JENSEN BEACH — Flagler Palm Coast had a very solid December.
But that month is firmly in the rearview, and January has been a tougher bit of sledding for the matmenTEN’s third-ranked Bulldogs. Going up against some of south Florida’s strongest teams, on both coasts, at Jensen Beach’s Cradle Cancer two-day IBT was another example of that, as FPCHS finished seventh in the 17-team tournament with 124 points.
The Bulldogs had five placers in the two-day tournament, with one runnerup, one third, two fourths and one fifth-place finisher earning podium finishes.
Charlotte, a potential 2A state duals finalist coming up later this month, won the team title by 49 points over a 3A state duals candidate, Ft Pierce Central, 274-225. Osceola, also a threat to qualify out and the state duals host, was third and 1A powerhouse Am Heritage-Delray fourth, with host Jensen Beach fifth.
Brackets from the tournament can be found HERE.
The Bulldogs will next head toward rough waters, competition-wise, again on Thursday night at Buchholz, as Flagler Palm Coast will have a 3A-Region 1 dual team quarterfinal matchup with #1 Fleming Island, with either the host Bobcats or Bartram Trail on the other side as a possible semifinal opponent.
THE NOTES
Team scores: 1. Charlotte 274. 2. Ft Pierce Central 225. 3. Osceola 207.5. 4. Am Heritage-Delray 192.5. 5. Jensen Beach 181. 6. Treasure Coast 132.5. 7. Flagler Palm Coast 124. 8. Sebastian River 93. 9. Port St Lucie 80. 10. (tie) Archbishop McCarthy & Martin Cty 69. 12. Okeechobee 67.5. 13. Lincoln Park Academy 38. 14. Centennial 24.5. 15. (tie) Jensen Beach #2 & South Fork 24; 17. Benjamin School 23.
Championship matches —
106: Ballinger (Charlotte) p. Ortiz (Jensen Beach), 1:40.
113: Nolan (Charlotte) d. Heap (Osceola), 5-2.
120: Villalobos (Archbishop McCarthy) d. McCabe (Am Heritage-Delray), 4-2.
126: Haase (Osceola) fft over Austin (Charlotte).
132: Church (Charlotte) d. Raabe (Ft Pierce Central), 4-3.
138: Hines (Osceola) md. Napolitana (Am Heritage-Delray), 9-1.
145: Fox (Jensen Beach) d. Holland (Osceola), 2-0, SV.
152: Apicella (Ft Pierce Central) md. Welsh (Sebastian River), 9-1.
160: Orr (Ft Pierce Central) d. Kyle Peacock (Flagler Palm Coast), 6-2.
170: Rice (Charlotte) p. Marasco (Martin Cty), :39.
182: Nicolosi (Am Heritage-Delray) md. Newton (Charlotte), 12-1.
195: Tal Shahar (Am Heritage-Delray) d. Eaddy (Osceola), 3-2.
220: Thompson (Am Heritage-Delray) d. Burnette (Jensen Beach), 5-3.
285: Weiner (Ft Pierce Central) p. Jones (Ft Pierce Central), 3:07.
THE ACE OF THE DAY
Junior Kyle Peacock (160) was the Bulldogs’ lone finalist on Saturday. The tournament’s third seed, Peacock had a 49-second fall over Osceola in the round of 16 and pushed past a Treasure Coast wrestler, 7-4, in Friday’s quarterfinal round. On Saturday, Peacock kept a Port St Lucie wrestler at bay in the semis, taking a 2-0 win, before falling to top-seeded Ft Pierce Central’s Riley Orr, 6-2, in the final.
North Florida Matmen 