Orlando Freedom makes Florida wrestling history
BY BRANT PARSONS —Orlando Freedom girls team knew they had a chance to permanently put themselves in a historic spot at this week’s inaugural FHSAA Girls State Wrestling Tournament at Silver Spurs.
“I told the girls that you have a chance to make history and have our name as the first-ever to win a girls state title in Florida,” coach David Bush said.
The Patriots then went out this weekend and put on a show, cementing their spot in history with a resounding state team title.
Orlando Freedom finished with 142 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Ponte Vedra by 75 points.
Cameron Galvin and Kailey Rees each won state championships for the Patriots.
Galvin won the 115 pound final on Saturday with an 8-1 win over Western’s Lourdes Macias.
“Being in this arena and being part of the real state tournament it really has made it meaningful to be part of it and being recognized for once,” Galvin said.
Rees, who is nationally-ranked, won at 125 pounds with a win over Douglas’ Gabriela Caro.
Kiara Brin also reached the final for the Patriots, finishing second at 235 pounds.
Mosley’s Valarie Solorio was the first crowned Florida girls state champion, winning the 100 pound weight class with a defeat of Lake Gibson’s Gabriele Tedesco.
“I think it’s pretty cool that I get to be the first girls state champion ever,” Solorio said. “Since I was the lowest weight class I got to be the first awarded it and for that I’m very grateful.”
At 105 pounds, Palm Harbor University’s Clare Booe pinned First Baptist’s Hailee Moder in the final and then Matanzas’ Tianna Fries followed with a win over Mater Lakes’ Sofia Ferran at 110 pounds.
Dr. Phillips’ Juliana Diaz won a battle of nationally-ranked wrestlers at 120 pounds, defeating Tocoi Creek’s Brielle Bibla 12-5.
Clay’s Madisyn Blackburn completed a run of four pins to win the title at 130 pounders of Kaylee Easter (Wewahitchka).
At 135 pounds, Treasure Coast’s Gabriella Perez won a hard-fought battle to win the state title.
In one of the most thrilling state finals on the night, Ponte Vedra’s Olivia Richie turned a 7-0 deficit into a state title with 35 seconds left by pinning Miami Coral Park’s Sofia Delgado in the 140 pound weight class.
Anclote’s Tasha Matkovich and Tampa Freedom’s Lilly Lutrell battled hard at 145 pounds with Matkovich securing her school’s first-ever state wrestling title with a pin in the third period.
North Miami’s Mya Bethel won a state title at 155 pounds with a 2-1 win over TImber Creek’s Chloe Shull and at 170 pounds, Mosley’s Henley Haynes completed a perfect season and four-pin performance in Kissimmee with a win over Celebration’s Hayeni Costa.
In the 190 pounds final, Palmetto Ridge’s Alyssa Favara scored 8 unanswered points in the third period to rally for a 12-8 win over Wiregrass Ranch’s Megan Preston.
And the girls first state title night was completed with Orange Park’s Andrea Smith winning at 235 pounds.
Orlando Freedom’s team title was heightened by the excitement of the first-ever FHSAA sanctioned girls state tournament taking place. The sport was officially added in the fall by the FHSAA after a long hard-fought process and included with the boys at Silver Spurs Arena.
“This whole experience has been awesome,” Bush said. “The atmosphere has been electric the whole time with these girls competing. Even our most experienced girls were nervous before their first matches.”
“This is a great thing for Florida, it’s a great thing nationally and I’m excited for our program and all of the programs across the state”
In total, there were 95 different schools that had girls reach the state tournament.
“We saw a lot of girls here from schools that have never had programs and they’ve got really tough girls and I don’t think those girls ever had an opportunity until this year,” Bush said.
Top 10 team scores
1. Orlando Freedom 142; 2. Ponte Vedra 67; 3. Matanzas 66; 4. Timber Creek 63.5; 5. South Dade 61.5; 6. Mosley 60; 7. Apopka 44; 8. Miami Norland 43; 9. Palm Harbor University 41; 10. Mater Lakes 40.
Click here for complete brackets (PDF)
Girls state placers
100
1. Valarie Solorio (Mosley)
2. Gabriele Tedesco (Lake Gibson)
3. Hope Eastes (North Port)
4. Kohana Martinez (Zephyrhills)
5. Emma Bauknight (Springstead)
6. Madelyne Helms (McKeel)
7. Maite Coutinho (Orlando Freedom)
8. Katelyn LoCastro (Tarpon Springs)
105
1. Clare Booe (Palm Harbor University)
2. Hailee Moder (First Baptist-Naples)
3. Mariah Mills (Matanzas)
4. Dianna Pineda (Deltona)
5. lilliana Ferns (Park Vista)
6. Sigrun Metzger (Crestview)
7. Natalie Duran (South Dade)
8. Tristany Smallwood (Venice)
110
1. Tianna Fries (Matanzas)
2. Sofia Ferran (Mater Lakes)
3. Rachel Silva (Somerset Academy)
4. Aleksandra Vukajlovic (East River)
5. Mayangelie Colon (Mulberry)
6. Shelby Sherman (Apopka)
7. Brianna Visocky (South Fork)
8. Gracie Bradshaw (Middleburg)
115
1. Cameron Galvin (Orlando Freedom)
2. Lourdes Macias (Western)
3. Erin Rizzuto (Ponte Vedra)
4. Alanis Soler (Colonial)
5. Javanica Mickens (Jones)
6. Aryana Leverock (Pinellas Park)
7. Lahela Grady (Tate)
8. Janet Gomez (LaBelle)
120
1. Juliana Diaz (Dr. Phillips)
2. Brielle Bibla (Tocoi Creek)
3. Analy Banuelos (Braddock)
4. Christina Turner (Sarasota Military Academy)
5. Abby DiCenzo (Bell Creek)
6. Emma Smith (Westside)
7. Sophia Lahik (Windermere)
8. Christina Borgmann (Matanzas)
125
1. Kailey Rees (Orlando Freedom)
2. Gabriela Caro (Marjory Stoneman Douglas)
3. Lucy Maris (Satellite)
4. Emma Gagnon (Riverview)
5. Kelliana Mack (Osceola (Kissimmee)
6. Jameson Hannigan (Wellington)
7. Natalia Choquegonza (Ponte Vedra)
8. Aubrianna Apple (Clay)
130
1. Madisyn Blackburn (Clay)
2. Kaylee Easter (Wewahitchka)
3. Bailey Waltz (Timber Creek)
4. Rachel Ferreter (Orlando Freedom)
5. Kendall Bibla (Tocoi Creek)
6. Callie Alfieri (Gulf)
7. Bryanne Kaminsky (Orange City University)
8. Alejandra Notni (Doral Academy)
135
1. Gabriella Perez (Treasure Coast)
2. Tydaisa Mack (North Miami)
3. Keyla DeLeon (Orlando Freedom)
4. Madison Waltz (Timber Creek)
5. Angelyn Glazier (McKeel)
6. Isabella Tietje (Matanzas)
7. Aurora Guadiana (Wellington)
8. Isabel Santos (Western)
140
1. Olivia Richie (Ponte Vedra)
2. Sofia Delgado (Miami Coral Park)
3. Jada Llamido (Hagerty)
4. Janice Quiroa (Mater Lakes)
5. Zoe Williamson (South Lake (Groveland)
6. Karla Roman (East Lee County)
7. Nehemie Gregoire (Apopka)
8. Olivia Carr (Nease)
145
1. Tasha Matkovich (Anclote)
2. Lilly Lutrell (Tampa Freedom)
3. Jennah Mustafa (Lake Wales)
4. Jade Noble (Horizon)
5. Anisah Paz (South Dade)
6. Teigan Slauson (Palm Harbor University)
7. Katherine Stewart (Bartram Trail)
8. Taesha Inelus (North Miami)
155
1. Mya Bethel (North Miami)
2. Chloe Shull (Timber Creek)
3. Gabby Tutera (Palmetto)
4. Jah`Mya Hill (Mainland)
5. Karla Ortiz (Westside)
6. Gabriela Segre (South Dade)
7. Jayden Dodge (West Port)
8. Isabella Castellanos (Fort Myers)
170
1. Henlee Haynes (Mosley)
2. Hayeni Costa (Celebration)
3. Ferny Hernandez (South Dade)
4. Lilly Yambor (Kissimmee Gateway)
5. Jazzmine Moore (Oakleaf)
6. Hannah Matalobos (Bartram Trail)
7. Chella Antoine (Fort Myers)
8. Banishca Derilus (Orlando Freedom)
190
1. Alyssa Favara (Palmetto Ridge)
2. Megan Preston (Wiregrass Ranch)
3. Jada Jones (Apopka)
4. Cheyenne Cruce (Middleburg)
5. Day`Jah Clark (Miami Norland)
6. Emiliana Martinez (Kissimmee Gateway)
7. Maggie Moss (Lincoln)
8. Aurika Kashayeva (Barron Collier)
235
1. Andrea Smith (Orange Park)
2. Kiara Brin (Orlando Freedom)
3. Shanakay Chambers (Miami Norland)
4. Aniya Herbin (Jefferson)
5. Jada Arnold (Raines)
6. Dania Taylor (Boca Ciega)
7. Cheyenne Wigley (Mainland)
8. Daphney Pierre (Fort Myers)
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.
