G1A-R2: Who qualified for state and how did I do on my picks
BY BRANT PARSONS — The first girls region took place today at Kissimmee Osceola and the first set of Silver Spurs Arena trips has been set.
We’ll take a look at what happened today and then also see how my picks for the region went down. Some would say that my picks are so good they make you want to pretend that you made them yourself. I would say that hopefully my preview and picks brought some thought and insight into an exciting tournament.
If you want to look back on my picks, you can read them here if you are a Kabra+ member.
First: #1-Kealonie Vega (Kissimmee Osceola) p. #2-Kohana Martinez (Zephyrhills) 1:54
Third: #3-Miabella Lopez (Orlando Freedom) maj. #11-Hananeel Gregoire (Apopka) 11-0
What happened: The redemption tour continues for Vega, who missed last season due to injury. Vega, who was recognized by her school as a Senior of Distinction this week, was dominant on the day in winning the region title.
How did I do? I picked the champion, finals and first three placers correctly, but hats off to Gregoire who snuck under my radar to punch her Kissimmee ticket.
First: #1-Gabby Tedesco (Lake Gibson) tech. #5-Maite Coutinho (Orlando Freedom) 17-1
Third: #16-Madelyne Bombardier (McKeel) maj. #7-Gianella Walczak (Springstead) 21-11
What happened: Tedesco’s dominance was on display as she moved one step closer to earning the state title that eluded her in the finals last year. Bombardier bounced back from her quarterfinal loss to Coutinho and won three matches in a row against girls ranked higher than her.
How did I do? I picked the champion, finals and three of the four placers correctly, but I was wrong on Bombardier which she showed, many, many times today in her bracket.
First: #7-Keana Bush (Hudson) MFF #5-Shelby Sherman (Apopka)
Third: #8-Daniela Tabora Contreras (Kissimmee Osceola) p. Azsa Baptiste (Colonial) 0:56
What happened: I’m not sure of the circumstances that led to the medical forfeit in the final, but we hope all is okay and after two first period pins to reach the final, Bush earns first region title after coming up a match short of Kissimmee a year ago.
How did I do? I picked the finalists but had a different order and I also picked third place correctly, but I did not have the unranked Baptiste on my radar. The Colonial senior topped two ranked wrestlers on her journey to earning a Kissimmee trip.
First: #3-Cameron Galvin (Orlando Freedom) maj. #8-Mayangelie Colon (Mulberry) 19-5
Third: #4-Emma Bauknight (Springstead) p. #10-Lilyana Gargano (Fivay) 4:47
What happened: The defending state champion Galvin navigated a challenging bracket to win her second region title in as many years.
How did I do? I picked all four wrestlers to finish in the order they finished in. That doesn’t happen often.
First: #1-Milana Borrelli (Lake Nona) p. #4-Jasmine Serrano (Springstead) 0:37
Third: #10-Sydney Bridenstine (Wesley Chapel Cypress Creek) p. Paola Ramirez (Kissimmee Osceola) 0:48
What happened: Borrelli made quick work of the region, spending a total of 124 seconds on the mat in her four victories.
How did I do? I am back to picking the top three in the correct order but totally whiffing on the fourth and final state berth earner.
First: #13-Keira Suro (Kissimmee Osceola) p. #11-Alissa Brown Washington (Orlando Freedom) 5:34
Third: #5-Samantha Sherman (Apopka) p. #7-Taylor Thomas (Timber Creek) 3:58
What happened: After finishing fourth in her district last week, the Kowboy senior pulled off the first real shocker of the tournament by winning here - and defeating two girls that finished above her just a week ago.
How did I do? At least I can say that I had Suro as one who could surprise - and she did. My picks ended up all over the place here, but I did pick 3 of the 4 qualifiers, so I have that going for me.
First: #3-Callie Alfieri (Gulf) dec. #2-Keyla DeLeon (Orlando Freedom) 7-5
Third: #10-Kelliana Mack (Kissimmee Osceola) p. #15-Genesis Fuentes (Kissimmee Gateway) 3:10
What happened: The anticipated final did not disappoint here with Alfieri breaking a 5-5 tie with a takedown in the third period to win a region title after trailing 4-0 early.
How did I do? I noted in my preview that the two finalists here had a close meeting during the season and that’s what gave DeLeon the final edge. But it’s a miss of the final but I did get the top three girls on the podium with Fuentes proving me wrong as I predicted. See what I did there?
First: #4-Nehemie Gregoire (Apopka) p. #13-Grisbet Guzman (South Lake) 4:42
Third: #8-Isabella Tolentino (East River) p. #12-Makenzie Eltzroth (Hernando) 2:43
What happened: The favorite here handled business well, winning all four of her matches by fall and only allowing two offensive points against her all day. Eltzroth lost her opening round match and then bounced back to win four on the consolation side to earn a spot in March.
How did I do? I picked the winner and fourth place finisher correctly and missed Tolentino’s spot by one. I overlooked Guzman in my predictions, having her as a wrestler who could prove me wrong and she did just that.
First: #6-Cathia Timas (Kissimmee Osceola) dec. #4-Kristy More (Sunlake) 6-4
Third: #10-Isabel Perez (Orlando Freedom) dec. Nicollette Watson (Wiregrass Ranch) 11-5
What happened: There is something special about those Osceola wrestlers on their home mat. Timas and More battled tight in the final with the difference being two three-point turns for Timas in the final period.
How did I do? Picked the finalists but had the wrong order and had Perez in the wrong spot (but on the podium). Did not have unranked Watson on my radar and she proved a lot of people wrong after losing her first round bout and winning four straight matches to punch her ticket, including a blood round win over the one pick I missed.
First: #2-Jennah Mustafa (Lake Wales) dec. #7-Zoe Williamson (South Lake) 3-2
Third: #12-Olivia Brown (Hernando) dec. #10-Elody Rodriguez (Kissimmee Gateway) 3-1
What happened: A tight final where a second period takedown was the difference as Mustafa won her second region title.
How did I do? I was correct on three of the four spots, including the top two, but Brown got onto the podium after I predicted she would prove me wrong.
First: #2-Megan Preston (Wiregrass Ranch) p. Bianna Hertilien (Wekiva) 3:28
Third: #5-Emiliana Martinez (Kissimmee Gateway) p. #18-Mariah Earl (Hernando) 3:36
What happened: Preston pinned her way to a title as expected, not allowing an offensive point along the way but the story here is also Hertilien, who was off our radar most of the season before winning the Metro and district titles.
How did I do? A familiar story as I picked three correct on the podium and two in the right spot. I said Hertilien could prove me wrong and she did with style.
First: #1-Grace Leota (Hernando) p. #11-Alexia Davis (McKeel) 1:09
Third: #4-Salexa Lontoc-Ortiz (Orlando Freedom) p. #10-Lily Yambor (Kissimmee Gateway) 0:12
What happened: Leota wrestled like she has all season - in control and dominant. Four first period pins tell the story pretty easily here.
How did I do? I picked the champ and third place finisher - but only had two of the four correct on the podium. To my credit, the two that made it were the ones I picked to prove me wrong. My pick for the runner-up did not compete.
First: #6-Emari Brown (St. Cloud) p. #2-Jada Jones (Apopka) 4:13
Third: #15-Paisley Murphy (Wesley Chapel) FF #11-Emily Riveira (Dr. Phillips)
What happened: I said we’d get a better look at Brown this week and we learned that she’s still underrated after pulling off the stunning performance in the final. She won’t be overlooked again at the state tournament by me.
How did I do? I had three of the four podium members but missed the result in the final. Murphy proved me wrong and earned her spot in Kissimmee.
First: #5-Rotchiva Clermont (Orlando Freedom) p. #8-Judlie Laplante (Oak Ridge) 0:48
Third: #13-Rylee Christmas (Auburndale) p. Thalia Rodriguez (West Orange) 0:38
What happened: Clermont has settled into the role of favorite this postseason and we had another dominating performance from her.
How did I do? You know the drill by now, I picked the finals and the champion and one more on the podium, except that Rodriguez was not mentioned anywhere on my picks. Well done.
Team scores: 1. Orlando Freedom 192; 2. Kissimmee Osceola 160.5; 3. Apopka 116; 4. Hernando 111; 5. McKeel 89; 6. Kissimmee Gateway 82.5; 7. Springstead 66; 8. Dr. Phillips 63.5; 9. Groveland South Lake 45; 10. Wiregrass Ranch 42; 11. Ocoee 36; 12. Mulberry 35; 13. Harmony 34.5; 14. East River, Lake Nona 34; 16. Timber Creek 33.5; 17. Auburndale, Hudson, Lake Gibson 31; 20. Wesley Chapel Cypress Creek 29; 21. Gulf, Lake Wales, West Orange 28; 24. St. Cloud, Wesley Chapel 26; 26. Evans 23; 27. Oak Ridge, Wekiva 22; 29. Sunlake 20; 30. Colonial, Zephyrhills 18; 32. Fivay, Jones 15; 34. Bartow, George Jenkins 13; 36. Winter Park 11; 37. Weeki Wachee 10; 38. Boone 9; 39. Poinciana, Windermere 8; 41. Celebration, Horizon 7; 43. Tohopekaliga 6; 44. Cypress Creek, Edgewater, Nature Coast 4; 47. Crystal River, Tenoroc 3; 49. Citrus, Lake Region, Land O`Lakes, Olympia 0.
