Boys wrestling roundup: FPC places third at regionals; three locals win titles
DELAND — Toryion Stallings stuck to what got him there. He didn’t try any new moves or crazy attacks. He maintained his confidence. There’s a reason he holds a 42-2 record as a senior.
Now, he owns a regional championship, too.
“My freshman year, I lost in the region blood round,” Stallings said. “I didn’t really get to wrestle districts or regions my sophomore or junior year. So being able to show people what I can really do, it’s exciting.”
Stallings and teammate Ethan Laupepa reigned as the two local wrestlers to claim titles at the Region 1-3A meet Saturday at DeLand High School. Their Flagler Palm Coast team also posted the best score by a Volusia-Flagler program, racking up 118 points and placing third out of 32 squads.
Timber Creek (156.5 points) and Hagerty (130) filled the top two spots. DeLand tied Sandalwood for 13th. University finished 25th.
Five FPC Bulldogs ranked inside the top four in their brackets and earned trips to the state tournament. The event is slated for Thursday-Saturday at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
Carson Baert took fourth at 144 points. In the 126-pound weight class, Trey Twilley grabbed third. Kelton Howard made it to the 165-pound finals and slotted second.
Then, there was Stallings at 132 pounds and Laupepa, another senior, at 215. Both champs won by decision.
“It’s the same thing they’ve been doing all year,” coach David Bossardet said. “They stick to their game plan. They go out there and try to score points.
“When you go out there and try to score points, that’s when good things happen. When you go out there and try to hang on and maybe make it a low-scoring match, that doesn’t work in our favor. I think they did that and hopefully do that again next week.”
After the whistle signaled the end of his final match, Stallings had one immediate thought.
“It was just like, ‘I’m coming. I want that state title.’ That’s what popped into my head,” he said.
DeLand senior MJ Smokes also clinched a state tournament berth. He was the runner-up in the 285-pound weight class.
The qualifiers will hit the road to Kissimmee on Wednesday. Before then?
For Flagler Palm Coast, a run and a lift Monday, a run and a practice Tuesday and a practice Wednesday morning.
“We won’t change what we’re doing,” Bossardet said. “We have a schedule, and we stick to it no matter what.”
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Region 1-2A
The Region 1-2A meet Friday and Saturday at Clay High School also provided six state qualifiers from the local bunch.
New Smyrna Beach had five of those and placed sixth as a team. Matanzas had the other — regional champion Jordan Mills — and finished 15th. Mainland was 26th, and Seabreeze tied for 33rd.
Mills faced the Barracudas’ Sawyer Vanrider in the 190-pound finals. It served as a rematch of the district finals between the two, which Mills won. Again Saturday, Mills prevailed by 11-5 decision. He enters the state event an undefeated 48-0 this year.
Along with Vanrider, New Smyrna Beach’s placers included:
Jonathan Bruner — second at 138 pounds
Merrick Miller — fourth at 144 pounds
Aidan Sutton — third at 150 pounds
Kyle Nilsson — third at 215 pounds
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Region 2-2A
Two Volusia County clubs competed at the Region 2-2A meet Friday and Saturday at Brandon High School. Deltona finished 18th and Pine Ridge 32nd.
The Wolves’ Kyle Yasses wrestled his way into fourth place in the 132-pound weight class and advanced to states.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: High school wrestling: Flagler Palm Coast boys nab third at regionals
