Prep sports: BHSN unveils list of top 20 greatest coaches

(bhsn.com)Brandon wrestling coach Russ Cozart took the top spot in Bright House Sports Network's countdown of the 20 greatest coaches in the its seven-county viewing area. Cozart has led Brandon to 21 state titles in 31 years as a head coach, including a current run of 11 straight, and watched more than 80 of his wrestlers win state championships. The Eagles also won a record 459 straight dual meets under Cozart, a streak that merited a special produced by ESPN.
Here is the complete list, including a couple of names you may know.

1 - Russ Cozart, Brandon wrestling
2- Paul Maechtle, Southeast football
3 - Bill Castle, Lakeland football
4 - Randy Dagostino, Tampa Berkeley Prep volleyball
5 - Robert Weiner, Tampa Plant football
6 - Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow softball
7 - Lanny Faedo, Tampa Alonso baseball
8 - Nancy Kroll, Tampa Catholic girls basketball
9 - Rick Rodriguez, Largo football
10 - Joe Kinnan, Manatee football
11 - Sean Callahan, Seffner Armwood football
12 - Pop Cuesta, Tampa Jefferson baseball
13 - Terrence McGriff, Bartow boys basketball
14 - Allen Carden, Clearwater boys basketball
15 - Joe Fenlon, Tampa Prep boys basketball
16 - Bobby Diez, Chamberlain softball
17 - Tom McHugh, Pasco football
18 - John Crumbley, Tampa Jesuit/Steinbrenner baseball
19 - Eileen Givens, Countryside track and field
20 - David Mitchell, Tampa Wharton football, wrestling and track and field

Prep football: Maechtle second, Kinnan 10th on BHSN Coaching Countdown

(photo by Tiffany-Tompkins Condie)

A pair of legendary locals have made The Bright House Sports Network Coaching Countdown, a rundown of the top 20 coaches in the station's seven-county viewing area.

Southeast football coach Paul Maechtle is second, while Manatee's Joe Kinnan is 10th.

The top choice will be unveiled either Monday or Tuesday at BHSN.com.

Maechtle has been with Noles for 35 years, taking over as head coach in 1981 and becoming Southeast's athletic director in '85. He has won 265 games and two state titles, and has lead the Noles to five appearances in the state title game.

Maechtle was elected to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association's Hall of Fame in January.

No. 3 on the list is Lakeland's Bill Castle.

Kinnan, another FACA Hall-of-Famer, also began coaching in '81, though he took four years off before returning in 2005. The Hurricanes have won four state titles and 253 games under Kinnan and have made six finals trips overall, with the most recent one coming in 2009.

The judging panel consisted of BHSN sports reporters Drew Fellios and Brooke Bennett, along with producers Chris McCully and Darren Looser.

They used this criteria to come up with the list.