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WJ wins fifth consecutive wrestling match by Kent Zakour
Staff Writer

The Walter Johnson High School wrestling team won its fifth consecutive match on Monday, but it was far from easy.
The Wildcats, who cannot afford another loss if they want to qualify for next month's Class 4A/3A West Regional Dual Meet Championships, surrendered a 15-point lead, but rallied for a 39-31 victory over host Poolesville.
“It was way too close,” longtime Walter Johnson coach Tom Wheeler said. “These kinds of matches aren't good for my heart and make me older than I already am. But a win is good since we still have to win out against Churchill [Saturday] and B-CC and Whitman [Feb. 4]. The road does not get any easier.”
Trailing 28-27 with just three bouts remaining, 132-pounder Tony Davis “saved the day,” according to Wheeler.
After a scoreless first period, Davis selected the down position entering the second, but was unable to earn an escape as David Frendlich rode out the period. In the third, Davis started on top and was able to turn his opponent to his back for the pin with 49 seconds remaining.
“I was tired, but he got a stall warning there in the second period so I knew he was tired too,” Davis said. “I got an opportunity in the third to get on top and get my arm bar in. I turned him and that was that.”
Davis' effort gave the Wildcats (7-2) a 33-28 advantage and they would not relinquish it. Poolesville's (7-2) Cody Dorsey then won by decision, 10-4, at 138 over Jimmy Parker to make things interesting, but 145-pounder Jamie Fitzpatrick sealed the match with a fall of Michael Branscome in 2 minutes, 34 seconds.
Poolesville bolted out to an early 12-5 advantage after just three bouts as Robert Winning (160) and Tyler McGaha (170) secured pins. But the Wildcats answered with a run of five consecutive victories as Tim Forline (182), Caldwell Clarke (195), Elad Covaliu (220), Innocent Okocha (285) and Nir Raviv (106) won by decision, major decision, fall, fall and decision, respectively.
Trailing 27-12, Cory Savage (113, major decision), Justin Hansen (120, fall) and Will Korzeniewski (126, fall) each won for the Falcons to give their team a brief 28-27 lead.
“We've had a couple of lapses against lesser opponents,” Davis said. “But for the most part, we've all been wrestling with a high intensity. Obviously, we have no room for error if we want to get [to the duals].
Meanwhile, the Falcons are still in the mix for one of the four spots in the Class 2A/1A South Regional.
“It was a tough one, but sometimes you lose and sometimes you win,” Poolesville coach Kevin Dorsey said. “Walter Johnson was the best team we've wrestled so far and it came down to one match. We will see where we line up when the season is over.”
Note: Walter Johnson also shut out 3-7 Richard Montgomery 67-0. The Wildcats recorded four pins, five decisions, a major decision and received four forfeits. … Poolesville also defeated the Rockets.
kzakour@gazette.net

Walter Johnson 39, Poolesville 31
152: Max McCleskey (WJ) t.f. Avery Garber, 6:00; 17-0
160: Robert Winning (P) f. Connor Jobes (WJ), 3:58
170: Tyler McGaha (P) f. Colin McCoy (WJ), 1:56
182: Tim Forline (WJ) d. Ali Nejati (P), 7-4
195: Caldwell Clarke (WJ) m.d. Sam Dodds (P), 13-2
220: Elad Covaliu (WJ) f. Josh Womack (P), :58
285: Innocent Okocha (WJ) f. Cesar Roque (P), 4:55
106: Nir Raviv (WJ) d. Luke Maher (P), 8-2
113: Cory Savage (P) m.d. Ugo D'Agnese (WJ), 11-0
120: Justin Hansen (P) f. Grayson Zia (WJ),1 :59
126: Will Korzeniewski (P) f. Tommy Branthover (WJ), 1:38
132: Tony Davis (WJ) f. David Frendlich (P), 5:11
138: Cody Dorsey (P) d. Jimmy Parker (WJ), 10-4
145: Jamie Fitzpatrick (WJ) f. Michael Branscome (P), 2:34

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