By MATMEN, Monday, 10:15 p.m.
OVIEDO — It might be too soon, as one so-called expert said in the preseason, to say that the 3A-Region 1 race for certain will run through Hagerty.
But it is definitely the case that the 3A-District 3 race certainly did last week, as the Huskies bounced back from a tough performance at home in the Johnny Rouse Duals last month — against some admittedly very-elite competition — with three double-digit wins last Wednesday.
In rolling past Lake Howell (75-5), Lake Brantley (66-12) and Timber Creek (44-28), Hagerty (4-5 in duals for the season) won its fourth consecutive FHSAA district duals title (3A-4 in 2020 and 2021, 3A-3 last year and this year.
The Wolfpack (2-1), in opening its dual season last Wednesday, took wins over Evans (64-7) and powered past Oviedo (37-28); when the Lions rallied back for third, Timber Creek secured its fifth straight region-round appearance.
Hagerty and Timber Creek will travel to Olympia on Wednesday for 3A-Region 1 quarterfinal and potential semifinal rounds. The Huskies will face Apopka (2-1) in one quarter, with Timber Creek taking on the host Titans (9-4) in the other. The two quarterfinal winners will then meet in a semifinal round, with the winner at that round moving on to Osceola and the first day of the FHSAA state duals tournament on January 20, to contest for the region title.
Hagerty had seven wrestlers go 3-0 on the day, with Benjamin Wolgamuth (126, tech & decision), Nikolas Blake (132, 3 pins), Gavin Nelson (152, pin & decision), Kamdon Harrison (170, 3 pins), Connor Gilliam (182, 2 pins & decision), Hunter Tate (195, 2 pins & decision) and Landon Revis (220, pin & decision) all bagging three wins.
Logan Acey-Kriegshauser (132, 2 pins) was 2-0, with James Zena (120, pin), Austin St John (160, 2 pins) and Thad Elam (285, pin) each were 2-1 for the Huskies.
For Timber Creek — now a five-time district runnerup — three wrestlers were 3-0, as Mohammad Davtalabsabet (106, 2 pins), Keegan Clark (120, pin/major/decision) and Peter Nesheiwat (285, 2 pins & major) were each undefeated as full-time starters.
Marlo Clark (113, major) was 2-0 for the Wolfpack, while Rocco Jonigan (195, 2 pins) and Jayden Smith (220, 2 decisions) each were 2-1 for Timber Creek.
Oviedo (10-2 at end of event) reached the semis with a 75-6 win over Wekiva, then pushed past Winter Park, 50-24, and Lake Brantley, 58-24, to claim at least third in the consis; had Timber Creek won in the final, the Lions would have had a shot at crosstown rival Hagerty for true 2nd.
Johnathan Dishman (138)) and James Chiaradio (182) both pinned their way through the tournament in compiling 4-0 nights, while Clayton Mitchell (145, 3 pins & decision) also picked up four wins. Josh Sabbia (113, major), Jesus Ramos (120, 3 pins), Luke Forsberg (152, pin & major) and Lukas Crawley (160/170, 2 pins & decision) were each 3-1 for the Lions.
As for Lake Brantley, they forged their way into the top half of the district thanks to a front-side quarterfinal win over Winter Park (42-36) and consi-side win over Wekiva (57-18).
Zaiden Rodriguez (106, 3 pins), Clayton Willits (113, pin), Dario Duany (126, 3 pins), Jake Jessee (170, pin & tech) and Shawn Hernandez (220/285, 2 pins) each were 3-1 for the Patriots (3-2 in duals).
Winter Park (2-3) defeated Wekiva (1-3), 36-33, to take fifth in the tournament. The Wildcats added a 60-18 consi-quarters win over Lake Howell as well.
Jacob Rothman (106, 2 pins) was the Wildcats’ lone 4-0 unbeaten competitor, with Joey Parker (152, 2 pins) going 3-0. Teddy Barry (160, 3 pins), Charles Stewart (170, 2 pins) and Liam Glassmeyer (220/285) all were 3-1 for Winter Park.
As for the Mustangs, who got their lone win of the night with a 48-30 consi-side win over Evans, Holley SaintMelus (285, 3 pins) was Wekiva’s lone 4-0 wrestler, with Thomas Tindall (132, pin & decision) and Seth Galvin (145, 2 pins) both going 3-1.
Evans (1-2) turned back Lake Howell (0-3), 42-30, for seventh.
Jaylen Clayton (126, pin & decision) and Tyran Schanck (152, 2 pins & major) were both 3-0 for the Trojans, with Zaire Cornelius (195, pin) going 2-0 and Jean-Paul Cassamajor (160, 2 pins) 2-1. Luis Campos (138, pin) was 2-0 for the Silver Hawks, while Aiden Wood (145/152, pin & tech) took a 2-1 tournament record.
Results of last week’s event, along with all other area district competitions that are mostly or completely reported, can be found HERE.
North Florida Matmen 