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Cougars prove theory with title

SEMINOLE -- The formula for winning wrestling tournaments is simple in theory but difficult in practice: advance as many as possible into the finals, and consider championships bonuses.

Countryside followed that blueprint to the letter Saturday, placing seven in the finals and winning four times to capture the team title in a marathon Hooters Classic.

Countryside (6-1) got titles from Vince Scholl (103 pounds), Mike Flood (125), Matt Turtzo (140), and Gary Dodds (152) to amass 209 team points, enough to out-distance Miami Southridge (178), Flagler Palm Coast (157.5), Venice (144), Springstead (133.5), Gateway (122), Charlotte (101.5), Ridgewood (101), Pasco (89.5), Osceola (85) and Seminole (83).

Even the most surprising upset of the tournament -- by Most Outstanding Wrestler Derek McKay of Flagler Palm Coast -- wasn't enough to slow Countryside. McKay, a 119-pounder, decisioned Countryside state runner-up Nick DeNunzio, 11-8, in the final after ousting state-placer David Hoke (Charlotte) in the semifinals.

"This was a tough tournament," Countryside coach David Frayer said. "When you have a kid who's second in the state and can't win, that says something.

"It was good getting so many to the finals. I was thinking it would be good to get kids in the top two, three or four, but to get so many to the finals was a pleasant surprise."

Springstead used the quality approach to leap into the top five despite placing just three wrestlers in the finals. Reigning Class 2A 135-pounder Nate Booker scored a 17-7 technical fall over Countryside's Sean Murphy at 145, his younger brother, Nate, earned a 13-5 major decision over Southridge's Lee Henry Lilly at 171, and Steve Garofano pinned Pasco's Juan Trevino in 5:20 at 160.

Venice was the only other school with multiple champions.

Eight of the 11 participating schools had at least one champion.

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