By Rick Pedone

Sports Editor

In what is supposed to be a rebuilding year, Osceola High is sending a school-record eight wrestlers to the Class 3A state tournament at the Lakeland Center Friday and Saturday.

“If I had said before the season that we’d have eight going to the state tournament, I would have been crazy,” Kowboys Coach Jim Bird said. “This is a special group.”

A total of 23 Osceola County wrestlers, including three regional champions, will compete at the Class 3A and Class 2A state tournaments.

Five Kowboys reached the finals of the 3A-2 regional at OHS Saturday and 145-pounder Pete Baldwin (50-0) won the regional championship. Baldwin extended his national records in career victories (320) and falls (239) at the regional meet. He won the 119-pound state championship as a freshman in 2008.

Also reaching the finals were Osceola’s E.J. Jimenez (22-6) at 119, Alex Rivera (35-13) at 130, Kenny Martin (30-9) at 152 and Chris Pagan (42-11) at 171.

Tim Locksmith (41-4), competing with a separated shoulder, was third at 125, while Wade Ridings (13-7) at 135 and Paul Zupofska (39-12) at 140 were fourth.

Osceola lost two state champions to graduation before the season and the young team lost the Orange Belt Conference championship for the first time in five years to Liberty in December.

“We could have folded up right then,” Bird said.

But, a trip to Pennsylvania for the Powerade Nationals seemed to light a spark, Bird said.

“You could see it a little bit in Pennsylvania, then we had a couple of good tournaments,” he said. “The practices started getting better, the drills started getting better. We just kept improving. I’m fortunate to have a great coaching staff to make that happen.”

Brandon (318) won the team championship over the Kowboys (172.5). Bird said his team will acquit itself well in Lakeland.

“They aren’t afraid to go against anyone. In fact, it might be working the other way. It could be that teams see those (Kowboys) singlets, and that’s worth a point or two to us. George Jenkins and Lakeland at the district tournament were good teams, but it seemed like as that tournament went on, our  guys were believing it more, and theirs were believing it less.”

The good news for OHS is that five of the eight state qualifiers will return, and three-time state qualifier Fox Baldwin (57-2), who won the 119-pound regional championship for Lake Highland Prep last week, is expected to join OHS next season as a freshman.

Gateway (53) placed 10th Saturday.

The Panthers have two state qualifiers in 112-pound runner-up Alex Velez and Christian Vazquez, fourth at 152.

“We’ve made some major strides this season,” Panthers Coach Jon Smorin said. “When we took over (two seasons ago), we had eight kids to work with. Now we have 20, and we’re growing. Alex has a chance to do some good things, and he’s only a sophomore.”

Liberty (129.5) was fourth at the 2A-2 tournament at Sebring behind champion Spring Hill Springstead (222), Lake Gibson (218.5) and Oviedo (167).

Celebration (102) was seventh, Harmony (90) was eighth and St. Cloud (22.5) was 22nd.

Six Liberty wrestlers moved to the state tournament, led by 189-pound regional champion Aric Fernandez.

Fernandez won a 12-0 decision over Andrew Herr of River Ridge for the first regional crown in the school’s history.

“Aric beat an undefeated wrestler from River Ridge and has the skill and toughness to win a state championship,” Coach Chris Kelly said.

Felix Betancourt was second at 130 pounds, and J.J. Elisis lost in the 160 finals by an injury default.

Josh Garcia was third at 152 pounds, and Liberty’s Robert Torres was fourth at 103 and Joel Martinez was fourth at 215.

“We’re proud of the results we have so far. We’re in a very tough region,” Coach Chris Kelly said. “We told our guys if you can place at this event, you can place at state.”

Celebration sends four wrestlers to the Class 2A state tournament, led by 119-pound regional champion Josh Douglas (47-7).

Douglas defeated Lake Gibson’s Jacob Phillips, 5-4, in double overtime.

Coach Vic Lorenzano said Douglas is the first Storm wrestler to earn both district and regional championships during the same season.

He is joined by teammates Cameron Ward, third at 189,  J.J. Francis at 145 and heavyweight Alvaro Noreno, both fourth. Noreno pinned three opponents to qualify.

Francis scored a takedown and a near fall in the final five seconds of  the wrestlebacks to earn his state tournament berth.

Three Harmony wrestlers reached the Class 2A state tournament as Ariel Dominguez at 103 and Matt Vaughn at 135 both made it to the finals. Chris Grillo took third at 145.

“I’m happy for the three guys who qualified but disappointed that more didn’t qualify. A couple of our seniors had some very tough draws and caught some tough breaks,” Coach Chris Todd said.

No wrestlers from St. Cloud or Poinciana advanced to the state meet.