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Congratulations to Matthew Nereim
2010 FHSAA 3A 140lb STATE CHAMPION

Matthew pulled off an exciting win in the gold medal match against a defending state champion who was ranked number 6 in the nation. Let me set the stage.  With 10 seconds remaining, the score was tied 8-8.  Matt was in the bottom position fighting and scrapping trying to escape.  He was able to hit a lightning quick reversal move with 1 second remaining to win 10-8.

Congratulations to Sophomore Eric O'Neill
2010 FHSAA 3A 135lb State Runner-up  

After pinning a state champion in the quarterfinals and defeating a 2 time state placewinner 9-4 in the semifinals Eric lost a tough match in the finals to a 2 time state champion and a national runner-up. Very proud of Eric and his silver medal!

Regionals 2010

Regional Champs are:
112lbs: Mike Riccard Regional Champion
135lbs: Eric O'Neill Regional Champion
140lbs: Matthew Nereim Regional Champion
145lbs: Ariel Serrano 3rd Place Finisher
152lbs: Brent Basich Regional Champion
171lbs: Robert O'Neill Regional Champion
189lbs: Ryan Petro 3rd Place Finisher
215lbs: Kyle Gach 3rd Place Finisher
285lbs: Scott Accomando Regional Runner-up

District Champs are:
112lb DISTRICT CHAMPION: Mike Riccard, 10th
135lb DISTRICT CHAMPION: Eric O'Neill, 10th
140lb DISTRICT CHAMPION: Matthew Nereim, 12th - (4x District Champion)
145lb DISTRICT CHAMPION: Ariel Serrano, 11th
152lb DISTRICT CHAMPION: Brent Basich, 12th- (2x District Champion)
171lb DISTRICT CHAMPION: Robert O'Neill, 11th
189lb DISTRICT CHAMPION: Ryan Petro, 11th - (2x District Champion)

Nathan “Nate” Joseph Brouwer

August 13th, 1994 – October 17th, 2009

Memorial Service

A memorial service will be held at 6:00pm on Thursday, October 22nd at Willow Creek Church.
The church is located at 4725 E Lake Drive in Winter Springs.

Winter Springs High School Sophomore Nathan Brouwer passed away last weekend. He is survived by his parents Keleigh and Rob as well as siblings Andrew and Amanda. Nate was a proud member of the Wrestling Team and on behalf of his teammates, our coaching staff and athletic department we present this tribute to his brief but bright young wrestling career.

In November of 2008 just months after his 14th birthday Nate stepped foot on a wrestling mat for the first time and immediately began working towards a starting spot in our varsity line-up. During his first and only season he won a total of 32 matches with an amazing 91% of his wins coming by way of fall, including 27 pins and 2 technical falls. This is a new school record that may never be broken. Along the way Nathan helped Winter Springs capture Team Championships at both the 35th Annual Lyman Christmas Tournament and the 2009 FHSAA 3A District II Tournament. Two weeks after the end of the High School season Brouwer went back to putting in work. During the club season he attended five wrestling camps and clinics competed in 55 matches in preparation for his Sophomore campaign. Nate’s brilliance as an athlete was only surpassed by his brilliance as a human being. His willingness to establish friendship was perhaps his greatest quality; a quality resulting from being raised by a loving family. Nate Brouwer will always be loved and missed by all who   knew him.

2009 FILA CADET GRECO ROMAN
NATIONAL CHAMPION

Junior Matthew Nereim just made history as he ripped off 15 straight wins in Ohio to became the first WSHS wrestler ever to capture a National Championship! Brian Nereim traveled up to Akron with Matt and teammates Ryan Petro and Mike Riccard. They both also stepped up to this huge challenge and represented our program as well. Ryan's recorded a pin against an opponent from Illinois while leading in the second period. Mike won the first period 5-2 against a returning double All American as well. These guys all got great national level experience that will pay off for program in the future.

ROUND 1: Matt Nereim (Florida) defeats Steve Burling (Illinois)
Won in three periods 11-2.

ROUND 2: Matt Nereim (Florida) defeats Ryan Guynup (New York)
Won by fall in just 12 seconds!

ROUND 3: Matt Nereim (Florida) defeats AJ Zemke (Wisconsin)
Won 8-0 in two periods against Wisconsin state runner-up!

ROUND 4: Matt Nereim (Florida) defeats Burke Paddock (New York)
Won by fall in 1:12.

QUARTERFINALS: Matt Nereim (Florida) defeats Spencer Brown (Utah)
Won 7-3 in two periods.

SEMIFINALS: Matt Nereim (Florida) defeats Ryne Cokeley (Kansas)
Won by technical fall 13-0 against returning double All American.

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS: Matt Nereim (Florida) defeats Justin Koethe (Iowa)
Won 10-1 in two periods

2009 Zac Jarzynka Scholarship Winner

Senior 160lber Nick Benante has been selected as a recipient of the 2009 Zac Jarzynka Scholarship. Nick persevered through many hardships during his high school career. Benante began his Sophomore year as one of the top up and coming prospects in the area before sustaining a season ending injury at the Lyman Christmas Tournament. Then he missed his entire 11th grade season after blowing out his knee during football a game in the Fall. Nothing was able to keep him down and he battled back into the line-up this year as a senior. Everyday in practice was a battle against those demons of past injury. Benante's attitude, leadership and work ethic helped pave the way for our program's success over the last three seasons.

Nick's gritty post season performance helped our team end Oviedo's eight year stranglehold on District Championship. Nick's exciting quadruple overtime win against Timber Creek's 160lber in the regional tournament perfectly illustrated who he is as a man. Congrats to a well deserving young man who will take all of the life lessons he learned from wrestling with him to have success in this world.

Regional Runner-up

Our coaching staff is extremely proud of the effort turned in by everyone on the team this weekend. We returned home as the 2009 3A Region I Runner-ups! This is a feat that has only been accomplished one other time in school history in 2002. For complete sory, click here.

WINTER SPRINGS WRESTLING
2009 DISTRICT CHAMPIONS

Our Varsity Wrestling team just ended Oviedo's 9 year streak of District Championships. This is the most monumental team performance our program has ever had....

Knocking off the #1 ranked team in Central Florida took a great effort from each and every team member.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1) Winter Springs: 214 points
2) Oviedo: 200.5 points
3) Lake Mary: 146 points
4) Deland: 123 points
5) Deltona: 49 points
6) Hagerty: 46.5 points
7) Pine Ridge: 33 points
8) Seminole: 21 points


WINTER SPRINGS ADVANCES ALL 14 WRESTLERS TO THE REGIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY

103lbs Mike Riccard, 9th: District Runner-up
112lbs Nate Brouwer, 9th: 3rd Placer
119lbs Alex Backer, 12th: District Runner-up
125lbs Alex Curley, 12th: 2-Time District Champion
130lbs Matt Nereim, 11th: 3-Time District Champion
135lbs Eric O'Neill, 9th: 4th Placer
140lbs Ariel Serrano, 10th: 3rd Placer
145lbs Brent Basich, 11th: District Champion
152lbs Denzell Washington, 11th: 3rd Placer
160lbs Nick Benante, 12th: 3rd Placer
171lbs David Hanley, 11th: 4th Placer
189lbs Robert O'Neill, 10th: 4th Placer
215lbs Ryan Petro, 10th: District Champion
285lbs George Mills, 12th: 2-Time District Champion

WS Wrestling Fan of The Year (John "Papa Bear" Gomrad)

For Lake Mary TOC Tournament Results (Click here)

2008 OFF SEASON RECAP

Two weeks after the 2008 FHSAA state tournament our 30 of our returning high school wrestlers got back on the mat by joining the Westside Wrestling Club. Our club competed in tournaments at Deltona, St Cloud, Lake Howell, Oviedo, Osceola, Palm Bay, Brandon, Lakeland and Coral Glades. Some guys competed in more tournaments then others and that experience will pay off for them this year. After the end of the school year the team remained busy with summer workouts running through late July. We also had a 2 week clinic series ran by Three Time FHSAA State Champion and current Lehigh University wrestler Brandon Hatchett. After taking a few weeks off before the school reopened many of our guys are champing at the bit to get back at the mat.

Coach Ciero ran a very successful season for the Westsdie Wrestling Club youth level. We saw tremendous growth with 25 wrestlers ages 7 - 13 joining our kids program throughout the Spring and Summer. Many of these youngsters got out and competed at several tournaments as well and they showed everyone the face of the future of Bear Wrestling. Our youth program will start back up the first of December; contact Coach Gomrad for more information: scottgomrad@yahoo.com

FLORIDA PRIDE TEAM CAMP HUGE SUCCESS

Coach Ciero and I were very excited to take 15 wrestlers to our team camp in early June. This was the largest group we have brought out over the past three summers. They participated in three 2 hour technique sessions each day and also competed in several dual meets. In addition we got in a lot of extra live wrestling against some of the best kids in the state as well as several college wrestlers during the open mat time each night. Great job to everyone that stepped up and made the trip to camp:

-Alex Curley, 12th Grade
-Nick Benante, 12th Grade
-Alex Backer, 12th Grade
-Cody Hall, 12th Grade
-Matt Nereim, 11th Grade
-Brent Basich, 11th Grade
-David Hanley, 11th Grade
-Kyle Padilla, 10th Grade
-Chris Maxwell, 10th Grade
-Kyle Gach, 10th Grade
-Ryan Petro, 10th Grade
-Austin Hoover, 10th Grade
-Cole Morgan, 10th Grade
-Areil Serrano, 10th Grade
-Eric O'Neill, 9th Grade

Also a big thanks to everyone that helped get us to the camp:
Mr. Morgan, Mrs. Basich, Mrs. Padilla, Mrs.Gach and Mr. Nereim.

MATT NEREIM BECOMES AN ALL AMERICAN

In July Matt Nereim placed 3rd in the Nation at the Cadet Greco Roman National Championships in Fargo North Dakota in the 135lb weight division. It is the first
time is his career that he has achieved All American status and he becomes only the second wrestler from Winter Springs High School to place at the USA Wrestling National Championships. In 2006 Brandon Hatchett finished 4th in the 152lb weight class.

His road to glory wasn't an easy one as Nereim lost a very close match early in the tournament to a multiple time national champ from Nebraska. Then with his back
up against the wall and another loss meaning elimination he showed tremendous resolve and perseverance on the national stage. Matt stepped up big time ripping off seven straight victories against some of the top 135lb wrestlers in the country. One by one State Champions and State Place Winners from Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Idaho, Arizona and Virginia all fell at the hands of Nereim.

In late June Nereim competed at the Cadet National Duals in Kansas City Missouri. He recorded 15 wins and 2 losses against some of the best competition in the country. Nereim had the second highest win total and the most technical falls out of everyone on Team Florida's 22 man roster.

Matt Nereim is an incoming Junior and was the FHSAA State runner-up last season in 125lb weight class. He also excels in the classroom carrying a 3.35 grade point average exemplifying what Winter Springs Wrestling is all about.

SENIOR ALEX CURLEY COMPETES AT NATIONAL DUALS

Alex Curley has had an awesome showing at the AAU National Duals in June. Alex won five matches and helped his team stay undefeated heading into the championship round where they fell in the finals to an All Star Team from Ohio. This experience will pay big dividends for Curley, a defending Conference and District Champion.

AAU NATIONAL DUALS RESULTS

Palmetto Ridge All Stars, Fl. 33 - Oregon Clay, Ohio 32
119 Kyle Sutter won by 17-3 major dec over Alex Curley
(Alex fighting off the technical fall helped secure the team win)

Palmetto Ridge All Stars, Fl. 57 - Ohio, Bulldogs 12
119 Alex Curley won by 8-6 minor dec over Shawn Brunk

Palmetto Ridge All Stars, Fl. 57 - Illinois Top Dawgs 17
119 Alex Curley won by fall in 3:47 over Cody Briggs

Palmetto Ridge All Stars, Fl. 68 - Penn Extreme 0
119 Alex Curley 8-5 minor dec Kelby Wendzel

Palmetto Ridge All Stars, Fl. 58 - Clay, FL. 11
119 Alex Curley won by Fall in 2:15 over Bobby Waites

Palmetto Ridge All Stars, Fl. 49 - Manatee 8
119 Alex Curley 3-1 major decision over Kyle Ballard

Troy Christian, Ohio 48 - Palmetto Ridge All Stars, Fl. 20
119 Ben Sergent won by fall 2:22 over Alex Curley"