The Incredible Hulk -- Ethan Vayro

Lackey’s fifth-ranked junior Ethan Vayro is essentially winning for losing – weight that is.

As a 190-pound freshman two years at St. Mary’s Ryken, Vayro placed fourth and sixth in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and Maryland Independent School’s State Tournaments.

“I'm not going to lie, wrestling at 190 came with some good wins and some challenging moments. To better prepare myself, I lifted weights a lot and I ate a lot," Vayro said. "I tried to get bigger in the hopes of better preparing myself for wrestling more physically mature and experienced wrestlers. At the end of the day, I just worked as hard as I could and listened to my coaches."

Nearly two years later after transferring to Lackey for his sophomore season, Vayro is a muscular, 20th-ranked 175-pounder called “The Incredible Hulk” by a former coach.

Vayro improved to 40-0 with 27 pins and six technical falls after earning his second straight Southern Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC) at LaPlata on Saturday and will pursue his second consecutive Class 2A-1A South and Class 2A-1A state crowns.

At La Plata, Vayro earned a 16-second pin and consecutive technical falls of 19-3 and 21-4, the latter in his championship bout with Chopticon senior Logen Grimm.

In addition, Vayro is among seven wrestlers who have produced eight individual state championships for the Chargers, the first being former 98-pounder Steve Danielson, winner of back-to-back titles in 1985 and 1986.

Vayro, the historian, has embraced the opportunity to join Danielson as only the Chargers’ second two-time state champion.

"Lackey has had a total eight with Steve Danielson in 1985 and 1986 at 98 pounds, then David Gentilcore in 1987 and 167 pounds and Ryan Hersey in 1995 at 152 pounds,” said Vayro, whose career record is 111-10.

“There is also Patrick Howard in 1998 at 119 pounds, Randy Robinson in 2003 at 275 pounds, Clyde Jones in 2007 at 171 pounds, and then me. I would describe my style of wrestling as explosive. Unfortunately, I haven't had much of a challenge or opportunity to go up against many ranked wrestlers, but I am looking forward to the states for that.”

The University of Pennsylvania is among the college considerations for Vayro, an altruistic young man who maintains a 4.3 weighted GPA. Vayro has an interest in a college major of nutrition and kinesiology, the latter being the scientific study of human movement pertaining to anatomy and understanding how the body functions.

"Talking with various college coaches and recruiters has been an amazing experience so far, and I'm looking forward to the visits. I also want to continue to strive better, proving myself both off and on the mat," Vayro said. "Aside from wrestling, I want to continue to use the mat and wrestling as a catalyst to share my faith and love for our Lord. I want to strive for success in the classroom and continue finding ways to support my community and areas in need through mission work."

Vayro went 42-1 with 26 pins and six technical falls, with his lone defeat being against then-sophomore Salah Tsarni, who transferred to Blair Academy from Bullis after earning a pair of Interstate Athletic Conference and Maryland Independent Schools State Tournament crowns, winning his sophomore division of the National High School Coaches Association Tournament, and being named Upper Weight Wrestler Of The Year by Legacy Wrestling.

Vayro recounted his Patriot Classic title match at Northern-Calvert County where he suffered a shoulder injury against Tsarni, who won the title at 190 pounds at last weekend's National Preps Tournament, improving on his runner-up finish in that event.

"When I was wrestling Salah, my shoulder got tweaked and popped, which aggravated a previous tear I had in my Labrum. It was a really good scrap and he was leading with the score at 10-7 when the injury happened. After I lost all of the strength in my right arm, I ended up getting teched after the end of the third period. I believe the score was 22-7," Vayro said.

"I took a couple of weeks off to rest my shoulder and let it heal as much as I could so that I could compete in the SMAC, regionals and states. Going through the process of recovery gave me a whole new perspective on my relationship with the Lord. Though it was hard, I'm thankful for the opportunity that strengthened my relationship with the Lord."

Vayro returned with renewed vigor to the SMAC tournament, where he ran his record to 36-1 after dethroning Huntingtown senior Tyler Hayden, 7-2, in their title match. At Class 2A-1A South Regionals, Vayro’s record on the year improved to 38-1 as he followed a 53-second fall with a 10-1 major decision over Hayden, who was a regional runner-up for the second consecutive year.

Vayro finished his season at 42-1 after winning his Class 2A-1A state title match, 10-6, over Middletown junior Carter Canale, who had ended the previous season with a record of 43-4 that included 26 pins, six technical falls. At states, Vayro used falls in 32 seconds and 2:39 and a 19-1 technical fall to reach the finals against Canale, who was defending Frederick County and Class 2A-1A West Region tournament champion.

"Switching to public school after my freshman year, I do miss all the opportunities we had to travel to compete in some of the best tournaments. From the general mat experience to going two-and-two at Beast Of The East as a true freshman, those challenges were among my first real high school career tournaments. But I have also enjoyed the opportunity to work with my Lackey teammates," Vayro said.

"Many of them have expanded training to club practices and other off-season opportunities. I'm grateful to our athletic director John Lush and Coach Paulin who welcomed me and have been nothing but encouraging and empowering, supporting me in my goals. I would have to say that by gaining friends with common goals all across the state, we have made many great memories, and I look forward to making more."

As if Vayro's shoulder disruption wasn't tough enough on his mother, Jackie, she would subsequently endure watching her son having to overcome a leg injury suffered during the month of June 2025.

"Following his sophomore year, Ethan's knee gave out at NHSCAs. We went back to the orthopedic and was told his season was over and that he would need surgery. While in surgery, it was worse than expected and Ethan had a complete meniscus root anchor repair. My heart broke, because the recovery was expected to be six to 12 months,” Jackie Vayro said.

"Ethan wanted to experience Fargo, Super 32 and Junior Duals. Ethan wasn't even certain what his junior year would look like, but I could see that he was determined after watching him follow his recovery instructions by the book. Ethan gave it his all in physical therapy two to three times per week, going to the gym to work his upper body and swimming to increase flexibility with low impact."

Vayro had enjoyed a high-decorated junior league career to which he credits to Jason Gabrielson, a former state champion at Riverdale Baptist before winning a pair of MPSSAA crowns at Northern of Calvert County before graduating in 1997.

“Growing up, I never did a lot of sports," Vayro said. "But in seventh grade, after wrestling with the JC Brawlers, I was invited to the Wolfpack run by Coach Jason Gabrielson."

Ethan Vayro was originally linked to Gabrielson as a seventh grader through former Chargers' coach Stephen Gilligan.

"Ethan was wrestling for the JC Brawlers back in 2022. I had gone to Lackey with his mother, Jackie, who reached out to me," said Gilligan, who graduated from Lackey in 1997. "Jackie said Ethan had really taken a liking to the sport and wanted to join another club that was year-round. He was having a lot of success but wanted to level up his game."

As a Lackey senior in 1997, Gilligan was the highest Class 2A-1A state place winner when he finished third and led the Glenn Jones-coached Chargers to a sweep of the state dual meet and tournament titles.

That was the same year in which a 160-pound Gilligan led, 7-0 before planting Central’s two-time state runner-up Premielle Pettway, whose record slipped to 18-1.

Gilligan never earned a rematch with Pettway, who rose into the 171-pound where he won a Class 2A-1A state title by 18-5 major decision over Overlea's future state champion, Terry Lawson.

Jackie Vayro credits Gilligan as the catalyst to her son’s crowning foundation.

“Steve Gilligan reached out and told me I should look at taking him to one of the local clubs that wrestled all year,” Jackie Vayro said. “I can honestly say when Ethan started really wrestling in the seventh grade that I had no idea this wrestling world existed.”

Gilligan directed Ethan and Jackie Vayro to Gabrielson.

"I told Jackie there were two options in Southern Maryland that were very successful club teams: Rampage or SMWC Wolfpack. Ethan was a seventh grader, so I advised her based on his age and size at the time,” Gilligan said. “I told Jackie that I felt the better option for him would be the Wolfpack since they had a lot of high school kids training there. She took him down there and he really enjoyed the experience. From that point on, he has trained with Coach Gabrielson year-round and started competing at many high-level events."

Ethan was groomed alongside Jason’s 120-pound son, Eli, currently a top-ranked junior at Archbishop Spalding, where he has earned titles over the past two weekends in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and Maryland Independent/Private Schools State championships.

Eli Gabrielson transferred from fourth-ranked South Carroll, where his 43-0 record included winning last year's Carroll County, region and Class 1A state titles and finishing second in the National High School Coaches' Association’s Sophomore Tournament.

As a 106-pound freshman at St. Mary's Ryken, Gabrielson earned a title in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, was a private schools' state runner-up and placed fourth at National Preps.

"When Ethan walked into my room as a seventh grader my jaw dropped. It is every coach's dream to get a kid who looks like the incredible Hulk. Teaching them technique? That's another story," Jason Gabrielson said. "But from the first practice, Ethan was excited to learn. He will probably tell you he didn't like me at first, because I was hard on him. I made him correct his mistakes over and over and over again. But he will also probably tell you that’s what helped him to grow the most."

Ethan Vayro concurs.

"Coach Jason taught me just about everything I know and pushed me to get better quickly," Vayro said. "Coach Gabrielson put me in national level tournaments just two weeks after working for him. I then won six state titles in junior leagues, two in freestyle, two in Greco and two in folkstyle. I also made it to the finals of NHSCAs my eighth grade year."

Gabrielson coached Vayro as a freshman before leaving St. Mary's Ryken, after which the wrestler transitioned to Lackey. It was also Gabrielson who assisted Vayro's recovery from that knee injury last June.

"After four or five months, Ethan was released and back on the mats at Wolfpack. But while he was there, Ethan had to be cleared by Coach Jason." Jackie Vayro said. "Jason made Ethan gradually ease back into wrestling to ensure he didn't re-injure himself. Ethan is looking good and feeling great, it's such a relief seeing him move without pain."

A healthy Vayro returned to Chargers’ coach Brian Paulin, who wrestled for his alma mater under Gilligan, graduating in 2014 after twice placing fourth at SMAC.

“Ethan is consistently improving and wanting to push himself. Over the last year he’s developed as a leader on the team. Ethan has elevated his teammates,” said Paulin, whose sophomore and junior seasons were ended by shoulder surgeries.

“He brings team members to offseason tournaments, workouts and teaches the younger guys. He’s not only a phenomenal wrestler but a great captain with a phenomenal ability to explain the sport to younger and developing wrestlers.”

Among Vayro's toughest state tournament challenges could be Rising Sun's second-ranked senior Zach Garvin, who has earned three straight Upper Chesapeake Athletic Conference titles, two regional titles in three championship berths, and placed sixth, fifth and first at the past two Class 2A-1A state tournaments.

“I'm looking forward to wrapping up my junior year and getting to work in the off season. I’m making up for what I lost last year due to surgery,” Vayro said. “As a student and Christian athlete, I have many goals in this sport, like becoming the first in Lackey wrestling history to become a three-time state champ.”

Lackey’s Eight Individual State Championships

1985 - Steve Danielson, 98lbs

1986 - Steve Danielson - 98lbs

1987 - David Gentilcore - 167lbs

1995 - Ryan Hersey - 152lbs

1998 - Pat Howard - 119lbs

2003 - Randy Robinson - 275lbs

2007 - Clyde Jones - 171lbs

2025 - Ethan Vayro - 175lbs