By: J. Daniel Pearson for Positively Osceola
Photos Courtesy Katie Williams and Osceola High School
Led by four wrestlers from Osceola High, six county wrestlers will compete an FHSAA State Championship on Saturday afternoon at Silver Spurs Arena. The finals begin at 4 p.m.
Following an outstanding day, Osceola ended up advancing four to the championship round as they attempt to run their impressive streak of at least one individual state champion to 18 years in a row. Of that group, seniors Anderson Heap and Gunner Holland look to cement their legacies as all-time Kowboy greats — by each winning their third individual state title.
Both Anderson (150-lb. Weight Class) and Holland (175) have blitzed through their weight classes to reach the finals. Anderson (57-5 on the season) picked up a pair of pinfalls on Friday, defeating Omar Faris (Western) in the round of eight and Lake Brantley’s Jovan Vukajlovic in the semifinals. He will meet South Dade’s Joshua Aviles (51-3) in the finals.
Holland ran his record to 47-6 on the season picking up identical 15-0 technical falls in the quarterfinals against Jake Jesse (Lake Brantley) and Conner Bonney (Miami Palmetto) in semifinals. He will face long-time nemesis Kevin Olavarria (44-6) of South Dade in the finals. Those two have squared off numerous times in the past in both high school and amateur tournaments. The two have met three times this year, with Holland holding a 2-1 edge.
Anderson won state titles the last two years, while taking a silver medal as a freshman. Holland has state championships in 2021-22, but finished third last year during an injury riddled season.
“Both guys have been through a lot, both this season and their careers,”Osceola coach Rick Tribit said. “They have put on dominating performances in the state meet so far, but they will both be facing a pair of impressive wrestlers in their finals.”
Joining their teammates in the finals will be freshman sensation Adaias Ortiz (113) and Isfandier Sharipov (132). Ortiz (51-7) reached the finals in impressive fashion, pinning Antonio Morales (SW Miami) in the quarters before registering a major decision over Cameron Gibson (Wellington) in the semifinals. Ortiz has been ranked one or two in his weight class by several ranking services and will meet Christian Vazquez (41-1) of Doral Academy in the finals.
Ortiz lost to Vasquez in the state dual meet championships in January, but Tribit believes his freshman is “wrestling at a whole different level than he was in January.”
Sharipov (31-6) could be considered somewhat of a surprise finalist.
After winning his opening round match on Thursday, he beat South Plantation’s Joshua Whittek in sudden victory overtime (8-6) and Wellington’s Sam Marvel in the a hard-fought semifinal match (8-6). He will have another tough customer on Saturday afternoon as he faces Southwest Miami’s Dillon Smith (51-3) in the finals.
“I would not say surprised but I would definitely say pleased,” Tribit said of Sharipov’s advancement to the finals. “He has had a good season but in the past few weeks he has really turned it on and jumped to a level I always thought he belonged.”
Harmony suffered several close losses in the first three rounds, but will send one to the championship on Saturday. Looking to become the Longhorns second state titleist in two years (Nelson Toro won at 285 last year), Shawn McCallister (46-1) will face Palmetto Ridge’s Demetri Zertopouli (50-6) for the 3A, 157-lb. championship on Saturday.
McCallister reached the finals by beating Devin Blunt (Strawberry Crest) in the round of eight by pinfall and decisioned Jose Gutierrez (6-4) of Doral Academy in the semifinals.
Heading into the final day, Osceola was hanging on to second place (108.0) in the team score in front of Southwest Miami (79.0) and Doral Academy (58.0). Perennial champions South Dade (244.5) was running away with the team title with 244.5 points. Harmony was seventh with 42.
Of the nine girls from Osceola County who advanced to the state championship, only one remains in contention for the title. Liberty’s Delialah Betances ran her season record to 22-1 with impressive run. In her three state matches, she pinned all three opponents including Iliana Gracey (Western) in the quarterfinals and Abby DiCenzo (Bell Creek) in the semifinals. Betances will face Winter Garden’s Milana Borerelli (48-7) for the 120-lb. Championship on Saturday afternoon.
As a growing and emerging sport, girls’ wrestling in Florida is competed under a single classification.
