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Alonso Squad Off To Fast Start

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By ADAM ADKINS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 27, 2007

John Moore's squad at Alonso is following a simple motto this season: It's not how you start, it's how you finish. Well, if the Ravens finish anywhere close to how they've started, they'll enjoy a very successful season.

Alonso has raced to an 8-1 record through the first two weeks of the season. The team's lone loss was to powerhouse Brandon.

"We're at where I thought we would be, but we've got a lot more work to do," Moore said. "The guys have a goal of winning a district championship, as a team and as individuals, and we've got a long ways to go to get to that."

Four Ravens have stood out during the early part of the season, led by senior 152-pounder Kurt Ivy. Ivy, who took fifth at the Class 3A state tournament last season, is the team's only undefeated wrestler (9-0).

Senior Laz Palma (125 pounds), junior Jack Neuman (171) and sophomore Tony Milanes (103) are 8-1. Palma and Neuman's lone losses came to Brandon wrestlers, while Milanes' lone loss was to Armwood 103-pounder James Gray, a state qualifier last season.

The Ravens will get a great test this weekend when they travel to Orlando for the Oviedo duals, which will feature, among others, defending 3A state champ Oviedo and last season's 1A state champ, Naples Palmetto Ridge, which moved up to 2A this season.

"We're going to find out how tough we are," Moore said.

MILESTONE WITHIN REACH: Robinson will go for win No. 100 under Coach Tommy Montero this weekend when the Knights host a six-way meet with Middleton, Gaither, Brandon, Armwood and Lennard.

Robinson, 1-0 on the season after a win against Plant City, has 97 wins under Montero, in his sixth year as head coach. The coach said recently it would be "a huge accomplishment" for his program to get the milestone, but he knows it's going to be tough this weekend, especially with powerhouse Brandon and quality programs from Middleton and Armwood as opponents.

ALUMNI WELCOME: Brandon's wrestling team will hold its annual Alumni Night on Thursday when the Eagles host Chamberlain in a dual match.

Brandon will look to extend its national-record winning streak to 446 matches against a Chiefs squad that is 4-1 on the season.

QUICK HITS: Durant will host the Cougar Invitational on Friday and Saturday, a tournament that will feature some of the top teams in the state, including Fort Myers Riverdale, Bradenton Manatee, Springstead and Miami South Dade, and local squads Jesuit, Tampa Prep and Sickles, among others. The finals are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. ... Jesuit recently took third at the 1A Shootout in Sebring. The Tigers posted a 5-2 dual-match record at the event, coming in behind only Fort Myers Riverdale (7-0) and Green Cove Springs Clay (6-1), which finished second and third, respectively, at last season's Class 1A state tournament. ... Tampa Prep, which finished fourth at the Berkeley Prep Invite on Nov. 17, took second at the Lake Highland Prep Invitational during the weekend. Six Terrapins, including Tyler Liberatore, a state placer last season, won individual titles. ... Tampa Bay Christian took seventh at the Ocala Forest Invitational over the weekend, with Rossi Bruno and Clark Glass winning individual titles.

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533 or aadkins@tampatrib.com.

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