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Mat Time Arrives

Central High Head Coach Roy Reyes

By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: November 21, 2008

The first of 11 weekends of grueling regular-season wrestling tournaments begins Saturday.
Locally, Central High will host 13 teams in the second annual Solomon Classic at the Bears' Den gymnasium.
Meanwhile, Hernando will journey to Hillsborough County for the 16-team Berkeley Prep Invitational.

HHS: packs its bags

The Leopards, under second-year Head Coach Joe McLain, opened its regular season with tune-up dual meet Wednesday night at Crystal River. The Pirates pulled out a dramatic 41-39 win when heavyweight Willy Simmons pinned HHS' David Hines in 3:10.
The Leopards, who finished 6-6 last winter, placed runner-up at Berkeley Prep to defending tourney champion Tampa-Robinson, 190.5-178.0.
HHS claimed four gold medals featuring: Daniel Pritz (125 pounds), Jesse Graham (145), Tim Ball (152) and Taylor Rotunda (215).
Ironically, Pritz, Graham and Rotunda all eventually reached the Class 1A State Championships in Lakeland.
Of that gold medal foursome, only Pritz returns.
Two other HHS state qualifiers from 2007-08: Max Morrill and James Davidson, both lost in the consolation finals at Berkeley Prep last winter.
On Wednesday at Crystal River, Pritz, Morrill and Davidson each notched pins.
Berkeley Prep, a tourney top heavy with Class 1A teams, offers trophies for the top three teams and top three individuals in each of the 14 weight classifications.
Outstanding wrestler awards will also be presented to top heavyweight and lightweight grapplers.

Bears: better start sought

In 2007 the Central Bears opened the campaign with a less than scintillating sixth-place finish in its own 11-team tournament.
Last year, eight Bears placed fifth or better in the Solomon Classic Tournament. Three grapplers who medaled return including Vince Ramirez (1st), Shaun Cadoret (4th) and Ken Supple (5th).
In the second year of this tourney, third-year Head Coach Roy Reyes is expecting 13 teams including: host Central, Clearwater Central Catholic, Crystal River, Oviedo-Hagerty, Harmony, Pinellas Park, New Port Richey-Ridgewood, NPR-Mitchell, Wesley Chapel, Groveland-South Lake, Vero Beach, Leonard and Liberty.
Weigh-ins are set for 8:30 a.m. with wrestling expected to begin at 10:30 a.m. across four mats.
The tourney will award trophies for the top three teams and individuals and fete the Outstanding Wrestlers in the heavyweight and lightweight divisions.
What does Coach Reyes, who is 20-7 at CHS, expect?
"We're ahead of where we were at this point last year," described Reyes. "How much? I don't know. Our football guys haven't been with us long. We weren't full strength in the classic (with wins over Crystal River and NCT), but neither was anyone else. We beat both teams pretty soundly. But I think Saturday will be a much better gage."

AT A GLANCE
WHO – Central High and Hernando High.
WHAT – 13-team Solomon Classic and 16-team Berkeley Prep Invitational wrestling tournaments.
WHERE – Solomon Classic at Central High's gymnasium; Berkeley Prep Inv. in Tampa.
WHEN - Saturday, Nov. 22. Solomon Classic begins at 10:30 a.m. Berkeley Prep Inv. Begins 10 a.m.
AT STAKE – Solomon Classic and Berkeley Inv. offers trophies for top three teams, top three individuals and Outstanding Wrestler Awards for lightweights and heavyweights.

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

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