3A-2 Preview: Multi-team race for the top will keep district interesting
Kabra Wrestling Rankings are updated every week all season long for Kabra+ members.
Last season: Seven Buchholz wrestlers reached the district finals to power the Bobcats to their first district title since 2021, edging Lake Mary by 19 points.
How did Kabra do?: We whiffed on the top pick with Buchholz showing some depth to go along with its star power. Runner-up Lake Mary was the team we said to watch for.
Last year’s district tournament results
Last year’s region tournament results
Wrestlers to watch: Gavin Isaacs (Lake Mary), Kevin McLean (Flagler Palm Coast), Robert Twilley (Flagler Palm Coast), Finn Buchanan (Buchholz), Timothy McLean (Flagler Palm Coast), David Hill (West Port), Grady Isaacs (Lake Mary), Carson Baert (Flagler Palm Coast)
The favorite: Buchholz. It’s a tight battle between three times at the top, so we’ll put the defending champs in this spot.
Team to watch: Flagler Palm Coast and Lake Mary. Both schools are charging their programs back up and have some power in their line-ups this year.
District duals: Wednesday, December 18 at OC University, 1 p.m.
District IBT: Thursday, February 20 at Buchholz, 12:30 p.m.
Buchholz Bobcats (NR/#12)
Coach: Billy Pankey
Recent district results: 2024:1; 2023:2; 2022:2; 2021:1; 2020:2; 2019:2-3A1; 2018:3-3A1; 2017:5-3A1; 2016:3-3A1; 2015:3-3A1; 2014:3-3A1; 2013:4-3A1; 2012:7-3A1
Last state champion: Cavarius Liddie, 2023 (132), Kason Nichols, 2023 (195)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Cavarius Liddie, 66-2, SC, RC, DC; Jedidiah Brown, 39-7, RQ-BR, DC.
Notable returning wrestlers: Laine Slayton, Sr., 42-22, SQ, R4, D2; Finn Buchanan, Sr., 34-20, SQ, R2, D2; Gabriel Brown, Jr., 30-23, SQ, R4, D2; Gabriel Ramos, Jr., 34-22, SQ, R3, D2; Braedon McGuigan, Jr., 24-26, RQ, D3; William Buchanan, Jr., 21-23, RQ, D3; Hugh Davis, Sr., 27-29, RQ, D3; Stefan Behrmann, Jr., 22-16, RQ, D4; Derryl Godbolt, Jr., 26-24, RQ, D4; Aiden St. Clair, So., 19-23, RQ, D2; Prince Fortuna, Jr.
What they are saying: “It’s the deepest team I think I’ve ever had here.”
On goals of the program: “We try to recruit and hang on to guys that are high character guys. We are all different walks of life but I would say that 98% of the kids we’ve had for the past couple of years have been guys that do the right thing in the classroom, do the right thing around their parents and that means a lot to us.”
On being in Gainesville: “One of the things that we are proud of is that we feel like an island up here. There’s a solid 80-100-mile radius where wrestling isn’t big. So we have to have competition either come to us or we have to go them. We can’t really do it in our backyard.”
Outlook: Gone is two-time state champion Liddie, but the group coming back is deep across the board and that’s why the Bobcats have set the goal of reaching the state duals.
The Florida High School Wrestling Season District Previews
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Class 3A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
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
Girls: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
District Predictions: All 64 projected final IBT standings
Other content: Transfers | Coaching changes | Tournament schedule | Dual schedule | Team schedules
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Flagler Palm Coast Bulldogs (#6/#13)
Coach: David Bossardet
Recent district results: 2024:3; 2023:3; 2022:1; 2021:2; 2020:1; 2019:4-3A1; 2018:2-3A1; 2017:2-3A1; 2016:2-3A1; 2015:1-3A1; 2014:1-3A1; 2013:3; 2012:3
Last state champion: Avery Holder, 2018 (132)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Toriyon Stallings, 45-4, 4th, RC, DC; Ethaniel Laupepa, 42-4, 7th, RC, DC; Kelton Howard, 41-6, 7th, R2, D3; Brandon Calidonio, 31-11, RQ, D3; Raheem Rolle, 9-9, RQ, D4.
Notable returning wrestlers: Robert Twilley, So., 41-11, 6th, R3, D2; Carson Baert, Sr., 37-11, SQ, R4, D2; Doyvonne Leadon, Jr., 29-15, RQ, D4; Melique Joseph, Sr., 22-16, RQ, D3; Joseph Dailey, So., 21-17, RQ, D4; Isaiah Wilkins, Jr., 19-12; TJ McLean, Sr.
New wrestler: Kevin McLean, Fr., 38-5, 3rd, R2, DC (Transfer from St. John Country Day); Michael Fries, Sr., 32-17, RQ-BR, D2 (Transfer from Matanzas)
Lake Mary Rams (#13/#22)
Coach: Tony Segretario
Recent district results: 2024:2; 2023:4; 2022:8; 2021:3-3A4; 2020:3-3A4; 2019:3-3A3; 2018:3-3A3; 2017:4-3A3; 2016:3-3A3; 2015:4-3A3; 2014:3-3A3; 2013:5; 2012:4
Last state champion: Jack Likens, 1984 (112)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Aden Eliason, 32-12, RQ, DC; Logan Morris, 30-14, RQ, D3; Alexander Chesloff, 22-15, RQ, D3; Adrian Pabon Rivera, 23-10, RQ, D4.
Potential notable returning wrestlers: Gavin Isaacs, Jr., 35-5, 3rd, RC, DC; Damonyai White, Sr., 32-6, SQ, R2, DC; Grady Isaacs, So., 38-4, RQ-BR, DC; Luke Prieto, Sr., 9-4, RQ, D2; Caden Laravuso, So., 23-13, RQ-BR, DC; Nathan Walck, Jr., 28-11, RQ-BR, D3.
New wrestler: Khalil Baker, Jr., 11-12, RQ, D3 (Transfer from Orange City University)
DeLand Bulldogs
Coach: Chris Folsom (10th season)
Assistant coaches: Ray Knowles, Christian Lohsen, Jacob Toledo
23-24 dual record: 15-4
Recent district results: 2024:4; 2023:1; 2022:3; 2021:4; 2020:7; 2019:4-3A3; 2018:5-3A3; 2017:3-3A3; 2016:4-3A3; 2015:5-3A3; 2014:4-3A3; 2013:4; 2012:2
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Marion Smokes, 31-5, 4th, R2, DC; Mathias Franz, 12-6; Garret Perkins, 29-18, RQ, D2; Ben Morris, 16-10, RQ, D4; Mason Perkins, 15-17, D5.
Notable returning wrestlers: Joshua Folsom, Sr., 39-10, RQ-BR, D2; Tyler Bracero, Sr., 37-11, RQ-BR, D3; Peyton Senez, Sr., 28-21, RQ, D4; David Birdsey, Sr., 25-14, RQ, D3; Jack Knowles, Jr., 8-13, D5; Leonid Selmani, Sr., 6-8, RQ, D4.
New wrestlers: Hunter Owens; Lorenzo Calderon; Tramund Robinson; Jonathan Collie; Kaiden Olavarria, So., 18-17, RQ, D3 (Transfer from OC University); Ryan Joseph, Jr., 13-10 (Transfer from OC University)
Outlook: The lineup has five region qualifiers coming back but also enters the season with a lot of spots in the starting lineup wide open. How the younger wrestlers step up and fill those spots will go a long way to how competitive this team can be top-to-bottom.
West Port Wolf Pack
Coach: Paul Dodge (4th season)
Recent district results: 2024:5; 2023:6; 2022:6; 2021:6; 2020:5; 2019:3; 2018:5; 2017:8; 2016:2; 2015:3; 2014:6; 2013:4-2A4; 2012:5-2A4
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): None
Notable returning wrestlers: Jhustino Miranda, Sr., 36-10, SQ, R4, D2; David Hill, Sr., 32-9, RQ-BR, DC; Harrison Caputo, Sr., 34-12, RQ, D2; Mathew Pishotta, Jr., 39-9, SQ, R4, DC; Prince Valentine, Sr., 14-10, RQ, D4; Justin Sierra, Sr., 15-15, RQ, D4; Ethen Crews, Sr.; Juan Cely, Sr.; Allen Roman, Jr.
What they are saying: “This is a very solid team for West Port.”
Outlook: State qualifier Miranda leads a team that didn’t graduate any notable wrestlers from last year’s team.
Forest Wildcats
Coach: Ronnie Tisdal
Recent district results: 2024:7; 2023:7; 2022:5; 2021:7; 2020:6; 2019:6-2A5; 2018:5-2A5; 2017:6-2A5; 2016:5-2A5; 2015:8; 2014:7; 2013:6; 2012:7
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Brent Ryals, 51-14, SQ, R3, DC; Jamon Stromwall, 31-17, RQ, D4.
Potential notable returning wrestlers: Skyler Hackl, Jr., 34-22, RQ, D3; Ellis Lawson, Sr., 23-9; Sebastian Arthur, Jr., 31-20, RQ, D5.
Orange City University Titans
Coach: Jeff Howard (1st at school/3rd overall)
Assistant coach: Slade High-Tompkins
23-24 dual record: 1-2
Recent district results: 2024:6; 2023:8; 2022:7; 2021:3; 2020:3; 2019:6-3A3; 2018:6-3A3; 2017:7-3A3; 2016:9-3A3; 2015:2-3A3; 2014:5-3A3; 2013:2; 2012:5
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Carlito Betancourt, 21-13, RQ, D2; Seth Cruz, 21-15, D5; Khalil Baker, Jr., 11-12, RQ, D3 (Transfer to Lake Mary); Kaiden Olavarria, So., 18-17, RQ, D3 (Transfer to DeLand); Ryan Joseph, Jr., 13-10 (Transfer to DeLand)
Notable returning wrestlers: Diego Melendez Rosario, Sr.; Eli Nichols, Jr.; Ricky Boatfield, So.; Logan Atkins, So.; Antonio Bryant, Jr.
New wrestler: Bradan Muprhy
What are they saying: “This team is young and inexperienced, however, this does not mean that this team will not grow and fight for every point during events. Each team will be competitive and at all events.”
Outlook: Howard takes over a program that has some coachable wrestlers and a desire to get better. This young team will be getting varsity experience on the fly but looks to be better as the season grows on.
Sanford Seminole Seminoles
Coach: Kyle Sonriver
Recent district results: 2024:8; 2023:5; 2022:4; 2021:5; 2020:4; 2019:5-3A3; 2018:7-3A3; 2017:8-3A3; 2016:10-3A3; 2015:8-3A3; 2014:9-3A3; 2013:9; 2012:8
Last state champion: Curtis Ruff, 2020 (285)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Andres Sanchez, 27-6, SQ, R2, DC; Jerome Johnson, 21-5, RQ, D2; Jeremiah Williams, Sr., 16-10, RQ, D4 (Transfer to Winter Springs)
Potential notable returning wrestlers: None