Every year, south Florida produces some of the top wrestlers in the state – bringing home a number of individual titles.
While the individual championships are fine – south Florida will bring 114 competitors – this year it could be all about the team titles – as all three classes will have plenty of gifted programs when wrestling opens Friday morning (10:00) at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
While the rest of the wrestling universe will be consumed with the team competition in 1A and 2A, what could happen by Saturday night is a rare south Florida sweep in 3A.
As South Dade has ruled the large school wrestling world for decades, head coach Vic Balmeceda and his impressive team, coaches and fans have company this year. In fact Mick Arteaga and the Southwest Miami Eagles have indeed soared to a rare regional title – and this year so far – have shown they have what it takes to give South Dade a major run at that 3A state title, which the Bucs have had a lease on for a better part of a decade.
Wrestling has always been competitive in south Florida. The athletes, coaches and never-ending quest to be the best has indeed turned out to be the reason that Miami-Dade and Broward Counties return with more hardware than any area in Florida – hands down.
South Floridians are wired differently. They are taught that if you want out, you need to work hard to achieve it. The athletes in the 305 and 954 do not back down – and that is exactly why this weekend promises to be special.
Nineteen time state champion South Dade, Southwest Miami, Miami Christopher Columbus, Doral Academy, Weston Cypress Bay and several other south Florida programs are set to take center stage.
Operating under the strictest safety guidelines to protect against Covid, the event will operate with less fans, but it will not dampen what is expected to be one of the best team races in years at the 3A level.
South Dade is still dangerous – even losing so many gifted performers the past two years, and they are still in the mix for yet another team title this year.
SOUTHRIDGE ROLLS TO REGIONAL TITLE
While everyone will be watching the 3A, Miami Southridge turned in one of its best performances in bringing home the 2A-4 Region at Archbishop McCarthy.
The Spartans (207.4) finished ahead of St. Thomas Aquinas (140), Hialeah Miami Lakes (98.5), Miami Killian (98) and the host Mavericks, who finished with 74.5.
SOMERSET STANDS ALONE AS REGION CHAMPS
For head coach Joe Blasucci and his Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy team, it was a sweet weekend in Jensen Beach as they rolled to the 1A-4 Region crown.
In scoring 243.5 points, Somerset held off area programs Mater Lakes (175.5), Cardinal Gibbons (159), Key West (68), American Heritage Plantation (48.5) and Coral Springs Charter (40.5).
This year, Miami-Dade and Broward once again combined to bring 114 to Friday morning’s weigh-ins.
Here is a look at those competing from south Florida:
HEADED TO STATE
106
Luis Acevedo, Fr., 33-11, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Christian Fretwell, 8th, 42-4, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Jasmine Godinez, Sr., 13-5, Hialeah Miami Lakes, 2A
Christian Guzman, Jr., 39-2, Christopher Columbus, 3A
Frederick Mitchum, Fr., 11-6, Miami Southridge, 2A
Andrew Punzalan, So., 41-6, Cypress Bay, 3A
Gabriel Tellez, Fr., 32-7, Southwest Miami, 3A
Peyton Vargas, Jr., 13-3, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A
Christian Vasquez, Fr., 22-1, Miami Kilian, 2A
113
Johan Castano, Sr., 15-3, Miami Killian, 2A
Dylan Garcia, Jr., 33-7, Mater Lakes
Anthony Madriz, Sr., 19-6, Coral Reef, 3A
Julian Montero, So., 18-11, Doral Academy, 3A
Adrian Morales, Jr., 49-3, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Kevin Placer, Jr., 36-8, Southwest Miami, 3A
Matthew Velasco, So., 36-8, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Nicholas Yancy, So., 20-0, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A
120
Alexander Exalent, Jr., 16-2, North Miami, 3A
Corey Gallivan, 22-3, So., Miami Palmetto, 3A
Jose Gutierrez, 29-9, 8th, Doral Academy, 3A
Daniel Martinez, 10-0, So., Southwest Miami, 3A
Matthew Palermo, Jr., 16-4, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A
Elvis Solis, 8th, 30-2, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Jaden Villalobos, Sr., 36-3, SW Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, 2A
126
Luis Arboleda, So, 14-5, Mater Lakes, 1A
Misha Arbos, So., 29-13, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Nicholas Dukes, Jr., 13-6, Miami Southridge, 2A
Robert Dusendang, Sr., 37-3, Southwest Miami, 3A
Raymond Greene, Jr., 25-13, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Aaron Lanster, So., 22-2, Miami Beach, 3A
Jerry Molina, Jr., 25-8, Miami Dr, Krop, 3A
Michael Zunino, Sr., 15-4, Hialeah-Miami Lakes, 2A
132
Gavin Balmeceda, Fr., 42-13, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Luis Bellon, 8th, 21-6, Mater Lakes, 1A
James Berline, 32-6, Fort Lauderdale, 2A
Gavin Buck, Sr., 23-6, Miami Christopher Columbus, 3A
Skyler Caban, Sr., 18-2, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Sebastian Melguido, Sr., 39-3, Southwest Miami, 3A
Enrique Sanchez, Jr., 33-9, Doral Academy, 3A
138
Tyler Cabral, Sr., 20-1, Cardinal Gibbons, Sr., 1A
Alex Couto, Jr., 47-5, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Manuel Dominguez, Jr., 11-9, Miami Belen Jesuit, 2A
Chase Gillis, Sr., 37-6, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Connor Ivory, Jr., 39-5, Cypress Bay, 3A
Frank Lopez, Sr., 21-3, Miami Braddock, 3A
Frank Messina, Sr., 26-2, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2A
Favian Oliva, Jr., 32-14, Southwest Miami, 3A
145
Lucas Amaya, So., 11-8, Miami Belen Jesuit, 2A
Ethan Ardavin, Jr., 13-4, Miami Westminster Christian, 1A
Daniel Quiroz Cerceda, Sr., 34-5, SW Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, 2A
Bas Diaz, 8th, 13-2, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Rafael Diniz, Jr., 39-3, Cypress Bay, 3A
Lester Martinez, So., 22-9, Southwest Miami, 3A
Dylan Mira, Sr., 24-5, Miami Christopher Columbus, 3A
Julian Mayorga, So., 17-5, Miami Southridge, 2A
Adrian Neco, Sr., 40-4, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Benjamin Rogers, Jr., 5-1, Mater Lakes, 1A
152
Zaiden Bucknor, Jr., 30-6, Fort Lauderdale, 2A
Darian Estevez, Sr., 38-1, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Jaiden Forbes, Jr., 24-5, Miami Beach, 3A
Robert Limperis, Jr., 15-7, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A
Adrian Ochoa, So., 34-18, Southwest Miami, 3A
Erik Rodriguez, Sr., 38-2, Cypress Bay, 3A
Cordell White, So., 34-4, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Cyrus Williams, Sr., 17-1, Miami Southridge, 2A
160
Keith Crouse, Sr., 45-12, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Rocco Dascoli, Jr., 32-12, Miami Christopher Columbus, 3A
Skyler Hall, Sr., 20-6, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2A
Kendrick Hodge, Fr., 6-3, Coral Gables, 3A
Daniel Korchensky, Jr., 13-3, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A
Brandon Moreno, Sr., 43-8, Southwest Miami, 3A
Terrell Taylor, Sr., 26-0, Coral Springs Charter, 2A
170
Johan Budel, Sr., 19-9, Coral Gables, 3A
Danny Diaz, So, 5-2, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Quinton Johnson, Jr., 22-5, Miami Southridge, 2A
Achilles Rocha, 8th, 32-4, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Nicolas Rodriguez, Fr., 17-8, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2A
Joshua Swan, Sr., 49-3, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Guy Toussaint, Sr., 18-8, Miami Christopher Columbus, 3A
Gabriel Vilchez, Sr., 34-11, 3A
182
Ansel Cervantes, So., 35-12, Southwest Miami, 3A
Sean Concepcion, Sr., 36-5, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Matthew Cruanes, Sr., 17-9, Mater Lakes, 1A
Gian Espinal, Sr., 16-1, Hialeah-Miami Lakes, 2A
Joshua Marquez, Sr., 25-6, Miami Christopher Columbus, 3A
George Montero, Sr., 22-10, Miami Coral Reef, 3A
Michael Moss. Sr., 25-0, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2A
Creig Silimon, Sr., 45-6, Homestead South Dade, 3A
195
Richard Alexander, So., 20-13, Miami Palmetto, 3A
Sawyer Bartelt, Fr., 31-0, Homestead South Dade, 3A
Jaeden Kinlock, Jr., 22-2, Plantation American Heritage, 1A
Zach Lewicki, Jr., 39-9, Key West, 1A
Jeremiah Mauras, Sr., 29-7, Southwest Miami, 3A
Joshua Oyeneye, Sr., 34-6, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
Zideen Ruiz, Sr., 16-1, Hialeah-Miami Lakes, 2A
Daniel Van Arman, Sr., 30-12, Miami, 3A Christopher Columbus, 3A
220
Jared Campbell, Jr., 38-5, Cypress Bay, 3A
Christian Llauger, Sr., 13-0, Miami Coral Reef, 3A
Brandon Marrero, So., 16-10, Mater Lakes, 1A
Dedric Marshall, Sr., 24-2, Miami Southridge, 2A
Imari Milton, Jr., 16-3, Miramar, 3A
Edensky Phele, Sr., 10-2, North Miami, 3A
Alexys Rodriguez, Sr., 22-7, Miami Killian, 2A
Max Ryan, Sr., 33-7, Key West, 1A
285
Jertavis Black, Sr., 17-2, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A
Derrick Hart, So., 24-3, Miami Christopher Columbus, 3A
Matthew Jimenez, Jr., 38-4, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 1A
River Cutino Lyda, Jr., 21-9, Key West, 1A
Gregory Perrilouis, Sr., 15-5, North Miami, 3A
Marcello Rosario, So., 24-5, Miami Southridge, 2A
Adrian Sans, Jr., 40-8, Southwest Miami, 3A
Ethan Vergara, Jr., 31-3, Mater Lakes
Julius Weaver, Jr., 15-8, Miami Dr. Krop, 3A
2021 RETURNING FLORIDA STATE CHAMPION INFORMATION
Going for 5th State Championship
2A-160 LUCAS WILLIS, PUNTA GORDA CHARLOTTE 2018, 2019, 2020, PEMBROKE PINES SOMERSET ACADEMY 2017;
Going for 4th State Championship
1A-170 JONATHAN CONRAD, TAMPA CARROLLWOOD DAY SCHOOL, 2018, 2019, 2020;
Going for 3rd State Championship
2A-126 BRADEN BASILE, TAMPA JESUIT, 2019, 2020;
2A-138 TOM CROOK, TAMPA JESUIT 2019, 2020;
Going for 2nd State Championship
3A-120 NOAH WADLE, BRADENTON MANATEE 2019;
3A-120 COOPER HAASE, KISSIMMEE OSCEOLA 2020;
3A-120 DANNY MARTINEZ, SOUTHWEST MIAMI 2020;
3A-132 SEBASTIAN MELGUIZO, SOUTHWEST MIAMI 2020;
3A-138 ALEX COUTO, HOMESTEAD SOUTH DADE 2020;
3A-138 JAEKUS HINES, KISSIMMEE OSCEOLA 2020;
3A-145 JARED DINH, FORT MYERS RIVERDALE 2020;
3A-170 JOSHUA SWAN, HOMESTEAD SOUTH DADE 2020;
3A-182 TYLYNN LUKENS, BRADENTON MANATEE 2020;
2A-126 ANDREW AUSTIN, PUNTA GORDA CHARLOTTE 2020;
2A-138 ETHAN MOJENA, CLEARWATER COUNTRYSIDE, TAMPA PREP 2020;
2A-152 BRENDON ABDON, LAKELAND LAKE GIBSON 2020;
1A-132 SKYLER CABAN, PEMBROKE PINES SOMERSET ACADEMY, 2019;
1A-145 BAS DIAZ, PEMBROKE PINES SOMERSET ACADEMY 2020;
1A-182 SEAN CONCEPCION, PEMBROKE PINES SOMERSET ACADEMY 2020;
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
3A - Going for 20 OVERALL AND 11TH IBT IN A ROW – Homestead South Dade
2A - Going for 7 OVERALL AND 4TH IBT IN A ROW - Lakeland Lake Gibson;
JOHN LAWTON
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