South Dade wrestlers capture 10th consecutive GMAC title

With Southwest fielding as strong a team as it has in years, the Eagles were expected to push South Dade last weekend at the GMAC wrestling tournament.

But the Bucs had not won nine consecutive GMAC titles by accident and once again stepped out onto the mat at Hialeah Gardens High School to show off the clear separation between them and everybody else.

South Dade wound up producing eight individual champions to finish with 384 team points, well ahead of second-place Southwest which totaled 271 followed by third place Columbus at 206.

Adrian Morales (106 pounds), Alex Couto (120), Jose Gonzalez (126), Adrian Neco (132), Cordell White (138), Bretli Reyna (145), Joshua Swan (152) and Steven Villalobos (160) all won individual titles. Brian Valdes (170), Daniel Espino-Delgado (182) and Alejandro Gonzalez (195) came in with runnerup finishes.

“It really takes a lot for me to be impressed but wow, we had an extremely dominant performance,” said South Dade coach Vic Balmeceda. “This is the best we have wrestled all season and are peaking at the right time. Now we need to go back to practice to fine tune some things and get ready for the state series.”

South Dade hasn’t just dominated the South Florida landscape but the entire state as well. The Bucs will be looking to win a seventh consecutive state title and 15th overall at the state finals March 6-7 in Kissimmee.

Southwest produced three individual champions, Danny Martinez (113), Adrian Vidaud (170) and George Llanes (182).

Championship results: 106: Adrian Morales (SD) d. Kevin Placer (SW) fall, 1:49; 113: Danny Martinez (SW) d. Aaron Lanster (MB) 13-2; 120: Alex Couto (SD) d. Robert Dusendang (COL) 9-1; 126: Jose Gonzalez (SD) d. Sebastian Melguizo (SW) 7-6; 132: Adrian Neco (SD) d. Jose Bravo (MB) fall, 1:21138 – Cordell White (SD) d. Keith Crouse (SD) fall, 1:36145 – Bretli Reyna (SD) d. Cyrus Williams (SR) fall, 3:53152 – Joshua Swan (SD) d. Marshal Carroll (MB) fall, 4:50; 160: Steven Villalobos (SD) d. Destin Jones (PAL) maj. dec. 17-6; 170: Adrian Vidaud (SW) d. Bryan Valdes (SD) 5-4; 182: George Llanes (SW) d. Daniel Espino-Delgado 14-5; 195: Dedric Marshall (SR) d. Alejandro Gonzalez (SD) 7-2; 220: Allan Quezada (PAL) d. Edensky Phele (NM) 10-7; 285: Issac Joseph (KR) d. Clarouly Meca (NM) 4-2.

Final team standings: 1. South Dade 384. 2. Southwest 271. 3. Columbus 206. 4. Miami Beach 143. 5. Southridge 136. 6. Palmetto. 7. North Miami. 8. Coral Reef. 9. Braddock 84. 10. Ferguson 77.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

▪ Mater Lakes 55, Ransom Everglades 48.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Region 4 Quarterfinals

Tuesday’s matches

7A

West Broward vs. Coral Gables, 3 p.m. (Tropical Park)

Taravella at Coral Reef, 3:30 p.m.

Western at Krop, 3 p.m.

Ferguson at Cypress Bay, 5 p.m.

6A

Goleman vs. Lourdes, 8 p.m. (Columbus HS)

St. Thomas Aquinas at South Broward, 5 p.m.

Nova at Cooper City, 5 p.m.

Doral Academy at Boca Raton Olympic Heights, 7 p.m.

5A

Sebring at Archbishop McCarthy, 7 p.m.

Pembroke Pines Charter vs. TERRA, 3:30 p.m. (Indian Hammocks Park)

4A

Mater Lakes at Gulliver Prep., 3 p.m.

Pembroke Pines Somerset vs. Miami Springs, 7 p.m. (Stafford Park)

3A

Westminster Christian at Miami Country Day, 7 p.m.

Palmer Trinity at University School, 7 p.m.

Ransom Everglades at Tavernier Coral Shores, 7 p.m.

LaSalle at Carrollton, 3:30 p.m.

2A

WPB Berean Christian at Davie David Posnack, 5 p.m.

Doral Divine Savior at Lake Worth Christian, 3:30 p.m.

South Florida HEAT vs. Archimdean, 2:30 p.m. (Kendall Soccer Park)

Katz Yeshiva at Westminster Academy, 7 p.m.