2A-II WRESTLING

Last weekend’s first step in the wrestling state series for Class 2A’s No. 1-ranked team, F.W. Springstead, pales in comparison to what’s ahead in this weekend’s expected 29-team Class 2A, Region II, aka the “Region of Doom.”

Last winter, 2A-II carried the appropriate moniker the “Hurt Locker” after its top three teams (Oviedo, Springstead, Lakeland-Lake Gibson) finished 1-2-3 a week later in the FHSAA State 2A Finals in Lakeland.

The tourney takes place across four mats at the spacious South Florida Community College gymnasium, 2511 U.S. 27 South, Avon Park, 33825.

Friday’s action runs from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m. Saturday’s action is expected to begin at 10 a.m. with the semifinals followed by wrestlebacks at 12:30 p.m. Consolation finals set for 6 p.m. followed by finals at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $6 per person per each of the three sessions.

The top 56 wrestlers, or top four grapplers in each weight class, advance to the coveted Feb. 18-19 47th annual Class 2A State Championship Tournament at The Lakeland Center.

Five-time state champ Oviedo headlines the expected 29-team field in this rugged, individually-bracketed, double-elimination tourney format. Oviedo captured this meet last winter by 12.5 points over Springstead.

Oviedo, which defeated Springstead 260.5-245.5 in the Zac Jarzynka finals in Seminole County in December, captured 2A-5 last weekend behind 13 placers and six district champions.

The Lions are paced by three defending state champions: junior Doug Vollaro at 285 pounds, senior Lee Wildes at 171 and junior Geordan Speiller at 160.

Speiller was not a member of the team last season. Speiller won a state title last winter for Class 3A Fort-Lauderdale-St. Thomas Aquinas, before transferring to Oviedo.

The official host school of 2A-II is Sebring. Former Blue Streak mat standout Josh Miller explained the perils of this weekend’s event in Highlands County.

“There’s good and bad,” said Miller, “If you place here, you’ll probably place at states. It’s that tough. But if you finish fifth or sixth here, I believe those kids could easily have qualified for states in another region.”

The Blue Streaks, according to Coach Miller, are in a tough spot, moving up from Class 1A two winters ago.

“For me and our kids it’s a hard route (to states),” he said. “We just moved up to 2A and it’s a big jump. We preach to the kids, just take each match one by one. Don’t jump or look ahead. If you do, you could easily overlook someone in the first or second round and get beat.”

Who’ll win 2A-II?

“Honestly, that’s very hard to answer,” Miller said. “The top three teams last year (Oviedo, Springstead and Lake Gibson) are all solid in different ways.

“To me Oviedo is much better in the heavier weight classes,” said Miller. “Springstead is solid in the middle weights and Lake Gibson is loaded in the lower weights. It’s tough to predict, but I think Lake Gibson will win due to more champions, barely edging the other two.”

Braves’ prospective

“This region, 2A-II, is the beast of any regional in the state,” explained Lake Gibson’s 11th-year Head Coach Danny Walker. “It’s a real shame that there will be guys that finish a match away from going to states who could place at states if they were in another regional. I kinda wish we’d find a way to spread us (Oviedo, Springstead, Lake Gibson) out. Imagine if each of us could bring 13 guys to states. That would be something.”

And the Braves’ chances?

“All season long our motto’s been ‘Hey what about us? It’s been mostly about Oviedo and Springstead. We’ve been kinda forgotten about. We went to Texas and won the Lone Star Duals,” noted Walker. “Now, I realize we don’t have the heavy hitters like Oviedo or like Springstead has with Soto and Toms, for instance. Those are guys that can reach finals. What we have to do to do well in is wrestlebacks.

“If we lose a match, we’ve got to get back on that bull and ride it out,” added Walker. “Our goal this weekend is to get 10 to states. Once you get to states finishing fourth or first doesn’t really matter. This is such a difficult region we know that any kids we push through (to states) will do well.”

Springstead 411

By comparison, Springstead enters regionals red hot behind a 14-member squad. The Spring Hill squad is coming off its sixth tourney win of the season, its seventh straight district title and 25th in 31 seasons.

Under the leadership of Head Coach Eric Swensen and assistant coach Sal Basile, SHS has collected 32 team titles across seven winters – but never a regional crown.

Not that they haven’t tried. The Eagles have finished as regional runners-up three straight seasons and four of the past five seasons.

SHS is seeking its first regional crown since Hall of Fame Head Coach Bob Levija’s 2000-01 squad scored 192 points at Central High to win it.

On the plus side, the team is healthy minus Sammy Colon’s hand.

Also, SHS is experienced competing at this pressure-packed level. The Spring Hill squad enters Avon Park with 10 grapplers with previous regional experience including six former placers and five past regional champions.

Coach Swensen is keenly aware of the circumstances his mat men are entering.

“This is by far the best region is the state,” stressed Swensen. “A team like (Fort Myers) Riverdale has an advantage when it comes to states because they don’t have go through what we, Oviedo and Lake Gibson are going through.

“I like the brackets for the majority of our guys,” added Swensen. “I’m feeling real confident about our chances. We have the ability to do this (win regionals). I’ve been coaching here seven years and we haven’t won a regional. That’s our No. 1 goal this weekend.

“We’re not gonna sit here and talk about trying to beat one team, like Oviedo,” said Swensen. “That opens us up to getting beat by other people, namely Lake Gibson. You can’t focus your efforts solely on one team, otherwise you’ll get beat.”

Is there a magic number of grapplers for states?

“Yeah,” said Swensen. “We need eight guys to perform to do well at states. Anything less would be a huge disappointment. Anything more than eight guys is frosting on the cake.”

State champs’ course

Springstead heads to Highlands County with its four defending state champions all healthy and all on winning streaks.

A two-time defending state champion, senior Richie Bliss at 103 pounds, is 8-1 lifetime with five pins in regionals. Bliss is one of five Eagles seeking repeat regional titles. Bliss enters four pins shy of becoming Hernando County’s first-ever grappler to collect 100 career wins and notch 100 pins.

According to the 2A-II brackets, Bliss will earn a rare first-round bye before facing the survivor of Dunedin’s Alex Hersh/Liberty’s Robert Torres. Bliss has not faced Torres this season. Freshman Jordan Rivera pinned him at 112 at the Deltona Duals. Bliss did face Hersh at the Gulf Duals and pinned him in 53 seconds.

Senior and defending state champion Virgil Toms at 130 is seeking a personal-best third regional title. Toms faces River Ridge sophomore Thomas Burke in the opener and most likely Oviedo junior Juan Arroyare in the second round.

Like Bliss, senior Nick Soto at 135 is 8-1 lifetime in regionals. He finished third in 2009 at Kissimmee-Poinciana and won last year at Lake Gibson. Soto will face Haines City sophomore Casey Whalen before squaring off with Liberty senior Manny Figueroa in the second round.

Soto has not faced Whalen, but pinned Figueroa to open the season at the Deltona Duals in 3:04.

Like Soto, junior Cody Ross at 140 is 8-1 lifetime in regionals. Ross placed third as a freshman and won last winter in Polk County.

Ross is expected to open against Celebration junior Everett Suarez and tangle with Sebring junior Jeremy Qualls in the second round. Ross, a two state placer and defending state champ, has not faced either grappler this season.

Remaining Eagle match-ups

Rivera at 112 makes his regional debut against River Ridge sophomore Dakota Arends. Rivera previously pinned Arends in the Gulf Duals in 64 seconds. In round two, Rivera will most likely face St Cloud sophomore Joe McGinley. Rivera defeated McGinley in the Flagler finals, 6-1.

At 119, sophomore Stephen Pavao enters with a lifetime 0-2 mark in regionals. Pavao faces Oviedo sophomore Jason Argall in the tourney opener. With an upset win, he’d face Lake Gibson senior Jacob Phillips.

Unlike Pavao, junior Sean Redman at 125 barely missed reaching states losing twice by one point in the final wrestleback round as a freshman and sophomore. Redman comes in 6-4 lifetime in regionals and will open against Ridge Community sophomore Jacob Harwell. With two wins, Redman is expected to clash with Jorge in the semifinals on Saturday morning.

Like Redman, Colon at 145 missed by one win of advancing to states last winter. Colon will open against Wiregrass Ranch sophomore Patrick Hill. With a win, Colon is expected to tangle with Oviedo senior Michael Alpert in the second round. Alpert defeated Colon in the Jarzynka consolation round, 8-4.

At 152, senior, two-time state qualifier and 2010 state placer Shawn Landgraff at 152 is 9-1 lifetime in regionals. Landgraff placed second as a sophomore and won last year at Lake Gibson.

Landgraff will open against Celebration junior Tyler Phelan. Landgraff stuck Phelan in the Flagler opener in 59 seconds. In the next round, Landgraff will most likely face Lake Gibson senior Miguel Mendoza.

Like Pavao, junior Thomas Gupton at 160 has never tasted a regional win. Gupton went 0-2 last winter. This year, Gupton will open against Sebring junior Josh Figur. With two first-round wins, Gupton is expected to clash with Lake Gibson senior Zach Vibbert in Saturday’s semifinals.

Senior and first-year grappler Jon McCloskey at 215 will open against Haines City senior Jaylen Brown. With a win, McCloskey will most likely tangle with Oviedo senior Carlos Martinez.

At 285, junior John Dreggors is 7-3 in past regional meets and has never been crowned a regional champ. Dreggors will open against Zephyrhills senior Stephen Cottrell. Dreggors, who enters with a Hernando County-best 35 pins, stuck Cottrell at the Gulf Duals in 68 seconds.

Central 411

After last weekend’s disappointing fourth-place finish at the 2A-7 meet at Springstead, Central’s first-year Head Coach Rich Drumheller literally turned up the heat on his team.

“Last weekend we got shell-shocked,” described Coach Drumheller. “We went out flat. I’ll take the blame for not having our guys ready. That’s on me. After the first round, it was like we played catch-up after that.

“Since last weekend, we’ve amped up our practices. We will not be taking regionals lightly,” insisted Drumheller. “I will be disappointed if we don’t get three guys to states. We want the kids to find an extra gear and win those close matches. We’ve worked them hard this week. We understand they’ll be in a fight for their lives at Avon Park.”

Central enters with an eight-man squad including: seniors Robbie Monsegur at 119, Desmond Carswell at 130 and Anthony Marquez at 125, juniors Josh Cleveland at 135, Luke Walton at 140, Puerto Rico Nieves at 160 and Luis Lantigua at 189, and sophomore Josh Marquez at 112.

All but Carswell return from last year’s disastrous 8-28 run at Lake Gibson, good for 17th place.

No one has reached states from Central since Kenny Supple and Danny May each advanced in 2008. Anthony Marquez posted the finest regional record last winter at 2-2.

The two Bears with the most regional experience are Cleveland (0-4) and Monsegur (2-4).
CHS crippled its regional chances last winter dropping 13-of-14 first-round regional matches at Lake Gibson.

AT A GLANCE
WHAT – The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 2A, Region II Wrestling Tournament.
WHO – Twenty-nine teams including 2010 regional runner-up Spring Hill-Springstead, Lakeland-Lake Gibson, St. Cloud, Inverness-Citrus, Central and Dunedin featured in an individually-bracketed double-elimination tourney format.
WHERE – South Florida Community College, 2511 U.S. 27 South, Avon Park, 33825.
WHEN – Friday from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m. Saturday’s action expected to begin at 10 a.m. with the semifinals followed by wrestlebacks at 12:30 p.m. Consolation finals set for 5:30 p.m. followed by finals at 7:30 p.m.
AT STAKE – Top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to Feb. 18-19 47th annual Class 2A State Championship Tournament at The Lakeland Center.

2010 Final 2A-II Wrestling Tournament Results
PL SCHOOL PTS.
1. Oviedo (OVI) 217.5
2. Spring Hill-Springstead (SPG) 204.0
3. Lakeland-Lake Gibson (LG) 184.5
4. Dunedin (DUN) 140.0
5. Harmony (HAR) 74.5
6. Inverness (CIT) 69.0
7. Orlando-Edgewater (EDGE) 64.5
8. Kissimmee-Liberty (LIB) 64.0
9. New Port Richey-River Ridge (RR) 50.5
10. St. Cloud (STC) 50.0
11. Zephyrhills (ZEP) 35.5
12. Winter Haven (WH) 32.0
13. Bartow (BART) 27.0
13. New Port Richey-Mitchell (MIT) 27.0
15. Wesley Chapel-Wiregrass Ranch (WGR) 26.5
16. Land O’Lakes-Sunlake (SNL) 26.0
17. Land O’Lakes (LOL) 23.5
18. Davenport-Ridge Community (RC) 22.0
19. Orlando-Oak Ridge (OR) 21.0
20. Celebration (CELE) 18.0
21. Brooksville-Central (CEN) 17.0
21. Lakeland-Kathleen (KATH) 17.0
23. Lake Alfred-Lake Region (LR) 14.0
24. Sebring (SEB) 13.5
25. Lecanto (LEC) 11.0
26. Haines City (HC) 7.00
27. Tarpon Springs (TS) 4.00
27. New Port Richey-Ridgewood (RW) 4.00
29. Hudson (HUD) 0.00

2010 2A-II Championship Round
103 – Richie Bliss (SPG) pin Terry Tran (EDGE), 2:14.
112 – Brandon Jorge (LG) pin Shaun Shakoor (DUN), 3:22.
119 – Joey Hefley (OVI) major dec. Justin McKay (LOL), 15-3.
125 – Virgil Toms (SPG) dec. Ray Rowland (OVI), 2-1.
130 – Nick Soto (SPG) dec. Matt Vaughn (HAR), 7-0.
135 – Cody Ross (SPG) pin Kane Plate (DUN), 1:55.
140 – Cash Cottrell (LG) tech. fall Colton Zimmermann (SPG), 20-5.
145 – Chase Gordon (OVI) major dec. Justin Thiele (OKR), 15-5.
152 – Shawn Landgraff (SPG) major dec. Sterling Smith (WH), 10-1.
160 – Frank Cousins (STC) dec. Erin O’Dell (OVI), 9-4.
171 – Pat Poules (LG) major dec. Landon Vannata (RR), 12-4.
189 – Jay Taylor (OVI) pin Chris Whidden (RDC), 1:43.
215 – Ken Cox (SPG) dec. Alton Meeks (OVI), 9-0.
285 – Doug Vollaro (OVI) dec. Luis Agramonte (DUN), 4-3.

2010 2A-II Consolation Round
103 – Skyler Moody (LG) tech. fall Ariel Dominguez (HAR), 15-0.
112 – Kurt Keebler (OVI) dec. Chris Valdez (HAR), 4-2.
119 – Nick Hynes (ZEP) pin Jacob Phillips (LG), 3:09.
125 – Jeremy Goodloe (DUN) dec. Chase Krutzky (LG), 9-4.
130 – Felix Bettancourt (LIB) dec. Justin Gomac (OVI), 7-2.
135 – Michael Alpert (OVI) dec. Darrin Mack (EDGE), 6-1.
140 – Chris Grillo (HAR) dec. Austin Prince (DUN), 4-3.
145 – Orlando Medina-Quinones (LG) pin Jake Cannizzaro (DUN), 0:35.
152 – Casey Whitton (CIT) dec. Tyler Smith (DUN), 10-4.
160 – Taylor Jackson (CIT) pin J.J. Elisis (LIB), 4:46.
171 – Aric Fernandez (LIB) pin Karl Joseph (EDGE), 4:10.
189 – Ryan Kuell (LG) dec. Jake Horning (RR), 11-4.
215 – Angel Perez (LIB) dec. Ryan Brosnan (MIT), 5-3.
285 – Josh Chattin (STC) dec. John Dreggors (SPG), 3-1 (OT).

2010 Springstead Individual Results
WGT NAME W L PINS PL
103 Bliss, Richie 4 0 2 1st
112 Pavao, Stephen 0 2 0 –
119 Redman, Sean 3 2 1 –
125 Toms, Virgil 4 0 2 1st
130 Soto, Nick 4 0 2 1st
135 Ross, Cody 4 0 2 1st
140 Zimmermann, Colton 3 1 1 2nd
145 Colon, Sammy 2 2 0 –
152 Landgraff, Shawn 4 0 1 1st
160 Ellerbee, Thomas 3 2 1 –
171 Quinn, Casey 1 2 0 –
189 Gupton, Thomas 0 2 0 –
215 Cox, Ken 4 0 1 1st
285 Dreggors, John 4 2 2 4th
TOTALS 40 15 15 –

2010 Central Individual Results
WGT NAME W L PINS PL
103 Marquez, Josh 0 2 0 –
112 Marquez, Anthony 2 2 2 –
119 Monsegur, Robbie 1 2 0 –
125 Supple, David 1 2 0 –
130 Cleveland, Josh 0 2 0 –
135 Walton, Luke 1 2 0 –
140 Merced, Daniel 0 2 0 –
145 Lane, Justin 0 2 0 –
152 Nieves, Puerto Rico 0 2 0 –
160 Gehrke, Zach 1 2 0 –
171 Martin, Zach 0 2 0 –
189 Lantigua, Luis 1 2 0 –
215 Scott, Patrick 0 2 0 –
285 Williamson, Bradley 1 2 1 –
TOTALS 8 28 3 –

2009 Final Class 2A, Region II Team Standings
PL Team PTS
1. Brandon (BDN) 284.0
2. Springstead (SPG) 175.5
3. Lake Gibson (LG) 129.0
4. Dunedin (DUN) 115.0
5. St. Cloud (SC) 64.0
6. Lakeland-George Jenkins (GJ) 63.5
7. New Smyrna Beach (NSB) 60.0
8. NPR-River Ridge (RR) 56.0
9. Auburndale (AUB) 55.0
10. Tampa-Wharton (WHA) 48.5
11. Lithia-Newsome (NEW) 43.5
12. Daytona Beach-Seabreeze (SEB) 40.0
13. Kissimmee-Poinciana (POI) 36.5
14. Winter Haven (WH) 33.0
15. Tampa-Jefferson (JEF) 32.5
16. Kissimmee-Liberty (LIB) 32.0
17. Seffner-Armwood (ARM) 29.0
18. Tampa-Middleton (MID) 27.0
19. Celebration (CEL) 23.5
20. Central (CEN) 22.5
21. Lake Howell (LH) 20.5
22. Lake Region (LR) 18.5
23. Tampa-Chamberlain (CHA) 18.0
24. Hillsborough (HIL) 15.0
24. Land O’ Lakes (LOL) 15.0
26. Tampa-Plant (PLA) 14.0
27. Tampa-Leto (LET) 9.0
28. Wesley Chapel (WC) 4.0
29. Tampa-Freedom (FRE) 3.0
29. Tampa-King (KIN) 3.0
31. Tampa-Blake (BLA) 0.0
31. NPR-Ridgewood (RW) 0.0
31. South Lake (SL) 0.0
31. Tampa Bay Tech (TBT) 0.0
31. Tarpon Springs (TS) 0.0

2A-II Finals Results
103 – Jorge (LG) dec. Smith (GJ), 8-3
112 – Renkey (BDN) maj. dec. Gray (ARM), 12-1
119 – Bruno (BDN) pin Brown (LR), 3:59
125 – Liberatore (BDN) tech. fall Betancourt (LIB), 17-1
130 – Glass (BDN) maj. dec. Sermons (WH), 11-3
135 – Grajales (BDN) pin Dobler (NEW), 4:54
140 – Timothy (BDN) dec. Jorge (LG), 5-3
145 – Cozart (BDN) dec. Rex (LG), 3-1
152 – Figaro (BDN) maj. dec. Davidson (AUB), 12-4
160 – Cousins (SC) dec. Klenovich (SPG), 7-2
171 – Talley (DUN) dec. Berridge (BDN), 7-4
189 – Wern (SPG) maj. dec. Brown (GJ), 16-5
215 – Rislin (POI) dec. Newman (GJ), 8-6
285 – Bell (NSB) dec. Agrmonte (DUN), 6-3

2A-II Consolation Finals Results
103 – Bliss (SPG) maj. dec. LeFevre (BDN), 16-4
112 – Phillips (LG) dec. McKay (LOL), 5-3
119 – Ross (SPG) dec. Nesvacil (LG), 3-1
125 – Soto (SPG) dec. Goodloe (DUN), 8-7
130 – Cotrell (LG) dec. Rodriguez (WHA), 7-1
135 – Zimmerman (SPG) dec. Smith (WH), 5-2
140 – Hitchcock (RR) inj. default Drake (NEW)
145 – Landgraff (SPG) pin Lane (AUB), 4:31
152 – Vannata (RR) dec. Enamait (NSB), 4-2
160 – Koziel (BDN) dec. Temple (CEL), 4-0
171 – Lorentsen (SPG) pin Kuell (LG), 1:38
189 – Ettore (BDN) dec. Zeedyk (DUN), 4-0
215 – Siedelofer (SEB) dec. Cox (SPG), 3-2
285 – Garret (AUB) dec. Chattin (SC), 6-5

2009 Springstead’s 2A-II Individual Results @ Poinciana
WGT Name W L Pins PL
103 Bliss, Richie 4 1 3 3rd
112 Redman, Sean 3 2 2 –
119 Ross, Cody 4 1 2 3rd
125 Soto, Nick 4 1 1 3rd
130 Huff, Devean 0 2 0 –
135 Zimmerman, Colton 5 1 1 3rd
140 Colon, Sam 2 2 0 –
145 Landgraff, Shawn 5 1 4 3rd
152 Ellerbee, Thomas 2 2 1 –
160 Klenovich, Thad 3 1 0 2nd
171 Lorentsen, Jessey 4 1 3 3rd
189 Wern, Scott 4 0 1 1st
215 Cox, Ken 4 2 1 4th
285 Oquendo, Charles 1 2 1 –
TOTALS 45 19 20

2009 Central’s 2A-II Individual Results @ Poinciana
WGT Name W L Pins PL
119 Monsegur, Robbie 1 2 0 –
125 Snell, Wayne 3 2 0 –
130 Supple, Kenny 3 2 0 –
140 Cleveland, Josh 0 2 0 –
145 Cadoret, Shaun 3 2 0 –
171 Martin, Zach 0 2 0 –
215 May, Danny 2 2 1 –
TOTALS 12 14 1