The “Region of Doom” maintained its moniker this weekend in Osceola County.
Class 2A, Region II served as a supreme litmus test for 27 teams across two days of competition at St. Cloud High School.
In this well-oiled, double-elimination, individually bracketed tournament, the state’s two top squads – defending state champion Spring Hill-Springstead and runner-up Lakeland-Lake Gibson – again finished 1-2.
But this time the Eagles didn’t need a John Dreggors win at heavyweight in the tourney’s 378th and final bout to edge the Braves by 3 1/2 points – like they did last winter at Avon Park’s South Florida Community College.
This weekend, the Mariner Boulevard mat men sprinted out of the gates capturing 28-of-29 bouts on Friday and never looked back.
On Saturday, F.W. Springstead grapplers suffered some setbacks in compiling a 21-10 slate. As the dust settled, SHS celebrated by defending its regional title, winning by nearly 100 points, 263.5-164.5.
In the process, the Hernando County mat men captured 49-of-60 bouts (82 percent) with 23 pins and shattered school and county records.
The regional triumph was Springstead’s eighth overall.
The Eagles pushed a county-record 12 mat men into next week’s 48th annual FHSAA Finals at The Lakeland Center.
The previous record was 10 by Springstead’s Hall of Fame mat skipper Bob Levija’s 1998 squad.
Springstead’s point total snapped last year’s previous county-high of 222.0.
SHS, which pushed a meet-best nine into the finals, walked away with five regional champs – one short of the county record (six) achieved last winter.
Coaches’ corner
“We had a great first day,” explained SHS Head Coach Eric Swensen, who enjoyed his sixth tourney win this winter and 40th in eight seasons. “We made some predictions of how we thought we’d do but the Smith brothers blew my mind. They both won critical matches on Friday.
“When we left Friday night I told the boys that if Ippolito taught us anything it was not to be satisfied after the first day,” recalled Swensen. “That night the boys dyed their hair pink – I told them they’d better wrestle tough on Saturday.”
Despite two-time Eagle state champion Cody Ross losing a controversial 3-1 semifinal match on a two-point takedown in the final seconds to Celebration senior J.J. Francis and having the Smith brothers (Jake and Willie) both lose matches a win shy of advancing to states, Coach Swensen believed the weekend was a resounding success.
“Cody didn’t wrestle that kid well (Francis). He said the right things about the game plan (to beat Francis) but he did just the opposite of what has worked for him; that’s frustrating,” recalled Swensen of the key 152-pound match. “It just kind of tells you even the best wrestlers can get caught.
“On the flip side, there were so many positives. We wanted to take all 14 and we nearly did it,” added Swensen. “Those Smith boys have nothing to be ashamed of. (Stephen) Pavao coming back beating (Citrus’ Austin) Kelly was huge, but so was Buddha (Sean Redman) beating (Lake Gibson’s Chase) Krutzy. In four years, Krutzy has probably never lost before to Sean. And I was very impressed with our four freshmen making the regional finals.”
Eagles: A dozen to states
Springstead, which came in with 162 career state qualifiers, added 12 more names to its county record: freshmen Matt Landgraff at 106 pounds, Michael McDonald at 113, Josh Herrera at 132 and Conor Ross at 170; sophomore Jordan Rivera at 126; juniors Stephen Pavao at 120 and Joe Russo at 138; and seniors Sean Redman at 145, Cody Ross at 152, Ernesto Padilla at 182, Thomas Gupton at 195 and John Dreggors at 285.
Of the five Springstead regional champions, Dreggors was the Eagles’ lone repeat champ by solving Lake Gibson senior Devante Terrell in a rematch from last year’s regional final, 4-2.
Dreggors (25-0 overall this winter) finished 4-0 in probably the toughest weight class at St. Cloud. Dreggors, a defending state runner-up, enters his fourth state tourney with a career 114-11 won-lost slate at SHS.
While Dreggors has placed first in all six tournament finals he has reached, Gupton finished 4-0 to reach his eighth tourney final.
Gupton (37-2), who has won six tourneys, never trailed in knocking off Kathleen junior Johnathon Meggers (40-1) from his unbeaten perch, 3-2.
“Gump” detailed what worked against Meggers.
“I hit a Russian in the first period and that helped me get the lead,” explained the 17-year-old Gupton, going to his second straight state tourney. “The Kathleen kid was just another steppingstone to states. I realize I’ve got to get better. A win here just helps your confidence. Just because next week is states, doesn’t mean I lower my sights.”
“Right now, I’m ecstatic about the team,” described Gupton. “I’m so proud of these guys. Everyone is pitching in to help us win again.”
Rivera, who lost in overtime in the regional finals last winter, went 4-0 with three pins.
Rivera’s 53-second semifinals pin over Edgewater junior Michaledre Rodriguez helped him earn his second trip to states. For the second time in a week, the 2011 state placer folded NCT senior Cameron Tull in the finals, 12-3.
“This (winning regionals) was great,” described the 16-year-old Rivera, who improved to 32-5 overall. “Honestly, this was the first tournament that I started and ended it the way I wanted. I performed well. That’s the way our coaches want us to do things.
“Winning regionals was a goal of mine,” added Rivera. “But it’s not my main goal. This is a necessity for next week.”
Herrera (27-2) became the first SHS freshman in 15 years to win a regional crown – or the first since Jimmy Stevenson in 1997.
Herrera finished 4-0 with three pins. The first-year Eagle pinned Dunedin senior Chandler Pope in the semis in 69 seconds to reach states. He earned the regional title by stuffing Auburndale junior Hunter Dowdy in 74 seconds.
Redman opened the season with season with seven straight wins before getting undressed by Krutzy at the Cougar Invitation in Tampa, 8-0.
On Saturday night, Redman returned the favor by blanking the Lake Gibson junior in the finals, 3-0.
With the win, Redman (39-4) enters his second straight state tourney with a career mark of 139-46.
“Beating the Lake Gibson kid shows that all the hard work I’ve put in is paying off,” noted the 18-year-old Redman. “Wrestling and beating a tough guy only helps. Since Durant, I’ve beaten everyone who beat me in Tampa. My goal is the same it’s been all year - to win states next week.”
Landgraff (31-9), McDonald (35-9), Conor Ross (32-8) and Padilla (10-5) each settled for second place.
Like the above quartet, Pavao and Russo will also be making their first trip to states.
Pavao (26-9) shook off a second-round 5-1 setback to Lake Gibson junior Seth Kelley with four straight wins from the consolation bracket to place third.
In the process, Pavao pinned the 2A-7 champ Kelly in 2:06 and solved Kelley in the consolation finals, 3-1.
“Payback is so sweet,” said the 16-year-old Pavao. “I beat Austin to go (to states) and beat Seth, (Kelley) who beat me on Friday. Swensen told me today was either make it or break it. Obviously, it worked out. This (winning) gives me more motivation to work harder in practice.”
Russo won his first two matches before two-time defending state champion Brandon Jorge of Lake Gibson folded him in the semis in 2:45.
But from the loser’s bracket, Russo solved Mitchell’s Max Gebler, 8-3, to reach states and blanked Dunedin’s Alex Lebhar to earn third place, 4-0.
“My ultimate goal was to go to states. I just want to place at states and do what I can to help us win our second state title,” said 17-year-old Russo, who improved to 33-9.
Sharks: Enjoy best-ever effort
While Springstead enjoyed the county’s best-ever regional performance in 39 years, eighth-year Nature Coast Technical celebrated a banner weekend.
The Sharks finished third in the rugged 27-team field with a school-record 145.0 points.
In the previous six regionals, NCT had never scored more than 83 points.
Just as critical, NCT advanced a school-record six grapplers to states.
The Sharks captured 34-of-51 bouts (67 percent) behind 23 pins.
Blazing a path of success for the Sharks was junior Sean Nguyen at 106 pounds.
Nguyen went 4-0 with three pins to earn the school’s second regional title. The first belonged to Scott Cronin in 2009-10.
Nguyen (county-best 49-6) advanced to states by pinning Chris Mosher of Citrus in Saturday’s semifinals in 3:03. In the finals, Nguyen wasted no time by flattening Landgraff in 74 seconds for his 26th pin of the season. Landgraff won via injury default last week when Nguyen was held out as a precautionary measure by Head Coach Mike Lastra.
“Last week I missed too many days of practice,” admitted the 16-year-old Nguyen after tweaking a knee. “I knew I had to work harder for this week. Losing to Landgraff was not an option – I knew I had to beat him.
“Winning regionals tells me I’m headed where I want to be,” added Nguyen on his initial trip to states.
The other Shark state qualifiers include: senior Cameron Tull (second) at 126, senior Carter Bolesta (third) at 145, senior Mitch Lambert (second) at 160, senior Carlos Carrasquillo (third) at 170 and senior Peter Holloman (third) at 195.
Bolesta and Lambert will be each making their second trips to states.
After Bolesta (48-9) fell in the second round to Deltona’s Zach Gazda, 5-3, he went 4-0 from the loser’s bracket. He pinned Edgewater’s Jerimiah Benson in 4:53 to earn third place.
For the second time in a week, Lambert (42-8) fell to Citrus senior Nick McLean. McLean, who is 4-0 against Lambert this winter, solved him in the finals, 6-3.
Carrasquillo dropped the tourney’s longest match – losing in the fourth overtime of his exhausting semifinals match – to Dunedin’s Kyle Goodnoe, 2-1.
Carrasquillo (31-8) bounced back with a pair of decisions from the loser’s bracket to reach states.
Holloman also bounced back from a 17-1 second-round loss to Meggers with four straight wins.
Holloman (37-17) turned heads following his third pin – in a tourney-best 15 seconds – in the consolation finals against Cole Mueller of Winter Haven.
Shark senior Greg Jarque finished one agonizing win shy of advancing to states after losing to Winter Haven’s Robert Thornton, 12-3.
Jarque won three matches – all via pins – to tie Nguyen’s school record for most falls in a single season (31).
“Getting third was a total team effort,” noted Coach Lastra. “Our goal was to finish second. We knew Springstead would run away with it, but we wanted to stay as close to Lake Gibson as we could. We finished within 20 points of the state runners-up – that’s pretty good.
“I’m proud of all our guys,” beamed Lastra. “We doubled the amount of guys we’ve ever taken to states (six). Right now, the feeling is a little bittersweet. I was hoping Greg (Jarque) would have made it, too.
“A year ago, that kid was in a wheelchair watching us wrestle in districts,” recalled Coach Lastra, a former Central High state qualifier. “A year later, he came within one win of going to states in probably the most loaded weight class here. It’s a real shame.”
What’s next?
“We’ll savor this until Monday,” admitted Lastra. “Then we have to treat next week like we did this week. This is the most important part of our season. Even with six guys we could finish in the top five next week.”
Hernando: Young returns to states
Though the Leopards finished 18th overall, senior Jared Young went 3-2 in one of the toughest weight classes at St. Cloud – 152 pounds – to finish fourth and earn his second trip to states.
Young won his first two matches highlighted by a 10-1 rout of nemesis Jarret Frisbie of Mitchell, before falling in the semifinals to Colton Jackson of Citrus, 7-5.
He earned a trip to states by mangling Auburndale senior Ty Ethridge via a major decision, 13-5. He fell in the consolation finals to three-time state finalist Cody Ross, 9-3.
“I knew I had to work hard and I knew I had to wrestle my best,” described the 17-year-old Young. “Three of toughest kids in states were here. I think wrestling all the tough guys I did in the regular season and districts prepared me for regionals.
“I’m a senior. Next week is my last tournament,” he added. “My goal is to place in my last tournament.”
Bears: Nieves advances to states
A year ago in Highlands County, Central’s Puerto Rico Nieves suffered heartache. So close to reaching states, Nieves dropped a one-point loss in his final wrestleback round to Gupton.
A year later, Nieves opened up with two pins before defending state champion Taylor Jackson flattened him in the semis in 5:11.
Needing one win to qualify for states, Nieves folded Sebring junior Vincente Moore in 2:46 to reach states.
Nieves, who helped the Bears to a 13th-place finish, closed out the consolation round with a decisive 14-4 major decision over Sunlake’s Austin Lopez.
“Today really mattered how I got to states,” explained the 17-year-old Nieves, who improved to 20-6. “I just tried to keep the ball rolling. Winning in the consolations was really big. The Citrus kid was tough as nails; I knew I had to win one more.
“This is what I’ve wanted for so long,” added Nieves on reaching states. “It’s not only good for me; it’s good for the program. I really didn’t want to be a statistic again.”
The Bears nearly had two grapplers reach states as junior Josh Marquez fell in the final wrestleback round to Sunlake’s Wesley Wood at 113 pounds, 5-3.
Final 2A-II Wrestling Tournament Results:
PL SCHOOL PTS.
1. Spring Hill-Springstead (SPG) 263.5
2. Lakeland-Lake Gibson (LKG) 164.5
3. Brooksville-Nature Coast Technical (NCT) 145.0
4. Inverness (CIT) 139.5
5. Dunedin (DUN) 133.0
6. Land O’Lakes-Sunlake (SNL) 71.0
7. Celebration (CELE) 70.0
8. Orlando-Edgewater (EDGE) 67.0
9. St. Cloud (STC) 47.0
9. Auburndale (AUB) 47.0
11. Lakeland-Kathleen (KATH) 41.5
12. Winter Haven (WH) 40.0
13. Brooksville-Central (CEN) 39.0
14. Zephyrhills (ZEP) 36.0
14. Sebring (SEB) 36.0
16. New Port Richey-River Ridge (RR) 31.0
17. Harmony (HAR) 27.5
18. Brooksville-Hernando (HER) 26.0
19. Tarpon Springs (TS) 24.0
20. New Port Richey-Mitchell (MIT) 17.0
21. Orange Park-Deltona (DELT) 14.0
22. Orlando-Pine Ridge (PINR) 12.0
23. Orlando-Evans (EVNS) 11.0
23. Lake Alfred-Lake Region (LR) 11.0
25. Land O’Lakes (LOL) 10.0
26. Lecanto (LEC) 6.00
27. Bartow (BART) 3.00
Championship Round
106 – Sean Nguyen (NCT) pin Matt Landgraff (SPG), 1:14.
113 – Skyler Moody (LKG) dec. Michael McDonald (SPG), 7-2.
120 – Clarence Arrington (DUN) dec. John Ortiz (SNL), 10-7.
126 – Jordan Rivera (SPG) major dec. Cameron Tull (NCT), 12-3.
132 – Josh Herrera (SPG) pin Hunter Dowdy (AUB), 1:14.
138 – Brandon Jorge (LKG) pin Ryan Finneran (STC), 5:08.
145 – Sean Redman (SPG) dec. Chase Krutzy (LKG), 3-0.
152 – J.J. Francis (CEL) dec. Colton Jackson (CIT), 6-1.
160 - Nick McLean (CIT) dec. Mitch Lambert (NCT), 6-3.
170 – Kyle Goodnoe (DUN) dec. Conor Ross (SPG), 3-1.
182 – Taylor Jackson (CIT) major dec. Ernesto Padilla (SPG), 10-2.
195 – Thomas Gupton (SPG) dec. Johnathon Meggers (KATH), 3-2.
220 – Robert “RJ” Luth (DUN) pin Jean Silverance (LKG), 5:32.
285 – John Dreggors (SPG) dec. Devante Terrell (LKG), 4-2.
Consolation Round
106 – Dakota Arends (RR) dec. Chris Mosher (CIT), 3-1.
113 – Joe McGinley (STC) pin Wesley Wood (SNL), 2:55.
120 – Stephen Pavao (SPG) dec. Seth Kelly (LKG), 3-1.
126 – Marc Allison (DUN) dec. Jacob Tarvin (LKG), 5-2.
132 – Chandler Pope (DUN) dec. Seth Allen (LKG), 5-3.
138 – Joe Russo (SPG) dec. Alex Lebhar (DUN), 4-0.
145 – Carter Bolesta (NCT) pin Jerimiah Benson (EDGE), 4:53.
152 – Cody Ross (SPG) dec. Jared Young (HER), 9-3.
160 – Glauberson Cajuste (AUB) dec. Chris DeJesus (SEB), 7-3.
170 – Carlos Carrasquillo (NCT) dec. Josh Figur (SEB), 8-1.
182 – Puerto Rico Nieves (CEN) major dec. Austin Lopez (SNL) 14-4.
195 – Peter Holloman (NCT) pin Cole Mueller (WH), 0:15.
220 – Zach Collins (CIT) pin. Del Baldwin (KATH), 2:29.
285 – Alvaro Morena (CEL) dec. Robert Thornton (WH), 6-2.
Springstead Individual Results:
WGT NAME W L PINS PL
106 Landgraff, Matt 3 1 1 2nd
113 McDonald, Michael 3 1 2 2nd
120 Pavao, Stephen 5 1 3 3rd
126 Rivera, Jordan 4 0 3 1st
132 Herrera, Josh 4 0 3 1st
138 Russo, Joe 4 1 1 3rd
145 Redman, Sean 4 0 2 1st
152 Ross, Cody 4 1 1 3rd
160 Smith, Jake 2 2 1 -
170 Ross, Conor 3 1 2 2nd
182 Padilla, Ernesto 3 1 1 2nd
195 Gupton, Thomas 4 0 0 1st
220 Smith, Willie 2 2 2 -
285 Dreggors, John 4 0 1 1st
TOTALS 49 11 23 -
NCT Individual Results:
WGT W L PINS PL
106 Nguyen, Sean 4 0 3 1st
120 Reeger, Shane 2 2 1 -
126 Tull, Cameron 3 1 2 2nd
132 Espinosa, Luis 2 2 1 -
145 Bolesta, Carter 5 1 2 3rd
152 Vovan, Brandon 2 2 1 -
160 Lambert, Mitch 3 1 2 2nd
170 Carrasquillo, Carlos 4 1 1 3rd
182 Savoury, Dylan 1 2 0 -
195 Holloman, Peter 5 1 3 3rd
220 Tyler, Tyquan 0 2 0 -
285 Jarque, Greg 3 2 3 -
TOTALS 34 17 19 -
2012 Hernando Individual Results:
WGT NAME W L PINS PL
106 Mosher, Bailey 2 2 2 -
138 Swain, Ricky 0 2 0 -
145 Ertl, Brennan 1 2 0 -
152 Young, Jared 3 2 0 4th
220 Gaudin, Jesse 2 2 1 -
TOTALS 8 10 3 -
Central Individual Results:
WGT NAME W L PINS PL
113 Marquez, Josh 3 2 0 -
132 Nieves, Jesus 1 2 1 -
138 Cleveland, Josh 1 2 1 -
145 Walton, Luke 2 2 2 -
182 Nieves, Puerto Rico 4 1 3 3rd
TOTALS 11 9 7 -
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