Class 2A Season Preview: Four teams lined up to battle for top honors
BY BRANT PARSONS — You couldn’t call it a dry spell for No. 1 Lake Gibson. They’ve won the state duals title the past two seasons, but each year has brought a different team champion in the IBT. Last year, Tampa Jesuit’s senior-powered team took home its first IBT title while Charlotte won the school’s third team championship in 2021.
“We just haven’t had enough to compete with those guys the last two seasons,” Lake Gibson coach Daniel Walker said.
The Braves return four state placers including finalist Hayden Whidden and third-place finisher Frank “Tito” Solorzano.
Lake Gibson also saw an influx in transfer talent with 2021 Florida state champion Christian Fretwell coming from Wyoming Seminary and state finalist Gianni Maldonado moving over from Brandon.
“We have enormous depth,” Walker said. “I'm even more dangerous being able to move guys. We have a guy that is banged off, they can take the weekend off. It's a nice luxury to have again.”
At a program that has had across-the-board success, the focus is always on having team success first.
“A lot of kids who can't be state champs as individuals get to experience being a state champion if the team wins,” Walker said. “Your best chance to be a state champ is as a team and our team embraces that.”
Chasing Lake Gibson are a collection of loaded teams, led by No. 2 Fleming Island.
The Golden Eagles return all 10 of their state placers from a season ago and are looking to move each one up the podium.
Leading the charge for Fleming Island are state finalists from a year ago Jayce Paridon and Jhoel Robinson.
Paridon, a sophomore, was 58-1 last season while the senior Robinson finished with a 61-4 record.
Fleming Island is still chasing its first team state title in wrestling, having finished second in three IBT tournaments and reached the finals of the state duals twice.
"At the end of the day, you are either a leader or not and until we heist that trophy, the one that counts... It never feels good to be second place, I hated it as a wrestler and I hate it as a coach,” Fleming Island coach PJ Cobbert said.
The Golden Eagles have the depth this season to contend for that first title and have been collectively putting in the work this summer to prep for it. If the 10 state placers can improved their position on the podium, there could be some fireworks in Kissimmee come the finals.
"Our goal isn't just to be district and region champions - we want to be wrestling on Saturday night," Cobbert said.
The No. 3 team heading into the season is Charlotte, last year’s state runners-up.
The Tarpons graduated three-time state champion Andrew Austin and three other state placers, but have five state placers coming back.
State finalist Camren French and third-place finisher Cael Newton look to lead a younger Charlotte team to continued success.
No. 4 Tampa Jesuit rode a stellar senior class to the team title last year, finishing with five individual state champions for the Tigers - four of whom graduated.
Junior Roman Lermer is the lone state champion coming back for Jesuit, but the cupboard is hardly bare.
Along with Lermer, third place finisher Nathan McGill and Draven McCall are back and the lineup gets a boost from state finalist transfer Brandon Cody.
No. 5 Brandon also saw a multi-time state champion graduate with Tyson Lane moving on. Three of their state finalists from a year ago aren’t with the team any longer so Brandon will be relying on a group of upperclassmen that are poised to take the next step.
State placers Tyler Smith and Roberto Rodriguez return, as does Thomas Gernhart, who was 11-3 before an injury shut down his season.
Also joining the chase are No. 6 Winter Springs and No. 7 Clay. The Blue Devils moved up from Class 1A in the latest reclassification.
The Bears graduated five state placers but return state finalist Ryan Phillips and third-place finisher Elijah Penton.
"We lost a lot of guys, but don't sleep on some of these guys coming into the lineup. We are going to have some kids who surprise,” Winter Springs coach Rocky Ciero said.
Along with a move up to the larger classification, Clay finds itself in the same district as main rival Fleming Island.
The Blue Devils also saw a bunch of top wrestlers graduate but return state placers Dominic Martin and Braden Glavin.
“When you're young there's a lot to learn. We try to teach and focus what we are teaching on that and then tailoring it to each kid's individual strengths.,” Clay coach James Reape said.
Class 2A will also see some great individual battles with Mariner returning two state champions. Maximus Brady won at 113 pounds last year as a freshman while Christopher Minto will look to put a final stamp on his families legacy at the school with his third state title.
Countryside’s Brian Burburija is also looking to add to his family’s total with a second state title for himself.
The Florida High School Wrestling District Previews
Click on link to see preview
Class 3A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Class 2A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Class 1A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Class G-1A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Notes
Rankings listed next to teams are the preseason Kabra rankings in both IBT and Duals. (IBT/Dual)
SC = State Champion last season
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th = State placer
SQ = State qualifier
RC = Region champion
R2, R3, R4 = Region placer
RQ-BR = Region qualifiers who reached the blood round
RQ = Region qualifier
DC = District champions
D2, D3, D4, D5, D6 = District placer
