Minnesota Connect

There are many signs that an organizing approach--respecting people’s capacities for self-directed public work--is beginning to spread to unexpected settings. The war in Afghanistan is certainly a case that surprises many, but as David Wood’s story in the Baltimore Sun shows, many military officers now acknowledge that simply using force to try to defeat the Taliban is not working. As Secretary of Defense Bill Gates put it, “We cannot kill or capture our way to victory.”

Allied soldiers are thus learning and practicing organizing skills, like learning to listen to local people, understanding the local needs, situation, and politics, and learning to work collaboratively.

The official half-way point of the season has been reached. What lays before us is a clearer picture of contenders and pretenders. What we know is this - Brandon is for real. Led by Eric Grajales and a host of super-duper diaper dandies, the Eagles are primed for one of their biggest outputs in their recent (and glorious) history. A 54 - 15 defeat of South Dade exposed a chink in the armor of preseason favorite South Dade. With the recent rise of Oviedo, Osceola, and the looming, but somewhat distant Columbus squad, are the Bucs capable of reaching the top of the summit? As they say, that's why they wrestle the matches. 103 1. Travis Laxton - Junior, Suwannee 2. Earl Hall – Frosh, South Dade3. Ricky Rodriguez – Senior, Belen Jesuit 4. Marco Gomes – Junior, Douglas 5. Richard Bliss – Sophomore, Springstead 6. Dryden Dennis – Frosh, Northside Christian 7. Jeremy Hall – Junior, Lincoln 8. Brandon Jorge – Frosh, Lake Gibson 9. Terry Tran - Junior, Edgewater 10. Mookie Forbes - Wakulla11. Brayton Logan - Junior, North Ft Myers12. Mark Gulesian - Soph, ColumbusThe first big news here is the unfortunate end of a career. Flagler Senior JR Lopez has decided not to wrestle this season. I also hear that Laxton may move up for the state series, apparently to challenge TBC's Kevin Norstrem. That would be an amazing state finals! No other head -to-head matches have been wrestled since my last rankings, so welcome to the ladder Brayton Logan, a state placer a year ago in 2A and Columbus' Gulesian, who is probably ranked too low. 112 1. Alex Chiricosta – Senior, Douglas2. Kevin Norstrem – 8th, Tampa Bay Christian 3. Ryan Renkey – Senior, Brandon 4. Armani Harris - Junior, American5. Quintavian McPherson – Junior, South Dade 6. Mike Hess – Frosh, Jensen Bench 7. Tony Milanes – Junior, Alonso 8. Joey Hefley – Soph, Oviedo 9. Alex Backer - Senior, Winter Springs 10. Alex Hamm - Junior, Durant 11. Blaine Ison – Soph, Palmetto Ridge 12. Timothy Locksmith - Freshman Osceola 13. Travis Fulk – Soph, ManateeWe have a new #1! Chiricosta defeated Norstrem at the Zac Jarzynka, and although I love Norstrem's body of work, for the moment, Chiricosta has earned his spot above the rest. I've dropped Dawson of Brandon out of the rankings, as it seems Renkey has solidified his hold on his spot in Brandon's ridiculous line-up. Renkey also majored McPherson, and is very close to supplanting Norstrem as the state's #2. Harris enters the rankings at 112. American and South Dade did not meet at the District 16 Duals, denying us all a Harris - McPherson match. But alas, they did meet on the wednesday BEFORE and Harris won. 119 1. Gabe Chandler – Senior, Braddock2. Rossi Bruno – Frosh, Brandon 3. Kyle Grueninger - Senior, Countryside 4. Robert Herrera - Senior, Sarasota 5. Cody Singletary – Junior, Palmetto Ridge 6. Mauricio Villanueva – Senior, South Dade 7. Matt Noffo – Junior, Columbus 8. Cody Ross – Frosh, Springstead 9. Domingo Simmons – Senior, Cardinal Gibbons 10. Craig Barker - Senior, Citrus 11. Nick Hynes – Junior, Zephyrhills 12. Dalton Dennis - Soph, Northside ChristianChandler ascends to the top spot after defeating Brandon's Bruno. All I can say is, thank God for youtube! An exciting match, to say the least, it is clear that Chandler is looking to avenge his brother's loss to Grueninger. 125 1. Eric Chandler – Senior, Braddock 2. Tyler Liberatore – Frosh, Brandon 3. Jacob Gregory – Senior, Manatee 4. Nick Soto – Soph, Springstead 5. Alex Curley - Senior, Winter Srpings 6. Matt Jones – Senior, Osceola 7. Kevin Lowery - Martin County 8. Alex Paraschuk - Soph, Riverdale 9. Paul Marcello – Senior, Cardinal Gibbons 10. Matt Barrera – Senior, Miami Springs 11. Stephon Jenkins - Senior, Oviedo12. Jeff Pitts - Soph, MosleyNo movement here, no fun!130 1. Clark Glass – Frosh, Brandon 2. George Gulesian – Senior, Columbus 3. Wilson Metellus - Senior, South Dade 4. Joe Locksmith - Junior, Osceola5. Matt Nereim – Junior, Winter Springs 6. Garrett Soileau - Senior, Clay7. Tre McCollough – Soph, Wakulla 8. Alex Abramat – Senior, Cypress Bay 9. Austin Brown – Junior, Sarasota 10. Josh Burgess - Senior, Belleview 11. Jeffrey Pitts – Soph, Mosley 12. David Gonzalez – Senior, Jesuit 13. Robert Rojas – Frosh, South Dade 14. Hugo Espinoza – Senior, EdgewaterGlass makes me look like a genius after defeating Metellus at the District 16 Duals. For the moment, I am dropping Metellus to 130, because I believe he will stay here in an effort to avoid Osceola's suddenly dominant Pete Baldwin. The Metellus-Glass match is also on youtube, and it looked like Glass is the better wrestler, a statement I never dreamed of making, especially at this point in Glass's young career. Soileau takes a move down after losing to Brandon back-up (and defending State Runner-up) Hutchinson at the District 16 Duals. Unfortunately, we were denied a Soileau-Metellus match-up. Also, Nereim and Locksmith flip-flop again, after Locksmith won the Jarzynka over his rival. 135 1. Eric Grajales – Senior, Brandon 2. Pete Baldwin - Soph, Osceola 3. Jake Rio - Senior, Columbus 4. Alex Doran – Soph, Manatee 5. Jordan Frease - Senior, Countryside 6. Gunnar Magliocca – Senior, St. Thomas Aquinas 7. Leo Santibanez – Junior, American 8. Zach Boyer – Senior, Robinson9. Hans Rasmusson – Junior, Jupiter10. Ariel Bosque - Junior, Palatka11. Brad Saxton - Senior, Palmetto Ridge12. Jimmy Kahle - Soph, Mosley13. Luke Grantham - Senior, Suwannee Badwin has to be the most unassuming superstar in the state. At the conclusion of another stellar senior class, Baldwin is setting himself to be one of, if not the, best Florida wrestler. He defeated two State Champs on the way to a win at the Jarzynka, and just continues to showcase dominance from the top position. Welcome to the rankings, Kahle (6th at Jarzynka), Bosque (returning State Placer) and Grantham (winner over Kahle at Capital City Classic). 140 1. Kevin Timothy - Senior, Brandon 2. Ray Parrado – Senior, Goleman 3. Brent Jorge –Senior, Lake Gibson 4. Oxsunn Ramirez – Senior, Southwest 5. Chase Gordon – Junior, Oviedo 6. Dustin Paridon – Senior, Mosley7. Gabriel Bird - Junior, Osceola 8. Dillon Dennis - Senior, Northside Christian 9. Daniel Pritz - Hernando 10. Scott Varner – Junior, Wakulla 11. Mardel Gabriel – Soph, Doral 12. Wilfred Perez – Junior, Miami Sunset 13. Billy Ortiz – Senior, Cypress Creek 14. David Isme – Senior, LelyIn an effort to maximize state points, I believe Bird will stay here at 140. However, his recent performance may indicate that move may not be the smart one. At the Jarzynka, Bird lost to Jorge and Ramirez. Jorge has cemented himself as one of the state's best, after defeating the aforementioned Bird and Gordon in the same weekend. 145 1. Shakendrick Sanders – Senior, South Dade 2. Joe Cozart – Junior, Brandon 3. Carlos Montero – Senior, Bloomingdale 4. Nick Rex – Senior, Lake Gibson 5. Tucker Raich – Senior, Jupiter Christian 6. Bryce Neff – Senior, Charlotte 7. Daniel Dykes – Senior, Manatee 8. Nic Hajner - Senior, Cypress Creek 9. Michael Rodriguez - Senior, Ely 10. CJ Burke - Junior, Cardinal Gibbons11. Darius Fleurimond - Senior, Palm Beach Gardens12. Richard Manwarren - Senior, RidgeviewNo changes. Welcome to the rankings, Fleurimond and Manwarren. 152 1. Alex Eggers – Senior, Osceola 2. Kyle Mills - Senior, Clay3. Wally Figaro – Soph, Brandon 4. Frank Pettineo - Senior, Cardinal Gibbons 5. Allen Pena – Senior, Columbus 6. Geordan Speiller – Frosh, St. Thomas Aquinas 7. Antonio Starr – Senior, Hialeah Miami Lakes 8. Lee Wildes – Junior, Oviedo 9. Zach Pincus – Senior, Wellington 10. Adam Lessor - Senior, Ocala Forest 11. Julian Eddie – Senior, South Dade12. Deanarius Wilson - Senior, Gainesville Some great movement here! Mills moves up on the strength of wins over both Speiller and Figaro at the District 16 Duals. Wilson enters the rankings after placing 4th at the Jarzynka, over Wildes. The two did not meet head-to-head. 160 1. Didley Weche – Senior, Miami Pace 2. Chris Figari – Senior, Bloomingdale 3. Frank Cousins – Junior, St. Cloud 4. Erin O’Dell – Junior, Oviedo5. David Richardson - Frosh, Lake Gibson 6. John Nichols - Senior, Lakeland 7. Isaac Riley – Junior, Manatee 8. Luis Montalvo - Senior, South Dade 9. Kyle Koziel – Frosh, Brandon 10. Michael Wexler - Senior, Ocala Forest 11. Tyler Hayes - Senior, Okeechobee 12. Kyle Thacker - Senior, Riverdale O'Dell makes the big move up after defeating Richardson in a close match at the Jarzynka (the match did end in a pin, however). Cousins is apparently at 160 to stay, so, he enters here. Other than that... blah. 171 1. Jacob Harmer – Senior, Gainesville 2. Levi Clemons - Junior, Osceola3. Antonio Talley - Senior, Dunedin 4. Luke McGurrin - Senior, Bolles5. Zaq Berridge – Senior, Brandon 6. TJ Sturgeon – Senior, University 7. Julian Martinez – Senior, Miami Pace 8. James Bland - Senior, Avon Park 9. Davin Morris – Senior, Oviedo 10. JC Velasco – Senior, Coral Springs 11. Max Piasecki – Junior, Jensen Beach 12. Dominick Pierre – Junior, Coral Springs CH Clemons finally showed the talent I thought was apparent and gave Harmer a close match at the Jarzynka, losing 3-2. If there is a such thing as a "moral" victory, this was it. Got word that Bolles Senior and defending State Champ will be staying at 171. Also Clemons moves up to #2 after majoring Talley at the Kowboy Kup Duals. 189 1. Caylor Williams – Senior, Palm Bay 2. David Castillo - Senior, American3. Kendall Ivy – Senior, Alonso 4. Jay Taylor – Soph, Oviedo 5. Luis Alba - Junior, Cypress Creek 6. Chris Ferrito – Senior, Seabreeze 7. Scot Wern - Senior, Springstead 8. Matt VanScoy – Senior, Gainesville 9. Mike Ettore – Soph, Brandon 10. Billy Kartsonis – Senior, Episcopal 11. Travus Webster – Senior, South Dade 12. Justin Wilson – Junior, Western 13. Trevor Dunn – Junior, RiverdaleI've finally moved Alba up to 189, and I'm sure I will regret it. He hasn't competed at 171 yet, but as soon as I write this, I'll bet he does. Ah, such is the life of a ranker. The top 4 at 189 all inhabit Class 3A, and I don't see anyone touching Williams. He has already beaten Alba, and bumped up to beat Michael Ducre of Dr. Phillips. 215 1. Willie Wiggins – Senior, South Dade 2. Dylan Gamret - Senior, Palmetto Ridge 3. Michael Ducre - Senior, Dr. Phillips4. Mike Miller – Senior, Orange Park 5. Michael Albadin – Senior, Columbus 6. Ariel Klein – Senior, Cooper City 7. Wilder Rislin – Senior, Poinciana 8. Casey Hines – Senior, Bradford 9. John Sennett – Senior, Miami Pace 10. Shawn Henderson – Junior, Coconut Creek 11. Louis Gonzalez – Senior, Lely 12. Emilious Davis – Senior, South MiamiNo moves, although Ducre enters the rankings at 215. I hear he'll be going back down to 189. 285 1. John Dixon – Junior, Ridgeview 2. Henry Chirino – Junior, American 3. Caleb Rainwaters - Junior, Palmetto Ridge4. Danny Vinegra - Senior, Braddock5. George Mills - Senior, Winter Springs6. Donovan Green - Junior, Timber Creek 7. Eugene Scott – Senior, Unversity 8. Cody Barton – Senior, Bayside 9. Byron Dames – Senior, Jupiter Christian 10. Brenton Clayton – Senior, Lakeland 11. Alex Wethy – Junior, Columbus 12. John Lopez - Senior, Palm Beach Gardens 13. Josh Wofford – Senior, Palm Bay 14. Steven Jacques – Senior, South BrowardSay hello to Vinegra. The Braddock Senior owns a pin over Mills, while Mills enters the rankings after defeating Green in the finals of the Lyman Inv.

December 2008

Enjoy the look back!