By MATMEN, Friday, 5 p.m.
Girls’ Region 1 IBT
When & where: Saturday at Matanzas, 8 a.m. (weighin), 9:30 a.m. (wrestle session 1).
Defending team champion: Matanzas.
Returning individual champions: Sigrun Metzger (Crestview); Tiana Fries (Matanzas); Erin Rizzuto (Ponte Vedra); Brielle Bibla (Matanzas); Aubrianna Apple (Clay); Isabella Tietje (Matanzas); Katherine Stewart (Bartram Trail); Jah’Mya Hill (Mainland).
Synopsis: What we saw from last week’s district results was that Matanzas will not only be the central point as the host but also the central target for every other team in the field; that being said, I think the Lady Pirates will be able to defend their team title. But which team will challenge them most closely? Middleburg seems closest to mind after the Lady Broncos’ runnerup showing at districts to Matanzas. But Bartram Trail, Ponte Vedra, Oakleaf, Westside, Lake Brantley and Lincoln all have chances on Saturday. Will it be numbers, like what Lincoln or Lake Brantley have, or will it be hammers, like Ponte Vedra and Bartram Trail have, that allow them the best chance to challege?
Matmen’s state-qualifier predictions (sure to be wrong) —
The finals and third-place predictions are self-explanatory. Dark horses are wrestlers that will be very strong state-qualifier candidates based on how the bracket looks for them. Wrestlers who could make a deep run are those I’m seeing will make life difficult for opponents upon their path. Under-the-radar wrestlers are those whom I’ve seen as intriguing, maybe not necessarily for this year’s tournament, but somebody I want to keep closer tabs on, hopefully, for next year.
100
- Predictions — Final: Camdyn Elliott (Gulf Breeze, 8th) v Gracie Bradshaw (Middleburg, 4th); 3rd place: Sayuri Caceres (Lincoln, 10th) v Talia Robbins (Buchholz, 15th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Hayden Hauck (North Bay Haven).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Yosselyn Flores (DeLand).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Isabella Wall (Niceville).
- Wrestler under the radar: Claire Townsend (Bartram Trail).
105
- Predictions — Final: Helena Alcantar (Gulf Breeze, 6th) v Adrianna Barrientos (Oakleaf, 2nd); 3rd place: Skyla Fisher (Middleburg, 10th) v Alexis Brown (Milton, 14th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Amy Trevino (Oviedo).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Jaelyn Sunseri (University-OC, 15th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Vanessa Martin-Soto (Lake Brantley).
- Wrestler under the radar: Joslyn Johnson (Flagler Palm Coast).
110
- Predictions — Final: Sigrun Metzger (Crestview, 4th) v Mariah Mills (Matanzas, 3rd); 3rd place: Makayla Johnson (Baker County, 11th) v Memphis Moses (Middleburg, 14th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Sophia Mallon (Ponte Vedra, 16th).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Mary McKinney (Choctaw).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Kameron Easter (Wewahitchka).
- Wrestler under the radar: Bianca Ribeiro-Barbosa (Lake Mary).
115
- Predictions — Final: Erin Rizzuto (Ponte Vedra, 2nd) v Lily Powell (Gulf Breeze, 13th); 3rd place: Freydis Metzger (Crestview) v Amelia McKinney (Lincoln).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Camryn Harber (Oviedo).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Lilah Nation (Lake Brantley, 14th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Sarah Walsh (Middleburg, 16th).
- Wrestler under the radar: Autumn Jarvis (Matanzas).
120
- Predictions — Final: Natalia Choquegonza (Ponte Vedra, 8th) v Kailani Barrientos (Oakleaf, 2nd); 3rd place: Lahela Grady (Tate, 7th) v Christina Borgmann (Matanzas, 3rd).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Kiersten Flanagan (Winter Springs, 17th).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Grace Lashinsky (DeLand, 19th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Savannah Strickland (Lake Mary).
- Wrestler under the radar: Karson Kremski (Beachside).
125
- Predictions — Final: Brianna Pena (Seminole, 10th) v Tiana Fries (Matanzas, 2nd); 3rd place: Katherine Lundgren (North Bay Haven, 16th) v Ashley Shaw (Chiles, 17th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Giannina Simonpietri (Bartram Trail).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Raegan Hatch (Deltona, 18th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Ella Belt (Lake Brantley).
- Wrestler under the radar: Donavanne Reinhardt (Ponte Vedra).
130
- Predictions — Final: Aireaana Gavere (Milton, 8th) v Brielle Bibla (Matanzas, 1st); 3rd place: Ana Vilar (Flagler Palm Coast, 4th) v Ava Barhorst (Lake Howell, 19th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Layla Redd (Winter Springs).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Bryanne Kaminsky (University-OC, 5th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Jocelyn Mery (Lake Mary).
- Wrestler under the radar: Rowdy Johns (Mosley).
135
- Predictions — Final: Aubrianna Apple (Clay, 2nd) v Saiomy Cabrera (Matanzas, 20th); 3rd place: Holly Sanders (Lincoln, 11th) v Heidi Castleberry (Middleburg, 17th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Kylee Hopkins (Baker County).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Sara Goodman (Sandalwood, 10th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Evelyn Pulskamp (Pace, 14th).
- Wrestler under the radar: Laila Archer (Crestview).
140
- Predictions — Final: Shyann Tate (Hagerty, 5th) v Olivia Richie (Ponte Vedra, 3rd); 3rd place: Alexis Krumnow (Niceville) v Kiiaana Gavere (Milton).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Gabrielle Proctor (Matanzas, 13th).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Jasmine Gore (Riverside, 19th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Carlee Morrison (Columbia, 20th).
- Wrestler under the radar: Hailey Meadows (Seminole).
145
- Predictions — Final: Kendall Bibla (Matanzas, 3rd) v Katherine Stewart (Bartram Trail, 1st); 3rd place: Aryan Benson (Tocoi Creek, 4th) v Josie Sagasser (Ponte Vedra, 9th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Lanyla Hudspeth (Lake Brantley, 14th).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Degriece Coleman (Westside, 11th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Sofia Shirley-Montijo (Oakleaf).
- Wrestler under the radar: Summer Barnes (Mosley).
155
- Predictions — Final: Karla Ortiz (Westside, 4th) v Jayden Dodge (West Port, 6th); 3rd place: Isabella Tietje (Matanzas) v Ava Burre (Bartram Trail, 8th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Jah’Mya Hill (Mainland, 7th).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Francelle Williams (Ed White).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Jana El’harake (Oviedo, 13th).
- Wrestler under the radar: Remi Martin (Ft Walton Beach, 19th).
170
- Predictions — Final: Cadee Lyons (Chiles, 2nd) v Jayla Harrison (Oakleaf, 3rd); 3rd place: Paige Stewart (Bartram Trail, 13th) v Eva Rojas (Mainland).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Deanna Walker (Baker County).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Brooklyn Watt (Matanzas, 15th).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Haley Mitchell (Oviedo).
- Wrestler under the radar: Alexis Orcutt (Niceville).
190
- Predictions — Final: Kiona Upegui (Buchholz, 13th) v Cheyenne Cruce (Middleburg, 1st); 3rd place: Katherine Meza-Perez (Mainland, 9th) v Jenna Childers (Hagerty, 8th).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Marisa Abarca (Lincoln).
- Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Austin Brown (Wakulla).
- Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Hannah Matalobos (Bartram Trail).
- Wrestler under the radar: Lillian Heflin (Ridgeview).
235
- Predictions — Final: Ahmya Stokes (Lake Mary, 19th) v Cheyenne Wigley (Mainland, 4th); 3rd place: Ani Brown (Matanzas, 14th) v Trayce Goodman (Westside).
- Dark horse (top half of bracket): Alaysia Linton (Lake Brantley).
Rankings from https://www.kabrawrestling.com/rankings/girls
North Florida Matmen 