Bonachea, Jones earn Reader’s Choice Wrestler of the Week honors

Oakleaf’s Sebastian Bonachea earned the honor with his performance at the Kiwanis Invitational. (Photo courtesy of Oakleaf Wrestling)

BY BRANT PARSONS — Oakleaf’s Sebastian Bonachea faced a daunting task at last weekend’s Kiwanis Invitational.

Bonachea, who entered the weekend ranked No. 4 at 126 pounds in Class 2A, met the No. 5 wrestler in the semifinals and then the No. 3 wrestler in the finals. He battled well and won both of them, earning the praise of his coach and at least one of his opponents.

“Sebastian is a unique individual who shows a lot of hard work and dedication,” Oakleaf coach Mark Detoro said.

Bonachea defeated Land O’Lakes’ Jet Griffis in the semifinals with a 4-2 sudden victory win. In the finals, he topped Brandon’s Luke Williams 5-1.

“Sebastian Bonachea 100% deserves it,” Williams posted on Instagram when Bonachea was announced as one of the choices for this week’s Reader’s Choice Award. “Absolute stud.”

Karba Wrestling’s readers agreed and named him the Reader’s Choice Wrestler of the Week for Week 2 of the season.

“He has been sacrificing countless hours since last years state tournament, and now he is cashing in,” Detoro said.

Apopka’s Jada Jones was named the Reader’s Choice Girls Wrestler of the Week after the senior 190-pounder won the Grenadier Girls Grappler at Colonial.

A third-place finisher in the state last year, Jones knocked off the No. 4 wrestler at 170 pounds in the final with a second period pin.

Tim Gray (Crystal River), Anderson Heap (Kissimmee Osceola), Gianni Maldonado (Lake Gibson), Michael Mocco (Cardinal Gibbons), Bryan Morales (South Dade) and Ethan Rivera (Lake Highland Prep) were the other boys nominees.

The girls nominees were Keanna Bush (Hudson), Abby DiCenzo (Bell Creek), Camdyn Elliott (Gulf Breeze), Makenzie Eltzroth (Hernando), Karla Ortiz (Westside), Gabriele Tedesco (Lake Gibson).