By MATMEN, Sunday, 5:25 p.m.
FLEMING ISLAND — In Fleming Island’s pressure-is-a-privilege world, even the extraordinary can look, sometimes, rather commonplace.
Consider that no other team in Region 1 — that’s a quarter of the state — can lay claim to six region finals appearances like Fleming Island can. And, on Friday in the first day of the FHSAA state duals tournament, the Golden Eagles (ranked 2nd statewide, 17-0 after weekend competition) could add another accolade — six-time region champion — if they can get past #9 Lincoln (12-4).
Then again, the Golden Eagles put on a workmanlike clinic last Thursday at home, hammering a pair of Clay County rivals in Oakleaf (78-0) and Middleburg (62-9) to reach the 2A-Region 1 final for that sixth straight time.
Fleming Island and Lincoln did have some interaction during the first day of competition at the Golden Eagles’ Keystone Memorial last weekend, but the Trojans only stayed for Friday’s callout rounds.
Below follows a summary of each dual wrestled at Fleming Island —
Quarterfinal 1 — Fleming Island 78, Oakleaf 0: The District 4-champ Golden Eagles filled and won every weight class against the Knights (10-8), with 12 pins in the dual. The biggest ones came from Jhoel Robinson (1st at 220, falled #5-195 Isaiah Shevchook in 3:31) and Matthew Newman (2nd at 106, pinned #20 Connor Barnes in 1:29). The Golden Eagles also got pins from Kaden Schaefer (2nd at 145), Matthew Kotler (4th at 152), Christopher Chop (9th at 160), Ronan Bozeman (4th at 170), Joshua Sandoval (4th at 182), Walter Poe (16th at 195), Ladarius Jackson (285), Shane Duhaylungsod (7th at 113), Laird Duhaylungsod (2nd at 120) and Jayce Paridon (2nd at 126). The decisions mattered, too, though, particularly for Cooper Beck at 132, who knocked off the Knights’ Sebastian Bonochea (8th at 126) by a 9-2 count; brother Dylan Beck (9-7) at 138 also won by decision.
Quarterfinal 2 — Middleburg 45, Clay 33: The teams traded pins at the first two weights, with the Broncos’ Logan Moore (11th at 145) and Clay’s DJ Williams (152) opening the scorebook. … Middleburg (15-4) opened up its first double-digit lead with pins from Aden Thornton (160) and Keensdee Roseme (170), and it took the Blue Devils (12-3) a bit to cut into it even semi-permanently, as Bronco pins from Porter Loveland (195) and Tucker Cody (285) offset a Clay win by forfeit at 220 and Dominic Martin (5th at 182)’s fall. … The Blue Devils did tie the dual at 33 with three of four wins at the lower end of the lineup, winning by forfeit at 106, plus Brady Glavin (9th at 126)’s 21-5 tech and Rylan Herrera’s 12-4 major at 120 over #18 Grady Woodard offsetting Bryan Davis’ 11-7 win at 113 for Middleburg. … But the Broncos had the right closing weights, as both Wyatt Leduc (6th at 132) and Joseph Forte (138) won by pins to help the group reach their first Sweet 16 as well as District 3 title.
Semifinal — Fleming Island 62, Middleburg 9: The Golden Eagles made sure there would be no upset potential building from the Broncos, many of whom train with Fleming offseason, rolling off the first 58 points on 11 wins. … That streak included seven pins from Kotler (152), Bozeman (170), Sandoval (182), Poe (195), Jordan Mukaddam (13th at 106), Newman (competing this time at 113) and Paridon (126), plus majors from Laird Duhaylungsod (11-1 over Woodard) and Schaefer (13-2 over Moore), as well as decisions from Chop (7-4 at 160) and Robinson (8-4 at 220). Middleburg would take wins, eventually, but not until Fleming had far put the dual out of reach, as Leduc took a 4-1 win at 132 and Forte won by fall at 138, with Schaefer’s win by major closing out the dual.
You can find full results for this site’s quarterfinal and semifinal rounds HERE.
North Florida Matmen 