ORLANDO - The War Eagles of Fleming Island wrestling club, behind an unbeaten record in four days of competition from senior Jason Davis, finished seventh overall Friday afternoon in the big school Community I division at the AAU Scholastic Duals High School Wrestling National Championships held June 11-17 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando. The Liberty Patriots team of Ohio took the overall team title in the 39 team tournament.

Davis, third in Florida’s Class 3A last year for Fleming Island High School at 195 pounds, had 14 wins (two forfeit wins) to garner All-American Gold status. Davis had pins of 33, 34 and 35 seconds. Fleming Island had three other wrestlers with 12 wins; junior Albie Snedaker at 106, senior Tracy Davis at 132, junior Paul Detwiler at 138 and junior Ryan Smenda at 182. Ryan Violette, an add-on wrestler from Bishop Moore High School in Orlando and a Class 1A state runnerup in 2016, finished at 145 pounds with 10 wins and two losses with four pins. Jose Concepcion, at 220, and hHeavyweight Brandon Mackey also finished with 10 wins with four losses. Snedaker, Davis, Detwiler, Violette and Smenda all received All-American Silver awards as all five finished with just two losses.

“Our style of wrestling matched up pretty well with the level of competition here from around the country,” said War Eagle coach P.J. Cobbert. “We had a solid lineup, no injuries like in past years and some strong performances from young kids new to this kind of tournament. It’s rugged.”

Teams from around the country were matched up in four pools of eight to 10 teams that battled for days one and two for a shot at a second round of championship and consolation pool play consisting of the top teams from each pool.

Fleming Island finished with six wins and three losses in their Pool J play before entering the championship (Top 8) bracket. In the championship bracket, Fleming Island won their first match, but fell in a thriller to Pennsylvania (PA) Rampage to get pushed into the consolations. In consolations, Fleming Island got two wins and a loss (to district-rival Flagler Palm Coast) to finish seventh with a 30-27 win over Naperville Phoenix.

Against the PA Rampage team, the number two team out of Pool H, Fleming Island’s team had their most exciting outing of the tournament. A win would have put Fleming Island into the championship semifinal.

With the score tied at 28-28 behind a flurry of wins from Ryan Smenda, Davis and Jose Concepcion at 182, 195 and 220, War Eagles heavyweight wrestler Brandon Mackey, at 215 pounds, faced off in a match of epic proportions for the Fleming Island-based high school wrestling club that featured a 28-28 team score, a final shot for a top five finish and an opponent that had 50 extra pounds to throw around.

“I just had to go out and do what I could for the team,” said Mackey. “He was big and strong, but I knew I had to win for us to win.”

Mackey’s shoulder to shoulder battle fell short 4-3 against the Pennsylvania Rampage 265-pound titan Oscar Daniels, as Cobbert smiled despite the 31-28 team loss

“All the wrestlers at that point were tired and beat up,” said Cobbert. “Every team there had seven or eight tough matches for the day, us included. Coach Jeff Jordan and I thought our style would go well against them.”

In the end, PA Rampage would finish fourth overall while the War Eagles would finish seventh in the big school Community I division.

“Everybody is good here and the four days is a test of wills by day four,” said Cobbert. “We had some outstanding efforts by the team and I’m proud of them.”

In the final team standings, with Fleming Island’s War Eagles taking fourth in the pool standings, Fleming Island finished behind Brownsburg Purple of Indiana at one, Perry Meridian Blue of Indiana at second and Pierre Governors of South Dakota at third. Fifth was Team Barracuda of Florida (Venice); sixth was Perrysburg High (OH); seventh was Naples Bears (FL); eighth was Warrior Elite (IN) and ninth was Austintown Fitch B (OH).

After the championship matches, Liberty Patriots (OH) won over Brownsburg Purple (IN) 50-24 for the overall Community I title with Perry Meridian (IN) third and PA Rampage fourth. Flagler finished fifth, Social Circle (GA) finished sixth, War Eagles of Fleming Island finished seventh and Naperville Phoenix (IL) finished eighth.

Fleming Island Wrestling Won/Lost records

106: Albie Snedaker (12-2, 1 Forfeit win, 8 pins)

113: Briar Jackson (3-11, 2 pins)

120: Jacob Sandoval (4-10, 1 Forfeit win)

126: Joe Cooper (4-10)

132: Tracy Davis (12-2, 10-2 at 132, 2-0 at 138; 4 pins)

138: Paul Detwiler (12-2, 10-1 at 138, 2-1 at 145, 5 pins)

145: Vince Hauser (2-6, 1-1 at 132, 0-1 at 138, 1-3 at 145, 0-1 at 152)

145: Ryan Violette (12-2, 3-1 at 145, 9-1 at 152, 4 pins)

160: Brandon Dickman (10-4, 5 pins)

170: Anthony Breeden (3-11, 2 pins)

182: Ryan Smenda (12-2, 2 Forfeit wins, 6 pins)

195: Jason Davis (14-0, 2 Forfeit wins, 4 pins)

220: Jose Concepcion (10-4, 1 Forfeit win, 5 pins)

285: Brandyne Mackey (10-4, 2 Forfeit wins, 5 pins)