Annapolis on Top of the Podium

Sixth-ranked Annapolis junior Mike Groszkowski knows what it’s like to have faced top competition, having lost twice each to state champions against 40 victories a year ago.

Groszkowski’s record of 40-2 last season included one setback against three-time Class 2A-1A state champion Elijah Collick of Stephen Decatur, who is a top-ranked 132-pound senior this year in pursuit of his first crown in the Class 4A-3A after three in 2A-1A.

In last year’s season-ending Class 4A-3A state title bout at 132 pounds, Groszkowski succumbed to Einstein’s repeat champion Stone Yuen.

“Having finished second in the state tournament last year, my goal is to return stronger and win the state championship,” Groszkowski said. “I’m fortunate to have supportive teammates and a fantastic coaching staff who are helping me to achieve these goals.”

Groszkowski was back in action at last weekend’s 16-team Andy Perez Tournament at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School, where his 138-pound title led the

Panthers (234 points) past runner-up Seaford, Delaware (222.5) for the crown.

Groszkowski used falls in 17, 61 and 72 seconds to reach the finals, where he earned a 20-10 major decision over North Caroline’s 11th-ranked senior Conner Frank, a returning Bayside and Class 2A-1A East Region title winner who was fifth at states.

“I had a great start to this season last weekend,” Groszkowski said. “It was good to be able to test myself early in the season against a regional champion and a state placewinner.”

Joining Groszkowski on the victory podium were sophomore Finn Carol (106), junior Christian Snavely (175) and senior Charlie Drayton (150) among the Panthers' five finalists and seven wrestlers who placed within the top four of their weight classes.

The Panthers also had a runner-up in sophomore Leonidas Sfakiyanudis (157), a third-place effort from junior Chris Lima (215), and a fourth-place finish from junior Blake Gezelle (126), helping their team to improve on last year's runner-up finish at the Andy Perez Tournament.

The Panthers are coached by Leonidas' father, Tom Sfakiyanudis, a 1992 Annapolis graduate who was a county champion, regional runner-up and a Class 4A-3A state semifinalist.

"Putting five guys in the finals in a 16-team tournament was a true team effort," Tom Sfakiyanudis said. "We had a first seed out with the flu and these guys rallied and scored some points. Everyone in the lineup scored some points. I am very proud of this group."

Groszkowski is continuing a family wrestling legacy. His father, Kevin, and his uncles, Sean and Tim, were Baltimore County champions at Franklin High.

Sean was a Class 4A-3A state champion at 135 pounds as a senior in 1995, winning his title match, 10-2, over Blake Zimmet of Churchill.

Tim was a 140-pound Class 4A-3A state runner-up in 1997 following an 11-10 loss to Darren Black of Frederick Douglass.

A year ago, Groszkowski used falls in 26 and 42 seconds to reach his Anne Arundel County title match, where he earned an 18-5 major decision over Northeast sophomore Blake Harris.

A week later at the Class 4A-3A East Region tournament, Groszkowski used falls in 4:51 and 2:49 before scoring a title bout 17-2 technical fall over junior Yasir Ruffin of Great Mills.

Groszkowski reached last year's Class 4A-3A state semifinals finals following a 68-second pin, an 18-3 technical fall.

To reach the championship match, Groszkowski earned a 15-10 semifinal victory over eventual fourth place finishing Cooper Cammarata of Tuscarora, who was a champion in the Frederick County and Class 4A-3A West Region tournaments.

“It’s good to be back competing after all of the hard work with my team in the offseason,” Groszkowski said. “I am also excited to lead my team to another regional dual team title and beyond.”

Snavely used pins in 3:40 and 78 seconds to reach his finals bout, where he blanked St. Michaels' junior Jacob Jenkins by a 9-0 major decision.

Drayton earned three decisions comprising those by scores of 20-16, 11-4 and 7-2, the latter in his title match with junior Therrensky Alexis of Seaford High in Delaware.

Carol earned a pin in 1:41, an 18-3 technical fall, an 8-0 decision and a 7-0 championship shutout of North Dorchester junior Parker Gomez which avenged an earlier, 18-12, loss to Gomez during the pool play qualifying rounds.

"Mike, Leo and Christian were their No. 1 seed, so their performances were expected," Tom Sfakiyanudis said. "But it was great to see Charlie Drayton and Finn Carol in the finals. Finn had to grind it out to get there."

St. Michaels' crowned senior Hudson Jones (120) and junior Willie Coale (126), as did Northeast-Anne Arundel in third-ranked senior Beau Schmidt (157) and junior Anthony Daniels (190).

Jones used a 29-second pin along with a 17-2 technical fall to reach the title match, where he outlasted North Caroline senior Darly Ortega for a 10-6 decision. Ortega was a champion in the Bayside Conference and Class 2A-1A East Regions last season.

Coale won his title match with a fall in 5:21 over Chopticon sophomore Zack Scarborough after having decked a pair of rivals in 53 and 78 seconds before winning his overtime semifinal bout, 13-10, against Wilmington Friends junior Kyler Flemming. Flemming finished third.

Schmidt nailed down a pin in 3:22 followed by a 20-3 technical fall before winning his title match, 7-2, over Leonidas Sfakiyanudis. Schmidt has earned three Anne Arundel County titles, a pair of regional crowns in three championship berths and finished second twice and sixth once at states.

Daniels' route to the title comprised a fall in 4:33, a 6-3 semifinal decision over Chopticon's senior third-place finisher Logen Grimm, and a 4-0 championship shutout of Cambridge/South Dorchester senior Dion Edmunds.

Other champions were Kent County's 10th-ranked senior Scottie Ford (165), Wicomico senior Kevin Mondestin (215) and Cambridge/South Dorchester sophomore Reggie Parker (285).

Ford's championship, 3-2 decision over senior Sloan Makoujy of Wilmington Friends, was preceded by an 18-2 technical fall, a 12-4 major decision and an 11-5 decision. Ford is a two-time Bay Conference champion who placed first and second in the Class 2A-1A Region and was fourth at Class 2A-1A states last year.

Parker decked all three opponents in 2:46, 1:46 and 57 seconds, the latter in his title match with Seaford senior Johnnan Dutervil. Mondestin earned pins in 60 and seven seconds before dominating his title bout with a 10-1 major decision over Mardela sophomore Carter Parsons.

Team Scores

1 Annapolis 234.0

2 Seaford DE 222.5

3 St Michaels 210.0

4 North Caroline 199.5

5 Chopticon 191.5

6 Colonel Richardson 171.0

7 Northeast (AA) 168.0

8 Wilmington Friends H S, DE 167.0

9 Wicomico 136.5

10 Nandua, VA 118.0

11 Cambridge/South Dorchester 116.5

12 Mardela 104.0

13 James M Bennett 73.5

14 Kent County 71.0

15 North Dorchester 57.5

16 Bohemia Manor 32.0

106

1st Place Match

Finn Carol (Annapolis) 5-1, So. over Parker Gomez (North Dorchester) 5-1, Jr. (Dec 7-0)

3rd Place Match

Colin Taylor (Chopticon) 5-1, Jr. over Eyan Garcia (North Caroline) 3-3, So. (Dec 6-5)

5th Place Match

Macin Brown (Northeast (AA)) 3-3, Fr. over Nya Parker (Wilmington Friends H S) 2-7, Jr. (Dec 9-7)

7th Place Match

Mercy Haddaway (St Michaels) 2-4, Jr. over Bruce Ineus (Nandua) 0-6, . (For.)

113

1st Place Match

DonRognay Leme (Seaford H S) 3-0, Jr. over Andrew Sanchez (St Michaels) 2-1, Jr. (MD 12-4)

3rd Place Match

Rossie Bell (Chopticon) 3-1, So. over Grady Shaw (James M Bennett Senior) 2-2, So. (Fall 2:29)

5th Place Match

Gabriel Lopez (North Caroline) 3-2, So. over Chris Reynoso (Wicomico) 1-3, Jr. (Fall 3:39)

7th Place Match

Jordan Dalby (Wilmington Friends H S) 2-2, Fr. over Sam Logullo (Bohemia Manor) 0-3, . (Fall 0:45)

9th Place Match

Brice Robinson (Cambridge/South Dorchester) 0-2, Fr. over () , . (Bye)

120

1st Place Match

Hudson Jones (St Michaels) 3-0, Sr. over Darly Ortega (North Caroline) 2-1, Sr. (Dec 10-6)

3rd Place Match

Brody Omohundro (Colonel Richardson) 3-1, So. over Peter Cephas Jr. (Seaford H S) 4-2, Fr. (Dec 16-15)

5th Place Match

Asher Twilley (Wilmington Friends H S) 24-16, So. over Nehemias Simon Hernandez (Wicomico) 1-3, Jr. (Fall 1:41)

7th Place Match

Richard Gleason (Chopticon) 1-2, Sr. over Fared Hasani (Northeast (AA)) 1-3, So. (Fall 1:28)

9th Place Match

Caden Hoffman (Nandua) 2-2, over Zeyad Ataya (James M Bennett Senior) 0-3, So. (Dec 13-12)

126

1st Place Match

Willie Coale (St Michaels) 4-0, Jr. over Zack Scarborough (Chopticon) 2-1, So. (Fall 5:21)

3rd Place Match

Kyler Fleming (Wilmington Friends H S) 25-6, Jr. over Blake Gezelle (Annapolis) 4-2, Jr. (Dec 10-7)

5th Place Match

Juli n Adkins (Seaford H S) 4-2,. over Gavin Purnell (Mardela) 2-3, So. (Fall 4:13)

7th Place Match

Landen Andrews (North Dorchester) 3-2, Jr. over Ethan Hartford (Northeast (AA)) 1-3, Jr. (Fall 2:17)

9th Place Match

Samuel Heimbach (North Caroline) 3-2, So. over Jaden White (Wicomico) 1-3, Jr. (Fall 1:30)

132

1st Place Match

Cooper Miller (Wilmington Friends H S) 28-18, So. over Roginaldo Leme (Seaford H S) 2-1, Sr. (Dec 14-13)

3rd Place Match

Erlin Romero (St Michaels) 3-1, So. over Matthew Bush (Mardela) 3-2, Jr. (Fall 2:33)

5th Place Match

Landon Merritt (Kent County) 3-2, Jr. over Cavon`yae Childs (Colonel Richardson) 1-3, So. (Fall 2:46)

7th Place Match

William Tingle (James M Bennett Senior) 2-2, Jr. over Parker Joebchen (Annapolis) 1-3, Sr. (Dec 3-0)

9th Place Match

Landen Leiendecker (Chopticon) 3-2, Jr. over Isreal Mora-Murillo (North Caroline) 1-3, Jr. (Fall 4:35)

138

1st Place Match

Michael Groszkowski (Annapolis) 4-0, Jr. over Conner Frank (North Caroline) 2-1, Sr. (MD 20-10)

3rd Place Match

Blake Harris (Northeast (AA)) 5-1, Jr. over Brayden McLaughlin (Wilmington Friends H S) 39-12, So. (Dec 4-0)

5th Place Match

Jalen McCalpin (Cambridge/South Dorchester) 3-2, Jr. over Ethan Cooper (Seaford H S) 1-3, So. (TF-1.5 3:09 (18-2))

7th Place Match

Ben Murphy (St Michaels) 3-2, Sr. over Kegan Henry (North Dorchester) 2-3, Sr. (Fall 1:40)

9th Place Match

Nathan Shaw (Chopticon) 3-2, Sr. over Amio Destine (Nandua) 2-3, Fr. (Fall 2:21)

144

1st Place Match

Arnoldson Destine (Nandua) 3-0, Sr. over Jacob Carpenter (North Caroline) 3-1, Sr. (Fall 1:50)

3rd Place Match

Evan Alexander (Colonel Richardson) 3-1, Jr. over Vinny Holmes (Chopticon) 2-2, Sr. (Dec 1-0)

5th Place Match

Noah Iacona (Kent County) 4-2, Sr. over Manny Henry (St Michaels) 3-3, So. (Dec 12-10)

7th Place Match

Garrett Mykins (Annapolis) 2-2, Sr. over Zahir Boyd (Cambridge/South Dorchester) 2-3, So. (MD 8-0)

9th Place Match

Justin Schultz Jr (Northeast (AA)) 3-2, So. over Kameron Matthews (Seaford H S) 1-3, Sr. (Fall 3:42)

150

1st Place Match

Charlie Drayton (Annapolis) 4-0, Sr. over Therrensky Alexis (Seaford H S) 3-1, Jr. (Dec 7-2)

3rd Place Match

Taft Bailey (Chopticon) 4-1, Sr. over Kenji Talabert (Wicomico) 3-2, Jr. (Dec 2-1)

5th Place Match

Gary Koeneman (Colonel Richardson) 3-2, Sr. over Lumuel Yonas (James M Bennett Senior) 3-3, Sr. (Fall 2:04)

7th Place Match

Jamal Wallace (Cambridge/South Dorchester) 3-2, Sr. over Addison Davis (Mardela) 1-3, Sr. (Dec 16-9)

9th Place Match

Marquise Galica (Nandua) 3-2, So. over Wyatt Currie (St Michaels) 2-3, . (Fall 1:35)

157

1st Place Match

Beau Schmidt (Northeast (AA)) 3-0, Sr. over Leonidas Sfakiyanudis (Annapolis) 2-1, So. (Dec 7-2)

3rd Place Match

Anthony Alexander (Colonel Richardson) 4-1, Jr. over Armando Meneses-Vazquez (Nandua) 3-2, Sr. (Fall 1:48)

5th Place Match

Anthony Shepherd (North Caroline) 4-2, Sr. over Cordell Whitaker (Cambridge/South Dorchester) 3-3, So. (TF-1.5 2:06 (17-1))

7th Place Match

Jackson Auer (Bohemia Manor) 2-2, over Ty`aire Buffalo (Seaford H S) 1-3, Jr. (Dec 7-6)

9th Place Match

Kaiden Bowling (Chopticon) 3-2, Jr. over Silas Showacre (St Michaels) 2-3, . (MD 16-3)

165

1st Place Match

Scottie Ford (Kent County) 4-0, Sr. over Sloan Makoujy (Wilmington Friends H S) 46-10, Sr. (Dec 3-2)

3rd Place Match

Doubensly Saint Jean (Seaford H S) 4-1, Sr. over Michael Dyke (North Caroline) 4-2, Jr. (MD 10-2)

5th Place Match

Max Schmidt (Northeast (AA)) 4-2, Sr. over Adelson Theajune (Wicomico) 2-3, Sr. (MD 10-1)

7th Place Match

Lucas Osterwalder (James M Bennett Senior) 3-2, Sr. over Jayden Coleman (North Dorchester) 2-3, Sr. (Fall 4:33)

9th Place Match

Lane Cappa (St Michaels) 3-2, Jr. over Roman Holmes (Chopticon) 2-3, Sr. (Fall 2:27)

175

1st Place Match

Christian Snavely (Annapolis) 3-0, Jr. over Jacob Jenkins (St Michaels) 2-1, Jr. (MD 9-0)

3rd Place Match

Troy Lucas (Northeast (AA)) 3-1, Sr. over Richard Taylor (Colonel Richardson) 3-2, Jr. (Dec 7-1)

5th Place Match

Rowen Okerblom (Wicomico) 4-2, Sr. over Joshua Rittenhouse (North Caroline) 3-3, Jr. (Fall 3:33)

7th Place Match

Ryan Ruslander (Chopticon) 3-2, Jr. over Kole Bailey (Mardela) 1-3, Sr. (Fall 2:30)

9th Place Match

John Lankford (North Dorchester) 2-2, Jr. over Eddy Ortiz-Miguel (Nandua) 1-3, . (Fall 1:59)

190

1st Place Match

Anthony Daniels Jr (Northeast (AA)) 4-0, Jr. over Dion Edmunds (Cambridge/South Dorchester) 2-1, Sr. (Dec 4-0)

3rd Place Match

Logen Grimm (Chopticon) 3-1, Sr. over Grayson Melvin (Mardela) 2-2, Sr. (MD 10-1)

5th Place Match

Matt Fineman (Wilmington Friends H S) 28-22, Sr. over Roldan Roblero-Romero (Nandua) 2-3, Sr. (Fall 2:06)

7th Place Match

Samay Kumar (Annapolis) 3-2, Jr. over Gavin McKew (Bohemia Manor) 1-3, . (Dec 7-2)

9th Place Match

Billguy Estime (Seaford H S) 2-2, So. over Willie Graves (Wicomico) 0-3, Jr. (Dec 3-2)

215

1st Place Match

Keven Mondestin (Wicomico) 3-0, Sr. over Carter Parsons (Mardela) 2-1, So. (MD 10-1)

3rd Place Match

Chris Lima (Annapolis) 3-1, Jr. over Dominique Rosado (Colonel Richardson) 3-2, So. (Dec 10-8)

5th Place Match

Esdras Vernues (James M Bennett Senior) 2-2, So. over Lorenzo Ramirez (Bohemia Manor) 2-2, . (M. For.)

7th Place Match

James Kuhoric IV (Seaford H S) 1-2, So. over Mario Castillo-Garcia (Nandua) 0-3, Sr. (Fall 2:15)

9th Place Match

Luke Montgomery (Chopticon) 0-2, So. over () , . (Bye)

285

1st Place Match

Reggie Parker (Cambridge/South Dorchester) 3-0, So. over Johnnan Dutervil (Seaford H S) 3-1, Sr. (Fall 0:57)

3rd Place Match

Ricky Escalante-Perez (Nandua) 4-1, Sr. over Kaysen Belhike (Colonel Richardson) 2-2, So. (Fall 0:28)

5th Place Match

Cayleb Edwards (Wicomico) 2-2, So. over Jeremiah Hilliard (Mardela) 2-3, . (Fall 0:17)

7th Place Match

Justin Godinez (North Caroline) 1-2, Sr. over Lawson Wathen (Chopticon) 0-3, Jr. (Fall 4:56)

9th Place Match

Taevon Butler (Annapolis) 1-2, Jr. over Danny Rodriguez (James M Bennett Senior) 1-3, Jr. (Dec 15-14)