Meet the 2022-23 Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns All-Area high school boys wrestling team
Six schools in the Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns region featured top-eight placers at the state tournament earlier this month. Overall, 13 local wrestlers placed, two were runners-up and one — Bartram Trail’s Ethan Vugman — won an individual state championship.
As for the team standings, two area programs ranked in the top 12 in their respective classes. Bartram Trail took 12th in Class 3A, and New Smyrna Beach ascended to the same spot in 2A.
Combine all of that with a dozen other state qualifiers and some standout regional performances, and it makes for a fun season and an All-Area list full of talent.
GIRLS WRESTLING: Meet the 2022-23 Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns All-Area team
BOYS VOLLEYBALL: Win over Lake Mary rockets Spruce Creek to fast start
The 12 nominees of the Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns All-Area Boys Wrestling Team are up for Wrestler of the Year. The winner will be announced at the 2023 Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns High School Sports Awards June 6 at the Ocean Center Arena. The show is produced with support from Halifax Health.
During the live show, these nominees will be honored, and the Boys Wrestler of the Year will be selected. All official nominees can receive a free ticket. More details about the program are coming soon.
Let's meet the nominees:
Nominees
Shane Armstrong, Bartram Trail (220 pounds): Armstrong finished with a 34-10 record and placed sixth at states.
Jonathan Bruner, New Smyrna Beach (132): Bruner grabbed eighth at the state tournament and tallied a 39-10 record.
Kole Hannant, Flagler Palm Coast (132): As a senior, Hannant went 46-10 and nabbed seventh at the state championship.
Kevin Kerns, Deltona (132): Kerns capped his high school career as a state runner-up and with a 38-10 record.
Timothy McLean, Matanzas (106): With a 46-9 record, McLean notched a fifth-place finish at states.
John McNames, Bartram Trail (182): McNames took seventh at the state tournament, capping his 48-7 campaign.
Dylan Parkinson, Matanzas (152): Parkinson tallied an eighth-place finish at the state tournament and went 44-10.
Dalton Schell, Flagler Palm Coast (195): Schell went 44-10 and placed eighth at the state tournament.
MJ Smokes, DeLand (285): The junior grabbed fifth place at states with a 46-7 record.
Sawyer Vanrider, New Smyrna Beach (182): Vanrider had a 49-9 record and placed fifth at the state tournament.
Ethan Vugman, Bartram Trail (126): After placing as a state runner-up as a junior, Vugman clinched a state championship with a 2-1 decision as a senior. He went 58-1 and also won a regional title.
Dylon York, New Smyrna Beach (220): York was a state runner-up with a 42-6 record.
Other Athletes of Note
Tyler Bracero, DeLand (113): Bracero took third at regionals to qualify for the state tournament. He closed the year 37-14.
Kellen Chapman, DeLand (138): Chapman had a 39-18 record and qualified for the state tournament by slotting second at regionals.
Mathias Franz, DeLand (152): Franz put up a 48-13 record and qualified for the state tournament with a third-place finish at regionals.
Johnny Hald, Flagler Palm Coast (138): With a fourth-place finish at regionals, Hald qualified for the state tournament. He went 40-12 overall.
Kelton Howard, Flagler Palm Coast (160): Howard qualified for the state tournament with a third-place regional finish and ended with a 39-11 record.
Derek King, New Smyrna Beach (195): King finished 27-9 and took seventh at the state tournament.
Phoenix Krauth, DeLand (120): Krauth won a regional championship, which qualified him for the state tournament. His overall record: 32-10.
Alexavier Panganiban, Creekside (106): Panganiban earned a regional championship, booking his spot in the state tournament. His final record was 34-7.
Alan Rivera, Nease (170): Rivera claimed a regional title and qualified for the state tournament. He was 26-5.
Gavin Rodriguez-Cayro, DeLand (182): Rodriguez-Cayro qualified for states by placing second at regionals and finished 43-16.
Aidan Sutton, New Smyrna Beach (138): Sutton notched a 34-13 record and qualified for the state tournament by taking third at regionals.
Landon Wright, Matanzas (160): Wright qualified for the state tournament, ranking fourth at regionals. He notched a 34-17 record.
Top Coach
Isaac Bernard, New Smyrna Beach: In Bernard’s first year as head coach, the Barracudas finished 12th in Class 2A at the state tournament. They scored the most points of any area program at the meet with 48. Five Barracudas qualified for states and four placed.
Honorable Mention
Bartram Trail: Carmen Dibella, Jacob George, Grady Hutchinson, Preston Pena
Beachside: Eddie Craig, Oliver Hayden, Makai Mitchell, Grady Smith
Creekside: Cole Anderson, Santiago Carrion, Stephan Carrion, Tristen Darling, Colton Leavell, Justin Umali, Conner Wright
DeLand: Grady Bryant, Zane Canada, Joshua Folsom, Peyton Senez
Deltona: Nathan Hatch, Kyle Yasses
Flagler Palm Coast: Brandon Calidonio, Josh Davis, Hayden Herndon, Ethaniel Laupepa
New Smyrna Beach: Merrick Miller
Mainland: Sam Ayodele, Brian Harris
Matanzas: Kaden Golder
Menendez: Bryce Alli, Archer Bosick, Liam Molloy
Nease: Jacob Lutz, Parker Stamschror
Ponte Vedra: Talan Babin
Seabreeze: William Sites
St. Augustine: Brenner Logan
Tocoi Creek: Jason Callahan, Mark Coniker, Willie Sims
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Boys wrestling: 2022-23 Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns All-Area team
