Lions finish first in Class 2A to claim first state championship since 2007

By Brant Parsons Staff reporter

LAKELAND -- With Oviedo locked in a tight battle for the Class 2A title at the FHSAA State Wrestling Finals, the Lions knew they would need every point they could get, including important bonus points.

The Lions collected them and won their fifth state team title Saturday night, edging Springstead 161.5-156.5. Chase Gordon picked up a bonus team point when he won the 145-pound final by a technical fall.

"The bonus points were huge," Gordon said. "We knew this championship would be won by guys getting points everwhere we could, including in the wrestlebacks."

The two-time state champ will wrestle at Oklahoma next year.

Jay Taylor clinched the title for the Lions when he won the state title in the 189-pound weight class.

"I had so many things going through my mind on the mat I was just trying to stay focused," Taylor said. "I would sacrifice to win the team title, but will take winning both."

Oviedo's Doug Vollaro also won a title. The sophomore took home top honors in the 185-pound weight class.

St. Cloud's Frank Cousin won his second-straight title, beating Erin O'Dell in the 160-pound final. It was the senior's fourth win over O'Dell this season.

"We were probably the two-best wrestlers at the weight class this season," Cousins said of him and O'Dell. "To be someone like that once is tough, to do it four times was extremely difficult."

Winter Springs' Matt Nereim completed his high school career on top, beating Osceola's Pete Baldwin with a reversal in the closing seconds of the Class 3A 140-pound final.

Nereim's win completed a season where the Bears had to cope with the sudden passing of teammate Nate Brouwer and Nereim's mother battled cancer.

"I did this for my teammate Nate and my family," Nereim said. "I said I wouldn't cry if I won, but I was crying. I've never been so happy in my life."

Osceola's Joe Locksmith and Levi Clemons each won his second straight state title in Class 3A.

Locksmith won his by pinning Winter Springs' Eric O'Neil in the 135-pound final. The Osceola senior is heading to the Naval Academy next year.

Clemons defeated Brandon's Kyle Koziel 5-3 to win the 171-pound title.

"It means a lot to have Joe win his second title with me," Clemons said.

Brandon took its 10th-consecutive state title, claiming the 3A crown with 239.5 points. Osceola was second with 134.5 points.

In Class 1A, Lake Highland's Fox Baldwin (112) was the only finalist. The seventh-grader fell to Suwanee's Travis Laxton 6-1.

The Highlanders finished in eighth place with 50 points. Bishop Moore finished 10th with 48 points. Brian Santiago (119) and Michael Garcia (189) were the top finshers for the Hornets as both were fourth.