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Gulf High Holiday Invitational Opens Friday In New Digs

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 13, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - The Gulf High School Holiday Invitational presented by Covanta Energy has new digs.

The tournament has stretched from its 20-team beginnings to 24 teams this season.

Due to the additional numbers, a new facility - the New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatics Center - was a must.

"We wanted to accommodate the fans because I didn't think our facility was adequate enough for the people who were coming," Gulf coach Travis DeWalt said. "Each year the tournament has grown, from the first year we hosted with 20, now it's at 24. You figure just with four extra teams and the amount of people they can bring, I didn't want anybody uncomfortable. I want them to be able to enjoy the spectator aspect."

The $14.1 million, 37,000-square foot complex, located at 6630 Van Buren St., was completed in May. Admission for the two-day tournament is $5 per day. Wrestling begins at 5 p.m. Friday and ends at 10 p.m. and resumes Saturday morning at 10, ending roughly at 6 p.m.

This event allows DeWalt to kill a handful of birds with one chuck of a stone. Not only does he get to coach his team through tough competition in the dual meet-style tournament, but he also is preparing for his future.

"There's no hidden secret later in life I'd like to be an athletic director," DeWalt said, "so staging events like this I think is great preparation."

Here's who's coming: Pool A: Manatee, Lemon Bay, Clearwater, Lehigh, Sarasota Booker, Lecanto; Pool B: Hernando, Pasco, River Ridge, Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (St. Augustine), Wiregrass Ranch, Sunlake; Pool C: Springstead, Tampa Prep, Ridgewood, Naples Golden Gate, Crystal River, Hudson; Pool D: Citrus, Belleview, North Marion, Gulf, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills.

Last season, Gulf, Pasco, Springstead and Golden Gate won their pools. Springstead beat Gulf in the finals, 54-15, to claim its second consecutive Gulf holiday tournament title.

COLLECTING HARDWARE: The 26th annual Kiwanis Invitational on Friday and Saturday, hosted by Hernando, proved fruitful to a handful of Pasco County wrestlers. Ridgewood's Allyn Williamson (135), Hudson's Tony Germano (160), Mitchell's Jessey Lorentsen (171) and Travis Tindell (285) and Pasco's Ray Perez (189) gathered individual titles at the tournament, while Gulf's Matt Gallagher, Jordan Holding and Jarod Carpenter finished second, third and fourth, respectively.

RANK 'EM: According to the Scoutfloridapreps.com Florida Wrestling rankings, Tindell is the lone Pasco County wrestler represented. The poll has the senior as the top heavyweight in Class 1A.

SIMMONS SHOWDOWN, SORT OF: Last week, Wesley Chapel traveled to Wiregrass Ranch for a rare dual. The Wildcats collected a 58-24 victory, which solidifies bragging rights among the Simmons brothers.

Brian Simmons is the Wesley Chapel coach, while his younger brother, Matt Simmons, is the Wiregrass coach.

The Westerville, Ohio, natives will likely find themselves in opposing corners Dec. 21 and 22 at the Land O' Lakes-hosted Edward Goodpaster Invitational and again Jan. 5 at Wesley Chapel's Fraternal Order of Eagles Wildcat Duals Invitational.

According to Brian Simmons, his brother's second-year squad has improved.

"Overall, I was really pleased with the way our kids wrestled and his program is definitely getting better and better every year," Brian Simmons said. "It was a lot closer and you can tell that his kids are getting better."

According to Matt Simmons, he gave up 12 to 18 points on forfeits.

"I was hoping we would have won, but it still went well for us," Matt Simmons said. "It was closer than what the score showed, I thought."

TRAVELING PLANS: Land O' Lakes is one of two Pasco County teams that will not participate in the Gulf holiday tournament, Instead, the Gators are headed to Orlando to participate in the 34th annual Bill Scott Christmas Tournament, hosted by Lyman.

Mitchell's varsity is off, while its JV squad will participate in Central's JV tournament.

Coaches wanting to add their team's information to the weekly Wrestling Notebook can submit their entries to Eddie Daniels by calling (813) 948-4214 or e-mailing edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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