Wrestling 20130112
ST. CLOUD –
Springstead’s first-year head coach Sal Basile believes his predominantly young mat squad – featuring only three seniors – should be nicknamed the ‘Comeback Kids.’
It seems only apropos behind the Eagles’ third come-from-behind tournament title following the grueling, two-day, 16-hour, Class 2A, Region II Tournament at St. Cloud – aka the “Region of Doom.”
Though 2A-II has a reputation as a “Hurt Locker” for 75 percent of grapplers that enter – the stats suggest that those who advance from Osceola County will fare particularly well at the 49th annual FHSAA Finals at The Lakeland Center this weekend.
Nature Coast’s Sean Nguyen (top) gets the best of Springstead’s Matt Landgraff in a rematch of their district title bout a week ago, won by Landgraff. Nguyen took this match, 8-2. JOE DiCRISTOFALO
Over the past three winters, 2A-II survivors have not only led the state’s 2A teams in state placers (93), but also in the most state finalists (42) and producing the most state champions (26).
But the two-time defending state champion Eagles aren’t the only Hernando County team expected to do well at the Jenkins Arena in Lakeland.
Another team searching for its identity may have found it – Nature Coast.
In their eighth state series, the Sharks deployed a lineup featuring five seniors – including four mat veterans: Sean Nguyen, Shane Reeger, Brandon Vovan, and Dylan Savoury.
Another senior, Anthony Siciliano, was one of 10 first-year starters this winter.
The Brooksville mat men left a lasting impression during the 2A-District 7 Tournament by walking away with their third runner-up trophy in four seasons at Springstead.
More importantly, head coach Mike Lastra’s young crew pushed at least 10 qualifiers – for a school record fourth straight season – to regionals
When the dust settled in Osceola County on Saturday, nine individual Sharks captured at least one match. All told, Nature Coast compiled a 26-14 slate with 11 pins
Nature Coast will be represented in Lakeland by a trio of regional champions: two-time regional champ Nguyen (team best 41-2, team-high 23 pins) at 106, Vovan (37-5) at 170 and Savoury (32-8) at 182.
Until this weekend, the Sharks had etched two regional champs: Scott Cronin in 2010 and Nguyen in 2012.
Reeger, a 2A-7 champion, fell one win shy of advancing.
For its collective efforts, Nature Coast’s ‘Kiddie Corps’ squad finished third with 108.5 points and tied Springstead and Lake Gibson with a meet-best three individual champions.
“We walked into this tough building with six first-year varsity guys and to take third is pretty impressive,” pointed out the pleased ninth-year skipper Lastra. “Our goal coming in was to take third. This was a definitely a total team effort.”
Besides defending state champion Clarence Arrington of Dunedin at 126 and Springstead’s two-time state placer Jordan Rivera at 138, Nguyen was the only other repeat regional champion.
Nguyen, whose school-record 28-match winning streak was snapped in the 2A-7 finals, losing to Springstead sophomore Matt Landgraff, 9-7, returned to the mats with a glint in his eye.
On Friday he opened by stuffing River Ridge frosh Greg Decanio (56 seconds) before mauling St. Cloud sophomore Tristan Cuatcheon via a 15-0 technical fall.
In the pressure-packed Saturday semifinals, Nguyen blanked Lake Gibson sophomore Caleb Smith, 9-0.
In the finals rematch against Landgraff, he didn’t pin the Eagle grappler in 74 seconds like he did in 2012; instead he posted an 8-2 decision.
Afterward, Nguyen offered a stern rebuff to any doubters.
“I knew I’d come back,” said the 17-year-old, who’ll enter states with school-record career mark of 145-41 featuring a school-record 83 pins.
“The key was I stayed focused,” added Nguyen. “At this level, wrestling is more mental than anything else. I blocked out a lot of the negative stuff. ”
Like Nguyen, Vovan went 4-0, but did so in dominating fashion behind three pinfalls.
Vovan opened the meet by folding Winter Haven sophomore Kaleb Knack (2:58) and River Ridge junior Max Reynolds (2:39).
In Saturday’s semis, Vovan closed to within one pin of tying Nguyen for the team lead by twisting Auburndale senior Glauberson Cajuste (3:15). That win sealed Vovan’s first trip to states.
In the finals, Vovan solved Sebring senior Christopher DeJesus (34-5), 7-3. The victory serves as Vovan’s seventh in a row. He enters Polk County red hot with 11 wins in his past 12 matches.
“The regional title tastes fantastic,” smiled the 17-year-old Vovan. “It’s really better than I imagined. I feel like the pieces are all coming together.”
Like Vovan, Savoury added to his 2A-7 crown by adding regional behind a perfect 4-0 run and two pins.
The three-year Shark letterman opened the meet by crunching Mitchell senior Darren Everhart (28 seconds) before squeezing past Winter Haven junior Cole Mueller, 3-1.
In Saturday’s semifinal, Savoury nipped Zephyrhills senior Joel Morrison at the wire, 8-7.
The tourney finals offered a rematch from 2A-7 as Savoury pinned Citrus junior Brandon Taylor in 4:31. The week before, Savoury had edged Taylor in a thriller, 14-13.
Similar to Nguyen and Vovan, Savoury is peaking at just the right time. He’ll enter Polk County riding an eight-match win skein. He has captured 12-of-13 matches.
“I have to give glory to God and thank Him,” said the 17-year-old Savoury. “Wrestling is such a mental sport. If you’re right mentally, it really helps. I can honestly say God helped me achieve this.”
NCT’s All-Time Regional Results (2006-13):
– Compiled by TONY CASTRO
YR REGIONAL PL. PTS. SQ RC
2006 1A-II @ Avon Park 21st 25.0 0 0
2007 1A-II @ Avon Park 25th 20.0 0 0
2008 1A-II @ Avon Park 12th 50.5 1 0
2009 1A-II @ Matanzas 8th 59.5 2 0
2010 1A-II @ Matanzas 7th 83.0 3 1
2011 1A-II @ Tenoroc 7th 71.0 2 0
2012 2A-II @ St. Cloud 3rd * 145.0* 6* 1
2013 2A-II @ St. Cloud 3rd * 108.5 3 3*
TOTALS –8– 17 5
* Denotes school record
