Wrestling: Freedom Put to the Challenge Tonight in the VivaLoudoun and Cheers Sports Valley Duals

(Jan. 21, 2011) - The Freedom High School wrestling team, with aspirations of challenging at the AA state tournament and coming off a big duals tournament win at home last week, will be put to the test tonight in a tough evening of match-ups at the VivaLoudoun and Cheers Sports Valley Duals.

The Eagles open the tournament at Loudoun Valley High School with a 4 p.m. match against AAA power Westfield, ranked No. 6 by the Washington Post in the Metro Area, and then at 5:30 p.m. Freedom takes on Maryland force Urbana, a team that made their state duals Final Four last year. After a well-deserved bye, the Eagles finishing the grueling evening with an 8:30 p.m. match-up with another AAA heavyweight, Forest Park, a squad ranked No. 4 by the Washington Post.

Freedom enters tonight with momentum after edging Region II rival Millbrook last week in the finals of the third annual Freedom Duals (called Brookfield Duals), 33-30.


The Eagles battled back from a 16-0 deficit to start the match, to temporarily take the lead after Steven Marquina decisioned Millbrook's Luke Anderson. After a Millbrook pin at 125, consecutive wins from Sean Gaetani, and Michael Hosti once again would give Freedom the lead 27-22. A forfeit at 140 to Millbrook's two time state champion Jacob Crawford would once again put the Pioneers ahead 28-27.

In front on an emotionally charged crowd the Eagles bumped their 140-pound wrestler Cody Hamm up to wrestle Millbrook's Tyler Seal at 145 for Millbrook. With the score 0-0 going into the third period, Hamm would turn Seal to his back to get a 2-0 win over seal and electrify the crowd.

After another emotional match at 152, where Freedom's Tyler Young would squeak out an overtime win, the Eagles sent Jason Scrivo to the mat to take on Millbrook's state medal winner John Sharpe.

Sharpe was unable to pin Scrivo, like the Pioneers needed, and the crowd would erupt as his effort would seal the deal for the Eagles 33-30.

This marked the second weekend in a row where the Eagles have edged out the Pioneers, after another thrilling victory at Millbrook's tournament the week before was cemented by DaQuante Timber's pin in the final match of the tournament.

The Eagles went 5-0 on the weekend, starting off the tournament on a roll, including wins over two teams that finished last year in the top 10 in the state (Hidden Valley, 10th) and (Millbrook, 6th)

Other Eagle results were:
Freedom 72 William Monroe 3
Freedom 74 Handley 3
Freedom 74 Heritage 0
Freedom 48 Hidden Valley 21
Freedom 33 Millbrook 30

The Freedom B-Team also had a solid performance on the weekend. The Young Eagles went 3-2 on the weekend bouncing back from an early loss to AAA Stonewall Jackson, to rebound with a win over Park View 38-33. Matt Curry and Niko Wallize lead the way for the B-team, each scoring 5-0 records on the day. Wallize, even scored a huge victory against Orange County, defeating AA State Qualifier Phillip Coleman 10-2.

B-team Results
Stonewall Jackson 54 Freedom B 22
Freedom B 38 Park View 33
Orange County 36 Freedom B 28
Freedom B 47 Handley 22
Freedom B 81 Falls Church 0

Top 4 results from the tournament were Freedom (1st), Millbrook(2nd), Orange County (3rd), Hidden Valley(4th)

VivaLoudoun and Cheers Sports Valley Duals Schedule
Friday, Jan. 21
Round 1 (4 p.m.)
Mat 1 - Loudoun Valley vs Washington
Mat 2 - Potomac Falls vs Osbourn
Mat 3 - Freedom vs Westfield
Mat 4 - Broad Run vs Cosby
Mat 5 - Heritage vs Liberty
Mat 6 - Sherando vs Forest Park
BYE - Reservoir/Urbana

Round 2 (5:30 p.m.)
Mat 1 - Loudoun Valley vs Forest Park
Mat 2 - Potomac Falls vs Reservoir
Mat 3 - Cosby vs Westfield
Mat 4 - Broad Run vs Osbourn
Mat 5 - Freedom vs Urbana
Mat 6 - Washington vs Liberty
BYE - Heritage/Sherando

Round 3 (7 p.m.)
Mat 1 - Loudoun Valley vs Cosby
Mat 2 - Potomac Falls vs Urbana
Mat 3 - Heritage vs Westfield
Mat 4 - Liberty vs Reservoir
Mat 5 - Sherando vs Broad Run
Mat 6 - Washington vs Forest Park
BYE - Freedom/Osbourn

Round 4 (8:30 p.m.)
Mat 1 - Loudoun Valley vs Reservoir
Mat 2 - Cosby vs Sherando
Mat 3 - Forest Park vs Freedom
Mat 4 - Urbana vs Osbourn
Mat 5 - Potomac Falls vs Liberty
Mat 6 - Heritage vs Broad Run
BYE - Washington/Westfield


Saturday, Jan. 22
Round 5 (10 a.m.)
Mat 1 - Sherando vs Westfield
Mat 2 - Loudoun Valley vs Liberty
Mat 3 - Freedom vs Osbourn
Mat 4 - Heritage vs Reservoir
Mat 5 - Broad Run vs Washington
Mat 6 - Cosby vs Urbana
BYE - Forest Park/Potomac Falls

Round 6 (11:30 a.m.)
Mat 1 - Forest Park vs Potomac Falls
Mat 2 - Loudoun Valley vs Sherando
Mat 3 - Washington vs Osbourn
Mat 4 - Cosby vs Freedom
Mat 5 - Westfield vs Reservoir
Mat 6 - Broad Run vs Urbana
BYE - Heritage/Liberty

Round 7 (1 p.m.)
Mat 1 - Forest Park vs Westfield
Mat 2 - Loudoun Valley vs Urbana
Mat 3 - Osbourn vs Reservoir
Mat 4 - Cosby vs Potomac Falls
Mat 5 - Broad Run vs Liberty
Mat 6 - Washington vs Heritage
BYE - Freedom/Sherando

Round 8 (3 p.m.)
Mat 1 - Sherando vs Washington
Mat 2 - Loudoun Valley vs Potomac Falls
Mat 3 - Freedom vs Reservoir
Mat 4 - Westfield vs Urbana
Mat 5 - Cosby vs Forest Park
Mat 6 - Heritage vs Liberty
BYE - Broad Run/Osbourn

Round 9 (4:30 p.m.)
Mat 1 - Forest Park vs Urbana
Mat 2 - Sherando vs Osbourn
Mat 3 - Potomac Falls vs Westfield
Mat 4 - Freedom vs Heritage
Mat 5 - Broad Run vs Reservoir
BYE - Washington/Liberty/Cosby/Loudoun Valley