By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

County wrestling teams will be busy today at three tournaments.

Celebration wrestlers, who placed second at the at the Flagler Duals last week at Palm Coast High, will be among eight teams competing at Gateway High’s Troy Smith Duals beginning at 8 a.m. Smith was a former standout wrestler for the Panthers.

Harmony and Liberty also will compete along with Seminole Ridge, Citrus, Armwood and North Port.

Osceola travels to Plant City Durant today for the Durant Cougar Invitational, which draws many of the state’s top teams including Class 3A champion Brandon.

“A lot of the heavyweights go to that one,” Osceola Coach Jim Bird said. “We’re going to have to wrestle real well.”

St. Cloud High hosts the St. Cloud Duals today at 9 a.m. Land O’Lakes and Sarasota Riverview will compete.

Celebration competed Friday at St. Cloud High in a dual meet.

The Storm, competing without two of its best wrestlers, won its pool at the Flagler Duals with a 39-36 win against Cypress Creek as JV wrestler Anthony Dicarlo came up with a big win. Wilfredo Colon (113), Alex Johnson (138), J.J. Francis (152), Alvaro Norena (285) and Everett Suarez (138) all picked up victories, and David Akins (126) won by pin to secure the pool victory.

Celebration beat Lake Weir (52-24), Yulee (60-18) and Pedro Menendez (45-36) in pool competition before falling to host Palm Coast (49-18) in the championship match.

The team competed without Skylar Lerner, who was injured in practice. Brandon Guerrero (220) was injured after winning two matches.

Francis and Norena were 5-0 at the tournament. Colon and Akins won four times.

Next week, Osceola will host the Danny Byron Duals, formerly the Kowboy Kup, renamed this year in honor of the recently deceased 2007 regional champion who placed third at the state meet.