Cardinal Gibbons boys repeat, South Broward girls prevail at BCAA wrestling
For much of the day at the day at the BCAA wrestling championships at Dillard High, defending champion Cardinal Gibbons was pushed by the strengthening team from South Plantation.
Then came the strength of Chiefs in brothers Peter and Michael Mocco, who coach Jamel Morris calls “the anchors.”
Combined, Peter and Michael have each won four consecutive BCAA titles including the final two matches on Saturday after that sealed Gibbons’ ninth consecutive championship holding off the Paladins by 10 points.
South Plantation finished second, but narrowed the gap noticeably after finishing fifth last year, and 115 points behind Gibbons.
On the girls’ side, South Broward won their first girls’ BCAA team title with 160 points, finishing 25 points better than 2024 team champion Douglas.
Peter Mocco (45-0) defeated Tod Mancini of South Plantation by technical pin 19-9 for the 215-pound title. Michael Mocco (44-0) completed the meet at the 285-pound weight class by pinning Lamon Witherspoon of Miramar in 43 seconds.
“It feels great that coach has confidence in me and my brother and that we can win for the team,” Michael Mocco said. “I’ll like being last, knowing when it comes down to me, I can win for the team.”
Added Peter Mocco: “This season has been a fun journey. The practices, tournaments have been good overall. There’s always room to improve.”
It was Gibbons’ 22nd overall title since the event began in 1965.
In addition to the Mocco brothers remaining undefeated, five other wrestlers did the same. They were juniors Michiah Gillins Jr. (28-0) and Naidreck Saint-Fleur (10-0) of South Plantation, sophomore Illia Kyryianenko (8-0) and senior Ivan Kyryianenko (29-0) of South Broward, and Douglas junior Jacob Balk (16-0).
The Kyryianenko brothers successfully repeated as county champs and in two seasons have a combined record of 105-0.
Between the Mocco and Kyryianenko brothers it marked the second consecutive years that two sets of brothers wrestling for the same teams won individual titles at the same meet.
It marked the 14th time brothers won championships at a single meet since it first happened in 1970 when Pete and Charles Collins of Stranahan were victorious.
“They are absolute monsters,” South Broward coach Major Threlkeld said of the Kyryianenko brothers. “There’s hardly anyone the state that can touch Illia in his class. His older brother should qualify for the state tournament is he gets through Region 4.”
Senior Latoya Sylvestre (23-2) of South Broward (23-2) became a three-time winner for the Bulldogs at the county meet.
She defeated Ariona Eugene of Flanagan by pin in 45 seconds.
“I had faith in myself because of the work I have put in,” Sylvestre said. “I just knew it would pay off because I want to be somebody. If I get other girls motivated because of their weight, they tell me they can always be better. I show up for those girls and myself.”
Other girls that won BCAA titles in consecutive years are Tiffany Francisco (Western), who won back-to-back at 105-pounds; Maryaliz Bernardina of Coral Springs at 145-pounds after winning at 155 last year and Arina Blanc of Douglas, who successfully defended her 170-poind title.
HALL OF FAME
Those entered to the BCAA Wrestling Hall of Fame were wrestlers Kevin Jacques (South Broward); Kenny Boyd (Stranahan), Sal Guerriero (St. Thomas Aquinas), Nick Limperis (Cardinal Gibbons) and Mardell Gabriel (Cardinal Gibbons). Coaches were Tom Davis (Chaminade-Madonna), Henry Jackson (Piper) and Thomas Harrison (Stranahan).
RESULTS
Boys’ team: 1. Cardinal Gibbons 296; 2. South Plantation 286; 3. Douglas 187.5; 4. South Broward 150.5; 5. Monarch 133.5; Championship finals - 106: Gillins Jr. (SP) p. Carbajal (CSC) 2:45; 113: Jenkins (SP) d. Metellus (MON) 7-3; 120: Saint-Fleur (SP) t.p. Perez (EVER) 21-3; 126: Derby (SP) t.p. Arnesen (CG) 15-0; 132: Tannariello (MON) p. Madgey (SP) 1:17; 138: lllia Kyryianenko (SB) p. Redman (HH) 1:24; 144: Ivan Kyryianenko (SB) p. Williams (STA) 0:54; 150: Balk (MSD) by forfeit over Rivas (MIR); 157: Dercsar-Kovacs (CG) p. Gonzalez (CB) 4:46; 165: Boyd (SP) d. Fayer (CG) 7-6; 175: Ortiz (NOVA) p. Mantilla (FLAN) 3:11; 190: Lorminey (SP) d. Reid (PIP) 6-2; 215: P. Mocco (CG) t.p. Mancini (SP) 19-2; HWT: M. Mocco (CG) p. Witherspoon (MIR) 0:43.
Girls’ team: 1. South Broward 160; 2. Douglas 135; 3. Western 122.5; 4. Coral Springs 72; 5. Everglades 53; Championship finals - 100: Thomas (COOP) d. Dudley (SP) 14-0; 105: Francisco (WEST) d. Kleine (MON) 4-0; 110: Padin (WEST) p. Barthel (MSD) 2:33; 115: McMahon (MSD) p. Posada (SB) 3:49; 120: Valasco (WEST) p. Jones (NOVA) 1:41; 125: Smith (CS) d. Mashian (WEST) 9-0; 130: Moyer (CS) p. Canals (WEST) 0:56; 135: De Gance (MSD) p. Stubna (SB) 4:23; 140: Torres (MSD) p. Figueroa (SB) 1:18; 145: Bernardina (CS) p. Wright (SB) 1:08; 155: Yelder (PIP) by forfeit over Arroyo (SB); 170: Blanc (MSD) p. Salem (WEST) 0:27; 190: Sylvestre (SB) p. A. Eugene (FLAN) 1:52; 235: Mourad (MSD) p. K. Eugene (FLAN) 5:47.