Two local high school wrestlers advanced to the FHSAA state championships after doing well in the 3A-Region 2 tournament.
After the FHSAA 3A-Region 2 tournament over the weekend, Durant’s Hendon Haley and Strawberry Crest’s Jarrett Affronti are both bound for states for the second consecutive season.
Haley, wrestling at 138 pounds, beat Sickles’ Derek Sachoa by 13-2 major decision in the first round but then lost to North Port’s Tyler Eastes by 4-3 decision in the quarterfinal. Haley entered the third-place bracket in its second round and picked up two decisions and one fall to meet Eastes again in the final round, then got revenge for his earlier loss with a win by fall (2:40) to lock up third place and a state tournament berth.
Affronti beat Celebration’s Chase McBroom by 8-1 decision in the first round of the 132-pound bracket but then wrestled Riverview’s Alex Soto for the first time in the quarterfinal. Soto won by 10-0 major decision and sent Affronti to the third-place bracket, where the two would later meet again in the final round. Though Affronti lost the rematch by fall (3:53), his fourth-place finish was enough to get him into the state championship series.
Plant City’s Brent Ruedeman also had a good run in the regional tournament, making it to the 132-pound semifinal round after beating Newsome’s T.J. DeBolt by 10-7 decision in the first round and then Riverview Sarasota’s Edwin Hernandez by a 10-6 decision in the quarterfinal. Unfortunately for Ruedeman, he was beaten in the semifinal by regional runner-up Trenton Johnson of Manatee by 13-3 major decision. He then faced Affronti in the semifinal round of the third-place bracket but lost to the Charger (SV-1, 10-8).
The FHSAA state championships will be held at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee starting tomorrow and ending Saturday.
OTHER REGIONAL COMPETITORS
DURANT
120 pounds: Chris Perez
182 pounds: Josh Cannon
195 pounds: Austin Bovee
220 pounds: Trystan Allison
PLANT CITY
106 pounds: Benjamin Best
113 pounds: Jeremiah Smith
126 pounds: Blake Johnson
138 pounds: Lane Best
145 pounds: Jermarian Jackson
152 pounds: Josiah Anderson
160 pounds: Austin Porter
170 pounds: Austin Bridges
182 pounds: Quentin Silas
195 pounds: Caleb Turner
220 pounds: Donte Woodard
285 pounds: Nelson Cortes
STRAWBERRY CREST
106 pounds: Frank Font
113 pounds: Aaron Ortiz
120 pounds: Carter Willis
126 pounds: Taylor Riggs
145 pounds: Jacive Sheppard
