By MATMEN, Sunday, 11:55 p.m.
PALM COAST — Two days, two titles.
After a resounding win at Lady Clash of the Titans on Friday, Matanzas carried its high into Saturday and hosting the Southern Paint Scuffle Duals, and carried it well.
The Pirates rolled through five teams, seeing nearly the entire field of the tournament (seven in all), with five victories, an average of 57.4 points per dual and an average margin of victory of 39.4 points per dual.
All this while having two weights unfilled in each dual and the team’s top competitor out of the lineup.
Matanzas had Pool A wins over Nease (61-11), Wolfson (72-6) and Fletcher (53-22), then hammered Ridgeview (50-23) and Creekside (51-28) in crossover competition for the title.
Below follows a summary of each of the seven teams’ days:
Matanzas (5-0 tournament & overall) —
MVP: Kaden Golder (2A-14th at 120). In his first varsity tournament as a Pirate, Golder racked up five pins at 113/120, bumping up once for a key fall over a solid Nease lower.
Hidden in the box scores: On a team with six 5-0 competitors, it can be tough for one to stand out over another, but Dylan Parkinson (2A-16th at 145)’s teching of all four wrestlers he faced had special merit, as he outscored his opponents by a 65-3 count.
Creekside (3-1 tournament & overall) —
Wins over: Ridgeview (56-20) & Mainland (58-18) to win Pool B, then rolling past Fletcher (65-12) to reach the final and host.
MVP: Conner Wright (3A-13th at 138). The senior captain performed to match the role, competing at 138/145, with three pins and a 16-0 tech fall in the Fletcher crossover semi.
Hidden in the box scores: Three additional Creekside wrestlers were 4-0 on the day, but first-year 285 Cole Anderson had pins against third-place Ridgeview and in the final against Matanzas to kick off his varsity career.
Ridgeview (2-2 tournament & overall) —
Wins over: Mainland (63-18) in Pool B, then a bounceback 60-16 victory over Fletcher for third place.
MVP: Raymond Goforth. In a mix-and-match day for the Clay County Panthers, Goforth bonus-pointed through the day at 195, with pins over both Matanzas & Fletcher, plus a 13-2 major in the Mainland victory.
Hidden in the box scores: Only two wrestlers picked up four wins on the day for the Panthers, and decisions over Creekside (11-5) and Fletcher (12-8) gave James Laycock a 4-0 day at 182.
Fletcher (2-3 tournament, 2-4 overall) —
Wins over: Wolfson (42-24) and Nease (45-22) in Pool A.
MVP: Cole O’Brien (3A-15th at 132). With a couple of very big guns for the Senators not available for competition, leadership fell to O’Brien, and he responded with pins over Nease and Creekside, a 14-2 major over Ridgeview and a 10-7 win over Matanzas’ Carter Wilder (2A-11th at 132).
Hidden in the box scores: No other Senator was unbeaten, but points were hard to come by in the losses to Matanzas & Creekside, making the 4-1 day (with pin & decision in the dual losses) Noah Stidfole had at 145 that much more important.
Mainland (2-2 tournament & overall) —
Wins over: Nease (42-24) & Wolfson (30-27) in the consolation crossover.
MVP: Sam Ayodele. Ayodele was the Buccaneers’ lone unbeaten, with pins in each of his appearances (Ridgeview, Creekside & Nease) for a 3-0 day.
Hidden in the box scores: Besides Ayodele, no other wrestler had three wins besides Brian Harris (132), who bounced back from an early loss to Ridgeview, with a pair of pins over Creekside and Nease to fuel a 3-1 day.
Nease (1-3 tournament & overall) —
Wins over: Wolfson (42-18) in the consolation crossover.
MVP: Parker Stamschror. It was a tough day for the St Johns Panthers in their season debut, but Stamschror was a consistent performer, bonus-pointing through the day with pins over Wolfson and Mainland, a 16-1 TF over Matanzas and a 9-0 major over Fletcher.
Hidden in the box scores: No other Panther had more than two wins, and of those who did, only Wyatt Balger had to secure them after taking losses against Matanzas & Fletcher, and he picked up pins against both Wolfson & Mainland.
Wolfson (0-4, 0-6 overall) —
MVP: Liam Strange (1A-13th at 152, competing at 182/195). With just seven Wolfpack wrestlers starting the day, senior leadership was needed, and Strange provided pins against Fletcher and Nease, plus a 4-0 shutout over Mainland to wrap the day.
Hidden in the box scores: Only one other Wolfson wrestler had even three wins, and Tristian Martinez secured that many at 120/126, with pins over Fletcher and Nease included.
Results from the tournament can be found HERE.
Rankings courtesy of Matmen-endorsed Kabra Wrestling, https://www.kabrawrestling.com/rankings/class-2A
North Florida Matmen 