Oviedo noticeably absent

Todya's Jim Graves Challenge the Streak Tournament at Brandon High may involve a team that isn't competing.

By TERRY JONES
Published January 5, 2007

BRANDON - The most newsworthy item at the start of today's Jim Graves Challenge the Streak Tournament at Brandon High may involve a team that isn't competing.

That team would be three-time defending Class 3A state champion Oviedo, probably the only squad in Florida this season with any shot of ending Brandon's 32-year-old national-record string of 434 consecutive dual-match victories.

Brandon coach Russ Cozart said this year, as with the previous four of the tournament, any state team is welcome to try to end the Eagles' vaunted streak. This week Cozart repeatedly said he still has an opening in the dual-match format and Oviedo is more than welcome to fill it.

"My home number, cell number and e-mail address are all on the Internet under brandoneagleswrestling.com" Cozart said. "Call me or write me and let's wrestle."

Oviedo coach Tom Coffman said he'd love to, but just not at the Challenge the Streak tournament.

"We offered Brandon eight dates for us to wrestle them in their gym, late in January," Coffman said. "But it hasn't happened. Our schedule during the streak tournament has been set and we can't change it, but we want to wrestle them."

Cozart said no dice to Coffman.

"The Graves tournament is the stage we have chosen to put our streak on the line against anyone who wants a shot at us," Cozart said. "It is a record earned by many great kids over the years and the Graves is the way we are going to give teams around the state a shot at us."

The consternation between Florida's top prep wrestling teams elevated the last week of December when Cozart pulled out of Oviedo's national tournament because the seeding process did not include input from all coaches in the tournament. Oviedo's staff alone set the seeding. Either way Brandon's dual-match streak wouldn't have been in jeopardy because the Oviedo tournament was an individual point-system format.

So the beat goes on with Brandon and Oviedo trading verbal jabs but no sweat on the mats.

Now Brandon is expected to breeze through its invitational tournament and win yet another title after Saturday's final, scheduled for 5 p.m.

"I feel our kids over the past 32 years have earned the right to set the stage for others to get a chance to beat us," Cozart said. "We are not going to customize a match to satisfy any team.

Times staff writer Scott Purks contributed to this report.

Check it out

Jim Graves Challenge the Streak Tournament

What: Dual tournament to challenge Brandon win streak of 434 consecutive dual-match wins

When: First round begins today at 5 p.m. Wrestling continues at 10 a.m. Saturday. The final is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday.

Teams: Alonso, Brandon, Cardinal Fort Lauderdale Gibbons, Chamberlain, Fort Lauderdale Deltona, Durant, Miami Douglas, Gaither, Jefferson, Jesuit, Middleton, Plant City, Springstead, Venice, Wharton

Outlook: Brandon is heavily favored to win and maintain its streak. Springstead, Cardinal Gibbons and Jesuit are expected to battle for second place.

[Last modified January 4, 2007, 22:16:33]