By: J. Daniel Pearson
When it comes to FHSAA wrestling, there’s South Dade and there’s everyone else.
The Buccaneers proved that point again this weekend, blitzing through three opponents to capture the FHSAA Class 3A State Dual Meet Championships at Osceola Gymnasium. South Dade ripped South Plantation (72-3) in Friday’s quarterfinals; beat Wellington in Saturday morning’s semifinals (59-9) and then defeated the host Kowboys (55-15) in the state championship match.
It was South Dade’s sixth Dual Meet State Championship in the seven years the event has been held. The Bucs will also be heavy favorites to win their 11th consecutive 3A title in next month’s individual bracket tournament.
“I was thinking that last year’s South Dade team was the best Florida team I had ever seen,” Osceola coach Rick Tribit said. “That was until this year, now I am not too sure.”
Osceola did manage to win three of the 14 matches in the final, as freshman Adaias Ortiz won a 7-5 decision over Guilermo Jaramilo at 113, Anderson Heap pinned Jonathan Marino at 157 and Jaquille Knox won by fall over Daguy Massilon at 285.
Still it was a great weekend for the Kowboys, as they finished as state runner-up for the second consecutive year and third time in seven years. Osceola secured the runner-up position by beating Palmetto Ridge in the quarterfinals and coming back with a tremendous effort against Timber Creek – winning 47-24 in the semifinals.
The Kowboys came out strong in the semifinals, with Nathan Cabrera (157-lb. class) holding on to beat Juan Viera in the opening match, 8-7. From there Heap, Gunner Holland and Bryan Gari recorded back-to-back –to back falls and Osceola was out to a 21-0 lead in the match.
After losing at 220, Knox came up with a big pin at 285, to push the Osceola lead back to 21 at 27-6. With the exception of Ortiz (pin at 112), Osceola struggled in the lighter weight classes and when Josue Baptista beat Isfandier Sharipov at 132, Osceola saw its lead shrink to 33-24. But Ehab Shalaby extended that lead to 37-24 with a 12-0 major decision at 138; and Jayson Ortiz would put the match away with a pin at 145.
“Really pleased with the result this weekend,” Tribit added. “We had some younger wrestlers come through this weekend and they are beginning to understand what competition at this level is all about. Given South Dade’s dominance the last decade, second place was a realistic goal and we accomplished that.”
Osceola advanced to the state semifinals with a 41-33 hard-fought match against long-time rival Palmetto Ridge on Friday night. The match was close throughout, but Holland (175) and Gari (190) obtained the necessary points to secure the win in the 12th and 13th matches of the night.
Clinging to a narrow 32-27 lead, Holland put the Kowboys up 37-27 with a 16-0 technical fall over Owen Pratt. Wrestling in the penultimate match of the night, Gari then secured the win for the Kowboys – picking up four points with a 9-0 decision over Matthew Kniola to extend the lead to 41-27.
Prior to the tournament, Harmony coach Vic Lorenzano felt that two or three difficult matches would have to go the Longhorn’s way if they were to get past a strong Wellington team in the quarterfinals. Instead all those weight classes went against Harmony in a 34-24 loss.
In all, Harmony lost the seven of the first eight matches and fell into a hole they simply could not recover from. The Longhorns did get pins from Nathan Lyttle (106), Shawn McCallister (157), and Seth Scutero (190) and picked up decisions by Jeremiah Gomez (150) and John Fernandez (170) to keep the match close.
In the 2A Championship, Lake Gibson edged Jesuit (31-26); while Somerset won the Class 1A State Duals title with a 48-21 win over Suwanee.
Last Weekend on the Mats:
Most county teams participated in the Cousins Milton Memorial Winter Invitational at St. Cloud High School, Jan. 17-18. Led by tournament champion Nathan Lyttle (106-lb. class); silver medalists Tristan Horn (113), Carson Estrada (138) and Shawn McCallister (150); the Harmony Longhorns defeated Middleburg for the team title (267.5 – 226.0).
Overall, Harmony’s depth came through as the Longhorns scored team points in 13 of 14 weight classes, had 13 total wrestlers (included not team scorers) reach the podium. Counting wins in District and Regional Dual qualifiers, it was the seventh team victory in tournaments this year for the Longhorns.
Winter Springs (167), Flagler Palm Coast (147.5), and Cocoa Beach (142) rounded out the top five in the prestigious 24-team tournament. Host St. Cloud (114.5) finished eighth, Gateway (110) was 10th, Tohopekaliga (80) checked in at 15th and Poinciana (36) at 21st rounded out the team scoring for Osceola County participants.
Other top finishers for county schools include St. Cloud’s Nathan Huron (3rd-132) and Andrew Colontanio (3rd-285); Gateway’s Meison Broche (2nd-165); Tohopekaliga’s Bryan Battles (3rd-157) and Taylon Hayes (4th-150); and Poinciana’s Noah Otero (4th-165).
Meanwhile, Osceola sent a select group to Philadelphia, Pa. for the nationally recognized “Escape the Rock” Tournament, which featured numerous nationally-ranked wrestlers and state champions. The Kowboys came away with two wrestlers on the podium with Anderson Heap (4th-145) and Gunner Holland (7th-170). Freshman sensation Adaias Ortiz (114) just missed the podium, losing in the blood round.
FHSAA State Wrestling Championships
At Osceola High School
Class 3A Quarterfinals
Timber Creek def. Gainesville Bucholz, 48-21
Osceola def. Palmetto Ridge, 41-33
South Dade def, South Plantation, 72-3
Wellington Community def. Harmony 34-24
Semifinals
South Dade def. Wellington, 59-9
Osceola def. Timber Creek, 47-24
Championship
South Dade def. Osceola, 55-15
