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Hernando Today

Streak Ends Counting Ceiling Tiles

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: January 5, 2009

SPRING HILL - A new winning streak began at F.W. Springstead High's gymnasium Saturday evening.
It had to.
The old dual meet win streak had reached its climax.
The Eagles, who had captured their final two dual meet matches last winter, expanded their success this winter to 9-0 after two rounds of the grueling five-team Springstead Duals knocking off always-tough Lakeland-Lake Gibson (34-23) and Plant City-Durant (43-25).
But in its third-round match, the Miami-Columbus Explorers (15-0) snapped Springstead's winning ways via a 40-38 nod.
The Explorers are no slouch. They brought six returning state qualifiers to Spring Hill. A seventh remained home due to a chipped tooth from practice.
Despite rallying from a 24-point deficit to tie the Dade County crew before losing, the Eagles bounced back to begin a new streak by closing out Saturday's event with a rousing 50-22 shellacking against Class 2A nemesis Bradenton-Manatee, 50-22.
Overall, the Explorers finished 4-0 on the day followed by Springstead (3-1), Lake Gibson (2-2), Manatee (1-3) and Durant (0-4).
The tourney was expected to include six teams and five tough matches but Tampa-Chamberlain bowed out in the 11th hour Friday.

Difference against Explorers

In Springstead's match of the day against Columbus, the difference was evident: pins. The Dade County crew posted five pins against the Eagles, while Mariner Blvd. squad countered with three.
Had two of Springstead's grapplers not gotten stuck, SHS could have won.
As it was CHS rallied from an early 4-0 deficit for 28 points to lead, 28-4.
In the comeback, Columbus' George Gulesian at 130, Luis Nodar at 140, Nick Martin-Hidalgo at 145 and Alan Pena etched pins while Jake Rio at 135 produced a 12-2 major decision.
SHS clawed back scoring the next 24 straight points as Thad Klenovich and Scott Wern pinned their opponents at 160 and 189 while Jessey Lorentsen and Kenny Cox earned forfeit nods at 171 and 215.
CHS' Alex Wethy at heavyweight earned a forfeit to regain the lead, 34-28.
Springstead nearly tied matters as sophomore Richie Bliss mangled - but could not pin - Mark Gulesian, via a 14-5 major decision cutting the lead to 34-32.
Columbus, however, sealed the proceedings as Matteus Noffo at 112 built a 8-0 lead after two periods before pinning Sean Redman in 5:35, 40-32.
Noffo's pin was huge considering Springstead's talented freshman Cody Ross followed by folding Kevin Gurevich at 119 in 3:16 to whittle the final deficit to 40-38.
Even without a sixth team in the field, Columbus' Hall of Fame Head Coach Jim Husk was impressed with the tourney enough so that the Dade County crew said they'd come back again next winter.
"This was a tough little tournament," said Husk. "We left a couple good kids at home but we knew from 103-152 we were pretty tough. From there on, we knew all hell could break loose. Honestly, we didn't expect to win four matches after giving up two forfeits (171, 215). We could have just as easily gone 1-3 considering the field."
The difference?
"We told the kids over and over, don't give up on falls," replied Husk. "We told 'em try not to get pinned and work like crazy to go for pins. I'm looking forward to coming back here next year."
From the home sideline, the biggest lesson learned was to stay off your back.
"All week long we talked about and preached about got getting pinned," lamented the fifth-year Eagle Head Coach Eric Swensen. "That (lesson) cost us. We only have one more dual (against Hernando), so we had a shot to go undefeated."
Biggest positive?
"Certainly after losing to Columbus was how we responded against Manatee and beating them," smiled Swensen. "It's gotten to be a heated rivalry. To put it on them the way we did is awesome especially after losing to Columbus."

Eagles: five unbeaten

On the day, SHS posted a collective 35-17 won-lost effort winning 67 percent of its matches while producing 11 much-needed pins.
Nine of Springstead's 13 grapplers posted winning records led by five wrestlers, who went 4-0 featuring: Klenovich, Lorentsen, Cox, Ross and Soto.
Lorentsen, Ross and Bliss paced the Eagles with two pins each.
Lorentsen improved to 23-2 overall, featuring a county-best 17 pins, on his 18th birthday.
"The Lake Gibson guy was my hardest match," recalled Lorentzen, a 2008 state qualifier. "I shouldn't say it, but he's good in the neutral position we're I'm not."
How about the team?
"Pins or the lack of pins killed us today," sighed Lorentsen. "If you look at it, if we stay off our backs twice against Columbus, we beat them too. Still, we did well and we won several individual matches. Soto, Nick and Thad all had great days."

Soto power

Soto had a match for the ages.
Soto bumped up to 130 pounds in his final bout to face two-time state runner-up, Manatee senior Jacob Gregory.
In perhaps his finest mach to date, Soto never trailed in defeating Gregory, 6-2. It was Gregory's first loss of the season.
"My toughest match was definitely against Gregory," explained the 16-year-old Soto, who improved to 19-3 overall. "He's a credentialed guy. I can't get too happy about today, I'll probably face him again at states."
And the team?
"Across the board, we did well," said Soto. "Not just one guy, it was a team effort."
For his part, Ross thought his Manatee opponent, Kyle Ballard, was his toughest opponent even though he beat him, 15-3.
"He's got credentials," shared the 14-year-old Ross. "He was a tough guy, but today was the best I've wrestled all year. I feel like I've started to open up my attack."
Klenovich's effort began by solving Durant and Kiwanis Tourney champion and Oviedo runner-up, David Richardson of Lake Gibson, 6-5.
It ended with a superb 6-3 decision over Manatee's state runner-up Isaac Riley.
"I went out with a game plan," explained the 17-year-old Klenovich, "And listened to what the coaches said. I think beating Riley meant more. I've always lost to him."
Overall?
"I'm a little disappointed in the team going 3-1 but we got better," he added. "And we learned a lot. But there's a lot more important tournaments coming up."

1st Round:
Miami-Columbus 44, Plant City-Durant 30
Springstead 34, Lakeland-Lake Gibson 23
103 - Brandon Jorge (LG) dec. Bliss, 12-10.
112 - Redman (SPG) dec. Marchione, 2-1.
119 - Ross (SPG) pin Phillips, 4:24.
125 - N. Soto (SPG) major dec. Ennis, 11-3.
130 - Cottrell 9LG) major dec. Urso, 13-5.
135 - Zimmerman (SPG) dec. Burbank, 2-0.
140 - Brent Jorge (LG) pin Colon, 0:43.
145 - Rex (LG) major dec. Landgraff, 10-1.
152 - Ellerbee (SPG) dec. Jimenez, 5-0.
160 - Klenovich (SPG) dec. Richardson, 6-5.
171 - Lorentsen (SPG) dec. Kuell, 3-2.
189 - Wern (SPG) dec. Sommerville, 5-1.
215 - Cox (SPG) won by forfeit.
285 - Terrell (LG) won by forfeit.
Records – Lake Gibson (8-1), Springstead (8-0).

2nd Round:
Springstead-bye
Miami-Columbus 35, Lakeland-Lake Gibson 31
Bradenton-Manatee 46, Plant City-Durant 25

3rd Round:
Miami-Columbus 39, Bradenton-Manatee 36
Springstead 43, Plant City-Durant 25
103 - Bliss (SPG) pin Tur, 1:28.
112 - Hamm (DUR) major dec. Redman, 11-0.
119 - Ross (SPG) tech. fall. Tate, 19-2.
125 - N. Soto (SPG) pin Crawford, 1:12.
130 - Leto (DUR) dec. Urso, 7-5.
135 - Wellman (DUR) pin Zimmerman, 1:06.
140 - Colon (SPG) won by forfeit.
145 - Landgraff (SPG) dec. Davis, 7-4.
152 - Ellerbee (SPG) pin S. Hewlett, 4:59.
160 - Klenovich (SPG) major dec. Shepard, 13-3.
171 - Lorentsen (SPG) dec. Horner, 9-7.
189 - Whitcomb (DUR) pin Wern, 3:35.
215 - Cox (SPG) major dec. Johnson, 14-4.
285 - Hadick (DUR) won by forfeit.
Records – Plant City-Durant (14-8), Springstead (9-0).

4th Round:
Lakeland-Lake Gibson 36, Bradenton-Manatee 28
Miami-Columbus 40, Springstead 38
103 - Bliss (SPG) major dec. Mark Gulesian, 14-5.
112 - Noffo (COL) pin Redman, 5:35.
119 - Ross (SPG) pin Gurevich, 3:16.
125 - N. Soto (SPG) major dec. Borges, 10-2.
130 - George Gulesian (COL) pin Urso, 3:38.
135 - Rio (COL) major dec. Zimmerman, 10-2.
140 - Nodar (COL) pin Colon, 5:08.
145 - Martin-Hidalgo (COL) pin Landgraff, 5:49.
152 - Pena (COL) pin Ellerbee, 1:07.
160 - Klenovich (SPG) pin Delascasas, 1:08.
171 - Lorentsen (SPG) won by forfeit.
189 - Wern (SPG) pin Fleitas, 1:38.
215 - Cox (SPG) won by forfeit.
285 - Wethy (COL) won by forfeit.
Records – Miami-Columbus (15-0), Springstead (9-1).

5th Round:
Lakeland-Lake Gibson 38, Plant City-Durant 34
Springstead 50, Bradenton-Manatee 22
103 - Bliss (SPG) pin Whitt (MAN), 0:52.
112 - Fulk (MAN) pin Redman, 3:10.
119 - Silvera (SPG) won by forfeit.
125 - Ross (SPG) major dec. Ballard, 15-3.
130 - N. Soto (SPG) dec. Jacob Gregory, 6-2.
135 - Cotton (MAN) pin Colon, 4:23.
140 - Zimmerman (SPG) pin Hannah, 1:41.
145 - Dykes (MAN) major dec. Landgraff, 21-8.
152 - Ellerbee (SPG) major dec. Woods, 12-2.
160 - Klenovich (SPG) dec. Riley, 6-3.
171 - Lorentsen (SPG) pin Romilus, 0:53.
189 - Wern (SPG) pin Sam Gregory, 0:43.
215 - Cox (SPG) won by forfeit.
285 - Harvey (MAN) won by forfeit.
Records – Bradenton-Manatee (9-4), Springstead (10-1).

Springstead Duals Overall Results
PL TEAM W L
1. Miami-Columbus 4 0
2. Spring Hill-Springstead 3 1
3. Lakeland-Lake Gibson 2 2
4. Bradenton-Manatee 1 3
5. Plant City-Durant 0 4
TOTALS 10 10

Springstead Duals Results
Springstead Results
WGT Name W L Pins PL
103 Bliss, Richie 3 1 2 -
112 Redman, Sean 1 3 0 -
119 Silvera, Alfredo 1 0 0 -
119-125 Ross, Cody 4 0 2 -
125-130 Soto, Nick 4 0 1 -
130 Urso, Anthony 0 3 0 -
135-140 Zimmerman, Colton 2 2 1 -
135-140 Colon, Sam 1 3 0 -
145 Landgraff, Shawn 1 3 0 -
152 Ellerbee, Tommy 3 1 1 -
160 Klenovich, Thad 4 0 1 -
171 Lorentsen, Jessey 4 0 1 -
189 Wern, Scott 3 1 2 -
215 Cox, Kenny 4 0 0 -
TOTALS 35 17 11 -

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

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