By MATMEN, Wednesday, 3 p.m.
2A State IBT
When & where: Thursday-Saturday at Silver Spurs Arena. Thursday start at 12:30 p.m., with one round of competition on each side of the bracket. Friday start at 9:15 a.m., with two rounds of competition on each side. Saturday start at 9:30 a.m. with consi semis & medal-round wrestling. Finals are scheduled for 4:15 p.m.
Defending team champion: Tampa Jesuit.
Returning individual champions: Roman Lermer (Tampa Jesuit), Maximus Brady (Mariner), Christopher Minto (Mariner), Brian Burburija (Countryside).
Synopsis: It looks from preliminary review that the state will be chasing 2A duals champion Lake Gibson for the team title this weekend, and 2A duals runnerup Fleming Island is likely to be on a very short list of teams capable of mounting sufficient challenge to the Braves, with 11 wrestlers in the field this weekend. Charlotte and Brandon should also be in the mix for team trophies.
Matmen’s state-medal predictions (sure to be wrong) —
The medals are self-explanatory, it’s a sketch of the bracket as I see it, with a little bit of emphasis to “prove me wrong” to local kids in the north that may affect my sketch. I want my kids to get medals by any means necessary, by their own skill first and foremost, but if they want to take an additional oomph of motivation from me, that’s good for them — and me — as well. The unranked wrestler under the radar is not necessarily who I think is the “best” unranked wrestler, but the one not previously listed in the top eight who might have a vulnerable ranked kid in his path that could be susceptible to an upset.
106
Final: Roberto Rodriguez (Brandon, 1st) v Landon Quiroga (Merritt Island, 2nd).
3rd: Jacob Bucci (Clay, 3rd) v Matthew Newman (Fleming Island, 5th).
5th: Matthew Ireland (Braden River, 7th) v Solomon Peterson (Heritage, 4th).
7th: Timothy McLean (Matanzas, 8th) v Clayton Wolf (Okeechobee, 6th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Kael Seneca (Ft Myers).
113
Final: Camren French (Charlotte, 1st) v Roman Lermer (Tampa Jesuit, 2nd).
3rd: Elijah Lowe (Lake Gibson, 3rd) v Robert Albert (Cape Coral, 4th).
5th: Hernando Pinto (Countryside, 8th) v Shane Duhaylungsod (Fleming Island, 7th).
7th: Vaniel Caceres (Lincoln, 6th) v Pedro Sifuentes (East River, 5th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Duffy Brutus (Miramar).
120
Final: Luke Williams (Brandon, 3rd) v Christian Fretwell (Lake Gibson, 1st).
3rd: Enis Ljikovic (Barron Collier, 4th) v Alexander McMiller (Satellite, 5th).
5th: Richard Albert (Cape Coral, 6th) v Kaiden Ballinger (Charlotte, 2nd).
7th: Coby Shields (Gulf Breeze, 9th) v Kylan Butler (Miramar).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Jashawn Washington (Lincoln).
126
Final: Gregory Mendez (Mater Academy, 3rd) v Maximus Brady (Mariner, 1st).
3rd: Gabriel Jones (Brandon) v Colt Brown (Lake Gibson, 2nd).
5th: Alexander Wisdom (Am Herit-Plantation, 8th) v Laird Duhaylungsod (Fleming Island, 4th).
7th: Brady Glavin (Clay, 9th) v Eric Clary (Charlotte, 5th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Dominick Smith (River Ridge).
132
Final: Jayce Paridon (Fleming Island, 1st) v Gaetano Tedesco (Lake Gibson, 3rd).
3rd: Ryan Phillips (Winter Springs, 2nd) v Wyatt Leduc (Middleburg, 4th).
5th: Jonathan Martinez-Mercado (South Ft Myers, 5th) v Lowden Ward (Hollins, 10th).
7th: Anthony Dicks (Satellite, 8th) v Kevin Kerns (Deltona, 7th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Brandon Austin (Land O’Lakes).
138
Final: Draven McCall (Tampa Jesuit, 1st) v Gabriel Ferreira (Heritage, 6th).
3rd: Lucas Giles (Barron Collier, 5th) v Austin Chung (Tampa Freedom, 3rd).
5th: Josh Gallo (Springstead, 7th) v Thomas Gernhart (Brandon, 4th).
7th: Maeson Otwell (Pace, 9th) v Garrett Marschka (Chiles, 2nd).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Luke Davis (Charlotte).
145
Final: Hayden Whidden (Lake Gibson, 1st) v Jake Samuels (Manatee, 3rd).
3rd: Kaden Schaefer (Fleming Island, 2nd) v Michael Farrelly (Hollins, 4th).
5th: Tyler Smith (Brandon, 8th) v Keith Cole (Heritage, 6th).
7th: Inson Guerrier (Norland, 9th) v Gavin Young (Tampa Jesuit, 5th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Jonathan Adams (Winter Springs).
152
Final: Brandon Cody (Tampa Jesuit, 2nd) v Gianni Maldonado (Lake Gibson, 1st).
3rd: Tyler Rodriguez (Port Charlotte, 3rd) v Dylan Quiroga (Merritt Island, 4th).
5th: Connor Edwards (Lincoln, 5th) v Dylan Parkinson (Matanzas, 10th).
7th: Julian Smith (Manatee, 9th) v Armando Wisdom (Am Herit-Plantation, 8th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Evan Martinez (Lakeland).
160
Final: Gage Wiggins (Braden River, 2nd) v Christopher Minto (Mariner, 1st).
3rd: James Baltutis (Charlotte, 3rd) v Ty Rodriguez (Brandon, 5th).
5th: Ransom Randolph (Winter Springs, 5th) v Christopher Chop (Fleming Island, 4th).
7th: Nick Iserino (Wesley Chapel, 9th) v Kaleb Gabrielsen (Heritage, 7th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Elijah Vickers (Countryside).
170
Final: Jace Brownlow (Lake Gibson, 3rd) v Elijah Penton (Winter Springs, 1st).
3rd: Austin Williams (Brandon, 4th) v Ronan Bozeman (Fleming Island, 6th).
5th: Dominic Martin (Clay, 7th) v Konner Stuttgen (Bonita Springs, 2nd).
7th: Mason Miller (Manatee, 9th) v August Batson (Atlantic Community, 5th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Lucas Amaya (Belen Jesuit).
182
Final: Jessey Colas (Braden River, 2nd) v Tito Solorzano (Lake Gibson, 1st).
3rd: Joshua Sandoval (Fleming Island, 3rd) v Bruno Ingalls (Pasco, 6th).
5th: Michael McCarthy (Satellite, 5th) v Jett McCauley (Charlotte, 4th).
7th: Mike Tironne (Immokalee, 8th) v Sawyer VanRider (New Smyrna Beach, 9th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: John Fernandez (St Cloud).
195
Final: Nathaniel Box (Charlotte, 2nd) v Brian Burburija (Countryside, 1st).
3rd: Tristan Vann (Lake Gibson, 7th) v Jakob Nowak (Lincoln, 4th).
5th: Aiden Gatton (Winter Springs, 6th) v Isaiah Shevchook (Oakleaf, 5th).
7th: Seven Tornga (Merritt Island, 8th) v Darius Brundidge (Ft Walton Beach, 3rd).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Damontez McDowell (Manatee).
220
Final: Cael Newton (Charlotte, 2nd) v Ethan Kent (River Ridge, 7th).
3rd: Jhoel Robinson (Fleming Island, 1st) v Dylon York (New Smyrna Beach, 3rd).
5th: Thomas Jones (Riverside, 4th) v Gregorio Herrera (Immokalee, 6th).
7th: Maxinot Mondesir (Miramar, 10th) v Donnell McCray (Jones, 8th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Kaleb Ivie (Merritt Island.
285
Final: Nate Gabriel (Auburndale, 2nd) v Vincent Chavez (Port Charlotte, 1st).
3rd: Garry Gilbert (Land O’Lakes, 4th) v Howard Craft (Rockledge, 3rd).
5th: Jabarie Yearby (Port St Lucie, 6th) v Yul Campbell (American, 5th).
7th: Jared Apple (Zephyrhills, 8th) v Ethan Hoffstetter (Fleming Island, 9th).
Unranked wrestler under the radar: Tucker Cody (Middleburg).
Rankings from https://www.kabrawrestling.com/rankings/class-2a
North Florida Matmen 