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Hernando Today

Can Top Dog Springstead Be Tripped Up?

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: January 13, 2009

Back-to-back Hernando County championships have given way to a perfect 3-0 start this winter for F.W. Springstead.
On Friday night, SHS bested previously unbeaten Inverness-Citrus High, 51-38.
The Lady Eagles return to action Wednesday by seeking this decade's first three-peat county championship effort beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the Hernando High weight room.
Standing in the way is upstart and unbeaten Nature Coast (4-0), pesky Hernando (2-3) and four-time county champion this decade, Central High (0-4).
Each team is limited to bringing its 15 finest lifters.
 
Can Eagles be clipped?
 
Fourth-year Shark Head Coach Ryan Wilson likened Tuesday to Christmas Eve. His unbeaten kids literally cannot wait for Christmas, err, the 8th annual Hernando County Championship Meet to unwrap their presents.
"It's one of those things. My kids have had the potential, but we've never had the numbers," declared Coach Wilson. "The difference this year is the numbers and we've worked them harder than ever before. This is actually my first real team."
Is Springstead the clear favorite?
"Oh yeah," replied Wilson. "They are the measuring stick. No disrespect to anyone else. Our kids understand who we are chasing - they're the top dog."
What's the key for a program whose best previous county finish was tying for second in 2004?
"Don't get me wrong," Wilson said. "I want to get first in as many weight divisions (10 overall) as possible. But if we don't, then we need to take second and third place.
"The key, I'd say, will be from 139 and up," added Wilson. "I think the lower divisions will take care of themselves."
 Going in, seniors Marissa Perez (119) and Casey Pelaez (129) and juniors Amanda Lehman (139) and Veronica Bichouti (169) have lifted the most in their respective weight classes.
In the Sharks' five previous seasons NCT had produced four county individual champions: Danielle Eckert twice, Kelli Bloom twice along with Jessica Dobraganes and Jessica Jufko.
 
Leopards loom
 
First-year Hernando High Head Coach Shawn Bingham enters the meet with plenty of ammunition with five lifters atop their respective weight classes featuring: seniors Emily Calamari (101), Melinda Blount (129), Victoria Ketchum (139), and juniors Jasmine Sharpe (199) and Ava Baylor (heavyweight).
Sharpe and Baylor have not been seriously challenged and are expected to easily win.
The same cannot be said for the rest.
Sharpe is the Leopards' returning 2008 county champ and the county's lone returning 2008 state qualifier.
Calamari captured the county championship in 2007 as a sophomore.
"I like our chances a lot at 199 and heavyweight," understated Coach Bingham. "I think there will be a good match at 101. Emily (Calamari) lost to the Springstead girl earlier in the year. She's looking to redeem herself.
"I think 129, 139 and 154 will be a dogfight," he added. "We've told the girls all along, 'On Wednesday I'm not lifting, so it's up to you.'"
Is Springstead the team to beat?
"When we went against them earlier, they brought 30 girls, while we had 12," lamented Bingham. "They had the strength in numbers and we didn't. Now, we've gotten some numbers and we feel we can compete.
"Our kids were upset after losing to Nature Coast last week," he added. "We felt like if we had everybody there, we should have won. I think Wednesday's meet will be one of the best-ever county meets. We're looking for all our girls to place.
"I'm telling you in practice we've had some terrific lifts. We can do this (win)."
 
SHS: Three-peat in the offing?
 
Springstead's second-year Head Coach Mike Garofano does not mind the attention of being the hunted.
"I'm fine with it," he shrugged. "I have high expectations, the girls have higher ones. We've never practiced on a Saturday, but after Friday's meet we all met and had a very productive day. Everyone is focused in on Wednesday. Hopefully, this will help us."
What's the forecast?
"Wednesday will be a dogfight," emphatically stated Garofano, who guided the SHS boys and girls to county crowns last winter. "A lot will depend on the lineup. As coaches we can coach 'em up and maybe advise some on Wednesday, but it all boils down to each lifter getting their lifts in."
Is there a key weight class?
"The middle platforms (129, 139, 154) are where everyone is kinda bunched up," Garofano reflected. "Those three weights will decide matters. At this point we just don't know where other people will be. There will definitely be some maneuvering."
For the Eagles to three-peat?
"In the past, we had tremendous success when everyone contributes," explained Garofano. "I wanna set my lineup with one goal - to get as many first-place finishers as I can. Our goal is six."
For the Eagles, Lindsay Kuhn (101), Caroline Monzo (110), Karlee Burrows (154), and Olivia D'Acunto (183) are the county leaders atop their respective weight divisions.
Kuhn, Burrows and D'Acunto all enter as returning county champions.
 
By the Numbers: HERNANDO COUNTY ALL-TIME GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING TEAM CHAMPIONS
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO

YEAR SCHOOL    COACH  PTS.
2002 Brooksville-Central  Sharon Elliott  57
2003 Brooksville-Central  Sharon Elliott  65
2004 Brooksville-Hernando  Jim Derrico  42
2005 Brooksville-Central  Cliff Lohrey  47
2006 Brooksville-Central  Cliff Lohrey  55
2007 Spring Hill-Springstead Cecilia Page 43
2008 Spring Hill-Springstead Mike Garofano 61 
 
TOP 10 (thru 01-13)
101 - Kuhn, Lindsay (SPG) 85-105—190.
101 - Calamari, Emily (HER) 95-95—190.
110 - Monzo, Caroline (SPG) 110-105—215.
119 - Perez, Marissa (NCT) 100-115—215.
129 - Blount, Melinda (HER) 115-120—235.
129 - Pelaez, Casey (NCT) 95-140—235.
139 - Ketchum, Victoria (HER) 120-120—240.
139 - Lehman, Amanda (NCT) 115-125—240.
154 - Burrows, Karlee (SPG) 115-130—245.
154 - Burrows, Karlee (SPG) 120-125—245.
169 - Bichouti, Veronica (NCT) 130-115—245.
183 - D'Acunto, Olivia (SPG) 135-120—255.
199 - *Sharpe, Jasmine (HER) 145-140—285.
HWT - Baylor, Ava (HER) 160-140–300.
* 2008 State Qualifier
 
2008 Hernando County Girls Weightlifting Team Results:
PL  Team     PTS
1.  Spring Hill-Springstead (SPG)  61
2.  Brooksville-Hernando (HER)  44
3.   Brooksville-Nature Coast (NCT) 30
4.  Brooksville-Central (CEN)   21

2008 Hernando County Girls Weightlifting Championship Meet Individual Results:
(Top 5 in each weight class score points: 6-4-3-2-1)
101 - 1. Kuhn (SPG) 85-100--185, 2. Calamari (HER) 80-90--170, 3. Pizarro (SPG) 85-80--165.
110 - 1. Morrissey (SPG) 95-110--205, 2. Toles (SPG) 95-90--185, 3. Morales (NCT) 80-95--175, 4. Munoz (NCT) 80-85--165, 5. Emi Stephens (HER) 75-75--150.
119 - 1. McCarthy (SPG) 105--115--220, 2. Perez (NCT) 100-115--215, 3. Crossan (SPG) 100-105--205, 4. Hamilton (CEN) 105-95--200, 5. Collette (HER) 100-95--195.
129 - 1. Townsell (HER) 100-120--220, 2. Killory (SPG) 105-115--220, 3. Pelaez (NCT) 85-125--210, 4. Morgan (SPG) 90-120--210, 5. Daniels (NCT) 95-105--200.
139 - 1. Burrows (SPG) 110-125--235, 2. Pankow (HER) 115-110--225, 3. Hudson (CEN) 110-110--220, 4. Harper (HER) 115-110--225, 5. Bichouti (NCT) 115-90--205.
154 - 1. Dragunchuk (SPG) 100-120--220, 2. A. Lehman (NCT) 105-115--220, 3. Hayden (HER) 105-105--210, 4. Bettenhausen (NCT) 95-110--205, 5. O'Neal (SPG) 95-100--195.
169 - 1. D' Acunto (SPG) 120-105--225, 2. K. Boucher (NCT) 90-115--205, 3. Thoures (SPG) 95-100--195, 4. Whitmore (NCT) 95-100--195.
183 - 1. K. Stephens (HER) 200-125--325, 2. Key (HER) 130-105--235, 3. Terry (CEN) 105-90--195, 4. Thurmond (NCT) 90-90--180, 5. Molina (NCT) 90-90--180.
199 - 1. Sharpe (HER) 145-140--285, 2. Pagan (SPG) 120-115--235, 3. Shirley (CEN) 120-110--230, 4. S. Stephens (CEN) 120-105--225, 5. Diaz (NCT) 100-100--200.
UNL - 1. Jackson (CEN) 200-150--350, 2. Hayes (HER) 175-135--310, 3. Dail (HER) 150-130--280, 4. Conroy (CEN) 160-120--280, 5. Addison (SPG) 110-115--225.

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

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