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Defending Class 3A state champ Osceola Kowboys loaded again |
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Nov 20, 2009 at 03:00 AM |
By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
The districts have been revised and some talented new faces will be on the wrestling mats this season, but one thing won’t change – the defending Class 3A state champion Osceola Kowboys are the team to beat in Osceola County.
Osceola
It will be difficult for the Kowboys to duplicate the greatest season in the program’s history, and the team’s first state championship under Coach Jim Bird and assistant coach Rick Tribit, but they seem ready for the challenge.
Three state champions return in seniors Joe Locksmith (135/140), Levi Clemons (171/189) and Pete Baldwin (140/145). Baldwin won his state title in 2008 and was the runner-up last year.
Joe Locksmith (Naval Academy) and Clemons (Tennessee-Chattanooga) recently announced their college choices.
Also returning is Gabe Bird (145/152) a four-time state qualifier who was third in Class 3A last season, and sophomore Tim Locksmith (119), who placed third in the region as a freshman.
Also back is regional qualifier E.J. Jiminez (112), a junior.
Several Kowboys will move up to replace departed standouts like two-time state champion Alex Eggers, Matt Jones and Robert Strader.
They include juniors Trevor Darnell (160) and Alex Rivera (135) and sophomores Joe Sans (112) and Chris Pagan (189).
Senior Jeremy Strickland (125) joins the Kowboys as a three-time state qualifier from Olympia.
Bird expects the Kowboys again to be a force at the postseason tournaments.
“The guys had a pretty good summer, and if we can stay healthy and keep working hard, we should do well,” Bird said. “I think Joe, Levi, Pete and Gabe all have a chance to win at state, and Tim, E.J. and Jeremy all can place. We have some other guys who are close to turning the corner, but they aren’t there yet.”
The Kowboys will test themselves in a series tournaments that attract elite competition such as the Dade District 16 Duals and the Powerade Tournament at Cannonsburg, Pa., in December. The Kowboys also will host several tournaments, starting with today’s Marvin Haven Turkey Duals that begin at 9 a.m. Osceola also will host its Kowboy Kup Duals next month and the A.J. Jones Memorial tournament in January.
The competition for OHS at the regional and state levels increases with the addition of Brandon, winner of nine straight state titles, which moves from Class 2A to 3A this year.
“That’s fine with us. We just say, ‘Bring it on,’” Bird said. “You always are going to find tough competition at some point, that’s why we go against the best competition we can during the season, so we’ll be prepared.”
The Kowboys move to 3A District 5 this year with Gateway, Palm Bay Bayside, Palm Bay, Lakeland Jenkins and Lakeland.
Celebration
Coach Rick Wiggins believes the Storm may enjoy it best season with a solid unit that may be well-represented at the state meet.
“Our seniors and juniors will be tough. We may have four possible state qualifiers out of a tough region,” Wiggins said.
The talent runs deep with senior Michael Glowacki (171) and junior Justin Temple (160) each capable of reaching the state meet, said Wiggins.
Other potential starters include seniors Andy Abrams (103), Louis Avila (125) and Martin Rios (140). Juniors Josh Douglas (119), Curtis Temple (152) and Cameron Ward (189) also will see plenty of mat time, Wiggins said.
Wiggins also has high expectations for newcomers David Akins (103), Skylar Lerner (130) and Brian Leon (215).
The Storm moves to 2A District 5, where it will join Liberty, Harmony, St. Cloud and several Orange County schools including potential state champion Oviedo.
The Storm opened the regular season Wednesday with a 45-30 win over Colonial.
Akins, Abrams, Lerner, Rios, Curtis Temple, Travis Temple and Glowacki all won.
Wiggins is assisted by Vic Lorenzano, who coached St. Cloud to the 2002 state championship.
St. Cloud
Coach Matt Milton starts his third season with a solid roster that includes one of the state’s best wrestlers, senior Frank Cousins Jr.
Cousins won the 160-pound Class 2A state championship last season, and Milton sees little standing in the way of a repeat visit to the winner’s platform for Cousins.
“There are a few pretty good kids in Frank’s class, but he’s already beaten them,” Milton said.
Another state qualifier, senior heavyweight Josh Chattin, also returns.
The Bulldogs, conference runners-up last year, have other potential state tournament qualifiers in senior Trent Livingston (145), sophomore Ryan Finneran (125), junior Willie Lang (112), sophomore Kule Glunt (135) and freshman Joe McGinley (103).
“It will definitely be a disappointment if we don’t get several of those guys through,” Milton said. “We’re a little deeper this year. We had to use a lot of freshmen at the varsity level last year, and we took our lumps. But now that experience should help.”
While the district matches will be difficult, especially with Oviedo dropping into Class 2A, the regional and state level matches may not be as challenging since Brandon, the nine-time defending state champion, climbed into Class 3A.
“Really, 2A is wide-open this year. Oviedo, naturally, is going to be strong and so will Riverdale and Springstead,” Milton said. “We’re going to see Springstead and Oviedo right away in tournaments, so we’ll know where we stand.”
Gateway
Coach Joe Smorin takes over a rebuilding Panthers program.
“We had only around eight wrestlers on the team last year, and now have around 25,” he said. “Most of them are freshmen and sophomores. We are obviously very young, but the coaches have put lots of effort into building this team and doing it around strict, positive principles.”
Smorin said Kristopher Mora, Alex Schaefer, Jose Cortes and Billy Hook will led the team.
“Things are looking very bright for the future and we have some freshmen and sophomores who could be very good in the coming years,” Smorin said.
Harmony
Coach Chris Todd looks forward to continued progress from the Longhorns program as many of its wrestlers have gained experience.
“We have some great kids coming back. We got some continuity in the program, which we needed,” Todd said.
Five seniors return: Chris Valdez (119, 49-10), Justin Hall (215, 26-28), Aaron Johnson (160, 4-5), Cameron Kotewa (189) and Michael Perkins (171).
“I expect a lot of Chris and Cameron this season. Chris is a two-time district champion and a a state qualifier his freshman year. I would like for him to get over the hump this year and make it back to states and place,” Todd said.
Also returning are juniors Chris Grillo (140, 42-16), a district champion and state qualifier, Matt Vaughn (130, 44-17) and Alex Githens (171, 35-25).
“Alex improved a lot in his second season and has gotten much stronger in the off-season, playing football. I look for big things from him this season,” Todd said.
Todd said Harmony’s team goals include the district championship, which won’t be easy since the Longhorns have shifted into 2A District 5 with powerhouse Oviedo, St. Cloud, Edgewater, Liberty, Oak Ridge, East River and
Celebration.
“It’s going to be a competitive district this year and the OBC teams (Harmony, Liberty, Celebration, St. Cloud) are already very familiar with each other,” Todd said.
Liberty
Coach Eric Scrivens takes over a Chargers program that boasts several of the county’s most talented wrestlers.
State qualifier Felix Betancourt (125/130) returns and is considered a serious contender for a state championship, said the coach.
“He spent this summer at the two-week intensive training camp out at the University of Iowa,” Scrivens said.
Other team standouts are J.J. Elisis (160), a third-year wrestler who was the district-runner-up to eventual state champion Frank Cousins of St. Cloud.
Angel Perez (215), the team’s only senior, may be the county’s best big man. Perez also trained in Iowa.
“Angel has great agility for a big man and we think he will also have a strong senior season,” Scrivens said.
Poinciana
Buckie Wells coached Poinciana’s first state champion last season, 215-pounder Widler Rislin.
Wells said that success could be duplicated by one or more of his wrestlers this year.
“Our team this year is the most complete team, top to bottom, that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Wells said.
Even more promising is the fact that Poinciana drops from Class 2A to Class A this season, where the competition, though good, is not as deep as in the upper classes, Wells said.
“Many teams aren’t aware of the strides we’ve made over the last few years,” Wells said. “We have pretty much wrestled all year, and I believe that will pay dividends.”
Leading the way for the Eagles are seniors Keith Stevenson (112), Benson Bazilme (125), Tavarus Alcime (152) and Brian Lesniak (215).
“Benson is our best technical, and most athletic wrester. He was one match away from states in Class 2A last year,” Wells said.
Wells calls Alcime the team’s fastest and strongest wrestler. Lesniak, who missed the football season due to an injury, should be excellent replacing Rislin at 215, Wells said.
“He wrestled at 285 last year because Widler was at 215. He is extremely intelligent and he out-lasted technically superior wrestlers on pure will power and determination,” Wells said.
Wells said the team has depth with Mike Shepherd (103), Chris Cruz (119), Jerry Bazilme (130), Bryon Row (135), Akeem Thompson (160), Nick Petrocvick (171) and Luis Lino. |
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