Hagerty’s outstanding boys wrestling team did more than just win its own Johnny Rouse Invitational last weekend. The Huskies made history.
Hagerty edged longtime power Southwest Miami 34-32 and out-grappled 27-time state champ South Dade 47-31 in their two-day sweep of dual matches.
“I’m excited about it. First time we’ve beaten those teams in our program’s history,” Hagerty’s 11th year coach, Scotty Diaz, said of the feat. “Obviously it’s still early in the season. If we can repeat that performance at state duals (in January) it would be great.”
The Huskies were missing their top heavyweight, but senior backup Braxton Drinkwater sealed the victory against Southwest by pinning his opponent.
South Dade has won 12 consecutive individual bracket state titles and seven dual state championships in the eight years of those events.
Hagerty’s elite senior, Nikolas Blake, went 7-0 in the two-day tourney, and classmate Ben Wolgamuth went 6-0. Other Huskies who excelled included sophomore Chase Wolgamuth (6-1), junior Hunter Jessee (6-1) and junior Aurelio Gutierrez (6-1).
Winter Springs teammates Tyson Horel and Rudley Villareal also both went 6-1 and Jacob Rodriguez was 7-0 for the Bears.
The competition gets even tougher for Hagerty and all the teams competing in Kissimmee’s Knockout Christmas Classic this weekend. The field includes all three individual bracket state title teams from last season: South Dade (3A), Somerset Academy (2A) and Mater Lakes (1A), along with all of the second- and third-place teams.
Teams are coming from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.
“There’s always nationally ranked kids wrestling there. It is an absolute grind of a tournament,” Diaz said.
Hagerty High wrestler Nikolas Blake, right, makes an athletic move with Flagler Palm Coast wrestler Carson Baert in the 157-pound class during the duals FHSAA State Tournament at Osceola High School in Kissimmee on Jan. 24, 2025. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Record 3s
Jacari White, a 2021 Olympia alum, broke the University of Virginia record for consecutive 3-point-shots made with 12 in a row in three games. The 6-foot-3 guard went 7-for-7 from deep and scored 25 points in an 86-73 win over Dayton to set the record.
White, a fifth-year graduate who previously played for North Dakota State, is shooting 50.9% on 3s (27-of-53) and averaging 10.3 points off the bench for the No. 23 Cavaliers (9-1).
Basketball
Bishop Wenze was 10-for-10 at the foul line and had a career-high 29 points for Olympia (8-1) in an 81-65 win vs. Oviedo (6-3). The Titans, ranked No. 2 in Class 7A by MaxPreps, have won seven in a row going into Monday and Tuesday games at the prestigious City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers.
Evans (9-2) has won eight of its past nine since losing to Olympia 58-57 and is ranked No. 1 in 6A. The Trojans play tourney games at Flagler Palm Coast on Monday and Tuesday.
Shawne Dadzie had 30 points and 11 rebounds for Kissimmee Liberty (5-2) in a 73-60 win vs. Haines City.
Edgewater (6-4) went 1-2 on its trip to the Elite 8 tournament in Santa Clara, California. Host St. Joseph (10-0) beat the Eagles 69-48 and outscored Riviera Prep of Miami 82-64 to win the title.
Oak Ridge (6-2), No. 4 in 7A, goes to Las Vegas for the Tarkanian Classic.
Lake Highland Prep (6-1), No. 3 in 3A, plays at 7A Dr. Phillips (6-4) on Friday.
Windermere Prep (8-1) is No. 8 in 3A.
Lake Howell (9-2) has won six in a row.
Eustis (10-1), on a seven-game win streak, plays Monday and Tuesday at a New Smyrna Beach shootout.
Gateway sophomore Ashlynn Day scores two of her 30 points in Tuesday’s girls basketball win against Oak Ridge. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Girls basketball
Kissimmee Gateway (12-0), ranked No. 2 in 5A by MaxPreps, scored 30 first-quarter points and ran away with a 90-57 win at Oak Ridge (7-2) on Tuesday night. Ashylynn Day led five double-figure scorers for the Panthers with 30 points. Gateway is home against Lake Howell (8-0) on Thursday.
Lake Highland Prep (7-4), again playing a national-level schedule, is ranked No. 2 in 3A behind Tampa Catholic (10-0). The Highlanders posted road wins against two good teams, Bishop Moore (8-2) and Ocoee (10-2), last week.
One of the Highlanders’ losses was to Montverde Academy (7-1), which is No. 7 in the MaxPreps national academy rankings, which include only teams that don’t play for state championships.
Girls soccer
Lake Mary (9-1-1), ranked No. 1 in 7A by MaxPreps, played 6A No. 1 Ponte Vedra to a 1-1 tie last Friday. A day later the Rams lost 2-1 against the reigning 6A state champ, Bartram Trail.
Montverde Academy (11-1-1), No. 1 in 3A, suffered its first loss to 6A No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas, 3-1.
Lake Highland Prep (5-1-2) is No. 3 in 3A going into a Thursday home game against Lake Mary.
Oviedo (9-1-1) is No. 4 in 6A.
West Orange (7-1-1 through Tuesday) is No. 5 in 7A, three spots ahead of Lake Brantley (9-2-1).
Strength of schedule places Bishop Moore (3-5-3) at No. 5 in 4A.
Lake Minneola (9-0-3) and Horizon (9-0-4), 6A District rivals, played to a 1-1 draw.
Boys soccer
West Orange (8-2), No. 6 in 7A, rolled to a 5-2 win against ninth-ranked Windermere High (9-1-5) on Tuesday.
Olympia (9-0-1), No. 10 in 7A , won 3-1 vs. Wekiva (10-2-1).
Ocoee (8-0-2), No. 11 in 7A, topped Timber Creek 2-1.
Lake Mary (10-1-1 through Tuesday) won 3-0 against previously unbeaten Mount Dora (10-1-1).
Bishop Moore (9-2-3) is No. 4 in 4A — two spots ahead of Mount Dora.
Lake Highland Prep (7-1-1) is No. 6 in 3A.
Innovation (11-0-1) is No. 9 in 5A.
Hugo Magalhaes Stallone, a junior, has 21 goals and 7 assists for Windermere Prep (9-2-1).
More wrestling
Lake Highland Prep’s national team placed fourth among the best in the U.S. in last weekend’s Iron Man tournament in Ohio. Tyler Dekraker was a runner-up in the 144 weight class. Zeno Moore placed third, Lucas Boe fifth, Liam Davis seventh, Liam McGettigan eighth and Jackson Angelo eighth.
Oviedo won the Deltona Duals tournament, and Mount Dora won the Golden Triangle tourney.
Apopka edged Sebastian River to win the Gauntlet on the Grove tournament at Horizon.
The 53rd Bill Scott Memorial meet at Lyman is Friday-Saturday.
Tournament talk
Windermere Prep hosts the BSN Holiday Classic this weekend, with boys and girls basketball games. The boys field includes Saraland (11-1), a state-ranked Alabama team, and unbeaten North Broward Prep (7-0). And former Lakers boys state champ coach Ben Wilson returns to Windermere Prep as the head coach for Ponte Vedra (5-3), last season’s 5A state runner-up.
The inaugural Florida/Georgia Challenge has four Central Florida teams taking on four Georgia schools at The First Academy next week. Mount Vernon (10-0), ranked No. 1 in its Georgia classification, is the school where second-year TFA coach Tarrik Mabon won a 2024 state championship.
BSN Holiday Classic
At Windermere Prep
Thursday
Windermere Prep vs. Jackson County (Tenn.), 12:30 p.m.
Celebration vs. Saraland (Ala.), 5
North Broward Prep vs. Lake Nona, 6:30
Ponte Vedra vs. CFCA, 8
Friday
Consolation games noon, 1:30.
Semifinals, 6:30 and 8.
Saturday
7th place, 10:30 a.m.
5th place 1:30.
3rd place 5.
Championship, 8.
Admission: $12 per day, $30 for tourney pass.
Gus Gibbs Classic
At DeLand High School
Thursday
University (Orange City) vs. Scholar Prep, 4
Spruce Creek vs. Leesburg, 5:30
Cape Coral vs. Oakleaf, 7
Deltona vs. DeLand, 8:30
Friday
Consolation games, 4, 5:30.
Semifinals, 7, 8:30.
Saturday
7th place, 10 a.m.
3rd place, 11:30.
5th place, 1.
Championship, 2:30.
Florida/Georgia Challenge
At The First Academy, Orlando
(Florida teams listed first)
Monday
CFCA vs. Marist, 1 p.m.
Lake Highland Prep vs. Mount Vernon, 3.
Holy Trinity vs. Whitefield Academy, 5.
TFA vs. Peachtree Ridge, 7
Tuesday
CFCA vs. Whitefield, 1 p.m.
LHP vs. Peachtree, 3
Holy Trinity vs. Mount Vernon, 5
TFA vs. Marist, 7.
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
