WAKULLA - Clay High wrestling coach Jim Reape has historically articulated a strategy of probable success that has gotten him one state championship and a historic top five string of finishes at the FHSAA state championships.

“Numbers; we get a couple of our veterans to do what they do; get to the podium, maybe with bonus point wins, and the rest of the team follow with top 10 finishes, that’s the key,” said Reape, who saw his 2022 squad swat away a torrid chase by Suwannee High at the region 1-1A championship won by Clay with five individual titles. “It’s been a long time since we had five region champions. Josh (Kumpf) had a big match, Luke (Boree) and Dominic (Martin) did what was expected with Ethan (Larsen) showing off his athleticism with his win. Ethan’s pin was the swing match. Garrett Tyre is top ranked in the state and beat a guy who is probably second ranked in the state.”

Along the way, Clay, with 251-180 team title score over Suwannee and Wakulla (149.5) showed off some depth in the Blue Devil lineup beyond his senior leadership.

“Eleven qualifiers; five region champions and some great matches from our young guys is very positive for a good run at state,” said Reape. “We’re seeing guys who were banged up with injuries getting back on the mat and contributing.”

Clay opened the championship round with three straight third place finishes against a hard-charging Suwannee Bulldog team who opened their lightweight divisions with a region title at 106, runnerup at 113, a second region title at 126 followed by a second runnerup at 132.

“They have returned to the Suwannee High wrestling; tough and scrappy, that has been their history,” said Clay 182 champion Dominic Martin. “Over the years, it was Wakulla and us battling at the top with Suwannee just behind. It keeps up sharp knowing that they are coming strong on us.”

Reape noted that Clay had the meat of his lineup in the upper weights while Suwannee did not.

With back-to-back thrillers for wins from Kumpf at 138 (a 5-2 win) and Boree at 145 (a last second 3-1 win), Clay swung the momentum pendulum back to the Blue Devils to put a bit of space on Suwannee.

Boree, who had turned a 1-1 tie with Yulee’s Dylan Johns with just six seconds left in the match, blasted a single leg takedown just before the buzzer to win 3-1.

“I guess I wanted to keep people excited,” said Boree, who won his second region title (138 last year). “I’ve learned to be a little more offensive this year. I was okay with overtime, but Coach Hill (Hunter Hill) was yelling to go big move.”

Larsen, at 170 and a 170 state qualifier last year, knocked out Suwannee’s James Prentice in the semifinal then came back for a late pin on Xander Hawkes of Florida High.

Larsen fought to a 4-4 score after two periods before snaring Hawkes with a pin.

“Ethan and Josh are so explosive on the mat and they are learning to use that to win matches like today,” said Reape. “One of the big surprises was Wilbon (Kedric at 195) who lost in the final but is having a great end of season run using his speed and power and learning to wrestle better. He is always moving.”

Reape cited his two leaders; Martin and Tyre, as keys to the team success in Lakeland.

“Both got pins in their finals and that’s bonus points,” said Reape. “Garrett has wrestled the Raines guy (Jamari Watson) twice and both have been brutal matches. That may be the state title match next week.”

Martin, with his first region title after sixth at state finish last year at 152, faced off against a familiar foe in Tyler Edenfield of Wakulla who had Martin on his back going out of bounds in a close call in the first period with Martin up 2-1. Martin got one more single leg takedown to go up 4-1 into the second period. Martin would build to a 13-2 score with three-point tilts at will into the third period before pinning Edenfield.

“That’s more bonus points,” said Reape.

Wilborn would last just a minute against North Bay Haven’s David Mercado (55-1, region runnerup last year at 195) before getting pinned.

For Tyre, the opportunity to get to the state meet after a debacle last year against Fleming Island that got him penalized for the district tournament and ending his junior season, has been his motivation to not let the emotion of his big matches; twice with Watson, control the match. Watson, third at 195 last year, got the double on his first shot to go up 2-0 early in the first round with Tyre escaping to go into the second period down 2-1. Ironically, Watson beat Mercado in the consolation rounds at last year’s state championships. Both fought to a 5-4 score; Watson up, into the third period with 1:16 on the clock before Tyre scored off an ankle grab and pinned Watson with less than a minute to go.

“He was definitely coming at me real solid with that double leg takedown this time,” said Tyre, who beat Watson in the Clay Rotary final with a late match escape. “He’s making me better knowing that him and I may be the state final match next week.”

Clay’s thirds went to freshman Jacob Bucci at 106, freshman Braden Glavin at 113 and senior Maverick Rainwater at 120. Rainwater lost a 9-7 semifinal match to Raines’ De’Quon King, third last year at 113.