Wrestling preview: Northwestern District back at full strength

It was another banner year for Class 4 Northwestern District wrestling last winter, as Liberty captured the district’s second straight Class 4 state title.

The postseason wasn’t nearly as interesting as it could have been, however. In 2021-22, relative normalcy will return.

Frederick County Public Schools chose not to compete in the Virginia High School League winter sports season last year due to reasons related to COVID-19. But now Sherando, James Wood and Millbrook are back to compete in the district that now features seven teams following the departure of Culpeper County.

Some of their wrestlers definitely would have done damage had they competed last winter, and some are still left to shake things up. None of them are more prominent than Sherando junior Keagan Judd, The Winchester Star Wrestler of the Year after winning the 2020 Class 4 state championship at 113 pounds.

As good as Liberty was last year, the Eagles didn’t win the region title (that went to Loudoun County) or the district title. Handley captured last year’s district championship to earn its first postseason title since capturing the 2016 Conference 21 West tournament.

Though the district wrestling scene will look a lot different this year, Handley has every reason to think it can win the district title again after returning nine of 13 participants from last year’s district tournament, including all five of the wrestlers who had top-four finishes at last year’s regional meet. (Only the top two wrestlers in each weight class at regionals advanced to state competition last year. The VHSL will return to having four people from each weight class in Class 3-6 this year. Three people from each weight class will advance to the state tournament in Class 1 and 2.)

The Judges are led by Cam Gordon (21-3, 14 pins), the state runner-up at 120 pounds last year who will wrestle at 126 or 132 this year; junior Simon Bishop (22-2, 13 pins) who was third in Class 4 at 152 and will likely wind up at 160 this year; and heavyweight Rodd’ney Davenport. The junior took sixth in Class 4 at 285 last year with a 15-7 record (10 pins) and competed with Team Virginia in Fargo, N.D., last summer for Greco Roman and freestyle competition.

Sherando went a perfect 4-0 in dual competition last year and still has many key contributors from the team that placed third in the district and region in 2020. Sherando — which lost only one senior starter from last year — still features 2020 state qualifiers in Judd (33-2 in 2019-2020; now at 145) and fellow juniors Tyler Koerner (23-9 at 106 in 19-20, now at 126) and Brogan Teter (32-13 at 132 in 19-20, 152 this year).

James Wood lost two 2020 state qualifiers, including Chris Nuss, a fourth-place finisher at 138 who is now a 174-pounder at NCAA Division III Wilkes University. The Colonels do feature Braden Sitton, who will get to compete in his first full wrestling season since he was a freshman in 2018-19. Sitton was a state qualifier that year at 106 pounds and went 31-20, and he’s now at 132 pounds. Sitton did not wrestle as a sophomore.

Millbrook only lost two seniors from last year and still has Matthew Topham, who qualified for the state tournament as a sophomore at 113 pounds, when he went 28-18. Topham will wrestle at 132 this year.

In Class 2, Clarke County has the potential to take home a trophy at the Class 2 state tournament. The Eagles have eight wrestlers with VHSL state tournament experience and only lost one senior from last year’s team (Alvaro Wong, who placed fifth at 152 pounds at the state tourney).

Clarke County’s returning state place winners are junior Cannon Long (second at 132 pounds; 13-4 last year; 138 or 145 this year); sophomore Landon Roper (fourth at 113; 11-4; 132 this year); senior Trace Mansfield (fourth at 182; 12-8, 11 pins; 182 or 195 this year); and senior Roger Tapscott (fourth at 285; 12-7, six pins).

Other Eagles with state tournament experience are senior Titus Hensler (12-7, eight pins at 195 last year, 182 or 195 this year); senior Michael Perozich (11-7, seven pins at 195 last year, 220 this year); senior Colin Moran (145 of 152), who swam last year but qualified at 113 as a sophomore in 2019-20; and senior Kaylee Anderson (152 or 160); who qualified as a freshman at 126 pounds. Clarke County also features another talented female wrestler in senior Keegan Seifert (145), who attended the St. James School in Maryland last year. As a freshman at Clarke County, Seifert won the 146-pound Virginia Girls’ Wrestling Championship while Anderson took second at 136 that same year.

The following is a glance at each area team:

Handley

Coach: Troy Mezzatesta, fifth season.

Last year: Class 4 Northwestern District champions; fifth in Region 4C; 13th in Class 4 state.

Key loss: Caleb Slack.

Key returnees: Cam Gordon, Sr., 126/132; Simon Bishop, Jr., 160; Rodd’ney Davenport, Jr., 285; Nick Baker, So., 113/120 (district champ at 106, third in region, 13-3); Garrett Stickley, So., 113/120/126 (fourth in region at 113, 10-9); Henry Felix, So., 138/145; Raimel Almanzar, So., 182; Alex Barth, Sr., 195; Quinton Mudd, Sr., 220.

Key newcomers: Hayden Thompson, Fr., 106; Eddie Sanchez-Lopez, Jr., 145; Logan Westfall, Jr., 120/136/132; Marvin Rivera, So., 220/285; Joey Mullin, So., 285; Charlie Milam, So., 152; Orlando Zamora, So., 138/145/152.

Mezzatesta’s outlook: “We’re excited about this young group of wrestlers. They are essentially the same group that worked very hard through a difficult COVID season, but managed to do it with great care, precaution, commitment and hard work. It was their diligence that allowed us to win the district title last season. It is a great group of kids and we hope to be right in the thick of things, defending the district title when it is on the line at the end of the season. We are a young group but many of these men have been around the sport or had some quality mat time through the years and during the offseason. We realize that many of the teams we wrestle in this district have quality and experience as well, but if we can stick together, continue to work hard and of course stay healthy we ought to have a very solid season.”

First competition: Friday and Saturday at Hedgesville (W.Va.) Tournament

Sherando

Coach: Brian Kibler, fourth season.

Last year: 4-0 dual record in Frederick County season

Key losses: Saxton Garver.

Key returnees: Brandon Blair, Sr., 160/170; Michael Gause, Sr., 160/170 (21-11 at 126 in 19-20); Devin Hardy, Jr., 132; Keagan Judd, Jr., 145; Tyler Koerner, Jr., 126; Tyler McDonald, Sr., 113; Jayden Patten, Jr., 138; Richard Reyes-Guevara, Jr., 132; Brogan Teter, Jr., 152; Aydan Willis, Sr., 220 (20-9 at 220 in 19-20).

Key newcomers: Anthony Lucchiani, Fr., 120; Isaac Cram, Fr., 106; Ethan Gonzalez, So., 285; Zachary Hayes, So., 132/138; Joshua Metz, Jr., 145.

Kibler’s outlook: “Overall we have a lot of experience up and down our lineup. I believe if we stay healthy and continue to work hard in the wrestling room we can have a very successful ‘21 season. Our district is one of the toughest in the state in terms of wrestling. If all goes well, and we continue to improve we can be right there with the other teams in the district. We have multiple wrestlers with experience and the newcomers into the lineup with the exception of a few spots will have experience on the mat. Missing last year really hurt as I felt like our program in the last few years had been gaining momentum. In many ways, it’s almost like starting a new school, except this school has a core group of guys, and some newcomers that can just flat-out wrestle. If you had to have a COVID year and come back from it, this is the group I would want to have out there.”

First competition: Saturday at Loudoun County Tournament

James Wood

Coach: Cory Crenshaw, sixth season.

Last year: 1-3 dual record in Frederick County season

Key losses: Chris Nuss, Aidan Barton, Logan Knisley.

Key returnees: Braden Sitton, Sr., 132; Gavin Small, Sr., 170; Caleb Keefer, Sr., 182; Ronan Solosky, Sr., 220.

Key newcomers: James Battulga, Fr., 113; Colton Bendure, Fr., 120; Blake Messick, Fr., 126; Dylan Tews, So., 160.

Crenshaw’s outlook: “Our biggest goal for this year is to gain experience each time we are on the mat. We are a very young team, and it is expected that the lineup is going to go through some changes during the season as we work out where individuals need to be as we approach the postseason. Coming off the very abbreviated season last year, there are lots of athletes on our roster that have not competed competitively for almost two years. We expect to go through some growing pains as a team as athletes step into new roles, but at some point, everyone has a mountain to climb. It’s awesome to have our four seniors back to lead our team, but we have also seen a lot of motivation from the underclassmen, and individuals stepping up to be leaders in the room. Everyone working together in the room is going to be critical for us as we get towards the district calendar. I do not think much has changed in the district. Liberty and Fauquier always have strong teams, but there are always individuals in the area that can mix it up with them. Hopefully, when we get to February, we will have the lineup worked out and be able to mix it up a little bit.”

First competition: Dec. 8 vs. Musselman (W.Va.) and Hampshire (W.Va.)

Millbrook

Coach: Jeff Holmes, 10th season.

Last year: 1-4 dual record in Frederick County season

Key losses: Jack Winans, Shoaib Zamani.

Key returnees: Elliot Rivera, Sr., 113 (20-20 at 106 in 19-20); Fernando Martinez, So., 126; Julian Cusick, So., 138; Isaac Churchill, Jr., 120; Adrian Garcia De Leon, Jr., 126; Matthew Topham, Sr., 132; Seth Caballero, Sr., 152; Jett Helmut, Jr., 220.

Key newcomers: Christian Cassidy, Sr., 138; Jason Coleman, So., 170; William Demus Fr., Wyatt Forest, Jr., 152; Angel Magana, So., 138; Dev Patel, So., 145/152; Gabriel Ramos, So., 145/152; Cole Robinson, Fr., 126; Ezra Doyle-Naegeli, Fr., 285; Luke Burns, Fr., 160.

Holmes’ outlook: “I think as a team we are looking forward to a ‘normal’ season this year. Being able to train and prepare for competition is something that was very challenging last season, so we’re embracing our opportunity to compete at the highest level we are capable of. I think the mindset of our team is to work hard and to get better every day. As a whole, I think we are relatively inexperienced and our main focus is progress over perfection. I think we have a solid core of upperclassmen that can perform at high levels and who we will lean on for quality leadership. We are going to trust the process and see where we end up at the end of the season.”

First competition: Saturday at Loudoun County Tournament

Clarke County

Coach: Jon VanSice, 22nd season.

Last year: Second in Region 2B; fifth in Class 2 state.

Key losses: Alvaro Wong, Daniel Heath, Stephen Steyaert.

Key returnees: Landon Roper, So., 132; Cannon Long, Jr., 138/145; Trace Mansfield, Sr., 182/195; Roger Tapscott, Sr., 285; Titus Hensler, Sr., 182/195; Michael Perozich, Sr., 220; Kaylee Anderson, Sr., 152/160; Colin Moran, Sr., 145/152; Keegan Seifert, Jr., 145.

Key newcomers: James Casey, Fr., 106; Colton Vincent, Fr., 113; Blake Jacobsen, Fr., 138; Jerry Roberts, Fr., 126; Ryan Hanley, Fr., 145; Tommy Reid, So., 160/170.

VanSice’s outlook: “For the first time in years we have some depth with the addition of all the freshmen. Not only depth, but experienced depth. Most of the freshmen started in our club years ago and have continued through the middle school program. With the numbers we have and the experience, by the end of the year, if we stay healthy, hopefully, we will be able to improve on our fifth-place state finish from last year.”

First competition: Friday and Saturday at Hedgesville (W.Va.) Tournament

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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