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Gulf Powers Way To Championship

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 3, 2008

DADE CITY - Last week, Gulf missed out on claiming its fourth Sunshine Athletic Conference title in six seasons, but the Class 1A-District 6 title collected Saturday at Pasco High is likely a fine replacement.

Gulf scored 187.5 points, advanced eight wrestlers into the finals and came away with three district champions - Jordan Holding (130 pounds), Josh Przbysz (135) and Ladarious Jackson (145) - in winning the program's second consecutive district crown.

Pasco (132) finished second, followed by Hudson (124.5) and Orlando Bishop Moore (108).

"I look back from the beginning of the year to now, and I assure you I'm ecstatic with their steadfast climb, at least looking like wrestlers, because I was very scared at the beginning of the year," Gulf coach Travis DeWalt said. "Limited technique, and we had a lot of fine-tuning to do, but they've endured my personality and they did a great job."

With the top four wrestlers qualifying for next week's 1A-Region 2 tournament at South Florida Community College in Avon Park, Gulf and Bishop Moore each pushed 11 wrestlers through. Pasco will send eight, followed by Sunlake (7), Hudson (6), Wiregrass Ranch and Lake Highland (5) and Zephyrhills (3).

One of the pleasant surprises of the night for DeWalt was the performance of the freshman Jackson. In his 145-pound bout against Bishop Moore's Sebastian Dabdoub, the rookie used strength to overcome his inexperience, and his efforts earned a first-round pin.

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