Four up, four down

After coming off an impressive win in the Brooksville Kiwanis Invitational in Brooksville, Springstead High's wrestling coach Eric Swensen was hoping his Eagle team would be able to defend its title this past weekend in the 20-team Gulf High Holiday Duals Tournament held in West Pasco County.
Unfortunately for everyone except Springstead, the Eagles managed to dominate this tournament the same way they did the previous week as they went 6-0 overall, defeating Citrus 56-21 in the finals to win the tournament for the fourth time in the past five years.
The tourney win was Springstead fourth in four tries this season.
With the field broken up into four pools of five schools, the Eagles (13-0 overall) ran through its pool.
SHS beat up on Tampa Prep, River Ridge, Clearwater and Wesley Chapel by a combined score of 200-17 with two shutouts.
Then in the semifinals against the host school Gulf, the Eagles got eight pins to easily beat the Buccaneers 62-16 and face Citrus in the finals.
"I don't want to say they were warm-ups, but we wanted to get our timing down in the pool play and be ready for the semis," said Swensen Saturday night.
In the championship match, Springstead got pins from Richie Bliss at 103 pounds, Nick Soto at 130, Cody Ross at 135 and Sammy Colon at 140 to cruise to another Gulf title.
Swensen said after the tournament that one of the keys to his team's success was their aggressiveness.
"In the semifinals we were going against Gulf, and we seem to always get them," noted Swensen. "But we wanted to keep attacking them.
"Then in the finals against Citrus, we wanted to be aggressive. We wanted to take the match to them. The goal was to take them out of the match early."

Eagles rule

Just like last year when the Eagles ran through the tournament unbeaten and had seven wrestlers post 6-0 marks, this year Springstead had five grapplers go 6-0 while two others were 5-0 and one was 4-0.
Bliss, Ross, Colon, Thomas Ellerbee at 160, and Kenny Cox at 215 all were 6-0 this weekend.
But while this team has been performing better than teams in the past, Swensen believes a lot of the credit for that is the amount of work his team does.
"This club is better than last year's," he said. "A lot of them come out of our wrestling club and they wrestle Greco-Roman and Freestyle and for Team Florida in the summer. They compete year-round because they are wrestlers."
With the rugged Oviedo Ironman Tournament looming, Swensen plans to have his team work out during the holidays because as he said,
"Our number one goal is to win the state and you can't take off a week if you want to achieve your goals."

Gulf Holiday Duals Wrestling Tournament Results:
Championship: Springstead 56, Citrus 21
Third Place: Dunedin 42, Gulf 34
Semifinals: Springstead 62, Gulf 16; Citrus 33, Dunedin 32.
Pool A: Springstead 6-0; River Ridge 3-2; Clearwater 2-3; Tampa Prep 2-3; Wesley Chapel 0-5.
Pool B: Citrus 5-1; Anclote 3-2; Belleview 3-2; Land O'lakes 1-4; Ridgewood 1-4.
Pool C: Dunedin 5-1; Nature Coast Technical 3-2; Gulf 3-2; Zephryhills 1-4, Hudson 0-5.
Pool D: Matanzas 4-1; Gulf 4-2; Hernando 2-3; Wiregrass Ranch 2-3; Pasco 1-4.

Springstead Individual results
WGT NAME W L PINS
103-112 Richie Bliss       6 0 3
103-112 Stephen Pavao      4 2 2
119    Sean Redman        6 0 3
125    Adam Grudzinski    1 2 1
125    Joe Russo          1 1 1
130    Nick Soto          6 0 5
135    Cody Ross          6 0 4
140    Sam Colon          6 0 3
145    Colton Zimmermann  4 0 2
145    Tim Furchek        2 0 2
152    Shawn Landgraff    5 1 1
160    Thomas Ellerbee    5 1 3
171    Casey Quinn        3 2 1
171 Thomas Gupton 1 0 1
189    Andrew Herr        5 1 2
215    Kenny Cox          6 0 5
285    John Dreggors      5 0 2
285    Christian Quinones 1 0 1
TOTALS                    73 10 42

Springstead 66, Tampa Prep 9
103 - Richie Bliss (SPG) pin Garrett Sykes, 0:36.
112 - Stephen Pavao (SPG) won by forfeit.
119 - Sean Redman (SPG) won by forfeit.
125 - Eric Bach (TP) pin Joe Russo, 3:19
130 - Nick Soto (SPG) tech. fall Achvin Zarchatrat, 18-1.
135 - Cody Ross (SPG) won by forfeit.
140 - Sam Colon (SPG) pin Albert Callahan, 0:42.
145 - Colton Zimmermann (SPG) maj. dec. Chase Harris, 11-2.
152 - Shawn Landgraff (SPG) dec. Hector Fontanet, 5-1.
160 - Wes Jarrell (TP) dec. Thomas Ellerbee, 6-4.
171 - Casey Quinn (SPG) won by forfeit.
189 - Andrew Herr (SPG) won by forfeit.
215 - Kenny Cox (SPG) pin Wes Gift, 0:49.
285 - John Dreggors (SPG) won by forfeit.
Records - Springstead (8-0).

Springstead 70, River Ridge 8
103 - Pavao (SPG) pin Arends, 1:48.
112 - Bliss (SPG) tech. fall Barker, 16-1.
119 - Redman (SPG) pin Speer, 3:39.
125 - Agazarm (RR) tech. fall Adam Grudzinski, 16-1.
130 - Soto (SPG) pin Pecori, 1:49.
135 - Ross (SPG) pin Grubner, 1:19.
140 - Colon (SPG) won by forfeit.
145 - Zimmermann (SPG) pin Goldberg, 1:51,
152 - Landgraff (SPG) tech. fall Burns, 15-0.
160 - Ellerbee (SPG) pin West, 1:35.
171 - Vanate (RR) dec. Quinn, 6-1.
189 - Herr (SPG) pin Becker, 3:02.
215 - Cox (SPG) pin Strayer, 0:22.
285 - Dreggors (SPG) pin Berardi, 5:27.
Records - Springstead (9-0).

Springstead 83, Clearwater 0
103 - Bliss (SPG) pin Howarth, 0:30.
112 - Pavao (SPG) won by forfeit.
119 - Redman (SPG) pin Collins, 0:52.
125 - Russo (SPG) pin Hayslip, 4:32.
130 - Soto (SPG) pin Gullage, 1:34.
135 - Ross (SPG) pin Jeffers, 4:17.
140 - Colon (SPG) pin Johnson, 0:44.
145 - Tim Furchek (SPG) pin Merchant, 1:37.
152 - Landgraff (SPG) pin Schlindwein, 1:50.
160 - Ellerbee (SPG) pin Davidson, 1:33.
171 - Quinn (SPG) pin Palmer, 0:59.
189 - Herr (SPG) won by forfeit.
215 - Cox (SPG) pin Schultz, 0:48.
285 - Dreggors (SPG) tech. fall Paar, 18-1.
Records - Springstead (10-0).

Springstead 81, Wesley Chapel 0
103 - Pavao (SPG) pin Koaarrio, 1:07.
112 - Bliss (SPG) won by forfeit.
119 - Redman (SPG) won by forfeit.
125 - Grudzinski (SPG) pin Coll, 3:53.
130 - Soto (SPG) pin Perez, 3:31.
135 - Ross (SPG) won by forfeit.
140 - Colon (SPG) won by forfeit.
145 - Furchek (SPG) pin C. Fee, 2:59.
152 - Landgraff (SPG) dec. Polillo, 6-1.
160 - Ellerbee (SPG) pin A. Fee, 2:47.
171 - Thomas Gupton (SPG) pin Farechakin, 2:47.
189 - Herr (SPG) won by forfeit.
215 - Cox (SPG) pin Gattin, 0:27.
285 - CHristian Quinones (SPG) pin Johnson, 0:57.
Records - Springstead (11-0).

Springstead 62, Gulf 16
103 - Bliss (SPG) won by forfeit.
112 - Carpenter (GF) pin Pavao, 1:59.
119 - Redman (SPG) pin Busby, 1:59.
125 - Ayers (GF) won by forfeit.
130 - Soto (SPG) pin Isom, 0:59.
135 - Ross (SPG) pin Baxter, 1:11.
140 - Colon (SPG) pin Lanford, 4:46.
145 - Zimmermann (SPG) pin Ritter, 1:09.
152 - Jackson (GF) maj. dec. Landgraff, 18-8.
160 - Ellerbee (SPG) dec. Masagno, 8-3.
171 - Quinn (SPG) tech. fall Abbott, 16-1.
189 - Herr (SPG) pin Karr, 5:00.
215 - Cox (SPG) pin Palasky, 2:38.
285 - Dreggors (SPG) pin Kruse, 1:04.
Records - Springstead (12-0).

Springstead 56, Citrus 21
103 - Bliss (SPG) pin Kelly (CIT) 0:56.
112 - Norman (CIT) pin Pavao, 5:52.
119 - Redman (SPG) injury default Martin.
125 - Nolan (CIT) pin Grudzinski, 0:10.
130 - Soto (SPG) pin Gufford, 1:35.
135 - Ross (SPG) pin Nolan, 0:24.
140 - Colon (SPG) won by forfeit.
145 - Zimmermann (SPG) won by DQ Sumlin, 1:41.
152 - Landgraff (SPG) tech. fall Whitten, 16-1.
160 - Ellerbee (SPG) dec. Drew, 9-3.
171 - Jackson (CIT) dec. Quinn, 8-3.
189 - Zuckley (CIT) pin Herr, 3:27.
215 - Cox (SPG) won by DQ Conway, 2:43.
285 - Dreggors (SPG) won by forfeit. 
Records - Springstead (13-0).