By Rick Pedone

Sports Editor

The Osceola Kowboys wrestling team came within two points of winning its Knockout Christmas Tournament Saturday before being edged by Cleveland, Tenn., 239-237, at the Kowboys gym.

The tournament drew an elite field of 25 teams from Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

Ariel Dominguez (106), Fox Baldwin (145) and Chris Pagan (195) all won individual titles and Ben Cruz (220) reached the final.

Max Tilford (170) and Jhalen Flanders (182) were third, while

Franklyn Lantigua (285) was fifth and Paul Zupofska (152) and Spencer Lacey (160) were sixth.

Hakeem Butler (120) was seventh and John Locksmith (113) placed eighth. Cody Dana (120), Alex Tilford (132) and Giovanni Bonnilla (138) also scored for OHS.

Pagan, 29-0, defeated No. 16-ranked Jason Grimes of Holy Innocents, Ga., in the finals, 9-1.

Zupofska reached the semifinals but had to injury default.

Baldwin remains unbeaten (33-0) and leads the team with 26 pins. Dominguez raised his record to 27-1.

Osceola’s JV team was second at the OHS Christmas tournament as Tyler Schultz (106), Deven Acevedo (113), Cody Newsom (126), Brock Price (170) and Andrew Conner (195) won their brackets.

Osceola joins Harmony, Liberty, St. Cloud, Celebration, Poinciana and host Gateway at the Orange Belt Conference championship tournament Saturday at 9:30 a.m.