2023 TFWR High School Awards

Each year The Florida Wrestling Room gives back to the wrestling community in the form of annual awards. Last year we gave out the TFWR Wrestler of the Year and we also named a few honorable mentions, all of whom received cash prizes from TFWR in the form of Visa gift cards. Now that we have grown to over 19K TFWR members on the FB group page and have the official TFWR website which continues to grow as well, we are excited to add three new awards!  This year we will give out a Female Wrestler of the Year, Male Wrestler of the Year, Coach of the Year and Coaches Wife of the Year. 

TFWR asked for nominations to be submitted for all of the awards we are giving out this year and you guys did not disappoint. We received so many nominations for all four categories and I had to appoint an awards committee to help with the voting because it’s too much for one or two people to do.  Six people voted on each award and I am happy to announce the 2023 winers!!!

 

Female Wrestler of the Year

Grace Leota of Hernando HS is this years winner. Grace was undefeated at 35-0 and 30 of those wins came by way of a pin!  Grace Leota is a pinning machine. She went on to win the FHSAA Girls 170 pound state title and this past weekend placed 3rd at the NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach. Grace is coached by Head Coach David Pritz. Grace also trains at the Phoenix Wrestling Club with some of the other top girls in our state. We are proud to name Grace Leota as this years TFWR Female Wrestler of the Year.

 

Male Wrestler of the Year

Sawyer Bartelt of South Dade HS is this years winner. It’s hard to argue with this selection as Sawyer hasnt lost a match since 8th grade and he hasnt given up a single takedown in three years. His Freshman year he was 35-0 and won his first 3A state title with South Dade. He also won The Knockout, The NHSCA Freshman Nationals and the 16U Fargo Greco National Title. He then went 15-0 at the USAW Cadet National Duals. 

His Sophomore year he went 31-0 again winning the prestigious Knockout Christmas Tournament, went 8-0 at the Elite 8 Duals and won the FHSAA 3A State title for his second time. Sawyer was the UWW 16U World Team Trials Greco AA (3rd) UWW 16U World Team Trials Freestyle AA (4th) USAW 18U Fargo Freestyle All American (3rd) USAW 18U Fargo Greco All American (6th) UWW PAN AM 16U Freestyle Champion UWW PAN AM 16U Greco Champion.

This season, Sawyers Junior year he was (49-0) FHSAA 3A State Champion and for the third time he won the Knockout Christmas Tourney. At the 2023 FHSAA State Tourney Bartelt pinned his way through his bracket like a man among boys. We are proud to name Sawyer Bartelt of South Dade HS the TFWR Male Wrestler of the Year.

 

Coach of the Year

Coach Tom McMath of Jensen Beach HS is this years TFWR Coach of the Year. We had many great coaches to choose from but one thing stood out for Coach Tom over all the other nominated coaches.  At the FHSAA 1A Regional Tournament at Cardinal Gibbons HS, the Jensen Beach team kind of fell apart a little bit and lost a few matches that never shouldve been lost, but you know how it goes in wrestling. A few of their returning state champions had lost in the semi’s and placed 3rd in the region.  

Many top teams who don’t do their best the week prior to the state championships have a very hard time getting their heads back on straight and that job is usually up to whoever the head coach is for that program. Well Tom McMath must have had one hell of a chat with his Falcon squad because they all wrestled very well and they had four wrestlers win in the semi-finals and earn a trip to Saturday evenings finals. As the finals started Jensen Beach HS had found themselves trailing Somerset Academy for the team title. Coach McMath needed his four finalists to come up big for him and win their respective matches. First up was 2022 state champion at 120 pounds Sebastian Degennaro who won his match handily for his second state title in as many years. Next was 126 pounder Ryan Mooney who would face a Somerset Academy grappler in Matt Velasco. Mooney was able to notch a victory by a 5-1 decision and win himself a state title while getting important team points over a Somerset foe. The third JBHS wrestler was defending state champion Jewell Williams at 145 pounds. Williams won his 2nd state title by defeating Michael Kearsey of First Baptist-Naples by a score of 6-1. Last up was 152 pounder Dylan Fox who TFWR had ranked #1 in the state the entire year while the other rankings had him at #4. Fox did not disappoint and proved to everyone TFWR knew what they were talking about all year!! Dylan Fox won his state title with a win over Kalias Nazerio of Mater Lakes. Fox did it with bonus points for his squad by pinning Nazario in the final period.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Coaches Wife of the Year                                    

This is a brand new award TFWR thought of and I think its a great award because these women rarely get any recognition and they deserve it so much with the sacrifices they make every single season and some of them sacrifice all year round!! This was a very hard one to pick and I was one out of six votes to choose the winner of this award but based on the submitted information on each wife who was nominated the winner chosen is the wife of Manatee head coach Andy Gugliemini, Lisa Gugliemini. TFWR was told that Lisa Lisa as she is affectionately called by her spouse “Gug” loves every kid in that program as if she gave birth to them herself. She is her husbands right hand and is the teams videographer as well. Lisa films every match so the parents or family members who arent able to make it can see see their wrestler and how he/she did.  At all of the home events Lisa oversees the concession, always lending a hand when needed as well as taking care of the hospitality room to feed the officials and coaches in attendance. She is always cooking or making sanwiches for the team and still manages to find the time to film all of the matches. Coach Gug stated that his wife Lisa-Lisa is not only the team mom but the team videographer and media specialist too. She reports all of the results so the Mafia fans can keep track of how the team is doing.  His final comment to me was ” Lisa is amazing, she’s hot, and the Manatee wrestling program would definitely not be where we are if it wasn’t for my incredible wife.”. 

The runner up for Coaches Wife of the Year was Tina Sharbono, the wife of head coach of Braden River Cezar Sharbono. Here’s what Coach  Cezar had to say about his wife Tina:   “She may live eat and breath wrestling more than most coaches I have known. From the start way back in 2003/2004 when our son started wrestling as a youth to now in 2023 when our son has been graduated and moved on for seven years Tina has been Team Mom, Statistician, Cook, Baker, Team organizer and MY right hand, handling parents question like a champion, allowing ME to focus on other items. Not only has this been done for my team but also for two National Teams for the past thirteen years I believe. She has wrestlers from the past nineteen to twenty years who still to this day call Her Momma Tina. Wrestlers who walk into the house are welcome at any time to talk, to eat, or to simply just visit. Former State Champs sleeping on our couch instead of their bed at home because they want to spend time with Momma Tina and (Coach I guess). Those that saw her last year sitting in the Coaching chair at the State tourney Coaching one of My wrestlers to a win over the Lord of the rings himself! She claims an undefeated record vs Vic Balmeceda mind you. That was not the first time s1he has not only been Momma Tina but Coach Tina. She was requested on more than one occasion to take over the corner for Me by former wrestlers and those that know Me… well you know I lose My voice quite often from yelling…. Many wrestlers say they just listen to Momma Tina even from the stands as she is saying the same as I am many times before I say it. How many wrestling wive’s sit and cry while watching the NCAA’s?  Last year while cheering for Kizhan Clark in the Semis and Finals she cried both happy and sad tears for a young man who was a former Spec Op! This year while at the NCAA’s in person watching she shed tears for Anthony Artalona and even more tears for Julian Rameriz even before Julians Mom showed up in our section for comfort from of course Momma Tina. She not only adopts My High School Team every year with New kids every year… But also all those Disney kids from Christian Lohsen (Deland) Dante Jionventta (Fl Keys) way back in 2010-2011? To the kids on My current Teams Tophy Minto (Mariner) or Jayce Paridon (Fleming Island) and everyone in-between She might be one of the most hugged Wives at a Tourney. You know She is doing something right when the out of state officials from Disney Duals all want HER111 at their Table. Ok Im done gushing over My Wife / Team Mom / Coaches Wife / Coach /Social coordinator / Coach and Team Cook/Baker yep even while at Disney with thirty + kids and coaches SHE is making delicious pasta dinners with homemade sauce for everyone.