The Florida JETS wrestling team is flying high after returning home from the national championships with All-Americans in its midst.

 

"Team Florida did exceptionally well this year," Coach Tom Coffman said. "It's been a banner year for team Florida." 

 

The National Championships at Fargo, N.D., brought the best wrestlers from around the country under one dome for one week of brutal wrestling, finishing last weekend.

 

Billed as the toughest tournament in all of amateur wrestling, Fargo has become famous for turning no-name wrestlers into college-bound champions. 

 

The team travels to the tournament every year with the hope of bolstering its credibility on the national stage against powerhouse wrestling states like Ohio and California, while giving college recruiters a look at future talent. 

 

The way to get noticed has always been to finish in the top-eight in one of the divisions, earning so-called "All American" status as one of the best wrestlers in the country. 

 

This year an Oviedo contingent under the club name Florida JETS helped give Florida 23 All-Americans by the time the dust settled. 

 

That's a difficult feat considering that more than 1,000 wrestlers compete at the same tournament, and the majority of them are state champion-level fighters. 

 

"When there are 50 state champions who could show up in your weight class at the same tournament, it tells you how tough it is to become an All-American there," Coach J.D. Robbins said about previous tournaments. 

 

He should know, since he coached his sons Jason and Jesse to national championships at the tournament. 

 

And with the odds stacked against it, the Florida team still managed to bring name recognition to the state and to the JETS team with strong performances, particularly in the lightweight and middleweight classes. 

 

"This is a great testament to all the hardworking programs back home and the coaches, wrestlers and parents involved," Coffman said. 

 

Winter Springs' Matt Nereim finished third place overall in the Cadet Greco Roman competition in the 135-pound class. Lee Wildes from Oviedo also finished third, but in the 152-pound class. Luis Alba at 160 pounds from Cypress Creek finished sixth and Donovan Green from Timber Creek finished eighth in the 285 pounds.

 

Oviedo's Chase Gordon was one match away from an All-American slot, as was Gavin Morris. 

 

Among the Florida team that went to the tournament, three wrestlers won individual championships. 

 

The team will finally get a break after training nearly year-round. They'll take August off, then return to action in September. 

 

That's rare for the JETS, who've gained notoriety for year-round training. High school-level JETS will trade jerseys in the fall, as they prepare for the winter wrestling season.