McDonogh Beats Spalding

McDonogh topples Archbishop Spalding, again. It was almost 11 months ago when McDonogh beat Spalding during their last head-to-head dual meet at the end of the 2025 season.

January wrestling has begun and the Tuesday after the long holiday has many out of sorts still as the crushing reality of life getting back to normal is smacking you upside the head. Whether or not that was the case for No. 1 Archbishop Spalding as they visited No. 5 McDonogh is unknown, what is known, though, is the Cavaliers received an unexpected setback to begin the new year with a 34-30 loss.

“I knew they probably had an edge on paper, but if our kids wrestled well, we could make it really close and possibly pull something out,” said McDonogh coach Pete Welch. “I’m proud of how or team is coming together. They are young but all great kids that are working hard together."

For one of the few times in recent years, neither team would forfeit a match. Full lineups from two top five teams in the state gave hope of a classic dual and this one ended up delivering on that front.

The intrigue built ahead of the first whistle and that was delivered upon at the end. Two streaks defined the lower weights. One more for McDonogh at the top would make pave the path to victory.

Welch has always been a shrewd strategist, so his bumping up of Dominic Manna to 165, who is ranked No. 5 at 157 pounds, allowed Welch to sacrifice Henry Byram to No. 1 Zane Leitzel (honorable mention nationally by High School On SI) at 157. Leitzel collected a quick 39 second pin.

When Manna trotted out at 165 pounds to face No. 15 Josh Taylor, McDonogh was in a twelve-point hole, 27-15. Manna rolled to a pleasantly received 16-3 major decision. Unranked Caden Gardner provided the only upset of the dual and it was the fuel that fed the unexpected team outcome as Gardner edged No. 14 Spencer Ferguson, 9-8.

The favored grappler from McDonogh, No. 9 Giuseppe DiMonte, came through at 190 pounds for the third straight Eagles win by sticking No. 14 Luke Winkler in 3:21, to give them their first lead since the early going, 28-27. Two bouts remained on the card.

On paper, it seemed like the Cavaliers would win at 215, possibly with bonus points, and then a tossup match at heavyweight would decide the victor.

No. 9 Luke Barulli was summoned to face unranked Declan Vaughan at 215 pounds but was not able to add enough additional points to his count and settled for the minimum of three on a 10-4 decision.

The anticipation was unbearable as a winner-take-all ending was about to unfold with No. 15 Logan Brown squaring off with No. 16 Michael Byrne. Their closeness in the state rankings meant no one could say with certainty who would come out ahead. As the match neared its end, Brown was able to shut it down early as he secured the fall with 53 ticks left on the clock, 5:07.

The Eagles ended strongly by winning four of the final five matches. They began the night with two straight wins and a 9-0 advantage after No. 5 Braidyn Taby handed No. 6 Lane Gowl a 6-3 loss and No. 2 Jacob Naylor pinned Summer Mutschler at 113 pounds. Mutschler is a top-rated girl in Maryland and top ten nationally.

Mutschler’s partner on the ladies’ national scene, No. 2 Taina Fernandez, also competed in the dual and won an 11-9 decision over No. 6 Cole Genua at 144 pounds to end a five match Spalding win streak that started with Summer’s brother Charlie at 120 pounds. Fernandez, a two-time World Champion, is ranked number one for girls in Maryland and the country at 140 pounds.

When Fernandez stepped off the mat, the Cavaliers were up 21-9. Three consecutive technical falls got their origin with Charlie Mutschler (No. 1 at 113) ringing up a 20-5 tally against Reid Swirnow at 120 pounds. No. 1 Eli Gabrielson’s tech was of the 18-2 variety versus No. 11 Damian Manna (126). No. 4 Isaac Cicchetti’s 16-1 count over No. 5 Wes Baumgartner at 132 pounds completed the trifecta.

No. 2 Quentin Bailey (138 pounds) added a 5-1 win against No. 8 Mason Comegys before Fernandez added her three. Blake Taylor, who beat No. 7 Oscar Davis (Curley) at the Naylor Duals, ended the Cavaliers run with a 4:29 fall of Rudolph Berry III at 150 pounds to arrive at the closing of our tale that began with Leitzel not facing Manna.

“We were in some tough matches where our kids fought to minimize the bonus points,” Welch offered. “Then when we had the opportunity to grab some we did. I am excited for this good young group. We still have a lot of growing to do and challenges ahead. It’s nice to be back in the conversation.”

McDonogh 34, Archbishop Spalding 30

(match started at 106)

106-Braidyn Taby (M) dec Lane Gowl, 6-3

113-Jacob Naylor (M) pinned Summer Mutschler, :40

120-Charlie Mutschler (AS) tech fall Reid Swirnow, 20-5

126-Eli Gabrielson (AS) tech fall Damian Manna, 18-2

132-Isaac Cicchetti (AS) tech fall Wes Baumgartner, 16-1

138-Quentin Bailey (AS) dec Mason Comegys, 5-1

144-Taina Fernandez (AS) dec Cole Genua, 11-9

150-Blake Taylor (M) pinned Rudoplh Berry III, 4:29

157-Zane Leitzel (AS) pinned Henry Byram, :39

165-Dominic Manna (M) maj dec Josh Taylor, 16-3

175-Caden Gardner (M) dec Spencer Ferguson, 9-8

190-Giuseppe DiMonte (M) pinned Luke Winkler, 3:21

215-Luke Barulli (AS) dec Declan Vaughan, 10-4

285-Logan Brown (M) pinned Michael Byrne, 5:07