3A-13 Preview: Young Douglas team looking to keep district title stream going
BY BRANT PARSONS —Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas enters the season looking for a third-consecutive district title. If they’re able to achieve the three-peat, they’ll have to do it differently than they had in the past two years.
Gone from the Eagles line-up are five district finalists from a year ago and this year’s team will be a mix of experienced wrestlers and JV wrestlers stepping into varsity roles.
"The good thing is that most of the JV guys already two years experience on our belt," Douglas head coach Ken Gendason said. "I always give young wrestlers the opportunity somewhere along the way to get some varsity matches in just get a taste of it."
Chasing Douglas will be Coral Springs and Taravella.
"I think we could pull it off," Gendason said. "But its probably gonna be more challenging this year with the younger kids and veteran kids in the line up."
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Last season: Eight different wrestlers won district titles for Douglas, who won the team title by 76 points over Coral Springs.
Last year’s district tournament results
Last year’s region tournament results
Wrestlers to watch: David Leiva (Douglas), Rocco Duygulu (Douglas)
The favorite: Douglas. We know it won’t be easy for the Eagles, but there is experience in the wrestlers stepping into the starting line-up and they’ll still be tough to top.
Team to watch: Coral Springs. The district runners-up last season could return up to 10 region qualifiers from last year’s team.
District duals: TBD
District IBT: TBD
Kabra Says: The distance between the top and the rest of the pack might be trimmed this season, but I think the experience of the young wrestlers will give Douglas its three-peat.
Douglas Eagles
Coach: Kenny Gendason (7th at school/12th as head coach/31st overall)
Assistant coach: Daniel Sanchez
22-23 dual record: 12-1
Recent district results: 2023:1; 2022:1; 2021:Qu; 2020:4-3A12; 2019:3-3A12; 2018:2-3A12; 2017:4-3A12; 2016:5-3A12; 2015:9-3A12; 2014:5-3A12; 2013:3-3A11; 2012:2-3A11
Last state champion: Joe Kent, 2007 (189)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Daniel Alvarez, 23-12, RQ, D2; Lenny Cipolla, 17-6, RQ, DC; Vincent Dion, 19-3, RQ, DC; Charles Dion, 34-11, RQ, DC; Alexander Kooby, 27-8, RQ, DC.
Notable returning wrestlers: #5-120 David Leiva, Jr., 33-5, SQ, R3, DC; #6-106 Rocco Duygulu, Jr., 35-6, SQ, R3, DC; Bryce Siddens, So.; James Messmer, Jr., 19-7, RQ, DC; Lorenzo Pellegrini, Jr., 17-13, RQ, D2; Caleb Hebert, Sr., 13-14, RQ, D4; Lucas Sigueira, Jr., 10-7, RQ, DC; Jackson Zajkowski, Jr., 30-11, RQ, D2; Miguerson Renelus, Jr., 4-11, RQ, D4; Bryce Siddens, Fr.
What they are saying: "We have more of a unique team this year than we did past years where we have a half of our team that's returning. Most of them won district titles or they took second in the regionals. But I think what it is really going to come down to us winning a third one is going to be the JV guys that we have from last year filling into the lineup of our graduating seniors and really stepping up to the plate."
On state qualifiers Rocco Duygulu and David Leiva: "They've been doing a lot. Rocco has been going to camps and as many different tournaments as he can while David has been focusing on his judo. So it's two different paths, but they have the same vision and goals."
On being in the tough 3A-R4: "I think that was that helped us a lot last year, even though we only had two qualifiers. I think being there a year earlier, they really got to see what the competition was like and what to be really prepared for."
Outlook: The Eagles lost five key seniors but return their state wrestlers from a year ago as they look to win a third-straight district crown.
Coral Springs Colts
Coach: Daniel Jacob
Recent district results: 2023:2; 2022:3; 2021:2; 2020:1; 2019:2-3A12; 2018:1-3A12; 2017:2-3A12; 2016:2-3A12; 2015:2-3A12; 2014:2-3A12; 2013:1-3A11; 2012:1-3A11
Last state champion: John Moran, 1994 (119)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Jamie Capricien, 16-18, RQ, D2; Sebastian Bolt, 16-9, RQ, D2
Potential notable returning wrestlers: #17-215 Shai Keery, Jr., 25-12, RQ, DC; Chase Martin, So., 25-12, RQ, D2; Bendjy Ferdinand, Jr., 22-14, RQ, D2; James Matis, So., 5-11, RQ, D4; Adam Shuker, So., 9-16, RQ, D3; Jason Jackson, Sr., 11-10, RQ, D4; Tyler Green, So., 16-15, RQ, D4; Jaylan Brown, So., 21-13, RQ, D2; Dante Adams, Jr., 13-16, RQ, D2; J'Vier Romeus, Jr., 15-8, RQ, D2.
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Class 2A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Class 1A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Class G-1A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Taravella Trojans
Coach: Joseph St. Germain
Recent district results: 2023:3; 2022:5; 2021:5; 2020:4; 2019:4-3A12; 2018:8-3A12; 2017:6-3A12; 2016:6-3A12; 2015:5-3A12; 2014:11-3A12; 2013:6-3A11; 2012:6-3A11
Last state champion: Matthew Lavigna, 1993 (160)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Marquez Harris, 12-13, RQ, D2; Damian Morales, RQ, D4.
Potential notable returning wrestlers: Abraham Ballesteros, So., 16-15, RQ, D3; Caiden Canales, Jr., 1-8, RQ, D3; Angel Santiago, So., RQ, D3; Jacob Rosen, Jr., 24-6, RQ, DC; Victor Dixon, Jr., 9-10, RQ, D2; Chris Cenoble, Sr., 20-15, RQ, D3; Tariq Qaiyim, Sr., 22-12, RQ, D2; Giovanni Perez, Sr., 1-6, RQ, D4.
Fort Lauderdale Flying L’s
Coach: Tim Smith
Recent district results: 2023:4; 2022:2; 2021: 3-2A14; 2020:2-2A14; 2019:5-3A12; 2018:3-3A12; 2017:5-3A12; 2016:4-3A12; 2015:6-3A12; 2014:7-3A12; 2013:5-2A15; 2012:3-2A15
Last state champion: Rodney Billett, 1981 (220)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Trevon Hawkins, 43-9, RQ, DC; Luke Szymanik, 20-7, RQ, DC; Jeremiah Bethea, 34-16, RQ, DC; Brandon Charite, 33-15, RQ, D3.
Potential notable returning wrestlers: Elton Angulo, Jr., 25-17, RQ, D3; Keijuan Williams, Jr., 11-12, RQ, D3; Chance Vital, So., 14-16, RQ, D4; Mason Kondratyuk, So., 17-21, RQ, D4.
New wrestler: Semaj McClain, Sr., 25-14, RQ, D4 (Transfer from Dillard)
Monarch Knights
Coach: Troy Yarbrough
Recent district results: 2023:5; 2022:4; 2021:6; 2020:6; 2019:7-3A12; 2018:6-3A12; 2017:3-3A12; 2016:7-3A12; 2015:7-3A12; 2014:9-3A12; 2013:4-3A11; 2012:4-3A11
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Sebastian Cardozo, 23-9, RQ, D3; Marvin Cyriac, 15-11, RQ, D3.
Notable returning wrestlers: Ethan Pierce, Jr., 13-12, RQ, D2; Treyvon Washington, Sr.; Treyvon Chisolm, Sr.; Aiden Lin, Sr.
Outlook: The Knights are mostly first-year wrestlers along with the four returning with some experience.
Deerfield Beach Bucks
Coach: Mark Gadson
Recent district results: 2023:6; 2022:7; 2021:3-3A12; 2020:5-3A12; 2019:6-3A12; 2018:5-3A12; 2017:8-3A12; 2016:9-3A12; 2015:3-3A12; 2014:4-3A12; 2013:5-3A11; 2012:3-3A11
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Joao De Melo, 13-9, RQ, D3
Notable returning wrestlers: Julian Garcia, Sr., 9-10, RQ, D4; Jackson Harper, Sr., 10-5, RQ, D3; Casey Joseph, So., 4-6, RQ, D3; Donovan Campbell, Sr., 10-4.
Outlook: Three region qualifiers return for the Bucks.
Coral Glades Jaguars
Coach: Cameron Thomas
Recent district results: 2023:7; 2022:6; 2020:7; 2019:9-3A12; 2018:10-3A12; 2017:9-3A12; 2016:10-3A12; 2015:11-3A12; 2014:10-3A12; 2013:2-3A11; 2012:5-3A11
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Carlos Garcia Ruiz, 13-6, SQ, R4, DC.
Potential notable returning wrestlers: None