Girls state wrestling preview and predictions
BY BRANT PARSONS —Welcome to our 2025 state tournament preview and predictions.
This is yearly tradition that is meant to be both a viewing guide and fun way to look ahead to the best three days of the season.
For this set of predictions, the process didn’t change.
I take each bracket and make notes on it - including Kabra Wrestling rankings - and then play out each match in each bracket to determine the state placers and add a couple wrestlers to watch.
Since these are based on my rankings, and I am fully confident in my rankings, you’ll notice my picks never stray too far from them.
The final standings don’t always match my rankings because some brackets just don’t play out that way - and there are a couple notable times where I take a flyer and disagree with the rankings. I’m a fun guy like that.
What you’ll read in this preview is a snapshot in time on what I felt would happen in this tournament when I wrote the preview. If I was to go through and write it again, I’m sure there are some that would be different. There does tend to be a good deal of scratching out on my brackets when I do this.
As always, there is no bias that goes into these picks and they are meant for entertainment purposes only. I don’t cheer for my bracket to be right, in fact, the most memorable moments related to these previews are the kids that proved me wrong and then told me that they did.
In fact, when I’m covering the state tournament, I often don’t even remember the picks that I made. I’m too excited just watching the great action.
Best of luck to each of the state qualifiers that will compete this weekend. Just reaching the state tournament is such a tremendous accomplishment and no matter what you do this weekend at Silver Spurs Arena, you are a success that has accomplished great things through this powerful sport.
And if you prove Kabra wrong, please let me know, we have a sticker for you.
The Picks
Team Race
Final standings
1. Flagler Palm Coast
2. Hernando
3. South Dade
4. Orlando Freedom
5. Kissimmee Osceola
Predicted total state champions
3 - Flagler Palm Coast
1 - Barron Collier, DeLand, Gulf Breeze, Hernando, Lemon Bay, North Fort Myers, Oakleaf, Orlando Freedom, South Dade, Sunlake, Venice
Predicted state placers
7 - Flagler Palm Coast, Orlando Freedom
6 - Hernando, South Dade
5 - Kissimmee Osceola
4 - Sunlake
3 - Florida Christian, Riverdale, Viera
2 - Barron Collier, Charlotte, Fort Pierce Central, Lake Gibson, Lake Mary, Mater Lakes, Miami Palmetto, Mulberry, North Fort Myers, Oviedo, Pace, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine
1 - Admiral Farragut, Auburndale, Bell Creek, Boca Ciega, Brandon, Chiles, Columbia, Countryside, DeLand, Doral Academy, Douglas, First Baptist, Florida High, Gainesville, George Jenkins, Gulf Breeze, Harmony, King, Lemon Bay, Lincoln, Lincoln Park Academy, Miami Southridge, Middleburg, Monarch, Mosley, Naples, Newsome, North Miami, Oakleaf, Palm Harbor University, Palmetto, Parrish, Plant City, Riverside, SLAM, South Broward, Springstead, St. John Neumann, SW Miami, Venice, Wakulla, Western, Wiregrass Ranch
FHSAA Schedules
Class 3A: IBT results | Dual results | State IBT preview
Class 2A: IBT results | Dual results | State IBT preview
Class 1A: IBT results | Dual results | State IBT preview
Class G-1A: IBT results | State IBT preview
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Kiera Partello (Barron Collier)
2. #7 Sayuri Caceres (Lincoln)
3. #2 Sophie Booe (Palm Harbor University)
4. #4 Grace Jawulski (Newsome)
5. #3 Rosie Kleine (Monarch)
6. #8 Melissa Gallo (Florida Christian)
7. #5 Hananeel Gregoire (Orlando Freedom)
8. #9 Aniyah Whayne (Kissimmee Osceola)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #6 Emily Doolittle (North Fort Myers); #10 Emerson Webber (Hernando)
First round matches you can't miss: Jawulski vs. Gallo; Doolittle vs. Kleine
Kabra says: It’s odd for us to stray too far from our rankings when we put together our picks, but this bracket couldn’t have played out any better for Caceres. Everybody who beat the Lincoln junior is on the other half of the bracket and she owns a tech fall win over Booe and is 2-0 against Jawulski this season. On the other side is favorite Partello who has a friendlier side of the bracket and owns a pinfall win over potential semifinal opponent Kleine. In last year’s third place match, Partello and Caceres were 2-2 when the Barron Collier junior had to abandon the match due to injury. Expect a great one if they meet again. It certainly isn’t a sure thing with that top bracket including a first round meeting between Jawulski and Gallo. If the Newsome sophomore should advance, she does have an 8-6 decision victory over Gregorie on her resume, the only loss the Freedom wrestler has suffered this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Camdyn Elliott (Gulf Breeze)
2. #2 Erin Rizzuto (Ponte Vedra)
3. #3 Joslyn Johnson (Flagler Palm Coast)
4. #4 Skyler Randolph (Riverdale)
5. #5 Miayalee Ortiz Martinez (George Jenkins)
6. #6 Yhoalibeth Ruiz (Orlando Freedom)
7. #7 Madelyne Bombardier (Mulberry)
8. #8 Tiffany Francisco (Western)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 Gabriela Kerber (Cypress Bay); #13 Alea Morales (Kissimmee Osceola)
First round matches you can't miss: Kerber vs. Bombardier; #10 Rebecca Marin (Doral Academy) vs. Ruiz
Kabra says: This is a weight class we’ve been watching all season and the postseason hasn’t disappointed. After wrestling to sudden victory in the Knockout semifinals, Rizzuto and Johnson met again in the region finals and this time the Ponte Vedra senior came out on top. They could meet again here in the semifinals, but returning state champion Johnson would need to get past Ortiz Martinez and Rizzuto could face the 16-1 Francisco. Waiting at the top is two-time state finalist Elliott, who is 1-1 against Johnson this season and she beat Rizzuto in last week’s region final.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Mariah Mills (Flagler Palm Coast)
2. #3 Keana Bush (Hernando)
3. #2 Abigail Gonzalez (Miami Southridge)
4. #5 Kendal Haynie (Wakulla)
5. #4 Natalia Choquegonza (Ponte Vedra)
6. #7 Julia Brocato (Sunlake)
7. #6 Zoey McDonald (St. John Neumann)
8. #10 Amileshka Ortiz (Lake Gibson)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 Camilla Delgado (Mater Academy); #11 Bristol McManmon (North Port)
First round matches you can't miss: Brocato vs. #12 Dalila Amar (Bell Creek Academy); Ortiz vs. McManmon
Kabra says: Oh man, this is a semifinal we were hoping would wait until Saturday night to happen. Mills and Gonzalez gave us one of the best matches this season in their Knockout final, a bout eventually won by Mills in sudden victory. The West Liberty commit and returning state champion showed how big her gas tank was in that meeting and she likely will need it again if we see a 1-2 meeting here. And while our attention immediately focused on the top of this bracket, you have Bush, Choquegonza, Haynie, and McDonald on the bottom. Bush and Choquegonza have wrestled to two close matches with the Hernando senior winning 1-0 and by sudden victory. Hayne has pinned McDonald and owns a 9-5 win over Bush from the Knockout. Our prediction goes a different way but you can be assured that it will be a fun match. What a weight class!
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Grace Lashinsky (DeLand)
2. #3 Emma Bauknight (Hernando)
3. #2 Beyonce Espinosa (South Dade)
4. #4 Catalina Kenney (Viera)
5. #5 Kaja Williams (Parrish)
6. #7 Gracie Diaz (Gainesville)
7. #6 Hailee Moder (First Baptist-Naples)
8. #8 Delaney Faulkner (Palmetto)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #10 Deleilah Viteri (Horizon); #11 Sigrun Metzger (Crestview)
First round matches you can't miss: Kenney vs. Faulkner; #13 Emma Kosza (Wellington) vs. Metzger
Kabra says: After reaching the state final last season, Lashinsky went on a quest to not just return this season, but win the title. She’s defeated her two biggest competitors, beating Espinosa 3-1 in the Knockout finals and going 2-0 this season against Bauknight with two wins by fall. The semifinal here sets up to be one of the most important of the weekend with Lashinsky and Espinosa possibly meeting.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Willow White (South Dade)
2. #2 Zoe Delgado (Florida Christian)
3. #3 Isabel Alvarez (Viera)
4. #4 Jasmine Serrano (Springstead)
5. #5 Arianna Ruiz (Mater Lakes Academy)
6. #6 Iyonna Ross (Charlotte)
7. #7 Trinity Wanamaker (St. Augustine)
8. #9 Alianna Mason (Orlando Freedom)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #8 Shaniah Martinez (East Bay); #10 Savanna Porter (St. John Neumann)
First round matches you can't miss: Ruiz vs. Serrano; #13 Giannina Simonpietri (Bartram Trail) vs. Porter
Kabra says: White has been the top wrestler at this weight class this season and enters this weekend as our favorite. We’re predicting a fifth meeting against Delgado in the finals. If that takes place, it could be a close one as the Florida Christian eighth grader has closed the gap in the postseason with White. The South Dade star won by fall and major decision in the season, but has two decision wins in the postseason, 5-4, and 13-8. The top is definitely the tougher half with Serrano and Ruiz meeting in the first round. Serrano won between the two at state last year 6-1. Last year’s state champion Ross is in the top half too and could face that winner in the quarterfinals. Five of Kabra Wrestling’s Top 7 are in that top half.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Milana Borrelli (Venice)
2. #3 Paola Ramirez (Kissimmee Osceola)
3. #2 Rachel Silva (Florida Christian)
4. #4 Kiiaana Gavere (Pace)
5. #5 Daniella Espinal (Hernando)
6. #6 Caly Rodriguez (Brandon)
7. #7 Taylor Pelchat (St. Augustine)
8. #9 Cora Hayes (North Fort Myers)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #8 Sara Goodman (Sandalwood); #10 Kamilliah Rice (Charlotte)
First round matches you can't miss: Hayes vs. #13 Maria Halushka (Key West); Espinal vs. Goodman
Kabra says: Oh boy, another one we were hoping to watch on Saturday will take place on Friday afternoon. Two-time Florida state champion Borrelli and four-time state qualifier Silva are on a collision course to the semifinals here in a bout that likely has gotten even more anticipated by both after Silva commented after her region title about her thoughts on her competition in the weight class. The gym will be electrified for this one. Not to fully forget about the top half, where you have Osceola’s Ramirez, undefeated Gavere, and Brandon’s freshman phenom Rodriguez ready to battle it out.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Christina Borgmann (Flagler Palm Coast)
2. #2 Lahela Turquest (Pace)
3. #3 Isis Severe (North Miami)
4. #5 Kiley Vinson (Harmony)
5. #4 Eysis Estes-Brinson (Miami Palmetto)
6. #6 Sophie Simons (Naples)
7. #7 Gabrielle Asabi (Sunlake)
8. #8 Eduarda Franklin Soares (Orlando Freedom)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #10 Amelia McKnight (Lincoln); #11 Blanca Cespedes (Riverdale)
First round matches you can't miss: Estes-Brinson vs. Soares; McKnight vs. Cespedes
Kabra says: Borgmann is in a class by herself in this bracket. The defending state champion is one of the bigger favorites this weekend and will be worth watching to get to see her compete for more times here. The rest of the bracket does have some intrigue with Turnquest, Severe, and Vinson at the bottom. The only loss Turnquest has suffered this season was to Borgmann and they met in the finals here last year. On our radar is a consolation semifinal meeting between Severe and Estes-Brinson. The North Miami senior is a stunning 5-1 between the two, with every match going the full six minutes and ending in a decision.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Kailani Barrientos (Oakleaf)
2. #2 Ana Vilar (Flagler Palm Coast)
3. #3 Emma Hoppe (Viera)
4. #5 Genesis Fuentes (Kissimmee Osceola)
5. #4 Arianna Garcia (South Dade)
6. #6 Kaitelynn Oliver (Lake Gibson)
7. #7 Alexa Paz (SLAM Academy)
8. #8 Bailey Beechler (Charlotte)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 Gabriella Sergi (North Fort Myers); #11 Kamora Willis (Coral Gables)
First round matches you can't miss: Sergi vs. Willis; Fuentes vs. Vilar
Kabra says: Barrientos stamped her spot as state favorite with a win over Vilar in the region semifinals last weekend. Her win gave her a lighter side of the bracket which should heat up in the semifinals with Hoppe on track to be there. Vilar gets a Top 5 bout to start off, but she if 4-0 between the two this season. The winner gets South Dade’s region champ Garcia. Whoever reaches out of the bottom half will have earned the spot.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Ailee Briggs (Lemon Bay)
2. #2 Julianna Caisse (Riverdale)
3. #3 Shamari Smith (South Dade)
4. #5 MaryEllen Wingate (Lake Mary)
5. #4 Denalie Dauphin (Kissimmee Osceola)
6. #6 Francesca Lara (Miami Palmetto)
7. #7 Iyana Lee (Riverside)
8. #8 Kelsey Marschka (Chiles)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 Amal Mena Dahdal (Land O' Lakes); #10 Ryauna Mepomuceno (Rockledge)
First round matches you can't miss: Dahdal vs. #12 Mya Bolden (Port Charlotte); Lara vs. Marschka
Kabra says: Briggs and Caisse have given us three great matches this season with the returning state champion taking a 2-1 series lead between the two with a win in the region final. Caisse’s second place finish sets up a monster quarterfinal with #3 Smith, but she does own 3 pins in their meetings this season. We expect the two to meet for the fourth time this season in the final here with the consolation rounds providing some extra drama, starting with the Lara-Marschka first round match setting some of that up.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Kristy More (Sunlake)
2. #2 Kha'liyah Delva (Fort Pierce Central)
3. #3 Tiana Fries (Flagler Palm Coast)
4. #4 Ericka Hernandez (Kissimmee Osceola)
5. #6 Noelia Varela (Riverdale)
6. #7 Geraldine Honore (South Dade)
7. #5 Sariana Jones (Auburndale)
8. #10 Delaney Graves (Oviedo)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #8 Jasmine Barnes-Toomer (Gulf Coast); #11 Lilyanna Nolan (Sumner)
First round matches you can't miss: Honore vs. #9 Lilian Ison (First Coast); #12 Viktoriya Devochkina (North Miami) vs. Graves
Kabra says: This one is a big wow bracket. More has been tough this season, going 33-1 and is 2-1 against Fries. Both of her wins by fall have come with Fries in the lead. Delva owns a major decision win over Fries, a 2022 state champion, this season and would create a monster showdown in the final here. Osceola senior Hernandez could shake things up on Friday with a win in the quarters against Fries but we feel confident in our Top 3 here - just maybe not in that order.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Mya Bethel (North Miami)
2. #2 Alena Rik (Mater Lakes Academy)
3. #3 Alexa Calidonio (Flagler Palm Coast)
4. #4 Chrystal Desir (Forest Hill)
5. #5 Zaria Slater (Lake Mary)
6. #7 Jikayla Hutto (Orlando Freedom)
7. #6 Mariah Earl (Hernando)
8. #8 Yadira Rivas (Plant City)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 Alyssa Gerber (George Jenkins); #10 Bethany Moeller (Bell Creek Academy)
First round matches you can't miss: Gerber vs. Slater; Hutto vs. #11 Zara Exilus (Creekside)
Kabra says: Plucked from the volleyball team as a freshman, Bethel has gone on to win three state titles (and counting) and go undefeated in her high school career entering this weekend. The national champion is set to solidify herself in history as the first-ever four-time girls state champion and join Oviedo’s Jason Robbins as a four-time state champion who went undefeated in high school. The best gift the bracket gave us was a top half that hosts four of our Top 6 wrestlers, giving us an exciting two rounds leading up to the final to pick a possible state runner-up. Rik and Caldionio could meet in one quarterfinal, the Mater Lakes junior owns a win by fall in their series and Desir and Earl in the other. In the end though, this weekend will be about celebrating Bethel and hoping for a great celebration moment and picture.
Kabra's Picks
1. #2 Kendall Bibla (Flagler Palm Coast)
2. #1 Megan Preston (Wiregrass Ranch)
3. #3 Riley Lancaster (Admiral Farragut)
4. #4 Chloe Stinnett (Hernando)
5. #5 Isabella McFarlane (King)
6. #6 Quisiera Wilson (Lincoln Park)
7. #7 Mia Johnson (Fort Pierce Central)
8. #8 Ariana Blanc (Douglas)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 Brooke Arbic (Niceville); #10 Francesca Bisordi (Lakewood Ranch)
First round matches you can't miss: Blanc vs. Stinnett; #15 Sophia James (Seabreeze) vs. Bisordi
Kabra says: Oh this one could be special. Preston enters the weekend undefeated and #1 in the state after reaching the state final last year while 2023 state champion Bibla comes in as the favorite with just a single loss in December this season. We are expecting to see them meet on Saturday night and we’ve gone with the former state champion to win here over the four-time state placer and two-time state finalist. Don’t miss the rest of this bracket too with a quarterfinal potentially having McFarlane and Wilson meet up. The King sophomore is 2-0 between them this season. There could also be a 3-4 match in the top half of the bracket where Lancaster is the favorite based on a win by fall this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Grace Leota (Hernando)
2. #2 Cerenity Whiting (Countryside)
3. #4 Tor'rina Rushing (Mosley)
4. #5 Cheyenne Cruce (Middleburg)
5. #3 Latoya Sylvestre (South Broward)
6. #6 Tessa Diaz (Doral Academy)
7. #7 Paisley Murphy (Sunlake)
8. #8 Mekialla Mauvais (Orlando Freedom)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 Ani Brown (Matanzas); #10 Neveah Robinson (Okeechobee)
First round matches you can't miss: #11 Jamiyah Wade (Boca Ciega) vs. Robinson; Mauvais vs. Brown; Murphy vs. Cruce
Kabra says: Three state champions and a total of five championship rings can be found in this weight class. Hernando’s Leota enters as the favorite. Leota is ranked third in the country at 190 pounds and will look to make it three-for-three in state titles in Florida. Whiting won a state title last year at 235 pounds and Cruce is the two-time defending state champion at 190 pounds (Leota’s first two wins came at 170). They’re both on the bottom half of the bracket along with undefeated Sylvestre and three more Top 9 wrestlers. Whiting, who is also ranked in the country at #30 is the pick to come out of the bottom half, which should create a wild back half of this bracket. Rushing defeated Cruce to win the region title just two weeks after placing in two disciplines in state weightlifting. They could meet again here.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Rotchiva Clermont (Orlando Freedom)
2. #2 Mia Jones (Mulberry)
3. #3 Kinea Moore (Boca Ciega)
4. #4 Shyann Tate (Oviedo)
5. #5 Josie Raulerson (Columbia)
6. #6 Camila Halaby-Bravo (SW Miami)
7. #7 Eliana Johnson (Bell Creek Academy)
8. #8 Kenzie Barrett (South Dade)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #9 McKenzie Jackson (Armwood); #10 Hazuki Sykes (Sumner)
First round matches you can't miss: Barrett vs. #11 Katelynn Holt (Harmony); Raulerson vs. Jackson
Kabra says: Knockout champion Clermont has emerged from a crowded field to be the favorite heading into the state tournament. She topped Jones in the region finals and hasn’t lost since losing to Jones in Week 6. She gets a smoother ride on the bottom half while the top part of this bracket will see fireworks in the quarterfinals. Jones, started the season red-hot, will go against 2023 state champion Moore. Jones owns a 13-9 decision and a win by fall between the two this season. If Jones can regain her rhythm (she has losses to Clermont, Johson and Yanii Herring, who didn’t make the state tournament, in the last month of the season), we expect her to reach the finals. here.
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.