Region 1A-3: Preview and Predictions
FRIDAY-SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 1, 2025 - at Lemon Bay High School
Friday: Weigh-in: 10 a.m. | Wrestling starts: 12 p.m.
Saturday: Weigh-in: 8 a.m. | Wrestling starts: 10 a.m.
Welcome to one of my favorite traditions - the region previews.
For those that are reading one for the first time, here's a quick summary of what the region preview is.
I start first by printing out each bracket - yes, this is one of the things I'm old school on.
I notate where wrestlers are ranked in the Kabra Wrestling Rankings and then start to break it down even more.
I look for head-to-head matchups, common opponents, and how each wrestler has been trending in the stretch run.
I then question my rankings - and myself - and play out the entire bracket.
What follows is my best guess for how 1A-3 will play out.
You can print the 1A-3 region bracket here. (PDF)
I've carefully predicted the four state qualifiers in the order that I think the will finish. I've also listed wrestlers that could prove me wrong and make it to Kissimmee.
I will be wrong with these picks, and I'm okay with that. In fact, I love when kids prove me wrong (or prove me right).
These previews and predictions are meant to bring excitement to one of the exhilarating and heartbreaking weekends in sports.
I assure you that I have no bias in my picks and truly wish the best for every wrestler competing this weekend.
And as always, these picks are for entertainment purposes only.
Now onto the preview:
Check out Kabra Wrestling’s Region Previews
Girls: Region 1 preview | Region 2 preview | Region 3 preview | Region 4 preview
Class 3A: Region 1 preview | Region 2 preview | Region 3 preview | Region 4 preview
Class 2A: Region 1 preview | Region 2 preview | Region 3 preview | Region 4 preview
Class 1A: Region 1 preview | Region 2 preview | Region 3 preview | Region 4 preview
Kabra's Picks
1. #6 Benito Barnhart (St. John Neumann)
2. #7 Hudson Sweitzer (Bishop Verot)
3. #10 Gemarri Daniel (Robinson)
4. #23 Eduardo Rey (Aubrey Rogers)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #21 James Bauer (Lemon Bay); #25 Adin DeAndrade (Anclote)
Opening round match to watch: Dawson Samon (King) vs. Jeffery Croft (Dunedin)
Kabra says: Barnhart is 2-0 against Sweitzer this season if they both reach the final here. The quarterfinal in the top half of the bracket should be big with Daniel looking to bust the bracket.
Kabra's Picks
1. #2 Lukah Zherka (Aubrey Rogers)
2. #5 Erik Perez (St. John Neumann)
3. #7 Everett Stephens (First Baptist-Naples)
4. #11 Domenic Carpio (Hudson)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #12 Jordan Dasilva (Seminole); #13 Logan Dean (Lemon Bay)
Opening round match to watch: Tyler Kupsch (Anclote) vs. #14 Yanuel Pantoja (Bayshore)
Kabra says: It is possible that district 1A-12 could go 1-2-3 here. Watch for Carpio and Dean to try to break up the district monopoly in the top half of the bracket as each have the talent to be on the podium here.
Kabra's Picks
1. #4 Bekim Zherka (Aubrey Rogers)
2. #5 William McGowan (St. John Neumann)
3. #9 Leland Flaherty (Fort Myers Evangelical)
4. #11 Tiago Passos (Bishop Verot)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #12 Hunter Barretsmith (Lemon Bay); #13 Michael Rodriguez (Dunedin)
Opening round match to watch: Passos vs. Barretsmith
Kabra says: Speaking of 1A-12, we’re picking them to fill the podium in this weight class. Fourth place Passos gets district champion in an intriguing first round, but he owns two wins by fall between the two this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Jack Oliver (Lemon Bay)
2. #2 Broc Dahlin (Bayshore)
3. #8 Jordan Anderson (Hudson)
4. #17 Lucas Selko (Seminole)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #19 Damien Zherka (Aubrey Rogers); #21 Nash Holdridge (St. John Neumann)
Opening round match to watch: Logan Brown (First Baptist-Naples) vs. Ashton Coles (King)
Kabra says: Can he do it again? Oliver pulled off the upset in the district final, beating then #1 Dahlin 1-0 after the Bayshore sophomore won their regular season meeting 6-4. Will we get a third? And he will win it? Look for an impactful quarterfinal match at the bottom with Selko and Zherka possibly meeting for the first time this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Lincoln Sledzianowski (St. John Neumann)
2. #7 Seth Colton (Dunedin)
3. #15 Viktor Swain (CCC)
4. #19 Arthur Pimenta (Aubrey Rogers)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #17 Luis Enamorado (Jefferson); #20 Gabriel Dejesus (Tarpon Springs)
Opening round match to watch: Enamorado vs. Gavin Ramon (Sarasota Military Academy)
Kabra says: Sledzianowski placed third as an eighth grader in 2022 and is the favorite to win a state title this season. At least eight additional wrestlers are ranked - or could be - and that should make the scramble for the podium here exciting.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Jonathan Moder (First Baptist-Naples)
2. #7 Daniel Ellis (Robinson)
3. #11 Jordan Blomberg (St. John Neumann)
4. #13 Jason Schiavello (CCC)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #16 Gabriel Carpio (Hudson); #21 Donavan Abeyta (Dunedin)
Opening round match to watch: Arthur Cloud (Boca Ciega) vs. Ethan Bissler (Oasis Charter)
Kabra says: Moder is poised to win his fourth straight region title and should set himself up to win a first state title next week. The other finalist could come from the quarterfinal meeting between Ellis and Blomberg. They haven’t faced this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. #12 Jagston Shepard (Sarasota Military Acad. )
2. #13 Jaymin Saunoris (Lemon Bay)
3. #16 Giovanni Perez (Dunedin)
4. #19 Ethan Swanson (Bishop Verot)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Landon Lewis (St. John Neumann); Jose Carrasquillo (Chamberlain)
Opening round match to watch: Riley Gonzalez (Hudson) vs. Keondrick Woods (Boca Ciega)
Kabra says: Shepard and Saunoris met in the district final last weekend with Shepard winning by a pin. There are four ranked wrestlers in the bracket and we’re picking them to go to Kissimmee.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Gavin Nolan (CCC)
2. #2 Asher Bacon (First Baptist-Naples)
3. #12 Julian Bell (Anclote)
4. #17 Richmerlins Celiferme (St. John Neumann)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #13 Garry Woessner (Dunedin); Noah McCarthy (Bayshore)
Opening round match to watch: Julian Pemberton (Chamberlain) vs. Evan Saunoris (Lemon Bay)
Kabra says: Nolan is a three-time state champion and Bacon a one-time state champion and this region could see some fireworks in the final here. Just wow.
Kabra's Picks
1. #2 Andres DiGrigoli (First Baptist-Naples)
2. #10 Joseph Conrad (Fort Myers Evangelical)
3. #8 Thiago Vianna (Admiral Farragut)
4. #11 Randy Wallace (LaBelle)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #15 Justin Tudor (Robinson); #25 Dylan Ferguson (Sarasota Military Academy)
Opening round match to watch: Wallace vs. Jason Peterson (Hudson)
Kabra says: DiGrigoli is a three-time state qualifier, two-time state placer, and two-time region champion and the favorite to win his third region title here. The bottom half of the bracket is wide open to determine the other finalist.
Kabra's Picks
1. #11 Davyd Kolesnykov (Admiral Farragut)
2. #13 Nicholas Pawlak (Tarpon Springs)
3. #14 Damari Green (Lakewood)
4. #22 Carlos Zurita (Anclote)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #24 Banner Brockington (Canterbury); #27 Colin Anderson (Oasis Charter)
Opening round match to watch: Blair Keats (Robinson) vs. Zurita
Kabra says: Kolesnykov has pinned Pawlak and Green this season. The bottom half of the bracket should see some good battles with Pawlak and Green lined up to meet in the quarters. They’ve split their meetings this year with the Tarpon Springs senior winning their most recent bout.
Kabra's Picks
1. #2 Xavier Barnhart (St. John Neumann)
2. #4 Bennett Sweitzer (Bishop Verot)
3. #13 Jacob Cornelius (Hudson)
4. #21 Roderick Schwartz (Booker)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #14 Angel Gonzalez (Jefferson); Ethan Million (Lemon Bay)
Opening round match to watch: Ben Cerny (Oasis Charter) vs. Faris Ali (Berkeley Prep)
Kabra says: Barnhart has defeated Sweitzer three times this season by decision, 7-2, 10-7, and 4-2. The senior should come through here on top. The bracket sets up a potential ranked blood round bout.
Kabra's Picks
1. #5 Derek Washington Jr. (Fort Myers Evangelical)
2. #10 Arron McCarty (Robinson)
3. #13 Elijah Willis (Anclote)
4. #11 Kaleb Mathis (Lakewood)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #18 Atticus Randall (Lemon Bay); #19 Kemuri Safford (Boca Ciega)
Opening round match to watch: Connor Watermeier (SW Florida Christian) vs. #21 Andrew Gearhart (Dunedin)
Kabra says: When Washington and McCarty met this season, the Evangelical senior won by a major decision. Could they meet again in the final here?
Kabra's Picks
1. #4 Frederick Harley (Oasis Charter)
2. #7 Quinn Enguita (Bishop Verot)
3. #8 Jordan Peralez (St. John Neumann)
4. #10 Tyler Simms (Robinson)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #14 Koleton Washington (Chamberlain); #15 Blake Rouland (Cardinal Mooney)
Opening round match to watch: Peralez vs. Washington
Kabra says: This bracket is deep with nine ranked wrestlers, two ranked opening round matches and a state placer a year ago that we don’t have on the podium. This will be a meat grinder for anyone who wants to make it to Kissimmee.
Kabra's Picks
1. #8 Jayden Shannon (Bayshore)
2. #23 Trevor Dutting-Morrell (Cardinal Mooney)
3. #25 Nathanael Lovelace (Berkeley Prep)
4. Lennox Washington (Fort Myers Evangelical)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Andrew Upp (Oasis Charter); Joel Vences (Anclote)
Opening round match to watch: Lee Gordon (Lakewood) vs. Upp
Kabra says: On paper this weight class doesn’t look as deep as some of the others, but never count out a heavyweight bracket to not give you some shocking results and entertaining finishes.