- April 19, 2024
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Senior Tyson Mills, left, finished second at 152 pounds at the Class 2A state wrestling championships. His brother, sophomore Jordan Mills, right, finished second at 170 pounds. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Senior Tyson Mills, left, finished second at 152 pounds at the Class 2A state wrestling championships. His brother, sophomore Jordan Mills, right, finished second at 170 pounds. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Tyson Mills’ goal at the state wrestling championships was to bring home a medal.
He knew his siblings, Matanzas teammates Jordan and Mariah, would be winning medals, if not this year, then in the future. So, being the senior, Tyson didn’t want to be left out.
All three of them got to the podium at the state championships March 3-5 at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. While Mariah Mills placed third in the girls tournament, Tyson and Jordan each took home second-place medals in their weight classes.
“I’m happy my brother made it there. We both had a lot of crazy matches to get there, but I wanted to do it with my wrestling partner. We’ve been training partners since I was 11.”
TYSON MILLS
“I’m happy my brother made it there,” Tyson said. “We both had a lot of crazy matches to get there, but I wanted to do it with my wrestling partner. We’ve been training partners since I was 11.”
The runner-up finishes propelled the Pirates to a ninth-place finish in the Class 2A team standings, three points behind Naples Barron Collier (44-41).
“I don’t know when the last time was or if we ever had a top-10 finish,” coach T.J. Gillin said.
A top 10 and two runners-up did not seem likely when the Pirates looked at the brackets ahead of the tournament. Tyson Mills was matched up against Isaac Church of Charlotte, a returning state runner-up, in the first round of the 152-pound weight class.
“I’d say 10 people in (the arena) truly believed Tyson would win that match,” Gillin said. “Everyone outside of our inner circle was probably picking Church, but we were picking Tyson. We knew it would be close.”
Tyson wasn’t so sure himself. He remembered watching Church win his state semifinal match last year and was impressed.
“I vividly remember that match,” he said. “I was pretty excited (to wrestle him). I actually did not expect to win, so I just wrestled.”
Tyson won 6-4 in overtime, holding Church off in the third period, and getting a takedown for the sudden victory.
“I shot a double leg and switched to a single leg,” he said. “I got to my feet, lifted him up, tripped him with my leg, and he fell straight to his back. I probably could have gotten the pin, but I was so hyped, I jumped up and flexed to my coaches. So many people came up to me after the match. I guess it was one of the big upsets in the tournament.”
Once Tyson Mills won the match, the bracket opened up for him, Gillin said.
He decisioned Christopher Chop of Fleming Island, 5-0 in the semifinals. That set up a finals match with nationally ranked Jack Crook of Tampa Jesuit. Crook won the title with a technical fall.
Jordan Mills, a sophomore, had his own sudden victory, winning 3-1 over Davis Deal of Winter Springs in the 170-pound semifinals.
“I know it was little bit of a heartbreak for both of them. They truly believed they could win state titles, and we believed too. But only 14 wrestlers can claim that top spot.
T.J. GILLIN, Matanzas coach
“With five seconds left in the third period, I got in on his legs, but time ran out,” Jordan said. “I had the same setup in overtime. I had a double leg, and I finished the shot. He was getting tired. I could tell.”
Cory Cannan of Barron Collier won the title match with an 8-1 decision to improve to 59-1 on the season.
“I was a little upset after I lost, but looking back, runner-up in the state is real good,” Jordan said.
“I know it was little bit of a heartbreak for both of them,” Gillin said. “They truly believed they could win state titles, and we believed too. But only 14 wrestlers can claim that top spot. This is just going to make Jordan hungry. He wants to be on top of that podium next year.”
The Pirates have had one state champ — Tyrone Jones in 2018 — and only two state finalists before this year.
