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Rooted In Athletic Success

By JOEY JOHNSTON

Published: Aug 19, 2007

MIKE HELDT, Alonso

When Mike Heldt graduated from Leto High School in 1987, as an All-State lineman and one of Hillsborough County's most decorated athletes, little did he know where the journey would lead.

To the highest levels of football.

To Notre Dame, where he became a three-year starter at center, a mainstay on Lou Holtz's 1988 national championship team, an Irish captain (along with Ricky Watters, Todd Lyght and Chris Zorich) and an All-American.

"I was always comfortable with Mike Heldt as our center," Holtz said, "because I knew he'd be there when it counted."

And finally, to the NFL.

Heldt was a 10th-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1991, where he spent one season on the practice squad. He was quickly plucked away by the Indianapolis Colts and showed promise in two seasons, but his career was ended by a severe back injury.

In 1980, Pat O'Brien had a magical senior season. He transferred from Clearwater Central Catholic to Hillsborough and won the Guy Toph Award, essentially the Heisman Trophy of Hillsborough County. It has been presented annually since 1939 to Hillsborough County's top football player.

O'Brien, although humbled to receive such an award, said that was from another life.

"It's wonderful to be recognized like that, but it's not something I openly advertise or use to say, 'Hey, look at me,'" O'Brien said. "If my players want to know what happened when I played, I'll tell them, but it's not something I'm trying to live on. I'm in the coaching phase of my life now.

"Awards are great, but it's even more important to know how to handle receiving honors like that, how to respect them and keeping it all in the perspective of knowing your teammates helped you get there."

O'Brien began his post-high school career at Maryville (Tenn.) College, where he earned all-conference honors and ranked third nationally among Division III passers. His last two seasons were spent at Sam Houston State, where he started at tight end for his final eight games, giving him versatility and perspective that he came to value as a coach.

In October, O'Brien will be inducted into the Hillsborough High School Football Hall of Fame.

Like father, like son.

Thirty-two years ago, Brian Thornton played quarterback at Griffith (Ind.) High School. The Panthers were 1-9 and the head coach, looking for a turnaround, installed the wishbone.

The head coach was Thornton's father, Les.

Suddenly, Griffith was no longer a losing program. Thornton, despite an injury-riddled career, directed an offense that routinely had three or four different 100-yard rushers in a game. The father won 192 career games and earned induction into the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Thornton, whose playing career at William Penn College was cut short by a shoulder injury, had learned his way of life. While still an undergraduate student, Thornton served on William Penn's coaching staff.

Once he got a program of his own, then-woeful East Bay, he installed the wishbone. In 1995, the Indians snapped a 24-game losing streak. "We haven't had a losing season since then," Thornton said. "Almost everything we do here is based on what my father did."

Thornton doesn't boast about his playing accomplishments. He might not resemble that 165-pound quarterback from the 1970s, but the lessons remain the same.

"Everyone pulls together," Thornton said. "That's the way I learned it as a player. That's what we want here."

At the University of Tampa, Billy Turner became a man of letters. Many, many letters.

Turner - a football, basketball and baseball star at UT from 1956-60 - was a 12-time letterman, a school record that still stands.

"I liked being active," said Turner, who played quarterback for Coach Marcelino Huerta's Spartans, completing 57 percent of his passes as a senior.

He made an even bigger mark at Auburndale High, where he helped the Bloodhounds to a 20-0 record and the state's No. 1 ranking in Class 3A during his final two seasons. Turner, who tossed five touchdown passes against Mulberry, said Auburndale averaged 47 points per game during his career.

Turner's prep athletic exploits included averaging 16 points on a basketball team that went 56-0 in his final two seasons. He was a middle infielder on a 22-2 baseball team. He also set the Polk County record with 4:36 in the mile run.

But football was his true love. He signed with the AFL's Buffalo Bills in 1962, but was cut on the second day of practice, setting in motion a coaching career that allowed him to establish Hillsborough County's all-time victory record.

"I don't even think my [players] know I played football once," said Turner, a member of UT's Athletic Hall of Fame. "They don't look too far back."

Back In The Day

Summarizing the athletic history of some head football coaches in Hillsborough County:
Marquel Blackwell, Freedom: All-state QB at Dixie Hollins (1994-96). Four-year starter at the University of South Florida, where he passed for a career 9,108 yards and 57 touchdowns and rushed for 1,235 yards and 20 touchdowns. USF was 30-12 in games he started. Signed as a free agent with the NFL's New York Jets in 2003, but was cut after the regular-season opener. Had brief stints with the Bucs and Tampa Bay Storm.

Corey Brinson, Bloomingdale: Three-year starter and all-conference DB at Vero Beach (1989-91). All-MEAC DB at Bethune-Cookman. Selected for Freedom Bowl all-star game.

Sean Callahan, Armwood: All-conference RB and SS at Notre Dame Catholic in Fairfield, Conn. Had a city-leading six interceptions in one season. Knee injury ended his college career after one season at Slippery Rock (Pa.) State College.

Dominick Ciao, Berkeley Prep: Played high school football in his native Chicago. Earned a baseball scholarship to Loras College.

Corries Culpepper, Tampa Bay Tech: Played for Armwood (1987-89), then for Tennessee Wesleyan as a DB. Later played in two professional leagues - Arena Football (Albany Firebirds) and the Canadian Football League (Shreveport Pirates).

Hugh Dehnert, Leto: Two-way lineman at Belton (Mo.). Played OL at NAIA Tarkio (Mo.) College as a 228-pounder, a fact Leto players find hard to believe now that Dehnert, an avid runner, checks in at 175 pounds.

Mike DePue, Robinson: Undersized MLB at Crossland in Camp Springs, Md., from 1967-69. Played on University of Maine's freshman team before giving up football.

Dennis Duggan, Tampa Bay Christian: Two-way lineman at North Babylon on Long Island, N.Y. Academically ineligible his senior season, which ended his playing career, but he now uses that episode as a teaching tool for his players and their athletic opportunities.

Mike Fenton, Jefferson: All-Sunshine Conference punter, averaging 38 yards, for Tampa Catholic in 1972. Also played WR. Had offer from Appalachian State, but stayed home with baseball scholarship to Florida College.

Earl Garcia, Hillsborough: Played OL and NG at Plant (1967-69). Continued at Division II Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., where he was a self-described "74th-string center" for one season before finishing his education at USF.

Earl Garcia III, King: Selected all-conference TE while playing for his father at Hillsborough (1996-98). Received scholarship to Southern Illinois, but left after one season and finished at Florida Atlantic

Bob Henriquez, Tampa Catholic: All-American OL for TC (1978-81). Played three seasons at Princeton (which he selected over Florida, Mississippi State, Duke and Vanderbilt). Beat Harvard and Yale his senior year.

Ken Hiscock, Newsome: All-conference LB and FB at Durant (1995-96), where he twice led the Cougars in tackles. Four-year MLB at Division III Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. Was an All-USA South Atlantic Conference selection and led the Monarchs in tackles as a senior.

Harry Hubbard, Middleton: All-conference RB and LB for Booker T. Washington in Texarkana, Texas (1965-69). Played RB at Mississippi Valley State (1970-74), where he was teammate of future Bucs QB Parnell Dickinson. Had tryouts with NFL's Redskins and Oilers, but didn't stick.

Mark Kantor, Gaither: Played WR at Springstead (1987-90), where the Eagles went 14-7 with a bowl victory his final two seasons. Played two years at Division III Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Ky.

Kevin Kelley, Plant City: Played MLB and FB at Leto (1977-80). As a junior, scored winning touchdown in overtime to beat Jefferson. Attended USF, but didn't play sports in college.

David Mitchell, Wharton: All-county performer at Leto in 1977, then played WR at Yankton (S.D.) College, alma mater of Lyle Alzado, where he was four-year starter and team's top pass catcher.

Dan O'Regan, Riverview: Two-way lineman for Detroit St. Mary of Redford (1972-76). After community college, tried out for Michigan State in 1978, but didn't make the team.

Scott Palmer, Spoto: Two-way lineman at Edgewood in Ashtabula, Ohio, but career ended prematurely after his freshman season. Suffered a lacerated liver in a sledding accident and was advised to give up football.

Joe Ross, Jesuit: Played RB at Southwest Harrison (1961-63) in Bethany, Mo., and scored four touchdowns in one game. After military stint, played OLB for Connecticut and started as a senior.

Rick Shears, Cambridge: Played RB for four seasons at Swartz Creek (Mich.), where he had three 100-yard games as a senior. Finished sixth in the 440-yard run at Michigan's state track and field meet. Didn't play college sports.

Sean Washington, Blake: Three-year starter at LB for Miami Central (1980-82), where he played with future Pro Bowler Bruce Armstrong. Played MLB at Bethune-Cookman, where he ranked third in MEAC tackles as a senior. Had career-high 18 tackles against Grambling, coached by his idol, Eddie Robinson. Selected for Freedom Bowl all-star game.

Robert Weiner, Plant: Never played organized football, but made the state doubles tennis final at Jesuit High, where he became a longtime assistant coach. Jim Wilt, Lennard: All-county RB and DB at Brilliant (Ohio) High (1965-67). Rushed for nearly 1,000 yards as a senior. Entered military service after high school and didn't play sports in college.