Preps

Pinellas wrestling: New guys, old goal

Countryside and Northeast have new head coaches in place,but the mission is the same for these top programs: get to state.

By DOUG KATES, Times Correspondent
Published November 12, 2007

Two of the top wrestling programs in the county have new coaches this season. Will that even up the competition, or will certain powerhouses still be a threat?

"We're focusing on trying to be the best we can," said Countryside coach Mark Prince, an assistant for Greg Chapman last year.

"I'm glad to be back to build another legacy," said Northeast coach Aaron Leitner, the assistant for Danny Hill last year. "I'm where I want to be for the long haul. It's an amazing experience to be offered this position."

Prince has been with the Cougars the past three years. Last season he saw six athletes qualify for the state tournament and three place in the top six.

Leitner is a 1992 Northeast grad who once wrestled for Bill Dudley. Hill moved to Cincinnati, giving Leitner a chance to match standards set by his former coach.

While Prince has at least five leaders returning from last year's Pinellas County Athletic Conference championship team, Leitner is starting out in a hole. Senior Devontay Harrington moved on to Dixie Hollins, and A.J. Yingling, who battled injury problems for two seasons, moved to Pennsylvania.

Leitner is relying on senior Ambrose Chisholm and junior Josh Miller to keep the Vikings a threat. Miller is a previous district champion; Chisholm won 25 matches last year.

"I have a great group of kids. The intensity level in practice has stepped up," Leitner said.

Prince is in much better shape personnelwise, and most coaches throughout the county believe the Cougars remain the team to target. Among the 2006-07 Times' all-county returners are seniors Tyler Parry, Eric Deupree and Chris Talhouck, and juniors Kyle Grueninger and Jordan Frease. Senior Dan Hepburn and sophomore Shawn Sprentall are questionable. Sprentall, Hepburn, Grueninger, Parry and Deupree all reached state last year.

"The group coming back is the real nucleus," Prince said. "They are kids I've been working with for three years. We've all been close as a family and that makes a difference."

Joining Prince this season is former Countryside coach David Frayer. Prince said it would be inaccurate to call Frayer an assistant, so Frayer will be referred to as a Hall of Fame coach this season.

"Assistant is not justified," Prince said.

Preseason top 30

School Wt.* Yr.

Countryside

Tyler Parry 125 Sr.

Eric Deupree 130 Sr.

Chris Talhouck 135 Sr.

Kyle Grueninger 112 Jr.

Jordan Frease 119 Jr.

Clearwater Central Catholic

Alex Paige 171 Sr.

Eric Sarra 215 Sr.

Kyle Rettig 285 Sr,

Cory List 112 Sr,

Bobby Zagers 135 Jr.

Dunedin

Danny Miller 160 Sr.

Derek Herring 130 Sr.

Antonio Talley 171 Jr.

Dixie Hollins

Jake Lawhead 130 Sr.

Jaron Cole 215 Sr.

Devontay Harrington 152 Sr.

Northeast

Ambrose Chisholm 171 Sr.

John Miller 103 Jr.

Palm Harbor University

Andrew Fontaine 160 Jr.

David Dougherty 103 So.

Osceola

David Best 119 Sr.

Brent Sergakis 112 Jr.

St. Petersburg Catholic

Ricky Niger 112 Sr.

Nick Travis 103 Jr.

Largo

Marshall Hall 171 Sr.

Pinellas Park

Justin Barnhart 171 Sr.

East Lake

Brian Belcher 135 Sr.

Northside Christian

Cliff Barker 112 Fr.

St. Petersburg

Demetrius Madry 119 Sr.

Calvary Christian

Ryan Allan 145 Jr.

(* weight division last year)

Clearwater Central Catholic

Likely the No. 2 team in the county this season. The Marauders have four athletes returning with a ton of experience: seniors Alex Paige, Eric Sarra and Kyle Rettig, and junior Bobby Zagers, who combined for 81 wins last year through the district season. Paige was 1-2 at state.

"Alex will be my top guy," said coach Scott Stern, who has 11 seniors on the roster. "He should be in contention for a state title. He's gone to two wrestling camps and is in phenomenal shape. He could be the best wrestler in Pinellas County."

Dixie Hollins

Northeast transfer Devontay Harrington joins seniors Jake Lawhead and Jaron Cole. The Rebels are getting a district champion in Harrington, who also was 2-2 in Lakeland. Lawhead won a district title with his 26th victory of the season. Cole was 17-8 through districts and posted a 2-2 record at regionals.e_SClBDunedin

The Falcons have a good core coming back. Senior Danny Miller was 32-3 after districts and went 2-2 in Lakeland. Senior Derek Herring was a district champion, and junior Antonio Talley was a district champion with a brief stay in the state tournament.

"We have a strong nucleus of kids who have worked hard over the summer," coach Marc Allison said. "... We are solid everywhere. We have no first-year wrestlers in the varsity lineup."

Allison has added some strong tournaments to the schedule, with unfamiliar state foes at the Cowboy Roundup in Kissimmee and unfamiliar district foes at a tournament in Land O'Lakes.

Sleeper pick?

Largo lost 17 wrestlers, including 12 starters, to graduation, and will start the season with little experience. But ask coach Jeremy Frioud where he thinks his team will rank in the county and he predicts top three - but he doesn't want anyone to know it.

"This year will be twice as fun as last year because we have no expectations," Frioud said. "This team will be super-tough, and we're going to sneak up on people."

There are 55 wrestlers on the Largo roster and seven former wrestlers helping out in the practice gym. "By January we'll be a different team," Frioud said. "It's like a new car. I have to order a few parts, but then we'll be ready to roll."

On the Web

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[Last modified November 12, 2007, 00:16:49]