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Oviedo's plan to win state wrestling title: Stick together |
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The Lions
say they were not clicking when they finished out of the running at state the
past two years.
Staff reporter
6:32 PM EST, February 18, 2010 Before the season began, the team sat together in a hotel lobby in Iowa and devised a plan to become state champs. "The team wasn't clicking then, and we talked about coming up with a team focus," 125-pound junior Joey Hefley said. "So we decided that we'd all come together and win a state title." After winning four consecutive Class 3A wrestling state titles, Oviedo fell upon what would be considered hard times for the Lions. A third-place finish in 2008 was followed by a fourth-place finish last season as Kissimmee Osceola won its first team title. The 2010 FHSAA state meet will begin today and conclude Saturday in Lakeland. "We weren't as close as a team the last two years," Chase Gordon said. "We worked hard and had great coaching, but it seemed we were more focused on individual agendas, and we wanted to change that this season." The dry spell also was felt individually, with Gordon's win at 140 pounds being the only title in the past two years. That should change this year. It will change, the team says. The Lions, competing in 2A this year after a reshuffling of the classes, enter the state tournament as a favorite to win their fifth team title. "We've really become a family this year, and it's been a great experience," Jay Taylor said. "We're beating everybody, and we believe in each other." Oviedo has 10 wrestlers at the tournament's start this morning, including region champs Hefley, Gordon, Taylor and Doug Vollaro. In 3A, Osceola and Winter Springs lead the area's hopes. The defending state champion Kowboys had four region champs in arguably the toughest region in the state while the Bears qualified nine wrestlers for state while easily winning their region with five individual champs. In 1A, Lake Highland and Bishop Moore both have sights on a top-10 finish after successful region tournaments. Brant Parsons can be reached at bparsons@orlandosentinel.com
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