- January 29, 2026
Matanzas wrestling coach John White and assistant Riley White pose with Cardy Michel and her family on Senior Night. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas' Aiden Koedam (right) pinned Palatka's Blake Young in 5:48 in the 150-pound match. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas senior Cardy Michel (right) wrestled Patlatka's Braxton Malloy in the 126-pound match. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas' Cardy Michel takes down Palatka's Braxton Malloy in the 126-pound match. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Referee Lance Alred raises Cardy Michel's arm after she defeated Paltaka's Braxton Malloy by technical fall in 1:23 in the 126-pound match. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Palatka's Davin Dallas throws Matanzas' Terrance Jackson in the 175-pound match. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas' Jackson Marchman won by pin in 1:29 in the 215-pound match against Palatka. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas senior Cardy Michel wasn’t sure if she was going to get a chance to wrestle on her Senior Night. But Palatka had a wrestler in her weight class, and she was able to cap off her night with a win by technical fall.
Michel is the only senior among all of the Pirates’ boys and girls wrestlers. She was honored before the team’s dual meet with the Panthers on Wednesday, Jan. 28.
“It was super fun,” she said. “I'm excited my whole family and all my friends are here, and my coaches — my favorite people ever. I'm glad everyone came out to support me.”
The Pirates defeated Palatka, 41-30. Michel was one of two Matanzas girls who wrestled in the meet. Ari Maiura pinned her opponent in 15 seconds in the 106-pound match. Michel won the 126-pound match by technical fall in 1:23 over Braxton Malloy, with a 17-1 score ending the match.
“Wrestling guys is fun,” Michel said. “It gives a different experience than the girls, because girls are flexible and boys, they're just really strong. Winning is always a big rush of adrenaline.”
This was her first match this season against a boy. She has lost just two matches this season, winning four tournaments and placing second at the Let Freedom Ring tournament at Freedom High School on Dec. 6 and placing third at the Ocoee tournament on Jan. 23.
“She's been wrestling for four years now. She gets in there, gets after it,” Matanzas coach John White said. “She's tough, works hard every day, and she got a match on her Senior Night.”
Michel and junior Briana Durry (235 pounds) were both state qualifiers last season.
This year, Michel hopes to qualify again and bring back a bag of goodies.
“I want to be state champ, get a ring and get my bracket,” she said.
The girls’ postseason begins on Feb. 12 with the District 1 tournament at University High School in Orange City.
The Pirates other winners against the Panthers were Aiden Koedam who by pin in 5:48 at 150 pounds, and Jackson Marchman, who won by pin in 1:29 at 215 pounds. Jayme McDannel-Vale, Zayden Stoetzel and Xachary Hesselton won by forfeit.
