Eagles capture county meet

Durant poses a tough challenge, but Brandon again comes out on top.

By TERRY JONES
Published February 6, 2005

BRANDON - Brandon captured the Hillsborough County Championships on Saturday with seven individual champions and 273.5 team points.

Though Brandon clearly was in control throughout the tournament, the result was not the blowout that past Eagles teams have enjoyed.

Durant finished second with two champions and 200.5 points, followed by Riverview with one champ and 151.5, Bloomingdale with one champ and 124.5, Chamberlain with two champions and 124 and Sickles with the remaining champ and 120.

The intensity of the competition was different than that of past seasons, according to Brandon coach Russ Cozart.

"The quality of wrestling in the county is really up this season," Cozart said. "Last year seven teams didn't even bother to compete in this tournament and this year only one didn't come.

"Jeff Duncan from Chamberlain, Dennis Kitko at Durant, Willie Sargable from Riverview, Terry Brockland at Sickles and several other very good coaches are really working hard to improve wrestling in our county."

Several individual championship matches were high-caliber and close.

Brandon's Stephen Caito's 15-8 decision over Durant's Jim Kauderman was one of the highlights.

Another was the 103-pound match between Durant sophomore Tommy Bennett and Riverview junior C.J. Gittens. They had met twice before, with Bennett getting the win each time. This match was different. Gittens took Bennett into overtime with a 3-all draw. In 30 seconds of overtime, Gittens scored a takedown for the 5-3 win.

"Tommy is a great wrestler and we are friends," Gittens said. "Because of all his success in the Brandon Wrestling Club and now at Durant, I was always intimated by him. But this time Coach Sargable encouraged and convinced me never to quit, but keep wrestling hard to the end. Coach was right."

Individual county champions from Brandon included Franklin Gomez (119), Cesar Grajales (135), Marco Toledo (145), Tommy Timothy (152), Rocky Cozart (160), David Craig (171) and Stephen Caito (189).

Durant champs included Justin Buchold (112) and Tim Burdina (130), and the Chamberlain winners were Jose Fernandez (275) and Michael White (140). Sickles' Chris Cobos (215) and Bloomingdale's Ryan Nye (125) also won.

Now all the teams will rest their bodies, fine-tune their performances and get ready for the first leg of the state run.

Districts are scheduled to start Friday and end Saturday.

[Last modified February 6, 2005, 00:23:11]