Class 2A state wrestling preview and predictions
NOTE: Due to timing, we are making these live and will continue to fill in “Kabra Says”
BY BRANT PARSONS —Welcome to our 2026 state tournament preview and predictions.
This is yearly tradition that is meant to be both a viewing guide and fun way to look ahead to the best three days of the season.
We’ve changed it up a bit this year and given you an inside peek into how the picks are made.
In the past, we’d print out the brackets and make notes on it, use the Kabra Wrestling rankings, and then make a pick for each match. Then a summary would be written for each weight class.
Those note-stained pages are now graphics you will see at the top of every weight class in the preview.
This preview is a snapshot in time on what I felt would happen in this tournament when I wrote the preview. If I was to go through and write it again, I’m sure there are some that would be different. There does tend to be a good deal of scratching out on my brackets when I do this.
As always, there is no bias that goes into these picks and they are meant for entertainment purposes only. I don’t cheer for my bracket to be right, in fact, the most memorable moments related to these previews are the kids that proved me wrong and then told me that they did.
In fact, when I’m covering the state tournament, I often don’t even remember the picks that I made. I’m too excited just watching the great action.
Best of luck to each of the state qualifiers that will compete this weekend. Just reaching the state tournament is such a tremendous accomplishment and no matter what you do this weekend at Silver Spurs Arena, you are a success that has accomplished great things through this powerful sport.
And if you prove Kabra wrong, please let me know, we have a sticker for you.
The Picks
Team Race
Final standings
1. Lake Gibson
2. Tampa Jesuit
3. Somerset
4. Charlotte
5. Jensen Beach
Predicted total state champions
3 - Lake Gibson, Tampa Jesuit
2 - Somerset
1 - Charlotte, Fort Myers, Jensen Beach, Mater Academy, Riverdale, Winter Springs
Predicted state placers
11 - Lake Gibson
9 - Somerset, Tampa Jesuit
6 - Archbishop McCarthy, Charlotte
5 - Jensen Beach, North Fort Myers
4 - Brandon, Riverdale
3 - Braden River, Gulf Breeze, Mater Academy, Middleburg, New Smyrna Beach, Pace
2 - Clay, Springstead, Winter Springs
1 - Arnold, Beachside, Bonita Springs, Chiles, Delray Beach Atlantic, Edgewater, Everglades, Felix Varela, Fort Myers, Fort Walton Beach, Heritage, Hollins, Lakeland, Manatee, Mariner, Miramar, Niceville, North Miami, Parrish, Pinellas Park, Ponte Vedra, Port Charlotte, River Ridge, Rockledge, Sebastian River, St. Pete Northeast, Suncoast, Tavares, Zephyrhills
FHSAA Schedules
Class 3A: IBT results | Dual results | State IBT preview
Class 2A: IBT results | Dual results | State IBT preview
Class 1A: IBT results | Dual results | State IBT preview
Class G-1A: IBT results | State IBT preview
Kabra's Picks
1. Jaxson Hackett (Lake Gibson)
2. Alexander Nassiff (Charlotte)
3. Robert Frijouf (Tampa Jesuit)
4. Ethan Raley (Brandon)
5. Vladimir Drown (Rockledge)
6. Gavin Langley (Archbishop McCarthy)
7. Caio Sainz (Somerset)
8. Easton Balma (Riverdale)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Andrew Bishop (North Fort Myers); Jaeden Jacobs (Lyman)
First round matches you can't miss: Bishop vs. Langley; Kenly vs. Drown
Kabra says: This is a fascinating weight class loaded with state championship talent and a quarterfinal round that is a can’t miss. Along with potential #1-#4 and #3-#5 meetings in the round, you could also have a Super 32 Early Entry replay between Hackett and Drown. That match was won by Drown back in the fall. This podium could look a bunch of different ways, but in our picks, we have a fourth meeting between Hackett and Nassiff in the final. The Lake Gibson freshman leads the season series 2-1, but the sophomore from Charlotte won their last bout against each other.
Kabra's Picks
1. RJ Phelan (Lake Gibson)
2. Zachary Leto (Tampa Jesuit)
3. Gary Mendez (Mater Academy)
4. Jackson Stouffer (Brandon)
5. Cano Austin (Somerset)
6. Caden Moore (Charlotte)
7. Joseph Obstaculo (Hollins)
8. Walter Howard (Beachside)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Michael Maher (Riverdale); Jason Marsala (Chiles)
First round matches you can't miss: Austin vs. Stouffer; Howard vs. Maher
Kabra says: Phelan enters the weekend as the favorite. The defending state champion at 106, Phelan owns a 3-0 win over Leto from this season. The semifinals could see a rematch of last year’s state final, a match won 9-6 by the Lake Gibson sophomore over Mendez. The Austin-Stouffer first round match will have a seismic impact to the final podium here.
Kabra's Picks
1. Eric Bush (Riverdale)
2. Garrett Ferguson (Gulf Breeze)
3. Dominik Baxter (Pace)
4. Kane Drake (Jensen Beach)
5. Cash Cailliau (Tampa Jesuit)
6. Yenzon Decastro (Brandon)
7. Jacob Rhodes (Archbishop McCarthy)
8. Juan Perez (Everglades)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Jacob Rivera (Winter Springs); Isaiah Rivera (East River)
First round matches you can't miss: Rivera vs. Vince Wurtsbaugh (Mariner); Rhodes vs. Rivera
Kabra says: Bush, last year’s state finalist, is the favorite in this weight class. He could see two tough wrestlers along the way with Baxter on the bottom and Ferguson on the top of the bracket. The Gulf Breeze senior is a two-time state placer and three-time state qualifier.
Kabra's Picks
1. Kael Seneca (Fort Myers)
2. Tyler White (Lake Gibson)
3. Ryder Cohen (Gulf Breeze)
4. Sair Lopez (Jensen Beach)
5. Chris Smith (Archbishop McCarthy)
6. Nathan Harvey (Middleburg)
7. Ethan Smith (Tampa Jesuit)
8. Joshua Waring (Pace)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Tyler Jeskie (Barron Collier); Jaden Morales (Braden River)
First round matches you can't miss: Waring vs. Jeskie; Harvey vs. Morales
Kabra says: We have all four region champions reaching the semifinals in this bracket. None of them have faced each other, so along with reputation, we utilized a bit of guessing in our picks here. Seneca has been our #1 at this weight class since Week 5.
Kabra's Picks
1. Lucas Barrios (Mater Academy)
2. Carlos Sainz (Somerset)
3. Roberto De Jesus (Lake Gibson)
4. Aden Cortez (Pace)
5. Evan Cope (Charlotte)
6. Cash Trujillo (Ponte Vedra)
7. Deaven Montanez (Archbishop McCarthy)
8. Jaxon Perry (Riverdale)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Jaden Weisgal (Brandon); Elijah Grant (Orange Park)
First round matches you can't miss: Perry vs. Montanez; Weisgal vs. Grant
Kabra says: Barrios now leads his season series with Sainz 2-1 after winning for the second-straight week. The Mater Academy freshman won the region final in the tiebreaker round and the district final 4-1. Back in the region duals, Sainz won the meeting between the two 3-1. This bracket could see us get a #2 vs. #3 in the quarterfinals with Sainz and De Jesus lined up. The Somerset freshman, who reached the state final a year ago, won in the ultimate tiebreaker this year and beat the Lake Gibson senior 7-5 in last season’s state tournament.
Kabra's Picks
1. Reid Yakes (Tampa Jesuit)
2. Rudley Villareal (Winter Springs)
3. Clinton Thompson (North Fort Myers)
4. Devyn Hicks (New Smyrna Beach)
5. Joseph Scott (Archbishop McCarthy)
6. Dylan Fernandez (Somerset)
7. Julian Brady (Suncoast)
8. Logan Chornoby (Pinellas Park)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Logan Miller (Riverdale); Sage Drake (Jensen Beach)
First round matches you can't miss: Logan Duncan (Gulf) vs. Chornoby; Fernandez vs. Hicks
Kabra says: Yates has had a storied career so far in the state tournament, finishing 2nd, 4th and 5th in this three appearances. The junior enters this weekend as the favorite to win his first state title. The brackets rolled out the second-ranked Thompson being on the same side, meaning a potential 1-2 matchup in the semifinals. They have not met this season.
Kabra's Picks
1. Jake Austin (Charlotte)
2. Jacob Fuentes (Braden River)
3. Darion Shannon (Somerset)
4. Landon Murphy (North Fort Myers)
5. Caden Krsul (Tampa Jesuit)
6. Isaac Lowe (Lake Gibson)
7. David Crilly (Arnold)
8. Jayden Rivas (Miramar)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Jake Giovino (Satellite); Jack Creaser (Parrish)
First round matches you can't miss: Lowe vs. Murphy; Rivas vs. Toby Trumbower (Chiles)
Kabra says: Two-time defending state champion Austin is the favorite here. The Charlotte sophomore has reached the finals three times so far in his career. The bracket gives up a coin toss quarterfinal between #2 Fuentes and #3 Shannon. They have not met. Austin is 4-0 this season against Fuentes should the Braden River senior reach the final.
Kabra's Picks
1. Mason Basile (Tampa Jesuit)
2. Merrick Miller (New Smyrna Beach)
3. Travonte Burgess (Lakeland)
4. Jayden Frey (River Ridge)
5. Toby Pearce (Mariner)
6. Tavien Smith (Jensen Beach)
7. Angel Ojeda (Manatee)
8. Andres Viera (Mater Academy)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Nestor Colaire (Delray Beach Atlantic); Spencer Timm (Lake Gibson)
First round matches you can't miss: Collver Hipp (Niceville) vs. Isaac Maldonado (Immokalee); Timm vs. Smith
Kabra says: While Basile is on the bottom as a solid favorite, the top half of this bracket is where the action is at with the #2-#5 ranked wrestlers. The quarterfinal round will be one to watch with potential 2 vs. 4 and 3 vs. 5 matchups. One wrestler to watch on the bottom is English national champion Pearce.
Kabra's Picks
1. Tristan Sainz (Somerset)
2. Charly Sainteus (North Miami)
3. Jaxon Arfaras (Lake Gibson)
4. Daniel Raines (Middleburg)
5. Calvyn St. Clair (Clay)
6. Leyton Collazo (Gulf Breeze)
7. Brooks Cowan (St. Pete Northeast)
8. Gabriele Nudi (North Fort Myers)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Cooper Garcia (Tampa Jesuit); Camari Riche (Heritage)
First round matches you can't miss: Daniel Quinones (Springstead) vs. Nudi; Riche vs. St. Clair
Kabra says: Three-time state finalist Sainz is the heavy favorite in this weight class. Last year’s state champion comes into the weekend unbeaten on the year. The bottom half of the bracket is intriguing with Sainteus, Arfaras, and St. Clair residing along with some other accomplished wrestlers. We haven’t found any meetings between the contenders on the bottom.
Kabra's Picks
1. Kawayran Vazquez (Tampa Jesuit)
2. Konstantin Khaspekian (Lake Gibson)
3. Evan Rowe (Braden River)
4. Atticus Dye (Archbishop McCarthy)
5. Hayden Smith (Chiles)
6. Michael Hernandez (Charlotte)
7. Hayden Hansford (Port Charlotte)
8. Sidney Katz (Somerset)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Mateo Martinez (Lakeland); Drew Holmquist (Clay)
First round matches you can't miss: Martinez vs. Hansford; Katz vs. Julian Razavi (Arnold)
Kabra says: Two-time state finalist Vazquez enters the weekend as the pick to win his first state title. Vazquez will need to likely get past the second-ranked Rowe on his side of the bracket and then could meet Khaspekian for the third time this season. The Tampa Jesuit junior is 2-0 in their prior meetings. The backside could see some great battles as the podium gets sorted, including a potential Hernandez-Katz rematch. The Charlotte grappler won their meeting this season 9-7.
Kabra's Picks
1. Jacob Rodriguez (Winter Springs)
2. Kalel Hernandez (North Fort Myers)
3. James Garrett (Springstead)
4. Andrew Bray (Zephyrhills)
5. Paul Wright (Lake Gibson)
6. Brady Gifford (Niceville)
7. Nikolai Krywko (Parrish)
8. Elijah Weatherly (Sebastian River)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Quinton O'Driscoll (Pinellas Park); Maxwell Edwards (Barron Collier)
First round matches you can't miss: O’Driscoll vs. Adan Williams (Dillard); Wright vs. Gifford
Kabra says: Four region champions that have had great seasons and had a combined 14 losses this season. This bracket feels wide open and we don’t have any matches to work off of in picking it. We’ve gone with our favorite most of the season, last year’s fourth-place finisher Rodriguez. Garret (2 times) and Hernandez are also state placers and Bray reached the state tournament last season.
Kabra's Picks
1. Mateo Martinez (Somerset)
2. Landon Martin (Clay)
3. West Lucas (North Fort Myers)
4. Benjamin Gordon (Heritage)
5. Landon Dickerson (New Smyrna Beach)
6. Parker Miller (Edgewater)
7. Mason Desandolo (Lake Gibson)
8. Rubier Oliva (Felix Varela)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Ezequiel Pedraza (Cape Coral); Robert Bossowski (Tampa Jesuit)
First round matches you can't miss: Oliva vs. Desandolo; Tajay Richards (Arnold) vs. Pedraza
Kabra says: Martinez is the defending state champion and our pick to win it again this year. The field is tough with returning state placers Martin and Lucas in the mix. Those two could meet in a semifinal that might be one of the best ones we see on Friday. Dickerson has a win over Martin this season and is 1-1 between the two, but earned a tough draw with Martinez likely lurking in the quarterfinal round.
Kabra's Picks
1. Jeremiah Chavis (Lake Gibson)
2. Porter Loveland (Middleburg)
3. Kaleb Johns (Springstead)
4. Tyson Reyes (Jensen Beach)
5. Freedom McDaniel (Braden River)
6. Sage Suarez (Somerset)
7. Marvin Mendez (Tampa Jesuit)
8. Sebastian Corporan (Bonita Springs)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Jelani Bentley (Tavares); Marco Gonzalez (Winter Springs)
First round matches you can't miss: Suarez vs. Mendez; Rome Kendrick (Fort Walton Beach) vs. Corporan
Kabra says: Chavis is the healthy favorite in this weight, he’s beaten Johns, Loveland, Mendez, and Suarez this season. With four of the top six in the top half of the bracket, who the Lake Gibson sophomore faces in the final should be a dogfight. We’re willing to admit when we may have gotten a ranking wrong and in researching this weight class, we remembered that Loveland edged Johns 2-1 in last year’s third place match. Either way, expect massive fireworks in the top half starting in the quarterfinal round.
Kabra's Picks
1. Blake Elder (Jensen Beach)
2. Ari Bentley (Tavares)
3. Jaxon Newton (Charlotte)
4. Luis Jimenez (Brandon)
5. Eric Stouder (Fort Walton Beach)
6. Roger Valeus (Delray Beach Atlantic)
7. Leyland Callahan (Lake Gibson)
8. Daniel Iriarte (Riverdale)
Wrestlers who could prove me wrong: Jakari Johnson (Lake Region); Daniel Clement (Lincoln)
First round matches you can't miss: Stouder vs. Johnson; Iriarte vs. Christopher Coleman (Deerfield Beach)
Kabra says: Sometimes the state bracketing system robs you of a final you’ve been waiting to see all season long. Elder and Newton have been the two best heavyweights all season and have put on epic battles when they met. The chance to watch them close out this state tournament had me so excited. But instead, if they meet with it all on the line, it will be in Friday afternoon’s semifinals.
Brant Parsons is the founder and executive editor of Kabra Wrestling. He has been covering high school wrestling in Florida since 2004.
He can be reached at brant@kabrawrestling.com.