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Owen pushes through adversity

Writer's picture: Legacy WrestlingLegacy Wrestling

Clarksburg’s Owen Pelaez was having a freshman season of a lifetime entering his quarterfinal bout at the Class 4A-3A state tournament.


Pelaez had won his Montgomery County title on a pin, a 9-0 major decision, and 15-9 title match victory over senior regional champion Andre Henene of Blair.


At regionals, Pelaez was even more dominant with a pair of falls, including one in 4:32 of his title bout with sophomore Jason Beale of Northwest, whom he had blanked, 9-0, in the county semifinals.


But after winning his first-round match at states by a score of 15-1, Pelaez lost his quarterfinal, 5-4, to Centennial freshman Calvin Kraisser. And while Kraisser completed a 27-0 season for his first of three state championships, Pelaez lost his next bout to Beale, 12-4, eliminating him from the tournament.


Now a senior whose record of 30-0 includes 14 pins and 10 technical falls, Pelaez has twice pinned Beale to increase his series lead against him to 3-1.


“My freshman year at states, I took a loss to Calvin, someone I had previously beaten a couple of times in middle school,” Pelaez said. “It was a close match, but his gas tank was just bigger than mine. Wrestling has taught me a lot about persevering through adversity.”

Three years later, Pelaez is among the Coyotes’ most accomplished wrestlers with a program-leading career record of 155-14 that includes 99 pins and 15 technical falls. Pelaez has far surpassed second-place Nick Gonzalez, an assistant coach who placed third and fourth in the states in 2017 and 2018.


“Owen’s the current Clarksburg career wins leader,” said Coyotes’ coach Rob Pinsky, in his 24th-season. “He’s surpassed Nick Gonzalez, who is on our coaching staff, with 138 career wins.”


Ranked third at 150 pounds, Pelaez could become the Coyotes’ first four-time Montgomery County champion and only the fifth wrestler to ever accomplish that feat in the county. Pelaez has also placed fifth and third in the past two state tournaments and won a pair of regional titles in three championship berths.



Pelaez’s regional finals loss was as a sophomore, 8-3, to Linganore senior Garhett Dickernson, the eventual state champion. Pelaez finished third in the states last year with a record of 48-1, his only loss being in the semifinals against two-time state runner-up Beau Schmidt of Northeast-Anne Arundel. Schmidt is ranked fourth at 144 pounds.


Among Pinsky’s assistants is Rich Pelaez, Owen’s father, a 1996 graduate of Gaithersburg High.


“I think Owen wants to complete his goals for a state title, but as a parent, what he has learned is just to become more resilient,” said Rich Pelaez, who won counties and regions and placed third at states. “Everyone has earned a spot to be in the states and has a right to be there. You have to be mentally prepared. At the same time, it takes a lot to bounce back from adversity and disappointment. The big thing is that he’s grown from that.”


Pelaez need look no further for inspiration than former teammate Johnathan Chang, who became the Coyotes’ first-ever state champion as a senior last year at 144 pounds.


Chang won the Class 4A-3A version with an 11-4 decision victory over sixth-ranked senior Christopher Nice of Bel Air, whom Pelaez already had pinned.


“I felt happy for Jonathan that he was able to become the first-ever state champion for Clarksburg High School,” said Owen Pelaez. “But at the same time, knowing I had beaten Chris Nice, I felt like that could have been me. That’s what’s driving me this year. I want to become our school’s second state champion.”

Chang placed second at states as a junior after having finished third as a sophomore, also winning his third straight county and Class 4A-3A West Region crowns.


Pinsky is a 1986 graduate of Kennedy High where he was a two-time Montgomery County runner-up under then-Cavaliers’ coach Duke Beattie.


Pinsky and Beattie oversaw Chang’s reception of Montgomery County’s “Richard J. Monisera Award” last season “for Achievement.” The honor is bestowed annually upon “The Senior Wrestler who earned the most Career MCPS Tournament Points.”


Although Pelaez could follow Chang in earning the Monisera Award, he could surpass him as the Coyote's first four-time county champion and only the fifth in county history.


A three-sport athlete, Pelaez has also starred in football and lacrosse for the Coyotes.


Pelaez started for three seasons as a running back and outside linebacker, scoring 10 touchdowns, making 55 tackles, intercepting a pass and registering a safety. As a starter for his third season on attack in lacrosse, Pelaez scored 32 goals and assisted on 10 others, raising his career totals to 65 goals and 32 assists.


“Owen has embraced the role as team leader and captain to its fullest,” Pinsky said. “Owen has become a true leader this season and makes everyone he practices with much better.”


Pelaez has given Kraisser one of his three closest matches at the state tournament, with others coming in his title bouts during his sophomore and junior seasons.


In 2022, Kraisser had to come from behind as a 132-pound freshman to win his first Class 4A-3A state title. In that match, Kraisser overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 victory over previously unbeaten senior Elijah Mills of Old Mill High. Kraisser secured the go-ahead reversal late in the second period to secure his first state championship.


In 2023, Chang was pinned by Kraisser in 5:39 of their championship bout. Kraisser trailed, 2-0, entering the second period after Chang’s takedown 30 seconds into the match, but he reversed Chang in the second period to tie the bout at 2-2 entering the third. Kraisser turned Chang with 21 seconds left, using a bar-arm pinning maneuver to turn him for the fall.


In 2024, Kraisser won a third state crown, this time, the Class 2A-1A title at 144 pounds by pinning Liberty’s then-junior Dylan Ohler in 3:13.


“Although things have not always gone my way, I’ve learned to refocus and battle back,” Pelaez said. “I’ve learned that you’ve got to bring the intensity for each and every match and to take no one lightly.”

Pelaez appears to have turned up the heat this season, having won the Grapple at The Brook at Springbrook for the third time in four championship berths.


Pelaez has gone 10-0 over the past four years at the Westminster Duals. That 40-0 mark at Westminster includes a fall against Ohler, and a 7-6 decision over Manchester Valley senior Brayden VanDervoot.


Ranked sixth-ranked at 157-pounds, Ohler was a Carroll County and regional champion. Ranked sixth-ranked at 144-pounds, VanDervoot was a Carroll County runner-up and regional champion who placed third at states.


“It would be an incredible honor to become the fifth four-time county champion in Montgomery County’s history,” Pelaez said. “And to cap off my career with a state championship would be amazing. Finishing as the second state champion, all-time, for Clarksburg would be a perfect way to end my career.”


Owen Pelaez’s Montgomery County Tournament Results, At A Glance


Freshman


Qtr Tanner Harman Damascus W Fall 2:29

Semi Jason Beale Northwest W Major 9-0

Final Andre Henene Blair W Dec 15-9


Sophomore


Qtr Jeremy Kwon Churchill W Fall :58

Semi Chris Lindstrom Whitman W Fall 1:45

Final Sam Moffitt BCC W Dec 6-2


Junior


Round 16 Zach Martinez Gaithersburg W Fall 3:16

Qtr Jake Klingler Blair W TF 16-0 5:36

Semi Gregory Vasquez Wheaton TF 21-5 3:56

Finals Gabe Hernandez Damascus Fall 1:21

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