Manatee wins outdoor wrestling match
Eight wrestlers recorded pins to lead Manatee High School to a 48-28 victory against Sarasota in a wrestling match staged outdoors on the high school football field on Friday afternoon. Manatee attempted to stage an outdoor match during the 2015-16 season, only to have condensation on the mat force a cancellation of the evening match. This time, school officials scheduled the match for the daytime and it went off without a hitch.
Earning pins for Manatee were Brandon Dossey (182), Josh Booker (220), Ne’Kari Cheaves (287), Colin Nobles (108), Marshall Craig (120), Blaize Colmorgan (145), Charles Small (160) and Matt McAleer (170).
Manatee now takes the weekend off and returns to action on Wednesday with a home match against Palmetto at 7 p.m.
Boys basketball
Lakewood Ranch 73, Palmetto 48: Damien Gordon led four players into double figures, with 22 points, as the Mustangs (19-2, 10-0) finished undefeated in regular-season district play for the second consecutive season. Justin Muscara finished with a double-double (11 points, 15 rebounds) and Jack Kelley just missed one (11 points, 9 rebounds). Devin Twenty finished with 11 points and five assists. Jermaine Graham led host Palmetto with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Lakewood Ranch next plays against Lehigh on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Lehigh is ranked 7th in Class 7A by FABC/Source Hoop Rankings. Lakewood Ranch is ranked No. 8 in Class 8A by the same group.
Venice 56, Manatee 44: The Hurricanes will have to take part in the play-in game during the Class 8A-District 11 season after closing their district schedule with a loss to the Indians in Bradenton. The Canes (13-10, 3-7) will open the district tournament against Sarasota, which Manatee beat twice during the regular season.
The Hurricanes play their final road game of the season Thursday against Palm Grove Christian in Sarasota.
Sarasota 53, Braden River 49 OT: Emmanuel Lambright scored 18 points, including seven in overtime, to lift the host Sailors. Braden River (15-6, 4-4) led by 12 at the half and by three entering the fourth quarter. The Pirates had a chance to win in regulation, but their long 3 attempt did not fall with the score tied at 42. In overtime, Braden River missed a 3 with about five seconds to play that would have tied it.
Deoni Cason led the Pirates with 21 points. Curtis Cobb finished with 10 points and 7 assists.
The Pirates travel to Bayshore on Monday for a nondistrict game at 7:30 p.m.
Girls basketball
Manatee 46, St. Stephen’s 32: Carly Paynter led a balanced Manatee (16-9) scoring attack with 12 points in the nondistrict victory. Claudia Sbaschnik led Saint Stephen’s (9-10) with 18 points.
Manatee returns to action on Monday in a district tournament game at home against Venice. Saint Stephen’s opens its district tournament on Tuesday against North Port Imagine School at Out-of-Door Academy.
Football
Despite reports Friday, IMG Academy and Venice High School aren’t playing each other in the fall quite yet. According to sources at IMG, a football game between the two programs isn’t finalized although a contract has been drawn up and is expected to be signed in the coming days.
This story was originally published January 28, 2017 at 12:03 AM with the headline "Manatee wins outdoor wrestling match."