It has been a tight race all weekend with the best private school teams from around the state, but it is still Archbishop Spalding who holds the slightest of leads coming of out the MIS semifinals.
Advancing five wrestlers to the tournament finals, the Cavs will take to the corner in support of Cole Gallagher (112), Will Switzer (140), Charlie Lynch (145), DJ Smith (171) and KK Smith (189), going head-to-head with second place McDonogh two times in the final round.
Gallagher looks for his second state title against McDonogh’s upset king, Logan Meister, who beat the number three and two seeds to make his 112-pound finals appearance, while Smith prepares for an MIAA Finals rematch with Kevin Marvel in the 189-pound title match.
McDonogh added Xavi Ramos (119), Jack Clark (130) and Roman Braglio (285) to the big dance, with Clark trying to top John Carroll’s George Weber for the third time this year.
John Carroll’s other finalist, 171-pound Mathew Miller, is working on state title number two, and has pinned his way to the tournament finals to face Spalding’s DJ Smith.
Last year, Miller held the title for most falls in the state tournament, as well as winning the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler award.
St. Paul’s is in third place heading into the final round, but is doing so with four finalists in Jack Mutchnik (103), Eric Friedman (119), Pete Galli (140) and Brad Mutchnik (152).
Friedman, one of the more decorated wrestlers in the entire tournament, is in search of his third state title and second Outstanding Wrester award, while teammates Brad and Galli are both looking to take title number two.
Curley and Mount. St. Joe are both sitting among the top 10 teams in the state, with both entering two wrestlers to the final round; Curley with Brett Przywara (135) and Brett Brigman (160), and Mount St. Joe with Brady Massaro (145), Tyler Rill (160).
Przywara had a come-from-behind win in the semifinals, upsetting the number two seed, to fight for his second state crown, while Massaro also looks for his second title against Lynch in the 145-pound final.
Bryce pappas is the only representative of St. Mary’s, entering the 152-pound finals against Mutchnick.
The MIS State Tournament Finals are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. in the gymnasium at the McDonogh School.
Team Scores after Semifinals:
1.Archbishop Spalding (A)237.5
2.McDonogh School (A)209.5
3.Saint Paul`s (A)183.0
4.Georgetown Prep (A)162.5
5.Good Counsel (A)156.5
6.Archbishop Curley (A)142.0
7.Mount Saint Joseph (A)133.0
8.John Carroll (A)125.5
9.DeMatha Catholic (A)120.5
10.Saint Vincent Pallotti (A)91.0
11.Loyola Blakefield (A)90.0
12.Bullis School (A)65.5
13.Boys` Latin (A)53.0
14.Calvert Hall (A)47.0
15.Gilman School (A)44.5
16.Landon (A)30.0
MIS Semifinal Results:
103– Jack Mutchnik (SP) dec 10-5 Shane Wilson (DM)
David Mohler (LOY) dec 6-3 Mike Still (AS)
112– Cole Gallagher (AS) dec 3-1 Chris Halkos (PAL)
Logan Meister (McD) dec 3-1 Vince Scarinzi (AC)
119– Eric Friedman (SP) fall 3:30 Patrick Hutton (GP)
Xavi Ramos (McD) dec 3-0 Scott Strappelli (JC)
125-Alfred Bannister (BMc) dec 9-3 Logan Breitenbach (AS)
Daniel Sanchez (GP) dec 6-2 John Chenault (PAL)
130 Jack Clark (McD) fall 3:13 Cole Graves (AS)
George Weber (JC) dec 5-0 Kevin Johnson (MSJ)
135 Shane Arechiga (GC) inj def Brady Gaynor (AS)
Brett Przywara (AC) dec 6-4 Tito Onyekweli (DM)
140– Pete Galli (SP) maj dec 15-2 Justin Murphy (LAN)
Will Switzer (AS) dec 8-3 Toby Hague (McD)
145– Charlie Lynch (AS) fall 1:26 Thomas Wilson (GP)
Brady Massaro (MSJ) dec 6-4 Ryan Garey (BU)
152– Brad Mutchnik (SP) dec 6-3 Chuckie Blankenship (AC)
Bryce Pappas (STM) fall :25 Tyler Patrick (McD)
160– Tyler Rill (McD) maj dec 10-1 Zach Griffitt (SMR)
Brett Brigman (AC) dec 4-3 Max Sataloff (McD)
171– Mathew Miller (JC) fall :58 Purnell Summers (AC)
Devaunje Smith (AS) dec 3-2 Randall Hernandez (BU)
189 Kvaunte Smith (AS) fall 1:59 Mike Green (SP)
Kevin Marvel (McD) dec 4-2 Shane Cockerille (DM)
215 Kyle Snyder (GC) maj dec 9-0 Matt Green (SP)
Dylan Devine (DM) dec 1-0 Tyler Tippett (MSJ)
285 Roman Braglio (McD) dec 5-1 Derek Pittman (PAL)
Stephen Snyder (GC) dec 2-1 Ryan Schneider (GP)
