Nutting Being Heard Off The Mat

Fri. February 17, 2012 at 11:00 p.m. | By Solange Reyner

LAKELAND'S ALEX NUTTING is talented on and off the mat. (Photo by ERNST PETERS | THE LEDGER )

By SOLANGE REYNER

THE LEDGER

LAKELAND | Lakeland senior Alec Nutting knows a thing or two about music.

He's a two-time All-State chorus member at the Harrison School of the Arts who can write music and who enjoys listening to The Belmonts of the doo-wop period.

"I definitely dig music from the 1950's," said Nutting, a baritone. "And right now we're studying music from the romantic period so I'm really enjoying that, too."

It's his wrestling that is keeping him in the spotlight this weekend, though.

Nutting, who competes at 220 pounds, is one of five wrestlers to advance to the semifinals of the FHSAA state wrestling tournament today.

He did it by cruising through his opening round match, a 15-0 tech fall win over Ryan Johnson from Freedom, and winning a cheeky quarterfinal, 10-5, against Jordan Sanchez of Cooper City on Friday.

Nutting, who was also the starting center for the football team this season, will face South Dade's William Ford, a wrestler with a 52-5 record, in the morning for a chance to get to the state finals.

The final round of competition is set to start at 5:30 p.m. at the Lakeland Center today.

"Just taking it one step at a time," Nutting said. "It's all part of the plan to get onto the top of that podium."

So far, the season has come along nicely for Nutting, who decided to take a bit of time off from chorus this season so he could focus more on wrestling.

He carries a 34-2 record into the semifinals along with a district and county title.

His most recent accomplishment, winning a championship at the Class 3A, Region 2 tournament last Friday, was likely the most impressive because the region, which includes wrestling powerhouse Brandon, is one of the toughest in the state.

Nutting pinned his way through it to get to the top of the podium there.

His success this season has been fueled by a number of things. He's not injured like he was last year and Lakeland has a new coach on staff who has boosted the intensity at practices and who has experience winning.

Matt Markowski, a three-time high school state champion for Fort Myers who wrestled at Northern Iowa, was brought on this season by coach Brian Abdon.

His addition, said Abdon, has made a big difference, especially for Nutting.

"From day one to the basic things at warm-ups to the techniques that we've done and trying to get us to peak at the right time it's been a world of difference," Abdon said.

"The kids really bought into everything he's done."

In order to get past Ford, Nutting thinks he'll have to keep his cool. His match against Sanchez was a bit gritty and he lost three points in the end because he got frustrated. One point was given to Sanchez because Nutting was penalized for unnecessary roughness.

"I know it's going to get tougher," Nutting said. "So I just have to stay focused and remember what's at stake."