Region 2A-2: Preview and Predictions
FRIDAY-SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 1, 2025 - at Brandon High School
Friday: Weigh-in: 10 a.m. | Wrestling starts: 11:15 a.m.
Saturday: Weigh-in: 9 a.m. | Wrestling starts: 10:15 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 2A-2 will play out.
You can print the 2A-2 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. #2 RJ Phelan (Lake Gibson)
2. #5 Zachary Leto (Tampa Jesuit)
3. #9 Jackson Stouffer (Brandon)
4. #14 Rylan Redfield (WC Cypress Creek)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #25 Jayden Collier (Gulf); Kaden Roy (East River)
Opening round match to watch: Kieran Lowe (Lakeland) vs. Roy
Kabra says: The first of many Lake Gibson-Jesuit matches of significance could take place in the final here. When they met in the region finals of state duals, Phelan won 2-1.
Kabra's Picks
1. #3 Brock Glover (Tampa Jesuit)
2. #9 Francesco Alagna (WC Cypress Creek)
3. #14 Yenzon Decastro (Brandon)
4. #17 Jamie Taylor (Lyman)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #16 Jason Perez (Kissimmee Gateway); #25 Travis Beauchamp (Gaither)
Opening round match to watch: Taylor vs. Beauchamp
Kabra says: Glover has not faced any of the challengers in this weight class but feels like a solid favorite to us.
Kabra's Picks
1. #3 Malachi Ortiz (Tampa Jesuit)
2. #15 Tyler White (Lake Gibson)
3. #9 Ryan St. Denis (River Ridge)
4. #21 Kenny Villon (Brandon)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Raul Ugarte (Leto); Rafael Rivera (East River)
Opening round match to watch: Myles Sellers (Lake Region) vs. Benjamin Diaz (Lyman)
Kabra says: Ortiz is a returning state champion and has a tech fall win over White this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. #2 Roberto DeJesus (Lake Gibson)
2. #8 Noah Scribner (Brandon)
3. #10 Ethan Smith (Tampa Jesuit)
4. #24 William Webb (Tampa Bay Tech)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #20 Giovani DeLape (Springstead); David Krambule (Pasco)
Opening round match to watch: Rikky Johnson (Lecanto) vs. Tristan Morante (Kathleen)
Kabra says: DeJesus will look to win big points here for the Braves. He dominated the district final against Scribner winning by a major decision score of 10-1. Smith was the JV state champion at 113 pounds, where he wrestled all season, before bumping to here for the postseason.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Christian Fretwell (Lake Gibson)
2. #11 Jaden Weisgal (Brandon)
3. #4 Reid Yakes (Tampa Jesuit)
4. #16 Jayden Frey (River Ridge)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #17 Logan Duncan (Gulf); Luke Nilles (Lyman)
Opening round match to watch: Gustavo Herrera (WC Cypress Creek) vs. Preston Thornton (Lakeland)
Kabra says: Northern Colorado commit Fretwell has been working for a state title from the moment he finished second last season. He’s on a mission and despite 132 being one of the deepest weight classes in the state, he looks poised to do that after winning a region crown here. Yakes is a two-time state placer and will be in the mix again this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. #2 Jayden Bowles (Tampa Jesuit)
2. #5 Travonte Burgess (Lakeland)
3. #6 Christian Bonilla (Lyman)
4. #7 Alecsander Rego (Brandon)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 Noah Gregory (Lake Gibson); #15 Aramis Alvarez (Tampa Bay Tech)
Opening round match to watch: Arnav Gogri (Tampa Freedom) vs. Nelson Copo (River Ridge)
Kabra says: With five wrestlers in the Top 10 here, at least one wrestler who could end up on the podium in Kissimmee will be staying home. Bowles looks to be a solid favorite with the Burgess-Bonilla semifinal highlighting one of the big bouts we could see here this weekend.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Xavier Albo (Tampa Jesuit)
2. #2 Jaiden Oliver (Lake Gibson)
3. #13 Evan Bozek (Springstead)
4. #15 Lakai Hernandez (East River)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #22 Xaviar Aguirre (Zephyrhills); #25 Cameron Anthony (Gulf)
Opening round match to watch: Nathaniel Mattews (Lyman) vs. Connor Switzer (Pasco)
Kabra says: We are going with four district champions to stand on the podium on Saturday night, but that will be after we get a tasty rematch between Albo and Oliver. The Lake Gibson junior won 7-6 at the Knockout and then Albo earned a sudden victory decision at the state duals.
Kabra's Picks
1. #4 LeAndre Campbell (Lake Gibson)
2. #5 Cameron Popeck (Lyman)
3. #12 Caden Krsul (Tampa Jesuit)
4. Dawson Mann (River Ridge)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Jaden James (Brandon); Brian Burch (Springstead)
Opening round match to watch: Joel DeLeon (Gaither) vs. Yomaliel Rodriguez (Auburndale)
Kabra says: Campbell owns an 8-2 win over Popeck this year in what could be the finals here. Watch for the freshman Krsul to build on his district title performance after replacing injured Mason Basile in the lineup here.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Kawayran Vazquez (Tampa Jesuit)
2. #18 Jaiden Fields (Lake Region)
3. #6 Jerry Ware (Lake Gibson)
4. #19 Luke Thornton (Lakeland)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #21 Jayden Sanes (Tampa Bay Tech); #23 Daniel Quinones (Springstead)
Opening round match to watch: Sanes vs. Thornton
Kabra says: Vazquez defeated Ware by a technical fall when they faced each other in the state duals.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Draven McCall (Tampa Jesuit)
2. #2 Husam Mustafa (Lake Gibson)
3. #6 Vincent Contreras (Pasco)
4. #7 Aden Juan (Springstead)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #17 Mateo Martinez (Lakeland); #19 Paul Wright (Kathleen)
Opening round match to watch: Martinez vs. Marc Williams (Edgewater)
Kabra says: Two intriguing meetings could take place in the placing rounds if this bracket goes according to our projections. McCall topped Mustafa 4-1 in their state duals meeting and Contreras edged Juan this season in an ultimate tie-breaker. This weight class should deliver some excitement.
Kabra's Picks
1. #4 Amir Coston (Auburndale)
2. #5 Brayden Kahelin (Lake Gibson)
3. #14 Julio Menoyo (Lyman)
4. #20 Shairon Green (Lake Region)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #21 Andrew Bray (Zephyrhills); #25 Josiah Laureano (Pasco)
Opening round match to watch: Parker Miller (Edgewater) vs. Laureano
Kabra says: Coston overcame Kahelin 12-8 in the district final last weekend, building a 12-4 lead and then holding on for the win. The rest of this podium will be competitive with five ranked wrestlers having a shot at it.
Kabra's Picks
1. #2 Brody Switzer (Pasco)
2. #10 Robert Bossowski (Tampa Jesuit)
3. #9 Yuriel Campos (Brandon)
4. #20 Rolando Ojeda (Edgewater)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #16 Blake Flood (Gulf); #23 Sal Bonacasa (River Ridge)
Opening round match to watch: Christian Golkar (Gaither) vs. Jeffrey Poole (Kathleen)
Kabra says: Switzer scored an early takedown and a reversal to edge Bossowski 5-3 in their district final last Saturday. The luck of the bracket puts the Pasco senior on the same side and Brandon’s senior Campos, a wrestler Switzer defeated by a technical fall this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. #7 Gabrial Solis (Lake Gibson)
2. #10 Jelani Bentley (Tavares)
3. #8 Kaleb Johns (Springstead)
4. #11 Marvin Mendez (Tampa Jesuit)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #19 Cale Delaney (Sebring); Judah Miller (Edgewater)
Opening round match to watch: Aiden Holewski (Gulf) vs. Delaney
Kabra says: In last year’s region tournament, Solis pinned Johns and while they haven’t met this season, that’s enough to give him the slight edge in winning the region here. With no other ranked wrestlers in the top half of this bracket, they do seem on track to a rematch in the semifinal here.
Kabra's Picks
1. #8 Leyland Callahan (Lake Gibson)
2. #11 Luis Jimenez (Brandon)
3. #13 Anthony Rametta (Tampa Jesuit)
4. #18 Ja'chory Harris (Edgewater)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #19 Ari Bentley (Tavares); Joshura Villegas (Tampa Freedom)
Opening round match to watch: Villegas vs. Jiovanni Spencer (Gulf)
Kabra says: The final weight class we looked at for the entire weekend and it still doesn’t look any clearer to us. Each of the wrestlers here have had some flawed losses and solid wins. Like an old-fashioned heavyweight bracket, this one could go a bunch of different directions.