By MATMEN, Friday, 2:50 a.m.
Gator Brawl
When & where: Friday & Saturday at Wewahitchka.
Teams in the field: In addition to the host Gators, the local field consists of Arnold, Bay, Bozeman, Chiles, Choctaw, Crestview, Freeport, Liberty County, Marianna, Milton, Mosley, Ridgeview, Rocky Bayou, Rutherford, Wakulla (A & B squads). Waccamaw (SC) also will compete here.
Defending champion:Wakulla.
Returning individual champions: Jay Brown (Liberty County); Garrett Marschka (Chiles); Romero Black (Rutherford); Keaton Schirmer (Rutherford); Caden McKinney (Choctaw); .
Synopsis: I see the field as chasing Wakulla and Chiles, and those two Sweet 16 duals programs should be very much in the mix for the team title. Bay, another Sweet 16 program, is well-positioned for a top-3 team finish with a good tournament, but Ridgeview could surprise and Mosley, also, had a good weekend last weekend in placing third at Panhandle. Should be several good finals on Saturday.
State-ranked wrestlers (listed by weight class in ranked order) —
106: Connor Brown (Wakulla, 3rd-1A); Conner Carroll (Ridgeview, 18th-2A).
113: Derrick Williams (Bay, 1st-1A); Anthony Fondo (Wakulla, 18th-1A).
120: Jay Brown (Liberty County, 3rd-1A); Troy Thaxton (Wakulla, 14th-1A); Leonardo Sanchez (Bay, 15th-1A); Sam Tolomeo (Chiles, 16th-2A).
126: Jake Parker (Wewahitchka, 16th-1A).
138: Garrett Marschka (Chiles, 4th-2A); Romero Black (Rutherford, 5th-1A); Brady Jackson (Wakulla, 17th-1A); Christian Garcia (Ridgeview, 18th-2A).
145: Jae T Thaxton (Wakulla, 8th-1A); Bradack Carroll (Choctaw, 18th-2A).
160: Keaton Schirmer (Rutherford, 11th-1A); Conner Roberts (Wewahitchka, 13th-1A).
195: Dlllon Elliott (Chiles, 8th-2A).
220: Kohl Pippin (Wakulla, 11th-1A); Marshall Dixon (Mosley, 17th-2A).
All rankings from https://www.kabrawrestling.com/rankings
North Florida Matmen 