02-04-2025
Somerset's Blasucci and South Broward's Threlkeld are Broward Wrestling Coaches of the Year
Joe Blasucci oversaw another major milestone for his boys' wrestling program at Somerset Academy.
And Major Threlkeld, directed the South Broward girls' program to a top 30 finish at state and helped one of Broward County's top wrestlers to a successful season.
For these accomplishments, Blasucci and Threlkeld are the Miami Herald's Broward Wrestling Coaches of the Year.
Blasucci has directed the Panthers to plenty of success in recent years.
This season, after moving up from Class 1A to 2A, Somerset Academy didn't miss a beat.
The Panthers picked up their second-ever individually-bracketed tournament state championship by finishing ahead of Tampa Jesuit by seven points.
Somerset Academy emerged with four individual state champions - Tristan Sainz (150 pounds), Eric Hodge (157), Michael Sainz (175) and Mateo Martinez (190). Additionally, Carlos Sainz (126) finished as state runner-up.
'The kids in (wrestlebacks) were pivotal for us. Tristan's match was a barn-burner. It was tight all the way to the wire. We needed that one,' Blasucci said after the state meet. 'Hodge was really the cherry on top because that was Somerset vs. Jesuit head to head. Pretty much the winner of that match was going to be in control of the rest of the tournament.'
Somerset Academy also won a state championship in December at the state Duals tournament. But the close victory in March was even sweeter for the Panthers since it took multiple clutch performances.
'We had an 80 percent shot to win this and Jesuit had a 25 percent shot, and their lead wasn't big enough,' Blasucci said. 'We kind of knew going in we could win and we felt confident with our kids.'
Threlkeld finished his fifth season at South Broward, helping the Bulldogs' girls become one of the county's best teams.
Latoya Sylvestre, a junior, was South Broward's top finisher at state as she placed fourth in the 190-pound weight class. Sylvestre went 32-4 for the season and secured BCAA, district and regional titles.
