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Hernando Today

Forest Invitational: 'It's Not A Tune-Up'

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Head Coach Eric Swensen

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: November 28, 2008

Fifth-year Springstead High wrestling Head Coach Eric Swensen is deviating slightly from his coaching blue prints this weekend. And for a good reason.
You see for the past few seasons, Coach Swensen has typically opened the season on the road at the rugged Plant City-Durant High Cougar Invitational.
The Cougar Invitational is again a top shelf event with many of the state's elite teams in attendance Dec. 6-7.
But Swensen understands this is not the same Eagle mat team that placed sixth last year in the always-tough Class 2A State finals at the Lakeland Center.
Swensen is minus eight starters from the squad featuring seven grapplers who graduated and senior Dustin Soto, who suffered a season-ending ACL knee injury during the summer.
Though SHS tested the waters on Nov. 19 by snuffing 2A-5 rival Wesley Chapel, 82-0, the competition gets much tougher today in the third annual, 16-team Ocala-Forest Invitational.
The tourney field offers an interesting mix featuring: Class 3A's DeLand, Class 2A's Ocala-Forest, Ocala-Lake Weir, Daytona Beach-Seabreeze, Groveland-South Lake, Palatka, Middleburg, Spring Hill-Springstead; and Class 1A's Panama City-Bay, Fort White, Dunnellon, Ocala-Trinity Catholic, Ocala-West Port, Citra-North Marion, Tampa Bay Christian and Tampa Bay Prep.
Wrestling is expected to begin at 10 a.m. Consolation and finals are expected to begin at 7 p.m.
The top four individuals in each weight class will receive a medal while top three teams receive trophies and there will be outstanding wrestler awards for the lower weights and upper weights.
The tourney's defending champion is Ocala-Forest while DeLand won the inaugural event in 2006.
 
What to expect?
 
Forest's fifth-year Head Coach Alan Hisey explained the tourney's main focus.
"With it being so early in the season, it's all about mat time," said Hisey, whose team finished 18th in last year's 2A State Finals in Polk County. "This is also about testing the kid's adversity coming off Thanksgiving. We want our kids to enjoy Thanksgiving, but come ready to wrestle on Saturday."
Who are the tourney favorites?
"I know Tampa Bay Christian has some outstanding wrestlers in the lighter weights," replied Hisey. "But I think the tournament (championship) will boil down to us and Springstead."
Why the Eagles?
"Regardless of who they lost, Eric Swensen is a very good coach," insisted Hisey. "Don't worry about them, they'll be ready to perform. I like having Springstead here, it'll show some of these programs how tough it is in meets like this. Having Springstead here reinforces what it takes to excel at a high level."
Hisey's team is led by three returning state qualifiers from this year's meet including Virgil Thoms at 119 pounds, Adam Lesser at 152 and Michael Wexler at 160.
The Eagles counter with two returning state qualifiers in seniors Thad Klenovich and Scott Wern. Both won easily in their season-opening duel meet against visiting Wesley Chapel.
 
Keys to victory?
 
Coach Hisey pointed out the keys to toting home the tallest trophy late Saturday night may rest on the scales.
"It's an early season tourney," reminded Coach Hisey. "Guys aren't at their state series weight yet. And with the format we're using, we're trying to give the kids as many matches (5) as we can."
Swensen's club is seeking his 14th team title since he arrived on the Mariner Blvd. campus.
"Saturday's format is real simple," explained Swensen. "If you don't win your first two matches, you won't be in the finals. This (format) will either help us or hurt us. We don't have many seeded guys, so there could be some terrific early matches that could knock guys out (of the finals). But also, our unseeded guys come wreck some brackets."
Why the journey up I-75?
"I don't want to call the Forest Tourney a tune-up for Durant," explained Swensen. "That's just say there are some well known wrestlers competing on Saturday, but not so many teams. At Durant, that tournament is loaded and I just don't want a lot of younger guys getting thrown into their first match without wrestling some quality opponents."
And the timing?
"I've never coached a team after Thanksgiving," added Swensen. "But we told all the boys eat whatever you want before hand, but we'll be running between 6-8 miles each on Thursday and Friday to make sure everybody is OK on Saturday."
Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at (352) 544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com.
 
AT A GLANCE
WHO – F.W. Springstead High.
WHAT – 16-team Ocala-Forest Invitational wrestling tournament including: host Ocala-Forest, DeLand, Ocala-Lake Weir, Ocala-West Port, Ocala-Trinity Catholic, Dunnellon, Citra-North Marion, Fort White, Middleburg, Palatka, Daytona Beach-Seabreeze, Panama City-Bay, Tampa Bay Prep, Tampa Bay Christian, Groveland-South Lake and Spring Hill-Springstead.
WHERE – Ocala-Forest gymnasium.
WHEN - Saturday, Nov. 29. Weigh-ins at 8 a.m. Coaches' meeting at 9:30 a.m. Wrestling expected to start 10 a.m. across four mats. Consolations and finals set for 7 p.m.
AT STAKE – Top four individuals in each weight class receive a medal; top three teams receive trophies and Outstanding Wrestler Awards for lower weights and upper weights.
 
 

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

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