Class 2A: Lake Gibson triumphs in razor-thin three team race | Weight class breakdown

BY BRANT PARSONS —Heading into the tightest expected team race at the FHSAA State Wrestling Tournament, Lake Gibson knew that every point and every match would play a role in deciding the Class 2A team title.

They were right.

The Braves won their fifth IBT state title and first since 2023 by six points, outscoring runner-up Somerset 179-173. Third place Tampa Jesuit was just two more points back at 171.

Lake Gibson secured the title with 10 of the 12 wrestlers finishing on the podium with one state champ, three more finalists and some key points also scored on the backside.

“Everyone contributed in some way,” Lake Gibson coach Daniel Walker said. “This might have been the toughest one that we've had to get with both of those teams just nipping and nipping and nipping at our lead.”

Lake Gibson had a great first day of the tournament with 11 wrestlers winning their first round match. The performance built a small cushion that was never quite comfortable.

“We got it started on day one with much better round than we anticipated then got a good little lead,” Walker said. “Then it was just we won a couple, and they kept winning, and Somerset just kept finding bonus everywhere. And I thought ‘Oh my goodness, how does this end? Then Jesuit also started getting hot and they were catching bonus (Saturday) morning, and I wondered what more do we have to do because we were wrestling well and they just kept chipping away. Testament to our team, they never got rattled.”

At the end of the night, Jeremiah Chavis was celebrating his first state title, winning at 215 pounds. Tyler White (126), Jaxon Arafas (157), and Konstantin Khaspekian (165) all earned second place honors.

Some big points was already picked up by Jaxon Hackett (106), RJ Phelan (113), and Roberto De Jesus (132) as they bounced back to finish third after suffering disappointing losses earlier in the tournament.

“That was how the team was this year,” Walker said. “They battled together. They loved each other. They were just phenomenal in every aspect of the team chemistry and unity and that was the difference this weekend,” Walker said.

A key win in the placing rounds was Paul Wright’s major decision win in the 175-pound fifth-place match over Eli Diaz.

“Before he went out there, I grabbed his head gear, and I told him that I need him to give us one more match and it was probably the best match he's wrestled all season,” Walker said.

Another key placing win came one weight class later when Mason Desandolo earned a fifth place spot at 190.

“Mason goes out and gets that win at 190, which he wasn't expected to do and that was probably the toughest one and probably the sweetest one, just because of how tough it was all the way down to the end,” Walker said.

Isaac Lowe (144) finished out the podium placing for the Braves with a sixth place finish and a crucial seven points.

“It's a great group of kids and I couldn't ask for a better group,” Walker said. “It's a completely different group than we've had last year or the year before. Each group is different, but this one, they were truly together all the way through.”