Private School Wrestlers at the National High School Championships

Private School Wrestlers at the National High School Championships

Private Schools were well represented at this year's National High School Wrestling Championships. 13 wrestlers competed. Among these 13 were 14 National Prep Championships. This year's five place winners outdid last year's total of three, whose highest finisher was only 5th. In total the wrestlers compiled a record of 41 wins and 21 losses. At 103, two-time national prep champion Justin Bravo had an excellent showing, knocking off California state champion Cleo Johnson in the quarterfinals, 3-1. His semi-final match against PA runner-up Troy Minarovic went down to the wire. In overtime it seemed that Bravo had his opponent securely locked into a tilt, however, Minarovic managed to escape and get the winning takedown with a headlock. Bravo came back to place third in dominating fashion.

Blair wrestlers Sean Gray and Jimmy Hawthorne both placed fifth in their weight respective weight classes. Gray lost to the eventual runner-up, Bill Malonado (IN), in the second round but came back, defeating such wrestlers as Grant Hoerr (IL) and Stan Marshall (MI), to place fifth. Hawthorne lost a tight match to eventual runner-up Sonny Marchette (OH), 3-2, in the semi-finals. Despite losing to a wrestler whom he had tech-falled earlier in the tournament, Hawthorne rebounded, winning his 5th place match against 3X MD champ, Scott Munsey, 7-1.

The two champions were both fifth-year seniors from Blair Academy. Foster, a three-time national prep champion, demolished all competition before reaching the semi-finals, where he ran into problems against VA champ Pierre Pryor. Up 4-0, Foster was called for consecutive stalling penalties, putting the match one call from a tie. Foster held on, however, and went on to beat Sonny Marchette (OH) 4-3 with a takedown 12 seconds from the end of the match. It seemed as though he had been planning it the whole match. Silverstein knocked off Asics All-Americans Jesse West (IA) and Tommy Davis (DE) before defeating John Burke (MI) for the title.

103-Justin Bravo (Poly Prep), 4-1, 3rd Place

W-TF Chris Myers (DE) 16-1
W-Dec Cleophas Johnson (CA) 3-1 ot            7th Place           
L-Dec by Troy Minarovic (PA) 12-7             2nd Place
W-Dec Thien Mai (NC) 11-3                     5th Place
W-Pinned Bob Piccione (NJ) 2:14               4th Place

119-Jason Silverstein (Blair Academy), 6-0, 1st Place

W-TF Juan Venturi (TX) 18-3                   8th Place
W-TF Chad Hay (IL) 23-8
W-Dec Damon Stough (OH) 11-4
W-Dec Tommy Davis (DE) 3-2                    7th Place
W-Dec Jesse West (IA) 3-1 ot                  3rd Place
W-Maj Dec John Burke (MI) 13-3                2nd Place

125-Brad Denker (Blair Academy), 3-2, DNP

W-Maj Dec Zack DeHerrera (CO) 10-1
W-Dec Brady Cudd (WI) 3-0
W-Dec Mark Wentz (OH) 4-2
L-TF by Carlos Blanco (CA) 23-8               1st Place
L-Dec by Tim Michel (MO) 10-8                 6th Place

130-Sean Gray (Blair Academy), 7-2, 5th Place

W-TF Manuel Otero (KS) 16-0
W-Dec Paul Konechue (SD) 8-4
L-Dec by Bill Maldonado (IN) 7-4              2nd Place
W-Dec Gilbert Koster (KS) 7-4
W-Dec Sam Page (OR) 5-1
W-Dec Bradley Rowe (NY) 7-4
W-Dec Grant Hoerr (IL) 6-0                    7th Place
L-Dec by Ryan McInerney (CA) 8-6 ot           4th Place
W-Dec Stan Marshall (MI) 8-5                  6th Place

135-Quinn Foster (Blair Academy), 6-0,1st Place

W-Pinned Eli Horsley (ID) 1:00
W-Pinned Nate Trees (IA) 1:34
W-Maj Dec Jim Wandsnider (OH) 13-3
W-Maj Dec Nathan Graumenz (IL) 13-2
W-Dec Pierre Pryor (VA) 4-2                   3rd Place
W-Dec Sonny Marchette (OH) 4-3                2nd Place

135-Jimmy Hawthorne (Blair Academy), 4-2, 5th Place

W-TF Chris Ward (WV) 16-0
W-TF Andy Cote (PA) 17-2                      4th Place
W-Dec Scott Munsey (MD) 5-1                   6th Place
L-Dec by Sonny Marchette (OH) 3-2             2nd place
L-Dec by Andy Cote (PA) 5-3 ot                4th Place
W-Dec Scott Munsey (MD) 7-1                   6th Place

135-Joe Smith (McDonogh), 1-2, DNP

W-Maj Dec William Flood (FL) 15-6
L-TF by Sonny Marchette (OH) 22-7             2nd Place
L-Dec by Cedric Colby (TX) 3-1

152-Sal Aquia (Archbishop Curley), 2-2, DNP

W-Pinned Oliver Page (CT) 3:25
W-TF Clay Sigler (CO) 22-6
L-Pinned by Joel Trim (MI) 5:52
L-Dec by Jesse Medina (NV) 11-5

152-John Paoletti (Bullis), 0-2, DNP

L-Dec by Charlie Rallo (MO) 7-2               5th Place

171-Nick Klohe (LaSalle), 3-2, DNP

W-Pinned Scott Gibbs (AZ) 3:08
W-Dec Ira Strickland (GA) 12-8 ot
L-Dec by Jeremy Engelhardt (ND) 7-3           7th Place
W-Pinned Rufus Baldwin (GA) 2:39
L-Dec by Jared Williams (IN) 6-4              8th Place

171-Conan Leary (Tabor Academy), 2-2, DNP

L-Dec by Mike Schroeder (IN) 9-4
W-Maj Dec Seth Coury (AZ) 11-2
W-Pinned Kevin Brown (VT) 1:53
L-Maj Dec by Eric Chevalier (OH) 14-4

275-Ben Dyer (Mt. St. Joseph), 1-2, DNP

L-Pinned by Charlie Powell (NJ) 1:09
W-Dec Jonathan Wiezorek (GA) 7-4
L-Dec by Mike O'Keefe (NY) 5-3

275-Nate Houston (Cardinal Gibbons), 2-2, DNP

L-Dec by Kirk Townsel (NJ) 3-2 ot
W-Pinned Cody Parks (KS) 0:23
W-Pinned Kevin Oliver (UT) 4:43
L-Dec by Cyle Young (OH) 5-3                  3rd Place

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