Although he came up just short of his ultimate goal of a second straight FHSAA state championship, Harmony’s Nathan Lyttle was the most dominating wrestler in the county, and for the second consecutive year the Osceola News-Gazette Wrestler of the Year.
After a 49-0 record and a Class 3A 113-pound state championship, Lyttle was on pace to duplicate that. He was 49-1 and reached the 3A 120-pound final, where he lost a heartbreaking 3-2 decision to Miami Southwest’s Lazaro Soto, the defending 103-pound state champ.
In that match, neither wrestler scored in the first period; while Lyttle started the second period on top and successfully rode out Soto for the entire two minutes. Soto gave up an automatic escape point by electing to start the third period on his feet, scored a takedown off a counter move, Trailing 3-1, Lyttle got an escape with 38 seconds left but Soto would fight off several takedown attempts to hold on for the win.
“In retrospect, I felt I made one mistake in that entire match and he capitalized on it,” Lyttle said. “I felt I was the better wrestler, but sometimes one mistake can cost you. I don’t think I would have wrestled any differently.”
“It was tough way to lose,” Harmony Coach Vic Lorenzano said. “Nathan dominated the match from all three positions and he had several good shots in the end, but Soto was able to fight off the takedown attempts and hold on. The setback certainly doesn’t dimmish the great season and career that Nathan had.”
That would be an understatement. Ranked nationally in the top 50 for most of the season, Lyttle breezed through the season winning Orange Belt Conference, district and regional championships and dominating the first three rounds of states.
Lorenzano says the senior, who set a school record with 178 wins, will go down as perhaps the best in school history. For Lyttle, it was more about the journey than the accolades that meant the most to him.
“I love the grit and the training the sport requires,” he says. “The thing about wrestling is you can always get better and that’s something I’ve strived for.”
Lyttle will go for All-America status this weekend (March 27-29) when he competes in the 37th NHSCA Wrestling Nationals in Virginia Beach, the premiere high school tournament in the nation, with the top eight earning All-America status.
He is also currently weighing his college options and has narrowed down his top choices to Virginia and North Carolina. He will visit the Cavaliers in conjunction with his appearance at nationals.
An honors student, Lyttle eyes and eventual career in cyber-security and enjoys bass fishing.
Osceola News-Gazette All-County Wrestling Team
106 pounds: Sebastian Rodriguez, Harmony — 47-5 record; Orange Belt Conference, district and regional champion, 4th in Class 3A state meet.
113: Leo Ortiz, Harmony — 53-9 as a freshman; OBC and district champ, 4th in region, 5th in state
120: Nathan Lyttle, Harmony (Wrestler of the Year) See above for accolades. Honorable mention to St. Cloud’s Carter Rivera, who finished second to Lyttle at OBC and regionals, 8th place in state.
126: Jared Alvarez, Celebration — OBC champion, 4th in districts, regional qualifier.
132: Nevan Irving, Harmony — 51-8 in junior season; OBC, district, regional champion, 6th in Class 3A state meet.
138: Jose Davalillo, Gateway — OBC and district champion at 138, regional qualifier just missed state meet with loss in “blood round” to Nelson Copo of River Ridge.
144: Carlos Lopez, Harmony — 37-17 in junior year, OBC champ, district runner-up, 3rd in regionals.
150: Nathan Barnett, Harmony — 49-2, OBC district, regional champ, Class 3A state runner-up to South Dade’s Armad Williams.
157: Jonothan Olmo, Osceola — OBC champion, district runner-up, state meet qualifier.
165: Bryan Battles, Tohopekaliga — OBC and district champion, regional runner-up.
175: Isreal Serrano, Celebration — OBC and district champion, state tournament qualifier.
190: Joenel Roman, St. Cloud — OBC champion, district runner-up and regional qualifier.
215: Valentino Benavides, Tohopekaliga — OBC champion, district runner-up, 3rd in regionals.
285: Taylor Reed Reynolds, St. Cloud — Third place in districts to qualify for regionals.
