Golden Bears and Eagle Empire wrestling win AAU national duals. Plus more summer wrestling
The Golden Bears Wrestling Club made history by winning its first AAU National Duals.
The Golden Bears feature Mater Lakes Academy wrestlers. They went 9-0 to become the AAU Community 2 National Champions at the 2023 AAU Scholastic Duals at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
They defeated St. Francis De Salles (Columbus, Ohio) in the semifinals and Social Circle (Georgia) in the finals. They also scored a big win over defending champ Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines.
Earning All American honors: Boys: Keagan Mesina, Kellen Mesina, Ethan Tran, Anthony O’Dell, Malikai Badillo, Emanuel Celestin (MVP), Reid Noble, Kalias Nazario, Eric Hodge, Calogero Mazzrillo, Lawrence Rosario, Damian Soto, Marcelo Rosario. Girls: Sofia Ferran, Arianna Ruiz, Alena Rik.
Brandon Neifeld and JD Ramsey coached the champs in a field of nearly 50 teams. Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines placed seventh.
Also during the three-day tournament, Eagle Empire Wrestling Club won the AAU Community 1 National Championship. Eagle Empire consists of Southwest HS wrestlers.
Led by coach Mick Arteaga, Eagle Empire went 10-0, and Myron Mendez was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. After losing to an opponent two weeks prior, Mendez avenged the loss by pinning him at national duals.
Earning All American honors: Gabriel Tellez (10-0), Danny Martinez (10-0), Lester Martinez (10-0), Adrian Ochoa (10-0), Lucas Barrios (6-0).
Of note, Kollin Weaver, Franklyn Ordonez and Myron Mendez each went 9-1. Joshua Sanchez was 6-1 and Cane Fernandez 4-1. Aaron Lanster and Evangelo Mercado were 8-2 each and Stefano Garcia 5-2. Jonathan Fraga was 7-3.
Community 1 is for large schools, and Community 2 is the small schools division.
Somerset wrestling
Wrestler Matthew Velasco, a 2023 Somerset-Pembroke Pines graduate, committed to NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Velasco, who was a state runner-up at 126 pounds, went 47-7 his senior season for the Panthers. He was named to the Miami Herald All-Broward first team.
More wrestling
Franklin Ordonez-Fernandez of Miami was named to the Junior Men’s Greco-Roman National Duals All Tournament Team.
The team was announced based on results from the Junior National Duals in Greco-Roman in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Ordonez-Fernandez went 8-0 in the 182-pound division to earn the honor. Not only Miami, but he also reps Eagle Empire Wrestling Club and Southwest HS.
A recent graduate, he won a state title for Southwest as a senior at 182 pounds. He went 46-11 and was named Miami Herald All-Dade first team.
Bonus wrestling
Cardinal Gibbons HS wrestling coach Jamal Morris will represent Team USA at the 2nd ANOC World Beach Wrestling Games in August in Bali.
Morris competed in the Kraken Beach Championships in Iowa where he went 3-0 to finish first.
Morris is a two-time beach national champion and three-time beach world team member.
He wrestled for Cardinal Gibbons, winning state three times, before embarking on a very good collegiate wrestling career at North Carolina State.
His twin brother, Jamel, also an accomplished amateur wrestler, coaches with him at Gibbons.
Submit summer sports info
For coaches and teams in Broward and Miami-Dade, if you have high school level athletes competing in summer leagues, events and programs, email hssports@miamiherald.com.
They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. Send after the game, the next day or weekly. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
