Pinellas Park High School - Occurrences Yearbook (Largo, FL)

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iiuiiiiintuLU In a match versus Tarpon Springs, Scott Simonson, senior, works to free himself from underneath his com- petitor ' s grasp. VARSITY WRESTLING - ROW 1: Ninh Chau, Jerry Joyce, Mike Charlton, John Troyer, Frank DiBari; ROW 2: Coach Dale Updergraff, John Gorman, Jack VanZile, Joe Winkowski, Larry Williams, Bill Hunlly; ROW 3: Coach Dean Updergraff, Sam Williams, Chris Haugabook, Ben Solomon, Ed Nobel, Tim Barker, Joe Demos, Scott Simonson, Derek Cooper, Mike Starkey, Darren Kolofski, Happy Franklin, Coach Thad Starling, Coach Pete Collins; NOT PICTURED: Tom Piver VARSITY WRESTLING 199

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Special efforts lead to pins Wrestlers are Special People is a bumper sticker which most wrestlers agreed with. It took a special control and willpower to wrestle and the Patriot wrestlers had this. It ' s a great feeling after you ' ve won a match, said Derek Cooper, senior. It makes all the practice worth it. Everyday for two to three hours the wrestling team lifted weights, conditioned, ran, and used actual mat time. Practice even involved winter break. Everyday was important for team progress. Coach Pete Collins, head wrestling coach for five years and an ex-wrestler himself, felt that this Patriot season was a good one. We had the mix of ex- perience and new talent, which added up to a motivated team. Tough Patriot matches were VARSITY WRESTLING 11 27 Northeast 34-30 11 29 Boca Ciega 60-18 12 4 St. Pete 34-25 12 11 Osceola 50-17 12 13 Tarpon Springs 39-30 12 14-15 Patriot Invit. Tourn. 12 18 Seminole 45-20 12 20 Clearwater 44-17 1 10 Dixie Hollins 25-34 1 11 Dunedin 46-19 1 18 Sarasota 42-21 1 22 Lakewood 50-12 1 24 Gibbs 41-22 1 29 Largo 34-30 1 31 Countryside 14-48 2 1-2 PCC Tourn. 2 9 Lake Gibson 2 16 District Tourn. 2 22-23 Regional Tourn 3 1-2 State Tourn. Complete concentration is seen on the face of junior Larry Williams as he struggles for points while heing top versus Dixie Hollins and Pinellas County Conference Champions, Countryside. Man for man I felt we had the ability to contend with our most competitive rivals. We just had to stick it out, Cooper explained. If anyone could beat those teams, we could, added senior Joe Demos. We were strong. Strength was important, but concentration and strategy were equally so. Practice and learning was the key to winning. The Patriots had this key and with it, they dominated the mats. John Gorman, senior, tries to defen himself against a Tarpon Spring takedown. ,f- i;m VARSITY WRESTI, INC

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JUNIOR VARSITY WRESTLING 11 27 Northeast 51-24 11 29 Boca Ciega 6-6 12 4 St. Pete 46-23 12 11 Osceola 47-21 12 13 Tarpon Springs 51-16 12 14-15 Patriot Inv. Tourn. 12 18 Seminole 47-18 12 20 Clearwater 40-36 1 10 Dixie Hollins 44-30 1 11 Dunedin 57-18 1 18 Sarasota 62-26 1 22 Lakewood 50-6 1 24 Gibbs 47-11 1 29 Largo 38-30 1 31 Countryside 18-47 2 9 Lake Gibson 42-24 Breaking down his opponent, freshman Robby Barry gains points for the Patriots in the Tarpon Springs match. Sophomore Pat Atkinson uses a half- Nelson in working to pin a Tarpon Springs wrestler. Brian Phillips, freshman, has the ad- vantage and raises the Patriot score by defeating his opponent from Clearwater. 2nii |VWRESTLIN(;