BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s unbeaten varsity wrestling team steamrolled through two dual matches last weekend to capture an unprecedented state Class 2A championship for the second straight year.
The Seahawks have been dominant all year on their way to a perfect regular season. Along the way, they also captured championships in the prestigious Rough Rider and Iron Horse Duals tournaments. Despite all of that success, Decatur still had unfinished business and it began last week with the state 2A-East region championships.
The Seahawks were relatively untested in the region championships last Wednesday, rolling past Queen Anne’s, 62-12, and Kent Island, 57-6, in the championship meet. During the region championship meet, Jagger Clapsadle captured his 147th career win, tying the previous Decatur school record held by Andy McKahan.
With the region banner in hand, Decatur traveled to southern Maryland last Saturday for the state 2A championships and the results were more of the same. In the state semifinals, the Seahawks beat Sparrow’s Point, 38-27, to advance. During the Sparrow’s Point match, Clapsadle, wrestling at 126, beat Wayne Brooks to pass McKahan with his 148th career win to set the new school record.
In the championship, the Seahawks beat Glenelg, 42-24, to capture its second straight state championship, a feat never accomplished by a Bayside Conference school before. During the championship meet, Clapsadle captured win number 149, adding to his new school record.
Clapsadle’s record is impressive to be sure, but he is only one piece in the Seahawks’ juggernaut puzzle. Just last week, Nico D’Amico captured his 100th career win and could challenge the school record. In fact, there are 21 wrestlers at Decatur who have earned at least 100 wins in their career.
Against Sparrow’s Point in the semifinals, at 106, Austin Miller beat Tyler Maynor, while Shamar Baines beat Dom Ambrosino at 113. Logan Intrieri beat Aiden Argueta at 120 and Jagger Clapsadle beat Wayne Brooks at 126. Nico D’Amico kept it going with a win over Richard Davis at 132, but Kyle Elliott fell to Sparrow’s Point’s Luke Koenig at 138.
Noah Reho got Decatur back on track with a win over Matt Laubach at 145 and Alex Koulikov beat Kendrik Emani at 152. James Parana beat Jake Lure at 160 and Micah Bourne beat Jake Rallo at 170. With enough points in the bank to secure the semifinal win, the Seahawks forfeited matches in the four heaviest weight classes.
In the finals against Glenelg, the Seahawks got off to a slow start, but stacked wins in the middle weight classes to secure the 42-24 win to repeat as state champions. At 113, Glenelg’s David Ridenour topped Baines, while Intrieri fell at 120 to Jaegon Hibbitts. Clapsadle got the Seahawks on the board with a win over Taegon Hibbitts at 126, and D’Amico beat Ethan Sotka at 132.
Elliott kept it going with a win over Trey Fleece at 138 and Reho beat Kevin Yang at 145. Koulikov beat Kian Payne at 145, Parana beat Ethan Mackey at 160 and Bourne beat Nicholas Kingsbury at 170 to keep the streak going.
The two teams swapped wins in the heavier weight classes down the stretch, but the Seahawks had amassed enough points to secure the 42-24 win and earn their second straight state crown. Adham Labwam lost to Glenelg’s Drew Sotka at 182, but D.J. Taylor responded with a win over Jake Durkin at 195. Glenelg’s Lucas Suri beat John Hofman at 220, but T.D. Ortega beat Dominic Magnolia at 285. In the final bout, Glenelg’s Kyle Hansberger beat Miller at 106.
With the second-straight state championship banner secured, there are still plenty of individual accolades to pursue. Several Decatur wrestlers will still compete for individual titles in the Bayside Conference, regional and state championships.
