Gibbons boys extend BCAA wrestling title streak while Coral Springs girls claim first

Led by five individual champions that included Frankie Florio, and brothers Peter and Michael Mocco, the Cardinal Gibbons boys’ wrestling team maintained its hold on the BCAA championship.

The Chiefs won their eighth consecutive title on Saturday at Dillard High, scoring 294, outdistancing second place Miramar with 188.5 points. It was Gibbons 21st overall title since the event began in 1965. Their five individual winners improved the school’s tournament record to 113.

They’ve also had at least one individual champion over the past 27 consecutive meets.

Coral Springs High won the second girls’ BCAA wrestling title with 121 points, a year after Douglas won the inaugural championship.

Six wrestlers advanced to the finals, with Abigail Moyer (18-5) at 130 pounds, Nylah Smith (6-4) at 135 pounds, Maryaliz Bernardina (5-4) at 155 pounds and Arheanna Bryan (11-4) at 190 pounds winning championships for the Colts.

Latoya Sylvestre of South Broward was victorious at 235 pounds after winning at 190 pounds in 2024.

“Winning the title has motivated me to be better,” Sylvestre said. “They know I’m coming toward state because they know my name. this is telling me I’m on the right track.”

The boys’ championship matches were historic in nature.

For the first time two sets of brothers wrestling for the same team won individual titles at the same meet.

It marked the 12th time brothers won championships at a single meet since it first happened in 1970 when Pete and Charles Collins of Stranahan were victorious. Illia and Ivan Kyryianenk, a freshman and junior from South Broward, who came to the United States from Ukraine around 10 months ago fit well into the Bulldogs wrestling ending the day as undefeated county champs.

Illia defeated Joseph Scott of Hollywood Hills at 132 pounds with pin at 3:52. Ivan followed his brothers lead with a 14-1 major decision over Famous Nealy of Miramar.

“It has been hard finding the same level of wrestling as we had in Ukraine,” Illia Kyryianenk said. “We came to South Broward and liked the wrestling here. It was easy to change the style here from freestyle.”

Said Ivan Kyryianenk, “It was difficult coming to the United States, but we like it here. It would feel great if we could win a state title, because our father is still in Ukraine, and he would be happy for us.”

The brothers finished the night undefeated with a combined record of 68-0.

Peter and Michael Mocco also kept their drive as undefeated state champs.

Peter (40-0), who won the county title as an eighth grader when he was at Coral Springs Charter last year, defeated J’vier Romeus of Coral Springs 20-1 at 190 pounds.

“This feels good,” said Peter Mocco about the victory. “I consider my brother as one of the best in the country. Practicing with him motivates me.”

Michael (33-0) won his record-tying fourth county title (one at Coral Springs Charter, three at Gibbons) with a technical fall over Jeffery Lujano 20-3.

“I’m going to keep training and working my hardest to get better,” Michael Mocco said. “It feels amazing being here with a program that can help us. I can always improve as much as I can.”

Florio won his third consecutive county championship when he pinned Noah Catala of Miramar at 3:30. His first two county titles came at 145 and 144 weight classes.

Other winners for the Chiefs were Andrew Isek (37-5) at 144 pounds and Bryan Picallo (24-1) at 150 pounds.

David Leiva of Douglas remained undefeated at 38-0 winning the championship at 126 pounds.

BOYS’ RESULTS

Team (Top 5): 1. Cardinal Gibbons 294; 2. Miramar 188.5; 3. South Broward 184.5; 3. Cypress Bay 179.0; 5. South Plantation 178.5. Individual - 106: Jenkins (SP) d. Metellus (MON) 11-3; 113: Duygulu (MSD) p. Saint-fleur (SP) 3:56; 120: Shapiro (CB) d. Derby (SP) 12-9; 126: Leiva (MSD) t.p. Barreto (CB) 20-2; 132: Il. Kyryianenk (SB) p. Scott (HH) 3:52; 138: Iv. Kyryianenk (SB) d. Nealy (MIR) 14-1; 144: Isek (CG) m.d. Lindsay (CSC) 15-5; 150: Picallo (CG) m.d. Harding (MIR) 14-3; 157: Keery (CS) d. Rojas (WEST) 8-2; 165: Florio (CG) p. Catala (MIR) 3:30; 175: Rosenberg (SP) m.d. Ortiz (NOVA) 13-3; 190: P. Mocco (CG) t.p. Romeus (CS) 20-1; 215: M. Mocco (CG) t.p. Lujano (SP) 20-3; HWT: Dickenson (SB) p. Flack (CG) 2:28.

GIRLS’ RESULTS

Team (Top 5): 1. Coral Springs 121; 2. Douglas 113; 3. South Broward 103; 4. Western 76.5; 5. Deerfield Beach 52.0. Individual - 100: Kleine (MON) p. Thomas (COOP) 1:53 105: Francisco (WEST) t.p. Kerber (CB) 18-3; 110: Presser (WEST) d. Vattikuti (MSD) 7-2; 115: Valentine (MIR) p. Harris (CS) 1:51; 120: N. Arroyo (SB) p. Urdaniva (HH) 0:58; 125: Nina (DB) p. Canals (WEST) 3:46; 130: A. Moyer (CS) p. Mashian (WEST) 1:32; 135: Smith (CS) by forfeit over McMahon (MSD); 140: Yelder (EVER) p. Balk (MSD) 4:59; 145: Ross (NOVA) p. A. Arroyo (SB) 1:37; 155: Bernardina (CS) p. Gutierrez (SB) 0:18; 170: Blanc (MSD) p. P. Moyer (CS) 2:27; 190: Bryan (CS) p. Smith (MSD); 235: Sylvestre (SB) p. Gass (DB) 1:43.