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The St. Joseph’s Knights Wrestling Team traveled to Hammond School in Columbia, SC last Wednesday, December 3rd, for a head-to-head match-up with the reigning SCISA (South Carolina Independent Schools Association) State Champions. Although there were several good matches, the Knights opened their season with a loss to a team that has won the last three state championships.
"They (Hammond) are a young team this year, but so are we," stated SJCS Head Wrestling Coach Jason Smith. "This year should be our year to finally beat Hammond. We match up well with them, but on this particular night, their young guys were just a little better than our young guys."
Two young members of the St. Joseph’s squad are first-year wrestlers, sophomore Alex Burnikel and eighth grader Tanner Roberson. Both won their first-ever match on Wednesday night, accounting for over half of the Knights total score. In the 135 lb. weight class, Burnikel defeated his opponent with a pin in the first period. Roberson also got his victory via a first period pin over the Hammond wrestler in the 119 lb. class.
"It feels really good to win my first match ever," stated Burnikel. "Hopefully, I’ll keep getting better, and be able to win a lot more."
Ahmad Dbouk and Steven Fowler, St. Joseph’s two senior co-captains, also picked up victories for St. Joseph’s. Dbouk defeated Hammond’s Bradford MacGillivray in the 140 lb. class, 12-2. "Bradford and I have wrestled many times over the last three years," added Dbouk. "It never gets easy. He is always a tough match." In the 189 lb. weight class, Fowler got his season rolling in a dominating fashion with a third period pin over Joseph McDougall. "So far, I’ve met all my goals for the season," stated Fowler. "I’m undefeated and I haven’t been scored on."
In the evening’s other matches, eighth graders Travis Carrico, Noah Davis, and Nathan Henk all lost via pin in the first period. Freshmen Andrew Anderson and Gabe McCall had similar outcomes, both also falling in the first period of their respective matches.
"Everyone of the guys that lost on Wednesday night had an opportunity to win on Wednesday night," added Coach Smith. "Each one made one or two small mistakes that they just couldn’t recover from. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed. The next time we face Hammond, we’ll be a whole different team."
St. Joseph’s wrestled Hammond missing four of their experienced starting wrestlers. Sophomore Michael McCall and senior Danny Collins had school commitments and could not make the trip. Sophomores Clark Burgess and Will Dameron were out of the line-up with short-term injuries.
"After Christmas Break, we’ll have everyone back competing and in good shape," concluded Smith. "We’ll be ready with a full, and hopefully healthy, line-up when we get to the State Championships."
