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Riverview/Apollo Beach Edition
Volume 20, Issue 6
Photos courtesy of the Riverview High School wrestling program and Austin Chung.
RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLER NICO ROMERO WINS STATE TITLE IN 3A DIVISION Riverview High School wrestler Nico come first. He doesn’t Romero was very confident that he was know whether or not he destined for victory in the final round wants to pursue wrestling of the state tournament after coming in college, but one thing up with a close win in the semifinal is for sure, he can earn an match while battling through a knee academic scholarship if he injury. The junior knew that he put in decides to take that route the necessary work in the offseason to instead. Either way, he has get him to this point. His intuition was a bright future ahead of correct, as he claimed the 3A state him. For right now, he has championship with relative ease in the dreams of winning another final match, becoming only the second state title next year. Nico Romero celebrates after winning the state title. male wrestler in the school’s history to “Anybody who’s spent 15 accomplish that. Current North Caroseconds talking to him can Nico Romero not only dominates on the wrestling mat, but on the brink of quitting. I couldn’t have lina wrestling standout Kizhan Clarke is in the classroom as well. He has made straight A’s throughout done it without him.” see how bright he is,” said Hall. “He can do the only other wrestler to reach that pla- high school and has a chance at being valedictorian of his Romero not only dominates on the whatever he wants. If he wants to pursue class next year. teau. Romero also helped lead his team wrestling mat but in the classroom as wrestling at the next level, he can do that, to eighth place in the state overall, which well. He has made straight A’s through- if he wants to be a doctor, he can do that. some help along the way when it came to his is the best finish in the school’s history. out high school and has a chance at being He has so much growth potential because he “I was super happy about my semifinal training during the offseason before. Romero valedictorian of his class next year. He’s also started late at wrestling. He has so much still match, super pumped up,” said Romero. picked up wrestling his freshman year at Riv- a part of the National Honor Society and the to learn, but he’s very good at what he does. “When I got to my finals match — when you erview and wasn’t as experienced as some Science Honor Society. His parents have al- It’s a cliche, but he can do whatever he wants get to that moment, you can’t have any doubt of his teammates. His two workout part- ways taught him that his grades and school in life.” in your mind, so I guess before going into ners, Nikolas Hernandez and Jacob Edwards, that I had already known that I was going to helped push him to be where he needed to be. Residential • Commercial win. It wasn’t a cockiness thing, it was more Romero gave big praise to Hernandez, who Exterior Repaint Specialists confidence because I knew how hard I had took second place in the state tournament in the weight class above. worked and I expected to win.” License #L20000250797 “There were times when he was a lot betRiverview head wrestling coach Ryan Hall said that Romero is a unique wrestler in ter than I was and he pushed me so much WE TAKE THE PAIN OUT OF PAINTING, AND that he’s very open to critique, vocal when to the point that I wanted to quit, but every he wants to learn something, has an itch to time I wanted to quit, he would tell me to PUT THE WO BACK IN WONDERFUL! DON’T DO IT YOURSELF! keep going and work harder,” said Romero. compete and is athletic to boot. (813) 723-9124 or (813) 670-8565 CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE The standout wrestler, who has a back- “He was a role model; he has these leadership YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!! www.tandjpaintingfl.com ground in mixed martial arts, said that he had skills that would bring you up when you were
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