Brandon Wrestlers Dominate in Lakeland, Take Home 23rd State Title

LAKELAND — The deed is done and the Brandon High School wrestling legacy grows.

At the Lakeland Center on Feb. 18, seven Brandon wrestlers entered the championship round and all seven wrestlers earned state titles.

Brandon as a team took home its 23rd state title and its 12th state title in a row.

For the record, all but one of those 23 state titles came under the leadership of Head Coach Russ Cozart.

It's the second year in a row that seven wrestlers earned seven individual titles and the third time Brandon has achieved that accomplishment.

As for a new record, the team ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 5 in the nation didn't disappoint. No wrestler has ever won five state titles, Cozart said.

But now they have: Brandon seniors Rossi Bruno (126 pounds) and Clark Glass (160 pounds) saw to that Feb. 18, when Bruno, then Glass, wrestled for a fifth state crown.

Bruno won his first state title in the eighth grade; Glass won his first state title in the seventh grade.

Meanwhile, Brandon  junior Kevin Norstrem (132 pounds) won his fourth state title, which means he has a chance to tie the record next year.

James Flint (113 pounds) won his third state title Feb. 18, which means the sophomore has two years to tie the record as well.

Freshman Dylan Lucas (106 pounds) won his second state title as did senior Kyle Koziel (182 pounds). Also winning a state title, Jacob Haydock (170 pounds).

Also placing in the tournament were Brandon wrestlers Devan Berrian (120 pounds), who took fifth, and Travis Berridge (152 pounds), who finished fourth.

Overall, Brandon won the 2012 FHSAA Class 3A State Championship with 216.50 points. Second place went to South Dade (Homestead), with 130.50 point, followed by third-place Osceola (Kissimmee), with 110 points.

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RELATED COVERAGE:

• Russ Cozart on Wrestling, Streaks, Coaching and the Brandon Tradition
• Meet Brandon State Champion James Flint
• Meet Brandon State Champion Dylan Lucas