Meet The Ledger's 2024 All-County Boys Wrestling Team
It's been another thrilling year for Polk County wrestling.
Lake Gibson won its third straight duals state championship with the help of All-County wrestlers Gianni Maldonaldo, Elijah Lowe and Gabby Tedesco, who all happened to win individually state bracketed titles this year for the Braves. The Braves also had Christian Fretwell become a state runner-up in Kissimmee. Lake Gibson showed its dominance once more.
But then there are huge developments for different schools such as Winter Haven, which had Zahquel Davis become a state runner-up. And there was a plethora of schools that had numerous state qualifiers who gave it their all: Lakeland's Erick Vargas and Ridge Community's Ian Drake just to name a view.
But below are the best of the best representatives when it comes to The Ledger's 2024 All-County Wrestling Team.
GIRLS WRESTLING: Meet The Ledger's 2023-24 Girls' Wrestling All-County Team
The Ledger Boys Wrestling Co-Wrestlers of the Year
Gianni Maldonaldo
Lake Gibson, 157
Maldonaldo won his second straight IBT state title in March. It was a dominating year overall with his 57 total wins. Earlier in the season, he also won the Knockout Christmas Classic, which has some of the stiffest competition in the nation. He has a high school record of 189-16. During this past year's campaign, he was also first in county, districts, and regionals.
Elijah Lowe
Lake Gibson, 120
Lowe won a state championship for the first time in his high school tenure. He, too, had a dominating stretch, winning a total of 46 matches. Lowe also was first in the county, districts and regionals.
The Ledger Boys Wrestling Coach of the Year
Danny Walker
The Hall of Fame coach had another outstanding campaign at Lake Gibson. Walker has been at the helm of a third straight duals state title. And once more, he's had three or more individual state champions thanks to Lowe and Maldonaldo on the boys side and Gabby Tedesco at the girls finals.
Walker has been at the helm of an Alabama-like dominant run. And there are no signs of slowing down thanks to the influx of talent coming in in 2024-25. The train will keep rolling.
2023 Meet The Ledger's 2022-23 All-County Wrestling Team
Duals state: Lake Gibson wins third straight state duals championship
The Brock: 'We're like Batman and Robin': George Jenkins duo use friendship to increase rankings
The Ledger Boys Wrestling First Team
Roderick Brown
George Jenkins, sophomore, 106 pounds
First in district, first in region, first in county
Erick Vargas
Lakeland, senior, 113
First in district, first in region and first in county, third in state
Gaetano Tedesco
Lake Gibson, senior, 126
First in district, third in region, first in county
Ian Drake
Ridge Community, sophomore, 132
First in districts, first in region, first in county
Christian Fretwell
Lake Gibson, junior, 138
First in district, first in region, first in county
Austin Chung
Lake Gibson, sophomore, 144
First in district, first in county, first in region
Leandre Campbell
Lake Gibson, junior, 150
First in district, first in region, first in county
Husam Mustafa
Lake Wales, junior, 165
First in district, third in region, first in county and fourth at state
Jace Brownlow
Lake Gibson, junior, 175
First in district, first in region, first in county
Zahquel Davis
Winter Haven, junior, 190
First in districts, first in region, first in county, second in state
Timothy Peoples
George Jenkins, senior, 190
Second in county, second in districts, first in region, third in state
Gabriel Solis
Lake Gibson, junior, 220
First in districts, first in region, first in county
John Arrello
Lake Gibson, senior, heavyweight
First in district, first in region, first in county
The Ledger Boys Wrestling Second Team
Roderick Smith: Kathleen, 106
Tyler White: Lake Gibson, 113
Dylan Dangle: Mulberry, 120
Tristan Morante: Kathleen, 126
Travonte Burgess: Lakeland, 132
Randy Levieta: Ridge Community, 138
Tyler Davis: George Jenkins, 144
Braxton Gerber: George Jenkins, 150
Evan Martinez: Lakeland, 157
Amir Coston: Auburndale, 165
Brayden Kahlien: Lake Gibson, 165
Raymond Shaw: Auburndale, 165
Connor Hackett: Lake Gibson, 190
Angel Armas: Ridge Community, 215
Deacon Alls, Haines City, 285
The Ledger Boys Wrestling Honorable Mention
George Jenkins: Brock Barr, Jack Lietz, Ryder Osborn, Brayden Root, Michael Woodruff, Isequiel Rivera
Lake Gibson: Gabriel Jones, Ayden Grover
Winter Haven: Bryson Thompson
Auburndale: Blake Schwitchka, Adrian Castillo, Gavin Harris, Israel Thornton
Bartow: Erick Cleveland, Hunter Adams, Jon Pordon
Lake Region: Joseph Handley, Javarious Johnson, Jaden Fields
Lakeland: Matteo Martinez
Mulberry: Coen Strickland, Conor Treadway
Kathleen: Titan Trinh, Michael Olstead
Davenport: Tallon Wiedrick
Tenoroc: Jayvon Norton
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: All-Polk County boys wrestling team for winter 2023-24
