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Springstead captures Cougar Invitational

WRESTLING

Photo by ALICE MARY HERDEN

The Springstead wrestling team celebrates winning the 14th annual Cougar Invitational at Plant City-Durant High on Saturday. Front row (l to r): Shawn Landgraff, Nick Soto, Cody Ross, Casey Quinn, Richie Bliss and John Dreggors. Middle row (l to r): Andrew Herr, Sam Colon, Sean Redman, Rivera and Assistant Coach Sal Basile. Back row (l to r): Virgil Toms, Thomas Ellerbee, Cody Zimmermann and Head Coach Eric Swensen.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: December 5, 2009

PLANT CITY - For a program as accomplished as Springstead's, making history doesn't just happen every day.

So when the Eagles' head coach dubs something the biggest victory the program has ever had, that statement carries considerable weight.

Yes, winning the 14th annual Cougar Invitational at Plant City-Durant High, one of the most prestigious events in the state, means that much.

That is what Springstead did for the first time Saturday, holding off Kissimmee-Osceola for the first-place team trophy, 212.5-211.

"It's our best going on at least six years," Springstead Head Coach Eric Swensen said, in his sixth season. "It's just great for the team. It boosts morale. It's special because the parents are here. The parents are happy.

"…We placed nine guys. That's a big part of it. The first few rounds we had a lot of pins. A lot of bonus points."

Junior Nick Soto (130) and sophomore Cody Ross (135) captured back-to-back championship bouts for the Eagles, as they nursed a 13.5-point advantage heading into the final round.

"They are the rocks," Swensen said. "They train, they train, they train. They won hard weight classes, beat some really good guys and those two really stood out."

Each went 4-0 with a pair of pins. Soto won his last match with relative ease, taking a 7-1 nod over Cody Singletary from Palmetto Ridge.

"Coming in second last year, I was hungry to win it this year," Soto said. "I'd do anything it takes to win it and I did.

"I got better technique, worked harder in the (wrestling) room. I pushed myself. Plus I had the support of my team behind my back."

Ross had a tighter contest, but still notched the decision, 5-3 against Sarasota's Austin Brown.

"It means a lot to me, but it also shows me what I have to work on. The big thing is my conditioning," Ross said. "It's like a preview of the state tournament. It shows you where you're at and where you need to get better.

"…We were very focused (on winning as a team). It's what was talked all about in the room this week."

The Eagles' title hopes received a scare when Shawn Landgraff dropped the 152 final to Osceola's Gabriel Bird, 7-4, leaving Landgraff at 4-1 with three pins.

However, Springstead still held a 1.5-point edge when Osceola's final competitor, Levi Clemmons, won by injury default at 171.

That score held when the last Eagle in the championship finals, John Dreggors, lost his 285 match to Donovan Green of Orlando-Timber Creek, 3-1. Like Landgraff, Dreggors went 4-1 with three pins.

Consolation finalists

Five other Springstead grapplers reached the consolation finals, although Virgil Toms had to pull out of his fifth-place 125 match due to a shoulder injury.

Defending state champion Richie Bliss only managed a fourth-place showing, going 5-2 with three pins.

A quarterfinal loss in 5:48 to Fort Myers-Riverdale's Dalton Langford sent him to the consolation bracket, where he lost in his final 5-3 in overtime, to Shiquan Hall of Homestead-South Dade.

"I made a lot of mistakes," said Bliss, who also suffered a loss in last weekend's Deltona Duals. "I went to my back too much in the quarters. And in the final for third and fourth, I tried a headlock in overtime and didn't get it."

Sean Redman pinned Punta Gorda-Charlotte's Ian Scott in 1:36 to capture a fifth-place medal at 119, while Thomas Ellerbee did the same at 160 taking down Winter Springs' Kyle Gach in 4:06.

Casey Quinn lost in the third-place match at 171, falling 4-3 against Tim Horner from host Durant.

Overall, a pretty terrific showing for a team still minus 215-pounder Kenny Cox due to a knee injury. The Eagles also didn't have anyone wrestle at 112.

"It's so early in the year," Swensen said. "It proves to our guys that if we go to compete we can win.

"…It is what it is. It's good for the team. It's good for our school and it's good for where the program is headed."

Final Cougar Invitational Team Standings
PL Team PTS
1. Springstead (SPG) 212.5
2. Kissimmee-Osceola (OSC) 211.0
3. Fort Myers-Riverdale (RIV) 181.0
4. Lakeland-Lake Gibson (LG) 174.0
5. Winter Springs (WS) 164.0
6. Homestead-South Dade (SD) 162.5
7. Naples-Palmetto Ridge (PR) 123.5
8. Melbourne-Palm Bay (PB) 122.5
9. Orlando-Timber Creek (TC) 118.5
10. Plant City-Durant (DUR) 102.5
11. Crawfordville-Wakulla (WAK) 88.5
12. Bradenton-Manatee (MAN) 72.5
13. Live Oak-Suwannee (SUW) 69.0
14. Miami Southwest (MSW) 68.0
15. Punta Gorda-Charlotte (CAR) 61.0
16. Sarasota (SAR) 59.0
16. Miami-Braddock (BRD) 59.0
18. Palm Harbor (PH) 58.0
19. Tampa Prep (TP) 56.0
20. Ft. Lauderdale-Western (WES) 48.0
21. Tampa-Jesuit (JES) 47.0
22. Cocoa Beach (CB) 45.0
23. Tampa-Wharton (WHA) 40.0
24. Orlando-Olympia (OLY) 34.5
25. Tampa-Sickles (SIC) 32.0
26. Tampa-Chamberlain (CHA) 23.5
27. Bradenton-Bayshore (BAY) 20.0
28. Hillsborough (HIL) 16.0
29. Lakeland (LAK) 12.0
30. Sarasota-Riverview (RVW) 0.0

Cougar Invitational Finals Results
103 - Langford (RIV) dec. Hall (WAK), 4-3
112 - Hall (SD) dec. Jorge (LG), 9-3
119 - Varona (SD) dec. Jimenez (OSC), 9-2
125 - T. Locksmith (OSC) dec. Hamm (DUR), 3-2
130 - Soto (SPG) dec. Singletary (PR), 7-1
135 - Ross (SPG) dec. Brown (SAR), 5-3
140 - Nereim (WS) dec. J. Locksmith (OSC), 5-3
145 - Baldwin (OSC) pin Mauro (PB), 2:39
152 - Bird (OSC) dec. Landgraff (SPG), 7-4
160 - Jarrell (TP) maj. dec. Smith (PB), 8-0
171 - Clemmons (OSC) inj. default Sanchez (RIV)
189 - Kuell (LG) dec. O'Neill (WS), 5-4
215 - Herron (PB) dec. Dunn (RIV), 3-1 (OT)
285 - Green (TC) dec. Dreggors (SPG), 3-1

Cougar Invitational Consolation Finals Results
103 - Hall (SD) dec. Bliss (SPG), 5-3 (OT)
112 - Ison (PR) dec. Laxton (SUW), 3-1
119 - Phillips (LG) dec. Heffner (RIV), 2-1
125 - Wingo (TC) dec. Perez (PR), 4-0
130 - Watson (CB) dec. Krutzky (LG), 6-1
135 - Paraschuk (RIV) maj. dec. Stewart (MAN), 17-6
140 - Varner (WAK) def. Lopez (RIV), 6-4
145 - Montero (SD) pin Scott (CHA), 2:20
152 - Basich (WS) dec. Fontanet (TP), 4-1
160 - Woods (SIC) dec. Santangello (PH), 9-2
171 - Horner (DUR) dec. Quinn (SPG), 4-3
189 - Espinoza (TC) inj. default Tiner (RIV)
215 - Moravek (TC) inj. default Petro (WS)
285 - Alvarado (SUW) pin Haughton-James (WES), 2:11

Cougar Invitational Outstanding Lightweight Wrestler Award
Matt Nereim, Winter Springs

Cougar Invitational Outstanding Heavyweight Wrestler Award
Levi Clemmons, Osceola

Cougar Invitational Most Pins Award
Pete Baldwin, Osceola

Springstead at Cougar Invitational Results
WGT Name W L Pins Pl
103 Bliss, Richie 5 2 3 4th
119 Redman, Sean 3 2 2 5th
125 Toms, Virgil 2 3 1 6th
130 Soto, Nick 4 0 2 1st
135 Ross, Cody 4 0 2 1st
140 Colon, Samuel 0 2 0 -
145 Zimmermann, Colton 2 2 1 -
152 Landgraff, Shawn 4 1 3 2nd
160 Ellerbee, Thomas 5 2 3 3rd
171 Quinn, Casey 3 2 2 4th
189 Herr, Andrew 1 2 0 -
285 Dreggors, John 4 1 3 2nd
TOTALS 37 19 22

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at 352-544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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