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The Clash lands Brandon

By Jeff Beshey

May 11, 2010 - The path to winning the 2011 Clash National High School Duals title got considerably tougher with today's announcement that Brandon (Brandon, FL) will be joining next season's field of thirty-two teams.

Brandon, led by Head Coach Russ Cozart, finished the 2009-10 season as the #4 ranked team in the nation.

Brandon has won twenty-one Florida state championships since 1977, including the last ten in a row. They hold the longest winning streak in the history of high school sports – 459 victories from 1973-2008. In 2005 Brandon had the distinction of having the most nationally ranked wrestlers on one team in the nation. The Brandon program has produced seventy-seven individual state champions and 173 individual state placewinners. The Brandon wrestling program was featured in the 2008 ESPN documentary "The Streak".

Recent high-profile Brandon wrestlers include Franklin Gomez, Josh Lambrecht, David Craig, Rocky Cozart, Joe Cozart, Cesar Grajales, and Eric Grajales.

"Brandon has lost just one dual meet in the last 37 years. Their travel still needs to be approved by their local school board, but we're thrilled and honored to to have a chance to showcase this national powerhouse," stated Clash Tournament Director Steve Patton.

According to Patton, the credit for landing this nationally recognized team goes to Randy Cirksena, Steve Elwood, Ryan Thomas, and Kent Harfmann who make up the Clash recruiting team.

With only half of the tournament's teams determined so far, Brandon joins an increasingly tough field of teams for next year's Clash Duals, including (2010 Rankings) #1 Apple Valley (MN), #12 Simley (MN), #13 Montini Catholic (IL), #14 Wisconsin Rapids (WI), #17 Waverly-Shell Rock (IA), #23 Roseburg (OR), and #27 Grand Island (NE).

The 9th Annual Clash National Wrestling Duals will be on January 7th-8th, 2011 at the University Center Rochester Field House in Rochester, MN.

For more information about The Clash visit: clashmn.com