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Brandon Wrestling: Best Of The Best

By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 6, 2008

The top six wrestlers at Brandon during Russ Cozart's tenure, as selected by the coach:

1. David Craig — The only undefeated wrestler in program history (183-0) and one of only two four-time state champions, the 2006 grad was the nation's top-ranked prep wrestler as a senior.

2. Cesar Grajales — One of only two four-time state champions at Brandon, the 2005 grad went 177-2 during his Brandon career, twice posting undefeated seasons.

3. Rocky Cozart — The coach's son and 2005 grad won state titles in each of his last three years and finished as a state runner-up as a freshman. He posted a career record of 176-4 with the Eagles.

4. Dennis Kitko — Currently the coach at Durant, Kitko was a three-time state champ (1991-93) who owns the program's No.2 mark all-time for winning percentage after going 96-1 in his three seasons.

5. (tie) Franklin Gomez and Bret Gustafson — Cozart said it was a toss-up between these two, and it's understandable why the coach couldn't decide. Gomez went 97-2 during his three years, winning a state title as a senior in 2005. Gustafson, an '87 grad, was a two-time state champion at 140 pounds and went 78-2 in his career.

The top three wrestlers at Brandon during Jim Graves' tenure, as selected by the coach:

1. Mark McNitt — Graves called this two-time state placer the "best he ever had." McNitt went 62-8-1 in his three-year career, taking third in the state as a junior and second as a senior in 1975.

2. Richard Lentz — The most successful Eagles wrestler of the Graves Era, Lentz went undefeated in each of his final two seasons, winning consecutive 171-pound state titles in 1976 and 1977. He finished with a career record of 70-4-4.

3. Tony Ippolito — Arguably the most beloved wrestler in program history, he was Brandon's and Hillsborough County's first state champion as a senior in 1974.

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