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Wrestling Super Seven
At the start of the wrestling season, everyone had the same goal, win a state title. Only seven of Central Florida’s finest we’re able to achieve that perfect ending, Oviedo’s Jay Taylor, Chase Gordon and Doug Vollaro, St. Cloud’s Frank Cousins, Winter Spring’s Matt Nereim, and a duo of Osceola wrestlers, Levi Clemons and Joe Locksmith.
Meet Jay Taylor
Jay Taylor came to Oviedo from South Florida his junior year for a better environment, but quickly found himself training with one of the top coaches in the area, J.D. Robbins.
"Well I wasn't really a good experienced wrestler when I got here, and I met Coach Robbins when I moved here because I was really interested in the sport and he turned me into a state caliber wrestler."
Robbins turned Taylor not just into a state caliber wrestler but into a state champion wrestler. This week Taylor's dream came to fruition when he capped off a 54-1 record with the 189 lb. title. He squeaked out a 5-4 decision over Josh DaSilveria of Barron Collier.
"It feels awesome. I'm on cloud nine."
Taylor was just one of three Oviedo Lions to bring home the gold. Along with Chase Gordon (145 lb. champion) and Doug Vollaro, they were able to capture the team championship as well, edging out second place Springstead by just five points.
"Yeah we had a try time here for a while so it feels really good to be back on top."
His expectations for next season are just as high, "the future goals are to repeat as an individual champion and as team champions. I also want to go undefeated."
Gordon and Vollaro Help Lead Oviedo To Gold
Oklahoma signee Chase Gordon finished his high school career on a high note by winning his second straight title. He claimed the 145 lb. with an impressive tech fall over Sean Mann.
Vollaro who is in his first year at Oviedo was one of the top heavyweights all season long, and finished that way. His 12-1 route of Luis Agramonte gave Vollaro his first state championship and helped paved the way to the team championship as well.
Cousins Takes Down O'Dell For A 4th Time
The top two wrestlers in the 160 lb. weight class, St. Cloud's Frank Cousins and Oviedo's Erin O'Dell had been going at it all season long so it was only fitting that the final came down to the duo. Unfortunately, for O'Dell it was the same outcome all four meetings with Cousins coming out as the winner. That marks the second straight title for the St. Cloud senior.
Nereim Takes Down Baldwin In Marquee Matchup
Perhaps the greatest match of the night was in the 3A 140 lb. final between Winter Spring's Matt Nereim and Osceola's Pete Baldwin. Nereim's one loss on the season came at the hands of Baldwin, so when the two were seeded one and two in the brackets, the only way to get revenge, was to take home the gold. Nereim edged out Baldwin 10-8 in the final seconds to take home his first state championship.
Clemons and Locksmith Win Second Straight
Two Osceola Kowboys won their second straight title and helped their squad to a second place finish in 3A. Joe Locksmith picked up where he left off in 2009 pinning Winter Spring's Eric O'Neill in 2:54 in the 135 lb. final. Clemons, who also won in 2009, defeated Brandon's Kyle Koziel 5-3 in the 171 lb. championship.
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