Landon senior James Hanley finished St. Stephens/St. Agnes sophomore Joe Gifford 75 seconds into their 120-pound bout to earn his second straight Interscholastic Athletic Conference title before a home crowd on Saturday.
The fourth-ranked Hanley improved to 32-3 on the year, being joined on the victory podium by sophomore Joe Papalia (126), freshman Max Murray (144) and junior French (DP) Pope (190) as the Bears (191 points) overcame runner-up Georgetown Prep (157) and third place Bullis (151.5) for their third straight IAC tournament crown and their fifth in the past six years.
Finishing second for the Bears in the six-team event were seniors Nate Furgeson (165) and Owen Kelly (175), juniors Connor Koegel (157) and Tiller Smith (215), freshman Domingo Escudero (113) and sophomore Makana Neverosky (138).
“I have won two IAC titles, but I have not won a state title,” said Hanley, a runner-up at last year's Maryland Independent Schools' State Tournament who will attend Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. "I’m looking forward to states and National Preps. Every year at Preps, I’ve gone 2-2. I plan to show the work I’ve put in over the past four years.”
Papalia flattened St. Stephens/St. Agnes sophomore Josh Bauer in 32 seconds, Murray finished Georgetown Prep freshman Ethan Rossignol in 2:56, and Pope won by major decision, 17-9, over Georgetown Prep senior Jude Howard.
Coached by Andy Katz, the Bears finished at 14-2 last year, winning their IAC tournament with eight champions among 12 finalists and placing third at the private schools state tournament.
“In all my years of coaching at Landon, this is the first IAC championship we earned at home. In previous years, we were in position too, but let it slip through our fingers,” Katz said. “The team faced a lot of adversity this week. We had several starters out sick, skin issues, and injuries. The rest of the league is sick of losing to us and several teams shifted their tough wrestlers to take us out. But the Bears prevailed. This year, it was earned."
The runner-up Hoyas crowned freshmen William Jacques (106) and Freddy Brinkman (113), sophomore Constantine Polis (175) and junior Conner Lee (138).
Polis planted his rival in 66 seconds, Brinkman decked Escudero in 2:38, Lee pinned Neverosky in 5:21, and Jacques improved his record to 37-4 with a 10-2 major decision over Carson Bishop of St. Stephens/St. Agnes.
Junior Sepanta Ahanj-Elias (165) won his second straight IAC title for the third-place Bulldogs, being joined on the victory podium by first-time champions in freshmen Noah Tucker (150) and Salah Tsarni (157) along with junior RJ Bucknor (132).
Bullis is coached by Drew Robertson, a 1999 DeMatha graduate, a four-time WCAC champion, winner of three state titles in four final appearances, and two National Preps crowns after having placed fifth and third.
"Today was the first step towards accomplishing our end of the season goals. The intensity in the practice room definitely turned up a notch this week, and our wrestlers delivered. These four guys seem to be firing on all cylinders right now," Robertson said. "The practice room is often a flurry of scrambles as these four guys generally work in a group together. Points are tough to come by as all four are equally competitive and stingy on giving up any position."
Ahanj-Elias improved to 23-3 with his 16th fall of the year, finishing Furgeson in 2:35. Tsarni took 2:37 to earn his 25th pin of the year against Koegel, raising his record on the year to 34-3.
Bucknor finished off Colton Moore of St. Stephens/St. Agnes in 3:29 for his 11th fall of the season, improving his record to 14-1. Tucker is 33-4 with 25 pins following a fall in 2:34 of his title bout with senior Aidan Koch of St. Stephens/St. Agnes.
"Rj and Sepanta have provided great leadership having been here for two years already, while Noah and Salah are the new blood that pumps energy into the room. RJ and Sepanta know what it takes to wrestle in these upcoming tournaments and how tough they can be," Robertson said. "I am certain that Noah and Salah are ready to make names for themselves after frequently being doubted as 'just being freshmen.' We definitely have our sights set on four strong finishes at MIS States and four National Prep All-Americans by season's end."
106
1st Place Match
William Jacques (Georgetown Prep) 37-4, Fr. over Carson Bishop (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 1-1, Fr. (MD 10-2)
3rd Place Match
Dennis Leary (Landon) 15-9, Fr. over () , . (Bye)
113
1st Place Match
Freddy Brinkman (Georgetown Prep) 33-7, Fr. over Domingo Escudero (Landon) 16-8, Fr. (Fall 2:38)
3rd Place Match
Cyrus Sabet (St. Albans School) 13-7, So. over Solomon Clark (Bullis School) 9-10, So. (Fall 4:14)
120
1st Place Match
James Hanley (Landon) 32-3, Sr. over Joe Gifford (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 1-1, So. (Fall 1:15)
3rd Place Match
Jack Luchsinger (Georgetown Prep) 21-9, So. over () , . (Bye)
126
1st Place Match
Joe Papalia (Landon) 19-6, So. over Josh Bauer (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 1-1, So. (Fall 0:32)
3rd Place Match
Andy Pan (Episcopal) 10-15, So. over () , . (Bye)
132
1st Place Match
Rohan (RJ) Bucknor (Bullis School) 13-1, Jr. over Colton Moore (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 1-1, So. (Fall 3:29)
3rd Place Match
Constantine Asso (Georgetown Prep) 17-24, So. over () , . (Bye)
138
1st Place Match
Conner Lee (Georgetown Prep) 14-14, Jr. over Makana Neverosky (Landon) 5-3, So. (Fall 5:21)
3rd Place Match
Luca Leonardo (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 1-1, Fr. over Liam Garrett (St. Albans School) 1-6, Fr. (Fall 3:50)
144
1st Place Match
Max Murray (Landon) 9-9, Fr. over Ethan Rossignol II (Georgetown Prep) 18-22, Fr. (Fall 2:56)
3rd Place Match
Mason Aleo (Bullis School) 3-11, Fr. over () , . (Bye)
150
1st Place Match
Noah Tucker (Bullis School) 33-4, Fr. over Aidan Koch (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 2-1, Sr. (Fall 2:34)
3rd Place Match
Justin Jackson (Georgetown Prep) 20-24, So. over Gabriel Donoghue (St. Albans School) 7-13, So. (Fall 2:18)
157
1st Place Match
Salah Tsarni (Bullis School) 34-3, Fr. over Connor Koegel (Landon) 11-16, Jr. (Fall 2:37)
3rd Place Match
Jeremiah Biggs (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 1-1, Sr. over Nicholas Daniel (Episcopal) 8-17, Jr. (Fall 2:54)
165
1st Place Match
Sepanta Ahanj-Elias (Bullis School) 23-3, Jr. over Nate Furgeson (Landon) 24-8, Sr. (Fall 2:35)
3rd Place Match
Michael Zito (Episcopal) 9-4, So. over Nick Aguiar (Georgetown Prep) 26-13, Jr. (Fall 2:26)
175
1st Place Match
Constantine Polis (Georgetown Prep) 25-18, So. over Owen Kelly (Landon) 8-9, Sr. (Fall 1:06)
3rd Place Match
Grayson Foa (Bullis School) 7-9, Fr. over John Terry (Episcopal) 13-13, So. (Dec 8-4)
190
1st Place Match
French (DP) Pope (Landon) 26-9, Jr. over Jude Howard (Georgetown Prep) 34-7, Sr. (MD 17-9)
3rd Place Match
Giancarlo Gamarra (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 1-1, Sr. over John Melrose (St. Albans School) 0-6, Fr. (Fall 1:34)
215
1st Place Match
James Blackman (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 2-0, Sr. over Tiller Smith (Landon) 31-5, Jr. (TF-1.5 4:23 (20-3))
3rd Place Match
Matthew Zito (Episcopal) 17-6, Sr. over Tayo Makinde (Georgetown Prep) 15-24, Sr. (Fall 0:15)
285
1st Place Match
Zack Helmreich (St. Stephens/St. Agnes) 1-0, Sr. over Ryan Ikwuemese (Georgetown Prep) 13-21, So. (Fall 2:54)
3rd Place Match
George Allen (Landon) 5-5, Sr. over () , . (Bye)
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