ALL-COUNTY GIRLS WRESTLING
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Osceola High’s Kealoni Vega (in hat on top of podium) become Osceola County’s first official FHSAA state champion when she won the 100-pound weight class in March. PHOTO/OSCEOLA HIGH SCHOOL
In a year when the sport continued to grow in stature and record participation, no local female athlete stood out more on the wrestling mats that Osceola High senior Kealoni Vega.
Forced to miss the first FHSAA state tournament in 2022 with a severe knee injury, Vega returned with a vengeance for her senior year, capping an incredible season by winning the state championship in the 100-pound class with a 39-1 record. She dominated the state tournament, pinning all four of her opponents, including Gulf Breeze’s Camdyn Elliott less than one minute into the championship match. Her sensational season included Orange Belt Conference, district and regional championships.
Vega is the Osceola News-Gazette’s Girls Wrestler of the Year.
Vega, who would have been favored to win a state title as a junior before the knee injury, said she was relieved to get that first championship and become the first wrestler from the county to officially win a sanctioned state title.
“Before we were sanctioned, we had a state tournament but it didn’t receive a lot of recognition. When they finally added it as an official championship, the injury kept me out of the state tournament,” Vega said. That is why this year was so much fun and rewarding.”
Vega is an outstanding wrestler regardless of the competition. Many times during her career, she has been asked to fill in for the boys’ team in the light weights – where she had an overall winning record.
“Countless times we have asked her to fill in on the boys’ team,” Coach Rick Tribit noted. “She won her fair share but she also fought like crazy to not get pinned or give up a majority decision when she was facing top-ranked guys. She is not a tremendous girls’ wrestler, she’s a tremendous wrestler, period.”
Led by Vega, the Lady Kowboys scored 60 team points at the state tournament to place fourth out of 125 teams represented. It was the highest team finish by an Osceola County team in the event’s two-year history.
Vega was not the only standout female wrestler from Osceola County. Gateway’s Emiliana Martinez (36-5) had an outstanding season in 155-pound weight class, winning an OBC and district championship and reaching the finals of the state championship. Vega’s teammates, Keliana Mack (130) and Cathia Thomas (140) won OBC and district championships. Thomas also won a regional title and both advanced to the state championship where they both reached the podium with seventh-place finishes.
St. Cloud’s Emari Brown won OBC, district and regional championships. She also won her first match at the state championship before leaving the tournament with an injury.
Osceola County All-County Girls Wrestling
100 pounds: Kealoni Vega, Osceola (OBC, district, regional and state champion) *Girls Wrestler of the Year
105: Aniyha Whayne, Osceola (OBC)
110: Daniela Tabora, Osceola (OBC, district)
115: Suheily Alifonso, Gateway (OBC)
120: Shelby Fillyaw, Harmony (OBC)
125: Kiera Suro, Osceola
130: Keliana Mack, Osceola (OBC)
135: Nyla Rocke, Osceola (OBC)
140: Cathia Thomas, Osceola (OBC, district, regional)
145: Elody Rodriguez, Gateway
155: Emiliana Martinez, Gateway (OBC, district)
170: Lily Yambor, Gateway
190; Emari Brown, St. Cloud (OBC, District, regional)
