Region 2A-4: Preview and Predictions
FRIDAY-SATURDAY FEBRUARY 27-28, 2026 - at Varela High School
Friday: Weigh-in: 10 a.m. | Wrestling starts: 12 p.m.
Saturday: Weigh-in: 8 a.m. | Wrestling starts: 10 a.m.
Welcome to one of my favorite traditions - the region previews.
For those that are reading one for the first time, here's a quick summary of what the region preview is.
I look at each bracket notate where wrestlers are ranked in the Kabra Wrestling Rankings and then start to break it down even more. You can find those rankings marked on the bracket images in the previews this year.
I look for head-to-head matchups, common opponents, and how each wrestler has been trending in the stretch run. I then question my rankings - and myself - and play out the entire bracket.
What follows is my best guess for how 2A-4 will play out.
You can print the 2A-4 region bracket here. (PDF)
I've carefully predicted the four state qualifiers in the order that I think the will finish. I've also listed wrestlers that could prove me wrong and make it to Kissimmee.
I will be wrong with these picks, and I'm okay with that. In fact, I love when kids prove me wrong (or prove me right).
These previews and predictions are meant to bring excitement to one of the exhilarating and heartbreaking weekends in sports.
I assure you that I have no bias in my picks and truly wish the best for every wrestler competing this weekend.
And as always, these picks are for entertainment purposes only.
Now onto the preview:
Picks made based on current brackets at 10:00 p.m. on February 25, 2026.
Check out Kabra Wrestling’s Region Previews
Girls: Region 1 preview | Region 2 preview | Region 3 preview | Region 4 preview
Class 3A: Region 1 preview | Region 2 preview | Region 3 preview | Region 4 preview
Class 2A: Region 1 preview | Region 2 preview | Region 3 preview | Region 4 preview
Class 1A: Region 1 preview | Region 2 preview | Region 3 preview | Region 4 preview
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Vladimir Drown (Rockledge)
2. #7 Caio Sainz (Somerset)
3. #9 Gavin Langley (Archbishop McCarthy)
4. #15 Berri Ari Stvil (Mater Academy)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Kevin Morales-Lopez (Forest Hill); Breckan Fee (St. Thomas)
Opening round match to watch: Fee vs. Caleb Boigris (Belen Jesuit)
Kabra says: Drown is the lone returning state placer in this group and the only wrestler in the bracket to have competed in Silver Spurs. The sophomore hasn’t wrestled any of his top competitors here this season. The sixth-grade Sainz has improved as the season has progressed as he’s battled some of the best in the state at this weight class. Langley also has battled a tough schedule but the two’s first meeting would be in the semifinals here.
Kabra's Picks
1. #3 Gary Mendez (Mater Academy)
2. #5 Cano Austin (Somerset)
3. #6 Nolan Halulko (Martin County)
4. #16 Michael Ochoa Stingham (Jensen Beach)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #17 Sean Barnes (South Fork); #19 Austin Douglas (Sebastian River)
Opening round match to watch: Anthony Schiano (St. Thomas) vs. Athlens Henri (North Miami)
Kabra says: With his district final win, Mendez improved to 3-0 this season against Austin. Before the technical fall at districts, the two had wrestled to decisions. Returning state qualifier Halulko has distanced himself from the rest of the field with his results and the race to complete this podium will be exciting with a trio of wrestlers leading the way.
Kabra's Picks
1. #5 Kane Drake (Jensen Beach)
2. #7 Jacob Rhodes (Archbishop McCarthy)
3. #10 Juan Perez (Everglades)
4. #14 Seyrious Peterson (Heritage)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #11 Michael Maisonet (Mater Academy); #15 Samuel Junco (Somerset)
Opening round match to watch: Gabriel Disla (Deerfield Beach) vs. Samuel Junco (Somerset)
Kabra says: Jensen Beach’s talented freshman Drake and Rhodes have not met in high school competition but could introduce themselves in the final here. Another pair of wrestlers to watch are Perez and Maisonet. The Everglades senior toppled the state placer in their district final last week. Peterson also has shown he’s worthy of discussion here as he chases his first invite to Kissimmee.
Kabra's Picks
1. #3 Chris Smith (Archbishop McCarthy)
2. #6 Sair Lopez (Jensen Beach)
3. #16 Isaiah Gray (Port St. Lucie)
4. #18 Berry Nasir Stvil (Mater Academy)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #23 Vankermaury Souffrant (Miramar); #24 Alejandro Toro (Somerset)
Opening round match to watch: Cayden Barrocas (American Heritage) vs. Toro
Kabra says: Smith has continued to pick up big victories as the season has grown and we have him as a slight favorite over the talented freshman from Jensen Beach.
Kabra's Picks
1. #2 Carlos Sainz (Somerset)
2. #1 Lucas Barrios (Mater Academy)
3. #10 Deaven Montanez (Archbishop McCarthy)
4. #13 Ezekiel Guerrero (Sebastian River)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #14 Angel Tollinchi (Heritage); #17 Ronnie Brown (Dillard)
Opening round match to watch: Tollinchi vs. Long Nguyen (Deerfield Beach)
Kabra says: Oh boy, this one got even more exciting after Barrios scored a 4-2 tiebreaker win over Sainz in the district final to even their season series at 1-1 after Sainz won 3-1 in a dual back in January. We’re going to buck the trend here and say it flips back this week - and then it could flip back against next week. Montanez seems like a solid pick to lead the pack chasing those final two podium spots. He owns a three-point decision over Tollinchi and a major decision win against Brown.
Kabra's Picks
1. #5 Joseph Scott (Archbishop McCarthy)
2. #9 Julian Brady (Suncoast)
3. #6 Dylan Fernandez (Somerset)
4. #13 Jackie Redman (Hollywood Hills)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #11 Joshua Viera (Mater Academy); #15 Julian Melly (Martin County)
Opening round match to watch: Kyle Wingler (Heritage) vs. #17 Sage Drake (Jensen Beach)
Kabra says: The seeding formula gave us our top ranked wrestlers in this bracket a potential meeting in the semis. When they met during the season, Scott doubled up Fernandez 4-2 in the Colby Singletary semifinals. Brady, last year’s region champion in this weight class, could prove us wrong and take home his second region crown.
Kabra's Picks
1. #3 Darion Shannon (Somerset)
2. #7 Jake Giovino (Satellite)
3. #9 Amado Bocalandro (Jensen Beach)
4. #10 Jayden Rivas (Miramar)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #12 Daniel Medina (Mater Academy); #17 Andre Rossi (Archbishop McCarthy)
Opening round match to watch: #19 Vincient Williams (St. Thomas) vs. Medina
Kabra says: Returning state placer Shannon is our pick to win the region here. Giovino has had a limited campaign and after missing the postseason last year, the 2024 state finalist is poised to return to the podium as a senior.
Kabra's Picks
1. #7 Nestor Colaire (Delray Beach Atlantic)
2. #8 Tavien Smith (Jensen Beach)
3. #13 Andres Viera (Mater Academy)
4. #18 Marlo Jimenez (Somerset)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #21 Erick Shelton (Martin County); Giovanni Gilbert (Archbishop McCarthy)
Opening round match to watch: Jimenez vs. Shelton
Kabra says: Colaire won a thrilling district final last week against Smith 3-1. They could face each other again. We had MacVittie as the one to beat for third place, but he’s listed as a scratch already on the brackets on Track.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Tristan Sainz (Somerset)
2. #2 Matteo Gonzalez (Mater Academy)
3. #3 Charly Sainteus (North Miami)
4. #16 Bruno Reyes (Suncoast)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #21 Jake Kriegsman (Satellite); Venture Gonzalez (Jensen Beach)
Opening round match to watch: Camari Riche (Heritage) vs. Aston Baker (American Heritage)
Kabra says: Defending state champion and three-time state placer Sainz is looking to punctuate his high school career with another state title. He’ll be the favorite to pick up his third region crown here. Gonzalez placed third as a seventh grader in 2024 while at Somerset. Returning state qualifier Sainteus has some big wins this year and should compete at the top. Watch for a Reyes-Kriegsman blood round match to get to Silver Spurs.
Kabra's Picks
1. #6 Atticus Dye (Archbishop McCarthy)
2. #20 Tyler Kelly (Deerfield Beach)
3. #9 Sidney Katz (Somerset)
4. #23 Christopher Vasquez (Felix Varela)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #21 William Davis (Heritage); #24 Cesar Aguado (Belen Jesuit)
Opening round match to watch: Jaydon Oquendo (Jensen Beach) vs. Pierce Burke (Bayside)
Kabra says: One of those odd seedings this year that gives us our projected final in the semifinal round on Saturday morning. Dye and Katz have not faced each other this season but we feel they’re the two to beat here. We project seven possible wrestlers with the ability to finish on the podium in the final two spots and the consolation rounds here should be heated.
Kabra's Picks
1. #5 Eli Diaz (Somerset)
2. #8 Elijah Weatherly (Sebastian River)
3. #9 Brendon Whiting (Heritage)
4. #16 Terrell Jones (Felix Varela)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #17 Jessie Hutchison (Port St. Lucie); #22 Jordan Evans (McArthur)
Opening round match to watch: Adin Williams (Dillard) vs. Michael Robinson (Bayside)
Kabra says: Returning state qualifier Diaz is looking to return to Kissimmee with a region title this year. Weatherly earned a spot on the other side of the bracket of Diaz after winning the 2A-13 district title and could be waiting in the final. This is another bracket with a loaded logjam of wrestlers who deserve a spot on the podium and will battle it out.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Mateo Martinez (Somerset)
2. #4 Rubier Oliva (Felix Varela)
3. #7 Benjamin Gordon (Heritage)
4. Rolando Benitez (Belen Jesuit)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Nicholas Owens (Westwood); Mike Jn-Baptiste (Miramar)
Opening round match to watch: Jn-Baptiste vs. Owens
Kabra says: Returning state champion Martinez has made it a habit of beating Oliva in the postseason. Beating him in last year’s region final and earning a district title this season. Gordon is a safe pick to also return to Kissimmee as the third place finisher here. He lost to Oliva in last year’s region tournament.
Kabra's Picks
1. #3 Tyson Reyes (Jensen Beach)
2. #7 Sage Suarez (Somerset)
3. #11 Matt Moise (Heritage)
4. #16 Rafael Scott (Belen Jesuit)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #21 Kensly Lorthe (Archbishop McCarthy); Sandley Dorvilus (North Miami)
Opening round match to watch: Eddie Darling (Deerfield Beach) vs. Dorvilus
Kabra says: Reyes is a solid favorite here, owning a win over Suarez from this season. Moise has been a big part of Heritage’s turnaround this season and we’ve tapped him to head to Kissimmee with Scott.
Kabra's Picks
1. #1 Blake Elder (Jensen Beach)
2. #9 Roger Valeus (Delray Beach Atlantic)
3. #14 Ruperto Gonzalez (Forest Hill)
4. #16 Guiyen Noel (Mater Academy)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: #17 Lamon Witherspoon (Miramar); #18 Chase Goodrich (St. Thomas)
Opening round match to watch: James Scott (Heritage) vs. Kamari Jean (Dillard)
Kabra says: Elder has spent the season proving he’s the best heavyweight in Class 2A heading into the postseason and a repeat region title looks destined for the senior. Valeus is our pick to join him in the final but the rest of the podium is more wide open. As they say, anything can happen at the heavyweight division.