Five wrestlers qualify for state
Five Cape Coral wrestlers are heading to the state finals Friday and Saturday in Lakeland after qualifying through regional competition Saturday at Charlotte High School.
Junior Basil Minto (160 pounds) of Mariner and senior Brady Logan (112) of North Fort Myers won their respective weight classes to advance to Friday’s first round matches at the Lakeland Center.
Ida Baker freshman Brandon Gacad lost to Logan in the 112 championship finals match, but still advances to the state meet since the top four wrestlers in each class qualify to compete.
Joining them in Lakeland are fourth-place finishers Brett Hurt of Mariner in the 135-pound division and Bobby Nuccio at 145. Both are juniors.
“These two guys are very quiet,” Mariner coach Dave Phillips said of Minto and Hurt. “They do their talking on the mat. They are very unassuming, work hard every day and have improved throughout the year. They are very focused.”
Minto dominated his weight class, winning all of his matches by seven or eight points, including a 9-2 decision in the finals.
“He was very consistent,” Phillips added.
Hurt stunned the No. 4-ranked wrestler in the state in his first match, then came back through the consolation bracket to finish fourth.
It is the first time Mariner has had a wrestler qualify for the state meet since five Tritons qualified in 2007. The past two years were rebuilding years for the Tritons, who listed just one senior on this year’s squad.
“We will prepare like we always do,” Phillips said. “We will take it like it’s just another day, another week, go through the same routines.”