By MATMEN, Friday, 9:45 p.m.
KISSIMMEE — Toss out the predictions.
In the area Region 1 final that was projected by the experts to be the closest of the three contested on Friday, DeLand did what it has done all season — push the pace — against 3A competition in the north.
And the result was a doubling up of Hagerty, 48-23, giving the 13th-ranked Bulldogs (14-6) their first region title in their first appearance at state duals.
Now, DeLand will have to toss out the predictions once again, and a lot of history as well, as the Bulldogs will face four-time 3A state champion and top-ranked South Dade in Saturday’s semifinals, which will begin as soon as an open mat becomes available from earlier 1A and 2A competition (weighins at 9 a.m.). South Dade became a six-time region champ with its 68-3 Region 4 win over #7 Cypress Bay, and had lost its bid to remain the only 3A state duals champion in last year’s semifinals.
Early on against the 18th-ranked Huskies, the back-and-forth close nature that was projected upon the dual appeared to very much be the case. DeLand opened a 9-0 lead on Joshua Folsom’s fall at 152 and a 3-2 win from Mathias Franz at 145, only to see Hagerty match the start with a forfeit win at 160 and a 5-4 win for Connor Gilliam at 170.
Hagerty even led at one point, 18-15, halfway through the dual; after forfeiting at 182, the Huskies got a fall from Landon Revis (220) and a tight 4-3 win from Hunter Tate at 195.
That proved to be all table-setting for the Bulldogs, however.
One 23-second pin from MJ Smokes at 285 unleashed the floodgates of a 33-0 DeLand run that included falls from Edwin Alsina (106), Tyler Bracero (113), Phoenix Krauth (dual-clinching pin at 120), and Peyton Senez (132), plus an 8-5 win for Grady Bryant (126).
Hagerty’s Nikolas Blake closed out the dual with a 16-0 tech-fall victory at 138.
Region 4: South Dade came very close to pitching a shutout against its long-time region-final rival — the two teams have met each of the past five seasons in addition to this year — giving up just one sudden-victory loss.
The Buccaneers roared out to a 53-0 lead, clinching the dual on Sawyer Bartelt’s 8-0 major at 285. Earlier in the run, Misha Arbos (145), Gavin Balmeceda (152), Cordell White (160) and Lawrence Rosario (170) had pins, while Christopher Sanchez took a 6-3 at 195; Dade also had two forfeit wins at 182 and 220.
But the dual continued on beyond 285, with three more South Dade wins on a pin from Bryan Morales (106), a 10-0 major from Guillermo Jaramillo at 113 and a 5-4 win from Luis Acevedo at 120 before the Lightning’s Gabriel Herrero found a takedown in sudden victory for a 7-5 win.
South Dade then closed out the dual with two pins in 92 seconds, on falls from Tyree Graham (132) and Elvis Solis (138).
Region 2: While host Osceola led wire-to-wire in its 45-29 victory over defending state champ Palmetto Ridge, the #3 Kowboys needed a 15-0 run late to finally put the #6 Bears away.
After racing out to an 18-0 lead on falls from Anderson Heap (145) and Gunner Holland (160) plus a forfeit, Palmetto Ridge began chipping away at the gap with a pin from Roman Garcia (182) and a 7-4 win from Owen Pratt at 170.
The Kowboys then got a 12-0 mini-run behind pins from Jomar Sanchez (195) and Elijah Vansickle (220), but the Bears answered again, with a 16-0 gap fueled on pins by Austin Foye (285) and Tyler Washburn (113), plus an 11-1 major at 106 from William McGowan. That cut the Osceola lead to 30-24.
But Osceola mustered one more charge, and pins from Evan Martinez (120) and Davian Rivera (132), plus a dual-clinching 7-4 decision from Isfandier Sharipov, secured things for the Kowboys; Palmetto Ridge’s Jean Valoria closed out the night with a 19-4 tech at 138.
Region 3: #5 Ft Pierce Central gave itself a chance with a 22-0 run from 170-285, but it might have been Brittney Vincens that was most critical in the Cobras’ 34-30 win over #15 Wellington, last year’s 3A runnerup.
After a 2-1 win for the Wolverines’ Randy Lancaster at 145, followed by a trading of pins by FPC’s JT Apicella (152) and Wellington’s Mac Andrews (160), it was time for the Cobras to strike, and they did, with pins from Hernan Ortiz (220) and Alaq Dowd-Grant (285), a 12-4 major from Malankov Daceus (195) and decisions from Colin Madden (3-2 at 170) and Aidan Madden (7-2) at 182.
But Wellington’s best strength was in the lower bookend, and Cameron Gibson showed it with a fall at 106 to cut the FPC lead to 28-15 and five weights left. However, it was Vincens’ time to show her quality, with an 11-9 win at 113, and she was followed up by Daniel Echeverria’s additional ability to win close, with a 2-1 win at 126 that clinched the dual in the Cobras’ favor.
Wellington finished off the dual with a fall by Evan Pena (132) and a 9-5 decision from Mario Trigazis.
Results from all four duals Friday can be found HERE.
North Florida Matmen 