STATE WRESTLING: Matanzas captures girls team championship, two locals win individual titles

KISSIMMEE — Early Saturday afternoon, maybe even earlier than expected, Mike Fries got to tell his Matanzas Pirates the good news. He went to each of them on the floor of Silver Spurs Arena and repeated the same message.

“You’re a state champ.”

“You’re a state champ.”

“You’re a state champ.”

It was still the consolation rounds of the state wrestling tournament, but the Pirates had already mathematically locked up the girls team championship. When the final scores were solidified Saturday evening after title bouts, Matanzas topped the leaderboard with 124 points. Second-place Freedom (Orlando) had 107.

The team title is the first in Matanzas High School history.

“There is no feeling like accomplishing your goals,” Fries said.

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Overall, the Pirates brought 10 girls, and seven of them placed, highlighted by sophomore Kendall Bibla earning the individual crown at 145 pounds. The others:

• Christina Borgmann placed second at 120.

• Brielle Bibla placed second at 130.

• Mariah Mills placed third at 110.

• Tiana Fries placed fifth at 125.

• Ani Brown placed sixth at 235.

• Brooklyn Watt placed seventh at 170.

“I’m so happy with that,” Kendall Bibla said.

Fries joined Matanzas last year after the Florida High School Athletic Association officially sponsored girls wrestling. He helped kickstart the Pirates’ program with what he calls "the dream team" of coaches, TJ Gillin and Jeremiah Marschka.

Fries recruited the roster by hitting the hallways in between classes.

For example, he begged Borgmann to try the sport after seeing her run laps around a group of ROTC boys on a track. At first, she declined. He pleaded with her to give it a two-week trial. She rejected the idea again. Finally, she agreed to a week and, after two days, fell in love with it. A year later, she competed in the state finals.

Since Fries got them into the building, they've accomplished a lot. The Pirates took third at the 2022 state meet and obtained district and regional championships this season. A state championship was the goal from the beginning.

And Matanzas is young. Fries’ squad will lose only two seniors to graduation this spring.

“They’ve bought into my system, and they understand that I love them,” the coach said. “They love me, I think. Most of the time. Now, we’re here with three state finalists, a state champ, and everyone of my girls is a state champ today because of the work they put in. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Bartram Trail senior Ethan Vugman cliches 126-pound championship

Ethan Vugman replayed the video maybe 100 times last week.

At the state championships last March, he advanced to the 120-pound finals against Steinbrenner’s Colin Bradshaw and lost. He watched the match hundreds of times in the 12 months since, reaching a crescendo in the last few days.

“All year, I’ve been training three times a day just working for this one match,” the Bartram Trail senior said. “I knew I was going to be in the finals.”

He was in the 126-pound finals Saturday and, again, drew Bradshaw as his opponent. This time, his studying paid off. Vugman claimed his first state title in his final high school wrestling match, winning a 2-1 decision.

“This time, I didn’t force anything,” he said. “I was ready for the moment, knew what was coming and capitalized.”

After last year, Vugman focused his training around the neutral position, cleaning up his stance and footwork. He felt that’s where his mistakes came against Bradshaw a year ago.

He breezed through the regular season and then captured district and regional championships. He won his first three matches at the state tournament by fall before taking the title via decision. Both his points against Bradshaw came in the second period.

After the third-period clock hit zero, Vugman pumped his fist in the air, hugged his opponent and pointed to his family in the stands. He embraced his coaches, and with a smile on his face, ran toward the crowd.

He finished the year 58-1.

“If you have a goal in mind,” Vugman said, “work hard and anything is possible.”

Matanzas’ Kendall Bibla notches revenge win for 145-pound title

Before Kendall Bibla’s first state tournament match, Mike Fries looked into her eyes and noticed how calm she was.

“She was like a sailboat on a calm pond,” Fries said.

Bibla won by fall in 33 seconds.

Second round, same thing. Fries stared into the Matanzas sophomore’s eyes and gave her a pep talk. Relaxed as can be.

Bibla pinned her next opponent in 32 seconds.

“After the second match, I just told her to keep doing what she was doing and listen,” Fries said. “Man, did she?”

Bibla dominated her way through the semifinals and then the finals, beating Bartram Trail’s Katherine Stewart by major decision 15-4 to secure the 145-pound crown. The pair faced each other in the district finals and regional finals, and Stewart won both.

“I just kind of told myself, ‘You can’t let her beat you again. You have to take what is yours,’” Bibla said. “... It’s the craziest feeling. I have worked so hard to get to where I am today, and it’s finally paying off.”

All her work — on remaining composed, staying in position, improving her footwork — over the past few weeks has centered around beating Stewart. Bibla showcased the results early in her finals match.

She picked up five points in the first period and led 10-2 after the second period. Tears came rolling down her cheeks after polishing off the 15-4 decision victory and moving her overall record to 30-6.

First, Bibla hugged Fries. Then, she squeezed her sister, Brielle.

“She was like, ‘I’ve never been prouder of you,’” Bibla said.

Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns roundup

Four other local teams finished in the top 12 of their respective classes. The New Smyrna Beach boys ranked 12th in 2A, and Bartram Trail did the same in 3A. In the girls' standings, Bartram Trail slotted seventh and Ponte Vedra 10th.

The following boys placed in Class 2A:

• Kevin Kerns, Deltona: second at 132

• Dylon York, New Smyrna Beach: second at 220

• Timothy McLean, Matanzas: fifth at 106

• Sawyer Vanrider, New Smyrna Beach: fifth at 182

• Derek King, New Smyrna Beach: seventh at 195

• Jonathan Bruner, New Smyrna Beach: eighth at 132

• Dylan Parkinson, Matanzas: eighth at 152

The following boys placed in Class 3A:

• MJ Smokes, DeLand: fifth at 285

• Shane Armstrong, Bartram Trail: sixth at 220

• John McNames, Bartram Trail: seventh at 182

• Kole Hannant, Flagler Palm Coast: seventh at 132

• Dalton Schell, Flagler Palm Coast: eighth at 195

The following girls placed:

• Katherine Stewart, Bartram Trail: second at 145

• Erin Rizzuto, Ponte Vedra: third at 115

• Olivia Richie, Ponte Vedra: third at 140

• Ava Burre, Bartram Trail: third at 155

• Jaelyn Sunseri, University: sixth at 105

• Ana Vilar, Flagler Palm Coast: sixth at 130

• Aryan Benson, Tocoi Creek: seventh at 145

• Jah’Mya Hill, Mainland: seventh at 155

• Cheyenne Wigley, Mainland: seventh at 235

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: FHSAA WRESTLING: Matanzas wins girls title, two individuals grab gold