Camden County, Georgia’s defending Class 7A state wrestling champion, placed eight grapplers on the podium and won the 2024 Knockout Christmas Classic at Silver Spurs Arena last weekend.
Camden had one champion (Ryder Wilder at 190 pounds), but it was their overall depth that made the difference. Camden had six wrestlers make the consolation finals, taking five third place and one fourth place spot.
Defending Oklahoma 4A champion Tuttle and long-time 3A Florida state champion South Dade, the only school to place three wrestlers in the finals, were second and third.
Host school Osceola finished in the middle of the pack with 40 points. Isfandier Sharipov (132) and Nathaniel Cabrera (150) each fell in the third round of the championship bracket. Sharipov, a defending state champion, won one consolation round match to finish the tournament with a 3-2 record.
“Without question, this was our deepest and most talented field ever,” Osceola Coach and tournament director Rick Tribit said. “Sixty-two teams from16 different states participated. We had multiple team and individual state champions represented. For most of the individual Knockout champions, their state tournament will be a lot easier to win then this.”
One of the nation’s fast growing sports at the high school level, the Girls’ Knockout saw 53 teams and 306 entries in 14 weight classes. Flagler Palm Coast dominated and sent five to the finals in winning the team championship over South Dade. Osceola was seventh and Harmony placed 22nd.
For the Lady Kowboys, Denalie Dauphin (145) was the standout performer. Dauphin lost in the second round of the of the championship bracket but then came back to record six straight wins – including a pin over South Dade’s Geraldine Honore – to take third place. Paola Ramirez (120) and Kyla Rodriguez (125), each advanced to the championship semifinals.
“The talent and growth of girls wrestling continues to be phenomenal,” Tribit added.
A new feature at this year’s Knockout was he addition of Division-I College Wrestling, with nationally-ranked West Virginia, Wisconsin, Campbell, and North Dakota State competing in round-robin duals.
The Mountaineers, with a thrilling 21-21 win over North Dakota State decided by tiebreakers, finished on top of the tournament at 3-0. Peyton Hall (165) and Brody Conley (174) each went undefeated for the Mountaineers. Big Ten power Wisconsin was second at 2-1.
“We thought it was important to add a college dimension to the program. Our state does not have Division-I wrestling and we wanted to expose the Florida high school teams to wrestling at the next level,” Tribit said. “It was sort of cool that three of the four schools that participated had coaching staff members who wrestled high school in Florida. The college aspect was definitely well-received and I have already gotten inquiries from other Division-I schools seeking information about next year’s event.”
2024 Knockout boys champions
106: Ariah Mills (Athens Christian) Tech Fall Robert Phelan (Lake Gibson) 14-4
113: Nate Manos (Athens Christian) Maj. Dec. Gabriel Easey (Ola), 13-5
120: Jovanni Tovar (Miami Southridge) over Malachi Ortiz (Jesuit) by Ultimate Tiebreaker, 4-4
126: Antonio Mills (Mill Creek) Dec. Sebastian Degennaro (Jensen Beach), 9-2
132: Christian Fretwell (Lake Gibson) dec. Lincoln Sledzianoweki (St. John Neumann), 13-8
138: Maximus Brady (Mariner) Maj. Dec. Jovani Solis (South Dade), 11-1
144: Elvis Solis (South Dade) Tech Fall Talon Maple (Zephyrhills Christian ), 20-4
150: Beau Hickman (Tuttle) 13-0, Pinned Nikolas Blake (Hagerty), 3:00
157: Noah Nininger (Staunton River) Maj. Dec. Asher Bacon (First Baptist), 12-1
165: Willie White (South Dade) Maj. Dec. Andres DiGrigoli (First Baptist), 18-4
175: Dominic Bambinelli (Mill Creek) Tech Fall Xavier Barnhart (St. John Neumann), 19-4
190: Ryder Wilder (Camden County) Tech Fall Jay Eversole (Lakeway Christian Academy), 15-0
215: Landon Jobber-Spence (Staunton River) Piner Myron Mendez (Southwest Miami) 0:33
285: Leonard Christian (Palm Bay) Dec. Tyrus Bradley (Tuttle), 4-2
2024 Knockout girls champions
100: Zoey Haney (Troy Buchanan) Dec. Breanna Higgins (Camden County), 6-2
105: Joslyn Johnson (Flagler Palm Coast) dec. Camdyn Elliott (Gulf Breeze), 3-1
110: Mariah Mills (Flagler Palm Coast) Sudden Victory Abigail Gonzalez (Miami Southridge), 9-8
115: Grace Lashinsky (Deland) Dec. Beyonce Espinosa (South Dade), 3-1
120: Willow White (South Dade) Pinned Zoe Delgado (Florida Christian), 2:36
125: Rachel Silva (Florida Christian) Tech Fall Kitelynn Oliver (South Dade), 19-1
130: Christina Borgmann (Flagler Palm Coast) Tech Fall Ella Hughes (Jefferson), 18-2
135: Marigona Lau (Glynn Academy) Maj. Dec. Evelyn Holmes-Smith (Enterprise) 14-4
140: Elle Kaufmann (Lovett School) Dec. Ailee Briggs (Lemon Bay), 5-2
145: Kristy More (Sunlake) Pinned Tiana Fries (Flagler Palm Coast), 3:15
155: Mackenzie Schultz (Enterprise) Pinned Kha`Lyah Delva (Ft Pierce Central), 5:00
170: Kendall Bibla (Flagler Palm Coast) Pinned Isabella McFarlane (King); 2:58
190: Mallory Ladd (Enterprise) Pinned Tessa Diaz (Doral Academy), 1:32
235: Rotchiva Clermont (Freedom) Pined Cheyenne Cruce (Middleburg), 2:29
2024 Knockout College Duals
West Virginia 21, North Dakota State 21 (WVU Wins on tiebreakers)
Wisconsin 25, Campbell 13
West Virginia def. Wisconsin, 25-13
North Dakota State 22, Campbell 16
West Virginia 31, Campbell 12
Wisconsin 22, North Dakota State 13
