Andrew Punzalan makes school history and shares special moment with his coach

Cypress Bay’s Andrew Punzalan (dark singlet) battles Bloomingdale’s Nathaniel Overman in the 106-pound weight class final at the FHSAA State Wrestling Tournament at Silver Spurs Arena back in March. (Brant Parsons/Kabra Wrestling)

BY BRANT PARSONS — Cypress Bay’s Andrew Punzalan sat on the mat and watched his opponent celebrate a state title in the 106-pound weight class at the FHSAA state wrestling tournament after he was awarded a takedown in the last second of regulation in a 2-2 match.

As the officials gathered to discuss the call, Punzalan knew that if they got the call correct, it would be reversed and the match would go on.

“I knew I still had his leg,” Punzalan recalls. “My confidence was just all the way up after they corrected the call and I knew it was destiny and I had to get the win.”

The tightly-fought battle continued through overtime with neither wrestler getting a takedown, setting the stage for Punzalan.

“Once we got on bottom and top, I knew that’s my game and when it was my turn to be on the bottom, I knew a reversal was going to happen,” Punzalan said.

And that is exactly what happened with the Cypress Bay senior scoring the match-winning reversal ten seconds into the final overtime period and then riding out the rest of the way for the 4-2 win in one of the best state final matches of the night.

The win was also historic as Punzalan became the first-ever wrestling state champion for Cypress Bay and the last one for his head coach Allen Held, who retired after the season.

“We never knew it would be his last, but on my first day in seventh grade he told me that we’d be going out together,” Punzalan said. “He told me he was staying for me and that really hit me and I knew I had to bring it for him.”

The moment after the state title still means so much to Punzalan.

“Just me going into his arms and that hug with both of us having tears in our eyes still leaves me speechless,” Punzalan said. “It was just a storybook ending.”

Next up for Punzalan is wrestling at Wabash College. He is spending the summer working out and prepping for that next level working to get up to 125 pounds.

He’ll also get to look forward to having his accomplish honored at Cypress Bay.

“It will be amazing seeing myself in a banner all by myself in school,” Punzalan said. “It’s just unthinkable greatness and especially since I’m going out with my coach. It’s the icing on the cake.”

Cypress Bay’s first-ever state champion Andrew Punzalan celebrates with his coaching staff. (Brant Parsons/Kabra Wrestling)

STATE CHAMPION FEATURES

Kabra Wrestling is looking to feature as many state champions as we can over the next few months and tell a little story about what makes them special.

If you won a state championship and would like to be featured, please contact Kabra Wrestling to set up an interview.

2023 State Champions

3A-106: Andrew Punzalan (Cypress Bay)

3A-113: Tyler Washburn (Palmetto Ridge)

3A-120: Luis Acevedo (South Dade)

3A-126: Ethan Vugman (Bartram Trail)

3A-132: Cavarius Liddie (Buchholz)

3A-138: Elvis Solis (South Dade)

3A-145: Anderson Heap (Kissimmee Osceola)

3A-152: Cooper Haase (Kissimmee Osceola)

3A-160: Adrian Ochoa (Southwest Miami)

3A-170: Lawrence Rosario (South Dade)