Sports Notebook: Eagles, Hornets Earn Wrestling District Titles

Last week went extremely well for Hernando County wrestlers, with two teams celebrating district titles and another finishing as a district runner-up.

Both Springstead and Weeki Wachee claimed championships, starting with the Eagles last Wednesday at the District 2A-5 Tournament at River Ridge. Springstead ended up with 233 team points to beat out the host Royal Knights (206). The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualified for regionals.’

Giovani DeLape won at 126 pounds by two technical falls, 17-2 over River Ridge’s Griffin Garrett and 19-3 against Lecanto’s Rikky Johnson. Evan Bozek collected a gold medal at 144 by a 17-0 technical fall over River Ridge’s Frank Muir and 12-4 major decision versus Gulf’s Cameron Anthony.

Daniel Quinones placed first at 157 pinning Belleview’s Lee Miller in 41 seconds and winning 8-2 over Lecanto’s Joseph Kemp. Aden Juan did the same at 165 pinning Fivay’s Omir Martin in 19 seconds and downing River Ridge’s Jake Stanjeski by a 20-4 technical fall.

At 175, Darrius Rodick pinned Leesburg’s Dmarion Upshaw (43 seconds), Fivay’s Jocyah Robinson (1:02) and Gulf’s Raedon Jones (1:33). Kaleb Johns was the 215 champ pinning Lecanto’s Daniel Brown (1:00) and winning 12-5 over Jelani Bentley of Tavares.

Several other Eagles qualified for regionals, including Alexander Piazza (fourth at 106), Amir Hussein (second at 113), Christopher Stokes (third at 120), Gianni Rodriquez Gracia (third at 132), Brian Burch (second at 150) and Jaiden Dukes (fourth at 285).

Hosting the District 1A-6 Tournament on Thursday, Weeki Wachee finished with 231.5 team points, ahead of Hernando in second (222). Nature Coast finished fourth (164) and Central was seventh (50).

For the Hornets, Nick Guy won at 113 by pinning River Jass of First Academy-Leesburg in 26 seconds during the semifinals and Central’s Shane Parrott in the final in 2:52. Levi Chauncey was the champion at 138, pinning Nature Coast’s Ethan Arce in 1:57 and Wyatt Overstreet of The Villages in 1:34.

Ricky Bowermaster improved to 29-2 on the season with his first-place showing at 144, featuring a 1:05 pin of Mount Dora’s Henry Vasquez and a win over Hernando’s Jacob Fetzner by a 16-0 technical fall.

Diego Maysonet took the 157 title with a 1:36 pin of Nature Coast’s Bryce Senzig, a 2:00 pin of Mount Dora’s Connor Berry and a 14-7 decision over David Mooney of The Villages. Daniel Young placed first at 285 by pinning Hernando’s Wiley Blair (4:44) and Nature Coast’s Zackary Selback in 3:48.

Also advancing from Weeki Wachee were Cameron Flood (third at 106), Colton Dube (third at 120), Ricky Corbett (second at 150), James Nielson (second at 190) and Jashaun Contegiacomo (third at 215).

Hernando’s Cael Helm finished first at 132 by pinning Mount Dora’s Aidan Bush in 1:27, taking a 13-6 decision over Nature Coast’s Keith Gilbert and pinning Jonathan Overstreet from The Villages in 4:26. Noah Leota collected a championship at 150 by beating Chase Simmons of First Academy-Leesburg (50 seconds), Bishop Moore’s Matthew Marino (10-1 major decision) and Corbett from Weeki Wachee (3-2 decision).

Additionally for the Leopards, Jeremiah Chavis moved to 46-1 overall by pinning Nature Coast’s Riley Darby (2:30) and beating Weeki Wachee’s Nielson by a 17-2 technical fall. Kian Blyss won the district at 215 by pinning Mount Dora’s Kaleb Olson in 1:27 before Ethan Caudil of The Villages forfeited the final.

Davin Moen (second at 120), Lane Goodell (third at 126), Jacob Fetzner (second at 144), Terrance Shield (fourth at 165), James Shaw Garrett (second at 175) and Wiley Blair (third at 285) are the other Hernando wrestlers headed to regionals.

Zackary Myers of Nature Coast came in first at 106, taking a 16-7 major decision over Mount Dora’s Damian Quinonez and pinning Corbin Helm of First Academy-Leesburg in 1:20. Other Sharks qualifying for regionals were Julain Arce (fourth at 113), Keith Gilbert (fourth at 132), Ethan Arce (third at 138), Kahleal Henry (third at 144), Kaden Etheridge (third at 150), Jeremiah Rodriguez (third at 175), Darby (third at 190) and Selback (second at 285).

Parrott in second at 113 was the highest placing for Central. Wilberto Luna took third at 157.

Hernando’s girls wrestling teams followed a district title last week by taking second at Friday’s Region 1A-2 Tournament at Osceola. The Leopards scored 193.5, behind Freedom (235.5).

Two-time state champion Grace Leota remained undefeated at 22-0 with four pins to win at 190. She took down Maren Phillips of Rockledge in 20 seconds, Amari Etienne of Dr. Phillps in 35 seconds, Olympia’s Violet Duff in 1:24 and Sunlake’s Paisley Murphy in 1:04.

Keana Bush won at 110 pinning Cocoa Beach’s Zoey Idleman (47 seconds), East River’s Mya Cruz (1:47), Palm Bay’s Joyce Blanc (2:00) and taking a 5-1 decision over Sunlake’s Julia Brocato. Emma Bauknight took first at 115 winning by forfeit over Oak Ridge’s Kayslee Mata, by 17-1 technical fall over Marijesus Gutierrez of Titusville, 2:57 pinfall over Horizon’s Deleilah Viteri and by 7-5 decision against Catalina Kenney of Viera.

Mariah Earl was a regional champion at 155 with pins over Colonial’s Luna Quiroz (1:02), Tohopekaliga’s Abigail Reid (1:29) and Alyssa Gerber of George Jenkins (45 seconds) before taking a 13-6 decision against Freedom’s Jikayla Hutto.

Also going qualifying for states from the Leopards by finishing in the top four was Emerson Webber (third at 100), Daniela Espinal (third at 125) and Chloe Stinnett (second at 170).

Softball season got underway last week, and Hernando bounced back from a 9-2 loss to Citrus on Feb. 18 by pounding Carrollwood Day 11-0 on Thursday with Murphi Blade hitting a grand slam and St. Petersburg Catholic 17-0 on Friday behind Aubrey Knierim going 2 for 2 with five RBI, Ammarae Easton going 2 for 2 with a home run and three RBI, and Addisyn Slocum hitting a double and driving in two. Kaityn Carter threw three no-hit innings, walking one and striking out eight.

Central trounced Seven Rivers Christian 16-0 on Feb. 18. Yianna Casiano went 2 for 3 with two doubles, two runs and three RBI. Jacey Garlock drove in two runs. Payton Fox struck out eight in three innings, allowing just one hit.

Nature Coast started 1-2 but had a 15-0 victory over Seven Rivers on Thursday. Athena Brown finished 3 for 3 with a double, three runs and three RBI, Kamryn Ross was 3 for 3 with a run and an RBI, and Lilyana Noguez had two RBI.

Springstead’s baseball team (4-1) opened the second week of its season with a no-hitter by Himanchall Persaud in a 9-1 win over Lecanto on Feb. 18. The senior threw seven innings permitting an unearned run on four walks while striking out two. Dalton Williams went 3 for 4 with a double, a run and six RBI, while Andrew Ward was 2 for 2 with a triple, a run and two RBI.

Nature Coast’s Jackson Hoyt struck out 14 over five no-hit, shutout innings in a Feb. 18 5-4 win in nine innings over Central. Beckett Monroe went 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI.

Hernando beat Weeki Wachee twice, 7-6 on Feb. 18 and 3-2 on Friday with Austin Knierim throwing seven innings giving up one earned run and striking out 10. The Leopards are now 3-2, while the Hornets fell to 2-2.

In girls flag football, Hernando opened its season beating Central 19-0 on Feb. 19. Springstead won 7-0 over Palm Harbor University on Thursday with J’Ziyah Munford running for a touchdown. Nature Coast beat Weeki Wachee 6-0 on Feb. 18 on a touchdown catch by Gabriella Dross from Madelyn DePetrillo.