McDonogh Adds Another Title

By: Zach Seidel

The McDonogh wrestling team added another title to this season's already extensive collection by winning their third consecutive Maryland Independent Schools championship last weekend at McDonogh.

The Eagles scored 317 points, more than enough to hold off second-place finisher Mount St. Joseph, who ended up with 220.5 points. Host McDonogh dominated the tournament, much like it did at last week's Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Assocation competition, capturing six of the 14 weight classes.

Josh Fitch led McDonogh, winning a championship for the second straight weekend, defeating DeMatha’s Matt Dugan, 9-0. Fitch became one of just a handful of wrestlers who have won titles in this tournament for four straight years.

The Eagles also had wins by Nick Schenk (119, Nik Gialamas, Gilman, pin), Ben Levin (130, Benny Schaufele, Mount St Joseph, decision), Curtis Holmes (145, Mike Munno, DeMatha, decision) , Kramer Whitelaw (160, Edwin Jackson, Mount St. Joseph, decision), Alex Pagnotta (189, Mike Auguggia, DeMatha injury default).

The Eagles also had two runners-up in Shane Milam (152) and Lane Clelland (285), both of whom lost to Mount St. Joe wrestlers. Milam lost in overtime to Bobby Bowman, while Clelland dropped a 3-1 decision to Karl Green.

Eric Filpowicz (125, Kyle Haden, DeMatha, pin), Albert Woody (135, Brian Frantz, Loyola, decision) and Doug Schenk (215, Trey Smith, Landon, pin) all won consolation titles for McDonogh.

In the end, McDonogh had wrestlers who finished first, second or third in 11 of the 14 weight classes.

Other winners were Archbishop Curley’s Brett Przywara (103) and Calvert Hall’s Bill Gialamas (112) and Owen Smith (171). Mount St. Joseph had another winner in Danny Orem (135), who pulled out a victory in four overtimes, and Chancellor Gaffney (215) of Georgetown Prep.

Posted Feb. 22, 2008