2A/1A State Championships - Full Results!

Every time No. 2 Calvin Kraisser stepped on the mat last weekend at the MPSSAA 2A/1A State Tournament at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro all heads turned in his direction with the expectation being a win and taking one more step towards his fourth finals appearance.

If you didn’t catch him out of the gate you may have missed the senior from Centennial as his longest match came in his first bout with Liberty’s Parker Reynolds, which resulted in a second period fall, 2:53.

Kraisser’s next two foes would fall in the opening round, No. 23 Scottie Ford (Kent County) would go on to place fourth after getting decked in 1:43 seconds in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, the Eagle stuck third-place finisher No. 17 Lucas Wolf of Northern Garrett, 1:34.

Kraisser’s title bout opponent would be No. 15 Mason Boyd (North East-CC), and while Boyd made it to the second period, he too, would ultimately be the victim of a pin with his downfall coming at the 2:46 mark to deliver Kraisser’s fourth state crown.

“Well really, I just worked hard throughout practice, and all my matches,” Kraisser said about his dominating performance. “There isn't much to say other than that, hard work beats talent.”

“Yes, there was some pressure, as any match or title would have, and some more because my brothers have done it, but above that I know that they would still be proud of me even if I didn't win. Having them with me gave me more confidence than pressure, because they were there helping me and telling me not to worry about all that pressure, just go out and do your best.”

The win allowed Clavin to join older brothers Jason and Nathan in the four-time champ club. Austin came up short as a freshman but went on to claim three straight crowns and is currently the head coach at St. Mary’s Ryken.

“Joining my brothers does feel amazing and I couldn't have done it without them,” remarked Kraisser. “Watching them win their titles are some of my greatest memories, and now that I'm up there with them it is even better.”

Now that there are no more sons in the pipeline, the family dynasty will rest for now. Perhaps being rekindled down the road by the next generation of Kraissers? Cliff Kraisser, Calvin’s father and the coach of all his sons in high school, reflected on the journey now that it’s over.

“I feel blessed, very blessed,” Cliff said proudly. “I've told each of them that wrestling is something that they do, not who they are. I hope that people see them as hard workers that compete the right way. Staying humble, never taunting anyone or making them look bad. A fierce competitor inside the circle, and a respectful, honorable person outside of it. (I feel) joy [for Calvin]. They all love to compete and I'm glad that Calvin had as much success as his brothers.”

The other big story of this slate was No. 3 South Carroll going four-for-four in the finals with No. 2 JoJo Gigliotti (144) locking down his third consecutive crown and remaining on pace to become a four-timer.

“I thought the guys stepped up well when it meant the most all year,” reflected South Carroll coach Bryan Hamper. “Putting eight in the semis and going four-for-four in the finals is a great testament to the work they put in all year long. Our schedule was built this year in a way to test them throughout the season so that when the big matches came, they had been battle tested.”

Gigliotti used pins of 16 and 47 seconds in his first two bouts before rolling up a 21-5 technical fall of No. 10 Rhys Ferguson (Walkersville), who would come back to place third. In the finals, Gigliotti encountered Middletown’s No. 5 Alex DeVriendt, a wrestler he beat twice a year ago in a dual meet and at state duals. This meeting would serve the same master, as Gigliotti put a 4-1 decision on the bracket.

“Before the season started, we knew we had a special team,” offered Gigliotti. “I knew if our upper classmen stepped up to be leaders we could do some great things. My goal remained the same to win another title, but the goal was to push my teammates to get theirs too.”

No. 4 Landon Hamper (190) captured his second crown with a 5-1 win over Liberty’s No. 8 Kevin Kern. Hamper beat Kern to win the Carroll County and 2A/1A North Championships.

“(I’m) proud of our guys for stepping up in big matches this season,” Hamper said. “Four-for-four in the finals shows the work we did to prepare all season long. We had a tough schedule and were battle tested. If we keep pushing, next year can be even better”

Senior Evan Owen is ranked No. 2 at 138 and finally made it to the top of the podium after consecutive runner-up finishes and being fourth as a freshman. Owen pinned No. 7 Seth Crawford (Brunswick) at states last year, but it was closer in this year’s finals match with Owen blanking Crawford, 5-0.

“I really worked hard this offseason to put myself in the best position possible to win a state title,” said Owen. “Having been there twice before I just wanted to close my career out the right way”

No. 1 Eli Gabrielson (120) was second in the state and placed at National Preps a season ago for St. Mary’s Ryken. The sophomore transferred into South Carroll and posted an undefeated season at 41-0. Three pins (:52, 1:27, and 1:18) propelled Gabrielson into the finals where he rung up a 19-4 tech of No. 4 Matthew Beitzel (Northern Garrett).

“Eli was fantastic addition to our team,” Bryan Hamper said. “He fit in from day one and is an integral part of the culture we are building. He capped off a perfect season in dominating fashion at the state tournament and now has his sights set on a NHSCA title.”

Stephen Decatur’s No. 2 Elijah Collick (126) was another wrestler who collected his third title. Three tech falls paved the way for Collick’s run to the finals where he beat Huntingtown’s No. 6 Lenden Vercoe for the fourth time this season, 18-5. Collick, a junior, also beat Vercoe twice as a sophomore.

“I feel good about winning the championship,” said Collick. “I think my shots were executed effectively and I gave up no points but escapes, overall (my) performance was good.”

Three other wrestlers became two-time state champions, Boonsboro’s No. 1 Tanner Halling (132), Williamsport’s No. 3 Adin Hastings (215), and Calvert’s No. 2 Ethan Valdisera (113). Both of Halling’s and Hastings’ came as public-school wrestlers, Valdisera’s first was of the MIS variety with St. Mary’s Ryken.

Halling was third as a freshman, second as a sophomore and has now been on top twice in a row. This year’s title was won on a 22-5 tech of No. 3 Devon Opel (Northern Garrett). Halling beat Opel in the regional finals, 21-5, and in the state finals a year ago, 8-4.

“I’m super excited to get a second state title,” Halling continued. “Honestly it wasn’t my goal this year. My goal was to dominate every single match and prove to everyone that I was the best. I feel like I did exactly that at states. I wanted to dominate the match and show to everyone there that I was the man. I knew I would have Opel again in the finals. In last year’s finals match I didn’t dominate, and I hate to watch that match. So, I wanted to push the pace, break his spirit and show everyone that I was the baddest dude in that arena.”

Hasting’s first championship was earned when he was a sophomore after not placing as a freshman. Hastings was second last year and planted Stephen Decatur’s No. 4 Nate McDaniel in the second, 3:03, to earn a second crown.

“Getting back on top this year is relieving, however there is work to still be done,” Hastings added. “Last year’s placement definitely helped me this year. It helped me feel more calm, because the pressure was off of me. My performance was good, but there is more to do. I feel like my performance was a product of my hard work, and confidence from my coaches, teammates, and parents.”

Valdisera won a close match with Decatur’s No. 5 Juan Hinojosa, 4-2, to win his bracket. In the semis, Valdisera handed an 8-2 loss to South Carroll’s defending state champion, No. 4 Grayson Barnhill. The sophomore decked No. 17 Zaden Tablan (Harford Tech) in 20 seconds during the quarters.

Huntingtown’s No. 3 Will Buckler also left Ryken for public pastures this year and with that move collected his first state championship with a 5-0 shutout of No. 6 Caleb Brenneman (Northern Garrett). To reach that final, the senior put a 13-2 major decision on No. 4 Russell Fary (Sparrows Point), a defending state champ. Buckler was a three-time MIS placer who was a runner-up once and placed seventh at National Preps.

“Coming into the tournament, I knew I was going to win the state title,” remarked Buckler. “I wasn't going to let myself lose. I was excited to wrestle Russell Fary in the semis since he was undefeated the last two years. I wrestled a safer match than usual in the finals, I feel like I could have dominated that match a little more, but I got the job done and that’s what matters.”

Another former Knight grappler also migrated away from the private sector and landed at Lackey, No. 2 Ethan Vayro (175), and he too captured a state title. Vayro, a sophomore, was sixth in the MIS at 190. Vayro used two pins and a tech to reach the final where he got by Middletown’s No. 13 Carter Canale, 10-6.

No. 7 Wyatt Rossi gave Sparrows Point a champion at 106lbs when he avenged a loss from the South River Duals to Huntingtown’s No. 6 Owen Hayden. Rossi, who was fourth as a freshman, became a state champ as a sophomore on the strength of a 12-2 major decision of Hayden.

“My thoughts on winning a state title are that I earned it,” Rossi said matter-of-factly. “I pushed myself in the room and I worked towards this moment. I knew I could beat him even though he beat me earlier in the season. Me and my coaches knew that this year would be mine to win, and I showed them they were right. Thanks to my coaches and teammates that pushed me to be better. All that hard work paid off. Last year didn’t go the way I wanted it to go having battled through injuries, but I healed up and trained for this year and I won.”

No. 2 Zach Garvin (Rising Sun) had previously beaten No. 8 Blake Ashely (Huntingtown), 5-1, at War on the Shore on the way to a third place showing. In the 165lb finals, Garvin improved upon sixth and fifth place finishes at states, with another win over Ashely, 4-1.

Milford Mill’s No. 3 Amory Hills (285) placed third at the previous two state tournaments. As a senior, the big man made the move to the top of the podium with a 2-0 win over Patuxent’s No. 9 Jahkiye Dixon. Hills posted a major decision and two pins to reach the finals. Dixon upset No. 4 Keon Stewart (Randallstown), 4-1 SV OT, to advance.

South Carroll and Huntingtown won state dual meet tournament titles this year and those two were the cream of the crop at states with the Cavaliers placing eight wrestlers and the Hurricanes grabbing seven medals.

In addition to Huntingtown’s four finalists, No. 5 Tyler Hayden (175) was third, No. 9 Kyler Kiessling was fourth at 120, and No. 10 Will Stewart placed sixth at 132.

Placing third for South Carroll were No. 11 Jake Simione (106) and No. 13 Davy Snyder (157). No. 15 Brody Henry was fourth at 126 and Barnhill landed in the fifth spot.

Bryan Hamper offered up thoughts on his other champs as well.

“Having Evan get to end his career on the top of the podium was very special. Evan works tirelessly to be the best and he’s going to be a coach’s dream at Washington & Lee the way he works on and off the mat."

“Jojo is everything you want out of a leader. His work ethic is great, he builds his teammates up and it’s no surprise everyone he trains with is better as a result of Jojo. Instead of being happy with the work that’s been done he’s constantly striving to be the best version of himself."

“Landon capping off a great junior year with another title was huge for him. He battled through a pretty significant injury the last month of the season so as a coach you love when a kid can dig deep and push themselves through tough times. You learn a lot about yourself when your back is against the wall so him getting it done through all of that was great to see.”

Full Tournament Results

106-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Wyatt Rossi (Sparrows Point) 39-1, So. over Owen Hayden (Huntingtown) 44-3, So. (MD 12-2)

3rd Place Match

Jake Simione (South Carroll) 36-8, Fr. over Kayden Reid (Manchester Valley) 46-11, Fr. (Dec 3-1)

5th Place Match

Evan Mullen (Brunswick) 42-5, Sr. over Connor Cline (Hereford) 36-10, So. (Fall 0:50)

113-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Ethan Valdisera (Calvert) 34-0, So. over Juan Hinojosa (Stephen Decatur) 41-5, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

3rd Place Match

Brandon Wunder (Sparrows Point) 48-4, So. over Zaden Tablan (Harford Technical) 40-5, Sr. (MD 10-2)

5th Place Match

Grayson Barnhill (South Carroll) 41-4, Jr. over Carter Mullen (Brunswick) 43-6, Fr. (Fall 0:19)

120-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Eli Gabrielson (South Carroll) 41-0, So. over Matthew Beitzel (Northern-G) 40-3, Sr. (TF-1.5 3:40 (19-4))

3rd Place Match

Kane Desch (C. Milton Wright) 28-4, Sr. over Kyler Kiessling (Huntingtown) 35-5, Fr. (Fall 3:42)

5th Place Match

Connor Frank (North Caroline) 38-9, Jr. over Cameron Greene (Parkside) 34-11, Sr. (Dec 14-12)

126-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Elijah Collick (Stephen Decatur) 47-1, Jr. over Landon Vercoe (Huntingtown) 42-6, So. (MD 18-5)

3rd Place Match

Landon Shanks (Queen Annes County High School) 43-4, Jr. over Brody Henry (South Carroll) 38-9, So. (Fall 3:47)

5th Place Match

Phil Key (Glenelg) 37-9, Jr. over Mason Glotfelty (Northern-G) 36-9, So. (Dec 4-3)

132-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Tanner Halling (Boonsboro) 49-0, Sr. over Devon Opel (Northern-G) 37-4, Jr. (TF-1.5 2:27 (22-5))

3rd Place Match

Chase Ullmann (Eastern Technical) 28-2, Jr. over Mitchell Nguyen (C. Milton Wright) 38-9, Sr. (Fall 1:54)

5th Place Match

Sam Vissers (Hammond) 34-5, Sr. over Will Stewart (Huntingtown) 35-10, Jr. (Dec 13-8)

138-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Evan Owen (South Carroll) 34-2, Sr. over Seth Crawford (Brunswick) 42-4, Jr. (Dec 5-0)

3rd Place Match

Nate Taylor (Francis Scott Key) 37-6, Sr. over Brayden Polly (Eastern Technical) 28-8, Sr. (Dec 7-6)

5th Place Match

Bradyn VanDerVoort (Manchester Valley) 50-7, Jr. over Ashton Thompson (Catoctin) 45-8, So. (Dec 10-8)

144-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Jojo Gigliotti (South Carroll) 42-1, Jr. over Alex DeVriendt (Middletown) 43-3, Sr. (Dec 4-1)

3rd Place Match

Rhys Ferguson (Walkersville) 36-4, Jr. over Gabe Hernandez (Damascus) 52-5, Sr. (Fall 1:42)

5th Place Match

Alex Hynes (Patapsco) 29-4, Sr. over Beau Snell (Manchester Valley) 47-9, So. (Fall 4:00)

150-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Calvin Kraisser (Centennial) 39-1, Sr. over Mason Boyd (North East) 42-4, Sr. (Fall 2:46)

3rd Place Match

Lucas Wolf (Northern-G) 39-6, So. over Scottie Ford (Kent County) 31-4, Jr. (SV-1 3-0)

5th Place Match

Josh Choi (Glenelg) 38-8, Jr. over William Chism (Henry E. Lackey) 40-11, Jr. (Dec 4-2)

157-2A/1A

1st Place Match

William Buckler (Huntingtown) 21-1, Sr. over Caleb Brenneman (Northern-G) 39-4, Sr. (Dec 5-0)

3rd Place Match

Davy Snyder (South Carroll) 36-8, So. over Amarian Manuel (Stephen Decatur) 24-5, Sr. (UTB 3-2)

5th Place Match

Henry Graham (Middletown) 36-9, Sr. over Russell Fary (Sparrows Point) 39-3, Sr. (Inj. 0:00)

165-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Zach Garvin (Rising Sun) 43-1, Jr. over Blake Ashley (Huntingtown) 44-4, Sr. (Dec 4-1)

3rd Place Match

Chris Gaeng (Winters Mill) 44-2, Sr. over Devin Sweeney (C. Milton Wright) 35-9, Sr. (MD 13-2)

5th Place Match

Cregg Ngounou (Owings Mills) 45-7, Sr. over Shimma Wexler (Poolesville) 36-5, Sr. (Fall 4:36)

175-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Ethan Vayro (Henry E. Lackey) 42-1, So. over Carter Canale (Middletown) 40-4, Jr. (Dec 10-6)

3rd Place Match

Tyler Hayden (Huntingtown) 38-8, Sr. over Zoya Wexler (Poolesville) 37-6, So. (TF-1.5 3:00 (17-1))

5th Place Match

JT Ferguson (Century) 46-5, Sr. over Jahaan Fields (North East) 38-8, Sr. (Fall 2:59)

190-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Landon Hamper (South Carroll) 42-2, Jr. over Kevin Kern (Liberty) 40-4, Jr. (Dec 5-1)

3rd Place Match

Adam Keever (Hereford) 35-9, Jr. over John Davis (New Town) 33-5, . (Dec 13-8)

5th Place Match

Gerald Hayden Smith (Middletown) 37-13, Sr. over Xavier Nichols (Hammond) 42-5, Jr. (Fall 4:48)

215-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Adin Hastings (Williamsport) 46-3, Sr. over Nate McDaniel (Stephen Decatur) 43-2, Sr. (Fall 3:03)

3rd Place Match

Elijah Farr (Rising Sun) 39-4, Sr. over Olasubomi Atanlogun (New Town) 36-8, . (Fall 0:49)

5th Place Match

Holden Young (North Harford) 38-11, Sr. over Kaosisochu Ukiwe (Maurice J. McDonough) 30-7, Jr. (Dec 7-3)

285-2A/1A

1st Place Match

Amory Hills (Milford Mill Academy) 31-0, Sr. over Jahkiye Dixon (Patuxent) 31-8, Jr. (Dec 2-0)

3rd Place Match

Cru Boog (Manchester Valley) 53-2, Sr. over Sima Saavedra (La Plata) 32-5, Jr. (Fall 3:47)

5th Place Match

Lane Riggleman (Brunswick) 44-6, Jr. over Keon Stewart (Randallstown) 29-6, Jr. (Dec 4-2)