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Tkatch Atop Wins List For Tampa Prep

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By ADAM ADKINS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 22, 2008

Tampa Prep senior Charles Tkatch became the program's all-time leader in wins Saturday at the 24th annual Tony Ippolito Memorial Tournament at Brandon, surpassing Nate Drummond's mark of 114 set in 2003.

Tkatch, who entered the tournament with 112 wins, tied the mark Friday during the first day of the Ippolito. He won his opening match at 135 pounds but then fell to Chamberlain's Troy Chisholm. However, he responded with a big 8-2 decision against Venice's Edgar Montero, which tied Drummond's mark and kept Tkatch alive in the tournament.

The fifth-year varsity wrestler then notched the milestone win with a 3-0 decision over Sarasota Booker's Jacob Silver in his first match Saturday. He ended up finishing sixth at 135 pounds, and ended the tournament with 117 career wins.

Tkatch was one of six Terrapins wrestlers to place at the Ippolito, which helped Tampa Prep finish ninth in the 30-team field. Wes Jarrell (160 pounds) finished as a runner-up, while Tyler Liberatore (112) took third, Hector Fontanet (145) took fifth and Mac Scarritt (140) and Jaycee Re (171) each took sixth.

MILESTONE APPROACHING: Earlier this season, Bloomingdale junior Chris Figari watched his older brother, Austin, a senior with the Bulls, become the program's all-time leader in victories. This weekend at the Hillsborough County Championships, Figari has a chance to reach a milestone of his own.
Figari ran his career win total to 98 after winning the 145-pound title at the Ippolito Tournament, leaving him two wins shy of 100.

Austin Figari reached career win No. 100 at last season's county championships, but Chris has a chance to one-up his brother. Austin's 100th win came of the second day of competition; Chris has a chance to pick up his milestone win on the first day.

In belated milestone recognition, Brandon sophomore Joey Cozart notched career victory No. 100 earlier this season. Cozart, who improved to 42-0 after winning the 140-pound title at the Ippolito Tournament, has 123 career wins.
Cozart went 35-4 as an eighth-grader at Temple Heights, finishing as the Class 1A state runner-up at 112 pounds. He then went 46-2 last season at Brandon, capturing the 125-pound Class 2A state title.

Cozart's milestone win came during a six-way dual at Riverview on Dec. 22.

CLEAN SWEEP: Tampa Bay Christian was perfect last weekend at the eighth annual A-Patriot Championships at Florida Christian School in Miami.

The Rams sent four wrestlers to the tournament and all four - Rossi Bruno (112), Clark Glass (119), David Alonso (125) and Kyle Koziel (140) - came home as individual champions.

Berkeley Prep was the only other Hillsborough County program in the 16-team field. The Bucs finished ninth, with four wrestlers finishing in the top four at their weight. Mark Timmel had the highest finish, taking second at 152 pounds. Antonio Weinberg (145) and David Turkel (215) each took third, while Ryan Pickren (125) took fourth.

REGULAR SEASON CLOSES: This is the final week of regular-season wrestling, and it will end with the annual Hillsborough County Championships.

This year's tournament, which features all of the county's public school programs, will be held at Wharton on Friday and Saturday.

Defending champion Brandon is the heavy favorite to capture the team title again this season, especially after the Eagles' performance in claiming the Ippolito Tournament team title last weekend. But there should be some good competition for the runner-up spot between Durant, Alonso and Bloomingdale, among others.

District tournaments begin the following week. East Bay (Class 3A-District 5), King (2A-7) and Chamberlain (2A-8) will host district tournaments, as will Pinellas Park (3A-6), Ridgewood (2A-5), Lakeland McKeel Academy (1A-9) and Admiral Farragut (1A-10). All of those district tournaments are Feb. 2.

A TOUGH GO: Sickles went 1-7 at the 2008 Gary Freis Memorial Duals in Fort Myers. The Gryphons' lone win came against Lake Wales, though they had two losses by seven points or less and another by nine points.

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533 or aadkins@tampatrib.com.

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