Pirates avoid pressure pitfalls

Pasco edges Gulf, clinches its first district title since 1996.

By FRANK PASTOR
Published February 5, 2006

DADE CITY - Not to put any pressure on you, Pasco coach Mark DeAugustino told Brendan Wheaton before the senior's 145-pound final against Zephyrhills' Phillip Robichaud, but if you win this match, we win the district.

Had DeAugustino wanted to worry Wheaton, he might have reminded him that he had lost twice to Robichaud this season and the Pirates hadn't won a championship in nine years.

Wheaton didn't leave anything to chance, pinning Robichaud in four minutes, 41 seconds Saturday to help the host Pirates to their fourth district title and first since 1996.

"We fight as a team," Wheaton said. "It's an individual sport in everybody else's eyes, but we're out there for each other."

Wheaton had plenty of company on the championship podium DeAugustino topped with a kingsized bedsheet purchased a night earlier. Mikey Cowell (103 pounds), Javier Benitez (125), John Clarke (171) and Ray Perez (189) won their weight classes; Jacob Hinkle (130) and Chance Finlay (135) placed second and Eric Stroud (215) finished third.

"We went six for eight (in the championship and consolation finals); that's coming with it," DeAugustino said. "My two that lost, one lost by a point, and Jacob lost a tough one to (Hudson's Lance) Barabas. You could tell they wanted their district championship."

With 152.5 points, Pasco finished 23 points ahead of Gulf (129.5). Hudson (124) was third, Zephyrhills (119) fourth.

Mike Calariore (119) and Mike Frestick (135) won individual titles as Gulf improved four spots from its sixth-place showing at the Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament a week earlier. But coach Travis DeWalt was in no mood for pictures with the runnerup trophy after the Bucs dropped six of nine championship or consolation finals.

"We're training our guys to peak at the state series; that's been our emphasis and focal point all year, especially with a young team," DeWalt said. "Taking second is a hard thing to swallow."

Hudson's Barabas (130), Vince Ferlita (140), William Bentley (160) and Travis Tindell (heavyweight) also won individual titles.

[Last modified February 5, 2006, 01:22:20]