TAMPA - Jesuit and Robinson battled back and forth throughout the Class A, District 10 tournament Thursday. The Tigers led after the semifinals, but the Knights came back in the consolations to keep it close.
Jesuit used more experience and more finalists in the championship round to put the victory in the book.
The Tigers put 10 into the finals and Robinson had only six, but in the end experience helped Jesuit win its fourth consecutive district championship with 227 points.
The Tigers won six individual championships and the Knights salvaged two.
Robinson's Shawn Lunghi pinned Jesuit's Craig Spranger at 112 pounds in just a minute, 45 seconds and Knights heavyweight Trevon Gerideau pinned Justin Boss of Berkeley Prep in 1:11.
Only three Knight finalists faced off with Tigers. That limited Robinson's chances to control its destiny.
In the other two face-off matches Jesuit's Alex Enriquez pinned Josuah Crook in 56 seconds at 152 pounds and Alex Virgadamo pinned Tavish Williams at 189 pounds in 11 seconds of the second period.
Berkeley Prep finished third with 161 points, followed by Newsome with 116, Temple Heights 52.5, Freedom 47 and Tampa Prep 40.
In probably one of the most impressive matches of the night Jesuit 105-pounder Kurt Spranger decisioned Temple Heights 88-pound seventh-grader Eric Grajales 11-6.
Grajales entered the match 31-1 and sophomore Spranger was 27-6. It was their first meeting, but they had talked at freestyle events.
"I knew going in he would be tough, no matter how small," Spranger said.
"I could not beat him on technique, but I was stronger and had the extra 20 pounds. I had to use it all to get a decision. He is very quick and just doesn't stop moving."
