Walt Whitman Honors the Sport of Wrestling

HUGE Photo Shoutout to Jeff Randall!

Derek Manon began his 19th season as the coach of Legacy Wrestling’s second-highest ranked Maryland public school team at Walt Whitman with something to prove.

Second-ranked South Carroll is the highest-rated public school behind No. 1-ranked private school power Archbishop Spalding.

The No. 2 Cavaliers are in pursuit of their sixth straight Carroll County Tournament title as well as their fifth consecutive Class 1A public school state dual meet championship.

The seventh-ranked Vikings are defending Montgomery County Tournament champions in pursuit of their third straight state dual meet crown.

In the rankings, the Vikings trail third-ranked Mount St. Joseph, fourth-ranked Loyola, fifth-ranked McDonogh, and sixth-ranked Gilman, all of which are private schools.

“We just do our best to do it the right way,” said Manon, whose assistant, Will Sharbaugh, was a Class 4A-3A state champion for the Vikings with a 37-0 record in 2006. “We try to learn from our mistakes, and then we go out onto the mats and do our best to honor the sport which has given us so much.”

Last Saturday, Manon’s Vikings displayed their dominance yet again, opposite a pair of Montgomery County rivals as they hammered host Blair, 68-12, and visiting Quince Orchard, 71-12.

The Vikings earned their 21st and 22nd consecutive dual meet victories as they rose to 9-0 on the season, having returned nearly a year after dethroning Damascus as Montgomery County Tournament champions.

“Being ranked the second-best public program in the state is extremely gratifying. It’s hard for us to get matched up against the top private schools with our schedule, but thanks to our offseason work and consistent success in 4A, it’s rewarding to see recognition among the best,” said senior Solomon Randall, the Vikings’ third-ranked two-time Class 4A-3A state champion. “While it is gratifying and rewarding, it puts a target on our back, and it pushes us every day to work harder as we know every team is giving us their best effort. Coming into the season with a solid performance is definitely something we’ve been working towards. A lot of our guys have been working all off season and now that the real season is here, it’s fun watching it all come together.”

Last year’s county tournament triumph occurred a week after the Vikings had secured their second straight Class 4A state dual meet crown with a single-season school record of 30-1.

That title-winning effort, in turn, happened a season after the Vikings had gone 19-0 for their first-ever undefeated dual meet season.

Andy Wetzel coached Whitman from 1996 through 2007. Manon spent a year as Wetzel’s assistant in 2005 when the Vikings earned Class 4A-3A state duals and tournament crowns.

Does the prospect of winning a third straight and fourth overall state championship translate into pressure for the Vikings?

“We’re all human, so I know it was on our minds at the beginning of the season,” Manon said. “I said we’d mention it once at the beginning of the season. However, it’s a new team, and they understand that we have to be motivated to work hard and improve every day.”

The Vikings went 6-0 to win the Dick Slutzky Golden Eagles’ Duals at Aberdeen High on Dec. 6, including victories over Marriotts Ridge of Howard County in the semifinals and Harford Tech of Harford County in the finals.

“Now that we’re one tournament and three duals into our season, it’s easier to focus on the present. It’s about focusing on the next dual or the next tournament,” Manon said. “What do we need to work on every day to fix our mistakes and refine our techniques? So, in that sense, it isn’t a daily thought.”

This year’s leader is Randall, whose career mark of 122-7 with 89 falls includes this season’s record of 9-0 with seven pins.

Randall earned his second straight Class 4A-3A state title after placing third at states as a freshman and has won two each in county and regional crowns after having placed third in each as a ninth-grader.

“For the past four years we’ve been working nonstop, and now that we’re almost at the end of my road, this final season means so much to me,” Randall said. “With this final year, I’m gonna leave everything out there and I’m excited for the chance to compete against the best in state.”

Randall became only the Vikings’ second repeat state champion, and before he graduates, can match three-time state champion Eren Civan, a 2007 graduate who did not complete his senior year due to a season-ending injury.

“I’m taking a second to appreciate just how much I love this team and how far we’ve come. I want to be remembered as someone who never shied away from a challenge. I’ve always wanted the toughest matches, and this mindset is something that my team as a whole has embodied,” Randall said. “It’s easy to push yourself to be the best when you’re surrounded by teammates and coaches who want the same exact thing. I’m currently undecided on where I am going to college next year and the extent, if any, of which I’ll be wrestling. This is something I’ll be figuring out in the next couple months.”

Seventh-ranked junior Jabasie Trice (126) is 9-0 with eight pins and one technical fall, this after posting last season’s 40-7 record that included finishing first, second and sixth at counties, regions and states.

“This season, I’m focusing on pushing the pace with all of my matches in order to constantly test my stamina and to make sure that I’m ready for the post season and all of the times that matter the most,” Trice said.

“Being two-time state champs is a great feeling, but it also puts a target on our backs. It also means that we won’t have any easy matches because teams are going to come after us with everything they’ve got.”

Sixth-ranked senior Matthew Hobbs (157) is 9-0 with four pins, two technical falls and a major decision nearly a year after placing third at counties, second at regions and sixth at states.

Eighth-ranked senior Chris Lindstrom (150) is 8-1 with eight pins, having returned after being fourth at counties and second at regions.

Senior Andy Boshnick (285) was third at counties and fifth at regions and has a record of 9-0 that includes six pins. Senior Adan Magnas (144) is 9-0 with three pins and two technical falls after having placed sixth at counties and regions last season.

Senior newcomers Ryan Thorpe (175), Jacob Sherman (190) and Zach Richards (215) are all undefeated, as is junior Luke Monaco (165).

Richards is 9-0 with six pins, Monaco is 9-0 with three pins and two technical falls, Sherman is 7-0 with three pins, and Thorpe has pinned all seven opponents.

The Reising Rubli twins, Teo (106) and Noah (113), are juniors with identical records of 8-1. Noah has five pins and one technical fall, and Teo, four pins.

Junior Avnish Awasthi (120) and senior Owen Dinces (132) each have records of 7-2. Dinces has four pins and two technical falls, and Awasthi has three pins.

“We have a mature and experienced group that understands what it takes,” Manon said. “They are just hungry to go out there and compete hard every day.”