Meet The Ledger's 2023-24 Girls' Wrestling All-County Team
It was an exhilarating winter for girls high school wrestling.
Lake Gibson's Gabby Tedesco won her second state title in a row last month after wrestling against boys for a lot of the campaign. Going against tougher opponents absolutely helped her on the way to again become The Ledger's 2024 Girls' Wrestler of the Year.
Bartow made history, as the program had a state placer for the first time in a while after the school dropped its program. For the re-establishment of the program and its growth, David Peoples in the coach of the year.
McKeel had a great year once more, as Maria Colin, Jessica Perrott, Kiley Earle and Alexia Davis are some of the best in the county.
Below are Polk's best girls wrestling representatives.
Tedesco: Lake Gibson's Gabby Tedesco is The Ledger's Girls' Wrestler of the Year
The Ledger Girls Wrestling Player of the Year
Gabby Tedesco
Lake Gibson, 105
Long gone are the days when Tedesco was knocking on the door and just missing the mountaintop. Now she's won her second straight state title in a row. Gibson, symbolic of the Lake Gibson powerhouse, mostly wrestled against boys, developing her strength and skill set against the toughest competition. She won her third Knockout tournament, while also placing fourth at the inaugural Ironwoman tournament in Ohio. These hard tournaments prepared her, and she took first in regionals, districts and counties for the third year in a row.
The Ledger Girls Wrestling Coach of the Year
David Peoples
Bartow
Two years ago, Peoples stepped up and restarted the program after it had gone dormant. And in the second year of its revival, Bartow had a state placer, thanks to Jayla Sanders. She's the first wrestler to place since Ryan Chaney back in 2015. At a school that mainly focuses on football, basketball and softball, Peoples is helping to bring wrestling back to life.
"People know that I consider this a team award. I wouldn't have any success without the other two coaches: Brian Adams and Scott Fitzwater," Peoples said. "And ultimately, it's about those girls and how tough and dedicated they are. I'm just blessed to be a part of it.
The Ledger Girls Wrestling First Team
Maria Colon
McKeel
100, freshman
First in districts
Jayla Azcona
Bartow
100, junior
Second in district
Miayalee Ortiz Martinez
George Jenkins
105, sophomore
State qualifier
Mia Jones
Mulberry
110, sophomore
First in district
Jessica Perrott
McKeel
115, junior
First in district
Danniela Pizarro Aponte
Kathleen
115, junior
First in district
Paige Ballard
Bartow
115, freshman
Second in district
Maelyn Argerenon
Tenoroc
120, sophomore
First in districts
Jayla Sanders
Bartow
135, sophomore
Sixth in state
Kiley Earle
McKeel
135, sophomore
First in districts
Sariana Jones
Auburndale
155, junior
Fourth in region
Alexia Davis
McKeel
170, junior
First in district
The Ledger Girls Wrestling Second Team
Kaylin Brooks: Davenport
Madyson Donnelly: McKeel
Angelyn Glazier: Lake Region
Maria Peoples: Bartow
Jaylen Cromer: Lake Gibson
Ta`Riyah Reeves: Bartow
Akemi Cunha: Winter Haven
Kira Hendrix: Mulberry
Kearri Jones: Haines City
The Ledger Girls Wrestling Honorable Mention
George Jenkins: Sarai Rodriguez, Alyssa Gerber, Rhianna Townsend
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: All-Polk County girls wrestling for 2023-24
