Wrestlebacks help give Countryside the edge and title over PHU.
By DOUG KATES
Published January 15, 2006
GULFPORT - First-year coach Greg Chapman said he didn't want to bring tradition back to Countryside, he wanted to start a new one.
With help from his Cougars, Chapman's wish came true Saturday night with a team title in the Pinellas County Athletic Conference tournament.
"They stood up and wrestled well," said Chapman, after Countryside used 11 placewinners, including three champions, to take first place.
The Cougars collected 226.5 points to edge Palm Harbor University (212).
Tyler Parry (112), Kent Costell (119) and Dustin Incorvia (152) won individual titles for Countryside, but Chapman said it took more than sending five kids to the finals to win overall. The Cougars fought hard in wrestlebacks, with four advancing to the consolation finals and two placing fifth.
Northeast coach Bill Dudley agreed the difference was in wrestlebacks. His Vikings led the Cougars in team points after the first day (91.5 to 88), but sent only four to the finals and three to the semifinals, two short of Countryside's achievement. "I knew it was going to be a tight race," Dudley said.
Not only did Northeast lose the lead, but it was passed by PHU. The Hurricanes had 10 placewinners, including two champions - Jon Foster (130) and Jon Dinsmore (171). Josh Aaron (125), A.J. Yingling (145) and Dylan Mundella (275) took titles for Northeast.
One of the more exciting championship matches took place at 215 pounds, where Seminole's Dominic McCaskie (19-5) used a pair of takedowns and backpoints to take a 6-1 first-period lead over St. Petersburg's Matt Goff (21-5). In the second period, however, Goff used a reverse half to go from bottom to top in an instant. He pinned McCaskie with 11 seconds remaining in the period.
"When I get someone on their back, I finish it," Goff said.
In the 171 title bout, Dinsmore had an 11-2 lead over Northeast's Robert Bedard, but the Viking used a third-period takedown to get three backpoints and had Dinsmore in a pinning position. A controversial injury timeout was called for Dinsmore, however. Bedard lost the bout 11-9.
