Manatee finishes second at regional
For the second time in two weeks, Manatee is bringing a trophy back to Bradenton. After finishing as the runner-up to Palm Harbor University at the Class 3A-District 8 tournament last week in Palm Harbor, the Hurricanes finished second at the Class 3A-Region 2 meet, this time behind Kissimmee Osceola in Lakeland.
Manatee finished with 140 points to Osceola’s 158 1/2 with the help of three region champions and six state qualifiers.
Marshall Craig, who finished third in Class 3A last season, will go to the Class 3A tournament this year among the favorites after beating the Kowboys’ Malyke Hines in the 120-pound championship Saturday at George Jenkins High School. Charles Small, who placed at the 3A meet last season, will be a No. 1 seed this year after beating Palm Harbor’s James Totten in the 160-pound final. Joshua Booker gave the Hurricanes a third region champion with a win against Lakeland’s Tanner Howe in the 220-pound championship. Brandon Dossey, who qualified for the state tournament, was Manatee’s only other wrestler to reach the championship round before settling for a silver medal.
The Hurricanes will send two others to the state championship after a successful Friday and Saturday in Lakeland.
Daniel Cunningham finished third in the 152-pound weight class to advance, and Matt McAleer finished fourth at 170 pounds to qualify. The top four in each weight class advance to the two-day state final in Kissimmee, which begins Friday.
Lakewood Ranch, Manatee County’s only other team competing at the region championship in Lakeland, is sending four on to Silver Spurs Arena with one champion. A year after missing weight at the region final, Hunter Reed set up his third trip to the state tournament by beating Osceola’s Jose Cuevas in the 132-pound final. Ryan Brown also reached the final at 138 for the Mustangs before falling, and 195-pounder Chase Sharp and 220-pounder Logan Bounds both finished third in their weight classes to advance. Lakewood Ranch finished fifth as a team with 84 1/2 points.
David Wilson: 941-745-7057, @DBWilson2
State tournament
Who: Top four finishers in each weight class from each of the state’s four regions in three classes
When: Friday-Saturday
Where: Silver Spurs Arena, 1875 Silver Spur Lane, Kissimmee
Admission: $9 per session (in advance) $12 at the gate
Parking: $7
Schedule: Friday: First two rounds and first two rounds of wrestlebacks, starting 10 a.m.
Saturday: Semifinals, 9:30 a.m. Finals, 6:30 p.m.
This story was originally published February 25, 2017 at 11:38 PM with the headline "Manatee finishes second at regional."