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Cobras start strong, stymie short-handed Pirates' rally

By JAMAL THALJI

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 21, 2000

HUDSON -- Ask Pasco coach Mark DeAugustino what could have swung Wednesday's match in his team's favor, and in his mind he starts counting the empty seats on the bus ride from Dade City.

Because on the road against Hudson, a foe had better be at full strength.

The Pirates were not, and it showed as the Cobras earned a 50-30 victory.

Each team had five pins. But Pasco didn't have enough bodies to challenge.

"If they had been at full strength and had (Alvaro) Moreno back, it definitely would have been a much bigger challenge," Cobras coach Dana Bentley said.

Hudson won despite missing Eric Zul (disciplinary reasons), David Tirrell (injury) and Larry Barabas (illness).

For DeAugustino, it was the eight wrestlers who quit earlier this season who weighed most on his mind. Plus the loss of Moreno, who is waiting for his eligibility to be restored on disciplinary grounds.

"We have the athletes sitting around at school who should be wrestling," DeAugustino said. "It's killing us, and (those who quit) don't care."

Pasco entered the match forfeiting the 112- and 119-pound weight classes to Ali Mercer and R.J. Molnar, respectively. For Mercer, it was her first varsity win.

Jeremy Alford won at 103 for Pasco, pinning Robert Wright in 3:30. Luke Jubran answered for Hudson, pinning Michael Graham in 2:27. The Cobras' Albert Mezquita pinned Weston Ward in 5:33, and teammate Cory Weinstein added a 38-second pin at 135. Combined with the two forfeits, those wins gave the Cobras a commanding 30-6 lead.

The Pirates' Tanner Orr pinned Kipper Connell Jr. in 5:50 to win at 140. Teammate Jonathan Hancock pinned Brad Bliton in 30 seconds at 145. Brad Alford pinned Jeff Moore in 55 seconds to win 152. And just like that, the Pirates cut the lead to 30-24.

Hudson's Zenon Herrera pinned Matt Herron in 3:47 and Dana Bentley overcame an early deficit to hold off Roger Carroll in a 10-7 victory, pushing the lead back up to 39-24.

Pasco's Tye Reedy pinned Kyle Boehme at 189 in 1:15, but the Pirates scored no more points.

The Cobras' defending state champion, Robb Philippus, pinned Jason Dorman in 2:36, though Hudson lost a team point when Philippus let out a yell while he and Dorman were tangled up after the match. Walter Truzack caught Chris Taylor on his back for a 28-second pin to end it.

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