Wrestling: Wesley Chapel wins final 3 matches to earn district title

Thomas Fee, Diego Farchaka and Theodore Johnson swept the final three weight classes at Saturday's Class 1A-District 9 wrestling tournament, helping Wesley Chapel come from behind and edge host Robinson for the overall team title.

Tony Ruggiero (120 pounds), Jeremy Qualls (145) and Nick Popolillo (152) also won individual titles for the Wildcats, but it was the triumphs by Fee (195), Farchaka (220) and Johnson (285), each against a Robinson wrestler, that completed the comeback. Wesley Chapel finished with 189.5 points, nine more than the Knights.

"The only thing I can feel now is joy and pain because that was one of the toughest matches I've ever wrestled in my career, but I'm glad I came through. All this hard work has paid off," said Johnson, who wrapped up the team's title with a third-period pin. "We've had an extremely solid team this entire year, we've had lots of potential and today is when it really showed."

Jeremy Andujar (113), Damien McKinzie (138) and Luis Peguero (170) won individual titles for Robinson, which qualified 11 for next week's region tournament. Also winning individual crowns were Tampa Bay Christian's Kyle Norstrem (106), Spoto's Norman Gallon (126), Eric Franklin (132) and Camarcus Thomas (160) and Berkeley Prep's Christian Hardegree (182).

Adam Adkins

1A-10: Fivay wins first-ever district title

HUDSON Just one week after winning its first ever Sunshine Athletic Conference title, Fivay brought home its first district title Saturday by winning the 1A-district 10 tournament. The Falcons send 11 wrestlers to regions, including six champions. The Falcons finished with 200 points, 52 points better than second place Pasco.

Individually, it was the same wrestlers leading Fivay that has led them all season, starting with 220-pounder Mike Hahn. Hahn remained undefeated at 34-0 with a third period pin of Pasco's Zach Jordan.

Troy Reed, Jesse Barker, Colin Hahn, Dominick Grilli, and Nicco Lightfoot were the other district champions for Fivay.

Pasco was led, once again, by 120-pound J.P. Gamez. Gamez defeated a resilient Sean Speer of Fivay, who was battling illness, 5-4. Niko DeAugustino also was a first place finisher for the Pirates at 138 pounds.

Fourth place Anclote was paced by 106-pound Chris Sorrick, who took home the district title by defeating Pasco's Kevin Tipton, 9-2.

Steven Campbell

2A-8: Dunedin tops Sunlake for title

Sunlake finished second in a close, hard-fought Class 2A-8 district meet with host Dunedin. Sunlake finished just 10 points (172) behind Dunedin's 182 for the district crown.

It was hardly a bad day for Sunlake. Like Dunedin, Sunlake won five district weight classes. Of the 14 wrestlers Sunlake had competing in the district, 12 qualified for region competition.

"We're very pleased with all the guys," Sunlake coach Russ Schenk said. "The kids set themselves up really nice for a good draw at the region [meet]. Our main goal was to get better."

The five district winners for Sunlake were Wesley Wood (113), John Ortiz (120), Austin Lopez (182), Zach Kweller (192) and Brandon Franklin (285).

Sunlake had five district title winners, three wrestlers which finished second, two who finished third and two which placed fourth. The top four places in each weight class advance to region competition.

Lee Diekemper

2A-9: 3 individual champs paces Jesuit

After finishing runner-up in last year's district finals by the closest of margins, Jesuit was able to rebound in 2012 and capture the 2A-9 title with the help of three individual champions giving the Tigers a healthy total of 209 points, 35 points ahead of second place Lennard (174) during Saturday's competition.

"Last year Steinbrenner won the district in the last match against us, so this was a day that was circled on our calendar all season for motivation," Jesuit coach Mike Scicchitano said. "I tell the kids its not about winning or losing, its about performing your best out there on the mat."

"Last year our best wasn't good enough, this year it was."

During the finals it didn't take long for the only private school in the district to claim their first title as Wyatt Roop in the 113 pound division won a 7-3 decision for the victory, and not too far behind senior captain Christian Dominguez in the 132 pound division captured the third district title of his career.

The final match of the night was capped off by the Tigers as heavyweight Jack Taylor (285) won by disqualification.

The host school, Armwood, finished a distant sixth in the standings but still managed to have the most individual winners on Saturday: Donovan Hough (106), Tylor Dutrieaux (160), Robert Witte, and Travis Macon (182) all took home the title in their weight division.

Jeffrey Jones

2A-7: Land O' Lakes advances 3 to region

Land O'Lakes finished seventh in Saturday's seven-team Class 2A- District 7 wrestling tournament Saturday at Brooksville Hernando.

For a third straight winter, the Inverness Citrus finished runner-up to defending Class 2A state champion Spring Hill Springstead.

The Eagles captured their eighth straight district championship at the Michael A. Imhoff Gymnasium – and county record 26th overall – by solving the 'Canes by 73 points, 294-221.

For their efforts, the Gators finished with 44.5 points just 1.5 points behind sixth-place Brooksville Central.

The Gators will advance three to next week's Class 2A-Region 2 tournament beginning Friday at noon at St. Cloud.

Junior Michael Milillo placed third at 113 pounds joining junior Bobby Austin at 160 and senior Nick Stowers at 195.

District champion Springstead walked away with a tourney-high 14 advancing to Osceola County while Citrus advanced 13 and Nature Coast advanced 12.

Tony Castro

3A-7: Palm Harbor dominates

Palm Harbor coach Brad Sakevich made it 4-for-4, winning the Class 3A-7 district title. Sakevich has been coach at Palm Harbor for four years and has won districts each time, but this time, the young team has its eyes on higher goals.

"We were a team that flew under the radar the first couple of years, but now people are paying attention,'' Sakevich said. "We are starting to get ahead now. Eight winners in districts. Things are really coming along. We weren't even a blip on anyone's radar a few years ago.''

Junior Josh Kampman, who won at the 132-pound class, said the Hurricanes aren't going to be ignored in the regionals.

"We are a family and we are the most experienced in the past four years,'' Kampman said. "We have some really high hopes.''

Palm Harbor winners included Connor Prince (106), Jared Prince (113), Kampman (132), Aaron Hartman (145), and Tyler Modlin (220).

Jeff Berlinicke

3A-6: Brandon claims 12 championships

Brandon placed all 14 wrestlers in the final and claimed victories in 12 weight classes as the Eagles won the Class 3A-District 6 title at Durant.

"Everyone put forth their best effort," said Brandon coach Russ Cozart. "They made the right choices at the right time and are moving on to the next step."

The Eagles finished with 299.5 points, while Durant was second at 178 and Riverview third with 93.

Dylan Lucas (106), Rossi Bruno (126) and Kevin Norstrem (132) remained unbeaten this year and claimed titles in their weight classes for Brandon. Meanwhile James Flint overcame a cut above his right eye to claim a 5-1 win at 113 pounds against Kyle Koesling of Wiregrass Ranch

At 120, Plant City's William Joyce scored a 4-2 decision vs. Brandon's Devan Berrian in overtime.

"It was a tough match, but it feels good to win," said Joyce, who holds a 2-1 advantage over Berrian in matches this year. "Last time he caught me and pinned me. I was looking forward to the rematch."

Durant's Richard Woods pinned Brandon's Darren Lester at 1:56 to win at 285.

Brandon's Jacob Haydock held off Plant City's Cody Chaney, 4-3, at 170. After Chaney recorded a takedown to tie the score, Haydock escaped and scored the winning point.

Kevin Orth