Girls Region 1A-1: Preview and Predictions

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2025 - at Bay High School

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 G1A-1 will play out.

You can print the G1A-1 region bracket here. (PDF)

I've carefully predicted the four state qualifiers in the order that I think they 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). We even have the stickers to hand out.

These previews and predictions are meant to bring excitement to one of the most 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:

Kabra's Picks

1. #6 Sayuri Caceres (Lincoln)

2. #10 Payton Gaines (Crestview)

3. #11 Juliana Mills (Flagler Palm Coast)

4. #13 Camila Robles (Niceville)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #16 Madison Carroll (Gulf Breeze); #19 Kassidy Grundy (Tocoi Creek)

Opening round match to watch: Mills vs. #16 Madison Carroll (Gulf Breeze)

Kabra says: Caceres is the only returning state placer and qualifier in the bracket and the two-time state placer heads into the weekend after winning her first career district title and is looking for her first region crown. The blood round should be interesting here is Carroll and #17 Lily Bradshaw (Middleburg) potentially in each other’s path. Carroll pinned Bradshaw back in December.

Kabra's Picks

1. #1 Joslyn Johnson (Flagler Palm Coast)

2. #2 Camdyn Elliott (Gulf Breeze)

3. #3 Erin Rizzuto (Ponte Vedra)

4. #23 Jayda Berry (Pace)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Amy Pham (Fort Walton Beach); Gabrielle Walker (Belleview)

Opening round match to watch: Victoria Smith (Crestview) vs. Abigail Ciarletto (Sandalwood)

Kabra says: What a weight class! The top three ranked girls in the state are in this bracket. Johnson and Rizzuto competed in a thrilling semifinal at the Christmas Knockout with eventually Knockout champion Johnson tying the match up in the final seconds and getting the win in overtime.

Kabra's Picks

1. #1 Mariah Mills (Flagler Palm Coast)

2. #3 Kendal Haynie (Wakulla)

3. #5 Natalia Choquegonza (Ponte Vedra)

4. #9 Natalia Sanchez (Winter Springs)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #10 Sarah Walsh (Middleburg); #17 McKenna Green (Gulf Breeze)

Opening round match to watch: Green vs. Cassidy Kephart (Buchholz)

Kabra says: West Liberty University commit Mills is on track to an undefeated season and a second state title. The potential semifinal in the top half of the bracket is exciting, with Haynie and Choquegonza potentially meeting. Haynie has a 1-0 and sudden victory in the two matches between them.

Kabra's Picks

1. #1 Grace Lashinsky (DeLand)

2. #11 Lily Powell (Gulf Breeze)

3. #9 Sigrun Metzger (Crestview)

4. #15 Gracie Diaz (Gainesville)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #16 Jocelyn Quiroz (Winter Springs); #18 Ariel Walker (Belleview)

Opening round match to watch: Walker vs. Powell

Kabra says: Lashinsky has been on a mission all season and has wins against all of her closest competitors in the weight class. Five ranked wrestlers between 11-24 will compete for a spot in the finals with Powell having the toughest opening round match.

Kabra's Picks

1. #7 Trinity Wanamaker (St. Augustine)

2. #18 Raegan Hatch (Deltona)

3. #17 R'Cardenay Michel (Matanzas)

4. #24 Donavanne Hofmann (Ponte Vedra)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #22 Isabel Flowers (Sandalwood); Lauriann Cavaco (Crestview)

Opening round match to watch: Hofmann vs. Hatch

Kabra says: Wanamaker has been tough to beat this season, winning three tournaments including the Let Freedom Ring IBT to start the season. The top half of this bracket is wide open with six wrestlers having a legit shot to reach the finals here.

Kabra's Picks

1. #4 Kiiaana Gavere (Pace)

2. #8 Sara Goodman (Sandalwood)

3. #7 Taylor Pelchat (St. Augustine)

4. #10 Bella Guerrier-Lajoir (Columbia)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #11 Jordan Herron (Chiles); #25 Zoey Flower (Orange Park)

Opening round match to watch: Victoria Boyd (Choctawhatchee) vs. Flower

Kabra says: Gavere enters the region weekend with an unblemished record and is the favorite here. Pelchat and returning state placer Goodman both could pull the win this weekend. With five wrestlers in the Top 11 in this bracket, we will see at least one possible state podium wrestler having their season end this weekend.

Kabra's Picks

1. #1 Christina Borgmann (Flagler Palm Coast)

2. #13 Amelia McKnight (Lincoln)

3. #2 Lahela Turquest (Pace)

4. #17 Julia Falgout (North Bay Haven)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #16 Aidan Arthur (Fletcher); Aubrey Thibodeau (Bartram Trail)

Opening round match to watch: Nichole Salvado (Sandalwood) vs. Gabriela Gill (Beachside)

Kabra says: We’ve got a potential undefeated semifinal meeting here between last year’s state finalists. Borgmann won that match by fall to win her first state title. The bottom half of the bracket looks promising to have a competitive quarterfinal round.

Kabra's Picks

1. #1 Ana Vilar (Flagler Palm Coast)

2. #19 Rowdy Johns (Mosley)

3. #3 Kailani Barrientos (Oakleaf)

4. #20 Leilana Nowaczyk (OC University)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #23 Kylee Hopkins (Baker County); Vionna Haertelt (Niceville)

Opening round match to watch: Nevaeh Baisden (Sandalwood) vs. Mary McKinney (Choctawhatchee)

Kabra says: Another weight class with a monster semifinal matchup potentially waiting. Vilar and Barrientos are lined up to meet in the bottom half here. The two other district champions will battle with Nowaczyk to reach the final in the top half.

Kabra's Picks

1. #4 Alisha Vilar (Flagler Palm Coast)

2. #6 MaryEllen Wingate (Lake Mary)

3. #10 Kelsey Marschka (Chiles)

4. #13 Larissa Elliott (North Bay Haven)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #14 Iyana Lee (Riverside); Cyndi Almonte (Middleburg)

Opening round match to watch: Olivia Rhoden (Innovation) vs. Lasharon Williams (Ed White)

Kabra says: Vilar has been wrestling really well and has defeated Wingate twice this season and the district finalists could find their way to meet here again. There is an intriguing potential quarterfinal meeting between Marschka and Wingate that will go a long way to defining this bracket.

Kabra's Picks

1. #3 Tiana Fries (Flagler Palm Coast)

2. #5 Delaney Graves (Oviedo)

3. #14 Vivian Williams (Bartram Trail)

4. Emily Myers (North Bay Haven)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #24 Breonna Hewitt (Suwannee); Lilian Ison (First Coast)

Opening round match to watch: Rayna White (Lake Mary) vs. Tracy Vause (Niceville)

Kabra says: Three-time state placer and 2022 state champion Fries is looking to finish her high school career with a second title and looks to be the solid favorite here. There is depth in this bracket that should create some wild and heartbreaking blood round contests.

Kabra's Picks

1. #3 Alexa Calidonio (Flagler Palm Coast)

2. #4 Zaria Slater (Lake Mary)

3. #11 Zara Exilus (Creekside)

4. #15 Kalysta Krumnow (Niceville)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #17 Paris Robinson (Riverside); #21 Kylah Armstrong (North Bay Haven)

Opening round match to watch: #23 Ja'niyah Williams (Columbia) vs. Claire Ajose-Adeogun (Florida High)

Kabra says: Calidonio and Slater have begun an emerging rivalry with Slater winning during the season and then Calidonio got the better of the two in the district final. Five wrestlers ranked between 11-23 will hash it out for the final two spots in Kissimmee.

Kabra's Picks

1. #2 Kendall Bibla (Flagler Palm Coast)

2. #8 Brooke Arbic (Niceville)

3. #16 Carlee Morrison (Columbia)

4. #20 Sophia James (Seabreeze)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #18 Haylee Richards (Oviedo); Lamees Hudson (Oakleaf)

Opening round match to watch: #22 Dagmarelin Sor.-Vasquez (Lake Brantley) vs. Morrison

Kabra says: 2023 state champion Bibla is on a mission after missing out on the state podium last year due to injury. She enters this weekend as the favorite with one-loss Arbic looking to make the final exciting. A ranked first-round match between Soriano-Vasquez and Morrison will have a big impact on how this bracket plays out.

Kabra's Picks

1. #2 Cheyenne Cruce (Middleburg)

2. #9 Ani Brown (Matanzas)

3. #8 Tor'rina Rushing (Mosley)

4. #24 Destiny Bass-Boston (Hagerty)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #21 Petra Croom (Florida High); #25 Sophia Butler (Orange City University)

Opening round match to watch: Kylie Fukushima (Lincoln) vs. Aubrey Spann (Bartram Trail)

Kabra says: Two-time state champion Cruce continues her path to a potentially loaded state bracket. She’ll be solidly favored in every match this weekend here. Rushing is coming off a solid weightlifting season that saw her place in two disciplines at the state tournament.

Kabra's Picks

1. #5 Shyann Tate (Oviedo)

2. #4 Josie Raulerson (Columbia)

3. #20 Abigail Neel (Lincoln)

4. Briana Durry (Matanzas)

Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Kyndall Patterson (Wewa); Kayleen Barnard (Clay)

Kabra says: The one notable move away from our rankings here. Raulerson has been solid this season with her only losses coming against the #3 wrestler in the state. Tate got a late start and is up at 235 this season after placing in the 170-pound weight class a year ago.

Next

2025 Girls 1A-2 Region Preview