By MATMEN, Thursday, 6 p.m.
3A-Region 1 IBT
When & where: At DeLand, with Friday start times 10 a.m. (weighin) & noon (wrestle) and Saturday start times 8 a.m. (weighin) & 10 a.m. (wrestle).
Defending team champion: Flagler Palm Coast.
Returning individual champions: Aydan Ruano (Forest); Ethan Vugman (Bartram Trail, also won in 2021); Cavarius Liddie (Buchholz); James Gonzalez (Winter Park, also won in 2021); Kamdon Harrison (Hagerty, also won in 2021); Toby Matson (Fletcher, won 2A-Region 1 title).
Synopsis: I feel like everyone will be chasing after DeLand this year, as the 3A region dual champs already have that target upon their backs, and with hosting to boot. District 2 is — probably — still the strongest district in the region, and the Bulldogs kept momentum going even after reaching the state dual semis last month. But there will be a host of solid chasers, with Creekside, Bartram Trail and Fletcher out of District 1; in-district rivals Buchholz and Flagler Palm Coast; Timber Creek, Hagerty and Oviedo from District 3, and Olympia and Ocoee out of District 4 to make the race for the top 10 places very spirited. Should be some very good competition even before the first day comes to a close.
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.
106
Predictions — Final: Alexavier Panganiban (Creekside, 12th) v Jacob Rothman (Winter Park, 15th); 3rd place: Egehan Yilhan (Windermere, 20th) v Landon Locantora (Fletcher).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Edwin Salina (DeLand).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Scott Smith (Forest).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Mathew Pishotta (West Port).
Wrestler under the radar: Mohammad Davtalabsabet (Timber Creek).
Best round-1 match: Pishotta v Davtalabsabet.
113
Predictions — Final: Marlo Clark (Timber Creek, 7th) v Tyler Bracero (DeLand); 3rd place: Carmen DiBella (Bartram Trail, 11th) v Aden Pierce (South Lake).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Gabriel L’Hommedieu (Dr Phillips).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Josh Sabbia (Oviedo).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Clayton Willits (Lake Brantley).
Wrestler under the radar: Santiago Carrion (Creekside).
Best round-1 match: Willits v Carrion.
120
Predictions — Final: Aydan Ruano (Forest) v Phoenix Krauth (DeLand, 11th); 3rd place: Justin Umali (Creekside, 17th) v Keegan Clark (Timber Creek).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Finn Buchanan (Buchholz).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Jaiden Zajni (Nease).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Conner Rodriguez (Oviedo).
Wrestler under the radar: Adrian Pabon-Rivera (Lake Mary).
Best round-1 match: Ruano v Rodriguez.
126
Predictions — Final: Ethan Vugman (Bartram Trail, 1st) v Jedidiah Brown (Buchholz, 18th); 3rd place: Grady Bryant (DeLand) v Dario Duany (Lake Brantley).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Onel Esquilin (Seminole).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Jaylen Clayton (Evans).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Brent Ryals (Forest).
Wrestler under the radar: Benjamin Wolgamuth (Hagerty).
Best round-1 match: Stephan Carrion (Creekside) v Aidan Benson (Timber Creek).
132
Predictions — Final: Cavarius Liddie (Buchholz, 5th) v Nikolas Blake (Hagerty, 2nd); 3rd place: Cole O’Brien (Fletcher, 6th) v Kole Hannant (Flagler Palm Coast, 13th).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Eric Esquivel (Oviedo).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Lucas Drone (Windermere, 19th).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Peyton Senez (DeLand).
Wrestler under the radar: Roland Flynn (Olympia).
Best round-1 match: Esquivel v Giovanny Perez (West Orange).
138
Predictions — Final: Kellen Chapman (DeLand, 15th) v Tamarion Kendrick (Apopka, 7th); 3rd place: Conner Wright (Creekside, 14th) v John Hald (Flagler Palm Coast, 12th).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Josue Batista (Timber Creek, 19th).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Parker Stamschror (Nease, 17th).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Ryan Culbertson (Seminole).
Wrestler under the radar: Johnathan Dishman (Oviedo).
Best round-1 match: Dishman v Elias Twigg (Fletcher).
145
Predictions — Final: Tyran Schanck (Evans, 14th) v James Gonzalez (Winter Park, 13th); 3rd place: Giovanni Duany (Lake Brantley, 15th) v Seth Galvin (Wekiva).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Joshua Folsom (DeLand, 18th).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Hayden Herndon (Flagler Palm Coast).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Grady Hutchinson (Bartram Trail).
Wrestler under the radar: Andres Sanchez (Seminole).
Best round-1 match: Duany v Madden Bourst (Olympia).
152
Predictions — Final: Jaydius Bognar (South Lake) v Joey Parker (Winter Park, 5th); 3rd place: Preston Pena (Bartram Trail, 11th) v Mathias Franz (DeLand, 12th).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Luke Forsberg (Oviedo).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Elisha Purdy (Fletcher).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Chihaya Cook (Creekside).
Wrestler under the radar: Ethan Rivera-Mendez (Olympia).
Best round-1 match: Rivera-Medez v Cook.
160
Predictions — Final: Josh Daltro (Fletcher, 9th) v Kamdon Harrison (Hagerty, 3rd); 3rd place: Kelton Howard (Flagler Palm Coast) v Jacob Lutz (Nease, 12th).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Zane Canada (DeLand).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Isaiah Diltz (Mandarin).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: William Muniz (Timber Creek).
Wrestler under the radar: Hudson McCandles (Oviedo).
Best round-1 match: Jorge Carpio (Olympia) v Diltz.
170
Predictions — Final: Max Szabo (Buchholz) v Gavin Isaacs (Lake Mary, 9th); 3rd place: Connor Gilliam (Hagerty, 19th) v Jake Jessee (Lake Brantley, 18th).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Alan Rivera (Nease, 14th).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Andy Delva (Ocoee).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Colton Leavell (Creekside).
Wrestler under the radar: Malik Wilson (Sandalwood).
Best round-1 match: Gilliam v Wilson.
182
Predictions — Final: John McNames (Bartram Trail, 8th) v Gavin Rodriguez-Cayro (DeLand, 12th); 3rd place: Hunter Tate (Hagerty, 11th) v Malachi Mista (Sandalwood).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): William Lancer (Buchholz).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Jimmy Chiaradio (Oviedo).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Zack Winkelkotter (Olympia).
Wrestler under the radar: Brandon Calidonio (Flagler Palm Coast).
Best round-1 match: Mista v Christopher Swanson (Lake Brantley).
195
Predictions — Final: Kason Nichols (Buchholz, 4th) v Dalton Schell (Flagler Palm Coast, 8th); 3rd place: Duffy Mista (Sandalwood, 9th) v Garrett Perkins (DeLand).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): David Bowerman (Apopka).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Joey Gioa (Oviedo).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Dean Marshall (First Coast).
Wrestler under the radar: Kramar Brown (Dr Phillips).
Best round-1 match: Rocco Jonigan (Timber Creek) v Bowerman.
220
Predictions — Final: Liam Glassmeyer (Winter Park, 17th) v Keniel Carrasquillo (Ocoee, 8th); 3rd place: Michael Frederick (Lake Mary, 16th) v Shane Armstrong (Bartram Trail, 5th).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Landon Revis (Hagerty).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Jaelen Simmons (Mandarin, 10th).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Eli Pagan (Creekside, 20th).
Wrestler under the radar: Tyron Moore (DeLand).
Best round-1 match: Revis v Miles O’Toole (Olympia).
285
Predictions — Final: Toby Matson (Fletcher, 8th) v Peter Nesheiwat (Timber Creek, 4th); 3rd place: Deandre Scott (Ocoee, 5th) v Marion Smokes (DeLand, 6th).
Dark horse (top half of bracket): Jermael Paul (Evans).
Dark horse (bottom half of bracket): Cole Anderson (Creekside).
Don’t be surprised if this wrestler makes a deep run: Tre Weathersby (South Lake).
Wrestler under the radar: Jerome Johnson (Seminole).
Best round-1 match: Weathersby v Jacob George (Bartram Trail).
Rankings from https://www.kabrawrestling.com/rankings/class-3a
North Florida Matmen 