State Duals preview
One of the best weekends of the Florida wrestling season begins Friday morning at Kissimmee Osceola with the start of the FHSAA State Duals Tournament.
This season’s weekend could be the most exciting one yet with multiple teams in each class having a legitimate claim to have a chance to win a state title.
Kabra Wrestling will be on site for the entire tournament and have complete coverage.
The Schedule
Friday, January 21
11:00 - Class 1A region finals
1A-1: Wakulla vs. Clay
1A-3: Hudson vs. Lemon Bay
1A-2: Hernando vs. Palm Bay
1A-4: Jensen Beach vs. Mater Lakes
2:30 - Class 2A region finals
2A-1: Fleming Island vs. New Smyrna Beach
2A-3: Tampa Jesuit vs. Charlotte
2A-2: River Ridge vs. Lake Gibson
2A-4: Merritt Island vs. St. Thomas
6:00 - Class 3A region finals
3A-1: Flagler Palm Coast vs. Hagerty
3A-3: Fort Pierce Central vs. Wellington
3A-2: Kissimmee Osceola vs. Palmetto Ridge
3A-4: Cypress Bay vs. South Dade
Saturday, January 22
10:00 - Class 1A and Class 2A semifinals
1A-1 winner vs. 1A-3 winner
1A-2 winner vs. 1A-4 winner
2A-1 winner vs. 2A-3 winner
2A-2 winner vs. 2A-4 winner
11:00 - Class 3A semifinals
3A-1 winner vs. 3A-3 winner
3A-2 winner vs. 3A-4 winner
3:00 - State finals - All 3 classes
The Teams
Note: All rankings are Kabra Wrestling team duals rankings and individual rankings.
#5 Flagler Palm Coast
How they got here: The Bulldogs topped Oakleaf 45-27 in the region quarterfinals and then squeaked past DeLand 42-36 in the region semifinals.
All-time duals region finals: 0-0
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #6-120 Kole Hannant; #10-126 John Hald; #16-145 Felipe Costa; #8-152 Timothy King; #7-160 Bryce Dodge; #7-170 Blane DeFord; #4-182 Marcelo Gonzalez; #11-195 Garrick Schwartz; #20-220 Dalton Schell; #15-285 Seth Davis
What they said: “If we trust in the hard work that got us here and believe in ourselves, then we will come out on top. I’m excited for this team.” – Coach Zachary Sanford
Kabra Says: The Bulldogs have been building this team for a couple seasons and it all came together in a tight region semifinal. Now Flagler Palm Coast will look to keep winning and the final is in sight.
#12 Hagerty
How they got here: The Huskies blew out Windermere 72-3 and then edged Timber Creek 46-30 in a 3A-3 district final rematch.
All-time duals region finals: 0-2
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #17-106 Lochlann Higgins; #7-132 David Mejia; #7-152 Blake Watts; #6-160 Kamdon Harrison; #3-170 Ethan Lopez; #14-195 Hunter Tate
Kabra Says: The Huskies have some favorable matches going into Friday night and it could come down to how well the second tier does in earning points – and not giving up bonus wins.
#8 Fort Pierce Central
How they got here: District 10 champions went on the road and defeated Orlando Freedom and Harmony to reach the round of 8 in Class 3A.
All-time duals region finals: 2-1, defeated Wellington last season 51-20
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #15-113 Connor Harris; #9-126 William McArdle; #1-132 Russell Raabe; #8-145 Jacob Fleitas; #4-152 JT Apicella; #2-170 Riley Orr; #1-285 Gabriel Jacas
What they said: “We're going to find out which team of mine shows up and I'm hoping it’s the studs.” – Coach Pat Seidel
Kabra Says: If the big guns for the Cobras can pick up some bonus points, For Pierce Central might hang around for awhile this weekend if the second level guys can secure some wins. At full strength, this team is a tough out.
#13 Wellington
How they got here: The 3A-12 champions eliminated Jupiter and Olympic Heights last Thursday night in the first two region rounds. The Wolverines topped Jupiter 61-15 and then won the district final rematch with Olympic Heights 59-15.
All-time duals region finals: 2-1
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #2-106 Patrick Jones; #12-113 Cameron Gibson; #17-120 Evan Pena; #4-126 Sam Marvel; #12-132 James Marvel; #20-138 Cameron Howard; #19-145 Seth Rhodes; #16-170 Edol Adonis; #18-182 Juan Quintero; #14-220 Pedro Ricardo
What they said: “We are excited to be a part of the event and hope to have our full lineup for the first time this season to see what our team's hard work has earned this year.” – Coach Travis Gray
Kabra Says: There are no easy outs on this Wolverine side which means they’re competitive in most duals because you can’t get a run on them. If they can secure a few toss-up wins, they could stick around this weekend.
#6 Kissimmee Osceola
How they got here: The Kowboys won 3A-5 before beating Palm Harbor University 48-30 in the region quarterfinals and 3A-7 champ Steinbrenner in the region semifinals.
All-time duals region finals: 1-3, reached the state final in 2020.
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #1-126 Anderson Heap; #1-138 Cooper Haase; #14-145 Melvin Ewen; #5-160 Gunner Holland; #4-170 George Duncan; #13-195 Bryan Gari; #5-220 Jomar Sanchez; #14-285 Joel Campbell; #20-285 Elijah Vansickle
What they said: “We will have some good individual match-ups against Palmetto Ridge. They are too powerful and deep as a team for us to beat. We will battle and see what happens.” – Coach Jim Bird
Kabra Says: The Kowboys might not have the depth to compete with Palmetto Ridge in the region final, but they have some studs on this team that could create some memorable individual matches in the dual.
#2 Palmetto Ridge
How they got here: District 8 champions topped Lakewood Ranch 58-15 in the region quarterfinals before knocking out Riverdale 59-15 in the region semis.
All-time duals region finals: 2-1, reached the finals last season in Class 2A
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #1-113 Tyler Washburn; #11-120 Bernardo Barnhart; #13-126 Jean Valoria; #7-138 Demetri Zertopoulis; #1-145 Brennan Van Hoecke; #1-152 Carson Miller; #1-160 Roman Garcia; #5-170 Leonard Feliciano; #2-285 Austin Foye
Kabra Says: There aren’t many weak spots in the Bears lineup. The battle for the Class 3A title may come down to Saturday morning in the semifinals when The Ridge could face four-time champ South Dade in a dual that could come down to who wins the pre-match coin toss and what weight that start at.
#7 Cypress Bay
How they got here: District 14 champions got a bye in the region quarterfinals because there was no second-place team from 3A-13. They then defeated 3A-14 runners-up Western again to advance to Kissimmee.
All-time duals region finals: 0-4
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #8-106 Andrew Punzalan; #13-120 Gabriel Herrero; #17-132 Gil Torres; #7-145 Rafael Diniz; #18-152 Zach Weidler; #9-160 Connor Ivory; #15-220 Jared Campbell; #4-285 Gozie Mosi
What they said: “As always wrestling the best makes you better. This match versus South Dade is a measuring stick to get us ready for the rest of the year!” – Coach Allen Held
Kabra Says: This might be the best Lightning team to make it to the region final in the state duals series. The task is always a hard one for Cypress Bay, get past four-time state duals champion South Dade on Friday night.
#1 South Dade
How they got here: District 16 champions defeated Miami Beach 57-17 in the region quarterfinals and then topped Miami Columbus 49-21 in district final rematch in the semifinals.
All-time duals region finals: 4-0, have won all four state dual championships.
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #4-106 Nathaniel Williams; #8-126 Joshua Aviles; #16-126 Luis Arboleda; #4-132 Elvis Solis; #11-132 KingJames Perry; #4-138 Misha Arbos; #6-145 Gavin Balmeceda; #3-152 Alex Couto; #3-160 Cordell White; #6-170 Christopher Sanchez; #6-195 Ansel Cervantes; #1-220 Sawyer Bartelt
What they said: “It’s my favorite time of year again, where we separate the contenders from the pretenders. The FHSAA State Duals is where coaches find out what their whole team is truly made of. It’s where countless hours of dedication and preparation meet opportunity. The Duals are a true testament of the overall strength of your program. It takes the whole team to win this championship, from your weakest link to your biggest studs, everyone plays a huge role in determining which team moves on and which team goes home empty handed. We are certainly blessed to have the opportunity to contend for an unprecedented 5th consecutive dual meet state championship but we know that it will not be easy. We are primed, we are ready, “We Are SOUTH DADE!!” – Coach Vic Balmeceda
Kabra Says: All the Buccaneers do is win and they come to Kissimmee ready to battle in what might be toughest road to a title yet with #2 Palmetto Ridge potentially lurking in the state semifinals.
#5 Fleming Island
How they got here: The Golden Eagles always find a way to Kissimmee and they blanked Gulf Breeze 74-0 in the region quarterfinals before dispatching Pace 50-15 in the next round.
All-time duals region finals: 4-0, reached the Class 3A state final in 2018 and 2019.
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #9-106 Shane Duhaylungsod; #11-106 Matthew Newman; #1-113 Jayce Paridon; #12-120 Laird Duhaylungsod; #9-138 Kaden Schaefer; #15-145 Matthew Kotler; #12-152 Christopher Chop; #5-160 Ronan Bozeman; #4-170 Joshua Sandoval; #2-182 Jhoel Robinson; #15-195 Walter Poe; #3-285 Ethan Hoffstetter
What they said: “We are happy to be a part of this series! We are also happy that we are in a state that allows us to move forward and go on with our everyday lives! Go Eagles!” – Coach PJ Cobbert
Kabra Says: It might be a new classification for Fleming Island but it should be the same result as one of the top teams of the north will look to advance to Saturday for the fifth time in five tries at the state duals tournament.
#13 New Smyrna Beach
How they got here: The Barracudas had to cancel a tournament they were set to host this weekend after beating Westside 78-6 and Matanzas 44-29 in their region contests last Thursday.
All-time duals region finals: 1-0, won region title last year
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #17-120 Jonathan Bruner; #5-126 Jamey Bruner; #14-138 Jace Engberg;
Kabra Says: Last year’s region champs return to Kissimmee to compete in the region finals again.
#1 Tampa Jesuit
How they got here: The Tigers won 2A-9 and then romped through the first two rounds of the regions with a 69-6 win over St. Petersburg and a 66-9 defeat of Sumner.
All-time duals region finals: 1-1, won state duals title in 2020
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #1-106 Roman Lermer; #10-106 Xavier Albo; #2-113 Draven McCall; #3-120 Daniel Vargas; #15-126 Nathan McGill; #19-126 Jayden Bowles; #1-132 Braden Basile; #1-138 Thomas Crook; #1-145 Jack Crook; #8-160 Gavin Young; #4-182 Josiah Jenkins; #1-195 Sergio Desiante
Kabra Says: This could be the year for Tampa Jesuit to pull off the state championship double. With a couple holes at the back end of the lineup, there’s less room for error for the Tigers, but with the talent Jesuit has at the weight classes it can fill, it may not even make a difference. Two state duals championships in three years is the goal here.
#2 Charlotte
How they got here: The 2A-11 champions beat Naples and Braden River to return to the region finals for the fifth season.
All-time duals region finals: 1-3, advanced to state final in 2019
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #3-106 Camren French; #8-113 Kaiden Ballinger; #4-120 Patrick Nolan; #1-126 Andrew Austin; #10-132 Derek Paull; #13-132 Eric Clary; #3-138 Isaac Church; #5-145 James Baltutis; #19-182 Isaac Schaeffer; #3-195 Cael Newton; #6-220 Nathaniel Box; #5-285 Blaggio Frattarelli
Kabra Says: The defending IBT state champions have some big guns that will score points in duals, the key for the Tarpons will be if they can get some surprising points at the other weights.
#17 River Ridge
How they got here: The 2A-5 champions tripped up Gaither 48-28 and then toppled Lecanto 49-30 to make their first trip to the region duals final in school history.
All-time duals region finals: 0-0, first trip to region finals
Ranked wrestler to watch: #7-132 Austin Revell;
What they said: “We are coming in this weekend down due to injury and covid. We are bringing seven weight classes. I’m just proud of how my team has wrestled this year so far and I hope those seven go out and get a good match but i just looking forward to having my team back to full strength at the end of the year.” – Coach
Kabra Says: This team is certainly happy to be here and gets the unenviable task of facing three-time state duals champion Lake Gibson in the region final while missing a handful of starters to injury.
#3 Lake Gibson
How they got here: The defending state duals champions beat East River 69-6 in the region quarterfinals before winning a heart-stopper over Winter Springs 35-29.
All-time duals region finals: 3-1, went on to win state after all three wins
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #2-106 Colt Brown; #6-113 Elijah Lowe; #11-120 Gaetano Tedesco; #2-132 Hayden Whidden; #6-138 Alex Walker; #2-145 Blake Walker; #2-152 Nytravious Walker; #14-152 Jace Brownlow; #1-160 Brendon Abdon; #1-170 Frank Solorzano; #4-195 Jayvian Haynes; #13-195 Tristan Vann;
What they said: “Unlike years in the past we don’t have the depth that other teams do. Being able to move people around has been our strength in past years and helped propel us to the state championships. I feel we have a team good enough to win it again but a coin flip could truly determine the championship this weekend.” – Coach Daniel Walker
Kabra Says: The Braves aren’t as deep as they have been in year’s past, but don’t let that fool you. Lake Gibson will put out a line-up that isn’t an easy out for any of the contenders in Class 2A and they’ve shown in the past that know how to win the close ones in Kissimmee.
#9 Merritt Island
How they got here: The 2A-13 champions bested Okeechobee 64-18 in the region quarterfinals before winning a nailbiter in a district final rematch with Heritage 44-37.
All-time duals region finals: 0-0, first trip to state duals tournament
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #11-132 Eddie Sears; #18-138 Jacob Pitcher; #4-152 Dylan Quiroga; #12-160 Seven Tornga; #17-170 Nick Lesch;
What they said: “This is a big deal for our kids and our program. In the past, we have had some superstars but never a team as rock solid, top to bottom, as this one. You don’t get to this point with a couple of solid kids, you need a whole community - athletes, parents, administrators, an Island, that buy in to the goals of the program. We have that and it is paying off. Now we just need to win a few more wrestling matches.” – Coach Graham Smith
Kabra Says: The Mustangs have been building for this moment for a couple years now as the depth in the room keeps making the team stronger. How well some of those developing wrestlers compete in Kissimmee could determine if they stick around for the second day.
#7 St. Thomas Aquinas
How they got here: The Raiders are back in a familiar spot after beating North Miami 55-20 and then Belen Jesuit 48-24 in a battle of district champions in the region semifinals.
All-time duals region finals: 1-1, reached state final in 2020
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #14-106 Jake Avarello; #10-145 Ethan Wigutow; #20-160 Peter O’Neil; #13-182 Nicolas Rodriguez; #16-195 Derek Groves
Kabra Says: After a down year for St. Thomas standards, the Raiders are back in Kissimmee with a young team with developing talent. Their region final could come down to a lesser heralded wrestler stepping up on Friday.
#10 Wakulla
How they got here: The District 2 champions needed criteria to beat Suwannee in the region semifinals 31-30 after opening up Thursday night with a 57-15 win over Rocky Bayou Christian.
All-time duals region finals: 3-1, reached final in 2019 and 2020
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #2-106 Julian Harvey; #10-113 Conner Brown; #12-126 Juan Jimenez; #5-132 Isaiah Wilson; #17-138 Wyatt Welch; #12-145 Hayden Reeves; #20-152 Jae Thaxton; #11-182 Tyler Edenfield
Kabra Says: Wakulla and Clay know each other well in this spot as they’ve contested the region title all five years that the state duals have been held. If Wakulla can pull off some early wins with bonus points, it could be close this year.
#1 Clay
How they got here: The Blue Devils won 1A-4 and then went on the road to beat Episcopal of Jacksonville 63-18 in the region quarterfinals and Baker County 78-6 in the region semis.
All-time duals region finals: 1-3, all four region finals vs. Wakulla
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #9-106 Jacob Bucci; #13-113 Braden Glavin; #5-120 Maverick Rainwater; #8-126 Gunner Ivey; #19-132 Xavier Logan; #8-138 Josh Kumpf; #7-145 Luke Boree; #15-152 Hayden Mesaroz; #4-170 Ethan Larsen; #4-182 Dominick Martin; #16-195 Kedtric Wilbourn; #19-195 Jadon Bell; #1-220 Robert Tyre; #18-285 Ethan Daniels
What they said: “What a great opportunity to compete for a Team Title. We are thankful and excited about the opportunity. It’s a great competition and should be a blast.” – Coach James Reape
Kabra Says: There isn’t an easy win against this lineup and if the big guns can pile up some bonus points, the Blue Devils could be on their way to a first state duals title.
#13 Hudson
How they got here: Two thrilling wins booked a trip to Kissimmee as the district runners-up beat Berkeley Prep 42-39 and Zephyrhills Christian 38-36.
All-time duals region finals: 0-0
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #18-160 Charles Witas; #8-182 Cole Kanehl; #10-220 Gavin Uribes
What they said: “I am looking forward to the experience this weekend. This is our first opportunity to wrestle as a team at this level. I'm proud of my Seniors Cole Kanehl, Matthew Tanner, and Charlie Witas for being leaders on the team and helping to build this program. All of the kids have shown tremendous growth this season, I'm excited to see them compete.” – Coach Robert Burgos
Kabra Says: Hudson has shown it knows how to win close duals after bouncing back from disappointment at districts to advance to Kissimmee with two wins by a total of five points last Thursday. They may not have the horses to stick around, but this should be a great experience for the growing Cobra program.
#6 Lemon Bay
How they got here: The 1A-11 champions bested Oasis 63-12 before winning a dogfight with First Baptist-Naples 37-34 in the region semifinals.
All-time duals region finals: 3-0
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #17-120 Logan Kelly; #10-126 Brycen Warren; #7-132 Justin Brady; #9-145 Caleb Corridino; #11-152 Austin Werden; #3-160 Koen Hoffman; #5-170 Chase Alden; #1-182 Lance Schyck; #11-195 Marcus Lopez; #11-220 Ben Arnett; #16-285 Miguel Diaz
What they said: “We are excited about this weekend! Three of the four years of the State Dual Championships we have made the final four. Our goal has always been to win a State Championship. This team is ready to compete, and can’t wait until Friday!” – Coach Mike Schyck
Kabra Says: The Manta Rays look poised to win a fourth region title and then it could get interesting if they can get some big wins in the state semifinals.
#12 Hernando
How they got here: The 1A-5 champs breezed through the first two region rounds with wins over Seabreeze (64-12) and The Villages (62-15).
All-time duals region finals: 0-4
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #16-106 Kyle Pearson; #18-113 Jordyn Valle; #10-120 T.J. Rodier; #12-132 James Gadson; #10-138 Diego Mojica; #17-170 Nate Greene; #7-285 Devin Williams
Kabra Says: The fifth time could be the charm for the Leopards who have advanced to this round each of the years that the state duals have been held. They get a rematch with last year’s region final opponent Palm Bay and this year the two teams are closer in talent than last year’s.
#8 Palm Bay
How they got here: The Pirates beat Mulberry and McKeel Academy last Thursday night to advance to the region finals in Kissimmee.
All-time duals region finals: 1-0, reached the finals last season
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #3-106 Logan Delos Santos; #7-120 Shaver Jackson; #1-132 Ronald Theilacker; #2-145 Nathan Furman; #19-160 Brycen Turner; #9-182 Octavion Osby; #4-195 Caleo Carrera; #5-285 Carlos Gerardino
What they said: “We are excited to return this year. We have a completely different team this year than last year’s run but we are hoping we can rely on some of those experiences and win some tough matches and give our team a chance to survive and advance as far as we can.” – Coach Sean Ballard.
Kabra Says: Some of the names from last year’s state runner-up team have moved on, but don’t let that fool you, the Pirates are a solid team top-to-bottom again and are a favorite to win a second straight region title.
#3 Jensen Beach
How they got here: No road may have been harder as the Falcons defeated two top 5 teams on Thursday with wins over Somerset (41-30) and Cardinal Gibbons (31-29).
All-time duals region finals: 1-1
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #1-106 Sebastian Degennaro; #7-113 Gian Ortiz; #2-120 Ryan Mooney; #2-132 Ryan Duguay; #16-132 Mikel Pierce-Walker; #1-138 Jewell Williams; #20-138 Brayden Peters; #14-145 Ashton Roeder; #3-152 Dylan Fox; #17-152 Duke Byfield; #9-170 Nate Sopotnick; #14-182 Malachi Harriel; #6-195 Matt O’Hara
Kabra Says: This team knows how to compete in tight matches with top Class 1A teams and they’ll lean on that experience on Friday morning when one of the most anticipated region finals kicks off the weekend.
#2 Mater Lakes
How they got here: The Bears romped through the first two region rounds with an 83-0 shutout of Miami Killian and a 72-10 win over Key West.
All-time duals region finals: 0-0
Ranked wrestlers to watch: #15-106 Kellen Mesina; #15-113 Anthony O’Dell; #12-120 Malikai Badillo; #20-120 Ethan Tran; #4-126 Emmanuel Celestin; #4-132 Dylan Garcia; #2-138 Kalias Nazario; #3-145 Azakin Sejour; #18-152 Bryan Picallo; #14-170 Calogero Mazzrillo; #5-195 Branden Marrero; #8-220 Damian Soto; #1-285 Ethan Vergara
What they said: “We are all very excited to compete at the state duals for the first time. Every one of our guys has gained confidence throughout the state duals journey and we truly believe we can bring home the state title.” – Coach Brandon Neifeld
Kabra Says: What a way to make your state duals debut – with a battle against one of the top teams in the state. The region final could come down to who wins the coin flip or who stays off their back – but if the Bears win on Friday, a trip to the state final seems to be in the cards.
All-Time Champs
2018
3A: South Dade 39, Fleming Island 25
2A: Lake Gibson 33, Riverdale 32
1A: Lake Highland 72, Cardinal Gibbons 0
2019
3A: South Dade 32, Fleming Island 28
2A: Lake Gibson 39, Charlotte 33
1A: Lake Highland 68, Wakulla 6
2020
3A: South Dade 57, Kissimee Osceola 13
2A: Tampa Jesuit 71, St. Thomas 6
1A: Lake Highland 61, Wakulla 3
2021
3A: South Dade 45, Riverdale 21
2A: Lake Gibson 39, Palmetto Ridge 23
1A: Somerset 33, Palm Bay 28
