1A-2 Preview:
BY BRANT PARSONS — Florida High’s wrestling program has had plenty of success in its history. They’ve had a state title, multiple state placers and routinely send multiple wrestlers to Kissimmee.
But the one thing the Seminoles haven’t had is a team district title.
“People will ask, ‘Hey, how many times have you won the region?’ and I say, ‘Won region? I've never won the district,’” Coach Clay Allen said. “It's funny, I can't even explain to you how weird it is to even think about sometimes.”
“If it's not Wakulla, it's Suwannee, or it’s that I'm a little down,” Allen said. “Even this year, Wakulla is going to be tough.”
This year will be no different as the tough district again could see any of those three winning.
Suwannee, winner of the past three district titles, graduated a monster class from last season with three state placers and seven qualifiers in total finishing their high school career.
Ryan Phillips takes over the head coach duties for the team who should have talent coming back and wrestlers in the room ready to step in.
Before Suwannee’s recent run, Wakulla was the team to beat, with a title-winning streak that stretches back to at least 2012 and maybe further.
Coach Nate Litowski is in his second year in charge and the War Eagles look ready to challenge again for that top spot.
The
Kabra Wrestling Rankings are updated every week all season long for Kabra+ members.
Last season: Suwannee rode six individual champions and eight finalists to a third consecutive district crown.
How did Kabra do?: We picked the champions to win and our team to watch finished in second place.
Last year’s district tournament results
Last year’s region tournament results
Wrestlers to watch:
The favorite:
Team to watch:
District duals: Wednesday, January 7 at Florida High, 4:30 p.m.
District IBT: Thursday, February 19 at Wakulla, 4 p.m.
Suwannee Bulldogs
Coach: Joey Phillips (1st at school/6th overall)
Assistant coach: Luke Smith
24-25 dual record: 42-5
Recent district results: 2025:1; 2024:1; 2023:1; 2022:2; 2021:4; 2020:2; 2019:3; 2018:3; 2017:3; 2016:3; 2015:3; 2014:2; 2013:2; 2012:2
Last state champion: Shawn Brown, 2014 (160)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Marshall White, 53-1, 2nd, RC, DC; Eli Jolicoeur, 56-3, 3rd, RC, DC; Justin Contreras, 25-9, 6th, R3, DC; Clay Starling, 26-12, SQ, R3, D2; Torynn Johns, 31-14, SQ, R3, DC; Arthur Vanderpool, 40-17, SQ, R4, D3; Jonathan Gonzalez, 23-32, RQ, D4.
Potential notable returning wrestlers: Rylan Milian, Jr., 27-19, SQ, R3, D3; Holden Corbin, Sr., 53-10, 7th, R2, DC; Landon Slater, Sr., 43-11, RQ-BR, DC; Jayden James, Sr., 17-13, RQ-BR, D2; Kameron Miller, So., 9-21, RQ-BR, D3; Jose Garcia, So., 22-21, RQ, D3; Nasir Smith, Jr., 23-16, RQ, D3.
What they are saying:
Outlook:
The Florida High School Wrestling Season District Previews
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Class 3A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Class 2A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Class 1A: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Girls: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
District Predictions: All 64 projected final IBT standings
Other content: Transfers | Coaching changes | Tournament schedule | Dual schedule | Team schedules
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Florida High Seminoles
Coach: Clay Allen (16th season)
Assistant coaches: MaShawn Knight, Kevin Concepcion, Hunter Stanley, Nic Timmons
Click here for 25-26 schedule
24-25 dual record: 8-6
Recent district results: 2025:2; 2024:3; 2023:2; 2022:3; 2021:2; 2020:3; 2019:2; 2018:2; 2017:2; 2016:2; 2015:2; 2014:3; 2013:3; 2012:3
Last state champion: Xander Hawkes, 2024 (175)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Keaton Ellis, 55-8, 4th, R2, DC; Christian Ajose-Adeogun, 38-19, RQ-BR, D2.
Notable returning wrestlers: Jasper Croom, Jr., 52-6, 5th, RC, DC; Terence Hinson, Sr., 46-18, SQ, RC, DC; Jordan Haigler, Sr., 35-8, SQ, R2, DC; John Cheney, Fr., 36-17, SQ, R3, DC; Brayden Reed, Jr., 24-13, SQ, R4, D3; Malik Leonard, So., 33-17, RQ-BR, D3; Sterling Hollingsworth, Sr., 20-4, RQ, DC; Wyatt Feltgen, Fr., 27-13, RQ, D3; Myles Dupont, So., RQ, D4.
New wrestlers: Weston Middleton, 7th; Diego Silva; Jack Costello
What they are saying: “We've got a really talented group of kids coming back and a really good group of young kids coming up. A lot of guys that have wrestled for me, even going back all the way to elementary school, but most of them through middle school and up into high school. I think if we can get everybody in the right spots, I really think we got a shot to, make a run to get down there to Kissimmee for the first time in our program's history. Which would be big for us from a team dual standpoint. I think that we could qualify up to 10, maybe 11 kids, place five or six of them, if not, one or two more on the IBT side. Our goals are to win the region, which is another thing we've never done, and then strangely enough, to win the district, which we've also never done before, which is kind of wild, but again, we just try to build from the bottom up and try to get our own kids through our system.
On coaching staff: "I'm returning all of my coaches. For a long time I did everything by myself but now I've got a full coaching staff, both on the boys and the girls side. It just allows us to have a little bit more freedom to focus individually on some more kids when we need it. We are very excited about this upcoming season and our potential.
On Jasper: "He's going to go everywhere. He's going to compete at everything. He's always done those things, it's the iceberg philosophy of everybody sees what's above the water, but what a lot of people don't see is that Jasper went to all of those tournaments the last two or three years and he's put himself in those tough situations and he goes and finds different people to practice with and different coaches to learn from and things like that. He puts himself in a position where he'll compete with anybody, anywhere, anytime. He's definitely one of the leaders when it comes to that part in our program."
Outlook: Florida High should find themselves fighting for district titles in duals and IBT and looking for some place-winners in Kissimmee.
Wakulla War Eagles
Coach: Nate Litowski (2nd season as HC, 4th overall)
Assistant coaches: Benny Litowsky, Jon Sanchez , Larry Reeves
Click here for 25-26 schedule
24-25 dual record: 22-6
Recent district results: 2025:3; 2024:2; 2023:3; 2022:1; 2021:1; 2020:1; 2019:1; 2018:1; 2017:1; 2016:1; 2015:1; 2014:1; 2013:1; 2012:1
Last state champion: Jacob Marin, 2017 (285)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Nate Jacobs, 46-17, SQ, R3, D2; Austin Ryals, 12-12, D6; Mason Blair, 15-9.
Notable returning wrestlers: Matthew Thaxton, Jr., 46-18, 7th, R2, D2; William Harvey, Sr., 43-14, SQ, RC, D2; Aaron Robinson, Sr., 44-19, SQ, R3, D2; Blake Barodte, Sr., 40-22, SQ, R4, DC; Patrick Cooksey, So., 28-24, SQ, R4, D2; Colt Sanders, So., 41-14, RQ-BR, DC; Brayden Manning, Jr., 26-19, RQ, D3; Clayton Manzi, Sr., 7-5, RQ, D4; Troy Thaxton, Sr., 24-15; Gavin Mitchell, Sr., 24-13.
New wrestlers: Brady Jackson, Sr., 27-6, 2nd, RC, DC (Transfer from Lincoln)
What they are saying: “ We have all the puzzle pieces this year, it's just can we create the picture? The kids are working every day and the goals are very simple: win all the work and all the discipline wrestling takes. For most of my team, it's the last bite of the apple. We have a lot of seniors this year and it's just this last hurrah to win. I've been here four years now, with only two in the main chair, but this is the closest I've ever seen any team from Wakulla. They're believing in it.”
On some wrestlers to watch: “Matt Thaxton had a little breakout year last year and then I think he's been putting the work in. I'm excited to see him. William Harvey came up short a little last year and we’ve got Brady back in the room. And another one is Aaron Robinson, I think Aaron is a bad man. Troy Thaxton and then of course we have Colt Sanders returning and then our big man Blake up top at 215. It's good.”
On the program: “We're a strong county. We're very proud of being here. We're your typical 1A. No one's going to move into here or come here out of nowhere. We're homegrown and we're just working to be the best. We believe in the work. There are no tricks to this, we're just working and trying to be the best we can be.”
Outlook: The War Eagles bring back a ton of experience from a year and with Jackson joining the group, Wakulla could be in the battle to win its first district title sine 2022.
Liberty County Bulldogs
Coach: Jason Brown (5th season)
Click here for 25-26 schedule
Recent district results: 2025:5; 2024:4; 2023:4; 2022:5
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Josh Mercer, 38-21, SQ, R4, D2; Jay Brown, 52-9, SQ, RC, D2.
Notable returning wrestlers: Thiago Finuff, Sr., 35-18, SQ, R2, D2; Marcello Watson, Sr., 11-33, RQ, D3.
What they are saying: We are definitely looking to grow it's looking like we're going to have a lot of newer kids, a lot of freshman coming in. I say a lot for me, maybe 10 kids that would shooting looking for these kids to learn, get a base. We do have two starters coming back with Thiago Finuff and Marcelo Watson. We are definitely looking for Thiago to be a leader. He's finally got his shot and just want him, to kind of help me not only teach these kids, but get himself the goals he's wanting to achieve.
On Thiago working to build team: "He's became a great ambassador for the sport. I'm not a big social media guy, but he's always on there putting stuff out about wrestling. If he doesn't have a role in wrestling later in life, a recruiter or something of that nature would be great. He's working his tail off to grow this team."
On schedule: "We're still here. My kids are gone, and everybody thought I would leave, but I'm like, what else I got to do in my life? I might as well do this. Our schedule probably won't be quite as crazy as before. I will say we're in Georgia a lot and South Florida a lot. This year won't quite be as crazy."
Outlook: The numbers may not be big at Liberty County, but Finuff will be looking to make school history this year as an individual.
Marianna Bulldogs
Coach: Richard Davis (3rd season)
Assistant coach:
Click here for 25-26 schedule
24-25 dual record:
Recent district results: 2025:4; 2024:5; 2023:6; 2022:4; 2021:5; 2020:4; 2019:3-1A1; 2018:3-1A1; 2017:5-1A1; 2016:2-1A1; 2015:2-1A1; 2014:2-1A1; 2013:2-1A1; 2012:1-1A1
Last state champion: Bill Sedgewick, 1994 (189), Reggie Toombs, 1994 (220)
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Samuel Basford, 15-20, RQ, D4; Landon Hollister, 22-10, RQ-BR, D2.
Potential notable returning wrestlers: Nicholas Heineman, Sr., 27-16, RQ, D2; Roy Hughes, Sr., 21-14, RQ, D3; Aaryn Brown, So., 12-14, RQ, D3; David Miller, Sr., 14-15, RQ, D3; Luan Nguyen, So., 7-22, RQ, D4; Connor Chandler, So., 8-19, RQ, D4; Jaden Cody, Sr., 17-16, RQ, D4.
New wrestlers:
What they are saying:
Outlook:
Godby Cougars
Coach: Matthew Forbes
Assistant coach:
Click here for 25-26 schedule
24-25 dual record:
Recent district results: 2025:6; 2023:5; 2022:6; 2021:6; 2020:6; 2019:4; 2018:4; 2017:4; 2016:5; 2015:4; 2014:4; 2013:4; 2012:4
Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Gedalyah Fletcher, RQ, D4.
Potential notable returning wrestlers: LaTroy Coleman, Jr., 2-9, RQ, D4.
New wrestlers:
What they are saying:
Outlook: