Team effort powers Kowboys to region duals title
BY BRANT PARSONS — Everybody knows that No. 3 Kissimmee Osceola has three big stars, but they have quite the duals team also.
The three stars got the Kowboys rolling on Friday night and the rest of the team secured the win as Osceola topped No. 6 Palmetto Ridge 45-29 to win the 3A-2 region duals title.
“We talked all week about bonus points and how this was going to come to you, even if you’re losing, the beauty of the duals is that even the unsung hero on the team can be the hero and that’s what happened tonight,” head coach Rick Tribit said.
Osceola leapt to an 18-0 lead behind defending state champions Anderson Heap (145), Cooper Haase (152), and Gunner Holland (160) but the Kowboys also got wins from five more wrestlers.
Jomar Sancez (195), Elijah Van Sickle (220), Evan Martinez (120), Isfandier Sharipov (126), and Davian Rivera (132) all scored wins in the dual.
Rivera rallied from 5-2 down to win by fall while Sharipov was trailing 4-1 entering the third period of his 7-4 win.
They also got strong performances from other wrestlers, including Kealonie Vega, who fought off her back three times to not get pinned, instead losing by just a major decision and keeping two bonus points from the Bears.
“Kealonie was huge for us, not giving up six at 106”, Tribit said. “There’s a reason she’s a two-time All-American and she’s going to college for wrestling. She’s got a lot of heart and she battles no matter what the score of the match is.”
Palmetto Ridge, the defending Class 3A state champions, got wins from Owen Pratt (170), Roman Garcia (182), Austin Foye (285), William McGowan (106), Tyler Washburn (113), and Jean Valoria (138).
Osceola advances to face Fort Pierce Central in the state semifinals on Saturday.
“We lost some matches to a couple of their guys at Jensen Beach and hopefully our guys have it in their minds that they want a little bit of payback,” Tribit said.
Kissimmee Osceola 49, Palmetto Ridge 29
106: William McGowan (PR) maj. Kealonie Vega (O) 11-1; 113: Tyler Washburn (PR) p. Talyn Fisk (O) 1:32; 120: Evan Martinez (O) p. Robert DeRossett (PR) 1:09; 126: Isfandier Sharipov (O) dec. Bernardo Barnhart (PR) 7-4; 132: Davian Rivera (O) p. Xavier Barnhart (PR) 3:37; 138: Jean Valoria (PR) tech. Nathaniel Cabrera (O) 19-4; 145: Anderson Heap (O) p. Mark Whalen (PR) 1:34; 152: Cooper Haase (O) by FF; 160: Gunner Holland (O) p. Ty Bechtel (PR) 4:28; 170: Owen Pratt (PR) dec. Deacon Delong (O) 7-4; 182: Roman Garcia (PR) p. Bryan Gari (O) 0:41; 195: Jomar Sanchez (O) p. Aurelius Walton (PR) 2:41; 220: Elijah Vansickle (O) p. Jordan Peralez (PR) 3:11; 285: Austin Foye (PR) p. Joshua Fuentas (O) 0:59.
