Wrestling Notebook: Freedom and Potomac Falls Collide Tonight, Eagles Win Elks Classic, Much More!

(Jan. 13, 2010) - The top two teams in the AA Dulles District meet tonight in Sterling as Freedom High School travels to Potomac Falls. The winner of this match will likely be the district's dual meet champion for the season. The Panthers have ruled the dual meet season the past several years but the Eagles, having won four tournaments this season, come in as the favorites tonight. Wrestling starts at 6:30 p.m.

Also in action tonight in the Dulles District: Dominion and Broad Run are at Briar Woods and Loudoun County travels to Park View.


Freedom Wins 4th Tournament of the Year
Entering into this years Winchester Elks Wrestling Classic, most people would have believed it to be a two horse race between Defending Region II Champions Millbrook, and Defending Region III Champions and perennial powerhouse Turner Ashby, but after all was said and done it was an upstart Freedom High School wrestling program that ran away from the field.

Host, Millbrook High School had never lost its own home tournament, until Saturday Night, when the Eagles outscored the Pioneers by nearly seventy points. The Eagles outscored the Pioneers 308 to 240.5 and left third place Turner Ashby in the dust with 201 points.

The Eagles jumped out to an early lead in the tournament by placing twelve starters in the semifinals, and then advancing eight of those into the finals. In the finals Steven Marquina started things off for the Eagles with an 8-5 decision over Sammy Samvura of Gar-Field. Marquina jumped out to an 8-2 lead before surrendering 3 points in the final 20 seconds to Samvura. This was Marquina's 2nd consecutive Millbrook Championship after defeating State Medal winner Ryan Bono in the finals a year ago.

The Eagles second championship came at 135 pounds where the Eagles welcomed Tom Philbrick to the mat for the first time this year. Philbrick cruised his way to the finals with a technical fall and two pins. Though Philbrick's appearance in the finals may not have been a surprise his opponent's certainly was. Freedom's B-team wrestler Justin Kent had an outstanding tournament in route to his first ever finals apperance. Kent's first round upset of Millbrook's Tyler Seal, began his push to the finals, where he met Philbrick. In the end Philbrick's 1st period pin, led the way to Freedom's second tournament champion of the day.

Senior Joe Sheptock wrestled a familiar opponent in the finals at 145. Broadway Senior, Jordan Spitzer had defeated Sheptock 4-0 last week in the finals of the Lou Nagy Memorial Tournament. This time Sheptock used two takedowns and an escape to jump out to a 5-0 lead and then cruise to a 5-3 victory.

The Eagles got their 4th individual Champion at 171 when Charles Constantino pinned Oakton's Austin Murga in the finals. His victory cemented a weekend of victory's for Constantino that leaves him just six matches short of 100 wins for his career. All of Constantino's victory's came via pin.

The evening concluded with one of the biggest matches of the evening. Upstart Sophomore DaQuante Timbers used a series of four takedowns to decision the 4th-ranked wrestler in thesState, Mike Carlson of Millbrook, 10-5. Timbers also won a huge victory in the semifinals defeating Turner Ashby's state qualifier Michael Laprade in a first period pin. This marks the third consecutive tournament championship for Timbers.

Also advancing to the finals for the Eagles were Chuong Le at 119lbs who lost a potential preview of the Dulles DistrictcChampionship to Tyler Anthony of Loudoun County 9-4. Sean Gaetani also cruised his way to the finals before losing a close 7-4 decision to 2-time district champion and 2-time state qualifer Will Zigler of Turner Ashby. Finally, Freedom's Chris Freda scored a pin fall over Emile Khattara of Dominion to advance to the finals before losing to Millbrook's Joe Jesson.

Also placing for the Eagles were
Levi Hamm- 4th (103lbs)
Michael Hosti- 5th (125lbs)
Tyler Young- 3rd(140lbs)
Matt Murphy-3rd(152lbs)
Jason Scrivo- 4th(160lbs)
Christian Lanzaro-4th (215lbs)

This makes the second consecutive tournament where all 14 Eagle Starters placed in the tournament, and the 4th tournament championship this year. Also placing for the Eagle B-team was Andrew Nelson (6th) at 152.

Potomac Falls Places Seven at Jefferson Invitational

The Potomac Falls Panther High School wrestling team competed in the Jefferson Invitational tournament on January 8-9 at Jefferson High School, WV. Fourteen teams competed in the individual bracketed tournament and the Panthers place 5th as a team.

Seven Panther wrestlers placed. Aaron Rowane (160 lbs) and Zac Duffen (HWT) led the Panthers by placing second at their respective weight classes. Both Rowane and Duffen went 3-1 for the tournament.

Other place winners include Steve Wardon (152 lbs) placing 3rd, Michael Ozwald (140 lbs) and Batchka Zulkhou placing 4th, Michael Linza and Zac Zedan (103 lbs) placing 5th, and Nick Rea (112 lbs) and Chris Connelly (HWT) placing 6th. The Panthers will next compete against Freedom HS on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at home.





Dual from Last Week
Potomac Falls 48, Loudoun County 10
103 Grieco (LC) over Zedan (P) 3-2
112 Rea (P) over Rossell (P) 11-0
119 Anthony (LC) over Linza (P) 16-5
125 Palozio (P) over Rabackoff (LC) pin
130 Zuhkulu (P) over Robillard PIN
135 Belin (P) over J. Martin (LC) Pin
140 Oswald (P) over Richardson (LC) 8-3
145 Causey (P) over E. Acton 15-4
152 Steve Warden (P) over C. Acton (LC) 13-12
160 Rowane (p) over Perez (LC) 15-3
171 Stevens (LC) over Z. Causey 2-1
189 Walden over Faliskie (LC) pin
215 Double FTT
hwt Duffin win by FFT

Raiders Tyler Anthony One Win Away from Career No. 100
Loudoun County 119-pounder Tyler Anthony won at Millbrooks Elks Tourney over Chung Le of Freedom in the finals, improving his career win mark to 99-24

Also for the Raiders: Donato Grieco took second at 103 and Kenton Perez took third at 160.

Super 32 Field to include County and Valley

The 2010 Free Lance Star “Super 32” Wrestling Invitational will be held Jan. 15-16 at Riverbend High School in Fredericksburg and will include both Loudoun County and Loudoun Valley.

Field
Battlefield
Blacksburg
Cave Spring
Chancellor
Courtland
Culpeper
Eastern View
Fluvanna
Gloucester
Hampton
Hanover
Hylton
King George
Lee-Davis
Loudoun County
Loudoun Valley
Louisa
Manassas Park
Massaponax
Matoaca
North Stafford
Oakton
Ocean Lakes
Osbourn
Riverbend
Salem
Sherando
Skyline
Spotsylvania
Stafford
Staunton River
Varina

Here is the schedule
DAY #1 – Friday, January 15, 2010
2:00 P.M.- WEIGH-INS (1 lb. Growth ALLOWANCE)
2:45 – 3:00 P.M. - Coaches Meeting (Scratches, Schedule, etc.)
3:30 P.M. - WRESTLING BEGINS Championship Round (6 mats)
Round 2 will start immediately after completion of Round 1
Round 3 will start immediately after completion of Round 2
Championship Round 2 - Championship Round (6 mats)
Consolation Round 1 - Consolation Round (6 mats)
*** All continuing wrestlers must weigh in Saturday Morning ***

DAY #2 – Saturday, January 16, 2010
7:00 A.M. - Gym Opens
7:30 A.M. - Weigh-ins will begin (2lbs. over Scratch ex. 103lbs. = 105lbs)
8:00 A.M. - Coaches Meeting (Scratches, Schedule, etc.)
8:30 A.M.-WRESTLING CONTINUES (Rounds 4 - 6) (6 mats)
Conclusion of Round 7 - 15 Minute Break
Semi-Finals (Round 8) - Roughly start 2:00PM (4 mats)
3:30 P.M. - Rounds 9 – 11 (including 3rd/4th and 5th/ 6th) (4 mats)
7:00 P.M. - National Anthem, and Cross Mat Introductions
Conclusion of Introductions - Championship Finals
(Medals given after next match)
Conclusion of Finals - Team Trophy Presentation & Awards

Update on Broad Run's DiRenzo
The school's all-time wins leader is now 16-1 on the season and 133-38 in his career. The 135-pounder is is 23 wins away from Potomac Falls Paul Rowane who graduated with 156 total wins, believed to be the county's all-time mark.

Potomac Falls at Willie Walters in December
The Potomac Falls Panther High School Wrestling Team competed in the Willie Walters individual tournament on December 29-30, 2009 at James Wood High School, Winchester, VA. Nineteen teams participated at the Willie Walters tournament and six Panther wrestlers placed including
Nick Rea (112 lbs), who won the tournament.

Other Panther wrestlers who placed included Aaron Rowane 3rd place (160 lbs), Michael Ozwald 4th place (140 lbs), Michael Linza 5th place (119 lbs), Batchka Zulkhou 6th place (130 lbs), and Zac Zedan 6th place (103 lbs). The team placed 6th out of the 19 teams that participated.