BY GENE NARDI
On Saturday, Jan. 7, the Wellington High School wrestling program hosted its ninth annual Wellington Dual Meet Championship. Ten teams from around Florida competed in the one-day event. Teams in attendance were the host Wolverines, Royal Palm Beach, Columbus, Mater Academy, Santaluces, Doral, Centennial, Riverdale, Labelle and Clewiston.
The Wolverines took the runner-up spot to tournament champion Riverdale. The Raiders are a known wrestling power in Florida, and Wellington has developed a competitive rivalry with the school each year. The two faced off in the final round, with the Raiders winning the overall team championship 45-18.
Wellington handily defeated Doral in its first round 70-12; then, facing Centennial in the second round, won that 63-13. The Wolverines went on in the fourth and fifth rounds, defeating Labelle and Columbus to earn their spot to wrestle in the finals for first place against Riverdale.
The Wolverines have been busy during the winter break, participating in several high-level tournaments to keep them tuned in for the remainder of the season. Wellington qualified a school record nine wrestlers for the state tournament last season, and hopes to at least match that record-breaking achievement this year.
Coach Travis Gray is in his 10th season at Wellington and has developed the Wolverine grappling program into a local juggernaut on the mat over the years. The annual dual meet has grown as well through the years, and each year programs look to challenge their teams in the heart of Wellington.
Royal Palm Beach took seventh place overall in the dual meet. The Wildcats’ 152-pounder is currently ranked 11th in the state in Class 3A, and won all of his matches in the competition. Royal Palm Beach’s 182-pound grappler Tre Gilbert currently ranks 10th in the state.
Wellington is also in Class 3A. Its state-ranked grapplers are 106-pound Chris DiFiore, seventh; 126-pound Jared Abramson, eighth; 132-pound Tyler DiFiore, sixth; 138-pound Cameryn Townsend, 11th; 145-pound Eric Reid, fifth; 152-pound Jacob Treanor, eighth; and 170-pound Eric Saber, 10th.
ABOVE: Eric Saber, Wellington’s 170-pounder, maintains control of his Columbus opponent.
