Gulf easily takes SAC crown

Bucs beat defending champ Pasco by 77 points.

By STEVE LEE
Published January 28, 2007

ZEPHYRHILLS - Gulf bounced back from an uncharacteristic sixth-place finish in last season's Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament.

The Bucs won Saturday's SAC meet at Zephyrhills with 236 points, easily surpassing defending champion Pasco, the runnerup with 159 points. The win gives Gulf five of the past seven conference titles.

Gulf coach Travis Dewalt said he had a young team last season and that his wrestlers would take their lumps and come back stronger.

"There's no equation for hard work," Dewalt said. "These guys train year-round."

Gulf, Hudson and Pasco each had three individual winners. The Bucs might have had a fourth if not for Matt Oliver injuring his left knee in the 152-pound final. Wesley Chapel's Alex Turner won that weight class by injury default after their match was stopped a second time.

"He said he wanted to give it a try," Dewalt said Oliver told him after the first stoppage. "He did and he couldn't (wrestle), and that was it."

Gulf's Jordan Holding (125), Mike Calafiore (130) and Josh Przsubsz (135) all won individual titles.

Hudson's winners were Anthony Germano (160), Devin Brown (171) and Travis Tindell (heavyweight). Pasco's winning trio included Chance Finlay (145), Ray Perez (189) and Eric Stroud (215).

River Ridge, last year's runnerup, placed third and had two division winners in Anthony Biondo (103) and Tyler Fleming (119).

The other individual champions were Ridgewood's Dean Stupar (112) and Land O'Lakes' Josh Kweller (140).

Steve Lee can be reached at lee@sptimes.com or (352) 521-6517.

[Last modified January 28, 2007, 05:45:27]