Winning wrestlers: Three Northeast Florida athletes earn FHSAA championships
Three days of wrestling. Three championships. Three Northeast Florida schools.
Fleming Island's Jayce Paridon and Bartram Trail's Ethan Vugman earned state boys titles, and Middleburg's Cheyenne Cruce brought home a historic girls trophy, in Saturday's conclusion to the three-day Florida High School Athletic Association wrestling championships in Kissimmee.
Here are key takeaways from the championships.
POWERFUL FINISH FOR PARIDON
Paridon, who began his state wrestling journey as a seventh-grader competing against high schoolers at University Christian, won an 8-0 major decision over Deltona's Kevin Kerns in the 132-pound Class 2A championship.
He helped Fleming Island to an area-best second behind Lake Gibson in the team standings. The runner-up team finish is the fourth for the Golden Eagles, second behind South Dade in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Leading Golden Eagles included Matthew Newman (fourth, 106), Kaden Schaefer (third, 145), Matthew Kotler (sixth, 152), Christopher Chop (fifth, 160), Ronan Bozeman (fifth, 170), Joshua Sandoval (fourth, 182), Jhoel Robinson (third, 220) and Ethan Hoffstetter (fourth, 285).
Swedish furniture, dinosaurs & more: 10 wild promotions for 2023 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
Old Cerberus, new tricks: Now in 70s, founders form Gate River Run band for Saturday race
First Coast Varsity Weekly: Bartram Trail soccer champions race into history books
VUGMAN SUPERB FOR BEARS
Wrestling at 126 pounds in Class 3A, Bears senior Vugman (58-1) won a 2-1 decision over Colin Bradshaw of Lutz Steinbrenner.
Vugman joins Jon Klinger, 160-pound Class A champion in 2003, as the only boys wrestling state champions in Bears history.
Bartram Trail nearly earned two more individual championships in the girls tournament. Katherine Stewart finished as 145-pound runner-up after a 15-4 major decision loss to Kendall Bibla of Matanzas, and Ava Burre placed third in the 155-pound girls tournament.
CRUCE CAPS PERFECT YEAR
For Cruce, her sophomore season ended in perfection.
Unbeaten through the regular season, districts and regionals at 190 pounds, Cruce (39-0) completed the run with a 2-0 decision over Shannon Briggs of Key West in the final.
The victory enters the books as Middleburg's first wrestling state championship for either boys or girls. Gracie Bradshaw also placed third in the 100-pound division.
MORE NOTABLE LOCALS
Palatka senior Mikade Harvey concluded his high school career as runner-up at 138 pounds for Class 1A, losing a 7-6 decision to Nicholas Yancey of Cardinal Gibbons. Also in Class 1A, Yulee sophomore Alex Smith reached the 195-pound final before losing by decision to Michael Mocco of Cardinal Gibbons, 13-6.
In the girls tournament, Oakleaf junior Adrianna Barrientos qualified for the 105-pound final but lost a 5-2 decision to Lake Gibson's undefeated Gabby Tedesco.
Other top Class 2A boys finishers were Clay's Jacob Bucci (third, 106), Middleburg's Logan Moore (fifth, 145), Oakleaf's Sebastian Bonachea (fifth, 126) and Isaiah Shevchook (third, 195) and Riverside's Thomas Jones (sixth, 220).
Top Class 1A locals were Suwannee's Topher Pearson (third, 120), Brody Boehm (fifth, 126), Austin McKinney (fifth, 152) and Austin Howard (fifth, 160), Bishop Kenny's Roberto Cuartero (fourth, 152) and Collin Hearn (sixth, 182), Fernandina Beach's Enzo Gamba (third, 160), West Nassau's Nolan McKelvy (fourth, 182) and Yulee's Dylan Johns (fourth, 170) and Braylen Ricks (fourth, 285).
Along with Vugman, top Class 3A boys included Sandalwood's Duffy Mista (fifth, 195), Mandarin's Jaelen Simmons (fifth, 220) and Bartram Trail's Shane Armstrong (sixth, 220).
High-finishing local girls included Clay's Aubrianna Apple (third at 135), Oakleaf's Jayla Harrison (third at 170), Ponte Vedra's Erin Rizzuto (third at 115) and Olivia Richie (third at 140) and Westside's Karla Ortiz (fifth at 155).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school wrestling 2023: Three Northeast Florida winners at FHSAA finals
