Five champions power Tampa Jesuit to first team IBT title
BY BRANT PARSONS —Tampa Jesuit head coach Sal Basile knew he had the makings of a championship team long before they won the Class 2A team title at the FHSAA State Wrestling Tournament on Saturday night at the Silver Spurs Arena.
The Tigers captured the school’s first IBT title behind the strength of state champions Roman Lermer, Braden Basile, Tom Crook, Jack Crook, and Sergio Desiante.
Four of those champs are seniors.
“I knew we had something special when they were in sixth grade,” Basile said. “They were raw, they needed to develop but when you get kids that are committed and have the right mindset and good character and work ethic it makes it easy as a coach.”
Tom Crook’s state title was No. 4 for his career. The Virginia Tech signee defeated Lake Gibson’s Blake Walker 11-4 in the 145-pound final.
“Sal Basile turned me into a man and it hurts my heart that we only got him one individual state title but to do it this year means everything,” Crook said.
Crook’s brother Jack, who is going to Harvard, won the 152-pound final by technical fall over Matanzas’ Tyson Mills 19-4.
Basile’s title was the third of his career. The Army-West Point signee defeated Lake Gibson’s Hayden Whidden in the 126-pound final.
Lermer and Desiante won their first state titles. Lermer started off the night with a win at 106 pounds over Charlotte’s Camren French and Desiante finished the five champions for Jesuit with a win at 195 pounds over Lincoln’s Cayden Bevis.
“I’m more excited for my teammates that won their first tonight,” Tom Crook said. “Winning my fourth is awesome but watching Roman win almost made me cry.”
Last year’s Class 2A champion Charlotte finished in second place with nine Tarpon wrestlers placing.
Leading the way for Charlotte was Andrew Austin, whose title win at 126 pounds was his third career state title.
Lake Gibson’s Brendon Abdon also won his third state title, beating Brandon’s Frank Diaz in the 160-pound final.
Mariner finished with two state champions in Class 2A. Christopher Minto won his second state title with a win at 138 pounds while his teammate Maximus Brady was at 113.
Brandon’s Tyson Lane also became a multiple state title winner, finishing off an undefeated season with a win at 120 pounds for his second state championship.
Also winning Class 2A state titles were Cory Cannan (Barron Collier, 170), Brian Burburija (Countryside, 182), Cedric Fairrow (Fort Walton Beach, 220) and Jeremiah Jackson (Kathleen, 285).
Top 10 team scores
1. Jesuit 189; 2. Charlotte 147; 3. Lake Gibson 132.5; 4. Fleming Island 113; 5. Brandon 112.5; 6. Winter Springs 103; 7. Mariner 55; 8. Barron Collier 44; 9. Matanzas 41; 10. Fort Myers 35.
Click here to see the Class 2A brackets (PDF)
Class 2A state placers
106
1. Roman Lermer (Jesuit)
2. Camren French (Charlotte)
3. Fredrick Mitchum (Miami Southridge)
4. Roberto Rodriguez (Brandon)
5. Derrick Williams (Mosley)
6. Colt Brown (Lake Gibson)
7. Grady Murphy (Braden River)
8. Shane Duhaylungsod (Fleming Island)
113
1. Maximus Brady (Mariner)
2. Jayce Paridon (Fleming Island)
3. Draven McCall (Jesuit)
4. Kaiden Ballinger (Charlotte)
5. Enis Ljikovic (Barron Collier)
6. Pedro Sifuentes (East River)
7. Elijah Lowe (Lake Gibson)
8. Logan O`Leary (Mitchell)
120
1. Tyson Lane (Brandon)
2. Ryan Phillips (Winter Springs)
3. Patrick Nolan (Charlotte)
4. Danny Vargas (Jesuit)
5. Voshawn Baker (Hollins)
6. Laird Duhaylungsod (Fleming Island)
7. Dominick Smith (River Ridge)
8. Gregory Mendez (Mater Academy)
126
1. Andrew Austin (Charlotte)
2. Darrell Tabor (Brandon)
3. Nathan McGill (Jesuit)
4. Damian Rodriguez (Gaither)
5. Alexander Exalant (North Miami)
6. Jamey Bruner (New Smyrna Beach)
7. Lowden Ward (Hollins)
8. Silas Mantero (Winter Springs)
132
1. Braden Basile (Jesuit)
2. Hayden Whidden (Lake Gibson)
3. Kaleb Freel (East Bay)
4. Roman Maldonado (Heritage)
5. Charlie Armstrong (Okeechobee)
6. Austin Revell (River Ridge)
7. Blaine II Jones (Brandon)
8. Hunter Brown (Chiles)
138
1. Christopher Minto (Mariner)
2. Gianni Maldonado (Brandon)
3. Alex Walker (Lake Gibson)
4. Joshua Gallo (Springstead)
5. Gabriel Ferreira (Heritage)
6. Nicholas Dukes (Miami Southridge)
7. Kaden Schaefer (Fleming Island)
8. Kylen McQueen (Sebastian River)
145
1. Tom Crook (Jesuit)
2. Blake Walker (Lake Gibson)
3. Riley Chapdelaine (Winter Springs)
4. John Vadyak (Fort Myers)
5. Joseph Gallo (Springstead)
6. Matthew Kotler (Fleming Island)
7. Michael Farrelley (Hollins)
8. Dylan Howard (Braden River)
152
1. Jack Crook (Jesuit)
2. Tyson Mills (Matanzas)
3. Nick Hejke (Mosley)
4. Isaac Church (Charlotte)
5. Christopher Chop (Fleming Island)
6. Tyler Smith (Brandon)
7. Logan Simpson (Citrus)
8. Keygon Jepson-Lee (St. Petersburg)
160
1. Brendon Abdon (Lake Gibson)
2. Frank Diaz (Brandon)
3. Elijah Penton (Winter Springs)
4. James Baltutis (Charlotte)
5. Lawrence Rosario (Miami Southridge)
6. Ronan Bozeman (Fleming Island)
7. Jessey Colas (Braden River)
8. Atticus Waters (Pace)
170
1. Cory Cannan (Barron Collier)
2. Jordan Mills (Matanzas)
3. Frank Solorzano (Lake Gibson)
4. Joshua Sandoval (Fleming Island)
5. Davis Deal (Winter Springs)
6. Jonh Milian (Hillsborough)
7. Joseph Rice (Columbia)
8. Ethan Bell (Palmetto)
182
1. Brian Burburija (Countryside)
2. Jhoel Robinson (Fleming Island)
3. Dylan Deal (Winter Springs)
4. Tyrone Livingstone (Cypress Lake)
5. Harrisen Wall (Niceville)
6. Jeremy Urena (Barron Collier)
7. Chris Matos (East River)
8. Jayvien Haynes (Lake Gibson)
195
1. Sergio Desiante (Jesuit)
2. Cayden Bevis (Lincoln)
3. Cael Newton (Charlotte)
4. Nigel Williams (Jones)
5. luis valdes (Winter Springs)
6. Dylon York (New Smyrna Beach)
7. Gabriel Thomas (Palmetto)
8. Rafael Camarena (Sebastian River)
220
1. Cedric Fairrow (Fort Walton Beach)
2. Derrick Mosley (Ridgeview)
3. Morvens Saint Jean (Fort Myers)
4. Cassidy Grubbs (Pasco)
5. Jose Monroy (Okeechobee)
6. Omarion LaRoach (Lincoln)
7. Nathaniel Box (Charlotte)
8. Theotis Smith (Zephyrhills)
285
1. Jeremiah Jackson (Kathleen)
2. Brainys Robles (Liberty)
3. Toby Matson (Fletcher)
4. Paul Valdivia (Golden Gate)
5. Biaggio Frattarelli (Charlotte)
6. Nate Gabriel (Auburndale)
7. Ethan Hoffstetter (Fleming Island)
8. Williams Clement (Heritage)
Brant Parsons is the founder and executive editor of Kabra Wrestling. He has been covering high school wrestling in Florida since 2004. He can be reached at brant@kabrawrestling.com.
