State champion

Enzo Gamba capped a perfect senior season by clinching the state title in the 156-pound weight class of 1A wrestling tournament Saturday in Kissimmee. He’s just the fifth state champ from Fernandina Beach High School, and is the school and Nassau County’s first in wrestling.

“It’s a big accomplishment, and I couldn’t do it without all the hard work that I put in, and also my coaches and my teammates put in for me,” said Gamba, 18, who qualified for state all four years at FBHS. “Over the past six or seven years, I’ve had these same two coaches, and they really put in so much for me and given so my of their time, experience and knowledge. They transferred it over to me, which has been very helpful.”

Gamba, who went 54-0 this season, is a four-time region champion. He placed seventh in the state as a sophomore and finished third last year. He boasted a 48-2 record at 160 pounds last season. 

“This was the one,” he said. “I told myself I’m going to do it. I made it all the way, and I won.”
He wasted no time.

“The first two rounds, I got those kids pretty quickly,” Gamba said.

He won by technical fall and pin, respectively.

“I majored the third kid (winning by more than eight points),” Gamba said. “In the last match, I was about to pin the kid, but he called an injury time.”

Gamba beat Kalais Nazario of Mater Lakes Academy 8-4 for the championship.

“Maybe I can coach the Fernandina team at some point. I’d like to give back to the program.”

Gamba joins an elite group of FBHS state champs, which includes weight-lifters Paul Alberta (165 pounds, 3A, 1979), Archie Williams (114 pounds, 3A, 1980) and Danny Jackson (114 pounds, 3A, 1988) and Stephanie Strasser, whon won the 3,200-meter run in Class 2A in 2009.

Gamba was joined by three team-mates. All four qualified for state as region champs.

“This has been an incredible season, topped off by a state tournament that ended with the team bringing home four individual state medals,” said Eric Kubatzke, head wrestling coach at FBHS. “I was definitely blessed with this team, and these four wrestlers are exceptional. All four are not just incredible athletes, but incredible young men and good students.”
As a team, the Pirates tied for seventh place with Suwannee.

“Only one other public school placed in front of Fernandina Beach with Jensen Beach coming in at fifth place,” Eric Kubatzke said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how hard all these guys have worked to get here and the support this community has given us to get them this far.”

Joining Gamba in the finals was Cael Kubatzke at 138 pounds, who ended his season as a state runner-up after losing to Asher Bacon from First Baptist Naples in the championship match. Cael Kubatzke got to the state championship by falls in the first and 

“The referee made a bad call in the middle of the match, so I started to get fans from all the schools,” Gamba said. “I remember it drowning out everything else, everyone chanting my name.

“I just remember it was the craziest feeling I ever had.”

Overall, Gamba went 170-6 as a Pirate grappler, and he suffered just one loss during the regular season —last year when he lost to a three-time state champion.

“I did start at 165 and I made my way down to 157,” he said. “I had to cut a little weight, but it was worth it in the end.
“My family was there for me, helping me out, making me dinners. Going home for lunch every day, my dad would make me a healthy salad, driving me to practice for the past 14 years now. They’re a big part of it. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Gamba started wrestling as a kindergartener in Pennsylvania.

“I would just always come home, and I’d be fighting my dad,” Gamba said. “I would be jumping on top of him. He told me one day, ‘I’m just going to take you to wrestling practice, buddy.’ He took me one night, and I just fell in love with it.”
Gamba said starting early is key, and he’s glad the middle school has started a program this year.

“Getting experience in the sport,” he said. “Those years add up. I’m always at those practices, talking to the little kids, middle schoolers and elementary schoolers. They all look up to you, and they want to be like you one day.

“So, showing them that you care and being there for them, teaching them new moves, as a role model, is important to them.quarterfinal rounds, winning by major decision 13-4 in the semifinals.

Cael Kubatzke ended his junior year with a record of 65-7. This was his second trip to state, and he’s a two-time region and district champion.

Senior Cole Misciagna placed fourth at 144 pounds, advancing by decision in the first round and by fall in the quarterfinal round before losing in the semifinal round to eventual state champion Michael Kersey from First Baptist Naples.

Misciagna moved into the consolation round on Saturday morning, winning by fall to put him in contention for third place, where he would lose to Frankie Fiori from Cardinal Gibbons High School. Misciagna ended his senior year with a 63-13 record. He had 161 wins and was a two-time district champ and two-time state qualifier.

Senior Nolan McKelvey placed fifth in state at 175 pounds. He advanced to the semifinal match by fall in the first round followed by a decision 7-0 in the quarterfinals.

“In the semifinal match, Nolan lost a close match 5-4 to Myles Sadeek of Mater Lakes Academy,” Eric Kubatzke said. “This loss was heartbreaking for Nolan because Nolan was the No. 1 wrestler in the state at 175 pounds. He then had to fight back through con-solation matches, losing his semifinal consolation match 4-2, before wrestling for fifth place.”

He won his fifth-place match 5-4 to Javier Lopez of Zephyrhills Christian Academy.

“I know Nolan was disappointed that he wasn’t able to wrestle for the state championship, but he had an outstanding senior season, ending with a record of 64-8,” Eric Kubatzke said.

McKelvey collected 147 career wins at FBHS. He is a a two-time district and region champ and two-time state qualifier.
“Being able to experience four place winners in one year is definitely a highlight in my six years as a coach,” Eric Kubatzke said. “I know I lose three seniors, but I’m going to enjoy the moment while it lasts.”

 Yulee High School senior Braylen Ricks also made it to the state final over the weekend in Kissimmee. Ricks, who placed fourth in the state last sea-son, finished as state runner-up at 285 pounds.
Four other Hornet grapplers advanced to state — Logan Pugh (132 pounds), Mike McNair (165), Chris Aud (175) and Phoenix Barbour-Yourka (215).

“We had another fantastic run to the State Finals,” YHS coach Brandon Crowder said. “The guys fought their tales off and, when the dust settles, we had Braylen Ricks in the finals competing for a state title.

“We came up a little short, but it was an amazing effort by an even more amazing young man. Braylen will go down in Yulee history for his accomplishments on the mat and the football field. His impact on our program has been tremendous and his legacy will live on for years to come.

“Congratulations to Enzo Gamba from FBHS and the rest of his coaches and teammates. Nassau County showed up in the finals and cheered on our Nassau County athletes.”