Stephen Decatur's 135-pound Class 4A-3A state champion Skylar Snead (top) scores some of his nearfall points on the way to winning, 13-5, over Archbishop Curley's Bubba Corbett. Snead also defeated Glenelg's Class 2A-1A state champ Danny Bichner, 3-2.
Laurel's Martin Michell (top)pinned Calvert Hall's Dan Lobdell in 5:31 of their 125-pound bout of Thursday night's Senior All-Star Classic at River Hill High.
(See videos below)
After being dethroned last weekend as Class 2A-1A state champion by South Carroll's Zac Stavish, Owings Mills' of Baltimore County's previously unbeaten Tony Mack (160) felt like he could have used some mouthwash.
The loss left a horrendous taste in Mack's mouth.
It is for that reason that Mack saw Thursday night's Senior All-Star Classic at River Hill as a shot at a clean slate.
And the Eagles' wrestler took full advantage of his opportunity.
Mack scored a 3-2 victory over three-time Class 4A-3A state champion Bubby Graham of Annapolis of Anne Arundel County, following up an earlier 8-7 decision over private schools state runner-up Edwin Jackson of Mount St. Joseph of Baltimore to earn Outstanding Upper Weight wrestler honors in the event.
"This feels good after losing the state championship because I had won it the year before," said Mack. "This really means a lot to me because [Graham] came in as a three-time champ and I came in as a one-time champ after losing my finals match."
To win his first match against Jackson, Mack required a takedown in the
final 30 seconds to break a 6-6 tie.
But that served as more or less a warmup for the Graham match, which Mack led, 2-0, after countering Graham's deep shot on the edge of the mat and spinning behind him.
"I used my quickness to get behind him," Mack said. "But he's a good wrestler, I just went out there and worked hard for it."
Outstanding Lower Weight honors went to Northeast's two-time Class 4A-3A state champion and one-time private schools titlist Maurice Fleming (140).
The Eagles' senior won a clash of state champions, 12-8, over Glenelg of Howard County's Chris Stinnett, this, after having earlier pinned Mount St. Joseph's Kevin Bohlman in 1:27.
Damascus' of Montgomery County's Josh Frederick (215) added to what has been a dream high school season, one that included being a linebacker on the Swarmin Hornets' Class 3A state championship football team.
The day after anchoring the Hornets' football team to the state title, Frederick competed in and won the Magruder Invitational Wrestling Tournament.
The senior Class 4A-3A state titlist hasn't lost a match since, spanning 37 consecutive matches.
That record includes last night's 3-2 victory over private schools state champion Chancellor Gaffney of Georgetown Prep of Montgomery County.
Gaffney won the 215-pound class of Damascus' Invitational Tournament, which Frederick won for the third straight time, albeit, at 285-pounds.
"I was at heayweight, but I wanted to go 215. My coach [Dave Hopkins] thought it was better for the team that I went heavyweight at that time," said Frederick. "I had a feeling that if I won states, that I'd see him here, and it worked out that way."
Hereford's University of Maryland-bound, four-time state champ Josh Asper (171) had a relatively easy night.,
First, the University of Maryland-bound wrestler blanked Rising Sun's third-place, Class 2A-1A state finisher, Danny Cox, 5-0, nad then, he scored a 15-3 major decision over Calvert Hall of Towson's private schools state champ, Owen Smith.
Rising Sun's three-time Clas 2A-1A state champion Matt Jackson (145)
edge DeMatha's Mike Munno, 4-3, and then scored a 4-2 decision over
Springbrook's Montgomery County champion, Carlo Galeano.
Jackson, who is headed for the Naval Academy's Prep school, rose to 151-4 for his career.
"It's
[his career] gone by so quick, and it's been an awesome four years. I never expected to
do this good," said Jackson. "But I worked hard and I was able to do
it. It's sort of sad that it's over, but I'm ready to begin the next
journey."
Stephen Decatur of Worcester County's Class 4A-3A state champ Skylar
Snead (135) scored a major decision over Archbishop Curley's Bubby
Corbett, then edged Glenelg's Class 2A-1A state champ Danny Bichner
(135) -- a three-time state finalist -- by 3-2.
Snead went 43-0 through the state tournament, this, despite being only a fourth-year wrestler.
"Freshman year, I wrestled nine varsity matches and lost three, so I went 6-3. Sophomore year, I made it to regions. Last year, I was third in the conference and fourth at states," said Snead, a student with a 3.9 grade point average who will wrestle at Division III Messiah College.
"Last year, I was injured and got back just in time for the Bayside Conference tournament ant got third there. At regions, I got second to Matt Jackson," said Snead, who has nine pins and 10 technical fall victories.
"I knew Danny was a very good kid and that I would have to wrestle very well. Danny's very strong, and one of the best opponents I've wrestled -- ever," Snead said. "This feels good. It was real close. It came down to those last few seconds. Any one of us could have gotten that takedown."
Two-time Class 2A-1A state titlist Lester Andrews (130) pinned Howard County champ Tyler Bulger of Howard High, and won his other bout by forfeit.
South Carroll's two-time Class 2A-1A state champ Cam Hobin (119) won by a forfeit
followed by a technical fall over Bowie's three-time Prince George's
County champ Tyler Smith, who had scored an 11-2 major decision over
Calvert Hall's Nik Gialamas.
Glenelg's two-time Class 2A-1A runner-up Brian Marcoux (125) scored
a 17-2 technical fall over Calvert Hall's Dan Lobdell, then edged
Laurel's third-place state finisher, Martin Mitchell, 6-5
The 152-pound weight class was split three ways, as Bel Air's Class
4A-3A state champ Matt Cross (152) blanked Northern Garrett's state
Class 2A-1A state runner-up Andy Ganoe, 7-0, but lost, 7-5, to St.
Mary's private schools champ Fred Green, who lost, 7-2, to Ganoe.
Good Counsel's Bryan Murray (285) scored a quadruple overtime, 4-3
decision over Wicomico's state champ, Joe Waters, as well as a 5-2 decision over South River's Eric Mauler.
Also winning their weight classes were Darian Allen (103) of Milford Mill of Baltimore County, Danny Lethbridge (112) of Paint Branch of Montgomery County and Bryan DePhillip (189) of Lackey of Charles County.
Danny Cox had earlier scored a 2-1 victory over Smith to earn a measure of redemption over a career that has been a mixture of bad luck, illness and injury.
Cox was unbeaten as a sophomore following the regional tournament when a bout with appendicitis got the best of him.
As a junior, after losing to Asper in the semifinals, Cox defaulted to sixth at states thanks to an injury. And last week, Cox lost a close match that dropped him into the consolation rounds, where he finished third.
"It feels good to win here, because, even though I know that I'm up there with the best, what I did at states left a real bad taste in my mouth," said Cox, who had lost an earlier bout, 8-6, to Tony Mack after having built a 6-2 lead.
"Tony's a great wrestler, but I was up on him and lost the lead, so I wanted another crack at him and didn't get it," Cox said. "I feel like I'm right there with everyone, so to be able to say I beat a state champ is a good thing."
Class 4A-3A 27, vs. Class 2A-1A 24
103- Darian Allen (MM) d. Evan Peck (MR), 7-1 (3-0, 4A-3A)
112- Danny Lethbridge (PB) d. Kyle Marvin (MR), 7-0 (6-0, 4A-3A)
119- Cam Hobin (SC) tf. Tyler Smith (BOW), 19-3 (6-5, 4A-3A)
125- Brian Marcoux (GL) d. Martin Mitchell (LAU), 6-5 (8-6, 2A-1A)
130- Lester Andrew (MAR) p. Tyler Bulger (HOW), 1:45 (14-6, 2A-1A)
135- Skylar Snead (STD) d. Dan Bichner (GL), 3-2 (14-9, 2A-1A)
140- Maurice Fleming (NE) d. Chris Stinnett (GL), 12-8 (14-12, 2A-1A)
145- Matt Jackson (RS) d. Carlo Galeano (SB), 4-2 (17-12, 2A-1A)
152 - Matt Cross (BA) d. Andy Ganoe (NG), 7-0 (17-15, 2A-1A)
160- Tony Mack (OW) d. Bubby Graham (ANN), 3-2 (20-15, 2A-1A)
171- Josh Asper (HER) d. Danny Cox (RS), 5-0 (20-18, 2A-1A)
189- Bryan DePhillip (LAC) d. John McHale (LIB), 7-1 (21-20, 4A-3A)
215- Josh Frederick (DAM) by forfeit (27-20, 4A-3A)
285- Joe Waters (WI) mj. Eric Mauler (SR), 8-0 (27-24, 4A-3A)
Class 2A-1A 60, vs. privates 9
103- Evan Peck (MR) by forfeit (6-0, 2A-1A)
112- Kyle Marvin (MR) by forfeit (12-0, 2A-1A)
119- Cam Hobin (SC) by forfeit (18-0, 2A-1A)
125- Brian Marcoux (GL) tf. Dan Lobdell, 17-2 (24-0, 2A-1A)
130- Lester Andrews (MAR) by forfeit (30-0, 2A-1A)
135- Danny Bichner (GL) p. Bubba Corbett (AC), 1:27 (36-0, 2A-1A)
140- Chris Stinnett (GL) by default over Kevin Bohlman (MSJ) (42-0, 2A-1A)
145- Matt Jackson (RS) d. Mike Munno (DEM), 4-3 (45-0, 2A-1A)
152- Andy Ganoe (NG) d. Fred Green (STM), 7-2 (48-0, 2A-1A)
160- Tony Mack (OW) d. Edwin Jackson (MSJ), 8-7 (51-0, 2A-1A)
171- Danny Cox (RS) d. Owen Smith (CHAL), 2-1 (54-0, 2A-1A)
189- John McHale (LIB) by forfeit (18-0, 2A-1A) (60-0, 2A-1A)
215- Chancellor Gaffney (GP) by forfeit (18-6, 2A-1A) (60-6, 2A-1A)
285- Bryan Murray (GC) d. Joe Waters (WI), 3-2, 4 OT (60-9, 2A-1A)
Class 4A-3A 57, vs. Private Schools 6
103- Darian Allen (MM) by forfeit (6-0, 4A-3A)
112- Danny Lethridge (PB) by forfeit (12-0, 4A-3A)
119- Tyler Smith (BOW) mj. Nik Gialamas (CHAL), 11-2 (16-0, 4A-3A)
125- Martin Mitchell (LAU) p. Daniel Lobdell (CHAL), 5:31 (22-0, 4A-3A)
130- Tyler Bulger (HOW) by forfeit (28-0, 4A-3A)
135- Skylar Snead (STD) mj. Bubba Corbett (AC), 13-5 (32-0, 4A-3A)
140- Maurice Fleming (NE) p. Kevin Bohlman (MSJ), 1:27 (38-0, 4A-3A)
145- Mike Munno (DEM) d. Carlo Galeano (SB), 8-3 (38-3, 4A-3A)
152- Fred Green (STM) d. Matt Cross (BA), 7-5 (38-6, 4A-3A)
160- Bubby Graham (ANN) d. Edwin Jackson (MSJ), 7-1 (41-6, 4A-3A)
171- Josh Asper (HER) mj. Owen Smith (CHAL), 15-3 (45-6, 4A-3A)
189- Bryan DePhillip (LAC) by forfeit (51-6, 4A-3A)
215- Josh Frederick (DAM) d. Chancellor (GP), 3-2 (54-6, 4A-3A)
285- Bryan Murray (GC) d. Eric Mauler (SR), 5-2 (57-6, 4A-3A)