1A-8 Preview: Four ranked teams to battle it out for top spots

Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): William Day, 35-9, 7th, RC, DC; Nadir Shalaby, 8th, 20-12, SQ, R4, D3 (Transfer to Zephyrhills Christian);

Notable returning wrestlers: Madden Fredenburg, So., 47-14, 3rd, R3, D2; Adrian Day, Fr., 38-8, 5th, RC, DC; Anthony Acquafredda, So., 34-8, SQ, RC, DC; Wyatt Crouser, Jr., 28-13, SQ, R2, DC; Kealan Sieni, Jr., 16-12, SQ, R4, DC; Colton Burson, Jr.; Nathan Pond, So., 12-20, RQ, D2; Landon Fischer, So., 19-19, RQ, D3; Isaak Starr, So., 11-11, RQ, D4.

New wrestler: Jett Johnson, 7th; Micah Gary, Sr.; Dorian Nicholson, Jr.; Sean Brodigan, Jr.

What they are saying: “ I definitely think we're a little bit ahead of what the original plan was when we took over here. But we definitely have expectations to make some pushes. I think it could be a breakout year for a few different kids as a team. Our goal is to hopefully make the push to team state. I know our region is kind of crazy stacked between Merritt Island, Zephyrhills Christian, Palm Bay, and Hernando, so we definitely have our work cut out for us there. So I think, as far as that's concerned, our real goal is to just be extremely competitive with those teams, and hopefully be able to pull out a couple of key wins, especially at some certain weights that I think will be highly contested and then hopefully make that push.”

On this team being ahead of schedule: “It's a team effort between parents and our kids, and then the coaches just kind of everyone trying to buy in, and our kids work really hard and are willing to come in year round and be a part of the club. I think this group has just been extremely consistent in that time that they put in, which has helped them develop much quicker than maybe even I thought that they would.”

On Madden Fredenburg: “He's definitely got a lot of traits that I think make him pretty special. Obviously, he's got the size as a younger guy, but he works extremely hard, and his cardio is really what kind of set him apart. That cardio won him some big matches late at state last year. A lot of those really tight, close matches at heavyweight that you usually have, he just seems to have a better gas tank than most the kids, which it's hard to do for a big boy. We talked about it early with him last year, just explaining to him that he was going to be the weaker kid in almost every match. Being a freshman at a weight class like that, you're not going to have strength on your side. So I think the shift this year is going to be a little bit different. If we can keep his cardio up now, he is going to be one of the stronger guys. He spent the entire summer in the weight room with that focus of, we have to get stronger for wrestling.”