State of the Program ... Cardinal Gibbons (FL)
Cardinal Gibbons (FL)
Head Coach: Jamel Morris (3 years)
Staff: Jamal Morris, Chris Cupas, Armand Algarin, Steve Mocco
Gibbons finished 6th a season ago at the 1A traditional state tournament … expect that to be different this season. The Chiefs graduated none of their point-getters from 2022 and add some hammers to the lineup with the transfer of State Champion Frankie Florio and State Placer Michael Mocco as well as Bryan Picallo. Florio, Mocco, and Picallo are huge for the Chiefs, but this team runs on four seniors - returning State Champ Nicholas Yancey as well as State Placers Jonathan Hudson, Richard Tauriello, and Grant Cooper. The Cheifs were going to be in the hunt with or without Florio, Mocco, and Picallo, but with the addition of those hammers Gibbons is likely the favorites as we enter the 22-23 season.
Keep an eye on Joseph Michaels, Dominic Pantuso, and Gavin Hooten - all three won matches in a tough Region 4 last year and each will look to punch their ticket to Kissimmee this season. Nico Conte, Nicholas Lopez, and Christopher Johnson should figure into the lineup as well as Michael Palermo and Will Parker. With 2 returning Champs, 3 Placers, and a handful of others - is Gibbons the best team in Florida regardless of class this coming season?
“I’m excited for this upcoming season. We have a lot of guys that can compete for a state championship.”
NOTE: All mentions of placers and qualifiers in the body are based on the 2021-22 season. If a wrestler placed higher or lower in a previous year it is not captured above.