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Hernando Today

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: February 2, 2008

The preliminaries are over. The main event is the 44th annual State Wrestling Championships in Lakeland scheduled for Feb. 14-16.
But to reach Polk County, the initial steps begin this weekend for Hernando County's four mat programs.
Here's a breakdown.
The county's four squads are divided into two 10-team districts.
The North Suncoast's most decorated program, Spring Hill-Springstead, is expected to venture into West Pasco County behind a 13-member squad seeking its (believe it or not!) 22nd district championship and fourth in a row under fourth-year Head Coach Eric Swensen.
Are the Eagles okay with being the hunted?
"I kinda see this tournament as ours to lose," pointed out Swensen. "It's nice to be respected. We'll use it to our advantage. But that's really how we look toward Brandon, Palmetto Ridge, Manatee, South Dade and those kinds of people.
"To us, this is our last team event," added Swensen. "After this, it's all about getting guys in regionals and then states."
At this point last season, health was a major concern as both Mike Heagney and Keith Hansen were seriously injured prior to districts.
A year later, health continues to haunt the Spring Hill program.
Junior Thad Klenovich will return to the starting line-up at 152 pounds after a recent knee ligament injury.
According to Swensen, "Thad's about 75 percent right now. And he'll be wearing a bulky brace. He's sucking it up. But a lot of teams are beat up worse than we are."
Just as important, another starter, sophomore Ken Cox, will miss districts due to a recent neck injury. He'll be replaced by Luis Delgado at 215 pounds. Delgado, however, is unproven as he has yet to compete in a varsity match this winter.
Also, the Eagles will unveil freshman Andrew Herr at 160 pounds. The Eagles' haven't had a 160-pounder since Craig Brice's departure early in the season.
Central, which placed fifth last winter in 2A-5, is hoping for a higher finish this time behind a 12-member unit.
Meanwhile, Hernando and Nature Coast Technical journey to Citrus County's Citrus Springs Middle School gymnasium for the 10-team, Class 1A-5 Meet hosted by Crystal River High.
Both meets are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. with wrestling to run for the remainder of the day.
Only the top four finishers in each of the 14 weight divisions advance to their respective regional meets slated for Feb. 8-9.

The lowdown

To date, Springstead High's mat stats are staggering.
The Eagles have collectively captured over 70 percent of their individual bouts this winter, including an over 50 percent ratio via pins.
SHS has placed seventh or better in all seven tournaments it's competed in highlighted by team crowns at the Brooksville-Kiwanis and Springstead Invitational and a runner-up trophy at the Gulf Duals.
All told, eight SHS grapplers enter today's Class 2A, District 5 meet at New Port Richey-Ridgewood High with at least 25 wins and six over 30 wins.
Experience is definitely leaning toward an Eagle repeat.
Five of the six Eagle seniors have wrestled for four seasons including Schuyler Swanton (25-2 won-lost record this season) at 112 pounds, Skylar Huff (34-9) at 119, C.J. Cook (37-7) at 125, Steven Bliss (26-8) at 130 and Cesar Acosta (33-11) at 189. Only heavyweight Carlos Ramirez (31-11, team-high 25 pins) has not competed for four seasons. This is Ramirez's second varsity campaign.
Cook, who stands 145-36 lifetime and is a three-time state qualifier, is attempting for a school-record fourth district title.
Swanton, a defending 2A state champion and two-time state placer, is seeking his third district crown.
Bliss, who captured a district title as a sophomore and finished runner-up last winter at Dunedin, is looking for his second district title.
Oddly enough, Huff, who is 116-36 lifetime, has never captured a district title.
Huff is joined by Acosta, Ramirez, and juniors Klenovich (30-6) at 152 and Dustin Soto (31-7) at 103, who are the also seeking their initial individual district crowns. Acosta is also one victory shy of his 100th career triumph at SHS.
Nine teams, however, stand in the Eagles' path en route to district title No. 22 including last's district runner-up, Dunedin, much improved New Port Richey-River Ridge, Land O'Lakes, Land O'Lakes-Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, NPR-Ridgewood, Groveland-South Lake, Brooksville-Central and Tarpon Springs.

2A-5's team to beat?

So, can the heavily-favored and much hunted Eagles collect their 22nd scalp?
For one, Central's second-year Head Coach Roy Reyes is not conceding anything to the Eagles.
The Bears enter Ridgewood's gym with five returning grapplers who placed in Dunedin last winter including Vince Ramirez (17-5), Shaun Cadoret (21-15), Ken Supple (19-14), Wayne Snell (14-11) and Daniel May (team-best 23-13). Ramirez, whose been hindered by a lingering shoulder injury, was runner-up last winter as a freshman.
Another member, senior Nathan Brazeau (22-7), is right behind May in wins, but did not compete last winter due to a shoulder injury.
"I can't speak for the other coaches," said Reyes. "But anything can happen in a tournament. Freak injuries, for instance. Guys not peaking, like what happened to Springstead last year. My whole focus is to have our guys ready to compete and get them into the following week."
Are the Eagles the team to beat?
"I don't think it's healthy for any coach to circle any one team as the ones to beat," Reyes replied. "After you do that, that's when you usually get beat by someone else. Let's just say everyone is there to win and push guys into regionals."
What are the keys to success today?
"Scoring in the consolation rounds is more important than how many guys you bring," explained Reyes. "Bottom line, the team that has guys beat people who they've lost to before during the season makes a big difference this time of year."

'Canes: Too much firepower

At Citrus Springs Middle School, the Citrus High Golden Hurricanes will attempt for a school-record third straight district title.
The past two years, the 'Canes have peaked at the right time, capturing both districts and regionals.
According to tournament host, Crystal River High's Craig Frederick, the primary focus is solving Citrus in 1A-5.
"They've got to be No. 1," shared Frederick, who's guided CRHS's mat fortunes for 20 seasons. "I know we're fighting (lack of) numbers at our place. We'll go in with nine guys. From here on out, it's a numbers game. There's only 10 teams coming; we would fare better with more teams coming like in regionals."
How did you sell this tourney to your kids?
"It's a whole new season," explained Fredrick. "Everyone starts fresh. It doesn't matter what happened before. There are two seasons in this sport and this is the one that counts."
Why are the 'Canes the favorites?
"They've got enough firepower," reminded Fredrick. "And they've got enough depth to get thirds and fourths in the wrestleback rounds. They're one of the teams that have a chance to score points in every weight class, that's big."
Hernando High enters the meet with less than 14 members. They're expected to bring 11-12 grapplers.
Over the past 11 previous seasons, the Leopards have performed well at this level collecting three team titles and five runner-up trophies.
If anyone has an outside shot of dethroning the Hurricanes, it's the Leopards.
Of Hernando's nine 1A-5 placers last winter, eight return including: Spencer Weston (6-16), Daniel Pritz (33-9), Chris Bishop (25-15), Jesse Graham (35-2), Tim Ball (21-7), James Davidson (28-8), Nick Pauilot (15-5) and Taylor Rotunda (24-0).
Graham, Pauliot and Rotunda -- all 2007 state qualifiers -- each won this event this winter. In fact, Graham is attempting to collect his third straight district crown.
Can the Leopards pull the upset?
"The overall field is stronger than in the past," replied veteran HHS assistant coach Bill Combs Sr. "I kinda agree with Craig (Frederick). Wrestlebacks are huge. Citrus can push some thirds and fourths, and we won't."
So what's the main focus?
"We've got to get our guys focused to do the very best they can," responded Combs. "As long as our guys do the best they can, that's all we can ask."
NCT, which finished sixth in 1A-5 last winter, returns three placers including: David Simonson (20-7), JJ Baker (20-8) and Jeremiah Jackson (2-0).
The Sharks are coming in with momentum following the program's first-ever tournament win last weekend at The Villages.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

WHO - Ten teams including 21-time district champion Spring Hill-Springstead, Wesley Chapel, New Port Richey--River Ridge, Groveland-South Lake, Brooksville-Central, Land O'Lakes, Land O'Lakes-Sunlake, Tarpon Springs, Dunedin and host NPR-Ridgewood.
WHAT - Class 2A, District 5 Wrestling Tournament.
WHERE - Ridgewood High gym.
WHEN - Today from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.
AT STAKE - Top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to next weekend's two-day, 37-team, Region II Meet hosted by Kissimmee-Poinciana.

WHO - Ten teams including 2-time defending champion, Inverness-Citrus, 3-time district champion Brooksville-Hernando, Lecanto, Dunnellon, Ocala-Trinity-Catholic, Ocala-West Port, Citra-North Marion, The Villages and Brooksville-Nature Coast Technical and host Crystal River.
WHAT - Class 1A, District 5 Wrestling Tournament.
WHERE - Citrus Springs Middle School gym.
WHEN - Today from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.
AT STAKE - Top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to next weekend's two-day, 34-team, Region II Meet hosted by Sebring High School at Avon Park's Central Florida Community College.

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at (352) 544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com

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