As talented as last season? Probably not. But Brandon remains one of the state and nation's best teams.
By TERRY JONES
Published November 23, 2004
BRANDON - About half of the 2004 Brandon team that coach Russ Cozart calls the best in Florida wrestling history has graduated.
Included among the departed are three individual state champions.
This season, Brandon has four returning state champs, three state qualifiers, a couple of move-ins and some skilled junior varsity wrestlers from last season.
Hardly as powerful as last season, when the team might have been the best in the country by virtue of a tournament win in Pennsylvania. But the Eagles certainly are capable of defending its Class 2A state title and extending its streak of 375 consecutive dual match wins.
Two seniors are back: three-time state and five-time national champion Cesar Grajales and two-time state and three-time national champion Rocky Cozart.
Also, two-time state and three-time national champ David Craig, a junior, and Sean Joyce, a sophomore with two state titles, are back.
"For us to do better than last year's team would be like trying to reinvent the diamond," Cozart said. "We have the four state champs, three other state qualifiers, several excellent JV wrestlers who were unable to beat our own state champions for varsity spots and some move-ins who placed in the state tournament in other states last year. I am very pleased with the wrestlers we have this year."
Rocky Cozart and Grajales have committed early to colleges. Grajales will wrestle for Penn of the Ivy League and Cozart for Michigan State.
With the loss of state champion Keith Simmons at heavyweight, a battle is going on for that and the 103-pound slot. In a preseason dual tournament in Orlando last week, those were the only two weights lost in two matches.
"Our lineup is solid," Cozart said. "Everyone is working hard to get to their level, and they will soon, I hope. We are going to the Beast of the East high school tournament in December at the University of Delaware, so they will have to be ready to compete with 70 of the top teams in the country soon."
Returning state qualifiers beef up lower and middle weights, including seniors Franklin Gomez, Marco Toledo and Kenny Keller. Gomez will compete between 103 and 130, and Toledo will wrestle in the middle (135-160).
Grajales and Joyce will add strength in the middle, and Craig and Cozart highlight the upper weights (171-275) along with Stephen Cato. Newcomers Tommy Timothy and Alex Castro will slide into the middle.
In short, teams hoping the Eagles to be vulnerable to a dual or tournament defeat likely will be disappointed. Brandon will be tough again.
"It is tough to follow the best team ever in Florida, but we have seven very tough kids in the lineup, and the other seven are tough," Cozart said. "These guys want to be just as exciting as the team last year, and they are coming together. This is going to be a very good team."
