Sidelines: FPC wrestling claims Five Star Conference team title

Also in the Observer: Pirates' Culbreth wins at Clay Rotary; Palm Coast Open results; Cheer clinic at FPC; Matanzas girls soccer makes it to regionals.

By Ray Boone
| 12:20 p.m. February 11, 2020

FPC captured the Five Star Conference team title on Saturday, Feb. 8. Courtesy photo

Matanzas' girls soccer team finished second in the Pirates' district. Courtesy photo

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

Flagler Palm Coast's boys wrestling team won the Five Star Conference team title on Saturday, Feb. 8, at New Smyrna Beach High School. The Bulldogs withstood Atlantic 186-175.5.

FPC senior Joseph Rizzo (113) won his second conference title, winning by decision. Freshman Kole Hannant (106 pounds) won his first conference title by pinning his opponent, and senior Andrew Dance (132) picked up a pinfall victory, as well. Blaine DeFord (152) scored his 41st victory of the year by major decision. Sophomore Kyle Peacock (138) won by decision, too.

Pirates' Culbreth wins at Clay Rotary

Matanzas finished in 13th place as a team at the Clay Rotary tournament on Feb. 8. The Pirates had one champion: Senior S.J. Culbreth, a runner-up in 2019, took down Fleming Island's Riley Holton 3-2 in the 126-pound weight class. In addition, Matanzas’ Robert Elder (285) won three times in the consolation rounds to get to the third-place match, where he lost to Key West’s Patrick Barnett 10-6.

Palm Coast Open results

Results from Friday, Feb. 7:

Alex RYBAKOV (USA) def. MS Martin REDLICKI (USA), 6-3, 6-4; Martins PODZUS (LAT) def. (7) Gianluigi QUINZI (ITA), 6-3, 6-4; (6) Alexander RITSCHARD (USA) def. Nicolas MEJIA (COL), 6-2, 6-1; Daniel DUTRA DA SILVA (BRA) def. (3) Peter TOREBKO (GER), 2-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(5); Justin BUTSCH (USA)/Alex RYBAKOV (USA) def. Wilson LEITE (BRA)/Christian LINDELL (SWE), 6-3, 6-4; Simon FREUND (SWE)/Jaume PLA MALFEITO (ESP) def. (4) Filip BERGEVI (SWE)/Skander MANSOURI (TUN), 6-2, 6-4.

Results from Sunday, Feb. 9:

Alexander RITSCHARD (USA) def. Martins PODZUS (LAT), 7-6(7), 6-4.

Cheer clinic at FPC

Flagler Palm Coast's cheerleading squad is hosting a cheer clinic from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, at FPC High School's 800 gym. Kids of all skills levels between the ages of 5 and 17 are welcome to attend. It's $25 if you pre-register or $30 for walk-in. All payments will be collected at the door. You can register online at https://forms.gle/x35VZncwjM1EJKDU6.

Matanzas girls soccer makes it to regionals

Though the Pirates lost a plethora of talent from last season's squad, Matanzas' girls soccer team set a goal of making it to the district championship in 2019-20. The Pirates accomplished that goal. Although they lost to Ponte Vedra 5-0, the Pirates still advanced to the regional quarterfinal, where they lost to Mosley 8-0. The Pirates finished the season with a 14-6-1 record.