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It's Show Time!

45th WRESTLING STATE FINALS

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Springstead High senior Scott Wern earned his second straight trip to this weekend’s State Wrestling Finals at The Lakeland center. Wern, a region champ last Saturday in Osceola County, went winless (0-2) last winter in Polk County elite event.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: February 19, 2009

Sixteen Hernando County mat men, representing three of the county's four public high schools, are aspiring for the same goal - a state individual gold medal - entering today's 45th annual Florida Finals at The Lakeland Center.
The county has had its share of success etching 25 gold medalists over the past 27 years.
Plus two programs, Springstead and Hernando, finished among the Top 10 teams in 2A and 1A respectively, last winter.
The tourney format has been paired from three grueling days to two in the state's premier meet beginning at 10 a.m. Friday in Polk County.
Here's a breakdown.

Eagles: seeking hardware
 
Springstead High, which came in with seven grapplers in this elite event last winter and finished sixth overall, enters the George Jenkins Arena this time with nine members in tow.
SHS' lineup features: sophomore Richie Bliss (41-3 won-lost record with a county-best 32 pins) at 103, freshman Cody Ross (40-8) at 119,  sophomore Nick Soto (37-5) at 125, sophomore Colton Zimmermann (33-12) at 135, sophomore Shawn Landgraff (39-11) at 145, senior Thad Klenovich (38-7) at 160, senior Jessey Lorentsen (41-7) at 171, senior Scott Wern (38-6) at 189 and junior Kenny Cox (39-8) at 215.
Klenovich, Lorentsen (with Mitchell High) and Wern are returning state qualifiers from 2008. None, however, has ever placed in this event.
Lorentsen and Klenovich each went 1-2 while Wern went 0-2 at states last year.
Just as important, the Eagles' six other state qualifiers have never performed under the scrutiny of the state's biggest stage.
Yet, eight of the nine (discounting the first-year Ross) are enjoying career seasons.
SHS, which finished runner-up to powerful Brandon in last Saturday's Class 2A, Region II meet at Poinciana believe they have weapons in place for not only a top-five finish but a possible state runner-up trophy.
Wern paced the Eagles last weekend in Osceola County with a regional title.
As always, standing in the way is perennial powerhouse Brandon, which has won this meet the past eight years. All told, Head Coach Russ Cozart's squad has carted off a state-record 19 team championships.
The Class 2A Tourney's top five may be the most difficult to predict with Naples-Palmetto Ridge, always-tough Bradenton-Manatee, Lakeland-Lake Gibson, St. Cloud, Fort Myers and Gainesville High also involved in the title chase.
The Eagles have a legitimate chance for runner-up hardware according to fifth-year Head Coach Eric Swensen.
Swensen has guided his squad to 10 top-four finishes in 10 meets this season including six tournament titles. The SHS skipper believes last week's regional finish will spill over into this week.
"We started off a little sluggishly last Friday," indicated Swensen. "We won matches but we didn't look good doing it. Where we lost we didn't look good. I was happy to survive with 12 entering Saturday.
"On Saturday, all we caught was one Brandon kid after another," recalled Swensen. "But we told the kids they have to fight back and that they could not take any matches lightly. We really stepped up for the third-fourth place matches."
What about the new two-day format?
"Money-wise it's smarter to go two days," pointed our Swensen. "There's always a cost factor. The two-day meet is also more conducive to what we do all year. Now, as a wrestler and as a coach, I like the old, three-day format. It kept the kids in it longer. As an administrator, the two-day format is better."
Can the Eagles bring back the runner-up trophy?
"I don't think anybody received any great draws," Swensen said. "If you don't see the toughest kid in the first round, you'll see him in the second or third round. The big thing is avoiding losing in the first round.
"Realistically, we want to take second," he added. "Palmetto Ridge, Manatee will have something to say about that. They each pulled 10 guys into states. We either need seven placers (top six place) or five placers and someone in the finals."

Can Leopards duplicate 2008 results?

Last winter, Hernando High finished ninth overall with 56 points well behind Class 1A State Champion Fort Myers-Riverdale.
The Leopards went 14-10 overall in 2008 meet highlighted by three placers.
The Purple and Gold enter Lakeland behind a five-member contingency including senior Brandon Gunderson (33-14) at 103, junior Daniel Pritz (39-2) at 135, freshman Zach Pritz (36-8) at 140 senior Max Morrill (27-12) at 145 and senior James Davidson (county-best 42-4) at 171.
Daniel Pritz is a returning state placer. He finished third at Lakeland a year ago going 4-1 in the process.
Davidson and Morrill each went 1-2 at states last year.
Gunderson and Zach Pritz and first-time state qualifiers.
But Daniel and Zach Pritz enter with the most momentum having captured rare regional crowns last weekend in Flagler County.
How are the Leopard mentors selling this meet?
"We don't want to do anything different than we have before," explained HHS assistant coach Bill Combs Sr. "We want the kids to treat this like it's just another tournament, but the competition is just a little tougher."
What will the kids have to overcome?
"The biggest thing, to me, is the familiarity with the Lakeland Center," replied Coach Combs. "That's why we come early to acclimate ourselves with the facilities. We don't want to show up on Saturday and say, "Oh and ahh to the place."
And the pre-tourney draws?
"Unlike in year's past, we didn't get any favorable draws," said Combs. "All our kids drew tough guys early and they know it. But its states, it's supposed to be where the toughest kids are."
And as far as the format change, both Coach Combs and Head Coach Joe McLain each prefer the old three-day state format.
Can the Leopards generate another Top 10 finish?
"Realistically, the pairings weren't great to us," commented Coach McLain. "Every one of our guys has a tough road to sled. But funny things happen in big tournaments. To me, the biggest thing is getting those first-day wins behind us."

NCT: Double the exposure

Last winter, Nature Coast Technical was represented for the first time at the state level as junior David Simonson went 2-2 at 112 pounds.
Though Simonson and four other Sharks did not advance past regionals last weekend at Matanzas, two others did.
The future of the program features sophomore Tyler Forand (31-15) at 103 and junior Scott Cronin (28-17) at 125.
After a better than expected eighth-place regional finish will the momentum of that meet carry over?
"Momentum is huge," explained the fifth-year NCT Head Coach Mike Lastra. "It's all about attitude. If you have a positive approach to states, this will work out; if you don't, you're making excuses.
"We are ready to go," Lastra emphatically stated. "What we have to overcome is the excitement of just being at states. Being at states doesn't cut it. We want our guys hungry to place. The key right now is to get past the first-round matches."

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
WHAT: 45th  annual State Wrestling Finals
WHO: Springstead High sophomore Richie Bliss (41-3 won-lost record with a county-best 32 pins) at 103, freshman Cody Ross (40-8) at 119,  sophomore Nick Soto (37-5) at 125, sophomore Colton Zimmermann (33-12) at 135, sophomore Shawn Landgraff (39-11) at 145, senior Thad Klenovich (38-7) at 160, senior Jessey Lorentsen (41-7) at 171, senior Scott Wern (38-6) at 189 and junior Kenny Cox (39-8) at 215; Hernando High senior Brandon Gunderson (33-14) at 103, junior Daniel Pritz (39-2) at 135, freshman Zach Pritz (36-8) at 140 senior Max Morrill (27-12) at 145 and James Davidson (county-best 42-4) at 171; Nature Coast Technical sophomore Tyler Forand (31-15) at 103 and junior Scott Cronin (28-17) at 125.
WHERE: The Lakeland Center (formerly Lakeland Civic Center).
WHEN: Feb. 20-21. Friday's first round begins at 10 a.m. Semifinals have been switched this year to Saturday at 9 a.m. Tourney finals are set for 7 p.m. Saturday.
AT STAKE: Top six finalists in each of the 14 weight classes will earn a medal in this double-elimination format.

2009 Hernando County State Qualifiers (16):
Name   Sch Yr. Class Wgt
Bliss, Richie  SPG 10th 2A 103
Ross, Cody  SPG 9th 2A 119
Soto, Nick  SPG 10th 2A 125
Zimmermann, Colton SPG 10th 2A 135
Landgraff, Shawn SPG 10th 2A 145
Klenovich, Thad  SPG 12th 2A 160
Lorentsen, Jessey SPG 12th A 171
Wern, Scott   SPG 12th 2A 189
Cox, Kenny  SPG 11th 2A 215
Gunderson, Brandon HER 12th 1A 130
Pritz, Daniel  HER 11th 1A 135
Pritz, Zach  HER 9th 1A 140 
Morrill, Max  HER 12th 1A 145
Davidson, James HER 12th 1A 171
Forand, Tyler  NCT 10th 1A 103
Cronin, Scott  NCT 11th 1A 125

Past Hernando County State Wrestling Champions (25):
Name   School Year Class Wgt 
Swanton, Schuyler SPG 2008 2A 112
Swanton, Schuyler SPG 2007 2A 103
Rotunda, Windham HER 2005 1A 275
Chipoletti, Addison HER 2005 1A 189
Chipoletti, Addison HER 2004 1A 171
Chipoletti, Addison HER 2003 1A 171
Booker, Matt  SPG 2001 1A 130
DeCristofaro, Gerard SPG 2001 1A 140
Pritz, Robert  HER 2000 1A 140
Stevenson, Jim SPG 2000 2A 125
Smith, John  HER 1999 4A 152
Swanton, Dustin SPG 1999 5A 125
Swanton, Dustin SPG 1998 5A 119
Stevenson, John SPG 1998 5A 112
Gant, Richard  HER 1997 4A 125
Hill, Corey  SPG 1997 5A 145
Mallin, Mike  CEN 1997 4A 189
Hill, Corey  SPG 1996 5A 145
Gordon, Reppard HER 1995 4A 152
Sang, Omah  CEN 1994 3A 171
Deason, Chuck HER 1993 3A 125
Kuhl, Brad  HER 1992 3A 135
Lane, John  SPG 1991 3A 145
Hudson, Genard HER 1987 3A UNL
Hamilton, Michael HER 1982 3A 185

Springstead at Lakeland 44th  2A State Finals Results
Wgt Name    W L Pins PL
103 Soto, Dustin  1 2 0 -
112 Swanton, Schuyler  4 0 2 1st
119 Huff, Skylar  4 1 0 3rd
125 Cook, C.J.   3 2 0 4th
152 Klenovich, Thad 1 2 1 -
171 Wern, Scott  0 2 0 -
189 Acosta, Cesar  2 2 0 -
TOTALS   15 11 3 -
 
Hernando at Lakeland 44th  1A State Finals Results
Wgt. Name   W L Pins PL
125 Pritz, Daniel  4 1 1 3rd
135 Morrill, Max  1 2 0 -
140 Graham, Jesse  3 1 1 2nd
171 Davidson, James 1 2 0 -
189 Pauliot, Nick  4 2 1 5th
215 Rotunda, Taylor 1 2 0 -
TOTALS   14 10 3 -

Nature Coast at Lakeland 44th  1A State Finals Results
Wgt. Name   W L Pins PL
112 Simonson, David 2 2 0 -
TOTALS   2 2 0 -

Central at Lakeland 44th  2A State Finals Results
Wgt Name    W L Pins PL
125 Supple, Ken  0 2 0 -
189 May, Daniel  0 2 0 -
TOTALS   0 4 0 -

2008 Class 1A State Championship Team Standings
PL  Hometown-School     Points
1. Fort Myers-Riverdale (FMR)   185.0
2. Jupiter Christian (JUC)   83.0
3. Green Cove Springs-Clay (CLY)  78.5
4. Live Oak-Suwannee (SUW)   74.0
5.  Ft. Laud.-Cardinal Gibbons (CAG)  69.5
6. Miami-Monsignor Pace (MPAC)  66.0
7. Inverness-Citrus (CIT)   61.5
8. Dade City-Pasco (PAS)   57.0
9. Brooksville-Hernando (HER)   56.0
10.  Crawfordville-Wakulla (WAK)  54.5
Others:
48. (tie)Nature Coast Technical (NCT)  5.00

2008 Class 2A State Championship Team Standings
PL  Hometown-School     Points
1. Brandon (BRA)    232.5
2. Naples-Palmetto Ridge (PALM)  174.0
3. Bradenton-Manatee (MAN)   160.5
4. Gainesville (GAIN)    96.0
5. Punta Gorda-Charlotte (CHAR)  72.0
6. Spring Hill-Springstead (SPG)  60.5
7. St. Cloud (STC)    48.0
8. Dunedin (DUNE)    33.0
9. Lakeland-Lake Gibson (LG)   32.5
10. Fleming Island (FI)    31.5
Others:
70. (tie)Brooksville-Central (CEN)   0.00

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

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