TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Academics Takes Precedence For Hudson's Tindell

ADVERTISEMENT

By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 31, 2008

WESLEY CHAPEL - In his three previous years in the Sunshine Athletic Conference wrestling tournament, Hudson heavyweight Travis Tindell has collected championships, nothing less.

Last week, the senior had to forgo a chance at winning a fourth SAC crown to take care of his academics. He drove to Ridgewood, where he took the four-hour SAT, then he made his way to Wesley Chapel to support his teammates.

"This is more important to me right now, taking the SATs, because schooling, of course, is more important than sports. It always comes before it," said Tindell, who is weighing playing just football or doing both in college. "It stinks sitting here watching, like Tony Germano, one of my best friends, wrestling out there, and I'm like 'I should be out there with you right now.'"

It also allowed his teammate, Dan Burns, to get valuable mat time in Tindell's place.

Nonetheless, Tindell, ranked the top heavyweight in Class 1A by scoutfloridapreps.com, understands education is his ticket.

"The academics part is totally above everything else."

BEGINNERS LUCK? Pasco senior Matt Penix, in his first SAC tournament and in his second season wrestling, claimed the 125-pound title. Penix got a pin in the first round, a major decision in his second bout and earned an 8-1 decision against Gulf's Josh Isom in the final.

"There were a lot of tough kids," said Penix, who is 25-8. "Like my coach said, I had to train hard, and that's what I've been doing over the last few weeks and it's starting to pay off for me."
Penix was geared to play basketball last season until Pasco wrestling coach Mark DeAugustino approached him to wrestle.

"I said, 'I'll give it a try.' I played basketball before, so I figured I might as well try something different," Penix said. "So I came out and I liked it."

He liked it so much, he collected a third-place district finish as a junior.

PRESSURE? WHAT PRESSURE? Gulf coach Travis DeWalt isn't overly concerned about Jarod Carpenter's grade or experience level. There's just something about the sophomore that causes DeWalt to fixate on him making the state tournament, which begins two weeks from today in Lakeland.

"We've never had a sophomore place at the state tournament and I brought others there, but I've never had them place," DeWalt said. "So for him to get there is going to be our goal, but to place him will be icing on the cake."

Carpenter has a 23-6 record at 103 pounds, and he claimed his first SAC title after a third-place finish last season.

"It feels pretty good because now I've lived up to what I've said before," Carpenter said. "So it wasn't just a bunch of bull.

"It's been tough, Coach puts us through a lot over the whole season, and I just kept pushing through it and kept with what he was telling me."

HIGH HOPES: Ridgewood's Dean Stupar has been on a mission since the end of the 2007 season. After he qualified for the state tournament last season and didn't place, he made a bee-line for his offseason wrestling program. He also took a trip to Minnesota to participate in the grueling J. Robinson wrestling camp.

"I'm just now getting to where I want to be," Stupar said. "I'll start getting those tough kids. I had a couple of close matches, but I really want to go for a state title and go hard."

The addition of Matt and Billy Bullwinkel to the Ridgewood wrestling room has added something to Stupar's quest for a 112-pound title.

"It's tough, they work you pretty hard, but I know it's getting me better, so I'm pretty happy with it. I'm so happy they came down from college early to help me and my teammates out."

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.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT