Lake Gibson tops Tampa Jesuit for fourth duals title in five years
BY BRANT PARSONS
KISSIMMEE — The job was simple for Lake Gibson’s Frank Solorzano, win his match in the FHSAA State Duals finals and the Braves win the state title.
Solorzano, the top-ranked wrestler at 170 pounds, defeated Tampa Jesuit’s Josiah Jenkins 7-2 in their bout at 182 pounds to seal the win for Lake Gibson, 36-30.
“I just tried to clear my head and take it as another match and that’s what I did,” Solorzano said. “I’ve been with the program since I was like five years old and it means a lot to play such a big role in the outcome.”
The state duals title is the fourth in five years for Lake Gibson and might be the most surprising of them all. Lake Gibson entered the year with a younger line-up and one of the least experienced groups in recent years.
“It’s been so hot and cold this year, there’s times where we don’t look like we know what we’re doing and then a completely different team would show up,” Coach Daniel Walker said. “In typical Lake Gibson fashion, the bigger the challenge, the more likely we are to show up.”
“I don’t know how we did but we did it.”
Sergio Desiante opened up the dual with a pin at 195 before Lake Gibson took a 18-6 lead with Tristan Vann (pin at 220), Gernorris Wilson (forfeit at 285), and Colt Brown (pin at 106) with three straight wins.
Tampa Jesuit took the lead back with five straight wins, but a move by Walker during the stretch would impact the last part of the dual.
Roman Lermer edged Elijah Lowe 2-0 at 113 pounds before Danny Vargas took a win by forfeit at 120. The decision to bump Gaetano Tedesco up to 126 changed the lineup for the Braves with the heart of its lineup bumping up a weight class.
“I made some changes in the lineup that adjusting things and I think maybe they didn’t see that coming,” Walker said. “I think we saved a couple points there and after that happened, I think it changed the way the dual lineup and what they had to do and counter there.”
Jayden Bowles topped Tedesco 7-0 before Braden Basile (132), Tom Crook (138), and Jack Crook (145) finished off the stretch with wins to put Jesuit up 30-18.
Blake Walker then topped Gavin Young 9-3 at 152 pounds before Jace Brownlow and Brendon Abdon gave the Braves a 33-30 lead with back-to-back pins, setting up the stage for his workout partner Solorzano.
“It’s spectacular. I train with him every day and we train hard and I’m glad to see him taking steps forward,” Abdon said. “Its good for him to be under the spotlight and get that moment.”
Lake Gibson reached the finals with a 72-6 win over Merritt Island in the semifinals.
Solorzano (182), Grant Gunder (220), Wilson (285), Brown (106), Lowe (113), Tedesco (120), Hayden Whidden (132), Alex Walker (132), Blake Walker (145), Michael Colgin (152), and Brendon Abdon (170) all won with pins for the Braves.
Javien Haynes (195) and Jace Brownlow (160) each added wins by decision for Lake Gibson.
The Mustangs picked up six points from Jeremiah Johnson at 126 pounds.
Tampa Jesuit battled Fleming Island in the semifinals and squeaked out a come-from-behind 34-28 win.
The Tigers won 7 of the last 8 duals to finish the dual on a 26-3 run after falling behind 25-6 to start the dual.
Fleming Island got wins from Jhoel Robinson (182), Walker Poe (220), Ethan Hoffstetter (285), Shane Duhaylungsod (106), and Jayce Paridon (113) to start the dual off strong.
Jesuit had a win from Desiante at 195 pounds before starting their rally at 120.
Danny Vargas picked up a win by decision at 120 pounds before Jayden Bowles won by forfeit at 126.
Nathan McGill’s 8-2 win at 132 pounds set up Basile, Crook, and Crook to add 13 more points and give Jesuit a six-point lead.
Ronan Bozeman’s 3-0 decision over Young pulled the Golden Eagles within three before Jenkins clinched the semifinal with a 2-1 victory over Joshua Sandoval.
Box scores
Lake Gibson 36, Tampa Jesuit 30
195: Sergio Desiante (J) over Connor Hackett (LG) 1:18; 220: Tristan Vann (LG) over Julian Alonso (J) 1:20; 285: Gernorris Wilson (LG) by FF; 106: Colt Brown (LG) over Xavier Albo (J) 3:13; 113: Roman Lermer (J) dec. Elijah Lowe (LG) 2-0; 120: Danny Vargas (J) by FF; 126: Jayden Bowles (J) dec. Gaetano Tedesco (LG) 7-0; 132: Braden Basile (J) dec. Hayden Whidden (LG) SV-1 3-1; 138: Tom Crook (J) maj. Alex Walker (LG) 12-4; 145: Jack Crook (J) tech. Nytravious Walker (LG) 19-4; 152: Blake Walker (LG) dec. Gavin Young (J) 9-3; 160: Jace Brownlow (LG) over Daniel Ray (J) 2:10; 170: Brendon Abdon (LG) over Jabarri Summerline (J) 0:16; 182: Frank Solorzano (LG) dec. Josiah Jenkins (J) 7-2.
Tampa Jesuit 34, Fleming Island 28
182: Jhoel Robinson (FI) over Jabarri Summerline (J) 0:52; 195: Sergio Desiante (J) by FF; 220: Walter Poe (FI) over Julian Alonso (J) 0:27; 285: Ethan Hoffstetter (FI) by FF; 106: Shane Duhaylungsod (FI) dec. Xavier Albo (J) 5-4; 113: Jayce Paridon (FI) maj. Roman Lermer (J) 10-0; 120: Danny Vargas (J) dec. Laird Duhaylungsod (FI) 4-0; 126: Jayden Bowles (J) by FF; 132: Nathan McGill (J) dec. Joshua Mukaddam (FI) 8-2; 138: Braden Basile (J) dec. Kaden Schaefer (FI) 10-3; 145: Tom Crook (J) tech. Matthew Kotler (FI) 22-6; 152: Jack Crook (J) tech. Christopher Chop (FI) 20-5; 160: Ronan Bozeman (FI) dec. Gavin Young (J) 3-0; 170: Josiah Jenkins (J) dec. Joshua Sandoval (FI) 2-1.
Lake Gibson 72, Merritt Island 6
106: Colt Brown (LG) over Kaden Barrial (MI) 0:31; 113: Elijah Lowe (LG) over Dylan Gill (MI) 0:19; 120: Gaetano Tedesco (LG) over Kyle Mulley (MI) 3:18; 126: Jeremiah Johnson (MI) over Rashon Veasy (LG) 1:44; 132: Hayden Whidden (LG) over Elijah Barrial (MI) 1:31; 138: Alex Walker (LG) over Ben Whalen (MI) 0:28; 145: Blake Walker (LG) over Jacob Pitcher (MI) 5:02; 152: Mitchell Colgin (LG) over Kurtis Laite (MI) 1:49; 160: Jace Brownlow (LG) dec. Dylan Quiroga (MI) SV-1 5-3; 170: Brendon Abdon (LG) over Seven Tornga (MI) 1:55; 182: Frank Solorzano (LG) over Nick Lesch (MI) 4:52; 195: Jayvien Haynes (LG) dec. Kaleb Ivie (MI) 15-8; 220: Grant Gunder (LG) over Bobby Ives (MI) 1:41; 285: Gernorris Wilson (LG) over Gabe Arnold (MI) 0:50.
