They learned together. Eagles Rossi Bruno and Clark Glass also pulled off a rare five-peat. "Kyle's really tall and lanky, and he gets down real low.". 4. Compiled by Times correspondent Eric Vician, INDIVIDUAL BRANDON HIGH school STATE CHAMPIONS. BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING CELEBRATING 43 YEARS 2010 - BRANDON HIGH WRESTLING TEAM IS RECOGNIZED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE TEAM HAVING THE HIGHEST GRADE POINT AVERAGE FOR ALL WRESTLING TEAMS IN THE COUNTY! "I don't want to say there's bad blood between us because I'm a junior and he's a freshman. Feb. 27, 1982: Coach Russ Cozart leads the Eagles to the first of his eight state titles as Brandon coach. 2nd Matt Avery West Lincoln T.J. Duvall Ragsdale Nick Koren Cary "Clark and Bruno are contenders for state championships this year and Koziel is capable of winning or at least placing high in the state. March 1, 1980: The state meet is Graves' final appearance as Brandon coach. Brandon won its first wrestling state title in 1977 and has won the last 13,. Brandon Wrestling He always seems to have his team ready.". Fairy tale enough. "I want to go all the way to state this season.". Hesperia finished second with 170 points (Brandon scored 352.5) and Los Osos was sixth with 120. David Craig went 184-0, winning championships from 2003-2006. It bore down on them. Chris Figari, Bloomingdale, Sr., 152-160: Third in state as sophomore, fourth as junior; state contender in 3A. "When it happens," Moore said, "then I'll believe it.". It's an adrenalin rush when you win, especially if you pin your opponent.". Eric Grajales, left, and Sean Joyce, right, are following in their brothers' footsteps by wrestling for Coach Russ Cozart, center, at Brandon High School. ", By SCOTT CARTER Published: January 13, 2006, Floridians Dominate Tournament BRANDON, S.D. The Eagles struggled, going 3-10 in 1972, the only losing season in school history. "Guys would hit their knees, nose and elbows on the floor. 2. 2019-2020 California High School State Wrestling Championships Brackets. Alabama High School Athletic Association. "And it never gets old winning a state title. Despite all the wins, titles and records, Cozart on the record remains steadfast in his belief that its not the getting thats great but rather the steps it takes to get there. There should be a number of state champions coming out of this year's tournament.". Each time he did, two more of his wrestlers hopped on the mat, locked arms, then legs and started grinding, sweating and caring. NJ.com's High School Game Changers Sports Awards: Nominate your game changer now! 1969- Brandon's program begins with a 45-13 loss to Robinson. She won state shot put titles in 1979 and 1980. Brandon: In the county, still the best. . "A lot of people feel that the heart of this program started with Tony Ippolito," Cozart said. Or that there isnt just one streak for the record books, but many and many of which are not expected to be broken any time soon, if ever. Jesse Contreras (Turlock, SJ1, 12) #2 4. Mitchell finished in eighth place with 59. Help; Terms . CAA II East Valley Athletes for Christ (Mesa) def. I dont think hes going to be happy until he has 14 state champions in one year., Its a heck of a goal, Hendrickson added, shortly after the last match at state competition, but when you see whats happening here, I think its a reasonable goal for Russ Cozart., Thirteen Brandon wrestlers collectively compiled the 269 team points that brought home the schools 22ndstate crown and it was the second year in a row that wrestlers qualified in each of the 14 weight classes. Rossi Bruno, Brandon, Fr., 119: Defending state champ. Champs. There are three teams out there that are very close to us," Cozart said. Clark Glass, 15, won the Class A 103-pound state championship last season as a seventh grader. 2002 Class AAA: Hersheypark Arena, Hershey, Pa. 2002 Class AA: Hersheypark Arena, Hershey, Pa. Wt. "I don't think it's so unusual that their families are a part of it," said Cozart, who runs a program for younger wrestlers. Champs, 1 St. Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Athletics 3.1 Wrestling team 3.2 Soccer 4 Brandon High School nature preserve 5 Notable alumni 6 References 7 External links History [ edit] Officials had to go through several tie-breaking criteria before awarding the match to Alonso. "We don't pay a lot of attention to a lot of things," Toledo said. Wrestling Past Champions Past Champions Today's Schedule Brackets Assignments Rankings Past Champions Results Archive Records Stories AD/Coach Team Champions Individual Champions Wrestling Team Champions Division 1 Division 2 Division 3 Division 4 Class A Class B Class C-D Open Class Upper Peninsula Open Class Feb. 6, 1988: A 76-6 win over Hillsborough gives Brandon 176 dual meet victories in a row, one more than previous national record holder Bismarck, N.D. Jan. 19, 1997: Brandon defeats Chamberlain 59-14, extending its unbeaten streak to 293, breaking the national record for consecutive victories in any sport. "We always knew it was there and knew we were part of it. The school has been awarded Blue Ribbon School status.[7]. It never gets old," said volunteer coach Mike Ferrario, one of many former Brandon wrestlers still active with the program. This was the second shot Keller had at Jorge. Garcia beat Victor Valley's Jarrett Zubiate 9-6, but the match was tied briefly in the third period. (Heavyweight Jo Dudley forfeited his match.). He is a dominant wrestler but not with pins, and could rewrite the technical fall (win by 15-point difference) record at Brandon. Watch Now: Related Video Brandon wrestling history starts over tonight. Flagler Palm Coast 115.5; 5. "All three coaches readily accepted the opportunity to try out the new format," Cozart said. March 15, 1998: Brandon wins 11th state title with 141 points, breaking its previous record. Holsonback said to save money, the team reused the same roll of athletic tape all season. The most memorable one, Holsonback said, was a free clinic offered at USF by Masao Hattori, who was third in the 1970 World Games. Take a long, hard look at the better wrestlers in Hillsborough County this season. Orlando Sentinel. Work ethic: The Eagles' workouts are almost legendary, second-to-none when it comes to precision and execution. "The tournament this year had excellent competition with some top individuals. Kevin Timothy, Brandon, Sr., 140: Defending state champ. Tabor says his three middle-schoolers have a mutual challenge, normally not faced by older wrestlers in the high school ranks. Item Number: WRD-04135 Currently 5.00/5 Stars. "They listen, work hard and are easy to motivate.". ALL AGES, WRESTLING CLASSES AND WORKOUTS, WE ARE AT THE BRANDON HS GYM. Brandon High School might not just be the greatest high school wrestling program in Florida, but in the entire country. Mark Zimmer Columbus St. Francis DeSales 1976, 77, 78, 79 2. "Every kid's different," Brandon coach Russ Cozart said. Therein lies the nine-match difference between the unbeaten and undefeated streaks, both national marks. "He saved the streak.". The tournament is named for Tony Ippolito, Brandon's first state-champion wrestler, and to Cozart, one of the most important contributors to the Brandon wrestling program. 1979-80: District XI - Wrestling Country, USA. "I'm not sure if it's Brandon losing possible or not," he said. But back then, the teams in the early 1970s had to sell themselves in creative ways. There are currently no completed events. "He is the master. . FOUR-TIME STATE CHAMPIONS; NAME SCHOOL YEARS COACH(ES) WEIGHT CLASSES; MATT ASHLEY: SPENCER: 1976-77-78-79 : . After last weekend's state wrestling championships, Oklahoma now has 44 four-time individual champions. 16, No. National Wrestling Hall of Fame: National Award Winners 2008: Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School 1998: Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School National Wrestling Hall of Fame: Utah Award Recipients 2016: Taylor LaMont, Maple Mountain High School 2015: Jacob Armstrong, Salem Hills High School 2014: Dusty Hone, Cedar City High School Michael Trinidad, a senior, led the Mustangs as he advanced to the 171-pound final via two pins. The host Olympians captured the team title . The championship is Crown Point's fourth overall and first since girls basketball won championships in . David Galloway, a 1977 graduate, may be the most prolific football player to come out of the school. Wednesday afternoon in the Brandon High School gym, Eagles wrestling coach and icon Russ Cozart kept blowing his whistle. - Mark Manning, Vermillion . "I know none of these kids work as hard as I do but you still never know until the match is over. Cozart's kids became something of celebrities, even in defeat. Published February 12, 20. However, Brandon reeled off three consecutive wins to open a 22-3 gap. It stands at 31 victories and 40 matches without a loss. Virginia High School State Champions 2022 VIRGINIA STATE CHAMPIONS 2021 VHSL State Champions This is a list of all VHSL and VISAA State Champions since 2014- the first year of the VHSL's six divisions. Kyle Keller (112) and Clayton Simmons (215) fell in the finals to finish in second. By Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling | Feb. 21, 2022, 2:55 p.m. (ET) Of the 15 teams other than Brandon entered in the field, three - Naples Palmetto Ridge, Homestead South Dade and Bradenton Manatee - are among the state's top programs, while several others - Springstead, Parkland Douglas, Alonso, Jesuit and Durant - are among the best in their respective areas. James Flint was the first Brandon wrestler to earn a state title Saturday night after beating Zach Whitmire of Orlando Dr. Phillips, 7-3, in the 112-pound final. He is back at Tampa Bay Christian with three buddies who are capable of combining their skills for a top-10 Class A team finish. Top 10 wrestlers in the area, regardless of weight class: The school was a common name in the Greco-Roman division, getting three champions and two runner-ups in one of the more notable prep accomplishments in the history of the tournament. Brandon is led by returning state champions Eric Grajales, a junior, and sophomore Joey Cozart, but the Eagles lost six of their 14 varsity wrestlers from last season to graduation, five of whom placed at state. Also helping Brandon achieve its 269 points at state competition were runner-up finishers Devan Berrian and Travis Berridge. Holsonback said Roger Shotz drummed up interest with a flier on which he mimeographed a picture of a wrestler; the flier was put on every door in the school during that 1972-73 season. "We told these guys coming in, if we could finish as the top California team, that would be a great achievement," Hesperia coach David Stidham said. CAA I Holy Family Academy (Phoenix) def. 4A South Anchorage (Anchorage) def. Nick Hutchinson scored the quickest pin in the finals in 22 seconds. Feb. 20, 1973 -Bradenton Manatee defeats Brandon 28-19 in the final dual meet of the 1972-73 season, the last time the Eagles lost a dual meet. River Ridge Football Loaded for 2021 Season, How Cheerleaders and Band Members Adjusted in a Pandemic, The Top 10 Quarterbacks in 2023 Florida High School Football. Anderson went 6-1 with five pins to improve to 17-3 on the season, and Fish, 6-1 with two pins to 18-3. The Streak stood at 75 consecutive wins and 84 matches without a defeat. I like our chances of making our presence known in tournaments this season.". "As seniors, we are part of a great team with all grades represented," Timothy said. Durant is lucky to have him. It got me ready; it really got the rest of us ready for our match," Brandon 130-pounder Alex Araoz said. Critics say Brandon has dodged other great teams, but as former county athletic director Vernon Korhn said, "They never ran from anybody.". Name: School: Dist. But when Brandon coach Russ Cozart again opens the doors to the Eagles Nest tonight to invite teams in to challenge The Streak, one thing is certain: The Eagles will be tested. Mental Health Matters / Overview (hillsboroughschools.org. David is capable of qualifying for states and scoring some points for us. Durant's Justin Bechtold put the Cougars on the board with an 8-2 win over Kevin Timothy at 119 pounds. Individually, Sickles senior Joe Russell recorded the best mark of the north Hillsborough teams. As a senior, the 7-foot-2 center earned a spot on the McDonald's and Parade magazine All-American teams. That win helped continue another impressive streak, 17-straight championships, a Florida. Keith Koziel, now an assistant wrestling coach at King High School, as a player found the state title elusive. Brandon Wrestling Club 94 National Champs 204 All-Americans-ages 5-19, 1980-present, NFHS Hall of Fame, California Wrestling Hall of Fame, FLORIDA Wrestling Hall of Fame, Brandon HS Hall of Fame, Upland HS Hall of Fame, Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Tampa Sports Club Hall of Fame, NHSCA Hall of Fame, 7X WWA Veterans World Champion, Upland HS, Calif 1971 2nd CIF SS, University of Alabama 19764x SEC placer 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, Former Brandon Wrestlers have qualified for 13 consecutive (2006-18)NCAA D1 Championships. With 3 returning champs . The Eagles tied a match and lost three by one point. Brandon crowned six individual champions and three runnersup at the 30-team tournament, and all 14 starters placed in the top six. Feb. 5 - 12th Annual Tampa Bay Middle School Championships at St. Petersburg Catholic, 10 a.m. NO Varsity Wrestlers. "If Chamberlain would have tied that match," Cozart said. Springstead senior Schuyler Swanton, 2007 state champion in 103 pounds, was selected wrestler of the tournament. The Eagles were losing at the time, but Gustafson scored a five-team point superior decision, sending Brandon into the final few matches down 22-21. Jan. 28, 1974 -Brandon defeats Robinson 32-17, the first victory of the national-record winning streak which ended at 459. In the early years, Cozart said it was like "banging my head against a wall" to get kids out, but now there are routinely 30 to 50. And that boys just years after they learn to walk dream about wrestling for Brandon, having participated in one of his many youth program and tournaments, such as the one held at Brandon High on Feb. 20, the day after the 2011 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 3A state tournament ended. News traveled fast, with 1,500 packing the Eagles Nest for Brandon's dual with East Bay, a 30-20 Eagles win. "He is also an outstanding football player and is being recruited by several Division I college teams.". Team Title, Started the Streak Undefeated last 7 seasons. Ippolito also worked as an assistant under Cozart, but in his early 30s he was diagnosed with the cancer that would take his life shortly after. Brandon High School is a public high school in Brandon, Florida, United States. Mike Rodriguez (Merced, SJ2, 11) HM 6. South Dade Homestead (151 points) was second in Class 3A, followed by Winter Springs (112). He left with a career record of 97-11-1 and led the program to its first state title in 1977. Grajalas lost 4-3 in overtime at 135 and Cozart was beaten in the final 30 seconds at 160. "This year is going to be unusual in a number of ways with the COVID limitations we are under," Lynx head coach Derek . He went on to the University of Florida where he was an Associated Press and Sporting News All-American and earned first-team All-SEC honors while leading the Gators in scoring (18) and rebounding (9.7). 52 PHOTOS. l during the State Wrestling Championships at . "James [Brown] and Alex [Araoz] worked with me a lot," Keller said. Like I tell them, Cozart said, its not being on top of the mountain thats exciting, but the work it takes to get there.. "High school wrestling," Cozart said with a smile. OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY", "Integration at Brandon High had its challenges", "Florida high school wrestling team's streak ends after 459 straight victories", "Brandon native turns bar codes into works of art", "Coaching key in Brandon High's decades of success", "Ozzie Timmons Society for American Baseball Research", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brandon_High_School_(Florida)&oldid=1122671150, This page was last edited on 18 November 2022, at 22:42. The turning point for the program came that following summer. Brandon junior Kyle Keller and his unorthodox stance led the Eagles to another title at the Class 2-District 7 meet at Polk Community College. Oh, and Brandon High won its first state wrestling championship. Jan. 16, 1975: Brandon edges nemesis Manatee 29-23 in a dual meet and goes on to post its first unbeaten dual meet season. Homestead ( 151 points ) was second in Class 3A, followed by Winter Springs ( 112.! 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