KISSIMMEE- For the seventh time overall and the third straight year, Clay finished as the Class 1A state runner-ups behind state power Orlando Lake Highland Prep 333-109 yesterday in Kissimmee at the Silver Spurs Arena.
Clay, which won the 2004 state championship, has finished as runner-ups in 1999, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and now 2018.
The Devils have finished in the top five every year under Reape for the last twenty years including several third place finishes as well.
Other notable finishes include Bishop Kenny in eighth with 57.5 points, Suwannee (25th), Bolles (33rd) and Yulee (34th).
Individually, Clay’s Peyton Hughes (138) and Bishop Kenny’s Josiah McCallum (285) each won state titles. Stevie Chopek (120) and Kurt Jackson (195) both finished second for Clay as both lost to wrestlers from Lake Highland Prep.
Other top Clay finishers were third place from Connor Green (160), fifth place from Abbott Taylor (182) and sixth place from Daniel Porter (113).
Kenny’s Joey Cusick (152) took fifth while teammate Andrew Slade (152) finished sixth, as did Mason Yost from Bolles (220) and Yulee’s McKenzie Lewis (285).
Despite having three state champions from Briar Jackson (113), Paul Detwiler (170) and Ryan Smenda (220), Fleming Island still came up short in the team title for the second straight year. State power South Dade secured another Class 3A state title with 230 points, 90 points ahead of Fleming Island.
Outside of Palm Coast, which finished ninth with 60 points, Oakleaf was the only other area finisher to finish in the Top 40 with a 34th place finish, behind a fourth place finish from Ryan Rosano (120).
The stunner of the tournament was seeing Brandon’s reign of 18 straight state team titles come to an abrupt end after Lake Gibson finished on top of Class 2A with 160.5 points, 21 more than runner-up Brandon whom finished with 139.5 points.
When you find out Brandon didn't win state this weekend. pic.twitter.com/e5XfTzCmQ6
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) March 4, 2018
Matanzas, Bartram Trail, Ridgeview and Columbia finished fifteenth through eighteenth, while Orange Park and Parker finished 39th and 41st respectively.
The Pirates were led by Tyrone Jones (52-3) winning the schools inaugural state championship with a 5-4 win over Brandon’s Andreus Bond (81-5) in the 145 final.
TYRONE JONES STATE CHAMP!!! 1st ever State Champion for Matanzas High School in any sport! Shoutout to Tyrone, @MatanzasWrst and Coach White on a remarkable accomplishment! @MHSPirateNation @FlaglerSchools @ZachDeanDBNJ @PCOsports pic.twitter.com/dbFPi3Oobv
— Matanzas Pirates Athletics (@ThePiratesAD) March 4, 2018
Other area individuals that placed were Ridgeview’s Matthew Rodriquez (106), Bartram Trail’s Nicholas Vugman (120), Columbia’s Chace Curtis (126) and Creekside’s Brandon Dickman (182) who all finished third; and Parker’s Landon Dains (170) and Orange Park’s Reed Danielson (195) whom both finished sixth.
