfield tandem.
56. Rick Ladimir, RB, Hudson, '96Led county in rushing in '95 and '96 with 2,665 yards.
57. Mike Bobek, LB, Gulf, '79All-GCAC pick played for national champ at Eastern Kentucky.
58. Brad Starling, QB, Pasco, '83Guided playoff team to semifinals with 1,076 yds, 12 TDs.
59. Gil Singleton, RB, Pasco, '81Injury stole half of season but still ran for 713 yards, 7 TDs.
60. Ken Lowenburg, LB, Ridgewood, '90Four-year starter holds school record 14-tackles in a game.
61. Jim Dunphy, OT/LB, Hudson, '79MVP of district champs; helped Penn to two Ivy League titles.
62. Chad Filimon, RB, Gulf, '89Hard-running Times All-NS first team RB in '88; 1,600 yds total.
63. Mike Viccione, WR/FL/LB, Land O'Lakes, '92Freshman All-SAC pick played seven positions.
64. Lex Smith, QB, Pasco, '87Nearly 3,000 yds in two seasons, but a better tackler at UF.
65. Donnie Webb, QB, Gulf, '60Scored two-thirds of Bucs points; 7 on ground, 8 by air, 5 XPs.
66. Rubin Pickett, RB/DB, Zephyrhills, '89Two-way star ran for six TDs, returned three INTs his senior year.
67. Jay Johnson, OL/DL, Zephyrhills, '90Only two-time first-team All-Stater at two positions.
68. Scott Wingfield, QB/DB, Pasco, '70Tremendous athlete went on to star at Vanderbilt.
69. Edward Starling, RB, Pasco, '58Former Dade City mayor holds county-record 7 TDs in one game.
70. Norman Graham, RB, Pasco, '98SAC POY had 1,212 yds, 14 TDs; best middle school player ever.
71. Tommy Waugh, RB, Hudson, '77Rushed for 1,098 yards, 12 TDs his junior year; injured in '77.
72. Jeff Deremer, OL, Ridgewood, '87Third team 4A All-State selection walked-on at FSU.
73. Roger Whitworth, QB, Zephyrhills, '52All-WCC pick scored 204 pts; 15 TDs alone in '52.
74. Dee Reed, QB, Pasco, '91Three-year starter threw 16 TDs to lead Pasco to '91 quarterfinals.
75. Shawn Crane, LB, Gulf, '76Led county in tackles in '75; two-time All-GCAC pick.
76. John Medders, OL/DL, Hudson, '96Times All-NS blocker also a defensive force for Cobras.
77. Shawn Daughtery, QB, Zephyrhills, '94Second-team 4A All-Stater with 1,596 yds, 15 TDs.
78. Keathel Chauncey, RB/S, Zephyrhills '69All-TBC pick at both positions; 140 career pts.
79. Billy Linderman, QB/S, Ridgewood, '89Pure athlete had 6 INTs; second team 4A All-State pick.
80. Brian Fisher, OL, Gulf, '88Times All-Pasco, All-NS pick key part of 2,000-yd rushing season.
81. Sam Gross, OL, Zephyrhills, '61Three-time All-WCC first team selection at tackle.
82. Sammy Hinson, RB, Pasco, '67All-SWFC fullback ran hard, and hard to bring down.
83. Claude Johnson, OL, Gulf, '43All-GCC pick opened holes for Bucs' best team ever, 9-1 in '41.
84. Tony Menendez, OL/DL, Pasco, '70Four-year starter was an All-RC selection for three years.
85. Chris Sullivan, C, Hudson, '79Opened holes for 2,400-yard Cobras rushing attack that year.
86. Mike McBride, OL, Land O'Lakes, '92Three-year starter was first team 4A All-State selection.
87. Rob Hennesy, RB/LB, Ridgewood, '86Tough Rams defender was first team All-GCAC selection.
88. Sid Larkin, T, Pasco, '33Two-way lineman was lone multiple lettermen in his class.
89. Dick Massey, OL, Pasco, '50All-TBC pick was a three-year starter for Pirates.
90. Don Meredith, OL, Land O'Lakes, '89Class 4A All-State selectee also was Times first-team.
91. Kevin Dowling, OL/DL, Land O'Lakes, '83After Vanderbilt, former standout returned to coach.
92. John Whitehead, OL/DL, Hudson, '95Wake Forest signed mammoth blocker dubbed ""Whitehouse.''
93. Ron Brockington, FB, Zephyrhills, '89Only third 'Dogs RB to rush for 1,000 yds, had 12 TDs.
94. Howard Clower, RB/DB, Pasco, '85Two-time GCAC selection was hard-nosed tackler; 8 INTs.
95. Ron Croson, RB, Pasco, '98Versatile athlete plowed for 1,167 yards, 11 TDs last year.
96. Jim Valentine, OL/DE, Pasco, '52Co-captain of Pirates squad that won Tampa Bay Conference.
97. Tony Trancucci, DB, Hudson, '76Led Cobra defense that had seven shutouts in '76.
98. Harold Martin, RB, Gulf, '88Rushed for 1,058 yards as a junior; booted off team senior year.
99. Tommy Weightman, QB, Pasco, '52Former superintendent, coach teacher, helmed 9-1 Pirates.