THE EAGLES FILE

Parkland Douglas

Head Coach: Quentin Short

2021 Record: 6-4

THE SCOOP

Throughout the next few months, we will shine a spotlight on Miami-Dade and Broward County high school teams, giving you prospects to keep an eye on.

Today, we start things off with a look at Parkland Douglas. Here is a program that advanced to the state playoffs in 2021, and while a few players have moved on, the development continues – as several returning prospects are back.

Here is a look at the Class of 2023 and 2024 student/athletes to keep an eye on:

2023

Traejon Roberts (S, 6-1, 180 – 3.7 GPA)

Brock Moskowitz (DL, 5-10, 255 – 3.8 GPA, 1280 SAT)

Jacob Hunter (DL, 5-11, 245 – 3.94 GPA)

Tucker Jean (TE/DE, 6-1, 210 – 3.72 GPA)

Gabriel Lenamon (LB, 5-10, 215 – 3.56 GPA)

Justin Spano (RB, 5-8, 180 – 2.8 GPA)

Justin Valentine (DL, 6-3, 225 – 3.2 GPA)

Colin Keough (LB, 6-0, 200 – 3.3 GPA)

2024

Ryan Spallina (QB, 6-1, 185 – 4.0 GPA)

Hunter Rose (QB, 6-0, 155 – 3.5 GPA)

Maddox Haase (DB/WR, 5-5, 135 – 2.7 GPA)

Jackson Norkunas (DB, 5-8, 135 – 2.7 GPA)

Jacob Jones (DE, 5-10, 225 – 2.6 GPA)

Clayton Cannon (WR, 5-7, 150 – 3.32 GPA)

Ryan Cruz (DL, 6-2, 210 – 4.0 GPA)

John Gruber (OL, 6-5, 230 – 4.0 GPA)

For the past 52 years, we have spent plenty of time on football fields than anyone in the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we get to as many events as possible to see the athletes LIVE. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein) Instagram (@OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@larryblustein). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Once again, the months of hard work and dedication to the sport of wrestling will pay off for 106 Miami-Dade and Broward County high school standouts as the state tournament will be held.

The Silver Spurs Arena will welcome schools and fans to Kissimmee for three days, starting today at 1:30, Friday morning and running through Saturday night.

Some of Florida’s best will have the chance to battle for team (1A, 2A, 3A) titles as well as individual crowns, and south Florida will be right in the mix – in all classes.

In addition, the girls will also be in the spotlight sharing the state as well.

While South Dade is expected to get plenty of competition in 3A, head coach Vic Balmeceda and his team will be looking for a 17th team title and come in loaded with talent – led by unbeaten sophomore Sawyer Bartelt, who finished second two years ago at Doral Academy as an 8th grader and won the state title as a freshman at South Dade. Bartelt won the regionals last weekend.

Speaking of last weekend, South Dade was tied by rival Southwest Miami and head coach Mick Arteaga, who also head to Kissimmee with plenty of quality talent and confidence.

SOUTHRIDGE, ST. THOMAS AND NORTH MIAMI IN 2A
With so much talent and quality at the 2A level, winning a state title will be nearly impossible, but Miami Southridge (3rd place), Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas (5th) and North Miami (7th) have talent to win individual state titles.

Besides Bartelt, North Miami’s Alexander Exalant (126) heads to the opening round unbeaten and is expected to lead a large 2A group that can make some noise.

CAN SOMERSET REPEAT IN 1A
After taking home the school’s first ever state wrestling title last year, head coach Joe Blasucci and his Pembroke Pines Somerset team will be tested in 1A this season.

After finishing third in last week’s regionals, the work will be cut out – with Jensen Beach, impressive Mater Lakes and Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons all having enough talent to make a push at a state crown.

BOYS HEADED TO STATE
106
Lincoln Sledzianowski (Somerset Academy - 38-3, 8th, 1A), Vincent Biondoletti (Coral Shores - 30-5, Sr, 1A), Kellen Mesina (Mater Lakes - 32-11, 8th, 1A), Fredrick Mitchum (Miami Southridge - 25-4, So, 2A), Jake Avarello (St. Thomas Aquinas - 33-4, Fr, 2A), Gabriel Tellez (Southwest Miami - 42-2, So., 3A, Christian Vazquez (Doral Academy - 33-4, So, 3A, Andrew Punzalan (Cypress Bay) 62-3, Jr, 3A and Dylan Lopez (Braddock - 21-13, Fr, 3A.

113
Peyton Vargas (Cardinal Gibbons - 38-5, Sr, 1A), Matthew Velasco (Somerset Academy - 36-6, Jr, 1A), Anthony O`Dell (Mater Lakes- 41-8, Fr, 1A), Javin Cephus (Miami Norland - 14-4, Jr, 2A), Kevin Placer (Southwest Miami - 39-7, Sr, 3A), Luis Acevedo (South Dade - 26-5, So., 3A), Jordan Escarra (Cypress Bay - 19-1, Jr, 3A) and David de Armas (Doral Academy - 39-19, Fr, 3A.

120
Ethan Tran (Mater Lakes - 20-4, 7th, 1A), Jonathan Hudson (Cardinal Gibbons - 33-3, Jr, 1A), Raymond Greene (Somerset Academy - 39-13, Sr, 1A), Gregory Mendez (Mater Academy - 28-5, So, 2A), Christian Guzman (Columbus - 57-3, Sr, 3A), Ryan Cominsky (Southwest Miami - 33-15, Jr, 3A), Alejandro Rodriguez (Miami Beach - 30-7, So, 3A) and Trishian Gay (Miramar - 35-13, Sr, 3A).

126
Nicholas Yancey (Cardinal Gibbons - 36-0, Jr, 1A), Tristan Sainz (Somerset Academy - 29-7, 8th, 1A), Malikai Badillo (Mater Lakes - 30-11, So, 1A), Alexander Exalant (North Miami - 34-0, Sr, 2A), Julian Montero (Doral Academy - 31-5, Jr, 3A), Joshua Aviles (South Dade - 26-6, So, 3A), Jaime Rodriguez (Columbus - 48-10, Jr, 3A) and Cameron Gallivan (Miami Palmetto - 44-16, So, 3A).

132
Dylan Garcia (Mater Lakes - 21-6, Sr, 1A), (Dec 2-1), Kevin Concepcion (Somerset Academy - 38-12, Jr, 1A), Elvis Solis (South Dade - 25-1, Fr, 3A), Michael Lynne (Columbus - 27-10, Sr, 3A), Aaron Lanster (Miami Beach - 32-3, Jr, 3A) and Favian Oliva (Southwest Miami - 26-12, Sr, 3A).

138
Rashad Hannon (Somerset Academy - 36-11, Sr, 1A), Nicholas Dukes (Miami Southridge - 17-4, Sr, 2A), Danny Martinez (Southwest Miami -10-3, Jr, 3A), Misha Arbos (South Dade - 37-6, Jr, 3A), Enrique Sanchez (Doral Academy - 47-9, Sr, 3A) and Sebastian Deara (Ferguson - 29-9, Sr, 3A).

145
Azakin Sejour (Mater Lakes - 20-5, Sr, 1A), Michael Sainz (Somerset Academy - 19-7, Fr, 1A) (Dec 3-1), Michael Alvarez (Miami Killian - 45-5, Sr, 1A), Julian Mayorga (Miami Southridge - 31-5, Jr, 2A), Ethan Wigutow (St. Thomas Aquinas - 37-9, Sr, 2A), Gavin Balmeceda (South Dade - 41-7, So, 3A), Lester Martinez (Southwest Miami - 20-4, Jr, 3A), Julian Rocha (Braddock - 32-7, Sr, 3A) and Rafael Diniz (Cypress Bay - 60-4, Sr, 3A).

152
Robert Limperis (Cardinal Gibbons - 34-7, Sr, 1A), Luis Bellon (Somerset Academy - 18-7, Fr, 1A), Yainiel Reina (Miami Southridge - 26-8, Jr, 2A), Alexander Couto (South Dade - 39-6, Sr, 3A), Adrian Ochoa (Southwest Miami - 44-4, Jr, 3A), Zach Weidler (Cypress Bay - 63-3, Jr, 3A) and Van Huffman (Columbus - 29-7, Sr, 3A).

160
Kendrick Hodge (Somerset Academy - 38-6, So, 1A), Danil Korochenskiy (Cardinal Gibbons - 36-1, Sr, 1A), Eric Hodge (Mater Lakes - 35-15, Fr, 1A), Lawrence Rosario (Miami Southridge - 32-8, Jr, 2A), Darian Torres (Belen Jesuit - 36-10, Jr, 2A), Gerson Alette (North Miami - 32-17, So, 2A), Cordell White (South Dade - 45-4, Jr, 3A), Danny Diaz (Southwest Miami - 35-7, Jr, 3A), Ronald Butler (Miami Palmetto - 50-16, Jr, 3A) and Zaiden Bucknor (Fort Lauderdale - 39-8, Sr, 3A).

170
Richard Tauriello (Cardinal Gibbons - 37-8, Jr, 1A, Leandro Chinea (Mater Academy - 19-11, Jr, 2A), Diogo Ramos Padlilha (Western - 7-0, Sr, 3A), Jaiden Forbes (Miami Beach - 36-3, Sr, 3A), Armando Cardona (Miami Palmetto - 53-11, Sr, 3A) and Raudel Leon (Goleman - 36-8, Sr, 3A).

182
Michael Mocco (Coral Springs Charter - 42-2, 8th, 1A), Nicolas Rodriguez (St. Thomas Aquinas - 15-2, So, 2A), Franklyn Fernandez (Southwest Miami - 26-8, Jr, 3A), Christopher Sanchez (South Dade - 43-10, So, 3A), Bengaly Kone (Cooper City - 33-8, Sr, 3A) and Lucca Cabral (Goleman - 34-8, Jr, 3A).

195
Roberto Montero (Miami Sunset - 22-5, Sr, 1A), Ansel Cervantes (South Dade - 30-1, Jr, 3A), Richard Alexander (Miami Palmetto -11-2, Jr, 3A), TJ Brown (Columbus - 49-13, Sr, 3A) and Marco Flores (Coral Springs - 20-5, Sr., 3A).

220
Ruben Estrada (Miami Sunset - 25-1, Sr), Damian Soto (Mater Lakes - 38-7, Fr, 1A), Grant Cooper (Cardinal Gibbons - 36-5, Jr, 1A), Jaeden Kinlock (American Heritage (Plantation - 19-1, Sr, 2A, Michael Metayer (North Miami - 28-10, Sr, 2A), Sawyer Bartelt (South Dade - 27-0, So, 3A), Jonathan Fraga (Southwest Miami - 45-7, Jr, 3A), Imari Milton (Miramar - 30-6, Sr, 3A) and Carlos Masis (Goleman - 37-12, Sr, 3A).

285
Ethan Vergara (Mater Lakes - 40-1, Sr, 1A, Matthew Jimenez (Somerset Academy - 44-3, Sr, 1A), Woodens Pierrelouis (North Miami - 16-4, Sr, 2A, Riccardi Joseph (St. Thomas Aquinas - 25-4, Sr, 2A), Adrian Sans (Southwest Miami - 45-5, Sr, 3A), Julius Weaver (Dr. Krop - 30-5, Sr, 3A), Gozie Mosi (Cypress Bay - 60-4, Jr, 3A) and Derrick Hart (Columbus - 41-11, Jr, 3A).

THE GIRLS SHARE THE SPOTLIGHT
Back in September, the Florida High School Athletic Association voted on a series of changes, including the creation of a state wrestling tournament for girls.

The creation of a separate, standalone girls individual bracket tournament will allow female grapplers a chance to compete against other girls. And that is a long time in the making.

Previously, girls wrestlers had to compete in the boys state tournament or at a third-party, girls-only season-ending tournament that wasn’t affiliated with the FHSAA.

This season is the first in which girls wrestling is a sanctioned sport by the FHSAA.

Coaches and athletes described this first year as a welcome one but not without some expected obstacles.

More than 30 states have established high school girls wrestling programs. In 2020, the FHSAA voted unanimously to recognize the sport starting in the 2021-22 season.

There have been some bumps along the road in the first girls wrestling season, though it’s not entirely unexpected.
Ultimately, true equity in the sport might be in the distance, but Florida is taking its first step in that direction this year.

As the sport grows more media coverage will follow!

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTH DADE WRESTLING

 Miami - On Sunday, the 2022 Under Armour Next Football Camp Series kicked off at Ives Estate Park in Miami, where the region’s best high school football players had the opportunity to hone their on-field skills and earn a coveted bid to the 2023 Under Armour Next All-America Game. 

Each player took part in a series of optional athletic measurement stations, then competed in individual and head-to-head drills against other top athletes at their respective positions. At the completion of the camp, the following upperclassmen received an invitation to the 2023 Under Armour All-America Game:

2023 Under Armour Next All-America Game Invitees (Position, Player, HS, State):

DL Derrick LeBlanc (Osceloa, Fla.)

OL Payton Kirkland (Dr. Phillips, Fla.)

WR Eugene Wilson (Gaither, Fla.)

WR Kelton Henderson (Lehigh, Fla.)

WR William Fowles (Dade Christian, Fla.)

2023 Under Armour Next All-America Game Commitments That Appeared at the Camp (Position, Player, HS, State):

DB Dijon Johnson (Wharton School, Fla.)

RB JaVin Simpkins (Miami Norland, Fla.)

DL John Walker (Osceola, Fla.)

DB Elliott Washington (Venice, Fla.)

RB Richard Young (Lehigh, Fla.)

The following underclassman earned an invitation to the 2023 Under Armour Next Future 50 Camp after participating in the same optional athletic drills:

2023 Future 50 Invitees (Position, Player, HS, State):

WR Jeremiah Smith (Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Fla.)

Other players recognized following their performances at Sunday’s camp include:

DL Big Man Challenge Winner

Wilky Denaud (John Carroll)

OL Big Man Challenge Winner

Roderick Kearney (Orange Park)

Running Back MVP

Tovani Mizell (Cardinal Newman)

Linebacker MVP

Rodney Hill (Flagler Palm Coast)

Wide Receiver MVP

William Fowles (Dade Christian)

Defensive Back MVP

Ryan Mack (Saint Thomas Aquinas)

The Under Armour Next Football Camp Series, created in partnership with Intersport and 3STEP Sports, stresses the importance of skill development above all else, and focuses on various athletic measurements including the 40-yard dash, pro agility and the vertical jump.

For additional information on the Under Armour Next Football Camp Series and the All-America Game, please visit www.underarmournext.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNDER ARMOUR

It has been a crazy six weeks to say the least – and while I have been down and out – I am aimed toward recovering from a serious health episode that has completely shut me down.

For those who know me, and have followed what I have done for the past 51 years, Covid, Pneumonia and several other serious health issues have certainly put things into perspective.

But with that said, I plan to make a full recovery and get back where I belong – with all of you. In order to do that, there is still a long road back, but one that I embrace every day.

I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, EVERYONE who has prayed and supported me at this tough time and it’s because of you that I am fighting harder every day during this rehabilitation to return as a friend and as an ongoing source for high school sports coverage.

Because my phone was compromised during the past six weeks and it is tough for me to address it right now, if you need to get messages to me, I have been able to check my e-mail account at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I just wanted to bring you up to date on where I am in this recovery period, and once again, cannot express how everything you have done for me has worked and continues to lift me up during the toughest period in my life.

Love you all and PRAYER WORKS!!!!

Just to let you know – I am vaccinated three times for Covid, Pneumonia and Influenza – so I am NOT Superman, after all!!!!!!!

Larry Blustein