Strong Seasons On The Mat For Northeast, Chesapeake Wrestlers

It went right down to the wire when the Northeast wrestling team opened the winter season with a win over Chesapeake on December 5.

Gary O’Neil’s first-round pin at 113 pounds in the final bout of the dual provided the decisive six points Northeast needed to complete a 42-35 win.

The rivalry has swayed back and forth in recent seasons, with Northeast winning four of the last six meetings, all by one-match point margins. Chesapeake won last winter’s dual, Northeast won in 2015-16, Chesapeake won in 2014-15, and Northeast won in 2013-14 and 2012-13.

This winter’s matchup was likewise closely battled on the whole, but the theme of the night was six-point victories by pin. Andrew Garcia put Chesapeake out to a lead with a 17-14 decision at 120. Northeast’s Adrian Cueves won by pin at 126. Bryce Carleton delivered a pin for Chesapeake at 126. The Eagles responded with consecutive pins as Kyle Preston notched a pin at 138, and Billy Katzenberger won by pin at 145. Donovar Dredden scored a pin for Chesapeake at 152, and Thomas Gargano won by pin for Northeast at 160. Matt Doyle wrestled up to 170 for Northeast, winning his match by pin, as did teammate Corey Rush, who won by pin in the 182 match. Chesapeake’s AJ Richardson stopped the Northeast streak by winning his match by pin at 195. Northeast forfeited the 220 bout, and Chesapeake’s Conor Watkins pinned his opponent at 285.

Aiden Yost won by pin at 106 to pull Chesapeake to within a point of Northeast at 35-36 (Chesapeake received a one-point deduction for misconduct during the 182 match), setting the winner-take-all final at 113, won by Northeast’s O’Neil.

PHOTO GALLERY: Chesapeake wrestling vs. Severna Park, 12.19.17

With wins over Reservoir (twice), Meade and Chesapeake, Northeast has a 4-7 overall record in duals and several wrestlers who can challenge for a county crown, region qualification and potential spot in the state tournament. Leading that pack is Preston, a senior who is 17-3 in the 138-pound class and has 70 career wins despite missing almost all of his junior season due to injury. O’Neil (13-6 at 113) is having a solid season at the top of the lineup, while middleweights Gargano (12-7 between 160 and 152 classes) Katzenberger (11-9 between 132 and 145), Rush (10-10 between 170 and 182) and Doyle (five wins between 160 and 170) all have potential to go deep into postseason tournaments.

“We’re still young. We have six seniors out of 32 on our roster,” said Northeast sixth-year head coach Chris Dyke, who is hopeful the Eagles can turn in some great performances at the county championships at Arundel on February 16 and 17. If they can, the grueling East region gauntlet will prepare any Eagles for a great run at states — if they can make it that far.

“You make it out of our region, you’re going to place at states,” said Dyke. “So it’s a matter of fighting through [the region].”

Northeast will also host the first-ever MPSSAA all-female state tournament on February 3. Veteran Eagle wrestlers Lisa McChesney (126) and Micah Santos (108), who both start on varsity for Northeast, will be competing, as will teammates Lillie Jewell (120) and Lacee Schmidt (126).

Dyke said female participation in coed wrestling programs is up across the county and state; Northeast expects about 100 young women to compete on February 3 after initially hoping to draw 75.

The Cougars also have aspirations to produce one or more county champions and a handful of region and/or state qualifiers.

Garcia is 19-7 wrestling mostly at 113, Richardson is 19-7 at 195, and Victor Listorti is 19-7 at 132. Yost is 13-11 at 106, and Dredden is 13-11 at 160. Bobby Johnson is 14-7 at 138, DJ Hoover is 10-9 at 152, and Logan Peapos is 10-9 at 182.

Chesapeake is 12-14 overall through January 17.

PHOTO GALLERY: Chesapeake wrestling vs. Severna Park, 12.19.17