Calvert JV Wrestles at McDonough Invitational

On February 2, 2019 Calvert High School Junior Varsity Wrestling entered the Maurice J. McDonough High School Invitational, in Charles County, MD. Freshmen Austin Finley, Kole Green, Sam Green, and Liam Koppers, joined by junior Kyle Joy participated in the tournament. The remaining three team members, sophomore Tim Hall and juniors Mark Maldonado and captain Matthew Davis competed that evening at Henry E. Lackey High School to make to make up for a rescheduled match. The invitational followed a Madison-System Bracket, where the boys are separated into their class after weighing in and compete against the others.   

Finley represented the 109-and-under weight class. He began his day against North Point High School where he finished with a loss, 5-4, after a full four-minute match. Next, he faced La Plata High School where he finished another full four-minute match with a loss, 6-0. Finley’s third, and final, match was against North Point High School where he completed another full match, but finishes with a win, 7-5, placing him in third place for his weight class.   

Koppers participated for the 132-and-under weight class and started against La Plata High School, ending in a loss by pin. He followed facing Henry E. Lackey High School, and after only a 37 second match, he finished with a pin. His final match ended in a loss by pin, giving him second place in his weight class.  

Joy represented the 174-and-under weight class. In the first 20 seconds he pinned his opponent from Northern High School. His second match, versus La Plata High School, also ended by a pin in under 34 seconds. He faced Leonardtown High School next where he finished with another win, this time in a full four-minute match, 5-2. Joy next faced Maurice J. McDonough High School and finished another full match with a win, 12-2. His fifth and final match, versus Maurice J. McDonough High School, ended Joy’s day with a win by pin, in under a minute. Joy finished with a perfect record, putting him in first place.  

K. Green participated for the 189-and-under weight class and started off with a match against Northern High School, finishing with a pin in 26 seconds. He continued to face Leonardtown High School and finished with another pin in 50 seconds. In his third and final match, Green opposed Northern High School and finished with a pin, in under 27 seconds. He finished first place in his weight class.  

S. Green represented the 196-and-under weight class for Calvert and started off against Maurice J. McDonough High School but ends in a loss by pin. He next two matches, versus Northern High School and Leonardtown High School, both also end in losses, by pin. His fourth and final match, Green faces Great Mills High School where he clenched a win, by pin in one minute and 52 seconds. He claimed the fourth-place spot in his weight class.  

With only the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference tournament left to prepare for, the wrestling season winds down.  Calvert High School Varsity closes the season out with a 3 wins, 14 losses record, and only eight wrestlers. There have been many challenges that the team has overcome this season K. Green said lack of participants has been the largest. At the same time, the team has seen many improvements and triumphs. Finley said, “I think the team has improved on, mostly their overall athleticism and technique.”  

Assistant Coach, Mr. Michael Free, said “The team seems to be improving everyday by working hard and getting the fundamentals mastered. . . We have had several kids winning or placing individually in tournaments despite not placing well as a team. Matt Davis has won two varsity tournaments, while Kole Green, Austin Finley, Liam Koppers and Kyle Joy have had individual success in in some JV tournaments this year. . . Staying positive and coming close as a team even with a losing record this season has been the most difficult part of the season.”  

He and Head-Coach Matt Bancroft hope to recruit well in the off season and have at least 25-30 wrestlers next year, in order to have a chance at a winning record.