By Rod Gipson
MaxPreps.com
Brandon senior wrestler Eric Grajales has set a state record with his 200th victory.
When Grajales pinned Tampa Robinson’s Zach Boyer during their 135-pound match at the Terry Ippolito Tournament Jan. 25, he became the first wrestler in the state to win 200 straight matches.
He also became the only prep wrestler in the state to start a career 200-0. A three-time state champion, Grajales has committed to the University of Michigan.
Also, Grajales has been invited to the country’s top prep wrestling showcase.
Grajales will compete at the 35th Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic in March at the University of Pittsburgh.
Football: Coaches in new places
After seven seasons at Tampa Middleton, football coach Harry Hubbard has become the head coach of its biggest rival.
Hubbard has been hired as the head coach at Tampa Blake.
The two schools are longtime rivals, dating back to be desegregation when the two were the lone black schools in Tampa. Both schools were closed in the 1970s but were rebuilt and reopened. Blake reopened in 1997, followed by Middleton in 2002.
Since then, Middleton has dominated their rivalry, winning five of six meetings.
Hubbard was 35-33 in seven years at Middleton but the Tigers slumped to 2-8 this past year. Blake was 1-9 last year and has just one playoff appearance since its re-opening.
Jason Stokes, meanwhile, takes over at Middleton. After leading Bloomingdale to its first winning season (6-5) and playoff appearance in its 21-year school history in 2008, Stokes left his position at the eastern-Hillsborough County school to coach within the city of Tampa.
Football: Murray honored as Player of the Year
Former Tampa Plant quarterback Aaron Murray has been named the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 4A Player of the Year.
Murray, who graduated in December and already attending classes at the University of Georgia, returned from a broken leg in October to lead the Panthers to the Class 4A state championship.
Murray passed 1,921 yards with 30 touchdowns and four interceptions while guiding the Panthers to a 13-1 season and the state championship. He is now one of eight finalists for the overall Florida Dairy Farmers Player of the Year.
Football: All-American selections
Speaking of Murray, he and Seffner Armwood defensive end Ryne Giddens were the lone Tampa Bay-area players selected to Parade Magazine’s High School All-American team.
Murray broke the Hillsborough County touchdown mark with 84 in 21 games.
Giddens, who has committed to South Florida, had 75 tackles in 2008. As a junior in 2007, Giddens set a school record with 21 sacks.
Boys Basketball: Another 200 milestone
Seffner Christian boys basketball coach Roger Duncan has reached the 200-win plateau.
The Crusaders’ 75-51 win against St. Petersburg Keswick Christian earned Duncan the milestone.
Duncan has coached 11 seasons at the school, posting a 200-85 mark in the process. Duncan led Seffner Christian to the Class A region finals last season and to a district title and the region semifinals in 2007.
