Home » Home » Viera Hawk Grapplers Dominate Palm Beach Gardens Invitational With 20 Top-Four Finishers

Viera Hawk Grapplers Dominate Palm Beach Gardens Invitational With 20 Top-Four Finishers

By  //  January 14, 2026

Viera Hawks Wrestling Looks to Make History

The Viera High School Girls and Boys Varsity Wrestling teams competed at the Palm Beach Gardens Invitational on January 10. The Hawks dominated with 20 wrestlers placing in the top four of their respective weight classes.

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERS, FLORIDA — The Viera High School girls and boys varsity wrestling teams delivered a dominant performance on Jan. 10 at the Palm Beach Gardens Invitational, with Hawks wrestlers placing in the top four of their respective weight classes in 20 divisions, underscoring the program’s growing reputation as one of the strongest on Florida’s Space Coast.

The showing continues a remarkable rise for Viera wrestling. Just one season ago, the Hawks sent six wrestlers to the FHSAA State Tournament, all of whom finished in the top eight of their weight classes.

Leading that group was Emme Hoppe, who made school history by becoming the first girl and only the second Viera wrestler ever to win a state championship. Hoppe went on to cap her senior season ranked among the top 25 wrestlers in the nation, setting a high standard for the program.

Emma Hoppe became the first girl and second Viera Hawk ever to win a state championship. She would go on to finish as one of the top 25 wrestlers in the nation her senior year.

This year’s Hawks have built on that legacy, returning to the mat with another talented and deep roster of boys and girls who proved their strength at Palm Beach Gardens.

Palm Bay Girls Capture Team Title

The Viera girls’ varsity team captured the overall tournament championship in commanding fashion, powered by eight individual weight-class champions.

Taking first place for the Hawks were:

■ Zahar Zouaki (105 lbs)

■ Liz Pinto (115 lbs)

■ Cat Kenney (120 lbs)

■ Ry Nepomuceno (125 lbs)

■ Olivia Gapud (130 lbs)

■ Cassidy Harrington (135 lbs)

■ Lillian Straessley (145 lbs)

■ Savanah Nazario-Darnell (170 lbs)

Viera also added three runners-up and another podium finish on the girls’ side. Michelle Amyot placed second at 115 pounds, Katelyn Vadney finished second at 130 pounds, and Ansley Hines earned second place at 155 pounds. Reese Townsend rounded out the girls’ scoring with a third-place finish at 145 pounds.

Last season, girls varsity head coach Jason Custer was named Coach of the Year for the 2024–25 season, and with another elite performance from his squad, he may be positioning himself for similar honors again this year.

Boys Finish a Heartbeat from the Title

The Viera boys varsity team was equally impressive, finishing second overall, just half a point behind Jupiter High School in a tightly contested team race.

The Hawks were led by four individual champions:

■ Caiden Adams (106 lbs)

■ Nate Kuzak (113 lbs)

■ Finn Ryan (126 lbs)

■ Tristan Roman (132 lbs)

Additional podium finishes came from Ryker Tomas, who placed second at 175 pounds; Landon Keck, who finished third at 190 pounds; Sebastian Roman, who earned third at 138 pounds; and Trace Tomas, who took fourth at 132 pounds.

With such depth and consistency across both the boys and girls rosters, Viera appears well-positioned for another strong postseason run. The Hawks’ performance at Palm Beach Gardens highlights a program that continues to build on its recent state-level success, fueled by talented athletes and strong coaching.

As the season progresses, the Viera Hawks are expected to once again send multiple wrestlers to the FHSAA State Tournament — and, if this weekend’s results are any indication, several of them could be competing for podium spots and state titles.