Don’t let the Sentinel link fool you completely. My man Brant Parsons and I have decided to combine forces this week. So there’s as much my content on there as there is his. He’s got the institutional resources to pretty it up, however.
Our goal is to dominate. Nothing less.
Prove. Us. Wrong.
Or right.
Don’t let the Sentinel link fool you completely. My man Brant Parsons and I have decided to combine forces this week. So there’s as much my content on there as there is his. He’s got the institutional resources to pretty it up, however.
Our goal is to dominate. Nothing less.
Prove. Us. Wrong.
Or right.
3A is forthcoming.
Don’t let the Sentinel link fool you completely. My man Brant Parsons and I have decided to combine forces this week. So there’s as much my content on there as there is his. He’s got the institutional resources to pretty it up, however.
Our goal is to dominate. Nothing less.
Prove. Us. Wrong.
Or right.
2A and 3A are forthcoming. There’s some content engine issues in play that seem to be affecting computer systems all over the place.
By SHANNON HEATON
Northeast Florida Matmen
PALM COAST — In the final chance to establish area supremacy in north and central Florida, it was Fleming Island who had final say.
The Golden Eagles advanced 11 wrestlers to this weekend’s Class 3A state tournament, with four individual titles, and in so doing established a 44.5-point margin of victory over runnerup Winter Springs at last weekend’s 3A-Region 1 tournament at Flagler Palm Coast HS.
The host Bulldogs were third, with 154 points, well ahead of Freedom (131) and Hagerty (124.5). After the top five teams, the depth dropped off substantially, as Hagerty nearly doubled up sixth-place Apopka.
More locally, Buchholz and Fletcher tied for 10th place with 39 points, Sandalwood 12th with 36, and Oakleaf 19th with 27. Atlantic Coast was 22nd with 14 points, with Mandarin and Robert E. Lee part of a four-way tie for 23rd with 11 in a 36-team field.
The tournament had adjusted Saturday hours, as several Orlando teams could not find lodging in the adjacent areas Friday evening due to Sunday’s Daytona 500. Wrestling did not begin until noon on the second day, with 7 p.m. finals Saturday night.
Here’s a rundown of how each District 1 competitor fared on the weekend:
106
Briar Jackson, Fleming Island: Won the tournament. Jackson had two pins on Friday, in 1:52 over Edgewater’s Tremindous Williams and in 52 seconds over Freedom’s Erick Rocher. On Saturday, Jackson pinned Cypress Creek’s Ivan Reyes in 1:35 in the semis to set up a Flagler Rotary rematch with Hagerty’s Ryan Rowland. There, Jackson shut out Rowland, winning with an 8-0 major.
Bryan Perkins, Buchholz: Qualified out for states by finishing third. Perkins opened with a fall in 3:47 over Wekiva’s Victor Altimirano, then shut out Timber Creek’s Ernesto Maysonet, 7-0, in the quarters. Perkins then lost by tech fall to Rowland, 15-0, in the semis, but punched his ticket with an 11-3 major over Apopka’s Jacen McMath in the consi semis. Perkins then turned back FPC’s Christian Sheppard, 7-4, in the third-place match.
Christian Sheppard, Flagler Palm Coast: Qualified out for states by finishing fourth. Sheppard pinned McMath in 56 seconds in the first round, but then lost to Rowland, 10-0, in the quarters. That meant Sheppard had to win three matches on the back side to qualify, and he did, pinning University (Orange City)’s Zion Gonzalez in 2:03 on Friday and then falling Maysonet (5:19) and Reyes (2:20) before losing to Perkins in the third-place match.
Cam’Ron Dove, Oakleaf: Went 0-2 in the tournament, opening with a second-period loss by fall in 3:55 to Olympia’s David Millheim. Dove then lost in the consi first round to Gonzalez, 8-1, and was eliminated.
113
Albie Snedaker, Fleming Island: Won the tournament. Snedaker also had two pins on Friday, needing 52 seconds to pin first-round opponent Amstrong Lubin of Freedom, and then falled Lake Howell’s Luis Pasarell in 1:27 in the quarters. Snedaker’s closest match might have been the Saturday semi with Cypress Creek’s Michael Ortega, where he needed to go overtime before securing a 4-2 decision. In the final, Snedaker also pitched a shutout, taking a 2-0 victory over Timber Creek’s Corban Arana.
Ryan Rosano, Oakleaf: Qualified out for states by finishing fourth. Rosano won by DQ over Jayden Bradshaw of Boone in the first round, then took an 8-0 major in the quarters over DeLand’s Nathan Hewson. Saturday was a different day, as Rosano first fell in the semis to Arana, 9-7, and then had to make an escape stand up in the consi semis over Hagerty’s Brandon Boyle in a 1-0 win. Rosano then fell to Ortega, 2-0, in the third place match.
Leon Cruz, Sandalwood: Went 2-2 in the tournament and made it to Saturday. Cruz lost in the first round to Ortega, 13-4, but then won twice in the consi rounds to keep his season alive, with a fall in 2:58 over Wekiva’s Joseph Prevesk and in 2:03 over UOC’s Joshua Sepulveda to move into the consi quarters. There, in the second set of wrestling, Cruz fell 9-3 to Lubin and was eliminated.
Rayquan Piper, Fletcher: Went 1-2 in the tournament, with a first-round loss, 9-4, to eventual finalist Arana. Piper did come back on the back side with a 9-3 win in consi round 1 over Evans’ Camron Ward, but then fell to Boyle, 5-3, in consi round 2 and was eliminated.
120
Michael DeAugustino, Flagler Palm Coast: Won the tournament. DeAugustino began Friday with a fall in 1:11 over Lake Mary’s Matt Frausel, then teched Freedom’s Smaill Saint Pierre, 17-2, to move into the semis against Boone’s Noel Soto. There, on Saturday, DeAugustino picked up a second tech fall, this time by a 17-1 count, over Soto and reached the finals against district rival DeAndre Demus of Fleming Island, where he took a 5-3 decision for the title.
DeAndre Demus, Fleming Island: Qualified out for states as the runnerup. Demus pinned his way through to the final, with falls on Friday over Seminole’s Ezekiel McEntire (3:05) and Antonio Estrada of Timber Creek (3:44) in the quarters, then pinning Fletcher’s Trent Dalldorf in 1:59 in the semi to meet DeAugustino in the championship round.
Trent Dalldorf, Fletcher: Went 2-2 in the tournament and made it to Saturday. Dalldorf earned a semifinal berth with two decisions on Friday, 5-1 in the first round over Hagerty’s Mathieu Byers and then 6-2 over West Orange’s Tyler Montes in the quarters. After losing to Demus in the semis, Dalldorf dropped to the consolation semis, where he lost by fall in 5:59 to Saint Pierre.
Chase Mattox, Mandarin: Went 1-2 in the tournament, with a first-round victory over District 3 champ Hayden McCandless of Winter Springs, 5-3. Mattox then fell to Soto, 7-4, in the quarters, and then lost by DQ in consi round 2 to Byers, and was eliminated.
126
Avery Holder, Flagler Palm Coast. Won the tournament. Holder had bonus points in each round up to the final, with a first-round fall in 50 seconds over Winter Park’s Colson North, then a 14-5 major over Dr Phillips’ Jamel Clue in the quarters on Friday. Holder opened Saturday with a 17-1 tech fall over Hagerty’s Tyler McVay, and then scored twice in a 5-0 shutout of Freedom’s Marcus Jean Baptiste for the title.
Jacob Sandoval, Fleming Island: Qualified out for states by finishing fourth. Sandoval had a first-round fall in 2:47 over Timber Creek’s Eliejah Bagley, and then pushed through a tough 4-2 decision over West Port’s Aaron Kreiser in the quarters. Jean Baptiste had too much offense for Sandoval in the semi on Saturday, winnng 6-0, but he rallied in the consi semis, knocking out county rival Ethan Gustilo of Oakleaf with an 11-5 decision. Sandoval then fell, 9-2, in the third-place match to Winter Springs’ Matthew Phillips.
Ethan Gustilo, Oakleaf: Went 3-2 in the tournament and made it to Saturday, with all three wins in the consi rounds. Gustilo lost to Jean Baptiste, 13-7, in the first round, and then had three consi-side pins to get a shot at wrestling for state, decking Evans’ Jhanes Joseph (3:28) and Clue (1:35) on Friday and then pinning Bagley in 2:07 in the consi quarters Saturday. The loss to Sandoval elimiated Gustilo from the tournament.
Gunner Stier, Mandarin: Went 1-2 in the tournament, with a first-round win by disqualification over Boone’s Lucas Rodriguez. Stier then lost by fall in 1:30 to McVay in the quarters, losing by fall in 51 seconds in consi round 2 to Bagley, and was eliminated.
132
Gant Moore, Buchholz: Qualified out for states by finishing third. Moore opened Friday with an 8-3 win over Winter Springs’ JJ Contreras in the first round, but then fell in the quarters to Boone’s Andrew Fletcher, 4-3. That meant three wins in order to get out, and Moore knocked them out, falling Lake Mary’s Manny Fernandez in 3:17 in consi round 2 on Friday, then decisioning Cypress Creek’s Carlos Arce, 5-1, in the consi quarters and winning in overtime, 6-4, over Apopka’s Brian Rosa. Once through, Moore shut out Fleming Island’s Trace Insalaco, 7-0, for third.
Trace Insalaco, Fleming Island: Qualified out for states by finishing fourth. Insalaco won by DQ in the first round over Oviedo’s Devon Craig, then fell to Rosa, 7-3, in the quarters. From there, Insalaco needed to find three wins to get out, and he began with two against district rivals in Vince Karl of Oakleaf (fall in 3:27) and Damion Figouera of FPC (4-1), adding a second win by DQ over Fletcher in the consi semis to advance through before his loss to Moore.
Damion Figouera, Flagler Palm Coast: Went 2-2 in the tournament and made it to Saturday. Opened strongly with a 13-0 major over Fernandez, but then fell in the quarters to eventual runnerup Brenden Maharaj of Freedom, 7-3. Figueroa advanced into Saturday’s round with a 13-4 major over Contreras, but then lost to Insalaco in the consi quarters.
Vince Karl, Oakleaf: Went 1-2 in the tournament, with a consi round victory. Karl lost by fall (1:41) to eventual region champion Emauni Smithson of Hagerty, but then advanced to consi round 2 with a DQ victory over Evans’ Marc Imprevert. The loss to Insalaco by fall eliminated Karl from the tournament.
138
Michael Martins, Flagler Palm Coast: Qualified out for states as the runnerup. Martins began Friday with a third-period fall over West Orange’s Daniel Reynor, in 5:23, and followed that up with a second bonus-point victory, majoring Freedom’s Earl Johnson, 9-1, to get to Saturday. Martins then set the pace in the semis against Lake Mary’s Jordan Goldman, winning there by a 7-1 score, but couldn’t make his attacks stick in the final against Ethan Woods of Hagerty, falling by a 6-0 count.
Vince Hauser, Fleming Island: Went 2-2 in the tournament and made it to Saturday, with wins on both sides of the bracket. Hauser falled West Port’s Jonathan Rodriguez in the first round, in 2:42, but then lost 9-3 to Woods in the quarters. Hauser advanced to Saturday’s action with a 5-2 consi round 2 win over University (Orlando)’s Joshua Pantoja, but lost there by fall to Raynor in 2:36, and was eliminated.
Jake Kamins, Mandarin: Went 0-2 in the tournament, losing a tight first-round match to Evans’ Nicholas Carrasquillo, 10-8. On the consi side, Kamins fell, 17-5, to Timber Creek’s Carlos Matos, and was eliminated.
Darius Wells, Robert E. Lee: Went 0-2 in the tournament, falling 22-8 in the first round to Ocoee’s Ernst Attilus. Wells then lost to Pantoja by fall, in 4:56, in consi round 1, and was eliminated.
145
Cameron Bell, Sandalwood: Qualified out for states as the runnerup. Bell began Friday’s rounds with a 9-0 shutout over West Orange’s Kenneth Paucar, then reached the semis with a 5-2 quarterfinal win over DeLand’s Marshal Stone. On Saturday, Bell pinned Lake Mary’s Miles Banks in 3:21 to get to the finals, where he took a 16-7 loss by major decision to Winter Springs’ Dimitri Alicea.
Tyrone Jones, Flagler Palm Coast: Qualified out for states by finishing third. Jones won by DQ in the first round over Evans’ Ruben Joseph, but then lost by fall to Alicea in 3:40 in the quarterfinals. Jones then won four straight matches to take third, with a fall in consi round 2 over Cypress Creek’s Reggie Smith (5:39) on Friday, then pinned Atlantic Coast’s Tywaine Rochebrun (5:03) in the consi quarters on Saturday. Jones decisioned Banks, 5-2, in the consi semis to make it out, then edged Freedom’s Stephon Halliburton, 5-4, for third.
Tywaine Rochebrun, Atlantic Coast: Went 2-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday, with wins on both sides of the bracket. Rochebrun decisioned Olympia’s Mitchell Warren, 10-3, in the first round, but then lost to Halliburton in the quarters, 10-0. Rochebrun moved into Saturday’s round with a 3-1 win over University (Orlando)’s Ethan Rivera, 3-1, but then lost to Jones and was eliminated.
Tracen Ransdell, Buchholz: Went 0-2 in the tournament, losing by a 21-8 major in the first round to Roody Edouard of Apopka. On the back side, Ransdell lost to Smith, 6-3, and was eliminated.
152
Paul Detwiler, Fleming Island: Won the tournament, with bonus points in every round. Detwiler pinned Lake Mary’s James Weed (1:13) in the first round, and then falled Freedom’s Colby Wang in 1:50 in the quarters on Friday. On Saturday, Detwiler teched Buchholz’s Jordan Mobley in the semis, 18-3, and followed that up in nearly duplicate fashion, with an 18-2 tech over Boone’s Gage VanKuilenburg in the final.
Adam Spikes, Mandarin: Went 3-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Spikes lost by fall in 30 seconds to eventual third-place finisher Oliver Hart of Hagerty, but rallied for two consi-side wins on Friday, pinning Timber Creek’s Jaden Delgado in 4:37 in consi round 1 and winning by forfeit in consi round 2. Spikes then pinned DeLand’s Yoaquim Rios in 4:36 in the consi quarters to get to the blood round, where he fell to Thanks Alcius of Apopka, 8-4, and was eliminated.
Curtis Brock, Flagler Palm Coast: Went 2-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday, with wins on both sides of the bracket. Brock pinned Rios in 5:03 in the opening round on Friday, but then lost by fall to VanKuilenburg in 3:47 in the quarters. Brock reached Saturday with a 9-1 major in consi round 2 over Ocoee’s Derek Verhoest. In the consi quarters, Brock lost by fall to Hart in 1:23, and was eliminated.
Jordan Mobley, Buchholz: Went 2-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Mobley’s two wins on the front side were completed without wrestling a minute, as Mobley won by DQ over Oviedo’s Michael Busck in the first round, then received a forfeit in the quarters due to a double DQ in the pairing above us. On Saturday, Mobley lost by tech fall to Detwiler, and then fell in the consi semis to Hart, 14-2, and was eliminated.
160
Ben Sann, Fleming Island: Qualified out for states as the runnerup. Sann pinned Winter Park’s Austin Parker in 1:10 in Friday’s first round, then followed that up with a 10-3 quarterfinal victory over Dan Lively of Lake Mary. On Saturday, Sann got into the finals with a 4-2 semifinal victory over DeLand’s Will Hennessy, putting himself into the final against Winter Springs’ Max Wohlabaugh, and the result was a 22-9 loss by major decision.
Chandler Bell, Sandalwood: Went 3-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Bell had a first-round win on Friday, decisioning University (Orlando)’s Uziel Rivera by a 5-2 score, but then lost by fall to Wohlabaugh in 20 seconds in the quarters. Bell needed three wins to get out, and picked up two, decisioning West Orange’s Chrisotpher Villafane, 6-3, on Friday, and then falling FPC’s Keith Boswell in 2:44 on Saturday in the consi quarters. However, he couldn’t get past Hennessy in the blood round, falling 4-2, and was eliminated.
Owen Beining, FLetcher: Went 2-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Beining had a first-round fall (time not determined) over Boone’s Daniel Bass, then added a second pin in 1:05 in the quarters against Lyman’s Jeff Tsang. On Saturday in the semis, Beining was pinned by Wohlabaugh, in 1:13, to drop into the blood round, where he fell, 4-2, to Freedom’s Briso Aimable, and was eliminated.
Keith Boswell, Flagler Palm Coast: Went 2-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Boswell lost by fall to Aimable in the first round (1:01), but fought his way back to the consi quarters behind a pair of decisions, 3-0 over Wekiva’s Immri Charles in consi round 1 and 12-7 over Tsang in consi round 2. The loss to Bell on Saturday meant that Boswell was eliminated.
170
Steve Canidate, Flagler Palm Coast: Qualified out for states by finishing fourth. Canidate pinned Edgewater’s Elijah White in 1:40 in Friday’s first round, and went double-overtime with Lake Brantley’s Nate Ferkovich before falling, 2-1. That meant three wins were required to get out and Canidate picked them up, decisioning Sandalwood’s Dillon Morency, 7-4, in consi round 2. On Saturday, Canidate won by injury-default in the consi quarter over Apopka’s Quentin Wilson, and then punched the ticket with an 8-5 win over Evans’ Ikzac Dixon in the consi semi. In a rematch with Ferkovich for third, the outcome was the same, but the margin of victory not so close, as Ferkovich won 11-1.
Jalyn Robinson, Fleming Island: Went 3-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Robinson shut out West Orange’s Christian Villafane, 7-0, in the first round, but then lost to eventual champion Cole Mitchell of Winter Springs, 13-5, in the quarters on Friday. Robinson had a major of his own in consi round 2, shutting out Freedom’s Wesley Britos, 9-0, to reach Saturday. There, in the consi quarters, he pinned White in 1:39, but then lost to Ferkovich in the semi, 3-0.
Dillon Morency, Sandalwood: Went 1-2 in the tournament. Morency lost by fall to Dixon, in 5:41, in the first round, but rallied behind a narrow 6-5 win over DeLand’s Gage Lauter in consi round 1. His loss to Canidate meant that Morency was eliminated.
Julion Fix, Fletcher: Was 0-2 in the tournament, after an injury sustained at districts the week before left him unable to continue, as he injury-defaulted to Wilson in the first round and Britos in consi round 1.
182
Jason Davis, Fleming Island: Won the tournament. Davis had two first-period pins on Friday, with a fall in 1:29 over Edgewater’s Tyler Engram in the first round, and a second in 1:23 over University (Orange City)’s Jorge Betancourte in 1:23 to get to the semis. There, Davis majored Evans’ George Schanck by a 14-3 count to reach the final and Winter Springs’ Jason DeGroat. Davis had a score and escape, shutting down DeGroat in a 3-0 decision.
Eddie Bryant, Flagler Palm Coast: Went 3-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Bryant injury-defaulted to West Orange’s Paul Atwood in the first round, but showed little ill effects, winning three matches to wrestle for a state berth. He pinned Boone’s Jason Angel in 1:47 and decisioned Freedom’s Marc Dillard, 6-4, to get to Saturday, where he pinned Sandalwood’s Cole Friend in 5:59 to reach the blood round against Logan Celella of Apopka. Celella won by fall in 4:46, eliminating Bryant from the tournament.
Cole Friend, Sandalwood: Went 2-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Friend lost to Celella via tech fall, 16-1, in the first round, but got to Saturday behind a 26-second pin of Seminole’s Aaron Edmonds in consi round 1 and a 5-3 win in consi round 2 over Betancourte. The loss by fall to Bryant on Saturday eliminated Friend from the tournament.
Armando Acosta, Buchholz: Went 2-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Acosta lost by fall to Schanck in the first round (2:39), but recovered from the pin, taking a 4-3 win over Lake Mary’s Evans Cesar in consi round 1 and then a 6-2 win over Atwood in consi round 2. On Saturday in the consi quarters, Acosta fell to Timber Creek’s Brian Santiago, 6-0, and was eliminated.
195
Narek Stepanyan, Fletcher: Won the tournament. Stepanyan pinned his way into the final, with a fall in 4:49 over first-round opponent Jon Powell of University (Orlando), then pinned Apopka’s Zach Gallon in 1:39 to get into the semis. There, he pinned Gateway Conference rival David Johnson of Robert E. Lee in 1 minute to set up a District 1 finals rematch against Fleming Island’s Ryan Smenda. Stepanyan was able to hold things closer this time round, winning the bracket with a 3-2 decision.
Ryan Smenda, Fleming Island: Qualified out for states as the runnerup. Smenda pinned Oak Ridge’s Kevin Perez in 48 seconds in the first round, following that up with a pin in 1 minute over West Orange’s Hagen Salickram in the quarters on Friday. In the semis on Saturday, Smenda controlled the action in a 7-3 decision over Freedom’s Justin Marotta, setting up the matchup against Stepanyan in the final.
David Johnson, Robert E. Lee: Qualified out for states by finishing fourth. Johnson opened the tournament with a fall in 2:27 over Timber Creek’s Anthony Coleman, then knocked off Winter Springs’ Jessiah Contreras, 8-6, in the quarters on Friday. That set up the semifinal loss by pin to Stepanyan, but Johnson wasn’t ready to finish wrestling in high school, overcoming Salickram in the blood round, 7-4, to make it to state. Johnson then gave good fight to Marotta in the third-place match before falling, 5-3.
Dexter Moore, Oakleaf: Went 1-2 in the tournament. Moore lost by fall to Marotta in the first round (1:22), but advanced out of consi round 1 with a medical forfeit over DeLand’s Raymond Haverty. In consi round 2, Gallon pinned Moore in 43 seconds, eliminating him from the tournament.
220
Brandyne Mackey, Fleming Island: Qualified out for states by finishing third. Mackey started strongly with a fall in 1:03 over Timber Creek’s Jacob Creek in the first round, but then dropped a 5-4 quarterfinal decision to Lake Mary’s Will Litsey. From there, though, Mackey would not lose again, with four wins on the back side. First up was a fall in 2:46 over West Orange’s Cyrus Yousofi in consi round 2 to get to Saturday, then decision victories over DeLand’s Terence Neat in the consi quarter (3-1), Flagler Palm Coast’s Tyler Irigoyen in the consi semi (4-1) and 4-2 in the third-place match over Atlantic Coast’s Kurk Jackson.
Kurk Jackson, Atlantic Coast: Qualified out for states by finishing fourth. Jackson had a solid start on Friday, pinning University (Orlando)’s Wals Edmond in 3:20 in the first round and then decisioning Neat, 7-5, in the quarters. Jackson then lost by injury default to Litsey in the semis, but came back with a 7-3 decision in the consi semis over Apopka’s Matthew Simms to make it out before falling to Mackey for third.
Tyler Irigoyen, Flagler Palm Coast: Went 2-2 in the tournament and got to Saturday. Irigoyen also started strongly, with a 16-0 tech fall over Oak Ridge’s Keon Bush in the first round, and then pinned Simms in 16 seconds to get to Saturday and the eventual champion, Winter Springs’ Montana Lewis, in the semi. Lewis pinned Irigoyen in 5:15 to send him to the consi semis, where his loss to Mackey eliminated him from the tournament.
Darrell McBride, Fletcher: Went 0-2 in the tournament, as he injury-defaulted to Freedom’s Patchiney Prophete in the first round and then a second time to Yousofi in consi round 1.
285
Jose Concepcion, Fleming Island: Qualified out for states by finishing third. Concepcion began with a 30-second fall over Lake Howell’s Juan Claros in the first round on Friday, and edged Cypress Creek’s Uzochi Oparaji, 2-1, in the quarters. That set him up for a semifinal match with Dr. Phillips’ Dylan Meeks, and the result was a loss by fall in 1:50. Concepcion picked himself up quickly enough, though, with a 3-2 win in the consi semis over Flagler Palm Coast’s Vincent Ebanks to make it out, adding a 1-0 win in the third-place match over Christian Gomez of Hagerty.
Vincent Ebanks, Flagler Palm Coast: Went 3-2 in the tournament and made it to Saturday. Ebanks pinned Lake Mary’s Ben Moxley in 2 minutes to reach the quarters, but lost there by fall in 3:16 to Freedom’s Darrell Lowe. He would get to the blood round, with a fall in 5:06 over Claros in consi round 2 and a second in 4:40 in Saturday’s consi quarter against Olympia’s Mac McNeilly, but the loss in the blood round to Concepcion eliminated Ebanks from the tournament.
Stanley Hollenbach, Fletcher: Went 0-2 in the tournament, losing by fall to Gomez in 2:44 in the first round. His second match, against Timber Creek’s Shamir Nelson, was closer, as Hollenbach sustained an 8-7 defeat and was eliminated.
Leo White, Robert E. Lee: Went 0-2 in the tournament, with a loss by fall to eventual runnerup TJ Boyd of Winter Springs in 1:09 during the first round. Like Hollenbach, White had a closer match in consi round 1 against University (Orlando)’s Brandon Pureza, falling 3-2, which eliminated White from the tournament.
Today. All Matmen region-recap content. Working on 3A-1 now. Hopefully that and both 2A-1s (one for each site) during daytime hours, 1A-1s tonight.
Wednesday. Four The Wrestling Nation region recaps and the start of the rollout of Pacesetters on Matmen. (I don’t have 2A-3, 1A-2 and 1A-3 on the Northeast side.
Thursday: Four TWN region previews and the remaining Pacesetters on Matmen. MUST have Pacesetter content by close of business TONIGHT (looking at Ridgeview, Suwannee and Clay).
Also. My state preview is done, with a twist. It’s going to be pretty cool. The YOOGEST state preview ever. But I have to wait to publish it. You’ll understand why when it comes out.
This kind of caught me flat-footed when I came home from Clay Saturday, and unfortunately escaped my attention again until just now. But. If you’re free Tuesday night, Oakleaf HS is hosting Ken Chertow, who will be hosting a 2-hour clinic there from 7:30-9:30 p.m. According to Oakleaf coaching stamp, Chertow happened to be passing through the area and was agreeable to putting together a clinic that accorded with his travel plans.
All ages are welcome. Cost of the clinic is $30 and all proceeds will be collected at the door. For more information, contact Oakleaf coach Wes Champ at wesleychamp@gmail.com.
By SHANNON HEATON
Northeast Florida Matmen
TITUSVILLE — While most attention at Eastern Florida State College was centered on the juggernaut that is Lake Highland Prep at the 1A-Region 2 tournament this past weekend, Palatka was focused on just getting someone to states.
And they got two someones to Friday’s 1A state tournament at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, as juniors Bryan Smith (195) and Ira Dixon (220) will represent the Panthers at #TheShow this weekend.
Their qualifier efforts, plus five preliminary wins, were enough for the Panthers to score 45 points in the tournament and finish 14th out of 28 teams.
Smith, ranked ninth statewide, was 3-1 in the 195 bracket this weekend, losing only to eventual champion Zaqueri Viers of Space Coast. He had a first-round bye and then decisioned 40-match winner Joseph Gurley of Weeki Wachee, 3-2, in the quarterfinals. He went into the third period with Viers, ranked 5th, before losing by fall in 5:04. That sent him into the consi semis, where he ground out a 1-0 decision over Atlantic’s Austen Herres to punch his ticket for Kissimmee. In the third-place match, Smith pushed the pace in an 8-3 decision over Hernando sophomore Fernando Valdez.
Dixon was 3-2 on the weekend. He also made the semifinals, like Smith, but had to wrestle two matches to qualify, pinning Cocoa’s Hunter Gfell in 2:39 in the first round and then falling Damien Hay of Hudson in 5:21 to get to Saturday. There, he faced second-ranked Matt Whitehouse of Atlantic, losing by fall in 1:55 and falling into the consi semis. In that round, Dixon pinned Rockledge’s Noah Goldman in 4:17 to qualify for Kissimmee. That set a third-place match against 13th-ranked Nature Coast sophomore Michael Weston, which Dixon lost by a 3-1 decision.
Five Panther wrestlers — Drevon Wallace (106), Trevor Davis (113), Dale Green (145), Jamar Danzler (160) and Jason Gullett (170) were 1-2 on the day on Friday, while Jerich Givens (138) was 0-2. All were eliminated in the first day.
Interlachen’s Cade Mason (138) was 1-2 on the weekend, giving the Putnam County Rams three points and a tie for 25th place in the tournament. Eastside sent six wrestlers to regions, but it was an eye-opening experience for the Alachua County Rams, as all six were 0-2 and Eastside finished 28th, failing to score.
Bout numbers weren’t accurate on the set released yesterday. These have been fixed. Go to the FHSAA page (in the History dropdown) and call up the 2017s. The updated ones will be there.
I swear sometime today I’ll start recapping how they made The List. Get ready for new state pairings with updated bout numbers in a half-hour or less first, though.
3A
Atlantic Coast: Kurk Jackson (220).
Buchholz: Bryan Perkins (106), Gant Moore (132).
Flagler Palm Coast: Christian Sheppard (106), Michael DeAugustino (120), Avery Holder (126), Michael Martins (138), Tyrone Jones (145), Steve Canidate (170).
Fleming Island: Briar Jackson (106), Albie Snedaker (113), DeAndre Demus (120), Jacob Sandoval (126), Trace Insalaco (132), Paul Detwiler (152), Ben Sann (160), Jason Davis (182), Ryan Smenda (195), Brandyne Mackey (220), Jose Concepcion (285).
Fletcher: Narek Stepanyan (195).
Oakleaf: Ryan Rosano (113).
Robert E. Lee: David Johnson (195).
Sandalwood: Cameron Bell (145).
2A
Bartram Trail: Nicholas Vugman (113), Matt Pickett (138), Kolton McDaniel (220).
Chiles: Logan Mellor (132), Andrew Tychsen (138), Austin Nolan (145).
Columbia: Chace Curtis (126), Matt Ross (132).
Creekside: Brendan Jones (152), Brandon Dickman (170), Corey Grower (195).
Crestview: Diego Calonje (145), Coleman Young (220).
Englewood: Tavian Whitehead (160), Michel Augustin (182).
Ft Walton Beach: Chase Cleveland (170), Nick Woodward (195), Joseph Pearson (285).
Gulf Breeze: Gabe Jacobs (106), Noah Losievsky (132).
Leon: Jonathan Grant (182), Henry Segura (195).
Lincoln: Mark Munroe (106), Michael Crowder (120), Jeremy Burke (152), Justin Grant (160), Josh Martin (220), Thomas Moss (285).
Matanzas: Lawrence Russo (126), Christopher Mixan (170).
Middleburg: Tazz Hampton (106), Trenton Carroll (145), Bryan Heflin (182), Bailey Barnard (285).
Nease: Sean Arnold (113), Jacob Satterfield (132), Tanner Hill (152).
Niceville: Dominic Cerillo (113), Zachary Hartzog (120), Bailey Howes (145), Jack Johnson (160).
Orange Park: Nartorian Lee (170), Reed Danielson (182), Tyler Dehart (220).
Pace: Leland Knoch (113), Kevin Green (126), Key Nettles (195), Murphy Bennett (285).
Ridgeview: Marcus Reid (120), Saeid Ejmali (138).
Tate: Jacob Cochran (106), Alex Porter (120), Mathew Blalock (126), Kendall Townley (138), Juan Alvarez (152).
Terry Parker: D’Angelo Johnson (160).
1A
Arnold: Ethan Pickren (126), William Pickren (132), Richie McClanahan (138), Drew St. Amant (152), Cole Maddox (170).
Baker County: James Barnett (170).
Bay: Gabe Meyer (120).
Bishop Kenny: Jack Delaney (120), Andrew Slade (138), Josiah McCallum (285).
Bradford: Eddie McCormick (220).
Clay: Louie Gagliardo (106), Chris Merring (120), Peyton Hughes (126), Dylan Fabiani (132), Cody Taylor (138), Keath Sawdo (145), Kaleb Collins (195), Kurt Jackson (220).
Episcopal: Kyle Hopkins (113), Christian Rickey (170).
Fernandina Beach: Joseph Helm (160).
Florida High: Max Metcalf (126), Bryan Metcalf (132), Max Harris (138), Jake Richardson (145), Will Haigler (182), Cam Brown (195).
Marianna: Max Martinez (152).
North Bay Haven: Garrett Hester (195).
North Florida Christian: David Lunn (195), Jonathan Wainwright (220).
Palatka: Bryan Smith (195), Ira Dixon (220).
Pedro Menendez: Max Worthington (160).
Raines: Jaquan English (126).
Rutherford: Yakeif Duncan (182).
South Walton: Seth Weinthal (132).
Suwannee: Brandon Trask (106), Joey Borrell (145), Tanner Clark (152).
University Christian: Matthew Rodriquez (106), Daniel Porter (113).
Wakulla: Matthew Owen (106), Larry Smith (113), Trevor Hart (170), Andrew Annand (182), Marlon Ng (220), Jacob Marin (285).
West Nassau: William Tharpe (145).
Westside: Tariq Hookfin (285).
Wewahitchka: Burley Parker (152), Jackson Vines (160), Malachi Davenport (182).
Yulee: Stevie Chopek (113), Dylan Youmans (120), John Parker (160), McKenzie Lewis (285).
Saturday at regions. The highest highs and the lowest lows.
I really wanted to soak it up this year, so I went up on the upper level at Clay on Saturday, notepad in hand for final results. However, I was focused more on what I saw in the people and less on the scoreboard.
A year ago at Palm Coast, the consi rounds — in particular the so-called “blood round” didn’t have the same impact, because I was really focused on just the District 1 kids in it. Two years ago, I was at Clay, but it was Region 2 and I was mostly focused on just the Blue Devils. Three years ago? I was at Bishop Snyder, when this year’s seniors were freshmen and I still barely knew who everyone, anyone, was.
This year, I was covering every single team. And I was watching the emotion of it all.
The best part? Standing next to an Episcopal adult I later learned was Christian Rickey’s aunt. His parents, unable to eat all morning, had gone down to the floor. She stayed and videoed. I looked over after his victory, which punched his ticket to Kissimmee for the first time in his senior season after a junior year that ended in the “blood round.” She was crying. I tried not to start. She watched the video of the match she’d just taped. Continued crying. I tried harder not to start. Christian’s parents came up. I’ve been watching him since he was a skinny little runt at Bolles three years ago.
After they left to celebrate and get ready for the third-place match, my efforts to not start failed briefly.
I can’t help it. I care about these kids.
That’s why I felt absolutely stabbed to the heart seeing Suwannee senior Billy Jenkins’ reaction after losing by fall in the blood round, to another senior in Joseph Helm of Fernandina. I’ve watched both of those kids since they were freshmen. I saw Jenkins qualify for state 3 years and 3 head coaches ago as a freshman. I watched him medal at states last year. I swear one of his coaches or fans said to him, not 10 feet from me at Bishop Snyder back in 2014, how easy getting out to state could be. I agreed then. And remembered, AGAIN, on Saturday how easy it isn’t.
That’s why I felt crushed to look on at Wakulla senior Max Owen following the War Eagles’ team photo, designed to celebrate their second-place team finish. Owen is quality enough to have earned one of the Northwest Pacesetter awards this season. His high school career ended Saturday, and my heart bled with him as a teammate (perhaps younger brother Matthew?) walked out of the Clay gym with him, his face still completely red hours later, to go home to Crawfordville. Ironically, it was another Pacesetter winner that ended his tournament.
I’m never going to forget those emotions, the highs and the lows. They’re absolutely beautiful, and they’re absolutely shattering. THAT is why I cover this sport.
That’s why I feel sorrow for these kids that follow in this list, the seniors whose careers ended in the blood round on Saturday, because precious few teenagers are willing to step up and do what it takes just to even say that they are wrestlers, let alone be good enough to have a chance to find out the answers on the state stage. Precious damn few.
I know how hard they’ve worked, and, at the same time, I will never, ever truly know.
I celebrate the kids who gain success by writing about them, and I have probably written something about each of these kids. Some of them, I’ve written several somethings.
Mike Cerio. Damien Stayer. Shane Ferry. Connor Metcalf. Delmontae Davis. Caleb Calhoun. Jemel Fanfan. Danterius Ghant. Devon Neely. Sullivan Gerlits. Dylan Hanna. Jordan Hines. Seth Martin. Bobby Williams. Adam Spikes. Owen Beining. Eddie Bryant. Vincent Ebanks.
Max Owen. Cody Eastwood (one of the original Heaton’s Heroes). Trent Dalldorf, who saw Fletcher through its heights, its lows and its return to the heights, as a 4-year starter. Chandler Bell.
Billy Jenkins.
I look forward to seeing the kind of men you will turn out to be because of your time as a wrestler. But today, I am still devastated for you, and with you.
North Florida Matmen 