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BLU’S CORNER: It’s State Wrestling Week
By Larry Blustein
This is the week that high school wrestling fans in the state of Florida look forward to. It is the culmination – especially this year – of numerous sacrifices that had to be made just to get on the mat.
When the best of the best get together this Friday and Saturday at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, wrestlers from the BCAA will take their place with 114 south Florida competitors as safely as possible in this pandemic that is still being fought.
Among the many state champions and contenders will be some impressive BCAA prospects, who will be in action – in all classes - as well. Cypress Bay (3A), St. Thomas Aquinas (2A), and Cardinal Gibbons (1A) will be the teams who should keep the interest going.
Among those headed to compete this weekend include 106-pounders Andrew Punzalann (So., 41-6, Cypress Bay, 3A) and Peyton Vargas, (Jr. 13-3, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A), unbeaten Nicholas Yancy (So., 20-0, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A) at 113, Matthew Palermo (Jr.,16-4, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A) at 120 and Fort Lauderdale’s 132-pounder, James Berline (32-6, 2A).
The BCAA will be well represented in the 138-pound class with Tyler Cabral (Sr., 20-1, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A), Connor Ivory, (Jr., 39-5, Cypress Bay), Frank Messina, (Sr., 26-2, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2A), Rafael Diniz, (Jr., 39-3, Cypress Bay, 3A - 145) – a gifted group of 152-pounders: Zaiden Bucknor, (Jr., 30-6, Fort Lauderdale, 2A), Robert Limperis, (Jr., 15-7, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A) and Erik Rodriguez (Sr., 38-2, Cypress Bay, 3A
The 160-pound division will also have three BCAA representatives in Skyler Hall (Sr., 20-6, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2A), Daniel Korchensky, (Jr., 13-3, Cardinal Gibbons, 1A), and unbeaten (26-0) Terrell Taylor (Sr. Coral Springs Charter, 2A)
St. Thomas Aquinas will send Nicolas Rodriguez (Fr., 17-8, 2A - 170) and 182-pounder Michael Moss (Sr., 25-0, 2A) – while Jared Campbell (Jr., 38-5, Cypress Bay) and Imari Milton (Jr., 16-3, Miramar, 3A) will head out in the 220-pound class.
Cardinal Gibbons standout Jertavis Black, who will be attending Keiser University for football, is 17-2 for Cardinal Gibbons in the “285-pound” weight class.
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