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Ippolito Tourney Takes Toll On Ridgewood

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 24, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The 24th annual Tony Ippolito Memorial Tournament took its toll on the Ridgewood wrestling team, and we're not talking about typical bumps and bruises.

Allyn Williamson (135) injured his hand and will be out four weeks. According to Ridgewood coach Pete Smith, the injury, which isn't a break but a muscle injury, could linger if it isn't taken care of now.

J.P. Glenny (125) dislocated his arm, and Brandon Bates (140) hurt his hip after being slammed to the mat and aggravated it in his last match at the tournament.

The injuries prompted the Rams to cancel a dual meet against River Ridge, scheduled for Tuesday night at Ridgewood.

"We were down to about three guys who were going to be able to wrestle Tuesday," Smith said. "So I called them up. ... I know we have a heavyweight for them, but I didn't know how we matched up other than that.

"River Ridge coach Russ Schenk agreed that it was probably ridiculous to have the match, so we just called it off."

Smith hopes to have six wrestlers by Saturday's Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament at Wesley Chapel.

This is the first time Smith, in his fourth year as the Ridgewood coach, has endured a season of attrition like this.

"I'm not sure what God is trying to tell me," he said. "I'm sure He's trying to tell me something. Be patient and keep plugging, and I'm still there, so ...."

HELPING HANDS: Many schools in the area have offered to donate items needed by Ridgewood to run the Class 2A-District 5 tournament on Feb. 2.

Needless to say, the show of kindness has made Smith a happy coach.

"It's humbling, and it's nice," Smith said. "It really is."

From Smith's wife to the school's registrar, everyone is pitching in.

Dunedin has donated two clocks, which also display the score, and Central offered score flip cards. Ridgewood's Interact Club has volunteered its time as well.

Tom Fleming, father of River Ridge wrestler Tyler Fleming, will volunteer and run the computer program used to put together the tournament brackets.

"It's everybody pulling together," Smith said. "It's nothing I'm doing. I'm just riding the wave and trying to make sure that all the connections are in. I'm just kind of overseeing it."

POINCIANA DUALS: Sunlake was unable to place in the 20-team Poinciana Duals. The Seahawks went 2-2, finishing third in Pool A competition. They were knocked from the tournament after falling to Dunnellon, 52-24.

Here's how the first-year program did in its pool: beat Winter Haven, 41-35; lost to South Lake, 41-40; beat Winter Haven, 33-30; lost to Palm Bay, the tournament's eventual champion, 80-0.

WHO'S RANKED: Here's the Week 9 Florida wrestling rankings by Scoutfloridapreps.

com: In Class 1A, Pasco's Ray Perez is the top 189-pounder, and Hudson's Travis Tindell is the No. 1 heavyweight. In team rankings, Gulf is No. 13 in 1A.

Here are the Web site's individual rankings by classification: Class 1A: 103-Vidal Jimenz, Pasco (5); Jarrod Carpenter, Gulf (11); 112-Nick Hynes, Zephyrhills (10); 130-Jordan Holding, Gulf (2); 135-Josh Przbysz, Gulf (13); 152-Tony Germano, Hudson (5); 171-Devin Brown, Hudson (2); Matt Levinson, Gulf (11); 189-Perez (1); William Bentley, Hudson (5); 215-Eric Stroud, Pasco (3); 285-Tindell (1); Class 2A: 103-Andrew Agazarm, River Ridge (15); 112-Dean Stupar, Ridgewood (3); Anthony Biondo, River Ridge (10); 119-Fleming, River Ridge (9); 135-Williamson, Ridgewood (10); 285-Anthony Colello, River Ridge (9); Class 3A: 171-Jessey Lorentsen, Mitchell (4).

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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