The Wekiva Mustangs wrestling team competed in the Wolfpack tournament on Saturday, and their 215-pound captain Elijah Jean captured gold. They also had newcomer Adrian Jackson break a school record. 

Wekiva entered the Wolfpack tournament at Timber Creek with 15 other schools. This was an individually bracketed tournament, so team statistics did not matter. As a whole, they struggled early as their unranked wrestlers were facing others who were ranked. 

The Mustangs had one of their wrestlers pull off an incredible accomplishment. Junior newcomer Adrian Jackson, in what the coaches said was his first tournament ever, beat his opponent in the first round of the consolation bracket in school record time.  

On the opening whistle, he blitzed and planted his opponent on his back, forcing a pin in eight seconds. This was one second faster than Elijah Jean’s record, which he set earlier this season. 

Coach Lenin Vazquez was shocked by what Jackson showed in his first tournament.  

“This kid has a lot of potential,” he said. “You even saw it in his first match against that monster of an opponent he faced. I’m so happy he finally decided to join the team.” 

Jean (23-3) also had a big day. In his first match, he set the tone against East River with a 28-second slam and pin. He took that energy into the quarterfinals against Timber Creek, as the match coasted into the second period. He found his pin after four takedowns and entered a tough semifinal matchup with 31-win Braedon McGuigan from Buchholz. 

This bout extended into the third period, with Jean down 1 point after letting his opponent escape. Forty-five seconds into the period, Jean found his shot. He made a quick move for a huge tripping takedown for the lead. He worked in a pin 30 seconds later to send him to the 215 lb. championship. 

In the title bout against Joshua Ramirez (25-8) from Freedom, he took his moment and ran with it. After a minute of hand fighting and feeling out his lighter opponent, he blitzed and tripped him easily. In one minute and 27 seconds, Wekiva gained a new gold medalist.  

Jean made Wekiva’s long day worth it and was ecstatic to finally grab gold. 

“It feels amazing,” he said. “I’m just in my own head right now, but I feel real good about this.” 

Now that he’s proven he can do it, his goal is to pile on gold medals for the rest of the season. 

“Metros, I go for everything now,” he said. “I gotta win it all, and after that, I’m gonna go for districts, regions, and then states. I’m not stopping.” 

Coach Tony Imbriani praised Jean’s focus on being great.  

“He comes out here always focused and he puts in all the work necessary to be great,” Imbriani said. “He told me that last night he went to bed at 9, and he needed it for today. He has the ability to beat anybody. He just has to allow himself to by eating and sleeping right. This kid’s a beast, man. Today was his best day ever.” 

The Mustangs wrestling team next competes in the Metro Championship on Saturday morning at East River High School.