Stephen Decatur & Gavin Solito

Stephen Decatur's Gavin Solito is having the senior year of his life.

Solito starred as a slot receiver and middle linebacker last month on the Seahawks' 14-0 Class 2A state championship football team, earning Two-Way Player Of The Year for the Bayside Conference for a squad that defeated Huntingtown in the title game.

Solito has most recently transitioned to the wrestling mats, where he is an unbeaten, two-time Class 2A-1A state tournament runner-up who is ranked third at 165 pounds by Legacy Wrestling.

Solito earned his 100th career victory during this weekend’s Iron Horse Duals hosted by C. Milton Wright, leading his eighth-ranked Seahawks (18-1) to the overall title after having placed fourth at the event a year ago.

Among the Seahawks' victories at The Iron Horse Duals were those over third-ranked Archbishop Spalding, 44-27, and sixth-ranked Loyola, 38-36.

"We always had the mindset that we could come in and compete against these private schools, but it goes back to our work in the room and our really high-paced, intense practice," said Solito, whose Seahawks' lone setback was against Manchester Valley. "We had a few kids out of the lineup for that match, but that's no excuse for wrestling badly. But every day since then we've been in the room grinding and practicing hard, which helps us to accomplish what we were able to do in the way that we executed this weekend."

Solito said he "had 12 tackles, a sack or two, a forced fumble and five receptions for 50 yards" in the state championship game against Huntingtown. Solito's effort took place a week after having executed a clutch defensive play in the closing moments of the Seahawks' 35-34 state semifinal victory which eliminated defending Class 2A state champion Milford Mill.

"There was about a minute and half left in the game on fourth-and-one at their own 45 when I made the game-saving tackle on fourth down to end the game," said Solito. "They had run a play to the right, and I shot through an open gap and clipped the guy's ankle enough for their run to fall short. That was a big win, because they had knocked us out of the playoffs the previous year."

Solito has a state championship in football, but there's one more to go.

"I'm focusing on winning a state championship in wrestling," said Solito, who stands 5-foot-7 and has clocked a 4.6-second 40-yard dash. "I think that I just owe it to myself at this point to just continue to go to practice, to get better."

Solito improved his record to 19-0 on the year at the Iron Horse Duals, earning his 100th career victory with a 9-2 decision over Braydon Cole during a 40-21 win over Cape Henlopen of Delaware.

"It felt pretty good to have everyone congratulate me," said Solito, who also nailed down pins in 1:28, 1:42 and 3:51 to go with a 15-0 technical fall. "But I know that, deep down, I have one goal in mind that I'm truly focused on, and that's to win states this year."

Solito went 28-4 as a sophomore, ending with a 9-7 state championship bout loss to Liberty senior Ryan Ohler, who finished with a record of 39-2. Solito went 47-2 last season with his 9-4, state championship bout setback coming against Owings Mills senior Amondre Wooden, who improved his record to 41-1.

"I need to continue to wrestle as hard as possible," Solito said. "Hopefully, that will translate into me winning a state title this year."

Last year's Seahawks went 28-3 and won their fourth straight of five state dual tournament crowns, the first being in 2008 under the late Kevin Gilligan, who coached from 2001 through 2011.

Sophomore defending Class 1A-2A state champion Elijah Collick split time between 120 and 126 pounds, his 6-0 record on the weekend including four pins, a technical fall and a major decision to improve his record on the year to 17-1.

Among Collick's falls were those in 24, 43 and 1:48, in addition to one in 4:30 over Archbishop Spalding junior Henry Gessford, who was a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association Tournament runner-up and placed fourth at the Maryland Independent Schools State Tournament.

Also wrestling well for the Seahawks were junior Juan Hinojosa (106) and seniors Reid Caimi (126) and Parker Intrieri (165). Hinojosa went 5-0 with a pin and a technical fall, Caimi was 5-1 with five pins, and Intrieri, 5-1 with three pins and two major decisions. Hinojosa and Caimi improved to 18-1 on the year.

Pool C - Stephen DecaturGuaranteed 1st place

Match #1 Round 1

Stephen Decatur defeated North County 59-16

106 - Juan Hinojosa (Stephen Decatur) over Conner Kilpatrick (North County) Fall 0:12

113 - Nikolas Jimenez (North County) over Liam Hugues (Stephen Decatur) Dec 4-2

120 - Elijah Collick (Stephen Decatur) over Isaiah Love (North County) Fall 0:43

126 - Reid Caimi (Stephen Decatur) over Steve Reynolds (North County) Fall 1:45

132 - Aaron August (Stephen Decatur) over Chris Cruz-Ville (North County) Fall 3:25

138 - Jake Saullo (Stephen Decatur) over Jeremiah MitChell (North County) Fall 5:45

144 - Alex Riehl (Stephen Decatur) over Domingo David (North County) Fall 2:50

150 - Kairyn Hall (North County) over Amarian Manuel (Stephen Decatur) Dec 5-1

157 - Gavin Solito (Stephen Decatur) over Kayden Song (North County) TF 15-0

165 - Parker Intrieri (Stephen Decatur) over Trevor Deberry (North County) Fall 3:47

175 - Carter Alexander (North County) over Benjamin Herrmann (Stephen Decatur) Maj 11-0

190 - Kole Kohut (Stephen Decatur) over Roger Burke (North County) Fall 1:44

215 - Nate McDaniel (Stephen Decatur) over Jayden Keane (North County) Fall 0:41

285 - Elijah Boston (North County) over Price Hill (Stephen Decatur) Fall 1:11

Match #2 Round 2

Stephen Decatur received a Bye

Match #3 Round 3

Stephen Decatur defeated Cape Henlopen HS 40-21

106 - Juan Hinojosa (Stephen Decatur) over Austin Guerrieri (Cape Henlopen HS) Dec 10-9

113 - Liam Hugues (Stephen Decatur) over Cale Baker (Cape Henlopen HS) Fall 1:55

120 - Elijah Collick (Stephen Decatur) over Cruz Perez-Gonalez (Cape Henlopen HS) Fall 0:24

126 - Reid Caimi (Stephen Decatur) over Tripp Gannon (Cape Henlopen HS) Fall 1:09

132 - Maxim Meadows (Cape Henlopen HS) over Aaron August (Stephen Decatur) Dec 7-5138 - Jake Saullo (Stephen Decatur) over Colin Poulis (Cape Henlopen HS) Dec 7-3

144 - Nicolas Walker (Cape Henlopen HS) over Alex Riehl (Stephen Decatur) TF 15-0

150 - Hayden Wheeler (Cape Henlopen HS) over Amarian Manuel (Stephen Decatur) Dec 5-2

157 - Gavin Solito (Stephen Decatur) over Braydon Cole (Cape Henlopen HS) Dec 9-2

165 - Parker Intrieri (Stephen Decatur) over Noah Diamond (Cape Henlopen HS) Maj 10-0

175 - Jeffrey Rainier (Cape Henlopen HS) over Cole Muir (Stephen Decatur) Maj 16-2

190 - Kole Kohut (Stephen Decatur) over Luke Arnold-Decyk (Cape Henlopen HS) Fall 5:52

215 - Patrick Donahue (Cape Henlopen HS) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

285 - Nate McDaniel (Stephen Decatur) over Sean Costello (Cape Henlopen HS) Dec 1-0

Match #4 Round 4

Stephen Decatur defeated Kent Island 60-18

106 - Juan Hinojosa (Stephen Decatur) over Gavin Lindner (Kent Island) TF 24-9

113 - Michael Hoos (Stephen Decatur) over Robert Martinez (Kent Island) Maj 11-2

120 - Liam Hugues (Stephen Decatur) over Lucas Motto (Kent Island) Fall 1:33

126 - Elijah Collick (Stephen Decatur) over Sonny Martinez (Kent Island) Fall 1:48

132 - Reid Caimi (Stephen Decatur) over Silas Brobst (Kent Island) Fall 5:11

138 - Aaron August (Stephen Decatur) over Mason Guy (Kent Island) Fall 4:44

144 - Cody Sandefer (Kent Island) over Jake Saullo (Stephen Decatur) Fall 5:15

150 - Alex Riehl (Stephen Decatur) over Ashton Main (Kent Island) Fall 4:48

157 - Gavin Solito (Stephen Decatur) over Aldo Monzeglio (Kent Island) Fall 1:28

165 - Parker Intrieri (Stephen Decatur) over Christopher Kougoures (Kent Island) Fall 0:32

175 - Brian Potter (Kent Island) over Benjamin Herrmann (Stephen Decatur) Fall 4:14

190 - Guiseppe Mellinger (Kent Island) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

215 - Kole Kohut (Stephen Decatur) over Nicholas Morey (Kent Island) Dec 7-3

285 - Nate McDaniel (Stephen Decatur) over Gregory Coffey (Kent Island) Fall 3:33

Match #5 Round 5

Stephen Decatur defeated Leonardtown 43-30

106 - LJ Nelson (Leonardtown) over Jaxon Archer (Stephen Decatur) Fall 0:48

113 - Michael Hoos (Stephen Decatur) over Ethan Cronkright (Leonardtown) Dec 9-2

120 - Nolan Wood (Leonardtown) over Liam Hugues (Stephen Decatur) Dec 4-2

126 - Elijah Collick (Stephen Decatur) over Porter Wood (Leonardtown) Maj 14-3

132 - Reid Caimi (Stephen Decatur) over Thomas Gale (Leonardtown) Fall 2:20

138 - Jake Saullo (Stephen Decatur) over Michael Rebarchik (Leonardtown) Fall 5:13

144 - Alex Riehl (Stephen Decatur) over Trenton Corbett (Leonardtown) Fall 1:53

150 - Amarian Manuel (Stephen Decatur) over Will Colsen (Leonardtown) Fall 1:00

157 - Gavin Solito (Stephen Decatur) over Mason Simonds (Leonardtown) Fall 3:51

165 - AJ Kuntz (Leonardtown) over Parker Intrieri (Stephen Decatur) Dec 3-1

175 - Jacen McLeod (Leonardtown) over Cole Muir (Stephen Decatur) Fall 2:26

190 - Nate Hein (Leonardtown) over Kole Kohut (Stephen Decatur) Fall 1:55

215 - Nate McDaniel (Stephen Decatur) over Robert Stailey (Leonardtown) Fall 2:43

285 - Oren Lacey (Leonardtown) over Price Hill (Stephen Decatur) Fall 1:15

1st Place - Stephen DecaturGuaranteed 1st place

Match #1 Round 1

Stephen Decatur defeated Loyola-Blakefield 38-36

132 - Aaron August (Stephen Decatur) over Tyler Truitt (Loyola-Blakefield) Fall 4:53

138 - Joshua Hale (Loyola-Blakefield) over Jake Saullo (Stephen Decatur) Fall 1:46

144 - Evan Williams (Loyola-Blakefield) over Alex Riehl (Stephen Decatur) Fall 1:58

150 - Judah Aybar (Loyola-Blakefield) over Braydon Bell (Stephen Decatur) Fall 0:45

157 - Amarian Manuel (Stephen Decatur) over Nevan McKneely (Loyola-Blakefield) Dec 7-6

165 - Gavin Solito (Stephen Decatur) over Jimmy Lazzati (Loyola-Blakefield) Fall 1:42

175 - Parker Intrieri (Stephen Decatur) over Riley Miller (Loyola-Blakefield) Fall 2:12

190 - Kole Kohut (Stephen Decatur) over Noah Brannan (Loyola-Blakefield) Maj 13-3

215 - Aiden Bird (Loyola-Blakefield) over Nate McDaniel (Stephen Decatur) Fall 1:03

285 - Luke Randazzo (Loyola-Blakefield) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

106 - Juan Hinojosa (Stephen Decatur) over Philip Key (Loyola-Blakefield) Dec 5-3

113 - Jayden Jackson (Loyola-Blakefield) over Michael Hoos (Stephen Decatur) Fall 0:43

120 - Elijah Collick (Stephen Decatur) over Lincoln Weeks (Loyola-Blakefield) TF 26-11

126 - Reid Caimi (Stephen Decatur) over Cayden Farver (Loyola-Blakefield) Fall 5:15

Loyola-Blakefield's team score was adjusted by 0.0 for coaches misconduct

Stephen Decatur's team score was adjusted by -1.0 for unsportsmanlike

Match #2 Round 2

Stephen Decatur defeated Archbishop Spalding 44-27

126 - Sean Garretson (Archbishop Spalding) over Reid Caimi (Stephen Decatur) TF 18-3

132 - Vincent Paolucci (Archbishop Spalding) over Reed James (Stephen Decatur) Fall 0:57138 - Zane Leitzel (Archbishop Spalding) over Jake Saullo (Stephen Decatur) Fall 2:30

144 - Alex Riehl (Stephen Decatur) over Dylan Briles (Archbishop Spalding) Fall 3:38

150 - Charlie Gessford (Archbishop Spalding) over Amarian Manuel (Stephen Decatur) Maj 16-5

157 - Braydon Bell (Stephen Decatur) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

165 - Gavin Solito (Stephen Decatur) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

175 - Parker Intrieri (Stephen Decatur) over Zane Korman (Archbishop Spalding) Maj 10-1

190 - Kole Kohut (Stephen Decatur) over Luke Emmons (Archbishop Spalding) Maj 11-0

215 - Nate McDaniel (Stephen Decatur) over Pete Jerdal (Archbishop Spalding) Dec 5-0

285 - Delmar White (Archbishop Spalding) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

106 - Jaxon Archer (Stephen Decatur) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

113 - Juan Hinojosa (Stephen Decatur) over Rock Zang (Archbishop Spalding) Dec 8-3

120 - Elijah Collick (Stephen Decatur) over Henry Gessford (Archbishop Spalding) Fall 4:30