2A/1A Coach of the Year... Congrats to Jake Cramer!

First-year coach Jake Cramer of Huntingtown had what he called “a season for the books” over the course of 2024-2025.

Cramer guided his 12th-ranked Hurricanes (29-5) to a Class 2A state dual meet title in February a week prior to earning their second straight Southern Maryland Athletic Conference Tournament crown.

“This was a season for the books,” said Cramer, Legacy Wrestling’s Class 2A-1A Coach of the Year. “It’s an honor to even be considered for this award with the number of other coaches in our state who deserve to be recognized also.”

The Hurricanes dominated a 51-22 Class 2A state dual meet championship victory over 17th-ranked Stephen Decatur a year after being Class 2A state dual meet semifinal losers to the Seahawks (19-6), who collected their fifth consecutive state crown

last season.

“When we got to state the duals we had a full line-up," Cramer said. "We were firing on all cylinders. Everyone was focused, and it showed on the mat.”

A week later, the Hurricanes placed 12 wrestlers within the top four of their weight classes at the SMAC tournament to overcome runner-up Lackey, 276-to-158.5, as well as 28th-ranked third-place LaPlata (153.5).

“The boys put in a lot of off-season wrestling last summer, and they collectively came into this season with a plan to get better every day,” said Cramer, whose assistants are Tommy Hayden, Jason Kiessling, Dylan Riegel and Jacob Wood. “I couldn’t do it without the support of my staff, my family and school administrators. We struggled with our numbers early in the season, dropping some dual meets to forfeits due to injury at the first couple tournaments, but they stayed focused."

This season marks the second time the Hurricanes are dual and tournament champions of the SMAC along with being state dual meet title winners.

Huntingtown also won the SMAC and state duals titles in 2018. That team still holds the record for the most points scored in the SMAC tournament with 288 and had 12 place-winners in the top three with all 14 finishing within the top five.

This year’s Hurricanes set school records with six individual SMAC tournament champions among their eight finalists. There were also 10 wrestlers who finished within the top three of their weight classes in the SMAC with 12 placing within the top four.

At regionals, the Hurricanes crowned seven champions among 11 finalists, each of which is believed to be a school record.

The Knights also established a school record at the state tournament with four finalists and seven state place winners. In addition, five of those wrestlers finished within the top three, and six within the top four.

“The boys pulled out some big wins in the SMAC, scoring a lot of bonus points and making sure we secured our dual meet victories with a lot of shuffling around in the line-ups to include some of our amazing JV kids,” Cramer said. “All of our coaches worked their buts off making sure we had the right kids in the right spots, and boys stepped up when we needed them to.”

The Hurricanes' third-ranked senior Will Buckler (157) went 24-1 with 12 pins and three technical falls, earning titles at counties, regions and states.

Buckler won his state title bout, 5-0, over fourth-ranked Caleb Brenneman of Northern-Garrett, a four-time Bi-County champion who has placed first and second at regions and who finished third at states last season.

In the state semifinals, Buckler scored a 13-2 major decision over 14th-ranked defending state champion senior Russell Fary of Sparrows Point, who entered their bout with a record of 39-0 but finished fifth in the states.

Buckler also scored a 4-2 title victory that dethroned Leonardtown’s fifth-ranked senior A.J. Kuntz in their SMAC tournament final. Kuntz went on to win his second straight regional title as well as his first Class 4A-3A state title after having placed third as a junior.

“This season has been unforgettable, not just for me personally, but for our entire team. What made the season even more meaningful was the path it took for me to get there,” Buckler said. “By beating two state champions in AJ Kuntz and Russell Fary, and then to defeat a returning state place-winner like Caleb Brenneman in the state finals, it felt like everything I’d worked for was finally paying off, because they were talented competitors.”

Buckler transferred from St. Mary’s Ryken where he placed third, second, and fourth in the Maryland Independent Schools State tournament and seventh at the National Prep Tournament as a sophomore.

Buckler is headed for Frostburg State University, where he will be joined by top-ranked senior Class 2A-1A state champion Tanner Halling (132) of Boonsboro, second-ranked four-time state title-winner Calvin Kraisser (150) of Centennial, and third-ranked two-time state titlist Adin Hastings (215) of Williamsport.

“Transferring from St. Mary’s Ryken at first felt strange. It’s not easy to step into a new environment and feel like you belong right away. Winning the state championship was an incredible moment,” Buckler said. “That’s something we couldn't do at Ryken, where we placed second for the three years I was there. Coach Cramer and the rest of the coaches and the team made the transition a smooth one for me. With their support, I was able to find my place quickly and lock in on my goals.”

Seventh-ranked sophomore Owen Hayden (106) and sixth-ranked sophomore Landen Vercoe (126) were both SMAC and regional champions who finished as state runners-up. Hayden went 47-3 with 25 pins and 12 technical falls, and Vercoe, 45-6 with 16 pins and 11 technical falls.

Sixth-ranked senior Blake Ashley (165) went 47-4 with 31 pins and five technical falls, earning SMAC and regional crowns before finishing second in the states. A year ago, Blake Ashley was a SMAC tournament runner-up who was first at regions and fourth at states.

Sixth-ranked senior Tyler Hayden (175) finished with a record of 40-10 to go with 27 pins, three technical falls and placements of second, second and third in the SMAC, regional and state tournaments. Tyler Hayden was a SMAC and regional champion last year, when he also finished third in the states.

Finishing fourth in the states was ninth-ranked freshman Kyler Kiessling (120), who also won a SMAC crown and placed third in the regions after compiling a record of 38-6 with 24 pins and two technical falls.

Kiessling is following in the footsteps of his father and assistant coach, Jason, a 2002 graduate of McDonough of Charles County who earned a Class 4A-3A state title as a 160-pound senior after being a runner-up twice.

Placing sixth in the states was 18th-ranked junior Will Stewart (132) after having won SMAC and regional titles. Stewart ended the year with a mark of 38-10 with 16 pins and 10 technical falls.

Senior Luke Johnson (144) won a regional crown after placing third at SMAC, ending his season ranked 22nd along with 20 victories which included nine pins and five technical falls.

Senior Chase Brooks (190) won a SMAC title before finishing second at regions. Ranked 20th, Brooks went 33-11 with 10 pins and eight technical falls. Brooks was a SMAC champion last year when he also finished fourth in the regions.

Freshman Ezekias Perez (150) earned nine pins and three technical falls among his 25 victories, ending the season as a 21st-ranked SMAC and regional runner-up.

The Hurricanes also received solid contributions from senior Ryan Smith (215), freshman Logan Jones (113) and junior Brady Arigo (138).

Smith had 18 pins and two technical falls among his 27 wins, placing fourth and second at the SMAC and regional tournaments. Jones won 29 bouts with 14 pins and three technical falls, placing fifth at SMAC and fourth in the regionals. Arigo won 13 matches with six pins and a technical fall, placing fourth in the SMAC.

“This season was a great one and not just because of the wins, but because of the growth,” Buckler said. “Winning states both individually and as a team was the perfect way to cap off my high school career.”