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Springstead: 14 In, 14 Qualify

2A-5 WRESTLING

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Springstead High senior Scott Wern joined teammate Thad Klenovich as repeat 2A-5 champions Saturday night in Pinellas County.

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: February 8, 2009

DUNEDIN - If anyone thinks that the Springstead High wrestling coach is ever really satisfied, they have not watched the fifth-year Head Coach Eric Swensen during a match.
Saturday at the Class 2A, District 5 wrestling tournament at Dunedin, the Eagles had seven grapplers win district titles and more importantly, had all 14 wrestlers qualify for next week's Region II Tournament in Osceola County.
But all a fan had to do was watch Swensen during any of his team's matches and see how intense he gets during the first step of the state series.
Saturday was the fifth straight district title the Eagles have won and Swensen and his team now must look forward to the ultra tougher regional tournament at Poinciana High School in Kissimmee.
"Now we've got to step up because next week we go against Brandon and Lake Gibson and teams like that," he said. "It was nice to have seven champions, but I would have liked to have all 14."
Springstead won the tournament by totaling 262.5 team points while Dunedin was second with 231. River Ridge finished third with 106 points while Central came in fourth in the 9-team event.
Stevie Bliss (103 pounds), Cody Ross (119), Nick Soto (125), Colton Zimmermann (135), Shawn Landgraff (145), Thad Klenovich (160) and Scott Wern (189) all won district titles for the Eagles. Klenovich and Wern each repeated from 2008.

Wern's Way

Of the seven titles, the one by Wern may have been the most impressive. The 189-pound senior, who won a district title last year at 171, beat Dunedin's Justinn Zeedyk in the final, 3-2. Zeedyk came into the final with a 46-0 record as Wern got a takedown with 1:45 left in the match and held on to win.
Besides Wern's clutch win, Bliss had three pins in a total of 1:57, the last one taking 1:21 as he beat Ray Khemraj in the finals.
In a way, the finals took on the look of a Springstead-Dunedin dual match as the two teams faced each other eight times with the Eagles winning five of them in the championship round.
Swensen also complemented his younger wrestlers for their showing Saturday.
"We only had three guys back from last year's team," identified Swensen. "Most of them were on last year's JV team, so it was a good turn around."
In the opening eight weight classes, five of them won by Springstead wrestlers, Swensen said he was impressed by the efforts of Redman, a freshman, and Colon, a sophomore, the most.
"Sean went toe-to-toe in his match and gave it everything he had and lost right at the end due to a takedown," recalled Swensen. "And Sam hadn't placed in one tournament this year and tonight he made the finals."
In the end, Swensen is ready to take his 14 wrestlers to next weekend's rugged region meet and go against some very tough competition.
"That is probably the toughest region in the state, with Brandon and Lake Gibson and Dunedin," predicted Swensen. "Hopefully, we'll step up because I really want to take all 14 kids to the state tournament."

Final 2A-5 Wrestling Tournament Results:

Final Class 2A, District 5 Wrestling Tournament Results:
1. Spring Hill-Springstead (SPG) 263.5; 2. Dunedin (DUN) 231; 3. New Port Richey-River Ridge (RR) 106; 4. Brooksville-Central (CEN) 77; 5. Land O'Lakes (LOL) 52; 6. Wesley Chapel (WC) 38; 7. Tarpon Springs (TS) 23; 8. Groveland-South Lake (SL) 13; 9. New Port Richey-Ridgewood (RID) 9.

Championship Round
103 - Steve Bliss (SPG) maj. dec. Ray Khemraj (DUN), 12-1.
112 - John McKay (LOL) dec. Sean Redman (SPG), 6-4.
119 - Cody Ross (SPG) tech. fall Dakota Rodgers (DUN), 17-0.
125 - Nick Soto (SPG) pin Jeremy Goodloe (DUN), 3:26.
130 - Austin Prince (DUN) dec. Devean Huff (SPG), 10-8.
135 - Colton Zimmerman (SPG) dec. Kane Plate (DUN), 7-2.
140 - Sean Hitchcock (RR) pin Sam Colon (SPG), 3:29.
145 - Shawn Landgraff (SPG) dec. Shaun Cadoret (CEN), 6-3.
152 - John Cannizzaro (DUN) dec. Landon Vannata (RR), 8-3.
160 - Thad Klenovich (SPG) pin Sergio Zamufio (DUN), 0:34.
171 - Antonio Talley (DUN) maj. dec. Jessey Lorentsen, (SPG) 10-2.
189 - Scott Wern (SPG) dec. Justin Zeedyk (DUN), 3-2.
215 - Gideon Levy (DUN) pin Danny May (CEN), :36.
285 - Luis Agramonte (DUN) pin Charles Oquendo (SPG) , 1:38.

Consolation Round
103 - Jesse Barker (RR) pin Shawn Stark (LOL), 3:45.
112 - Shaun Shakoor (DUN) dec. Manny Mercado (RR), 11-5.
119 - Andrew Agazarm (RR) dec. Robbie Monsegur (CEN), 7-1.
125 - Wayne Snell (CEN) dec. Kevin Engle (LOL), 5-4.
130 - Kenny Supple (CEN) pin Andrew Allisondratis (TS), 2:39.
135 - Brennan Stack (LOL) pin Brandon Bates (RID), 2:34.
140 - Jake Cannizzaro (DUN) pin Josh Cleveland (CEN) 2:23.
145 - Tyler Smith (DUN) maj. dec. Earl Burns (RR), 15-7.
152 - Thomas Ellerbee (SPG) pin Jeremy Henderson (WC), 3:41.
160 - Sergio Zamudio (DUN) pin Josh Dale (SL) 1:42.
171 - Jake Horning (RR) tech. fall Zach Martin (CEN), 19-1.
189 - Brendan Ferguson (WC) maj. dec. Austin Schwartz (RR), 15-5.
215 - Ken Cox (SPG) tech. fall Cody Embry (LOL), 16-0.
285 - Kameron Romaelle (TS) pin Donovan Berardi (RR), 0:51.

Springstead Individual Results
Wgt Name W L Pins Place
103 Richie Bliss 3 0 3 1st
112 Sean Redman 2 1 1 2nd
119 Cody Ross 3 0 1 1st
125 Nick Soto 2 0 1 1st
130 Devean Huff 1 1 1 2nd
135 Colton Zimmermann 2 0 1 1st
140 Sammy Colon 2 1 2 2nd
145 Shawn Landgraff 2 0 0 1st
152 Thomas Ellerbee 2 1 2 3rd
160 Thad Klenovich 2 0 1 1st
171 Jessey Lorentsen 2 1 2 2nd
189 Scott Wern 2 0 1 1st
215 Ken Cox 3 1 2 3rd
285 Charles Oquendo 2 1 2 2nd
TOTALS 30 7 20

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