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By Jon Santucci Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers JENSEN BEACH — After winning the Class 2A, 170-pound state champi- onship, Jensen Beach High School wrestler Chris Favoroso slept with the gold medal around his neck. One reason was he simply didn’t want to take it off. The other? He wanted a reminder when he woke up that he didn’t dream the whole thing up. “It was just like a surreal feeling,” Favoroso said. “But waking up with the medal and then I saw the picture in the paper, that was just the best. “I’ve probably watched it (the Class 2A championship match) a million times. Honestly, I never re- ally felt comfortable with how I was wrestling until I got to state. I was winning regions and districts, but I was wrestling sloppy and I knew I couldn’t wrestle like that in the state finals. I had a feeling I would wrestle my best matches of the year at states and that’s what I did.” Favoroso, a sophomore, is the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers All-Area Wrestler of the Year after posting a 54-3 record in 2012-13 and capping the season by dominating Lake Gibson’s Dorian Spradlin 5-2 in the state title match. “Having a whole year of varsity experience last year really helped,” Favoroso said. “I tried to learn as much as I could from the matches when I wrestled bad.” Favoroso went 35-20 as a fresh- man, finishing fifth in Class 2A at 160 pounds, but was determined to take something away from each of his losses a year ago. Leaning those important lessons and a determina- tion to get better this season helped Favoroso win many of the close matches he dropped as a freshman. “He learned from the close loss- es and the matches he lost, but he learned a lot from his wins, too,” Jensen Beach coach Tom McMath said. “As long as he’s learning, he’s getting better. “One of things I really liked about him is that in his losses, he learned that the best defense is good offense and he took control of his matches.” It was an interesting state final match for Favoroso — who admits to being superstitious — as it took place on the same mat he lost in the 2012 semifinals. In the final match, the only two points Favoroso allowed were escapes. With the win, Favoroso became the second area sophomore to win a state title. “I don’t really think about the future in terms of winning more state championships,” Favoroso said. “I couldn’t picture what it would be like to lose or what it would be like to win. “I can’t really look into future now. I’ll just take it one match at a time.” Sensational sophomore Favoroso capped stellar second season with state title ALEX BOERNER/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Jensen Beach High School’s Chris Favoroso is the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers Wrestler of the Year. ALL-AREA WRESTLING TEAM All-Area First Team First Team continued Nick Castoro Donte Francis Anthony Oreo Anthony Rossi Alejandro Saez Kolin Stapp Hunter Taroli Josh Conroy Ryan Hagan Robert Pulido Fernando Rubio Adam Schineis Andre Succes Brandon Way Ian Wiswell TC « SCRIPPS TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS « Friday, March 29, 2013 « 7C All-Area Schedule WRESTLER OF THE YEAR CHRIS FAVOROSO TOM McMATH Jensen Beach, seventh year This season: Jensen Beach finished tied for eighth in Class 2A for its fifth consecutive top-10 finish, tying Fort Pierce Central’s area record (2001 to 2005). Jensen Beach had one state champion (170-pounder Chris Favoroso) and a fourth-place finisher (220-pounder Nick Castoro). Jensen Beach won a school-record 28 duals, won the District 14-2A championship and finished third in Region 4-2A. Quotable: “I thought we had a great year. We won more dual meets than we’ve ever won, won districts, had a good showing at regionals and took six guys to state. We could have had a few more medals, but Chris topping it off with a state championship, you can’t do any better than that.” NICK CASTORO Jensen Beach senior, 220 pounds Stats: 41-12; District 14-2A champion; Region 4-2A runner-up; fourth in Class 2A JOSH CONROY Jensen Beach junior, 195 pounds Stats: 30-8; District 14-2A runner-up; Region 4-2A champion; Class 2A state qualifier DONTE FRANCIS Fort Pierce Central senior, 220 pounds Stats: 40-6; District 9-3A champion; Region 3-3A champion; fourth in Class 3A RYAN HAGAN Okeechobee senior, 145 pounds Stats: 31-10; District 14-2A champion; fourth in Region 4-2A; Class 2A state qualifier ANTHONY OREO Fort Pierce Central freshman 106 pounds Stats: 27-19; District 9-3A runner-up; Region 3-3A qualifier ROBERTO PULIDO Vero Beach senior 138 pounds Stats: 31-7; District 9-3A runner-up; Region 3-3A qualifier ANTHONY ROSSI Jensen Beach senior, 152 pounds Stats: 34-16; District 14-2A champion; Region 4-2A runner-up; Class 2A state qualifier FERNANDO RUBIO Jensen Beach senior, 113 pounds Stats: 33-13; District 14-2A champion; Region 4-2A qualifier ALEJANDRO SAEZ St. Lucie West Centennial senior, 160 pounds Stats: 27-4; District 9-3A runner-up; Region 3-3A qualifier ADAM SCHINEIS Martin County senior, 170 pounds Stats: 28-9; third in District 14-2A; Region 4-2A runner-up; Class 2A state qualifier KOLIN STAPP Jensen Beach junior, 126 pounds Stats: 47-6; District 14-2A champion; Region 4-2A qualifier ANDRE SUCCES Fort Pierce Central senior, 145 pounds Stats: 34-12; District 9-3A runner-up; fourth in Region 3-3A; Class 3A state qualifier HUNTER TAROLI Port St. Lucie junior, 138 pounds Stats: 47-8; District 9-3A champion; Region 3-3A runner-up; Class 3A state qualifier BRANDON WAY Port St. Lucie junior, 285 pounds Stats: 40-11; District 9-3A runner-up; Region 3-3A qualifier IAN WISWELL Jensen Beach junior 132 pounds Stats: 43-9; District 14-2A champion; Region 4-2A runner-up; Class 2A state qualifier JOHNLEY CADET Port St. Lucie sophomore, 182 pounds CODY GRIFFITH Okeechobee junior, 132 pounds GREG HERNANDEZ Okeechobee sophomore, 285 pounds BILLY JOHNSON Vero Beach senior, 182 pounds ALLEN LEITNER Okeechobee senior, 170 pounds VINNY LOVAGLIO Jensen Beach junior, 145 pounds JONATHAN MARSAILLE Fort Pierce Central senior, 285 pounds AUSTIN MCHALE Jensen Beach junior, 138 pounds TRAVIS MOODY Vero Beach senior, 152 pounds FRITZNOL NONOMBRE Port St. Lucie junior, 152 pounds EDWIN ROBLES Okeechobee senior, 195 pounds JOSH SMITH Fort Pierce Central senior, 126 pounds BRIAN TOPP Vero Beach senior, 170 pounds BOBBY WAY Port St. Lucie senior, 220 pounds AARON WIECHEL Jensen Beach sophomore, 106 pounds COLLIN WILLIAMS Jensen Beach senior, 160 pounds Honorable Mention Coach of the Year ALL-AREA TEAM The All-Area wrestling team was compiled by Jon Santucci. Wrestler of the Year CHRIS FAVOROSO Jensen Beach sophomore, 170 pounds Notable: Favoroso compiled a 54-3 record and was the Class 2A state champion. He also won the District 14-2A and Region 4-2A championships. Favoroso was ranked No. 1 in Class 2A by Scout.com for the final month of the season and also won individual titles at the Steadwell/Grow Memorial Tournament, Flagler Rotary Invitational and the John Raich Memorial Invitational. Coach Tom McMath: “Chris is a student of the sport as far as wanting to learn and wanting to get better. He has a great work ethic and he really works hard. He’ll only get better and better and better. It’s good to see a kid who works so hard to be rewarded.” WEDNESDAY Girls Soccer THURSDAY Boys Soccer FRIDAY Wrestling SATURDAY Girls Basketball SUNDAY Boys Basketball MONDAY Girls Weightlifting
