Wrestling Previews

By Robert Niedzwiecki
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Whether it was the regular season or postseason, area wrestling followers could always count on an intense fight for event supremacy whenever the Millbrook and James Wood high school teams were in the same gym.

But with both schools having lost some strong talent, now might be the time for the other Frederick County school to rise to the top.

By most people’s standards, Sherando had an outstanding season in 2008-09. The Warriors won 20 dual matches, sent seven wrestlers to the Group AA state tournament — two more than anyone else in Region II — and had two of those seven place in Salem.

Sherando’s third-place finishes in the Northwestern District and Region II tournaments were notable, too. It’s just that each time, the Warriors finished behind Millbrook and James Wood — two teams that went on to finish fourth and seventh, respectively, in Group AA.

That didn’t sit well with the Warriors. A team that returns five state qualifiers and 12 starters is ready to start the new decade the way it began this one. Sherando won Commonwealth District titles in 2000 and 2001 before winning its last Northwestern District title in 2002.

James Wood coach Greg Walker said if things break right come postseason time, the Colonels or Pioneers are capable of winning the district title. But both teams will be underdogs.

“Sherando’s the team to beat,” Walker said.  High expectations are nothing new for the Warriors, but Martin said Sherando will have to work to live up to them.

“We’ve got a lot of potential on paper, but potential never won a wrestling match or a district tournament,” Warriors coach Pepper Martin said. “James Wood and Millbrook each had a few losses, but they had pretty strong backups that couldn’t crack the lineup. And Skyline has five very good wrestlers. If they get a good supporting cast, they could be tough once we get to the postseason.”

A Sherando team led by senior Nick Bakos — third in the state at 171 pounds last season — looks pretty similar, but there’s some changes around the area.

At Millbrook, the Pioneers no longer have two-time state champion Derrick Borlie, now at the University of Wisconsin, as well as two-time Winchester Star Wrestling Coach of the Year Chris Haines, who moved back to his native Pennsylvania.

A Pioneers team now led by former assistant John Borst will no longer have Jake Crawford either. The sophomore 119-pound state champion has transferred to Robinson High School in Fairfax.

Despite decreasing from nine to five teams, the Northwestern District will still send four wrestlers from each weight class onto the Region II tournament.

There is a change in the Bull Run though, because that district will no longer have its own tournament. Instead, the six Bull Run teams will be joined by Central and Stonewall Jackson for the Northern Section tournament. The top four wrestlers from each weight class will move on to the Region B tournament.

James Wood

Coach: Greg Walker, sixth year

Last year: Northwestern District regular season champions; second in district tournament; second in Region II; seventh in Group AA.

Key losses: Mark Thomas, Cory Chipman, Mark Thomas, Jared Broughear.

Key returnees: Evan Creswell, Jr., 112; Gage Swartz, Sr., 119; Cody Landis, Jr., 130; Cory Schrock, Jr., 160; Seth Fauver, Sr. 171; Mark Bean, So., 189; Austin Woodall, Sr., 285.

Top newcomer: Taylor Schwartz, Fr., 103.

Outlook: Though it was the Pioneers who had the better postseason last year, the Colonels were the team that carried the label of being the team to beat. If not for an injury to Gage Swartz, James Wood might have won the Region II tournament. Despite losing two state-placers and some other top wrestlers, Walker finds the current state of his team more intriguing.

“I’d rather be under the radar,” said Walker, who expects his team to be a better tournament team than dual team. “We’ve got some inexperience, but by the end of year hopefully we can do what we’re supposed to do, and that’s be one of the best in the district, region and state.”

The Colonels are most concerned with the four weight classes from 135 to 152, where Walker says some untested, but potentially strong, wrestlers will need to raise their performance so James Wood can reach its goals.

A talented trio will lead the Colonels to start. Woodall was fourth in Group AA at heavyweight last year, Bean, a state qualifier, is expected to place in the top six in the state this year, and Swartz (53-5 last year) will try to win a state title at 119 pounds after dislocating his left elbow in the Region II tournament as a 112-pounder.

“He’s working hard, but he’s not where he needs to be yet because he missed so much time,” Walker said. “He’s being a little careful right now, but as he wrestles more matches he should feel more comfortable.”

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