The Baltimore Sun is producing a weekly notebook of Baltimore County Public Schools competing in high school wrestling and indoor track and field and naming an Athlete of the Week in each sport.
Many teams got extra work in during the holiday break and traveled to face top competition to prepare for the season’s home stretch. With the break now behind us, the drive toward county championships begins, which for indoor track is coming up quickly — Jan. 21.
Here’s what’s been going on around the county:
Mat matters
Defending home turf: Franklin and Hereford represented the county well over the weekend at the Franklin Invitational. The Indians and Bulls finished second and third, respectively, in the team standings. Only Quince Orchard bettered them among the 15 schools competing.
The host Indians crowned two weight class champions. Joe Silberman won at 126 pounds. After a pin and tech fall put him through to the finals, he dramatically bested Severn Run’s Nash Marsh with a takedown in the sudden victory period. Also, Jaidon Williams improved his season record to 16-2 with a first place at 215. Williams pinned Hereford’s Chris Westra in his semifinal and Patterson Mill’s Gavin Voelker in the final.
As for the Bulls, Adam Keever won the 190-pound bracket. He picked up a pin and tech fall, before scoring a 13-3 major decision over Franklin’s Chilotam Ezeani in the final. Hereford added four runners-up: Connor Cline (106), Dan Casey (120), Andy Burton (144) and Ja`Quan Burton (157).
Also from the county, Randallstown’s Keon Stewart (285) earned first place. Stewart is now 19-1 on the season. He picked up a tech fall win in his quarterfinal, then earned two decisions to win the class.
Who’s No. 1?: The Who’s No. 1? tournament, held this weekend at Northeast High in Anne Arundel County, is one of Maryland’s most prestigious and competitive girls wrestling tournaments. Western Tech’s Leian Wright had the most impressive showing from Baltimore County wrestlers. She earned three pinfall victories before eventually falling in the 110-pound finals to Juliana Wong from Richard Montgomery.
Also with a strong showing was Dundalk’s Emily Cabo (115). Despite suffering her first two losses of the season, the 14-2 Cabo grabbed three wins (two pins and a major decision) before finishing in fourth place. Sparrows Point’s Liv Richter went 4-2 at the event and finished fifth.
Friar duals: Perry Hall had an impressive showing against a tough field over the weekend at the Friar Duals, hosted by Curley. The Gators went 5-3 at the event with victories over Poly, Dulaney, St. James, Eastern Tech and North County. Victor Marks-Jenkins went 8-0 with five wins coming by pinfall.
Individually for Dulaney, Gavin Hess (120) went 7-0 with five pins, while Brendan Taylor (285) was 6-2 with five pins. Eastern Tech’s Brayden Polly (138) went 7-1, also with five pins.
Dundalk’s Richard Vargas, shown at right in this file photo, is 19-2 this season and a big reason why Dundalk is leading Baltimore County. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
Dual standings: Dundalk went 3-0 in the first week back from break to improve to 8-1 overall and 7-0 in the county after a 45-35 win over Patapsco. The Owls lead Division II and are the first team in either division to hit seven county wins. Leading the Owls so far this season has been Richard Vargas (19-2), Dylan Holt (19-3), Joel Verdier (19-3) and Clayton Fraser (18-2).
In Division I, Perry Hall and Milford Mill are both 5-0. Catonsville is 3-0 and travels to wrestle the Millers on Thursday. Tuesday’s big dual sees Hereford (4-1) hosting Sparrows Point (2-1). In Division II, lining up behind Dundalk is Towson and Randallstown, both at 5-0.
On track
Crossing state lines: Hereford, Woodlawn and Randallstown ran this weekend at the Liberty Premier Invitational at Liberty University in Virginia. On the boys side, Ben Wheeler was a triple winner. Wheeler won the 300 and 500 meters, and teamed with Miles Witkowski, Eli Aitken and Mykai Branch to win the 4×400 relay. Hereford also got a second in the 4×800 from James Wyatt, Zach Reeves, Bryson Warner and Michael Earp. Richard Wang was second in the pole vault. For Woodlawn’s boys, Kameron Ola was second in the triple jump.
On the girls side, Woodlawn excelled in the sprints, going 1-2 in the 55 and 500, and 1-3 in the 300. Destiny Coleman won the 55 with teammate Anjela Fitzhugh was second. Coleman also won the 300 with Maritza Sampson finishing third. Sampson was second behind Kenya Merritt in the 500. Fitzhugh was second in the 55 hurdles. Randallstown’s team of Zina Muturi, Niyona Watson, Danielle Perez and Trinity Jordan won the 4×400 relay. Also, Hereford’s Eliza Fox beat out Randallstown’s Kimberly Cahill for first in the high jump.
Millers, Warriors top league meet: On Thursday at the 5th Regiment Armory, Milford Mill’s boys and Woodlawn’s girls prevailed in a county meet. Hereford finished second on both sides. Milford’s Damon Ferguson Jr. beat out teammate Seth Minter by a tenth of a second to win the 300. In the 500, Minter led a 1-2-3 Millers finish with Joshua Moore second and Ferguson third. Minter beat Moore by two-hundredths of a second. Milford also got a first from Aaiden Clark in the 3,200.
Other double winners for the boys were Hereford’s Eli Aitken in the 800 and 1,600, and Dundalk’s Jeryco Sheppard in the high jump and pole vault.
Woodlawn’s girls were led by Coleman winning the 55 and 300. Sampson won the 500, Kennedi Green won the 3,200, Aurlani Irvin won the pole vault and Aniya Harris won the shot put.
Warrior Invitational: Dulaney’s boys finished fourth and the girls fifth Saturday at the Warrior Invitational, hosted by Boonsboro at Hagerstown Community College. The Lions’ team of Nicole Lin, Keegan Clarke, Mia Christopher and Catherine Campbell won the 4×800. Also, Kimani Dennis was second in the shot put, Campbell took third in the 800 and Kaila Hill was third in the 55. Dulaney’s boys were led by Oliver Katz, who took second in the 800 and 1,600.
Athletes of the week
Boys wrestling
Gavin Hess, Dulaney: At the Friar Duals, Hess was a bright spot for the Lions. Wrestling at 120 pounds, Hess went 7-0 overall, 6-0 in contested bouts. Five of his wins came by pinfall. He also picked up a 19-8 major decision over Century’s Brayden Brassel.
Perry Hall’s Alaina Kopalchick, shown after winning the girls 110-pound state championship her freshman year, became the first girls wrestler in Baltimore County history to reach 100 wins. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Girls wrestling
Alaina Kopalchick, Perry Hall: The Gators senior made history over the weekend, while competing coed at the Friar Duals. She won four matches at the tournament, giving her 101 wins on her career. She is the first girls wrestler in Baltimore County history to reach the 100-win milestone. She is a three-time state placer and was 110-pound state champion her freshman season.
Boys indoor track and field
Jeryco Sheppard, Dundalk: Sheppard cleared 6 feet, 4 inches to win the high jump, and 13 feet to win the pole vault at a county meet Thursday. His 6-4 high jump is tied for the fourth-best jump in Maryland this season, out of all classes, public and private schools. His season-best in the pole vault is 13-6, which seventh-best in Maryland this season.
Girls indoor track and field
Destiny Coleman, Woodlawn: Coleman has dominated sprint events both locally and regionally, this week winning both the 55 and 300 meter races at a county meet and the Liberty Invitational in Virginia. This comes on the heels of her performance at The Armory Hispanic Games in New York on Jan. 4. She ran the 55 hurdles in 7.75 seconds, ranked by athletic.net as the No. 1 nationally in the event this year.
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