Wrestling on the Treasure Coast has never been in a better spot in area history as the performances of the local high schools in 2023-23 were excellent but everyone is still looking up at Jensen Beach.
The Falcons achieved the 1A championship sweep for the second year in a row with a win in the state duals back in January and the IBT championship in March with Sebastian Degennaro, Jewell Williams, Ryan Mooney and Dylan Fox all earning individual state championships leading a final day rally.
Fort Pierce Central’s Gaby Perez and Lincoln Park Academy’s Kyle Grey also won state titles individually and Fort Pierce Central made a run to the 3A duals state semifinals.
Out of all the terrific boys and girls across the area, TCPalm gives you its All-Area team with a Falcon sophomore star that few have even come close to challenging in two years of competition at the top of the class.
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Wrestler of the Year
Sebastian Degennaro, Jensen Beach
Year: Sophomore
Highlights: For the second straight year, Degennaro went unbeaten against wrestlers from Florida on his way to winning the state title at 126 pounds. Winning the prestigious Christmas Knockout Classic early in the season, Degennaro helped the Falcons win the state duals before sweeping district and regional championships and in Kissimmee defeated First Baptist Academy’s Jonathan Moder in the 126-pound championship match with a 12-1 majority decision.
First Team
Gaby Perez, Fort Pierce Central
Year: Senior
Highlights: For the second year in a row, Perez took down every competitor in her path during the season to win the state championship for the second year in a row at 135 pounds. A winner at the Christmas Knockout Classic early in the season, Perez won district and regional championships before pinning Satellite’s Lucy Maris in the 135-pound championship final in the second period to cap off a 34-0 season.
Jewell Williams, Jensen Beach
Year: Senior
Highlights: A state champion a year ago, Williams had plenty of competition to battle at 145 pounds and bounced back from a third place finish at regionals to win another state title. Finishing third at the Knockout Classic, Williams helped the Falcons repeat as state duals champions, was a district champion and in Kissimmee shut out First Baptist Academy’s Mitchell Kersey 6-0 in the 145-pound championship match to go 61-5 on the season.
Kyle Grey, Lincoln Park Academy
Year: Senior
Highlights: After two straight promising seasons in which he was a state qualifier, Grey finally broke through in Kissimmee winning the 170-pound championship in 1A. Grey, a Morgan State signee, was a district and regional champion before running the tables at state and defeating Lemon Bay’s Koen Hoffman with a 3-2 decision to finish his season 47-2.
Ryan Mooney, Jensen Beach
Year: Senior
Highlights: A veteran to wrestling in big matches for the Falcons, Mooney shined bright at states winning the state title in 1A at 126 pounds going 58-3 on the season. Mooney took fourth in the Knockout Classic, helped Jensen Beach win the state duals and won district and regional titles. Mooney reached the state final against Somerset Academy’s Matt Velasco and was in control the whole way winning with a 5-1 decision that proved pivotal to the team’s state championship.
Dylan Fox, Jensen Beach
Year: Senior
Highlights: Another experienced and battle-tested Falcon through the year, Fox like Mooney busted through to end his career with a state title at 152 pounds to go 51-9 on the season. Helping the team win the state duals, Fox finished out the end of the season on a tear winning district and regional titles before pinning Mater Lakes’ Kalias Nazario in the third period that effectively sealed the team state title for the Falcons.
John Roberts, Vero Beach
Year: Senior
Highlights: Coming to the area after a lot of success in Oklahoma, Roberts burst onto the scene earning district and regional titles and won his first 31 matches on the year. In Kissimmee, Roberts, a Southeastern commit, was defeated by Kaden Nichols of Buchholz 11-5 to finish as the state runner-up in 3A at 195 pounds.
Nate Sopotnick, Jensen Beach
Year: Senior
Highlights: After finishing fifth at state last year, Sopotnick raised abilities in his final year to become one of the Falcons’ key wrestlers in their lineup. Finishing fifth at the Knockout Classic, Sopotnick was a district champion and had a clutch performance at state winning his third place match at 195 pounds with a narrow 2-1 decision over Palm Bay’s Octavion Osby to help his team earn the state championship sweep and finish his year with a 62-9 record.
Gian Ortiz, Jensen Beach
Year: Junior
Highlights: An experienced wrestler in high-pressure situations, Ortiz battled through injuries during the year to peak at the end of the year. Winning a district title at 113 pounds, Ortiz had a clutch match for third place at state as he defeated Crystal River’s Blaine Reed with a 13-11 decision that helped the Falcons sweep the 1A state championships.
Ben Norris, Jensen Beach
Year: Sophomore
Highlights: Norris made big strides from his freshman season, winning a district title at 106 pounds. At the state tournament, Norris took fourth place to earn valuable points to help the Falcons sweep the 1A state championships and on the season, he went 40-10 overall.
Quisiera Wilson, Lincoln Park Academy
Year: Eighth grade
Highlights: Wilson had a very successful season for the Greyhounds, winning a district championship at 190 pounds, was a regional runner-up and took fifth place at the state tournament to finish the season 27-5.
Jabarie Yearby, Port St. Lucie
Year: Senior
Highlights: Yearby was one of the state’s top heavyweights in 2A all season long and won a district title at 285 pounds. Finishing third at regionals, Yearby earned a sixth place finish at the state tournament to finish with a 47-7 record on the season.
JT Apicella, Fort Pierce Central
Year: Senior
Highlights: A steady performer his entire Cobra career, Apicella was a district champion at 152 pounds. Finishing as a regional runner-up, Apicella took sixth at the state tournament to finish his season with a 52-11 record.
Alaq Dowd-Grant, Fort Pierce Central
Year: Senior
Highlights: Dowd-Grant was consistent all season for the Cobras, finishing third at districts, fourth at regionals and at the state tournament took sixth at 285 pounds to finish with a 50-18 record.
Brittney Vincens, Fort Pierce Central
Year: Senior
Highlights: Vincens won a crucial match to help the Cobra boys reach the 3A state duals semifinal and as an individual won a district title and was a regional runner-up at 115 pounds. At the state tournament, she took sixth place to finish her season 28-10.
Trenton Hogan, Lincoln Park Academy
Year: Junior
Highlights: Hogan showed great improvement from his sophomore year, finishing as a district runner-up, finished third at regionals and took seventh place at the state tournament at 160 pounds to finish his season with a 49-20 record.
Daniel Echeverria, Fort Pierce Central
Year: Senior
Highlights: Echeverria in his career was a constant threat and in his final season was a district champion, a regional runner-up and at the state tournament finished seventh at 120 pounds in 3A to finish his season with a 56-9 record.
Hernan Ortiz, Fort Pierce Central
Year: Junior
Highlights: Ortiz put together a strong season for the Cobras, winning a district title, took third at regionals and at the state tournament made the podium with an eighth place finish in 3A at 225 pounds to finish the year with a 53-10 record.
Malachi Harriel, Jensen Beach
Year: Senior
Highlights: Harriel was a key piece to the Falcon lineup all season at 182 pounds, helping the team win the 1A state duals and won a district championship individually. Taking third at regionals, Harriel was eighth at the state tournament finishing his season with a 43-14 record.
Charlie Armstrong, Jensen Beach
Year: Senior
Highlights: Armstrong battled injuries all season but had a strong end of the season for the Falcons, winning a district title at 132 pounds and was a regional runner-up. At the state tournament, Armstrong took eighth place and finished his year with a 13-6 record helping his team win a state title.
Honorable Mention
Mikel Pierce-Walker, Jensen Beach junior, 138 pounds
Tobby Rooney, Jensen Beach junior, 220 pounds
Cooper Patton, Vero Beach senior, 170 pounds
David Benjamin, Vero Beach junior, 160 pounds
JaQuone Jean, Vero Beach senior, 220 pounds
Corbin Fjalstad, Martin County sophomore, 113 pounds
Clayton Yearby, Port St. Lucie junior, 195 pounds
Aidan Madden, Fort Pierce Central junior, 182 pounds
Damion Allison, Fort Pierce Central senior, 145 pounds
Connor Harris, Fort Pierce Central senior, 113 pounds
Myles Henkel, Fort Pierce Central freshman, 106 pounds
Mackenzie Allcroft, Fort Pierce Central freshman, 100 pounds
Brinalli Brown, Treasure Coast senior, 138 pounds
Rocco Hayden, Treasure Coast junior, 145 pounds
Jalia Allah, Treasure Coast sophomore, 100 pounds
John Williams III, Fort Pierce Westwood junior, 182 pounds
Kha’liyah Delva, Centennial sophomore, 155 pounds
Alysha Josue, Fort Pierce Westwood senior, 170 pounds
Neveah Robinson, Okeechobee sophomore, 235 pounds
Clayton Wolf, Okeechobee junior, 101 pounds
Falco Frank, Okeechobee sophomore, 126 pounds
Houston Frank, Okeechobee junior, 132 pounds
Kaden Wheeler, Sebastian River sophomore, 126 pounds
Niko Huff, Sebastian River senior, 170 pounds
Jacob Mulcahy, South Fork senior, 145 pounds
Brayden Hogg, South Fork sophomore, 152 pounds
Briana Visocky, South Fork junior, 130 pounds
Ashton Roeder, Jensen Beach senior, 160 pounds
Jonathan Sopher, Martin County senior, 126 pounds
Tre Gomez, South Fork senior 160 pounds
Clayton Yearby, Port St. Lucie junior, 195 pounds
Gervon Desire, Port St. Lucie junior, 120 pounds
Michael Carlson, Port St. Lucie sophomore, 113 pounds
Alexander Smidtsrod, Port St. Lucie freshman, 138 pounds
Tyrrell Haggins, Lincoln Park Academy senior, 285 pounds
Kyle Wilcox, Martin County senior, 285 pounds
Coach of the Year
Tom McMath, Jensen Beach
Highlights: With some new faces stepping into key roles, McMath and his coaching staff went to work trying to back up a state title year to remember last year and the Falcons delivered. A state duals title in January was hard-fought and the IBT championship in March needed a final day surge that Jensen Beach’s nine state placers delivered with four state champions leading the team to a historic state sweep in 1A.