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Eagles Get A Bit Of Revenge

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By ADAM ADKINS

aadkins@tampatrib.com

Published: December 24, 2008

There has been no shortage of victories for the Brandon High wrestling team during longtime coach Russ Cozart's tenure leading the Eagles. But the final win at the District 16 Duals in Homestead on Saturday carried a bit more weight than most of the others during the past three decades.

"Revenge is always a little sweet," Cozart said.

Brandon's win at the tournament was against host South Dade, the team that ended the Eagles' national record winning streak at 459 in the finals of the Jim Graves Duals last season. Brandon not only avenged the loss but also won in resounding fashion, cruising past the Bucs, 54-15.

"Every coach looks at the game and the match on paper, and you go over it and see this could happen, that could happen. I knew we could get on a roll, and I knew it could probably get ugly if we were on," Cozart said. "I wasn't expecting that to happen, but it was a pleasant surprise."

The key, Cozart said, was "every Eagles wrestler stepped out there and wrestled with a vengeance."

It started with the first two matches of the dual, when Brandon senior Zaq Berridge and sophomore Mike Ettore set the tone for the Eagles' convincing win. Berridge provided Brandon with five team points with a technical fall, and Ettore followed with a major decision to give the Eagles four more big points.

"Zaq Berridge went out there and he was just relentless. No matter what the guy threw at him, he was going through him, kept making adjustments and was just going after him," Cozart said. "Then Mike Ettore goes out and beats the guy that beat former standout Phil Uno last season in the Graves Duals. It was just another, almost identical performance from what Zaq did. Mike was intense, he went after him and was looking to score every second of the match.

"It really got things going for our guys."

Brandon went on to win 11 of the 14 weight classes against South Dade.

KNIGHTS EYEING PRIZE: With a senior-heavy lineup, Robinson coach Tommy Montero, in his seventh season, believes this could be the season the Knights break through and finally grab that elusive district championship, a goal for the program since Montero came aboard.

"I think up and down our lineup we're pretty tough," Montero said. "I think this year we don't have a weak spot."

Robinson fared well over the weekend as hosts of a six-way dual, going 4-1. Three Knights wrestlers - David Canchola, Mike Hawthorne and Zejazz Woods - went 5-0.

Riverview won the dual meet with a 5-0 record, and Sharks wrestlers came out on top in a few matches pitting some of the county's top wrestlers against each other.

Sharks senior Herman Hernandez came away with two big victories, knocking off Alonso's Josh Moore 8-3 and Robinson's Zach Boyer 8-7 in 135-pound matchups. Senior 189-pounder Rafael Rivera scored an impressive 5-3 win over Alonso's Kendall Ivy. And senior heavyweight Ryan Gascon handed Robinson's Michael Benitez his first loss of the season.

Hernandez, Rivera and Gascon went 5-0 on the day.

BULLS SWEEP: Host Bloomingdale swept a six-way dual on Saturday, including a 37-23 victory over Durant in its final match.

Sean Smith, Nico Rodriguez, Bryce Lawson, Carlos Montero, Chris Figari, Ryan Mooney and Chase Douglas went undefeated on the day for the Bulls.

MILESTONES REACHED: Armwood senior James Gray earned his 100th career victory at the Plant City Invitational on Dec. 13. Gray went 5-0 on the day to help the Hawks finish fourth at the tournament.

Three Robinson seniors - Eric Williams, Chris Rollins and Boyer - recorded their 100th victory earlier this season at the Berkeley Prep Invitational.

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 259-7616.

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