Three semifinals to watch in every region on Saturday
BY BRANT PARSONS — If you are out at one of the 12 region sites across the state on Saturday, here are some semifinals you won’t want to miss.
*Note: Rankings listed are Kabra Wrestling’s rankings
Class 3A-1 at DeLand
126: #6 Jedidiah Brown (Buchholz) vs. #7 Dario Duany (Lake Brantley)
A rubber match of sorts with both wrestlers having a shutout win over the other this season.
190: #4 Alan Rivera (Nease) vs. #8 Grady Isaacs (Lake Mary)
Two wrestlers with just five losses combined between the two of them. Nease is the steady senior while Isaacs has pulled off some big wins in his freshman campaign with the Rams.
285: #3 Jermael Paul (Evans) vs. #9 Cole Anderson (Creekside)
Undefeated Paul continues his quest for a state title with district champion Anderson ready to shake up the bracket.
Class 3A-2 at Kissimmee Osceola
106: #4 Erik Perez (Palmetto Ridge) vs. #5 Roderick Brown (George Jenkins)
Perez won 12-7 at Lake Gibson in Week 11 and now we get to see the anticipated rematch.
144: #2 Landon Bates (Palm Harbor University) vs. #6 James Singer (Bloomingdale)
These two haven’t faced each other this year, but this should be a good one with a potential region title on the line.
285: #1 Kaden Darwin (Palmetto Ridge) vs. #2 Cody Anderson (Strawberry Crest)
Two of the best heavyweights in the state in a region semifinal, what a treat for the fans at Osceola. Darwin won by fall during the season.
Class 3A-3 at Seminole Ridge
113: #5 Alex Schnobrook (Olympic Heights) vs. #6 Jorge Bravo (Palm Beach Gardens)
I was told that this is not only one to watch, but it’s won that I will be wrong on. Either way, the first meeting between these two was a 4-3 win by Schnobrook and this rematch should be just as close.
138: #7 Carson Estrada (Harmony) vs. #8 Russell Crum (Wellington)
They haven’t met but with like opponents - Crum is 2-1 against the wrestler that Estrada beat 13-6 in the quarters. This one could be tight.
150: #2 Brian Mitchell (Viera) vs. #5 Matt Archambault (Olympic Heights)
They’ve met twice this year with Mitchell winning by scores of 3-1 and 3-2. Who else thinks this is going to be one of the best semifinals of the day?
Class 3A-4 at South Dade
106: #1 Bryan Morales (South Dade) vs. #3 Rocco Duygulu (Douglas)
As must-watch semifinals go, this is about as good as they come. Morales looking to solidify his spot as Class 3A’s best with Duygulu looking to make a huge statement.
120: #2 Fredrick Mitchum (Miami Southridge) vs. #3 David Leiva (Douglas)
Of course this bracket would have a must-watch semifinal, it’s one of the hardest in the state. Added bonus to winning here is not having to navigate through a tricky blood round to reach state.
150: #3 Omar Faris (Western) vs. #4 Joshua Aviles (South Dade)
As I said in my picks for this weight class, watch out for South Dade in the postseason. These two haven’t met before, but this promises to be a great one on Saturday.
Class 2A-1 at Clay
120: #7 Vontae Burke (Clay) vs. #11 Grady Woodard (Middleburg)
Woodard has already proved me wrong once, beating the #5 wrestler in the quarters. Will he do it again here?
157: #13 Ghais Cooper (Oakleaf) vs. #14 Landon Martin (Clay)
It was suggested that I was sleeping on Oakleaf in my preview but this is a spot where I picked a Knight wrestler to win. He has a 7-1 triumph during the season and now it’s on Martin to prove me wrong.
285: #1 Ryder Luck (Lincoln) vs. #5 Kevin Reyes (Fleming Island)
These two wrestling to the wire at the state duals tournament with Luck earning a 3-2 win.
Class 2A-2 at Brandon
126: #3 Luke Williams (Brandon) vs. #5 Gaetano Tedesco (Lake Gibson)
An intriguing matchup here where the winner becomes a big favorite in the region final.
138: #1 Christian Fretwell (Lake Gibson) vs. #2 Ryan Phillips (Winter Springs)
Both advanced here with a pair of first period pins. When they faced each other this season, Fretwell scored a slim 5-4 victory.
165: #5 Ty Rodriguez (Brandon) vs. #6 Husam Mustafa (Lake Wales)
We nearly picked the upset here in our region preview/predictions. Now let’s see if Mustafa can prove us wrong.
Class 2A-3 at Charlotte
126: #4 Reid Yakes (Tampa Jesuit) vs. #6 Kaiden Ballinger (Charlotte)
Yakes has a major decision win this season against Ballinger.
144: #3 Jonathan Martinez-Mercado (South Fort Myers) vs. #4 Mason Basile (Tampa Jesuit)
This one should be worth the price of admission on Saturday. They haven’t faced each other but both have big wins and a similar loss to a common opponent. Bring this one on!
215: #2 Frank Cornelison (North Fort Myers) vs. #6 Damontez McDowell (Manatee)
Cornelison stayed undefeated with two decision victories on Friday while McDowell tore through two opponents with first-period pins.
Class 2A-4 at Bayside
150: #4 Keith Cole (Heritage) vs. #5 Armando Wisdom (American Heritage)
Cole, a state finalist a year ago, goes up against the one-loss Wisdom with a spot in the region finals on the line.
215: #4 Harper Noel (Heritage) vs. #6 Lucson Emile (Dillard)
Noel has been red-hot down the stretch and advanced here on two falls, Emile didn’t have as easy a first day but should be a great test here.
215: #3 Maxinot Mondesir (Miramar) vs. #5 Kaleb Ivie (Merritt Island)
We now get the match we didn’t get at the state duals because of the strategy used.
Class 1A-1 at Wewahitchka
126: #7 Mikah Ikeda (Episcopal) vs. #8 Troy Thaxton (Wakulla)
Ikeda won the meeting between the two this season by a close 4-2 margin.
165: #2 Benny Lewis (Baker County) vs. #4 Gibson Moore (South Walton)
Lewis is one of the best in the state and has just a single loss. The Baker County senior won 11-4 when these two met during the season, can he do it again?
165: #7 Michael McNair (Yulee) vs. #8 Benjamin Lewis (Suwannee)
The other half of this bracket should be just as entertaining with these two meeting for the first time this season.
Class 1A-2 at Palm Bay
150: #6 Jean Benavidez (McKeel Academy) vs. #9 Mason Cosgrove (Crystal River)
They have wrestled this season with Benavidez getting the win by fall. This one has more on the line as a win here secures the trip to Silver Spurs and sets up the region title chance.
157: #4 Shaw Garrett (Hernando) vs. #6 Angel Prieto (Bishop Moore)
This is one we highlighted in our region previews as a match to watch. While they haven’t faced each other, both have significant wins from the season and are capable of the win here.
165: #5 Alexander Roman (Avon Park) vs. #6 Colton Fickett (Mount Dora)
Fickett avenged a loss this season in the quarterfinal round to give us this treat in the semifinal round.
Class 1A-3 at Lemon Bay
106: #1 Broc Dahlin (Bayshore) vs. #3 RJ Phelan (Zephyrhills Christian)
Both of these two have been dominant so far at this tournament and now one of them will get a chance for a huge statement win.
126: #3 Jack Oliver (Lemon Bay) vs. #5 Nevin Hayes (Zephyrhills Christian)
These are the two favorites in this weight class and Oliver has a 2-0 season record between the two.
132: #2 Jonathan Moder (First Baptist) vs. #4 Kyle Gallo (Zephyrhills Christian)
Not many can hang with Moder in Class 1A, but I think Gallo could give him a real test in this semifinal.
Class 1A-4 at Jensen Beach
144: #3 Eric Hodge (Somerset) vs. #4 Frankie Florio (Cardinal Gibbons)
I would expect fireworks from this bout between two of the state’s best who haven’t faced each other before.
150: #5 Luis Bellon (Somerset) vs. #8 Bradyn Peters (Jensen Beach)
Peters have a win over Bellon. The Somerset junior was leading 4-0 when Peters got the fall.
215: #1 Michael Mocco (Cardinal Gibbons) vs. #2 Damian Soto (Mater Lakes)
#3 Adrian Tejada (Somerset) vs. #6 Nathan Chen (Pine Crest)
(Okay, we gave you a bonus one here) What a treat to the fans here with four of the top six in the state taking the mat in the semifinal round.
