MIAA Wrestling A Family Affair

By: Keith Mills

In one of the lasting memories of last weekend's Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Assocation wrestling championships, McDonogh beat Mount St. Joseph and Archbishop Curley to win its third straight conference championship. But Albert Woody Jr. and Ben Schaufele triggered memories of the old Maryland Scholastic Association tournament 25 years ago.

In 1983, Walbrook's Albert Woody Sr. won the Charles R. Gamper Trophy after being named outstanding wrestler of that year's MSA championships at Poly. One year later, Sean Schaufele earned the same award as a senior at Mount St. Joe when he led the Gaels to the ninth of 22 straight conference championships.

Last Saturday, both Woody Sr. and Sean Schaufele were on hand as their sons won MIAA championships in back-to-back weight classes, 15 minutes apart.

"That is unbelievable," said Schaufele, whose son beat Ben Levin of McDonogh. "It's hard watching your kid. I get more nervous than when I'm wrestling."

Woody Sr. watched with his wife Lena as their son beat Mount St. Joe's Danny Orem before leaving the gym to officiate a junior league wrestling tournament in Dundalk. Lena Woody stayed as her son followed Benny Schaufele to the victory stand in the rare father-son championship double.

"We're proud of him," Lena Woody said. "He's worked very hard."

Rob Bowman was another father who watched his son win his first championship. Bowman is an assistant to head coach Kirk Salvo at Mount St. Joe. His son, Bobby, a Mount St. Joe sophomore, upset McDonogh's Shane Milam to help the Gaels lock up second place in the team standings.

Milam was one of 10 McDonogh wrestlers to make the finals, and seven won championships: Nick Schenk beat Nik Gialamas of Calvert Hall, Woody defeated Orem at 135, Josh Fitch beat Eric Hart of John Carroll at 140, Curtis Holmes beat Fred Green of St. Mary's at 145, Kramer Whitelaw beat Edwin Jackson of Mount St. Joe at 160, Alex Pagnotta beat Ethan Reese of John Carroll at 189, and Doug Schenk beat Drew Simmons of Loyola at 215.

For Fitch, it was his fourth straight MIAA title. He joins Mack Lewnes and Bruce Dulski of Mount St. Joe as the only other four-time MIAA champs.

Brett Przywara (103) and Tyler Scarinzi (125) won titles for Archbishop Curley; Bill Gialamas (112) and Owen Smith (171) won for Calvert Hall, while heavyweight Karl Green joined Schaufele and Bowman on the victory stand for Mount St. Joe.

Issue 3.7: February 14, 2008