South Dade reclaims top spot at GMAC wrestling behind dominant run of championships
South Dade hasn’t relinquished its place as the state’s top wrestling team over the past two seasons despite some fierce challenges from rival Southwest Miami.
The GMAC championships had been a different story with Southwest capturing the past two county team titles.
This weekend, South Dade boys struck back.
The Bucs put together one of their most dominant performances in recent memory at the GMAC championship meet, winning nine individual championships and cruising to its first title since 2020 with 397.5 points.
Although South Dade cleared Southwest’s total by 110 points, the Eagles still put together a strong effort of their own with four individual championships.
South Dade swept the meet as its girls’ squad also won the team title with 167 points to beat runner-up North Miami, which finished with 114.
Seniors Aviatzi Gonzalez (100 pounds), Kathleen Fisher (125) and Yoseline Perez (235), junior Anisah Paz (145) and sophomores Rebekkah Kinkade (105 pounds) and Geraldine Honore (130) all won GMAC titles to lead the Bucs’ girls own dominant performance.
South Dade’s boys and Southwest went head-to-head in the finals of six weight classes with the teams splitting the matchups.
But after Southwest’s Lester Martinez was awarded the victory at 145 pounds over South Dade’s Misha Arbos via forfeit, the Bucs swept the titles of the remaining seven bouts starting with Gavin Balmeceda’s comfortable 16-1 tech fall triumph over Goleman’s Edgar Barreiro in four minutes and 30 seconds. Goleman opened the finals with an individual county champion of its own when Mateus Sgai pinned Miami Norland’s Rashaan Robinson in 2:39 to win the 106-pound title.
South Dade’s Cordell White scored a pin in five minutes and two seconds over Southwest’s Adrian Ochoa at 160 pounds.
At 220 pounds, South Dade’s Sawyer Bartelt continued his remarkable run by scoring five quick pins over two days to cruise to his third consecutive GMAC title. After four pins - each under a minute - Bartelt extended his winning streak to 96 matches by pinning Southwest’s Jonathan Fraga in 1:46.
Bartelt (42-0) and Ansel Cervantes (37-0), a winner at 195 pounds over Palmetto’s Richard Alexander, were the only two unbeaten champions at the meet.
South Dade heavyweight Marcelo Rosario handed American’s Yul Campbell his first loss of the season by pinning him after four minutes and 33 seconds.
Also for South Dade, EJ Solis (138 pounds) and Chris Sanchez (182) secured championships.
Southwest’s two other wins over South Dade came at 126 pounds where Angel Delgado beat Nathaniel Williams 11-6 and at 132 pounds where Danny Martinez easily beat Tyree Graham with a 10-0 major decision.
Southwest’s Gabriel Tellez also scored an impressive win at 113 pounds when he beat previously unbeaten Frederic Mitchum of Southridge 6-3.
Also on the girls’ side, three wrestlers secured county titles and are unbeaten so far this season. Reigning Miami Herald Girls’ Wrestler of the Year Mya Bethel (155 pounds) scored three quick pins to lead North Miami at the meet, win her second consecutive GMAC title and improve to 20-0. Coral Park’s Sofia Delgado won her first GMAC title at 140 pounds to improve to 21-0. Braddock’s Analy Banuelos also won at 115 pounds with a tech fall win in the finals to improve to 10-0 and repeat as GMAC champion.
RESULTS
Team scores - Boys: 1. South Dade 397.5; 2. Southwest 287.5; 3. Palmetto 225; 4. Columbus 216; 5. Southridge 164; 6. Miami Beach 163.5; 7. Goleman 161.5; 8. Braddock 86; 9. Ferguson 82.5; 10. Coral Park 68; Girls: 1. South Dade 167; 2. North Miami 114; 3. Coral Park 62; 4. Norland 56; 5. Ferguson 44; 6. Southwest 43; 7. Miami Beach 40; 8. Palmetto 26; 9. Coral Reef 24; 10. Coral Gables 23.
Boys’ championship finals - 106: Mateus Sgai (Gol) pin Rashaan Robinson (Nor) 2:39; 113: Gabriel Tellez (SW) dec. Frederic Mitchum (SR) 6-3; 120: Luis Acevedo (SD) dec. Ryan Cominsky (SW) 10-4; 126: Angel Delgado (SW) dec. Nathaniel Williams (SD) 11-6; 132: Danny Martinez (SW) maj. dec. Tyree Graham (SD) 10-0; 138: EJ Solis (SD) dec. Aaron Lanster (MB) 5-0; 145: Lester Martinez (SW) d. Misha Arbos (SD), forfeit; 152: Gavin Balmeceda (SD) tech Edgar Barreiro (Gol) 16-1 (4:30); 160: Cordell White (SD) pin Adrian Ochoa (SW) 5:02; 170: Lawrence Rosario (SD) pin Ronald Butler (Pal) 1:27; 182: Chris Sanchez (SD) pin Julian Conde (Pal) 0:39; 195: Ansel Cervantes (SD) dec. Richard Alexander (Pal) 9-5; 220: Sawyer Bertelt (SD) pin Jonathan Fraga (SW) 1:46; HWT: Marcelo Rosario (SD) pin Yul Campbell (Amer) 4:33.
Girls’ championship finals - 100: Aviatzi Gonzalez (SD) pin Mytysa Wright (Nor) 0:36; 105: Rebekkah Kinkade (SD) pin Myna Estrada (Ferg) 1:45; 110: I-Cart Galumette (NM) d. Janelli Perez (SD) inj. 0:32; 115: Analy Banuelos (BR) tech fall Izabella Sanabria (SD) 21-3; 120: Isis Severe (NM) maj. dec. Kamora Willis (CG) 13-3; 125: Kathleen Fisher (SD) pin Arianna Garcia (CR) 1:28; 130: Geraldine Honore (SD) pin Carmen Dragustinovis (CP) 1:15; 135: Eysis Estes-Brinson (Pal) pin Maria Sanfiel (SD) 3:41; 140: Sofia Delgado (CP) dec. Tydaisa Mack (NM) 8-3; 145: Anisah Paz (SD) pin Valentina Mora (MB) 3:27; 155: Mya Bethel (NM) pin Emely Pomar (Ferg) 1:07; 170: Wenchelle Jacotin (NM) pin Tacara Nixon (Nor) 1:06; 190: Day’jah Clark (Nor) pin Sydney Secure (Ferg) 0:58; 235: Yoseline Perez (SD) pin Alyssa Nazario (MB) 2:35.
Boys’ consolation finals - 106: Bryan Morales (SD) dec. Matthew Padgett (PAL) 12-5; 113: Guillermo Jaramillo (SD) dec. Anthony Piaia (Col) 8-2; 120: Paul Benedicto (MB) dec. Brandon Villa (Col) 3-2; 126: Arturo Sanchez (Col) dec. Dylan Lopez (Brad) 3-1; 132: Jaime Rodriguez (Col) dec. Joshua Aviles (SD) 9-6; 138: Cameron Gallivan (Pal) pin Zachary Ruiz (Col) 2:28; 145: Tyrell Robby (MB) dec. David Perez (Gol) 3-2; 152: Yainiel Reina (SR) dec. Kingjames Perry (SD) 5-1; 160: Julian Mayorga (SR) dec. Matthew Alemany (Ferg) 3-2; 170: Matthew Hernandez (Ferg) dec. Daniel Cuevas (CP) 14-8; 182: Bluny Davilma (Cen) pin Hunter Fuentes (SW) 0:57; 195: Franklyn Ordonez (SW) pin Edwin Guillen (Gol) 2:48; 220: Ryan Miret (SR) dec. Apollo Benito (Col) 4-2; HWT: Derrick Hart (Col) pin Steven Blanco (SW) 0:17.
This story was originally published February 5, 2023 at 7:30 AM.
