State of the Program ... South Walton (FL)
South Walton (FL)
Head Coach: Travis Laxton (3 yrs as head coach)
Staff: KJ Beavers, Hayden Meyer, Carey Nick
A young squad with a ton of upside. South Walton finished 15th a season ago and return both Nick Lee and Isaac Brinson. Lee finished 8th in 1A at 285 and will come into his senior campaign looking to climb the podium. Brinson qualified for the state tournament a season ago as just a freshman and will look to be hunting a spot on the podium in 2023. Lee is just one of five Seniors on the squad. Chase Maas has post-season experience and will be looked on to punch his ticket to Kissimmee this season. Lee and Maas are joined by fellow seniors Frank Bonjean, Daniel Hamichi, and Judah McCoy.
The bulk of this squad are freshmen and sophomores … so expect a few growing pains this season. Gibson Moore and Kaden Shaw have post-season experience, but the majority of the squad will be learning as they go. Look for Noah Withers, Madden Jackson, Sam Madden, Devohn Fowlkes, Dylan Hardin, Owen Kurfirst, Aspan Ridge, and Donavan Trinidad to fill the spots around Brinson down low. Madden is just a freshman but could make some noise at 113 this season. The middleweights feature talented freshman Jackson Roach as well as Blaine Stout, Charlie Fife, Barron Kutz, Weldon Terry as well as seniors McCoy, Bonjean and Maas. The top should be led by returning State Placer Nick Lee, Hamichi and Zachary Budd, Sampson Souder, Jonathan Almeida, and talented freshman Cody Johnson. This is a young squad that should be much better in February than they are in November … look for tons of growth this season.
“We’re extremely young but there is still plenty of experience on the team. I’m excited to watch these young men grow this season.”
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.