By Paul Frommelt
Click the
“Photos” and “Videos” links above to view pictures and highlights from
a preseason practice of the Battlefield wrestling team.
Martino Leads Young Battlefield Squad
Saying that the Bobcats are young this season would be a massive understatement.
The Battlefield wrestling team will start eight freshmen at the varsity level this year with only two seniors. Luckily for head coach Tommy O’Neill, the two seniors that the he brings back this year are two of the state’s best. Case in point — senior 112-pounder Beau Martino. Martino, wrestling at 103 last year, brought home Prince William County’s first AAA state championship since 2004.
“He’s got a real knowledge for the sport,” said O’Neill of Martino. “He wrestles all the time. He really studies what’s going on.”
After his 2-1 win over Fauquier’s Ryan Hunsberger in the AAA finals, Martino decided to start wrestling year-round — and hasn’t really stopped since. O’Neill has done his best to throw something at Martino that the senior hasn’t seen during preseason practice this year.
“We throw a lot of different looks at him. I have a freshman right now that’s amazingly fast. I throw him out there against him. I throw big kids against him,” he said. “You try and throw different looks at him and he just takes them all on. He really forces people into wrestling his match.”
O’Neill points to Martino’s three matches against an active and aggressive Hunsberger in the Cedar Run, Northwest Region and AAA state finals — “Beau completely took him out of his match.”
The Bobcats’ are also looking for a big year from senior 215-pounder Peter Psihas — who is currently ranked 2nd in the state at 215 by VirginiaWrestling.com.
“Peter has a good shot and his mind is right this year. He is just busting his ****,” said O’Neill. “He keeps telling me, ‘Coach, I’m placing’ and I tell him to not settle for placing.”
Just because the Bobcats are young, that doesn’t mean that O’Neill has set his goals low this year. He’s not pulling out the dreaded “rebuilding year” label.
“I don’t set my goals any less than the kids qualifying for the state tournament,” said O’Neill, whose team finished a program-best fifth at the Northwest Region tournament last year. “We’re young, but I think that we can compete. They don’t have a choice but to get better. I don’t care if you are a freshmen, sophomore, junior or senior. It doesn’t matter. When you step on the mat, you’re coming out and making a commitment to a team and you need to live up to those expectations. With Beau out there, there’s some big expectations.”
News and Notes Around Prince William
Call it a case of bad luck. Battlefield, Osbourn, Osbourn Park and Stonewall Jackson have the unfortunate distinction of wrestling in the same district as state powerhouse Fauquier. The Falcons placed nine wrestlers at last February’s AAA state tournament. Five of those wrestlers return this year.
“The team to beat in the district, region and the state is just miles southwest of Prince William County,” said Osbourn head coach Tim Weaver in an email. “Fauquier High School will represent Northern Virginia well.”
Weaver’s Eagles placed second behind the Falcons in the district tournament last year, but lost Mark Vetal (129 career wins) and Bobby Gray (137 career wins, 6th place in state tournament). The Eagles do return, however, 135-pounder Corey Sellner (two-time state qualifier), as well as Dominique Uang (103), Mason Smith (152), John Davis (140), C.J. Huguley (130), Matt Karhoff (112) and Chris Borrelli (145).
The Woodbridge Vikings had an impressive ninth-place finish at the Region tournament last year and 2008 looks to be even better, as the Vikes return seven wrestlers. Greg Nelson (119), Tyler Farr (125), Nolan King (145), Matt Smith (152) and Anthony Blocker (171) all wrested in the Cardinal District finals last year.
2007-2008 Prince William Key Losses:
Silvio Ramirez, Forest Park; Anthony Cantello, Osbourn Park; Mark Vetal, Osbourn; Steven Young, Gar-Field; Stephen Hinton, Forest Park; Allen Fary, Battlefield; Porker Bowers, Gar-Field; Bobby Gray, Osbourn; Matt Bowman, Battlefield; Eric Lawrence, C.D. Hylton; Eric Lawrence, C.D. Hylton; Adam Lauer, Gar-Field; Ray Dickerson, Gar-Field; John Cawthron, Osbourn Park; Scott Bullock, Woodbridge; Trevor Blose, Osbourn; John Cawthron, Osbourn Park; Jesus Legares, Woodbridge; Luis Pola, Woodbridge; Jason Mazariegos, Woodbridge.
2008-2009 Prince William Key Wrestlers:
Beau Martino, 112, Sr., Battlefield; Peter Psihas, 215, Sr., Battlefield; Cameron Boyd, 140, Soph., Forest Park; Issac Riddell, Forest Park, 112; Eric Dramazos, Osbourn Park, 112; Corey Sellner, Osbourn, 125; Corey Draine, 189, C.D. Hylton; Luke Olsen, 140, Stonewall Jackson; Matt Smith, 152, Woodbridge; Brooks Martino, 103, Battlefield; A.J. Baggott, 152, Gar-Field; Greg Nelson, 119, Woodbridge; Tyler Farr, 125, Woodbridge; Nolan King; 145, Woodbridge; Anthony Blocker, 171, Woodbridge.
2008 Northwest Region Tournament — Team Scores:
1. Colonial Forge (228); 2. Fauquier (187); 3, Franklin County (133); 4. Mountain View (100); 5. Gar-Field (70); 5. Battlefield (70); 7. North Stafford (68); 7. Forest Park (68); 9. Osbourn (67); 9. Woodbridge (67); 11. Massaponax (64); 12. Riverbend (57); 13. Brook Pointe (53); 14. Osbourn Park (51); 15. C.D. Hylton (48); 16. Loudoun Valley (46); 17. Culpeper (39); 18. Liberty (38); 19. William Fleming (36); 20. George Washington (33); 21. Albemarle (20); 22. Stafford (15); 23. Stonewall Jackson (13); 24. E.C. Glass (9); 25. Halifax County (7); 26. Potomac (6); 27. Freedom (5); 28. Patrick Henry (3).
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