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Pizza-eating champ collects prizes for effort

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Cape Coral resident Michael Hester captured the inaugural Matanzas on the Bay Pizza-Eating Contest Saturday. He finished 11 slices of Dave’s Dockside Pizza in 15 minutes to win a $100 gift certificate to Matanzas Restaurant and a free night stay at the Matanzas Inn.

Hester jumped out to an early lead, had almost a full pie eaten at the halfway point, then cruised to victory over the rest of the field.

“I love pizza,” he said. “I knew that I could eat a lot of quickly, because I am from a big Catholic family of five boys. Whoever wanted seconds better eat fast first.”

Hester stated he read about the contest in the Beach Observer/Bulletin newspapers when he and his girlfriend were looking for things to do on the beach. The Florence, Ky., native steered from his original strategy.

“I wanted to tear the crust off and soak it in water, but I didn’t have the right cup,” he said. “Crust is the hardest part.”

Hester also decided not to speak during the competition. Many of the contestants did not follow that advice.

“Everyone was talking. When you talk with a mouth full, you can have a gagging reflex,” he said. “You just got to be quiet and concentrate – and come hungry.”

Known for Dave’s Dockside Pizza, Matanzas on the Bay plans to run the contest on a yearly basis.

“Next year we plan on joining up with the Knights of Columbus more extensively to make it a benefit,” said Matanzas on the Bay Manager Glen Petrarca. Officials did extract $5 from each $25 entry fee for K of C fundraising efforts this year.

The event was a clean one. Not one contestant regurgitated. The rain held off until roughly 30 minutes after the event.

“It was a good day for pizza,” said Chef Dave Chetwin, whose signature pies are made from homemade dough and homemade sauce.

The other contestants, who received a Petey’s Upper Deck Flex Fit hat for participating, included Jordan Siegle, Chris Scott, John Youngworth, Larry Fries, Bill Rice and Dennis Robinson, who is a K of C member on Fort Myers Beach. K of C is celebrating their 25th anniversary as an organization and will hold an event in April to honor that milestone.