This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

State Wrestling Championships: Pointer Drew Clark Grabs 5th Place

Sparrows Point finishes 38th among state high schools, tops among the local teams at this weekend's MPSSAA's State Wrestling Championships.

Having qualified five wrestlers, including two region champions and two runners-up, Sparrows Point entered the Maryland 1A/2A public schools state championships on Friday with high hopes—none higher than heavyweight Drew Clark's.

The big senior brought an undefeated record into the tournament and was looking to end his high school career with a state title.

The Pointers finished 38th overall, tops of the eastern Baltimore County teams with 16 points. Carroll County's Winters Mill won the tournament with 126 points, almost 20 points higher than runner-up Owings Mills.

Find out what's happening in Dundalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I was happy to bring five kids to the tournament and three of them getting wins,” said Sparrows Point head coach Mike Whisner. "We took some big steps in the right direction as a program.”

Clark got his tournament started on the right track by pinning Robby Lenz of Poolesville in under a minute. He continued his dominance by beating Kent Kruger of Century, 1-0, setting up a semi-finals match with Gwynn Park's Trey Seymour.

Find out what's happening in Dundalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Last season Clark got the better of Seymour, who is committed to Mississippi State on a football scholarship.

“Last season he was a lot bigger, around 270,” said Clark. "This year he weighed in at about 230, and he completely changed the way he wrestles, adding a lot more motion.”

Seymour scored the only takedown of the match in the second period with a sweep single. Clark scored an escape in the third but was unable to take Seymour down, giving Seymour the 2-1 victory and ending Clark's chance at a title.

Clark took another loss before bouncing back against Lenz with a second period pin to place fifth, one spot better than last year.

“I was just trying to have fun out there,” said Clark. “I was looking for the spladle but he wouldn't grab my leg.”

James "Country” Krug, a 189-pound sophomore wrestling in his first state tournament, won his first round match with Wyatt Griffith, 1-0, but lost his next two matches and failed to place.

“I think it is huge that Country got in here and got a win under his belt,” said Whisner. "If he works as hard this off-season as he did last off-season, he will be ready to rock and roll and contend for a state title.”

Senior Mike Iman (171) lost his first match, but bounced back to win his second bout, 8-6. Iman lost his final match and did not place.

Senior Cody Lewis (119) and junior Nate Borkowicz (152) qualified for the tournament but failed to win a match.

Chuck Baugher (125), a Dundalk native who wrestles for Eastern Tech, started strong with a 3-2 decision over Winters Mill's Gunner Cullison in their opening-round match. Things quickly went south for Baugher with a loss to Adam Hefflefinger of Rising Sun in the quarterfinals. Baugher then lost to Christian Vasquez to end his senior season.

1A/2A Team Standings


1. 126.50 - Winters Mill

2. 107.50 - Owings Mills

3. 94 – Glenelg

4. 85.50 – Southern- GAR
5. 68 – South Carroll
6. 65 – Bel Air
7. 61.50 – Rising Sun
8 58.00 Northern- GAR
9. 57.50 - Oakland Mills
10. 52 – Parkside
11. 50 –Carver Vo-Tech
12. 49.50 – Mountain Ridge
13. 47 – Hammond
14. 45 – Poolesville
15. 37 –Kent Island

1A/2A State Finals

103- Coy Ozias (SOG) fall Antonio Brockington (CVT)
112- Tony Farace (OAK) md. Brenan Colbert (NHG)
119- Zach Cullison (PPM) dec. Shane Smith (KTI)
125- Chris Wampler (SCL) dec. 6-3 Micah Haas (NCL)
130- Demetrius Johnson (OWM) dec. 3-2 Wes Cook (WMI)
135- Dan Markosky (LIB) dec. 1-0 Keith Steine (WMI)
140- Tyler Hinton (CVT) dec. 6-4 OT Steve Cross (BAR)
145- Taran Carr (OWM) md. 10-2 Anthony Cimorosi (RIS)
152- Lex Ozias (SOG) tf. 17-2 Lukas Ziegler (FSK)
160- Charles Walls (GLG) dec. 3-1 David Volz (JOP)
171- Bubba Scheffel (SOG) md. 17-4 David Pruett (GLG))
189- Jason Wright (MTR) dec. 7-4 Tom Kuegler (BAR)
215- Zach Eure (PKS) dec. 8-1 Steve Barner (OVE)
285- Justin Kozera (WMI) fall 3:09 Trey Seymour (GWP)

1A/2A Consolation Finals


103- Zach Hensley (OAK) dec. 6-3 Cory Savage (POO)
112- Jon Sweeney (CTT) dec. 4-3 Zack Pilkinton (PTX)
119- Iam Hochuli (MRR) dec. 7-6 Ryan Mazurick (NEC)
125- Adam Finzel (NOG) dec. 5-1 Adam Hefflefinger (RIS)
130- Nick Caffrey (GLG) dec. 7-0 Matt Capobianco (MID)
135- Robert Rakes (RIS) dec. 9-4 Matt Gancayco (PTX)
140- Matt Thomas (NOG) dec. 3-1 Jimmy Peacock (KTC)
145- Zach Shoemaker (WIL) md. 14-2 Jack Borkowski (GLG)
152- Chase Cullison (WMI) dec. 5-1 Kion Wright (PIK)
160- Willie Reiter (SCL) dec. 5-1 Kyle Thomas (KTI)
171- Mohammad Ali (OWM) fall :58 Derek Fung (SCL)
189- Jason Opel (NOG) dec. 6-1 Bucky Miller (BOO)
215- Drew Winters (MTR) fall Baldwin Asala (HAM)
285- Payton Rose (HAM) dec. 7-0 Jacob Muir (CSD)

1A/2A 5th-6th Place Match


103- Flavio Valdez (WMI) fall 1:33 Joe Juergans (RIS)
112- Warren Mack (OWM) default Anthony Rivera (PKS)
119- Kody Osselburn (NOG) dec. 1-0 Duncan Yeisley (NHG)
125- Jon Williams (PPM) fall 1:56 Eric Sanders (JOP)
130- Tony Proctor (BAR) md. 9-0 Cody Savage (POO)
135- Jerry Fumba (OAK) dec. 6-3 Alec Stavish (SCL)
140- Kemper Baker (WIL) fall :42 Brenan McAllister (PKS)
145- Robert Winning (POO) dec. 4-2 Bryan  Mister (STM)
152- Jamie Rappazzo (HVT) dec. 10-3 MathiasNgang (HAM)
160- Nick Cross (QAN) dec. 7-6 Jon Best (BOO)
171- Marshal Chang (WMI) dec. 6-0 Saddam Charles (NDC)
189- Dion Winters (GWP) dec. 7-6 AJ Armiger (CAL) dec 9-2
215- Jeff Traore (BAR) fall 4:49 Brandon Antrobus (CNT)
285- Drew Clark (SPP) fall 2:45 Kent Kruger (CNT)

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?