Lecanto wrestling features top-rated wrestlers in Florida
LECANTO, Fla. — The boys high school wrestling season is underway, and Lecanto High School has great hopes for going forward and being more competitive. The Panthers wrestling program is looking to get its first state qualifier since 2013 when Jonah Nightengale reached sixth place in the Class 2A ranking at 195 pounds. Coach Jose Mendez is close to getting his first state qualifier in his career as a coach for the Panthers.
The Panthers had a few wrestlers who came close to the state championships. Diego Mendez is entering his senior year as a great contender who may reach the top. He has two district championships to his name, and he qualified for regionals three times. He was one win shy of getting to the state championships.
Mendez will be moving up a few weight classes to 138 pounds. He expects to be a competitive figure for the Panthers this season.
“Strong returning team with a lot of experience,” Coach Mendez said about the team. He also said that many of the team’s newcomers “bring a lot of energy to the team.”
Coach Mendez has been coaching the Panther wrestling team since 2018. He has been working hard to develop many of his student-athletes. His family also has a bit of the wrestling bug, as he had one of his sons, Cy Anthony Mendez, compete on the team a few years back.
Zach Williams is one exciting wrestler to watch. The senior was one win away from the state championships at 170 pounds. As of the middle part of January 2022, he had a 13-1 record for the season and is expected to be a significant competitor.
Williams celebrated his 100th win on the mat back in December, a sign that he’s got the experience needed to be more competitive.
The other star wrestlers for Lecanto include ones at varying weight classes. Returning wrestlers like James Greene at 120 and Jacob Cameron at 195 will be worth watching.
There are also some prominent newcomers for the team, including Lorenzo Macatol at 106 and Joseph Darnell at 182.
As exciting as the team will be for the season, Coach Mendez understands that there will be plenty of challenges and various tough teams to look for, including the Citrus Hurricanes. But he knows that the team will need to be competitive and determined if they want to win.
“We have to start with our own backyard before we conquer worlds,” Coach Mendez said.
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