Wrestling

Jesuit wrestling has established itself as one of the premier programs in the state of Florida.  The Tigers have captured two State Championships under head coach Sal Basile - the State Duals in 2020 and the IBT State Tournament in 2022 - and produced sensational results in recent years.

Last season, 2022-23, Roman Lermer '24 and Draven McCall '25 each captured Class 2A individual State titles with powerhouse performances. Lermer, wrestling at 113 pounds, defeated rival Camren French of Charlotte 8-2 for his second straight State crown. McCall (138 pounds), after winning his first three matches at State without yielding a point, including a 1-0 semifinal win, cruised to a 13-2 win in the final. Three other Tigers had a great State Meet and reached the podium: Brandon Cody '24 was State runner-up at 152; Gavin Young '23 was 4th at 145; and Jayden Bowles '25 was at 132.

The titles by Lermer and McCall continue a phenomenal run of championship success for the Tigers at State. Over the past five years (2018-19 through 2022-23), Jesuit's 17 individual State Champion wrestlers are the most of any Florida school. The 2022-23 team also earned the District title for the 15th time in 17 seasons.

The 2021-22 season culminated with perhaps the greatest day in Jesuit wrestling history as a school-record five Tigers earned individual State titles en route to the team IBT State Championship. Tom Crook '22 finished off the greatest career in Jesuit wrestling annals with his fourth State crown, the first Tiger to win four State titles; Braden Basile '22 earned his third after previously winning State as a freshman and sophomore; Jack Crook '22 won his second, and Sergio Desiante '22 and Lermer won their first. All four senior State Champions signed to wrestle in Division I: Tom Crook at Virginia Tech, Basile at Army West Point, Jack Crook at Harvard, and Desiante at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

In 2020-21, the program continued its championship legacy with five State finalists and two individual State titles, won by twin brothers Tom Crook (138 pounds) and Jack Crook (145). Both Crooks were nationally ranked in the Top 10, and Tom Crook was named Mr. Wrestling in Florida, all classes, after capping off his third straight unbeaten season. He became Jesuit's first 3-time State Champion (winning a fourth the next year) and the first Tiger to win Mr. Wrestling for all classifications.

In 2019-20, Jesuit wrestling claimed its first team State title with a victory at the State Duals. In the Class 2A Duals Quarterfinal, the Tigers defeated two-time defending champion Lake Gibson 29-27, winning the final three matches for a dramatic come-from-behind triumph. Jesuit then blasted Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 71-6 in the final.

The Tigers had four individual State Champions in 2019-20, equaling the school record set the year before, and finished as Class 2A State Tournament runner-up, close behind two-time defending champion Lake Gibson. That season, Ethan Basile '20 (145), Tom Crook (126), Braden Basile (120), and Kai Owen (106) all captured their second of back-to-back State titles, with Crook going 62-0 and Ethan Basile (Northern Iowa signee) earning Class 2A Mr. Wrestling honors while finishing his career with a 176-2 record.

Other recent State Champs include Adam Lewis '16 in 2015 and '16, Brian Buser '16 in 2016, Julian Ramirez in 2016, and Austin Underwood '14 (University of Virginia) went undefeated on his way to capturing the Heavyweight crown in 2014.  From 2013-16, Jesuit placed in the Top 6 at the State Tournament, including a State runner-up finish in 2014 and 3rd place in 2016. Tiger wrestling has had numerous NHSCA Academic All-Americans, including two-time winner R.C. Consuegra '15 and Matt Daner '17.