Undefeated Valdisera is peaking at the right time

Calvert’s fourth-ranked junior Ethan Valdisera (113) has an 80-0 record since transferring from St. Mary's Ryken, where as a 113-pound freshman he was a champion in both the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and the Maryland Independent Schools State Tournaments.

A two-time Southern Maryland and regional champion, Valdisera is in pursuit of his second straight Class 2A-1A state title this weekend at The Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro after finishing with last year’s record of 37-0 that included 23 pins and six technical falls.

“I feel good about the way I'm wrestling right now,” said Valdisera, whose current record is 43-0 with 15 pins and 17 technical falls under coach Conner Sesso. “I think I was a little out of shape and not super sharp at the beginning of the season, so I think I'm peaking at the right time.”

Over the past two weekends, Valdisera logged consecutive victories over Huntingtown’s sixth-ranked junior Owen Hayden for his second consecutive titles in the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference and Class 2A-1A East Regionals.

Valdisera won his SMAC title match over Hayden by 17-1 technical fall, and their regional championship by 6-2 decision.

That’s no small feat for Valdisera given that Hayden has placed first twice, and second once in the SMAC, won a pair of regional titles in three championship berths, and finished second and fifth at states.

Among Valdisera’s stiffest state title challenges could be Sparrows Point’s fifth-ranked junior Wyatt Rossi, a three-time Baltimore County and regional champion. Rossi can become the third Pointers’ wrestler to repeat as a Class 2A-1A state champion after having placed third as a freshman.

Although Rossi won last year’s 106-pound state title bout by 12-2 major decision over Hayden, Valdisera already has a second-period fall victory against Rossi while leading 4-0 in their 120-pound bout earlier this season.

“It is nice to have beaten Owen and Wyatt this year, but they are both really good,” Valdisera said. “I enjoy wrestling kids like that. I know I have to be on my A-game this weekend to beat them again.”

Valdisera’s list of vanquished opponents is impressive, with many of them being ranked by Legacy Wrestling.

Valdisera has won by technical fall over both Chopticon’s 14th-ranked sophomore Zachary Scarborough (113) and Manchester Valley’s 18th-ranked sophomore Greyson Hydorn (113).

Hydorn was a Carroll County Tournament runner-up who finished third at regions, and Scarborough was third at SMAC and second at regions.

Valdisera also has won decisions over Huntingtown’s ninth-ranked sophomore Kyler Kiessling (120), Patuxent’s 10th-ranked freshman Giovanni Barone (120), Middletown’s 13th-ranked junior Liam Soe (126) and South River’s 14th-ranked senior Trent Shipley (120),

“I have weighed about 117 all year and have bumped up to 126 at times if that's where the other team's best kid was,” Valdisera said. “Kids up there are usually a lot stronger than me, so it forced me to be really sharp technically to score points.”

Valdisera has a 7-0 shutout victory over Barone, a SMAC runner-up and regional champion, and an 8-1 decision over Kiessling, a winner of three SMAC titles, two regional crowns who has placed fourth at states.

Valdisera has also earned an 8-4 decision over Soe, winner of Frederick County and regional titles after being a runner-up in each last season, and a 7-5 decision against Shipley, who has won three Anne Arundel County titles in four championship berths, placed first, third, fourth and fifth at regions, and fifth at Class 4A-3A states.

Last year’s state title run for Valdisera ended with consecutive victories over South Carroll’s defending state champion Grayson Barnhill in the semifinals, and Stephen Decatur’s repeat state runner-up senior Juan Hinojosa.

Valdisera defeated Barnhill, 8-2, before winning his state title match, 4-2 decision over Hinojosa, whom Barnhill had pinned in 59 seconds a year earlier in their state championship bout.

Currently a fourth-ranked, 120-pound senior, Barnhill is a four-time Carroll County and regional champion who has placed first, second and fifth at states.

“This year has definitely been more challenging than last year,” Valdisera said. “My coaches and I have gone out of our way to seek out the best kids possible. I'm excited for this weekend.”