January 22, 2006|By LEM SATTERFIELD | LEM SATTERFIELD,SUN REPORTER
For three days, McDonogh's National Preps champion Bryn Holmes was bedridden with a viral infection. "He wasn't in school all week until Thursday," said his mother, Erin. "We told him if he didn't go Thursday, he'd have to stay home."
But there was no way that the competitor inside of the two-time state champion 152-pounder was going to let him miss yesterday's 24-team Mount Mat Madness Invitational -- not with a final chance to face St. Mark's Andrew Bradley, who had beaten him twice in one day earlier this year.
Holmes (30-2) made his 4-0 victory over Bradley (28-2) look routine on the way to the title at Goucher College, leading the No. 2 Eagles to a runner-up finish behind St. Mark's of Delaware. McDonogh's Joe Breen (140) and freshman Eric Filipowicz (103) were second. Finishing third for the Eagles were sophomore Josh Fitch (112) and freshmen Curtis Holmes (130), Shane Milam (135) and Alex Pagnotta (160). Curtis Holmes decked St. Mark's senior Andrew Riley, who is ranked No. 2 in Delaware.
"I had to go to the hospital briefly with a sinus infection, but I really couldn't let that stop me," Holmes said. "The last time, I had torn my meniscus. I knew I was a lot more healthy this time. If I hadn't wrestled him tonight, it would have really bothered me."
Filipowicz (20-5) lost a rematch, 10-6, to Wyoming Seminary's Nicky Gordon (29-3), whom Filipowicz had pinned earlier this year. Breen (10-1), a champion in last year's event lost, 10-6, to Delaware state champion Tommy Abbott (28-2), whom Breen had beaten several times before. Breen returned from a nearly six-week absence due to a knee injury.
Mount St. Joseph titlists were three-time private schools champion Mack Lewnes (160), ranked No. 1 nationally in his class, and one-time private schools champion Jake Bohn (189). Ranked No. 2 in The Sun, Bohn (17-2) scored two first-period pins, a 15-0 technical fall and overcame Hammond's fourth-ranked Steve Sessa (14-2) by 5-2 for his second straight title in the event.
A three-time All-Metro selection and one-time All-Metro Wrestler of the Year, Lewnes (26-1) scored a 9-0 rout of Caravel's Luke Rebertus (21-4), a former private schools champion as a McDonogh freshman two years ago. Two-time state champion Jon Kohler (135) of Mount St. Joseph fell short in a 6-3 loss to St. Mark's Eli Norvell (24-4), who had outscored his three previous opponents by a combined, 31-1, including two technical falls.
Old Mill's Class 4A-3A state runner-up Greg Saumenig (112) was stuck in 35 seconds by Delaware state champion Conor McDonald (10-1) of Sussex Central, who is ranked fifth in the nation; Harford Tech's two-time 2A-1A runner-up Mike Long (130) was blanked, 3-0, by Cedar Cliff's Bryan Ortenzio (21-3); and his teammate, Matt Kahl (145), lost, 5-1, to Cedar Cliff's Rob Morrison (21-3).
Hammond's two-time state champion Vince Taweel (140) had a 31-match winning streak ended when he suffered a slight shoulder separation in his quarterfinal against Hodgson Vo-Tech's Orlando Colon. Down, 14-0, at the time, Taweel's left shoulder was wrenched during Colon's pinning maneuver. Pending X-rays, Taweel's parents, Ramsey and Colleen said they were unsure about a timetable on his return.
"There's no prognosis, we'll wait and see [after X-rays] on Monday. That's the plan," coach Pedro Barbosa said. "The doctor over there said that it was slightly separated, but they don't think it's that bad. In the past, he's healed quickly and been able to bounce back."
lem.satterfield@baltsun.com
