This time last year, Hammond?s three-time state champion Vince Taweel left Maryland?s toughest wrestling invitational beaten, injured and without a placement.
But Saturday night at the Mount Mat Madness tournament Goucher College, it was Taweel?s turn hand out some beatings.
“I got my butt kicked here last year,” Taweel said. “Being able to come here and prove myself after what happened last year, it was huge for me. It feels great to win this.”
The senior 135-pounder defeated DeMatha?s Matt Dugan, a private schools state medalist, in the quarterfinals; Delaware state champ Nicky Tiberi of Hodgson in the semifinals; and, finally, defending Mount Mat Madness champion and Pennsylvania state placewinner Bryan Ortenzio of Cedar Cliff in the finals.
“It was a huge deal. It was a real big goal of mine to win Mount Mat Madness,” said Taweel, who credited his coaches and Hammond?s challenging wrestling schedule. “There?s no doubt in my mind that we wouldn?t have done as well as we did if it wasn?t for our schedule.”
Taweel was one of five Baltimore-area champions at the event, which was won by the state?s top-ranked team, McDonogh. No. 2-rated Mt. St. Joseph finished fourth.
McDonogh?s Nick Schenk (103) and Shane Milam (145) won titles, as did Old Mill?s Justin Faithful (285) and Mt. St. Joseph?s Jake Bohn (189).
Bohn became only the second wrestler to win the event three times with a 9-6 decision over Pennsylvania state finalist Zac Bennett of Westmont-Hilltop.
Bohn used a reversal and two backpoints with three seconds left in the bout to overcome a 6-5 deficit.
“With 10 seconds left, you?re not really thinking too much; you?re just trying to get out,” Bohn said.
Milam?s title came in overtime, 10-6, over former state champion Steve Sargent of DeMatha. Milam, a sophomore, was able to take Sargent to his back for the victory.
“I know we work hard in the room and it paid off,” Milam said, adding that he considered the Eagles? team victory more important that his individual title.
Schenk won a weight-class that included the top-ranked wrestlers in both Virginia and Pennsylvania and Faithful downed Schenk?s teammate Lane Clelland.
The night?s most anticipated final ? between cadet national champions Eren Civan of Walt Whitman and Luke Rebertus of Caravel Academy at 160 pounds ? never truly came to fruition as Civan was forced to injury default because of hurt knee.
Though he lost in the finals at 119 pounds, Hammond?s Devon Gillett earned himself the Maryland State Wrestling Association?s top ranking, by knocking off Curley?s Tyler Scarinzi and McDonogh?s Eric Filipowicz.
Mount mat madness
Team standings
1 » McDonogh 200.00
2 » Wyoming Seminary 151.50
3 » Westmont-Hilltop 143.50
4 » Mt St Joseph 130.50
5 » Sussex Central 127.00
6 » Caravel Academy 126.50
7 » Cedar Cliff 103.00
8 » Hodgson Vo-Tech 102.50
9 » DeMatha Catholic 101.50
10 » Forest Park 96.50
Individual standings
103 » Nick Schenk McDonogh Fall Frank Goodwin Mt St Joseph, 3.51
112 » Nicky Gordon Wyoming Seminary T-Fall Ilyass Elmsouri Cedar Cliff, 18-2
119 » Connor McDonald Sussex Central T-Fall Devon Gillett Hammond, 17-2
125 » Jarrod Garnett Caravel Academy M-Dec Josh Fitch McDonogh, 10-2
130 » Alfonso Hoggard Caravel Academy Dec Mitch Fenton Archbishop Curley, 6-5
135 » Vince Taweel HammondDec Bryan Ortenzio Cedar Cliff, 3-1
140 » Brent Lowe Forest Park Dec Justin Martinez Wyoming Seminary, 7-3
145 » Shane Milam McDonogh Dec Steve Sargent DeMatha Catholic, OT:10-6
152 » Nathan Cortes-Peck DeMatha Catholic Fall Mike Brant Westmont-Hilltop, 0.39
160 » Luke Rebertus Caravel Academy Def Eren Civan Walt Whitman
171 » Vinnie Ranauto Caravel Academy Dec Brock Budesheim Sussex Central, 8-6
189 » Jake Bohn Mt St Joseph Dec Zac Bennett Westmont-Hilltop, 9-6
215 » Joe McMullan Wyoming Seminary Dec Doug Schenk McDonogh, 5-2
285 » Justin Faithful Old Mill Dec Lane Clelland McDonogh, 3-1
