Top-ranked Gilman won its third straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic A Conference dual meet on Wednesday, 47-28, over fifth-ranked Archbishop Spalding.
The Greyhounds (9-1 overall, 6-0 MIAA) were coming off Tuesday night’s 39-34 victory over fourth-ranked Loyola which followed a 43-22 triumph over No. 2- ranked Mount St. Joseph on January 17th.
The Greyhounds were elevated to No. 1 after vanquishing the six-time MIS champion Gaels, who narrowly defeated the Cavaliers, 32-30, earlier this month.
Winning by fall for the Greyhounds were Liam McGettigan (106), Arthur Konshak (157), Emmitt Sherlock (165), Nick Haughey (175), Sebastian Chaney (190) and Gabriel Smith (215). McGettigan’s fall took 19 seconds, Haughey’s, 30, Smith’s, 1:21, and Sherlock’s, 1:38.
The Greyhounds' Tyson Sherlock (144) earned a 16-0 technical fall, and John Jurkovic (150) edged Charlie Gessford, 5-3.
Winning for the Cavaliers were Henry Gessford (120) by 38-second fall, Sean Garretson (126) by fall in 3:56, Zane Leitzel (138) by fall in 5:15, Vincent Paulucci (132) by 3-0 decision over Zach Glory, JD Vassar (113) by 2-0 decision over Rock Zang, and Delmar White (285) by forfeit.
The Cavaliers were coming off Tuesday night's 49-24 victory over Old Mill of Anne Arundel County highlighted by a first-period fall by White over Class 4A-3A state champion RJ Duncan. White improved to 2-1 against Duncan and 22-2 on the year following his fall over in 1:46.
“I pinned him with a body lock,” White said. “It felt pretty good when I pinned him because I lost to him during my freshman year.”
White’s wrestling season ended prematurely last February while competing at Chesapeake-Anne Arundel County. White had a 37-0 record and was ranked No. 3 in Class 4A-3A and fifth overall before suffering a season-ending injury, having already beaten Duncan, 1-0, in the finals of the Anne Arundel County tournament.
A few days after defeating Duncan last season, White became injured in advance of the following week’s regional tournament, after which Duncan commenced his run for the Class 4A-3A East Regional state crowns.
Duncan finished at 20-2 including the loss to White, who, as a freshman, placed third at counties, second at regions, and sixth at states.
“I was confident going into the match. I’ve been praying about it,” said White, who is coached by 22nd-year coach Mike Laidley. “I was confident going into the match. God is always helping me a lot and giving me blessings.”
Each played football for their programs this past fall.
The 6-foot-2 White starred as a defensive end on the Archbishop Spalding football team, registering five sacks and recovering a fumble as the Cavaliers won their second straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title.
The 6-foot-4 Duncan starred as a two-way lineman on the Patriots’ 10-2, Class 4A state tournament qualifying football team, recording five sacks and three forced fumbles.
Coached by 19th-year coach Jim Grim, who guided the program to Class 4A-3A state tournament titles in 2003 and 2007, Duncan became the Patriots' 35th individual state title winner but only the second at heavyweight since Roy Carter in 1983.
Duncan is only the Patriots’ first state champion since 2011, when 140-pound champion Salaman Riddel defeated LaPlata’s Daniel Brannon, 4-2, to complete a 33-1 season.
Duncan can become the Patriots first two-time 285-pound or heavyweight state champion, joining six other repeat title-winners in Chuck Sturm (1982, 1983), Charlie Royer (1984, 1985), Greg Wise (1988, 1989), Chris Combs (1997, 1998), Adam DeCosmo (2000, 2001) and Greg Saumenig (2006, 2007).
"Del is the ideal wrestler to have on your team. He's coachable, committed, hardworking, intelligent and humble. His metrics are clearly evidence that God has favorites," said DeCosmo, who is an assistant to Laidley. "Del demonstrates the adage that talent is a responsibility and not a gift. He is staunchly committed to the daily tasks of strength training and improving his wrestling craft. There is no reason that he should not have 'National Prep Champ' both this year and next."
Winning by fall for the Cavaliers against the Patriots were Garretson, Paolucci, Leitzel, Henry and Charlie Gessford and Taina Fernandez (126).
The Cavaliers received a 12-2 major decision from Zang against Old Mill, and a 2-1 decision by Ryder Kolat (150) over the Patriots’ Ruben Macias-Salas.
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