Depth powers Florida’s RPA/Head Hunters Wrestling Club to national AAU duals title

BY BRANT PARSONS — Sometimes how you lose is as important as how you win.

With Florida team RPA/Head Hunters Wrestling Club leading by four points in the All-Star Gold final at the AAU Scholastic Duals on Sunday at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center, two-time Florida state finalist took the mat against national runner-up Aaliyah Grammer needing to not lose by more than a decision.

Moore battled hard and came up short on the win, but the 8-1 decision secured the 34-33 duals win and the national AAU title for RPA/Head Hunters Wrestling Club.

In the final, Julia Brocato (110), Sydney Birdenstine (125), and Katherine Stewart (155) won their matches by fall. Along with six points in a forfeit for Amaris Echezarreta (170), Kailani Barrentos (130) won by major decision and Arianna Ruiz (120) and Ailee Briggs (135) earned decision wins.

Sayuri Caceres (100) and Claire O’Donnell (145) both lost by decision.

“The girls that lost by decision and keeping it from being a major was huge,” coach Jamie Harrison said. “If one of those three gave up the four team points for a major, STL Green would have won on tiebreaker criteria.”

On Friday, STL Green had outscored RPA/Head Hunters Wrestling Club 12-3 from 140-155, but with some movement in the lineup that put Stewart at 155, made it a 6-6 difference in the final.

“(Stewart) came up with a huge pin,” Harrison said. “That move was a six-point swing from the results on Friday in our favor and ended up being the difference in the dual.”

As the team bonded over the weekend, two girls finished a perfect 9-0 with Barrientos and Briggs going unbeaten.

Oakleaf rising junior Barrientos had all bonus point victories and her major decision in the final dual was a key bonus point in the team scoring and Briggs, a rising junior at Lemon Bay, tallied eight pins in her nine matches and was 2-0 against a state finalist from Missouri.

Ruiz was 7-0 in her bouts.

Brocato, Stewart, and Moore all finished the weekend 7-2 with Caceres and Emma Bauknight finishing 6-3.

“Those girls were amazing,” coach Kurt Montanye said. “I can honestly say that this was one of the best weekends of my life. The girls ate together, danced together, prayed together, and picked each other up after a loss and rose them up after a win. So many talented girls bonding makes your heart warm.”

Charlies Angels Black finished in third place, Miami Allstars in 10th, and Pink Predators was 12th in the All-Star Gold competition.

Marian Mills, Grace Lashinsky, Rachel Silva, and Emari Brown were 9-0 for Charlies Angels Black with Kendall Bibla going 9-1.

Three-time Florida state champion Mya Bethel was 9-0 to lead the Miami Allstars with Isis Severe going 8-1.

Zoe Delgado (9-1) lead the Pink Predators.

RPA/Head Hunters Wrestling Club 34, Team STL Green 33

100: Addison Cupp (STL) dec. Sayuri Caceres (RPA/HH) 10-3; 105: Isabelle Apple (STL) p. Fallon Dames (RPA/HH) 2:40; 110: Julia Brocato (RPA/HH) p. Paige Tihen (STL) 3:01; 115: Hannah Henderson (STL) p. Emma Bauknight (RPA/HH) 5:31; 120: Arianna Ruiz (RPA/HH) dec. Toby Goertz (STL) 4-3; 125: Sydney Bridenstine (RPA/HH) p. Zoe Fisher (STL) 3:15; 130: Kailani Barrientos (RPA/HH) maj. Nevaeh Smith (STL) 12-3; 135: Ailee Briggs (RPA/HH) dec. Madeline Haynes (STL) 8-3; 140: Dani Gullet (STL) by FF; 145: Dana Sanchez (STL) dec.r Claire O`Donnell (RPA/HH) 9-4; 155: Katherine Stewart (RPA/HH) p. Maria Ignatova (STL) 2:31; 170: Amaris Echezarreta (RPA/HH) by FF; 190: Addison Neumann (STL) p. Quisiera Wilson (RPA/HH) 3:21; 235: Aaliyah Grammer (STL) dec. Kinea Moore (RPA/HH) 8-1.