EAST LAKE — The 2012 East Lake Invitational wrestling tournament provides an annual, early season tuneup for teams and individuals hoping to earn a trip to the state meet in Lakeland in February.
Dixie Hollins (eighth, 111 points) was the top-scoring team from Pinellas County behind meet leaders Venice (247.50), Longwood Lyman (215) and Orlando George Jenkins (169.50). St. Petersburg (10th, 95.5) was the only other Pinellas team in the top 10 and host East Lake (79) was 13th.
Dixie Hollins heavyweight Andre Matthews finished atop the 285-pound medal stand. Matthews went 4-0 and beat Lyman's Matt Hutley 4-1 in the final.
"It feels good, I'm just back from football, practiced two weeks and here I am," he said.
St. Petersburg all had two individual champions in seniors Thomas Moser (160) and Brandon Mayhone (220).
Moser dominated, pinning three of his four opponents en route to a 10-6 win over Riverview's Tyler Downey. Mayhone has honed his technique of, "keeping my head up while taking shots" and claims it made a difference Saturday. Mayhone went 5-0, pinning three of his opponents as well.
Top individual honors went to Northside Christian senior Alex Kruklinski (182). He pinned three of his four opponents and cruised to a 6-1 victory in the final against Danny Bergstrom of Largo. He was named most outstanding individual wrestler.
PHU fifth at invite
PLANT CITY — Palm Harbor University placed fifth as the top Tampa Bay area team at the annual Cougar Invitational at the Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds.
Host Durant finished 13th in the event, which drew 32 teams from Florida and Georgia. Kissimmee Osceola won with 258 points.
"We bumped up three places," Palm Harbor U. coach Brad Sakevich said. "The kids wrestled tough and did a good job."
PHU's Jared Prince (120 pounds) and Aaron Hartman (145), along with Hillsborough's Demetrius Hill (195), advanced to finals but did not win.
Times correspondent Steve Lee contributed to this report.
East Lake Invitational
Team scores: 1. Venice 247.50, 2. Lyman 215, 3. George Jenkins 169.50, 4. Riverview 162, 5. Fivay 156, 6. River Ridge 124, 7. Sunlake 117, 8. Dixie Hollins 111, 9. Southridge 107.50, 10. St. Petersburg 95.50, 11. Countryside 94, 12. Dunedin 87.50, 13. East Lake 79, 14. Northeast 72, 15. Pinellas Park 67.50, 16. Largo 59, 17. Clearwater 55, 17. Mitchell 55, 19. Seminole 50, 20. Northside Christian 39, 21. Osceola 36, 21. Weeki Wachee 36, 23. Ridgewood 30, 24. Booker 23, 25. Tarpon Springs 21
Cougar Invitational hosted by Durant
Team scores: 1. Kissimmee Osceola 258, 2. Camden Co. 197.5, 3. Winter Springs 183.5, 4. South Dade 157.5, 5. PHU 151, 6. Effingham 136.5, 7. Riverdale 136, 8. Springstead 118.5, 9. Lake Highland Prep 115.5, 10. Lake Gibson 106.5, 11. SW Miami 102, 12. Collins Hill 92.5, 13. Durant 92, 14. Braddock 85.5, 15. Sarasota 78, 16. King 72, 16. Robinson 72, 18. Steinbrenner 70.5, 19. Bayside 59, 20. Fort Walton Beach 44, 21. Hillsborough 41, 22. Western 31, 23. Lakeland 30.5, 24. Freedom 20, 25. Strawberry Crest 15, 26. Tampa Prep 14