Can they do it?

Brandon graduated half of its starters last season and has only two starting seniors this season. Three teams - South Dade, Manatee and Palmetto Ridge - enter the Graves tournament with a very good shot at defeating the Eagles.

By TERRY JONES
Published January 4, 2008

South Dade

South Dade needs to use its three defending state champs to eliminate Brandon's strength. Rat Williams (130) likely will take on Eric Grajales, Tico Baez should face Kevin Timothy and is favored at 135, and Kendrick Sanders will face Eagles freshmen Wally Figaro at 145 or Mike Ettore at 152. Also watch out for Wilson Mettelus (not a state champ but a contender this season), who should challenge Joey Cozart at 140. South Dade needs a pin and six team points from one of these weights.

State contender Zaq Berridge (160) and Brandon's two seniors, Phis Uno (215) and Aaron Fullenwider (285), must win for Brandon to maintain the streak.

South Dade has tough lower- and middleweights. To win, the Bucs will need three wins of the lower four, wins by at least two of their state champs in the middle and pins at 171 and 189.

Coach Victor Balmeceda believes his team is one of his best, but recognizes the tough job of beating Brandon.

"Yes, Brandon is down this year, but even in a down year they are 75 percent over other good teams," he said.

Manatee

Andy Gugliamini will bring one of the most skilled teams he has coached. Manatee was the last team to beat and tie Brandon in duals in 1973 and '74.

Andrew Fulk (189 and 215) and Richie Cunningham (215 and 285) are Manatee's closers. Manatee should win the top four weights.

Jacob Gregory, a junior who will contend for the state title at 112 or 119, could win at either weight, but it is doubtful he will pin either Terry Dawson (112) or Ty Jones (119).

If Manatee wins the lower four and the upper four, it will break the streak. A pair of losses in those eight matches would force them to make up with wins in the middle, where Brandon's Grajales (130), Timothy (135) and Cozart (140) prowl. Berridge caps the middle at 160 for Brandon and will be hard for anyone to beat.

"Brandon has the program we patterned ours from," Gugliamini said. "They are at the top of Florida wrestling. and we want to climb Mt. Brandon. This will be one exciting tournament, and we can't wait to wrestle."

Palmetto Ridge

Palmetto Ridge may have the clearest shot at knocking off Brandon, but to earn a head-to-head match it will need to beat South Dade. Palmetto beat South Dade 251-244.5 in the big Jarzinka Tournament at Oviedo in late December, but that was in a bracket tournament with more than 30 teams.

Getting past South Dade at Graves will be tougher, because it will be man-to-man competition.

Palmetto Ridge will need to win its powerful middleweight matches from 135 through 160, plus wins at 103 from state runnerup Cody Singletary and at 125 from Elias Rey.

Anthony Phillips (135), Jordan Thompson (140), Richie Dehnz (145), Zach Mastro (152) and Clint Hadley (160) are Palmetto Ridge's fiercest competitors. All are seniors, and Dehnz and Mastro are state champs. Brandon counters with Grajales (135), Timothy (140), Cozart (145), Figaro (152) and Berridge (160). All are underclassmen.

In the other seven weights, Brandon is tough at 215 and 285, very weak at 171 and 189, vulnerable at 112 and 119 and unknown at 130 if Grajales moves up to 135.

Terry Jones, Times correspondent

[Last modified January 3, 2008, 22:00:59]