The Knockout Christmas Classic Preview
There are many traditions during the holiday season that I love - family time, the lights, music, and movies - and also the Knockout Christmas Classic.
This year the Knockout Christmas Classic continues to grow while staking its claim as the best tournament in the Southeast.
The action takes place over two days at the Silver Spurs Arena with girls and middle school tournaments also taking place.
Here's a look at what you might see this weekend.
This preview of the Knockout Christmas Classic is brought to you by Kabra Media. Previews normally are part of Kabra+, the premium subscription of Kabra Wrestling.
Note: Wrestlers are in the weight classes that were provided by the Knockout Christmas Classic on December 25. They are subject to change.
Picks are also made before seeding and brackets have been released, so there could be some picks that aren't possible depending on how the brackets end up looking on Monday morning.
Some may ask if there is a Florida bias in my picks and I would like to address that: Yes. Yes there is.
Enjoy the preview and more importantly, get out to the Silver Spurs Arena and enjoy some of the best wrestling the country has to offer.
Knockout Schedule (Times subject to change)
Monday, December 27
8 a.m. - Girls Tournament begins
9:30 a.m. - High school begins
6 p.m. - Quarterfinals/Girls Finals
Tuesday, December 28
8 a.m. - Middle school begins
10 a.m. - High school beings (Consi)
11 a.m. - Semifinals
4 p.m. - Finals
106
Favorites: Sebastian Degennaro (Jensen Beach), Roman Lermer (Tampa Jesuit), Rylan Ibold (Buford), Christian Vazquez (Doral Academy)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Patrick Jones (Wellington), Camren French (Charlotte)
Other wrestlers to watch: Cole Gumlick (Lakeway Christian), Clark Box (Hewitt-Trussville)
Kabra says: This one is wide open with Georgia state champion Ibold the only one with a state crown in the lineup. Freshman Degennaro has some big wins in his first varsity season and placed third at Beast of the East. Lermer and Vazquez both reached the state finals last season and are with new teams this season.
Kabra picks: 1. Degennaro; 2. Lermer; 3. Ibold; 4. Vazquez
113
Favorites: Tyler Washburn (Palmetto Ridge), Colby McBride (Woodward), Ty Tice (Eastside), Danny Vargas (Tampa Jesuit), Thomas Giere (Thompson)
Other Florida wrestler to watch: Kevin Placer (SW Miami)
Other wrestlers to watch: Tyler Nguyen (Columbus, GA), Kiowa Vines (Thompson)
Kabra says: Washburn is a returning Knockout finalist and McBride a returning placer and both are state champions. Tice adds to that mix with a state championship of his own in South Carolina. Call me a homer (I am one), but I'm thinking this time Washburn finishes on top.
Kabras picks: 1. Washburn; 2. McBride; 3. Tice; 4. Vargas
120
Favorites: Cole Hunt (Cass), Christian Guzman (Columbus, FL), Adrian Morales (South Dade), Ethan Asher (Skyline), Bryan Vallardares (Oglethorpe), Jonathan McDaniel (Columbus, GA)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Ethan Vugman (Bartram Trail), Patrick Nolan (Charlotte), Ryan Mooney (Jensen Beach), Blaine Taranto (Venice)
Other wrestlers to watch: Drew Gorman (Buford), Hayden Santora (Woodland), Cory Jones (Thompson)
Kabra says: Five state champions are in this bracket. Hunt comes in with a national ranking, a Knockout title, and two state titles. Guzman and Morales promise to give him all he can handle with another two-time champion Asher being in the mix.
Kabra picks: 1. Hunt; 2. Guzman; 3. Morales; 4. Vallardares
126
Favorites: Jake Crapps (Cass), Andrew Austin (Charlotte), Yanni Vines (Thompson), Anderson Heap (Osceola), Colton Bishop (Woodland), Oran Decker (Harris County), Keyveon Roller (Lakeway Christian), Davis Dollar (Jefferson)
Other wrestlers to watch: Carter Burgess (Archbishop Rummel), Phoenix Alvea (Skyline), Bradley Williams (Spain Park), Ethan Sellers (Colquitt), Chayton Tuck (Oglethorpe), Dalton Zimmerman (Hewitt-Trussville), Aiden Ingram (West Laurens), Caden Canzano (Walton)
Kabra says: Crapps comes into the weekend ranked No. 2 by FloWrestling with a NHSCA title, a GFC title and a second place finish a Super 32. There are also seven state titles are spread out across this weight class with even more state finalists. I love watching Austin wrestle and he just recently became the first Charlotte wrestler to ever win the Captain Archer four times while Heap is a returning Knockout champ.
Kabra picks: 1. Crapps; 2. Austin; 3. Heap; 4. Vines
132
Favorites: Braden Basile (Tampa Jesuit), Alex Walker (Lake Gibson), Russell Raabe (Fort Pierce Central), Ronnie Theilacker (Palm Bay), Nick Dempsey (Thompson), Dawson Thompson (North Hall)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Ryan Duguay (Jensen Beach), Lucas Giles (Barron Collier)
Other wrestlers to watch: Josh Domino (Skyline), Davin Lundquist (Harris County), John Robert Thompson (Spain Park), Jayden Frazier (Paducah Tilghman), Carson Bailey (Woodland), Hunter Sturgill (Heritage), Tristen Hill (Woodward), Ananth Manibushan (Lassiter), Banks Bitterman (Mill Creek), Cole Curry (Archbishop Rummel), Brady Nardella (Mt. Pisgah)
Kabra says: There are a lot of state placers from out of Florida in this one, but the top of this weight class looks to have a Sunshine State feel come Tuesday evening. Could Florida wrestlers go 1-4? I'm betting on it.
Kabra picks: 1. Basile; 2. Raabe; 3. Walker; 4. Theilacker
138
Favorites: Tom Crook (Tampa Jesuit), Cooper Haase (Osceola), David Panone (Lassiter), Kresho (Cass), Watson (Oglethorpe), Brayden Ivy (Lakeway Christian)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Isaac Church (Charlotte), Jewell Williams (Jensen Beach), Misha Arbos (South Dade), Blake Walker (Lake Gibson), Andrew DeSola (American Heritage-DB), Demitri Zertopoulis (Palmetto Ridge), Favian Oliva (SW Miami)
Other wrestlers to watch: Hunter Salomon (Skyline), Eli Peyton (Paducah Tilghman), Marley Washington (Mt. Pisgah), Randy Buchanan (Woodland), Nate Taylor (Colquitt), Gavin Poper (Buford), Cameron Gandolfi (Archbishop Rummel)
Kabra says: The Florida wrestling fan in me is salivating at the chance to see Crook and Haase and their five combined state titles meet in the final here, but it won't be easy. Four state champions from out-of-state will also fitgure in the mix with Panone having a pair of them along with a sixth place finish at Fargo.
Kabra picks: 1. Crook; 2. Haase; 3. Panone; 4. Church
145
Favorites: Brennan Van Hoecke (Palmetto Ridge), Jack Crook (Tampa Jesuit), Brandon Cody (Master's Academy), James Latona (Thompson), Tyler Nelson (Mt. Pisgah), Devin Stone (Thompson)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Riley Chapdelaine (Winter Springs), Gavin Balmeceda (South Dade), Nathan Furman (Palm Bay), John Vadyak (Fort Myers)
Other wrestlers to watch: Logan Reaves (Hewitt-Trussville), Davis Dendy (Jefferson), Tyler McKnight (Cass), Garrett Wood (Harris County), Austen Shook (Archbishop Rummel), JT McCullough (Buford), Wyatt Bosley (Skyline), Emil Necula (Walton), Sam Lesh (Columbus, GA)
Kabra says: Another potential delicious final between Florida wrestlers could take place here with Van Hoecke and Crook leading the way. Van Hoecke placed third at the prestigious Ironman tournament earlier this month and Crook is ranked No. 8 in the country by FloWrestling.
Kabra picks: 1. Crook; 2. Van Hoecke; 3. Latona; 4. Cody
152
Favorites: Caleb Henson (Woodland), Michael Kilic (Woodward), Jeremy Paradice (Colquitt), Seth Larson (Flowery Branch), Carson Miller (Palmoetto Ridge), Alex Couto (South Dade), Andrew Cory (Creekview), Jack Wyland (Eastside)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Michael Shannon (Master's Academy), Rafael Romero (American Heritage-DB)
Other wrestlers to watch: Dominic Bambinelli (Mill Creek), Malachi Rider (Paducah Tilghman), Lucas Reaves (Hewitt-Trussville), Creed Thomas (Jefferson), Jay Eversole (Lakeway Christian), Clay Frost (Oglethorpe), Grayson Santee (Buford)
Kabra says: Imagine a weight class that has seven state champions (including a three-time), an Iornman placer, and two-time Fargo placer and there's a clear cut favorite. Henson won't have it easy, but the top-ranked wrestler in the country will be looking to wrap up Knockout title No. 4 and join Malyke Hines as the only other four-time champ. He'll likely have to beat No. 11 in the country Kilic in the final to do it.
Kabra picks: 1. Henson; 2. Killic; 3. Miller; 3. Larson
160
Favorites: Brendon Abdon (Lake Gibson), Gunner Filipowicz (Woodward), Cole Cochran (Woodland), Tyler Secoy (Columbus, GA), Roman Garcia (Palmetto Ridge), Colby Dalon (Lakeway Christian), Joey Bertrand (Mt. Pisgah), Will Garrett (Thompson), Erik Borresen (Manatee), Cordell White (South Dade), Hunter Manning (Vidalia)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Gunner Holland (Osceola), Omer Barak (American Heritage-DB), Kamdon Harrison (Hagerty), Danny Diaz (SW Miami), Elijah Penton (Winter Springs)
Other wrestlers to watch: Cade Sousa (Creekview), Andrew Shelton (Hewitt-Trussville), Kriecg Roe (Cass), Talen Thompson (Buford)
Kabra says: Two-time state champion and Ironman and Super 32 placer Abdon is ranked No. 14 by FloWrestling and Filipowicz comes in with a FloWrestling ranking of No. 15. Garcia looks to continue to build off his strong summer at Fargo, Borresen is tough enough to continue Manatee’s state champ streak, and don't sleep on South Dade's White, who is wrestling well this season.
Kabra picks: 1. Abdon; 2. Filipowicz; 3. Cochran; 4. Garcia
170
Favorites: Zach McKnight (Cass), Lenny Feliciano (Palmetto Ridge), Carson Freeman (Thompson), Zeke Harris (North Hall)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Cory Cannon (Barron Collier), George Duncan (Kissimmee Osceola), Frank Solorzano (Lake Gibson), Davis Deal (Winter Springs), Riley Orr (Fort Pierce Central)
Other wrestlers to watch: Jake Shepherd (West Laurens), Josh Lange (Mt. Pisgah)
Kabra says: One of the rare Knockout brackets that won't have a returning state champion but it is not devoid of talent.
Kabra picks: 1. Feliciano; 2. McKnight; 3. Harris; 4. Freeman
182
Favorites: Matthew Singleton (Woodward), Brian Burburija (Countryside), Hunter Adams (North Hall), Joseph Nicolosi (American Heritage-DB)
Other Florida wrestler to watch: Dominic Martin (Clay)
Other wrestlers to watch: Will Conlon (Spain Park), Neil Borne (Archbishop Rummel), Spencer Redwine (Paducah Tilghman)
Kabra says: Singleton is one of the best wrestlers in the county, with three state titles, two NHSCA titles, a Knockout win and a No. 2 ranking by FloWrestling. it's hard to imagine him slipping up here but Burburija is hungry to prove when he can do.
Kabra picks: 1. Singleton; 2. Burburija; 3. Adams; 4. Nicolosi
195
Favorites: Sergio Desiante (Tampa Jesuit), Hunter Jones (Hewitt-Trussville), Luke Cochran (Jefferson)
Other Florida wrestler to watch: Cayden Bevis (Lincoln)
Other wrestlers to watch: Evan Guyton (West Laurens), Charles Higdon (Woodland), Ben Valdes (Woodward), Dustin Gue (Skyline), Gavin Guerra (Mill Creek), Kyle Oliveira (Spain Park)
Kabra says: Desiante has shone up at 195 this season and enters the weekend ranked No. 20 in the country and the favorite to win at the Knockout. State champs Jones and Cochran are also in the mix.
Kabra picks: 1. Desiante; 2. Jones; 3. Cochran; 4. Guyton
220
Favorites: Daniel Espraza (Eastside), Sammy Brown (Jefferson), Caden Snell (West Laurens)
Other Florida wrestler to watch: Garrett Tyre (Clay)
Other wrestlers to watch: Uriah Virzi (Paducah Tilghman), Chris Hawkins (Hewitt-Trussville)
Kabra says: South Carolina state champion Espraza is the lone state champion at this weight class but Georgia state finalist Brown and two-time state palcer Snell should both be in the mix.
Kabra picks: 1. Espraza; 2. Brown; 3. Snell; 4. Virzi
285
Favorites: Chase Horne (West Laurens), Ethan Vergara (Mater Lakes), Matthew Jimenez (Somerset), Gabriel Jacas (Fort Piece Central), Adrian Sans (SW Miami)
Other Florida wrestlers to watch: Derrick Hart (Columbus, FL), Carlos Gerardino (Palm Bay), Austin Foye (Palmetto Ridge)
Other wrestlers to watch: Jaylin Tate (Woodward), Beau Jernigan (Woodland)
Kabra says: Horne is ranked No. 3 in the country and the defending Knockout champion. He's the favorite here but the race to the top Florida finisher will be one of the stories to watch this weekend with 5-6 capable of reaching the finals.
Kabra picks: 1. Horne; 2. Vergara; 3. Jimenez; 4. Jacas
