Mater Lakes secures first regional wrestling title; South Dade and Somerset also prevail
Thirteen years ago, Mater Lakes Academy began the journey of building a boys' wrestling program.
After cruising to the Region 4-1A championship at Cardinal Gibbons High on Saturday, the Bears can no longer be underestimated.
A year after sending nine wrestlers to the Class 1A state tournament in Kissimmee, Mater Lakes will send 12 next week. They scored 302 points to win the school's first regional title, distancing themselves from runner-up Cardinal Gibbons' 235 points.
'This feels great, especially with the way we did it,' Mater Lakes coach Brandon Neifeld said. 'We dominated and had a couple of upsets in the finals. Our guys wrestled amazingly. Now we need to carry this momentum to next week.'
The top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to the FHSAA State Championships on Mar. 6-8 at Silvers Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
The highlight of the Bears' successful afternoon came in the 190-pound championship match between Damian Soto of Mater Lakes and undefeated and defending state champ Peter Mocco of Cardinal Gibbons.
Soto, second at 215 in last years state tourney, led 5-1 in the first period and 6-1 entering the third period. Mocco rallied, sending the match into overtime at 10-10 with a take down as time expired. Soto won the match in just seconds in overtime for a 13-10 victory.
'We had a game plan and working on a few things heading into that match,' Neifeld said. 'He pulled it out in what was an awesome match.'
Mocco (45-1), a winner at 190 pounds while at Coral Springs Charter in 2024 will look to defend his title this year as a freshman at Cardinal Gibbons.
His brother Michael Mocco (39-0), a junior at Cardinal Gibbons, is the defending Class 1A champion at 215 pounds. He advanced for the opportunity to defend his title.
'There were a lot of positives and negatives today,' Gibbons coach Jamel Morris said. 'We have guys that are young and are now state qualifiers and guys that have been to state. We're zero and zero next week. We'll make some adjustments and be ready.'
Mater Lakes is seeking its first team championship after finishing as runner-up to Somerset (Pembroke Pines) last year.
The Bears have had a strong season, winning the Class 1A state duals championship in January over St. John Neumann that also has a district and regional title.
RESULTS
Team scores (Top 5): 1. Mater Lakes Academy 302; 2. Cardinal Gibbons 235; 3. Key West 118; 4. King's Academy 89; 5. SLAM Academy 76.
Championship results - 106: Castanon (MCS) p. Piedrahita (TRNO) 1:16; 113: Kellen Mesina (MLA) d. Ramirez (SLAM) 1-0; 120: Keagan Mesina (MLA) p. McCoy (COSH) 1:22; 126: Tran (MLA) p. Trejos (FCS) 0:27; 132: Greene (MLA) t.p. Canet (KW) 16-1; 138: A. O'Dell (MLA) t.p. Jaramillo (CG) 17-2; 144: Isek (CG) t.p. Ushikubo (TKA) 19-4; 150: M. O'Dell (MLA) d. Picallo (CG) 3-2; 157: Alvarado (MLA) d. Hogan (LPA) 13-5; 165: Nazario (MLA) d. Florio (CG) 4-2; 175: Corrales (KW) d. Lang (CN) 12-9; 190: Soto (MLA) d. P. Mocco (CG) 13-10 (OT); 215: M. Mocco (CG) p. Garzano (MLA) 0:32; HWT: Chen (PCS) p. Voss (MCS) 2:31.
Consolation results - 106: Tuttle (COSH) d. Garcia (CG) 9-1; 113: Bajor (CG) p. Escalante (JUPC) 1:56; 120: Munz (WCA) d. Ferguson (KW) 7-0; 126: Bussott (CLEW) d. Cagiano (CG) 17-7; 132: Aguilera (MISU) p. Quezada (SLAM) 1:49; 138: Winters (KA) p. McGarry (STAN) 1:48; 144: Lindsay (CSC) d. Li (MLA) by medical forfeit; 150: Beltran (COSH) d. Searcy (KW) 6-0; 157: Chen (PCS) d. Fayer (CG) 6-3 (OT); 165: Richardson (LP) d. Munz (WCS) 8-6; 175: Vargas (MLA) d. Porcher (KA) 8-5; 190: Lopez (WCS) d. Rimes (JUPC) 17-6; 215: Mars (MICE) t.p. Hospedales (FCS) 19-3; HWT: Diaz (MISU) p. Derilus (KA) 4:12.
REGION 4-3A
Team: 1. South Dade 234.5; 2. Southridge 218.5; 3. Columbus 149; 4. Southwest 143.5; 5. Stoneman Douglas 83; 6. Doral 71; 7. Palmetto 70.5; 8. Miami Beach 68; 9. Coral Springs 64; 10. South Plantation 60.5.
Championship finals - 106: Lazaro Soto (SW) pin Donovan Jenkins (SP) 1:29; 113: Damel Martinez (SR) dec. Antonio Morales (SW) 13-6; 120: Jovanni Tovar (SR) d. Kaleb Williams (SD) injury; 126: David Leiva (MSD) dec. Guillermo Jaramillo (SD) 5-4; 132: Ilia Kyryianenko (SB) dec. Alfredo Cheang (SR) 11-9; 138: Jovani Solis (SD) maj. dec. Dillon Smith (SW) 11-0; 144: Elvis Solis (SD) tech Andres Rojas (SR) 21-5; 150: Armand Williams (SD) dec. Zachary Ruiz (Col) 6-5; 157: Tyree Graham (SD) dec. Jose Gutierrez (Dor) 2-1 (TB); 165: Willie White (SD) tech Drake Bonney (Pal) 19-2; 175: Connor Bonney (Pal) maj. dec. Jonathan Moreno (SD) 14-2; 190: Tedrick Lee (Col) dec. J'Vier Romeus (CS) 7-4; 215: Myron Mendez (SW) pin Christian Soto (SR) 3:07; HWT: Ryan Miret (SR) dec. Daguy Massillon (SD) 2-1.
Consolation finals - 106: Alex Laguardia (SR) dec. Tyler Metellus (Mon) 4-1; 113: Rocco Duygulu (MSD) dec. Janmichael Broche (BR) 7-0; 120: Victor Zanolini (Col) dec. Gary Jackson (Pal) 4-0; 126: Rocco Ruiz (Col) dec. Stefano Garcia (SR) 2-0; 132: Nathaniel Williams (SD) pin Mateus Sgai (Dor) 2:46; 138: Tomas Campian (Col) d. Imran Dzhabrailov (MB) forfeit; 144: Didier Novoa (SW tech Jeremiah Louis (Krop) 15-0; 150: Adlan Dzhabrailov (MB) pin Jacob Rosen (Tar) 3:45; 157: Tyrell Robby (MB) dec. Shai Keery (CS) 7-3; 165: Leonard Gilley (SR) pin Nicholas Velazco (Col) 0:31; 175: Evangelo Mercado (SW) maj. dec. Daniel Sanchez (SR) 11-2; 190: Eliel Santos (SR) dec. Sage Suarez (SB) 7-4; 215: Apollo Benito (Col) maj. dec. Gregory Gonzalez (CR) 13-2; HWT: Chase Moen (Coop) pin Jackson Zajkowski (MSD) 2:31.
REGION 4-2A
Team: 1. Somerset Academy 275; 2. Jensen Beach 163.5; 3. Miramar 107.5; Others: 5. Mater Academy 83; 7. Archbishop McCarthy 80; 9. North Miami 65; 10. Varela 64.5.
Championship finals - 106: Gary Mendez (MA) maj. dec. Vladimir Drown (Rock) 15-1; 113: Nathan Halulko (Martin) pin Andrew Cackett (AM) 5:24; 120: Lucas Barrios (MA) maj. dec. Andre Rossi (Som) 13-0; 132: Ben Norris (JB) pin Dully Brutus (Mir) 4:28; 144: Jordan Pineda (Var) dec. Darion Shannon (Som) 6-4; 150: Tristan Sainz (Som) dec. Geovani Santos (Martin) 11-5; 157: Eric Hodge (Som) pin Armando Wisdom (AH) 4:38; 165: Bluny Davilma (Som) maj. dec. Noah Catala (Mir) 14-2; 175: Michael Sainz (Som) pin Justice Hield (Bayside) 0:36; 190: Mateo Martinez (Som) pin Rubier Oliva (Var) 1:55; 215: Harper Noel (PBH) tech Ndidi Obi (NM) 15-0; HWT: Blake Elder (JB) pin Abdur Bey (Som) 3:56.
Consolation finals - 106: Cano Austin (Som) dec. Jacob Rhodes (AM) 6-1; 113: Michael Maisonet (MA) dec. Alejandro Toro (Som) 9-3; 120: Nolan Halulko (Martin) dec. Gavin Calcines (AM) 6-2; 126: Carlos Sainz (Som) maj. dec. Juelez Lainez (McA) 10-2; 132: Dylan Fernandez (Som) dec. Joseph Scott (HHills) 6-2 (UTB); 138: EJ Coney (Ever) dec. Nikhil Guerrero (SebR) 2-0; 150: Charly Sainteus (NM) dec. Alexander Harding (Mir) 4-0; 157: Jayden Rivas (Mir) maj. dec. Jackson Wilks (Martin) 9-0; 165: Adonis Severe (NM) dec. 6-4; 175: Brayden Hogg (JB) pin Mallard Mondesir (Mir) 1:52; 215: Eli Diaz (Som) dec. William Crum (Okee) 7-2; HWT: Chase Goodrich (STA) pin Christopher Coleman (Deerfield) 2:35.
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