by CJ Malinowski
Painted on the cold, white walls of Bel Air High School’s wrestling room are the names
of all the state champions the school has been home to.
It has been six years, over half a decade, since Bel Air has
added a name of a wrestler who has mounted the highest step of the state place
winners’ podium; back in the days when the tournament was still held at
McDaniel College and seven-section mats were just being introduced.
But this year, senior Matt Cross, 152, the Bobcats’ lone
state qualifier, is making a run at the wall.
“I’m just going out there and trying to win,” Cross
said. “It is my last year; ‘gotta do it
this time or never.”
Cross sealed his seat in the state finals with a 6-2
decision over Glen Burnie’s senior Zach
Jankiewicz in the state semifinals, his first full match of the tournament.
“I think a state title for him would just sum up his
career,” Bel Air head coach Craig Reddish said.
“From day one, coming in ninth grade, all he though of was
being a state champ; placing at the highest level.”
Cross used his smooth, methodical wrestling style to work
two falls in his first two matches Friday.
Up till the semifinals Cross had only wrestled a combined 4:14,
averaging about one period per bout.
His first win was a 2:57 fall over Milford Mill’s senior
Brandon Ragin prior to decking senior Bereket Kebede of Montgomery Blair in
1:17.
The two pins tallied numbers 27 and 28 on the season.
Cross faired better this year in the semifinals compared to
last year. In 2007, Cross was bumped
into the loser’s bracket after suffering a loss to eventual state champ Maurice
Fleming of Northeast-AA at 140.
“Last year I got so nervous that I froze up,” Cross
explained. “This year I felt like I
really tried to go out there with a clear mind and that helped.”
But the state crown would sit nicely on top of the
tremendous career Cross had built.
Now, with 142 wins, Cross is the winningest wrestler to ever
come out of the school’s program, shattering former title holder Chris Birth’s
102.
“I have coached two state champions,” Reddish explained,
“and there is no question he is the best wrestler I’ve had, if he wins the
state or doesn’t win the state.”
Cross has made the state tournament his stomping ground all
four years of his tenure at Bel Air, placing fourth in 2007, while also bagging
two Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference championships and taking the 3a/4a
East Region this year.
“What makes him so great is just with his work ethic, his
technical skill, his mentality and then how the rest of our teammates feel
about him,” Reddish commented. “He is
very humble so he is very well liked.”
The leadership Cross exemplifies in the practice room is
explained by his coaches to be nothing short of spectacular. Reddish says Cross comes in everyday without
taking a break off drills. He also
addressed Cross’s ability as a captain to really bring the team together.
“He just enjoys being around our other teammates; he has
instilled a team camaraderie,” Reddish said.
“It shows with the 15 extra wrestlers on out team that are down here to
see one guy wrestle.”
As for the names on the wall of the wrestling room, Cross
says he would be ecstatic to be among them.
“It would be amazing to be one of those names on the wall,”
Cross panted after his semifinal match.
“I would love having my name next to Kassouf and the Birth brothers.”
Cross is set to face Sherwood's two-time Class 4A-3A state runner-up Steven Gamble of Sherwood.
Finals begin 5:30 p.m. at the Cole Field House at the University of Maryland.
