Endurance Tests

Hernando County will be well represented in a pair of grueling, two-day torture examinations this weekend called Class 2A, Region II and Class 1A, Region II.
Thirteen Springstead Eagles will be joined by eight members from Central High at the 2A-II Tournament at Kissimmee-Poinciana High School.
Meanwhile, eight Hernando Leopards and seven Nature Coast Technical Sharks venture to Class 1A-II for a third straight season at Avon Park's South Florida Community College gymnasium.
Survival is the name of the game for a county-record 36 locals grapplers.
Only the top four finishers in each of the 14 weight divisions will qualify for state's top setting -- the 44nd State Finals at Lakeland Center scheduled for Feb. 14-16.
 
2A-II: A meat grinder
 
Perhaps no regional will be as tough as 2A-II.
Just how arduous is this meet?
Last winter when the Eagles entered with 12 grapplers at Winter Haven's Polk Community College only six survived the two-day, double-elimination ordeal to advance to states.
Weigh-ins are set for 10 a.m. today with wrestling set to begin at noon and run until 10 p.m.
Saturday's semifinals are slated for 10 a.m.
Wrestlebacks follow at 12:30 p.m. while the consolation finals are set for 6 p.m. followed by the championship finals at 7:30 p.m.
Up to 32 teams could be represented in the 2A-II Meet comprising Districts 5-8.
Though Springstead is coming off its county-record 22nd  district title, its stiffest competition will come from the state's most legendary program, District 7 champion and defending regional and state champion Brandon, as well as always tough St. Cloud and Lakeland-Lake Gibson.
SHS' fourth-year Head Coach Eric Swensen believes his team has what it takes to earn the meet's runner-up trophy as they did in 2006.
On the health of the team?
"We're much better off compared to last year," said Swensen. "There's no new distractions to speak of. Thad (Klenovich) is about 75 percent with his knee. But he wrestled well in districts. He's got a strained ligament. We hope he can go as long as he can. We're hoping the wheel stays on."
On the rugged schedule to reach this point?
"From the Disney Duals, to the Elite 32 to Durant, then Oviedo, the Gulf Duals finals against Manatee and going to Brandon twice is a huge advantage," shared Swensen. "We know we've faced tough people. Some of the other teams think they've seen tough guys. But you can't fool the kids, we've wrestled 'em."
Can the Eagles topple Brandon?
"Look I respect Brandon, but we can't compete with their numbers or experience," he replied. "We're fighting for that second place trophy. That's our goal."
Springstead will be represented by a county-high baker's dozen grapplers featuring: seniors Schuyler Swanton (28-2 won-lost record) at 112 pounds, Skylar Huff (38-9) at 119, C.J. Cook (39-7) at 125, Seven Bliss (28-8) at 130, Cesar Acosta (35-11) at 189, Luis Delgado (2-1) at 215 and Carlos Ramirez (34-11) at 285; juniors Dustin Soto (33-7) at 103, Sean Hughes (15-18) at 140, Thad Klenovich (33-6) at 152, Scott Wern (19-14) at 171; sophomore Tommy Ellerbee (20-14) at 145 and freshman Andrew Herr (1-2) at 160. 
Both Cook and Bliss will be seeking their fourth trip to Lakeland. Cook is attempting to tie the school record shared by Jimmy Stevenson and Corey Hill for most state appearances (4). Bliss, however, competed at Pinellas Park during his freshman season and made states before relocating to Spring Hill.
The defending state champion and two-time state placer Swanton is seeking his third crack at states while Huff attempting to repeat his 2007 state visit to Polk County's elite meet.
Everyone else is attempting to reach the state's premier event for the first-ever time.
 
Eight Bears
 
While Springstead will be in the thick of the battle for team's regional runner-up trophy, Central High's mat men are simply hoping to survive.
Last year, Central took seven to Polk Community College, but no one survived.
This time, second-year CHS Head Coach Roy Reyes enters Osceola County with eight qualifiers who have collectively never reached states: freshman Antohomar Vega (0-8) at 103, junior Wayne Snell (17-12) at 119, junior Ken Supple (21-15) at 125, Antonio Zayas (5-14) at 130, sophomore Vince Ramirez (19-6) at 135, junior Shaun Cadoret (24-16) at 145, junior Daniel May (25-14) at 189 and senior Nathan Brazeau (team-best 25-7) at 215.
Central is attempting to be represented at states for the first time since 2003 when Bucky Solomon and Sergio Matos competed.
 
1A-II: at Avon Park
 
Last year's Class 1A, Region II saw Citrus County finish 1-2.
Sure, Inverness-Citrus High toted home the tallest team trophy for the second straight year by 16.5 points over archrival Crystal River, but then 10 points separated the next five schools including Dade City-Pasco, Avon Park, Titusville-Astronaut, Brooksville-Hernando and Hudson
1A-II will feature three-time defending District 5 champion Citrus, District 6 champion New Port Richey-Gulf, District 7 standout Titusville-Astronaut and District 8 foes Avon Park and Lake Wales.
Also, teams like Crystal River, Gulf, Space Coast will act as spoilers this weekend.
The meet is set to start at noon today on the Avon Park campus. Two winners's rounds and two loser's rounds are expected to be completed before 10 p.m.
Saturday's semifinals are slated for 10 a.m. followed by wrestlebacks at 12:30 p.m.
Consolation finals are set for 6 p.m. followed by the championship finals at 7:30 p.m.
Last year, Hernando was represented by nine grapplers, this time they'll have eight in the fold.
HHS' regional qualifiers include: sophomore Spencer Weston (8-18) at 103, sophomore Daniel Pritz (36-9) at 125, junior Max Morrill (22-17) at 135, senior Jesse Graham (39-2) at 140, senior Tim Ball (23-8) at 160, junior James Davidson (30-8) at 171, senior Nick Pauliot (17-5) at 189 and senior Taylor Rotunda (27-0) at 215.
Graham is a defending regional champion and is attempting to reach states for a third straight season.
Rotunda and Pauliot finished third and fourth respectively last winter to earn their first-ever state berths.
Pritz, Morrill, Ball and Davidson are seeking their first-ever berths at Lakeland Center.
 
Ready or not
 
Is Hernando ready for what's ahead?
"Citrus has a little more depth than us," explained first-year HHS Head Coach Joe McLain. "But we're a little better in elite individual tournaments like regionals and states. I think we have strong senior class that can weather the storm in Avon Park.
"We've had a good week of practice," he added. "I hope our guys come through. Now, they have to execute."
Veteran assistant coach Bill Combs Sr. commented on the health of the team.
"We had some guys banged up last weekend (particularly Rotunda, Ball)," said Combs. "They're not 100 percent. But who is at this time of the year? There's a bunch of people banged up all over the place."
What's the key?
"As far as seedings, we had four champions at districts, that helps a lot," Combs said. "Especially in the early rounds. And I think we got some good draws. Bottom line, if you're gonna come on, come on at the end of the season. A lot of our guys are."
Meanwhile, fourth-year Nature Coast Technical will be attempting to advance a wrestler to states for the first-time ever.
The Sharks will be represented by seven grapplers: junior David Simonson (23-8) at 112, sophomore Scott Cronin (23-14) at 119, sophomore Jeremiah Jackson (5-1) at 130, sophomore C.J. Baker (11-15) at 140, senior Jimmy Huang (4-10) at 152, senior Brandon Nuby (13-5) at 215 and senior J.J. Baker (23-8) at heavyweight.
Simonson, Jackson and J.J. Baker are repeat regional qualifiers from last winter.