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Pasco's Stroud Having Fun

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 16, 2008

LAKELAND - When Eric Stroud of Pasco gets on the mat, he has to battle whether he should have fun or be serious. Opponents would rather he be serious.

"My mind goes back and forth between being serious or going out there and having fun," the 215-pounder said. "When I wrestle serious, I wrestle smart, but when I wrestle for fun, I'm a lot more aggressive."

He wrestled for fun against Clewiston's Adam Trevino in Friday's Class 1A quarterfinals. At the 1:40 mark of the second period, Stroud slammed Trevino, and later in the same period he turned Trevino to his back with both arms pinned beneath him. When the period ended, Trevino laid on his back grimacing, clutching his left side.

Stroud admitted he hasn't won any big matches this season until he beat Brooksville Hernando's Taylor Rotunda for the regional title last week.

"I just had to prove a point," Stroud said. "I needed that win because I hadn't won any big matches yet this year."

He got a second big win with his 12-3 major decision against Casey Hines of Bradford in the semifinals Friday night. That victory put him in the state finals, along with teammate Ray Perez (189). They'll attempt to earn Pasco's first title since Tanner Orr's 2003 championship. It's also the first time Pasco has had two finalists since Ben Alford and Ty Reedy in 2001.

COZART HONORED: Just before the start of the championship semifinals, the Florida High School Athletic Association and the crowd at The Lakeland Center honored Brandon coach Russ Cozart for his time in wrestling and to commemorate the Eagles' winning streak of 459 consecutive matches, which ended Jan. 5 against Homestead South Dade.

As the minutes-long standing ovation continued, Brandon assistants Bob Hendrickson, Mike Ferrario and Kevin Donofrio handed Cozart a trophy, which had the inscription: "Nothing is stronger than the influence of a living legend."

Since taking over the program in 1980, Cozart has coached his squad to 18 team titles, 166 individual titles and 145 state placers.

JINX LIVES: Bloomingdale coach Donny Peek couldn't do much but shake his head Friday morning. For the third consecutive season, he watched his wrestlers struggle in the quarterfinals.

Seniors Austin Figari (130) and Keith Mooney (215) and junior Chris Figari (140) each lost their quarterfinal match, putting them into the wrestlebacks. That makes Bulls wrestlers 1-8 in quarterfinal matches at the last three state tournaments.

The good news was Bloomingdale wrestlers were perfect in the second round of wrestlebacks, meaning they still have a shot to reach the medals podium today.

STAYING ALIVE: Several local wrestlers kept themselves alive in the tournament Friday by posting a second consecutive win in the wrestlebacks, among them Armwood teammates James Gray (103) and Tim Witte (171) and Robinson teammates Zach Boyer (130) and Ellis St. John (189).

The others included St. Petersburg Catholic's Nick Travis (112), River Ridge's Anthony Biondo (112), Newsome's Dan Wood (145), Northeast's Josh Delmontagne, Alonso's Tony Milanes (103), Countryside's Jordan Frease (119) and Plant City's Travis Vollick (171).

THIRD TIME'S A ...: The two previous wrestling seasons have been a pain for Hudson's Tony Germano. In his last two state tournament appearances, he was unable to place. Those past experiences have served as a constant prod, pushing the senior.

On Friday night, he won his semifinals match to advance into the 1A 160-pound title bout.

"It's something I've got to finish," Germano said. "It's my third time being here and I'd like to finish it out."

He said going in to this year's tournament he felt like he was in "a lot better shape. I think I have something to prove to myself."

Eddie Daniels, Adam Adkins

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