Roundup of other games, events during the holiday break
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Osceola’s Anderson Heap (right), a two-time state champion, will be a top seed in the 150-pound class the Knockout Christmas Classic. PHOTO/J. DANIEL PEARSON
One of the nation’s premiere high school wrestling events returns to Silver Spurs Arena this week for the 11th Knockout Christmas Classic. Dec. 20-22. Action starts each morning at 8 a.m. and ticket prices are $20 (one day), $30 (two days) and $40 (tournament pass). The tournament features some on top high school teams and individuals in the entire southeast as 69 teams from 12 states are slated to compete.
“For fans of high school wrestling this is one of the best tournaments you will ever see,” Osceola Coach and Tournament Director Rick Tribit said. “Each class has multiple state champions and a lot of them have nationally ranked wrestlers in them.”
Defending Florida State team champions South Dade (Class 3A), Lake Gibson (2A) and Jensen Beach (1A). Georgia 6A (Woodward), 5A (Jefferson), 4A (Lovett) and 1A (Mt. Pisgah) are state champions sending teams, as are state champions from Tennessee (Cleveland-2A) and South Carolina (West Oak -3A).
Just look at the 126-pound class as an example of the quality of the Knockout. Top seed Jensen Beach’s Sebastian Degennaro is a twotime state champion the defending Knockout Christmas Classic champion. But he is just one of 12 wrestlers in that class that have already won state championships. In all, that bracket claims 17 state championships won and 25 state placement winners.
“That weight class is incredibly deep and we’re going to have defending state champions that are going to struggle to even reach the podium,” Assistant Tournament Director Don Cash noted.
The 132-pound class is also loaded. Lake Gibson three-time state champion Christian Fretwell, who placed third this summer at the national championships in Fargo, leads a weight class that includes six other state champions like Mariner’s Max Brady, a two-time FHSAA 2A champion.
Osceola’s two top contenders are two-time state champions Anderson Heap at 150 pounds and Gunner Holland at 175. Heap will be the top seed in his class, having won back-to-back state titles and Knockout Classic titles. But as is the case will all the classifications, Heap will have to earn a third Knockout title as have to navigate a field containing five other state champions – including second-seeded Draven McCall (Florida Class 2A Champion – Jesuit) and Dallas Russell, the Georgia 5A state champion from Jefferson High School.
Although not quite as deep as 126, Holland – who won state titles as a freshman and sophomore before finishing third last year – will have his hands full at 175. Mill Creek’s (Ga.) Dominic Bambinelli is a two-time state champion, and a defending Knockout Classic champion who is nationally ranked and enters as the top seed. He placed second at the prestigious Super 32 Tournament and was 6th this past summer at the Fargo national championships.
Holland will also have to deal with Class 2A Florida State champion Elijah Penton of Winter Springs. Holland remained undefeated this year with a 5-4 ultimate tie-breaker win over Penton. Holland has faced Penton (a US Naval Academy commitment) four times in the past with split results.
“It was a great match between two outstanding wrestlers and two outstanding young men,” Tribit said of their last meeting. “They have met four times in the last year, and all of those matches were incredible. To think that neither is a top seed in this bracket is really hard to fathom.”
Jefferson’s Creed Thomas and Columbus’ (Ga.) standout Tyler Secoy are two more state champions that will vie for the podium in the same class.
The most accomplished wrestler in the tournament is South Dade’s Sawyer Bartelt at 225 pounds. The senior and an Ohio State commit is a three-time state and Knockout Classic champion, a recent Fargo national champion and a four-time national place winner as well as a two-time Pan-Am champion. “He’s won just about everything a high school wrestler can win,” Cash added. “I don’t believe he’s lost a high school match in Florida during his career.”
Overall, the tournament will feature 56 wrestlers that have already won 78 state championships, and 215 different wrestlers who have made the podium (top 8) at their state tournament.
In other action this week, Osceola hosts the Kowboy Holiday Hoops Tournament, Dec. 19-21. Quarterfinal action begins today; Lakeland Kathleen faces Southland Christian at 3 p.m.; Chattanooga (Ga.) vs. Life Christian Academy at 4:30 p.m., host Osceola plays Ocala Forest at 6:30 p.m. and Artesia (Ca.. alma mater of James Harden) plays Poinciana at 7:30 p.m. NBA star James Semifinals and consolation round games are slated for Wednesday with the championship game 7:30 p.m. Thursday. (Editor's Note: Poinciana and Southland won their quarterfinals Tuesday, guaranteeing that an Osceola County team will be in Thursday night's championship game.)
In addition to Osceola, several other high school basketball teams are in action this week. Harmony (6-2) faces stiff challenges at home this week, taking on Sebastian River (6-1) on Tuesday night and long-time regional power Centennial (7-2) Thursday. With big wins over Liberty (74-42) and Nazareth Christian (74-46), St. Cloud (6-2 on season), continues its quest for the school’s first winning season in more than two decades. The Bulldogs return to action in a Holiday Tournament after Christmas. Junior Alex Springs (17.7 ppg) continues to lead the Bulldogs.
Harmony’s wrestling team was off to a great start after winning the 12-team Longhorn Rotary Classic last week with 334 points. Tohopekaliga was third and St. Cloud sixth. Harmony had eight individual champions, including undefeated Shawn McCallister (150). John Fernandez went to 17-1 on the season by winning at 175 and Nathan Lytle also won his weight class (106). The Longhorns are in action this week at “The Hammer” Invitational on Thursday at Oak Leaf High School.
In girls basketball, Gateway suffered a blow when star player Malayna Stevenson injured an ankle and is expected to miss a month. Still, the Panthers were 6-1 after Sophomore Alyssa Marino had 30 points on just 14 shots in a 47-27 win over Eau Gallie Friday.
St. Cloud (9-3) won five games in a row entering a Tuesday night game against Lake Nona. Seniors Emily Lockey (15.4 ppg) and Danzy Mantilla (9.1 ppg) have been leading the way.
With a 57-36 win over Lake Nona last week, Coach Jen Farrell has Tohopekaliga (6-1) off to its best start in school history. Celebration improved to 4-5 as Evelyn Juden scored 29 in a 62-26 win over Trinity Prep.
