by Lem Satterfield
(See videos below)Third-place state finisher Adam Krop (112), Peter Tatanish (130),
Spencer Strube (135), Lucas Pangburn (140) and Steven Edmands (160) won
individual crowns, Billy Hering (125) finished second, Trey Curry (152)
was third, and Travis Lowery (103), fourth as the Urbana Hawks of
Frederick County qualified eight wrestlers for next weekend's Class
4A-3A state tournament on the way to capturing their first-ever Class
4A-3A North Region Tournament crown on Saturday night at North Carroll
High.
The Hawks, who are two-time Frederick County titlists, out-scored the
host Panthers, 183-to-163, although North Carroll also sends eight
wrestlers to states at the University of Maryland's Cole Field House.
The Panthers, winners of the Carroll County tournament, had Mason
Goretsas (119) and Jason Thomen (285) winning crowns, with Bryan Hoff
(135), Chris Stout (145), David Stout (152) and Nathan Shaffer (285)
finishing second, and Jeremey Seipp (130) and Kyle Forbes (189) being
third.
Third-place Milford Mill, however, will send the most wrestlers of the
region to states with 10, as fourth-place state finisher Adeleke
Ibironke(130), Ryan Smith (160) and Charles Blue (171) finished second,
Darian Allen (103), Lance Coles (112) and Terrence Owens (125) were
third, and Ar-Rashid White (135) and Brandon Ragin (152) as well as
twins Peter (189) and Patrick Sweet (215) were fourth.
Led by three-time state champion Josh Asper (171), who scored a 16-0
technical fall over Blue to improve to 33-0 on the year with his 83rd
staight victory, the Hereford Bulls of Baltimore County will take five
wrestlers to states.
Asper, who has a 147-7 career record, was joined on the victory podium
by two-time county champ Jeremy Keil (145), with Matt Swiger (103)
finishing second, Wes Martin (135), third and David Fouts (140), fourth.
"This feels pretty good. I feel like I wrestled pretty well," said
Asper, who can join only Steve Kessler and Matt Slutzky of Owings Mills
and Aberdeen, respectively, as wrestlers who have won four straight
public schools state titles.
"I feel like my conditioning is there," said Asper, who pinned his
first opponent in 2:37, and scored another 16-0 technical fall in his
semifinal. "I feel like I'm ready and focused to go to states."
Krop scored an impressive, 19-4 technical victory over fifth-place
state finisher, C.J. Savage of Tuscarora, but Tatanish had to come from
behind to defeat Ibironkie, which he also did impressively.
Down, 2-0, entering the second period against Ibironkie, Tatanish twice
scored capitalized on takedowns for big points -- meaning a takedown
and three nearfall points, as well as another takedown followed by two
nearfall points -- on the way to a convincing, 13-7 decision.
"I knew if I could keep pressure on him, keep my poise on our feet, I
thought I could take the match, even though I got a little worried in
the beginning, after he scored the early takedown," said Tatanish, who
has been takendown only five times this season.
"I knew, though, that once I got the [duck-under takedown,] that I
could get some other things going," Tatanish said. "I got my No. 1
move, my No. 2 move, and my No. 3 moves all in there working."
Tatanish has victories over two-time state runner-up Tyler Strube of
Middletown, as well as Brunswick's Mike Minch, each of whom was
unbeaten before facint Tatanish.
Strube had split bouts with Carroll County champ Bryan Hoff of North
Carroll, who won their last meeting, 4-1. This time, however, Strube
stuck Hoff in 69 seconds with a headlock.
Pangburn had a much more difficult time winning, 10-8, in overtime
against Mervo's two-time Baltimore City champion, Lance McCoy, who
entered their bout at 24-0 with 20 pins.
McCoy led by as much as 6-2 before Pangburn rallied, with his
power-half from a double-grapevine leg-ride tying their bout at 6-6 .
" I didn't know how much time was left. I thought I was down. And then,
near the end, he reversed me," said Pangburn, who briefly trailed, 8-6,
before sending the match into overtime with a buzzer-beating reversal
of his own.
"I was able to reverse him back really quick," said Pangburn, who was a
tournament titlist for the first time in his high school career. "In
overtime, it seemed like he gassed. But I don't know. He wrestled great
-- best wrestler I've face all year."
Edmands ground out a 4-3 victory over the Millers' Ryan Smith, completing the Hawks' championship run.
Thomen, one of the premiere 215-pounders, gained a measure of respect
for Parkville's Adrew Ewers, a second-year wrestler and Baltimore
County titlist who entered their match with a 33-0 record.
"He was very big, and strong, and he was very quick," said Thomen, who
won, 4-3. "I think maybe the difference there was conditioning."
"I learned a lot from that match, that I need to wrestle smarter,"
Ewers. "I feel pretty good overall about my performance, but I think I
could have done better."
Thomen's teammate Goretsas, a sophomore who has handed Krop his only
loss, looked dominant during his 12-4 major decision over Tuscarora's
Johnny White.
In a clash of athletic 145-pounder, Keil emerged victorious, hitting
three, big moves that resulted in a total of eight nearfall points on
the way to a 13-5 major decision over Chris Stout.
A year ago, Keil won Baltimore County's tournament over Owings Mills'
Cody Rosen-Stone only to lose their rematch in the regional finals.
"This feels awesome. It feels like I got my revenge in a way," said
Keil, whose split victories with Urbana's Trey Curry, whom Stout pinned
in overtime.
"I knew it was going to be a close match, but I felt like if I kept
with it and didn't give up, I would come out on top," Keil said. "I
tried to just take him down a couple of times, but he tried to throw me
to my back. I was able to land on top early and get some back points."
Catonsville freshman Tyler Weedon (189) continued to impress, avenging
two earlier losses to two-time Baltimore County champion, Ryan Pittillo
of Perry Hall by pinning him in 2:50 of a bout Weedon was leading at
the time.
"The first time, he beat me by a couple of points. The second time,
same story mostly because I made a bad move that cost me,"said Weedon,
a county runner-up to Pittillo last weekend. "This time, though, I had
to let go of the lat drop. He kept his weight back and wouldn't go."
While one of Woodlawn's two champs, former Nebraska state titlist,
Deonte Carter (125), seemed a relative shoo-in, the other, third-year
wrestler Philipe Walker (103), was a surprise.
Carter impressively scored 10 takedowns on the way to a 21-8 major
decision over the Hawks' Billy Hering, improving his record on the year
to an unblemished 30-0.
Walker, who, as a freshman, was pinned in the first period of every
match, according to his coach, E.J. Sauls, scored a pin, an 8-7
semifinal victory over Milford Mill's former county and regional
runner-up, Darian Allen, and then, out-lasted Hereford's Matt Swiger,
13-11, in the title bout.
Frederick's third-year wrestler, Travis Bowie, continued to impress at
285 pounds, nailing down falls in 1:19, 1:15, and, 3:59 -- the latter
in his title bout with Shaffer.
Also impressive was Linganore's Billy Thomas (152), who had falls in
2:33, 4:37 and 5:59, the latter, over David Stout for the title.
Team scores: 1. Urbana 183; 2. North Carroll 163; 3. Milford
Mill 148; 4. Hereford 132.5; 5. Catonsville 79; 6. Westminster 70; 7.
Woodlawn 52; 8. Dulaney 51; 9. Tuscarora 48. 10 Frederick 45.
Championship finals
103- Philipe Walker (WO) d. Matt Swiger (HR), 13-11
112- Adam Krop (U) tf. C.J. Savage (TU), 19-4
119- Mason Goretsas (NC) mj. Johnny White (TU), 12-4
125- Deonte Carter (WO) mj. Billy Hering (U), 21-8
130- Peter Tatanish (U) d. Adeleke Ibironke (MM), 13-7
135- Spencer Strube (U) p. Bryan Hoff (NC), 1:09
140- Lucas Pangburn (U) d. Lance McCoy (MV), 10-8, OT
145- Jeremy Keil (HR) d. Chris Stout (NC), 13-5
152- Billy Thomas (LIN) p. David Stout (NC), 5:59
160- Steven Edmands (U) d. Ryan Smith (MM), 4-3
171- Josh Asper (HR) tf. Charles Blue (MM), 16-0
189- Tyler Weedon (CAT) p. Ryan Pittillo (PH), 2;50
215- Jason Thomen (NC) d. Andrew Ewers (PK), 4-3
285- Travis Bowie (FR) p. Nathan Shaffer (NC), 3:59
Consolation finals
103- Darian Allen (MM) by df. over Travis Lowery (U)
112- Lance Coles (MM) d. Tony Chicuto (WM), 5-4
119- Britain Sannicolas (DUN) tf. Cody Marwine (LIN), 16-1
125- Terrence Owens (MM) d. Sean Ensign (WM), 5-2
130- Jeremy Seipp (NC) d. Durond Thompson (CAT), 6-0
135- Wes Martin (HR) p. Ar-Rashid White (MM), 4:19
140- Frank Trcka (FR) by forfeit
145- Trey Curry (U) tf. Ricky Pownall (WM), 25-9
152- Steve Boyce (CAT) by forfeit
160- Brandon Phillips (DUL) d. Hector Montoya (KEN), 9-4
171- Jeryl Cole (PAT) mj. Eric Paulson (DUL), 11-1
189- Kyle Forbes (NC) p. Peter Sweet (MM), 4:20
215- Dan Will (WM) p. Patrick Sweet (MM), 1:12
285- Ted Keigler (DUL) p. Alex Reisner (CAT), 2:16
