By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com
A few years ago, a blizzard swept through Washington DC, locking out several top-notch out-of-state teams from participating in the St. Albans wrestling tournament.
It was then that Georgetown Prep finished third, its highest placing up to that point in the prestigious local tournament.
But on a warm Saturday with a handful of major Pennsylvania and Virginia wrestling teams beating up on the rest of the local competition, Georgetown Prep held its own, finishing second behind nationally-ranked Wyoming Seminary for its highest ever finish at St. Albans.
The Little Hoyas had three individual champions and scored 217.5 points, 88.5 less than Wyoming Seminary (Pa.), but seven more than St. Benedicts (N.J.) and 41.5 more than the next closest local team, fourth-place finisher and WCAC champion Bishop O’Connell.
“I think we wrestled about how I expected,” Coach Mike Kubik said. “We’re a solid team.”
Georgetown Prep (16-3) was coming off an IAC championship and first-place finish at Capital Duals. The Little Hoyas avenged duals losses to St. Benedicts and O’Connell in the process.
“We’re starting to build the tradition,” Kubik said. “The kids come in the room and they know if they listen and work hard they’re going to win.”
Georgetown Prep sophomore Bobby Gribbon started the Little Hoyas’ finals momentum with an 11-5 decision over Woodberry Forest’s Chris Cirenza at 152 pounds. Gribbon placed fifth at St. Albans last year.
Following him was senior Giancarlo Zerega at 171 pounds. Zerega was matched up against St. Benedict’s Jeff Johnson, who had pinned Zerega earlier this year after the Georgetown Prep wrestler had an 8-1 lead.
This time, Johnson racked up a 10-0 lead heading into the period, twice turning Zerega on his back. But about a minute into the third period, Zerega used what he calls “dirty kids,” a moved named by former Georgetown Prep wrestler Michael Esposito in which you get a half nelson and grab somewhere the other wrestler really doesn’t want to be grabbed.
“I was thinking, ‘This kid’s pretty good and I don’t really have a chance,’” Zerega said. “’I can at least try to make him hurt, try to make him remember me.’”
With that, Johnson went on his back. Johnson almost fought out of the move for a reverse, but Zerega tipped him back over for the pin at 4:42. It’s the first tournament win of the season for Zerega, who has several times placed second this year.
Lastly, 189-pounder Junior Monzey took down Wyoming Seminary’s Donald McNeil, 6-4. McNeil was just two of nine Wyoming Seminary finalists to be defeated. It’s Monzey’s third tournament win of the season, adding to his Damascus Holiday Tournament and Big 20 titles.
MASON FINALLY GETS HIS JACKET
O’Connell’s Kyle Mason ranks the St. Albans tournament right up there among the highest the Knights wrestle in all season.
But for as important as it is to him, Mason had never won it. He had never even reached the finals.
Finally, on Saturday, the senior 119-pounder got his St. Albans title with a 9-5 decision against Georgetown Prep’s Parke Overmiller.
“I always wanted this jacket,” Mason. “That was always my motivation. I finally got it and I’m happy.”
Mason (37-5) felt the urgency of winning this tournament in his senior year. He was dominant throughout, notching an 18-3 technical fall in the first round, then two pins in a combined two minutes, three seconds heading into the finals.
“I was in a groove today,” Mason said. “This year I knew I had a pretty good chance of winning. Other years they’ve just been a lot better than me. I just didn’t have that next step.”
O’Connell, who was still relishing it’s WCAC win over DeMatha a week later, also put James Young in the 125-pound finals and notched with two third-place finishers – Nam Dunbar and Jonathan Carpenter.
ARECHIGA GETS REVENGE
Good Counsel 112-pounder Shane Arechiga had faced Gonzaga’s Paul O’Neill three previous times this season and lost all three. He pinned himself after leading 11-0, lost in a dual meet and then again in the WCAC finals.
But this time around, Arechiga for some reason felt more confident than ever. That paid off as Arechiga notched a 4-3 decision over O’Neill behind a third-period takedown to finish in third place in the ultra-challenging 112-pound weight class.
“WCACs and the dual meet I was really nervous,” Arechiga said. “Today I felt real confident because I think I was wrestling a lot better today than in my previous matches.”
SEMINARY TAKES OVER
Wyoming Seminary was absolutely dominant throughout the tournament. It notched seven champions, including 135-pounder Nicky Gordon, who became just the third wrestler to ever become a four-time St. Albans champion.
“It feels great, “ Gordon said. “It’s a great tournament, it’s good competition and we really like this tournament.”
It’s the third tournament Gordon has become a four-time champion at this year. He also became a four-time Mount Mat Madness champion and four-time Tunkhannock title winner.
But despite his milestone, Gordon wasn’t even named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler. That honor went to 130-pounder Devon Brown, who handled three-time Maryland State private schools champion Andrew Bannister with a 6-2 decision.
“They’re tough and they’ve got motors,” Prep’s Kubik said of Wyoming Seminary’s wrestlers. “They never stop.”
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
103: Malone (WYO) tech Jackson (McN), 18-2
112: Johnson (WYO) majdec Prada (DeM), 11-3
119: Mason (DJO) dec Overmiller (GP), 9-5
125: Kitzis (WYO) dec Young (DJO), 7-1
130: Brown (WYO) dec Bannister (McN), 6-2
135: Gordon (WYO) fall Boucher (St.B), 1:35
140: Burg (WFS) dec. Wesley (St.C), 8-3
145: Martinez (WYO) dec. Phillips (St.C), 8-2
152: Gribbon (GP) dec. Cirenza (WFS), 11-5
160: Luvsandorj (St.B) maj. Caiazzo (WYO), 15-6
171: Zerega (GP) fall Johnson (St.B), 4:42
189: Monzey (GP) dec. McNeil (WYO), 6-4
215: McMullen (WYO) fall Vassos (LAN), 2:33
HVY: Freeman (St.C) fall Henry (EHS), 1:15
TEAM SCORES
1. Wyoming Seminary – 306
2. Georgetown Prep – 217.5
3. St. Benedicts – 210.5
4. O’Connell – 176
5. St. Christopher’s – 143.5
6. Woodberry Forest – 142
7. Episcopal – 129
8. DeMatha – 100.5
9. Sidwell Friends – 92.5
10. Good Counsel – 91
11. McNamara – 81
12. Gonzaga – 79
13. Paul VI – 77.5
14. St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes – 69
15. Western Reserve Academy – 60
16. Bullis – 57
17. Landon – 55
18. Bishop Ireton – 47.5
19. St. Mary’s Ryken – 46
20. St. Anselm’s – 30
21. Randolph Macon – 27.5
22. St. Albans – 27
23. Georgetown Day – 26
24. McLean School – 25
25. Progressive Christian Academy – 18
26. St. John’s – 14
27. Princeton Claremont – 13
28. Potomac – 12
29. Heights – 7
30. Maret – 7
31. Edmund Burke – 6
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