 |
 |
   
 |
| STATE WRESTLING: Top 25 Team Rankings - No. 1 | ||||
 Overall Rankings
|
How does your wrestling program stack up to the best in the state? Here is the first look at the Top 25, All-Classification ranking of the elite in Florida. | |||
|
Here they are, the Top 25 teams in the State of Florida regardless of class. Congratulations to all of the coaches of these teams and to their wrestlers. Enjoy your time here because the New Year is just around the corner and challengers are banging on the doors to get in. 1 Brandon 2 Clearwater Countryside 3 Oviedo 4 Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons 5 Venice 6 Homestead South Dade 7 Miami Southridge 8 Miami Dr. Krop 9 Brooksville Hernando 10 Green Cove Springs Clay 11 Ft Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 12 St. Cloud 13 Hillsborough Riverview 14 Plant City Durant 15 Sebastian River 16 Punta Gorda Charlotte 17 Jacksonville University Christian 18 Miami Braddock 19 Southwest Miami 20 Boca Raton Olympic Heights 21 Fort Pierce Central 22 Orange Park Ridgeview 23 Miami Palmetto 24 Port St. Lucie 25 Orlando University Others in the hunt:Jupiter; Pinellas Park; Orlando Olympia; Valrico Bloomingdale; Naples Gulf Coast; Flagler Palm Coast; Gainesville. Rankings are based on competition in National Federation or FHSAA-sanctioned high school wrestling events in the 2003-04 season thru December 28, 2003. These rankings may be copied into newpapers, newspaper web sites and cited by journalists in their articles by giving credit to FloirdaKids.us or to John Lawton. They may not be copied onto sports commercial web sites without the permission of John Lawton. BRANDON IS No. 1 in Florida Wrestling Rankings Brandon finishes off the calendar year as the top team in Florida. Coach Russ Cozart's Eagles flew up to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio to participate in the ASICS Ironman and convinced the Ohio fans and national writers that they are for real. Brandon placed second with 183 points behind Blair Academy, NJ who had 273. Brandon had two champs, a runner-up, four-thirds and a sixth place finisher. Champs were Franklin Gomez (112) and David Craig (171). Craig had to defeat two reigning USA Wrestling National champs. He defeated Blair Academy's Hudson Taylor by 8-7 in the semifinals. The he bested St. Vincent, Ohio's Rocco Caponi by 3-2 in the finals to win his title. Other placers were Keith Simmons (275) in second. Third were Cesar Grajales (125), Eddie Hutchinson (140), Rocky Cozart (160) and Rashard Goff (215). Ryan Joyce (130) was sixth. Countryside held onto the No. 2 position as they breezed thru the 15-team Southside Duels at Gulfport Boca Ciega. Going unbeaten (9-0) in the tourney for Coach Frayer were Kent Costell (112), Greg Vernon (119); Vince Scholl (125); Casey Schreiber (140) and A. Jay Hixon (152). Countryside had taken over the No. 2 position from Oviedo when the Cougars defeated the Lions 35-33 in a head-to-head battle in the finals of the Winter Springs Duals. Each team had seven wins. The difference was that three of Coach Frayer's returning state placers, Dominic DeNunzio (140), A. Jay Hixon (145) and Wesley Walker (152) knocked off three of Coach Coffman's returning state placers, Jesse Robbins, Justin Fraga and Kyle Coffman. Oviedo stays as No. 3 ahead Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons and Venice. Coach Coffman's Lions beat a stellar field at the Bill Scott Memorial that included Homestead South Dade and Green Cove Springs Clay. Jason Robbins (135), Jesse Robbins (140) and David Cox (112) led the way as they won individual titles. Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons is at No. 4. Coach Frank Pettineo's Redskins won the Rebel Invitational in Duncan, SC, for the third year in a row. They also won their Redskin Duals during the holiday break. Venice is the No. 5 team. Coach Dan Kelly's Indians are off to a super start as they've won both the East Lake and Captain Archer tourneys. Venice has a superb lineup anchored on both ends with stellar performers. The Indians start off strong in the lightweights with Shawn Rouhan (103) and Keith Koziel (112) both ranked as the Top Wrestlers at their weights. They finish even stronger with a string of top upper weights Jeremie Cook (171), Mike Cozy (189), Ben Hoffman (215) and Adrian Bull (275). Homestead South Dade sits quietly at No. 6. Last year's Class 3A champs are looking to repeat and win their eighth state champ team ring since 1995. Coach Victor Balmeceda may use the same formula that won them the 2001 state title as they had the Bucs had the most individual champs at Lyman. Title winners for the Bucs were Raymond Stephens (119), Darin Baldwin (152), Aldo Victor (160) and Robert Orta (171). Miami Southridge moves up to No. 7. Coach Jim Husk apparently likes the hospitality along the central Gulf Coast as Spartans won the Sarasota Christmas Classic and took a second place behind Venice at the East Lake Invitational in Tarpon Springs a few weeks earlier. Miami Dr. Krop is situated at No. 8. Coach Eric Phillips heads another top Dade County squad that likes the excellent competition provide in Tampa Bay. The Lightning won a Duals tourney at New Port Richey Gulf. Brooksville Hernando, second at 1A last year, is at No. 9. Coach Matt Smith's Leopards have won two events including their own Kiwanis tourney. Team leaders are Addison Chipoletti, a returning state champ, and a different duo of Combs brothers. Charley Combs (152) is hungry to win his first state title and younger brother Michael (145) both won titles at the Kiwanis. Green Cove Springs Clay rounds out the Top Ten. Coach Jim Reape's Blue Devils won the Iron Cat Duals at Glen St. Mary Baker County and took a solid third behind Oviedo and South Dade at the Scott. Cory Baudendistel (103) and Virgil McDuffie (125) won titles at Lyman. Cy Wainright (275), a 2A state champ, ceded the Top Wrestler spot as he lost to Flagler Palm Coast's Willie Weber, in the finals. Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas heads the second Ten at No. 11. Coach Frank Patacsil's Raiders are led by Jeff Wimberley (119), a state champ and the Top Wrestler. Chris Bencivenga (125) and brothers Sam (135) and Andrew Patacsil (140) are always among those who can win any event. St. Cloud takes their unbeaten (16-0) record on a journey to The Clash in Minnesota this weekend. The Clash features Apple Valley, MN, ranked as the No. 2 team in the USA by all major lists. Coach Victor Lorenzano's Bulldogs, the 2002 state 3A champs, are looking to win another title. Riverview and Plant City Durant are at No. 13 and 14. These two Hillsborough teams are often eclipsed by the shadow cast by nearby Brandon but they have been able to step up by constantly challenging the Eagles in their local USA Wrestling tourneys. Coach Willi Sarable's Sharks have won team titles in the Cougar and Raider Invitationals and get a chance to move higher when they take part in the Graves at Brandon in a couple of weeks. Durant coach Dennis Kitko, a three-time state champ at Brandon, has made a sudden impact upon his return to Tampa Bay after a decade-long absence up in the Capital City. The Cougars paid a successful visit to Tallahassee as the Cougars won the Capital City Classic. Matt Caraballo (119), Jordan Hamilton (130) and Wade Peterson (160) won titles. Durant also took a nice second behind Southridge and ahead of Miami Braddock at Sarasota as Caraballo won another individual title. Sebastian River sneaks up to No. 15. The Sharks only took second in their own Invitational but redeemed themselves by wining the Big Lake at Okeechobee. Punta Gorda Charlotte is back among the top teams at No. 16. Coach Bill Hoke's Tarpons have placed second behind Countryside at the Hooters and second behind Venice in the Captain Archer. Jacksonville University Christian is at No. 17. The Christians paid a successful visit to Tampa Bay as they took third behind Countryside and Pinellas Park at the Southside Duels even though they beat the Patriots in a head-to-head dual. Miami Braddock has quickly reloaded and is lurking at No. 18. Coach Saul Tejada didn't waste any time in getting another rugged team back on the mat after losing many to graduation after last season. Braddock took a fourth at the DeSoto and third at Sarasota. Southwest Miami is at No. 19. The Eagles figure to be another top contender for Dade County honors. So far they have taken second at the DeSoto and Big Lake plus fourth at Sarasota. Mick Artega (112), Denys Ribot (145), Bryan Hyde (189) and Abner Nunez (215) are always among those on the podium in any tourney. Boca Raton Olympic Heights, the top team in Palm Beach County, is at No. 20. The Lions have won the Palm Beach Gardens and Kuntz tourneys. Winning their weight class at the Kuntz Duals were Matt Mujica (119), Mike Bruno (145) and Billy Scarborough (189). Fort Pierce Central is at No. 21. Coach Peter Crespo has another tough squad that figures to challenge Aquinas in the regions. The Cobras won the Palm Beach Christmas Classic at Santaluces. Orange Park Ridgeview is now at No. 22. The Panthers won the Westside Kiwanis in Jacksonville. Winning Kiwanis crowns were Freddie Williams (119), Roger Crawford (135) and Joey Lavalee (145). Miami Palmetto is No. 23. Coach David Soderholm has his Panthers among the thick of things in Dade County by traveling to the Orlando area and taking third at the Winter Springs Duals and fourth at Lyman. In a late change, Port St. Lucie slides in as No. 24. Alex Piasecki (103), Matthias Piasecki (140) and George Keyzer (160) won titles to help PSL take second at Santaluces. Orlando University closes the list as No. 25. Coach Jessee's Cougars were fourth at Winter Springs and fifth at Lyman. Knocking at the door are Pinellas Park, Orlando Olympia, Valrico Bloomingdale, Naples Gulf Coast, Bunnell Flagler Palm Coast, Gainesville and Jupiter. A good result for any of these teams could easily propel them into the Top 25. |
||||
MAGAZINE COVERAGE | |
|
Get the 2008 Scout.com Recruiting Guides (Post-LOI and Fall Preview) with an annual Total Access Pass
 Plus 56 issues of Sports Illustrated ($39.00 value) is included as part of your annual subscription |
|
 NEW! Free Email Newsletter |
|
| Don't miss any news or features from SunStateFootball.com. Subscribe to our newsletter to have our newest articles emailed to you on a daily or weekly basis. | |
