Destination: Lakeland

Sixteen Hernando County mat men, representing all four public high schools, are aspiring for the same goal - a state individual gold medal - entering today's 44rth annual Florida Finals at The Lakeland Center.
The county has had its share of success producing 24 gold medalists over the past 26 years.
The first of three grueling days in the state's premier meet begins at noon today in Polk County.
Here's a breakdown.

Eagles: seek top-five finish
 
Springstead High, which came in with six grapplers at this event last winter and finished seventh overall, enters the George Jenkins Arena this time with seven members featuring: junior Dustin Soto (37-8 won-lost record) at 103 pounds, senior Schuyler Swanton (32-2) at 112, senior Skylar Huff (41-10) at 119, senior C.J. Cook (43-7) at 125, junior Thad Klenovich (37-7) at 152, senior junior Scott Wern (23-15) at 171, and senior Cesar Acosta (39-12) at 189.
Four-time state qualifier Cook headlines the pack. Cook, however, has never placed in three previous trips to Lakeland where he's posted a career .500 slate (6-6).
Meanwhile, three-time qualifier Swanton has placed each of the past two seasons: second in 2005-06 and first in 2006-07. Swanton is 7-1 lifetime in Lakeland.
Huff earned a repeat state berth. He finished 2-2 last winter despite a bout of food poisoning.
Klenovich, Wern and Acosta are each enjoying their best-ever seasons, but have never advanced this far.
As always, standing in the way is perennial powerhouse Brandon, which has won this meet the past seven years. All told, Head Coach Russ Cozart's squad has carted off a state-record 18 team championships.
Last winter, Brandon won this prestigious meet by 83 points and outscored Springstead by 163 points.
Yet, the Class 2A Tourney may be the most difficult to predict with defending Class 1A State Champion Naples-Palmetto Ridge moving up to 2A, and always-tough customers Bradenton-Manatee, St. Cloud, Fort Myers and Gainesville High in the title chase.
The Eagles simply do not have the numbers to finish in the top three, but fourth-year Head Coach Eric Swensen is shooting for a top-five team finish.
His goal is to surpass his 2005-06's squad sixth-place finish.
Swensen has guided his squad to nine top-seven finishes this season including three tournament titles.
The three-time defending district champion Eagles are coming off last weekend's second-place finish in the rugged Class 2A, Region II Tournament at Kissimmee-Poinciana.
Swensen's team, which finished 7-8 overall at states in his first year, improved to 16-13 in 2005-06, went 14-11 last winter -- highlighted by three placers: Swanton (1st), Keith Hansen (5th) and Mike Heagney (6th).
How's the health of the squad?
"We're much healthier compared to the past," explained Swensen. "If Thad's knee was 75 percent a couple weeks ago, it's about 90 percent now. And we don't have any food poisoning issues like we had."
What about the lack of experience at this level?
"We've got some meet savvy kids," responded Swensen. "And guys like Scotty (Wern) have been to Fargo. I don't think it (inexperience at states) will be an issue. At the end of the season, some guys are tired. I don't want to use the word burned out, but at the end of a long season that's what we fighting."

Realistic goal(s)?

"It's hard to predict when you haven't seen some of the guys that show up at states," said Swensen. "But at states, you don't look past anyone. You go one match at a time. The guys know, if you win your first two matches, you place. Friday mornings haven't been good in the past for guys like Cook and Huff. Hopefully, we'll turn that around."
And team goals?
"Our team goal is top five," Swensen remarked. "We know the competition and we faced the best. Our (strength of) schedule was pretty tough, but hopefully it'll continue to pay off for us."

Bears, Sharks represented

Central, which has not been represented at states since 2003, will feature two juniors: Ken Supple (24-17) at 125 and Daniel May (28-15) at 189.
Ex-Springstead mentor and second-year CHS Head Coach Roy Reyes believes his kids did not back into the Class 2A Meet.
"The goal all along is to place at states," emphasized Reyes. "Why lower the bar now?
"Supple went to Virginia Nationals this past summer, where there 19 mats," explained Reyes. "We shouldn't be shell shocked when we get there. I think we pumped up our schedule for a reason. Our schedule helped prepare our guys for this meet."
Meanwhile, fourth-year Nature Coast Technical will be making its initial state appearance in the Class 1A Tournament behind junior David Simonson under Head Coach Mike Lastra.
Simonson enters the Lakeland Center with a team-best 28-9 record this winter. He is the current school record holder for career wins (61) and pins (42).
Simonson earned his state berth the hard way. After dropping his first regional match in Highlands County, he rallied to win five consecutive matches, including three pins, to finish third.

Hernando: enters red hot

Like the Eagles, Hernando High does not have the overall numbers (six) to make a legitimate run at Class 1A State Championship.
Don't be surprised to see Fort Myers-Riverdale walk away with the meet's tallest trophy Saturday night.
Programs such as Green Cove Springs-Clay, Live Oak-Suwannee, and Fort Lauderdale-Cardinal Gibbons will wind up in the top five.
Meanwhile, the Leopards, who finished 19th overall last winter in this meet, are coming off an impressive second-place performance to Inverness-Citrus High in the Class 1A, Region II Tournament at Avon Park's South Florida Community College.
The Purple and Gold enter with a blend of experience and youth to the state's elite meet.
HHS is led by senior Jesse Graham (county-best 43-2) at 140 pounds, who is making his third straight state appearance. Graham went 4-2 at states last winter placing fifth after going 1-2 in his first visit to states in 2005-06.
Seniors Nick Pauliot (22-6) at 189 and Taylor Rotunda (31-1, 25 pins) at 215 are repeat state qualifiers. Last winter, neither grappler placed going 2-2 and 1-2 respectively.
The three Leopard veterans will be joined by a trio of red-hot underclassmen: sophomore Daniel Pritz (40-9) at 125, junior Max Morrill (25-18) at 135 and junior James Davidson (33-9) at 189.
Pritz, Morrill and Davidson are each having career seasons, but none have ever advanced to states.
HHS' first-year Head Coach Joe McLain clearly understands he's following ex-skipper Matt Smith, who produced 54 state qualifiers in his 11-year tenure including 29 state placers.
McLain and veteran assistant coach Bill Combs Sr. are crystal clear about the task at hand in Lakeland.
"Everybody is pretty well focused," said McLain. "We toned it down this week in practice to stay away from freak injuries. The kids are excited, so am I. We watched some film and broke some things down. We're just fine tuning things for this week."
What about the inexperience factor?
"That's why we go there the day before the meet," explained Combs. "We want out kids acclimated with the surroundings, the gym, the mats -- so there aren't any surprises. Hopefully, that way we'll be more relaxed after weigh-ins on Friday. You don't want to go in in awe of the place when you get there and see 10 mats."
What are the Leopard goals?
"Our only goal is to win the first match and take it from there," calmly responded McLain. "I think we're peaking at the right time. It's a difficult thing to do, but we all seem to be wrestling our best."
"We got good some good brackets," added Combs. "It's huge to win the first match. Bottom line, we want the team and the kids to place.
"Every weekend in this sport you start off 0-0," added Combs. "Same for this week. It doesn't matter if you beat any kid 10 times. If you're not ready when you step out there, you'll lose. In this sport, the only thing that matters is what you do this weekend."

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
WHO: Springstead's Dustin Soto, Schuyler Swanton, Skylar Huff, C.J. Cook, Thad Klenovich, Scott Wern and Cesar Acosta join Hernando's Daniel Pritz, Max Morrill, Jesse Graham, James Davidson, Nick Pauliot and Taylor Rotunda; Central's Ken Supple and Daniel May; and Nature Coast Technical's David Simonson.
WHAT: 44th annual State Wrestling Finals
WHERE: The Lakeland Center (formerly Lakeland Civic Center).
WHEN: Feb. 14-16. Today's first round begins at noon. Finals 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.

2008 Hernando County State Qualifiers (16):
Name Sch Yr. Class Wgt
Soto, Dustin SPG 11th 2A 103
Swanton, Schuyler SPG 12th 2A 112
Huff, Skylar SPG 12th 2A 119
Cook, C.J. SPG 12th 2A 125
Klenovich, Thad SPG 11th 2A 152
Wern, Scott SPG 11th 2A 171
Acosta, Cesar SPG 12th 2A 189
Pritz, Daniel HER 10th 1A 125
Morrill, Max HER 11th 1A 135
Graham, Jesse HER 12th 1A 140
Davidson, James HER 11th 1A 171
Pauliot, Nick HER 12th 1A 189
Rotunda, Taylor HER 12th 1A 215
May, Daniel CEN 11th 2A 189
Supple, Ken CEN 11th 2A 125
Simonson, Davidson NCT 11th 1A 112

Past Hernando County State Wrestling Champions (24):
Name School Year Class Wgt
Swanton, Schuyler SPG 2007 2A 103
Rotunda, Windham HER 2005 A 275
Chipoletti, Addison HER 2005 A 189
Chipoletti, Addison HER 2004 A 171
Chipoletti, Addison HER 2003 A 171
Booker, Matt SPG 2001 A 130
DeCristofaro, Gerard SPG 2001 A 140
Pritz, Robert HER 2000 A 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, Gerard HER 1987 3A UNL
Hamilton, Michael HER 1982 3A 185

Springstead at Lakeland 43rd 2A State Finals Results
Name Wgt. W L Pins PL
Swanton, Schuyler 103 4 0 3 1st
Huff, Skylar 119 2 2 0 -
Cook, C.J. 125 1 2 0 -
Bliss, Steve 130 1 2 1 -
Hansen, Keith 145 4 2 0 5th
Heagney, Mike 189 2 3 0 6th
TOTALS 14 11 4

Hernando at Lakeland 43rd State Finals Results
Name Wgt. W L Pins PL
Graham, Jesse 140 4 2 1 5th
Kuhn, Brandyn 160 4 2 1 5th
Pauliot, Nick 189 2 2 0 -
Rotunda, Taylor 215 1 2 1 -
TOTALS 11 8 3 -