A long season for the varsity boys wrestling team came to an end at the FHSAA 3A State Individual Championships, where the team crowned two state champions and placed multiple wrestlers on the podium.
The team finished third overall—their highest finish ever—with 131 points, just three points behind runner-up Miami Southridge High.
Senior Nikolas Blake (157) held a dominant 50-1 record and ended his high school career by pinning his opponent in just 1:59 to claim the state title.
“Nikolas’s only loss this year was to a boy who was ranked third in the country,” coach Scotty Diaz said.
Blake will continue his career by competing at the Division One level at Binghamton University in New York.
“My whole time with this program, they never gave up on me or my dream,” Blake said. “They kept me motivated, pushed me to keep going, and always made sure my goals stayed as high as possible. Without that support system, I don’t think any of this would’ve been possible.”
In the heavyweight division, junior Renzo Cooligan (285) won in a 2-1 tiebreaker victory in the third overtime of the championship game to secure his state title and finish his season with an impressive 40-4 record.
Blake and Cooligan were not the only ones going home with medals from the individual state tournament, as several of their teammates also finished on the podium. Junior Hunter Jessee (144) took home a third place victory after competing in several tight matches and ultimately winning third with a 1-0 win, finishing his season 40-6.
“Placing third felt good, but also disappointing. I went there to win and I didn’t achieve that goal. I plan to go back next year looking to win,” Jessee said.
Sophomore Chase Wolgamuth (106) also finished third in the state for his weight class, ending his 40-6 season with a takedown (gaining control of his opponent) and a 9-6 decision.
After winning his first three matches of the state tournament, Junior Jude Dicicco (215) lost in the semifinal and advanced to the third place match, ultimately finishing as fourth in the state for his weight class. Senior Benjamin Wolgamuth (165) and Sophomore Brentley Crawley (132) finished fifth in the state for their respective weight classes, winning their final matches 9-4 and 11-4 (respectively) to secure spots on the podium. Wolgamuth ended his senior season with a record of 40-6 and Crawley finished his season with a record of 34-12.
Lastly, freshman Vincent Nikollaj (113) made a name for himself by placing sixth in the state with a 31-9 record in his first varsity season.
The wrestling team has one of the longest seasons, competing from November to March. However, they avoid burnout by keeping practices fun and sometimes shortening them to play games like handball.
“The wrestling culture and the wrestling room produce a grind mindset,” sophomore Thomas Thorne (190) said. “Every single day we clock in and clock out, and you don’t really think about the end of the season.”
To end a very successful year for the team, Coach Diaz earned the titles of SAC Champion and Coach of the Year. His players pointed out that his win over South Dade in the Johnny Rouse Tournament and being one match away from placing second at the state IBT’s prove the kind of program he has built.
“He created an environment where hard work is the standard, not the exception. He’s a big reason why I was able to reach the next level, and winning Coach of the Year is well deserved. He’s not just building good wrestlers; he’s building strong, disciplined people, and I’m grateful I got to be a part of that,” Blake said.
