Ivie comes through in clutch, clinches region crown for Merritt Island
KISSIMMEE — Every time #5 Merritt Island’s Kaleb Ivie takes the mat in a dual, he prepares as if the entire dual is riding on his result.
On Friday, it was.
The Mustangs and #12 Miramar had battled back-and-forth in a roller coaster match with the Patriots leading 34-33 heading into the final match at 215 pounds.
Enter Ivie.
The Merritt Island senior quickly set the tone of the match with a quick takedown and won the bout - and dual - with a pin just 53 seconds into it giving Merritt Island the Class 2A-4 region duals title at the FHSAA State Duals Tournament.
“I always want to be in that position so when it happened, I was ready,” Ivie said. “It was great to not just win the dual, but win the match for the team too.”
Ivie’s heroics came after a tough battled dual with each team feeling that left points on the mat.
Miramar jumped out to a 4-0 lead when normal 215-pounder Maxinot Mondesir moved up to 285 and earned a 10-0 victory.
Merritt Island followed with pinfalls at 106 and 113 with David Serrano and Landon Quiroga.
Miramar battled back with Dully Brutus (120) and Quinton Brownlee (126) getting them back in the lead with a pin apiece.
The two teams would split the next six matches - each winning three.
Titus DeYoung (132), Keanu Martin (150), and Tre Driggett (157) all won matches for the Mustangs with Famous Nealy (138), Deyian Bernot (144), and Terrence Joachim (175) earning victories for the Patriots.
At 190 pounds, Jivari Milton scored a last second takedown to win 3-1 and set the stage for Ivie.
“What else could you ask for in that moment?” Merritt Island head coach Graham Smith said. “He’s the guy you want to have in that spot and he came through for us.”
Next up for Merritt Island is a date with No. 2 Tampa Jesuit, one of the favorites in Class 2A to win a state title.
The semifinals take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Kissimmee Osceola High School. Tickets can be purchased here.
Merritt Island 39, Miramar 34
106: David Serrano (MI) p. Zakarii Robinson (M) 1:41; 113: Landon Quiroga (MI) p. Domonic Charles (M) 1:01; 120: Dully Brutus (M) p. Benjamin Redman (MI) 0:20; 126: Quinton Brownlee (M) p. Kaden Barrial (MI) 2:40; 132: Titus Deyoung (MI) p. Vankermaury Souffrant (M) 1:38; 138: Famous Nealy (M) dec. Judge DeYoung (MI) 7-5; 144: Deyian Bernot (M) p. Kyle Mulley (MI) 1:15; 150: Keanu Martin (MI) dec. Alexander Harding (M) 4-2; 157: Tre Driggett (MI) p. Jayden Rivas (M) 3:44; 165: Courtland Campbell (MI) ID Mallard Mondesir (M); 175: Terrence Joachim (M) p. Travis Davis (MI) 1:28; 190: Jivari Milton (M) dec. Dominick Smith (MI) 3-1; 215: Kaleb Ivie (MI) p. Courtney Terlonge (M) 0:53; 285: Maxinot Mondesir (M) maj. Nathan Greenfield (MI) 10-0.
Brant Parsons is the founder and executive editor of Kabra Wrestling. After learning and competing in the sport as a kid growing up in Ohio, he started covering Florida high school wrestling in 2004 and formed Kabra Wrestling in the summer of 2021.
