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Mercado, Parkes take Kiwanis grappling titles

By Randy Lefko Sports Editor
Posted 12/12/18

JACKSONVILLE – Middleburg High’s Storm Mercado and Oakleaf High David Parkes were the two lone champions at the Westside Kiwanis Wrestling Invitational held Friday and Saturday at Bishop …

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Mercado, Parkes take Kiwanis grappling titles


Posted

JACKSONVILLE – Middleburg High’s Storm Mercado and Oakleaf High David Parkes were the two lone champions at the Westside Kiwanis Wrestling Invitational held Friday and Saturday at Bishop Snyder High School.

With both schools still trying to fill their rosters, Middleburg finished as top area school in sixth with 107 points with athletes taking first, second, third and fourth.

“We just don’t have the bodies to fill our roster, but the athletes we have are pretty dedicated to the sport,” said Middleburg coach Richard Duisenberre. “Storm, Chris Burch and Bryce Williams are returners and Riley Girgis, a freshman, is a tough kid.”

For Oakleaf, eighth with 97 points, the tally came with Parkes’ title and a third and two fourths. “We have some kids from last year wrestling in college; Ethan Gustilo, Ryan Rosano and Isiaih Graham so the program is solid,” said Oakleaf coach Wes Champs. “We have a pretty good system from the junior high feeding us.”

Keystone Heights finished 16th with just 16 points. At the leader spot, 3A-Buchholz won with four champions and 233 points with Nease second at 188 with three champions. Mercado, a senior, matched up with Nease’s Sean Arnold in the championship match at 138 and fought off a third period attack to hold on for a 6-5 win. Mercado advanced with two pins and a 15-1 major decision. Mercado lost in the consolation semifinals of region 1-2A last year.

Parkes, who lost in the district 1-3A semifinal to eventual 132 champion Avery Holder of Flagler Palm Coast, faced off against Middleburg’s Chris Burch and fell behind early. Parkes, down 4-2 in the third period, survived to get a pin in the third period for the 145 title.

Parkes, a sophomore, advanced with a 7-2 win and two pins. Burch, injured prior to the region 1-2A semifinal last year, had three pins to the final.

Middleburg got third at 113 from Girgis and fourth from Williams at 160. Williams, a senior, lost in the region 1-2A semifinal last year. Oakleaf got a third place finish from Logan Gilbert at 132 and fourths from Abdiert Escobar at 120 and Gabe Hacht at 220.