Highlanders back to top form
After a disappointing performance last weekend in the Who's #1 Duals in New Jersey, nationally-ranked Lake Highland Prep returned to Florida wanting to make a statement in the FHSAA State Duals Tournament at Kissimmee Osceola High School. They did that on Friday. The Highlanders dominated Brooksville Hernando 73-3 in their Class 1A quarterfinal, losing only one match on the day.
It wasn't perfection, but it was close enough.
“We wanted to come back and win every match this weekend,” Lake Highland’s Ben Goldin said.
The 220-pound senior won his match with a pin, one of 11 wins by fall for the Highlanders.
“In a dual meet, you're always looking for bonus points so we want to get those six points in each one,” Goldin said.
Lake Highland will meet Clay of Green Cove Springs in a 10 a.m. semifinal today in a battle of the top two 1A teams in the state rankings. The winner advances to a 6 p.m. championship match.
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons and Englewood
VARSITY REPORT Lemon Bay will meet in the other semifinal.
In a Class 3A quarterfinal, Kissimmee Osceola met Palm Harbor University with the hope of improving on a disappointing 28-point loss from December. The Kowboys did that but came up short of reaching the semifinals, losing to the Hurricanes 37-34.
“We had some good stuff out there,” Osceola coach Jim Bird said. “We got better and I’m proud of our effort.”
Jaekus Hines, Esau Bazilme, Josue Calderon, Joshua Rodriguez and Malyke Hines all picked up wins as Osceola built a 22-4 lead before Palm Harbor piled up 33 consecutive points. Boris Espinsosa and Dion Bergan completed the scoring for the Kowboys.
“It was a fun dual with moving guys all over the place,” Bird said. “I’ve been excited all week for this and it lived up to the expectation.”
An undermanned Winter Springs fell to Fleming Island of Orange Park 67-3 in another 3A quarterfinal match.
“We were flat and just couldn’t match their intensity,” Bears coach Rocky Ciero said.
“Being a young team, I think we were a little awestruck about the experience.”
Fleming Island, ranked second in the
Class 3A state rankings, jumped out quickly, building a 24-0 lead with four straight first period pins.
“That was expected right off the bat, but we just couldn’t respond to it,” Ciero said.
Bobby Williams won a 5-1 decision in the 182-pound weight class for the only win for the Bears, who were missing two starters due to the flu.
“There were some toss ups we didn’t get that we thought we might, but we will learn from this and we’ll work to be ready when the big individual [state] matches come later,” Ciero said.
The Class 3A semifinals pit Fleming Island against Palm Harbor University and top-ranked South Dade against Wellington at 2.
The championship matches in all three classifications will start at 6 p.m.