Southwest’s Soto, Mater Lakes’ Nazario are Dade Boys’ Wrestlers of the Year
Southwest junior Lazaro Soto and Mater Lakes senior Kalias Nazario were each confident they could repeat as state wrestling champions this season.
But reaching that goal without losing a single match?
That was the challenge they each set for themselves.
Mission accomplished.
Both Soto and Nazario stood on the top spot of the podium on the final day of the state championships in Kissimmee proud of their unblemished marks and repeat state titles.
And for those accomplishments, Soto and Nazario are the Miami Herald’s Boys’ Wrestling Co-Wrestlers of the Year.
Soto, who moved to Miami from Cuba three years ago, won his second in a row and capped an impressive 60-0 season and won the state title at 120 pounds. His efforts helped the Eagles finish third overall in Class 3A.
“I’m super happy and I just thank my coaches and my team for everything that happened to me,” Soto said. “I’ve been here for three years and I really credit them for learning the sport and growing since I came here.”
Soto said he continued to evolve as a wrestler this season and hopes to continue honing his skills heading into his senior season. Soto has even bigger goals than just winning another state title next year.
“I’m hoping to win the state (title) again, but I want to earn a national ranking and win a national title,” Soto said.
Nazario also repeated as state champion at 165 pounds in Class 1A after winning all 25 of his matches this season.
“It was definitely a goal of mine from the start. I knew I probably could win a state title again this season, but I challenged myself because I really wanted to do it undefeated,” Nazario said.
Nazario has signed to wrestle for Southern Illinois University and hopes to take the lessons he’s learned at Mater Lakes with him as he continues to develop his craft at the next level.
Nazario has been a key part of Mater Lakes’ ascendance as a state powerhouse, helping the Bears win back-to-back state titles at both the duals and individually-bracketed tournaments this season. Mater Lakes also capped an impressive regular season with a dual meet win over fellow powerhouse South Dade.
“The key to our rise is we’re such a family involved team. We hang out outside of wrestling and we have fun together and when you do that you can only get better. We cheer each other on,” Nazario said. “We showed we were good enough to beat the best guys and the best teams and we showed how much we could keep growing year to year.”
