Mater Lakes completes historic season with first IBT title

Mater Lakes’ Keagan Mesina celebrates his state title at 113 pounds on Saturday night. (Photo by London Parsons/Kabra Wrestling)

March 8, 2025

Editor’s Note: The first edition of the story did not have a status update for Damian Soto. The story has since been updated with the latest.

KISSIMMEE — BY BRANT PARSONS — Mater Lakes came into the weekend looking to shake off some disappointments from the past and secure it’s first IBT team title at the FHSAA State Wrestling Championships at Silver Spurs Arena.

The Bears did just that, scoring 212 points and held a comfortable lead heading into the final day, winning by 63 points.

“It felt great to actually see it all happen and we’ve been visualizing and waiting for this moment for so long,” coach Brandon Neifeld said. “It’s finally here and it feels amazing.”

The team win punctuates a year where Mater Lakes also secured the first team wrestling title at the state duals and comes after a season of disappointment that saw the team lose a lead during the IBT finals in the team title race and come to the state tournament without a full lineup.

“This team reached our max potential,” Neifeld said. “We actually got everybody on weight, everybody here, and everybody except one was healthy and we got to show what we’re about. That’s what it comes down to, we were able to show that we’re the real deal now.”

Kellen (113) and Keagan Mesina (120) were two of the five state champions for Mater Lakes and got the night started for the Bears.

“Our coaches have been working us hard the entire season and look where it got us,” Kegan Mesina said.

Ethan Tran (126) and Kalias Nazario (165) also won state titles for the Bears along with Damian Soto at 190 pounds, whose win brought a somberness to the team celebration.

Soto was injured due to an illegal move in his state finals match. He was awarded the state title because of his injury from the illegal move but left the match on a spinal board after being injured.

“It was an incredible weekend and night, and it’s just mixed emotions right now and we hope he’s going to be okay.”

Mater Lakes coach JD Ramsey updated Soto’s state on Facebook.

“Damian Soto is ok! He regained motion and feeling in his extremities shortly after the match and other than being very stiff, sore, and a bad headache he is in good health,” the post said.

Kabra Wrestling will be doing features on individual state champions in the coming weeks

Click here for complete results (PDF)

Top 10 teams

1. Mater Lakes Academy 212; 2. Zephyrhills Christian 149; 3. Cardinal Gibbons, Merritt Island 116; 5. St. John Neumann 87.5; 6. Cocoa Beach 86.5; 7. First Baptist-Naples 83.5; 8. North Bay Haven 60.5; 9. Suwannee 53; 10. Hernando 47.

106

1. Elijah Castanon (Miami Christian); 2. Benito Barnhart (St. John Neumann); 3. Eli Jolicoeur (Suwannee); 4. Cale Wimberly (Zephyrhills Christian); 5. Bryce Stone (Bell Creek); 6. Hudson Sweitzer (Bishop Verot); 7. Steven `Jett` Johnson (Cocoa Beach); 8. Gemarri Daniel (Robinson).

113

1. Kellen Mesina (Mater Lakes Academy); 2. Jason Ramirez (Slam Academy); 3. Koa Deloach (North Bay Haven); 4. Lukah Zherka (Aubrey Rogers); 5. Anthony Acquafredda (Cocoa Beach); 6. Everett Stephens (First Baptist-Naples); 7. Erik Perez (St. John Neumann); 8. Logan Bajor (Cardinal Gibbons).

120

1. Keagan Mesina (Mater Lakes Academy); 2. Preston Neufeld (North Bay Haven); 3. Izak Rodriguez (Zephyrhills Christian); 4. Leland Flaherty (Evangelical Christian); 5. Bekim Zherka (Aubrey Rogers); 6. Justin Contreras (Suwannee); 7. Matthew Thaxton (Wakulla); 8. William Mcgowan (St. John Neumann).

126

1. Ethan Tran (Mater Lakes Academy); 2. Alex Giglietti (Merritt Island); 3. Broc Dahlin (Bayshore); 4. Jack Oliver (Lemon Bay); 5. Uykwon Zion Wimberly (Zephyrhills Christian); 6. Jordan Anderson (Hudson); 7. Leonardo Torres (Stanton College Preparatory); 8. Cole Webb (Cocoa).

132

1. Lincoln Sledzianowski (St. John Neumann); 2. Christopher Greene (Mater Lakes Academy); 3. Adrian Day (Cocoa Beach); 4. Landon Quiroga (Merritt Island); 5. Jasper Croom (Florida); 6. Jake Parker (Wewahitchka); 7. Mikah Ikeda (Episcopal); 8. Nevin Hayes (Zephyrhills Christian).

138

1. Timmy Boda (Merritt Island); 2. Jonathan Moder (First Baptist-Naples); 3. Yianni Marinis (Zephyrhills Christian); 4. Anthony O`Dell (Mater Lakes Academy); 5. Jacob Reber (Mckeel Academy); 6. Carter Wright (Bradenton Christian); 7. Jason Schiavello (Clearwater Cen Catholic); 8. Daniel Ellis (Robinson).

144

1. Talon Maple (Zephyrhills Christian); 2. Wyatt Crouser (Cocoa Beach); 3. Andrew Isek (Cardinal Gibbons); 4. Keaton Ellis (Florida); 5. Preston Lindsay (Coral Springs Charter); 6. Jack Mulnix (North Bay Haven); 7. Ricky Bowermaster (Weeki Wachee); 8. Bruce Li (Mater Lakes Academy).

150

1. Gavin Nolan (Clearwater Cen Catholic); 2. Asher Bacon (First Baptist-Naples); 3. Bryan Picallo (Cardinal Gibbons); 4. Titus Deyoung (Merritt Island); 5. Mason O`Dell (Mater Lakes Academy); 6. Noah Leota (Hernando); 7. Julian Bell (Anclote); 8. Cade Beke (Mckeel Academy).

157

1. Andres Digrigoli (First Baptist-Naples); 2. Marshall White (Suwannee); 3. Judge Deyoung (Merritt Island); 4. Kenny Alvarado (Mater Lakes Academy); 5. Javier Lopez (Zephyrhills Christian); 6. Thiago Vianna (Admiral Farragut Academy); 7. Diego Maysonet (Weeki Wachee); 8. Joseph Conrad (Evangelical Christian).

165

1. Kalias Nazario (Mater Lakes Academy); 2. Kyle Gallo (Zephyrhills Christian); 3. Frankie Florio (Cardinal Gibbons); 4. Angel Prieto (Bishop Moore); 5. Tre Driggett (Merritt Island); 6. Bear Siegal (North Bay Haven); 7. Nicholas Pawlak (Tarpon Springs); 8. Joseph Richardson (Lincoln Park Academy).

175

1. Johnathan Clohecy (The Villages); 2. Gibson Moore (South Walton); 3. Xavier Barnhart (St. John Neumann); 4. Alfredo Corrales (Key West); 5. Nathan Lang (Cardinal Newman); 6. James Shaw Garrett (Hernando); 7. Bennett Sweitzer (Bishop Verot); 8. Darian Vargas (Mater Lakes Academy).

190

1. Damian Soto (Mater Lakes Academy); 2. Peter Mocco (Cardinal Gibbons); 3. Jeremiah Chavis (Hernando); 4. Derek Washington Jr. (Evangelical Christian); 5. Christian Mcgarity (Episcopal); 6. Christopher Brunson (Palm Bay); 7. Curtis Tyler (Zephyrhills Christian); 8. Kaleb Mathis (Lakewood).

215

1. Michael Mocco (Cardinal Gibbons); 2. Lexander Coleman-Tunsil (Lakewood); 3. Brett Bearden (Bolles); 4. Calvin Ross (Wewahitchka); 5. Kian Blyss (Hernando); 6. Austin Cole (Crystal River); 7. Frederick Harley Jr (Oasis); 8. Nathan Pond (Cocoa Beach).

285

1. Leonard Christian (Palm Bay); 2. Nathan Chen (Pine Crest); 3. Madden Fredenburg (Cocoa Beach); 4. Cayden Ricks (Yulee); 5. Spencer Voss (Miami Christian); 6. Jordan Diaz (Miami Sunset); 7. Holden Corbin (Suwannee); 8. Jayden Shannon (Bayshore).

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.