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Photos from Saturday's meet

A year ago, Walter Johnson High School senior Grayson Zia had never thought about participating on an organized wrestling team.

On Saturday, the rookie 120-pound grappler secured a surprising pin to help the Wildcats record one of the program's most significant victories, 37-21, over visiting Winston Churchill in Bethesda.

“This is so huge,” said Zia, who was recruited during the offseason by several teammates, including 152-pounder Max McCleskey. “Our coaches were talking about this match all week. … I am just lucky and thankful to have the opportunity to have a varsity spot. I mean, I've always thought about the sport, but never committed to it until this winter. Everyone has been helping me out and I just keep getting better and better every match.”

Added McCleskey: “I think he does taekwondo so he's a tough kid. He wrestled with us outside of school just messing around and I saw he had a lot of potential so I asked him to join us. Obviously, I am glad I did since he's been pulling out big wins for us.”

With the match tied at four after just two bouts, Zia found himself trailing Rustin Tashayyod 11-6 early in the third period. At the urging of assistant coach Rob Yi's advice, Zia remained aggressive and shifted the momentum of the bout before eventually securing an unexpected fall in 4 minutes, 34 seconds.

“I couldn't see too well since I got poked in my eye,” Zia said. “I just heard Yi say, ‘Get on offense and go for the takedown,' I had nothing to lose so I shot the double leg [takedown] and it was pretty much history from there.”

The win moves the Wildcats (9-2) a little closer to clinching a rare spot in the Class 4A/3A West Regional Dual Meet Championship. They still have to face Sherwood, Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Walt Whitman over the ensuing week, but will be heavily favored. Springbrook and Damascus are both undefeated and will likely be the No. 1 and 2 seeds. Thomas S. Wootton is currently third with one loss, which came to Walter Johnson. Out of county foe North Hagerstown also has two losses and could throw a wrench into the Wildcats' plans.

“Every win at this point of the season is our biggest win,” McCleskey said. “Other years we had guys like Paul Okeyo that would be the stud and a [top dog]. This year, it can be any one of us at anytime like Grayson today. We are a true team.”

Added heavyweight Innocent Okocha: “We expected to be here. We have an amazing opportunity in front of us and we just have to take care of business. Everything is going to fall into place.”

Later on during Saturday's match, McCleskey also came up with a momentum shifting victory. He upset Churchill (10-3) senior Jake Sutton, 10-6, to give his squad a 16-15 advantage.

Tied at four entering the second period, McCleskey earned an escape before securing a takedown and 7-4 lead with a textbook ankle pick. In the third, McCleskey also earned a takedown and held on for the win.

“I just kept plodding away,” he said. “Jake was getting aggressive and pushing me out of bounds and stuff. But I just stayed calm and got that ankle pick to open it up a little bit.”

Churchill won the opening bout of the match as 106-pounder Hunter Daniel earned an easy 13-1 major decision over Nir Raviv. But the Wildcats responded with three consecutive victories from Ugo D'Agnese (113, major decision), Zia and Tommy Branthover (126, decision) to take a 13-4 advantage.

Churchill then seized the lead, 15-13, with a run of victories from Peter Heilbron (132), Adama Keita (138) and reigning state champion Hunter Sutton (145), who was unable to pin Jamie Fitzpatrick, by decision, major decision and major decision, respectively.

McCleskey's upset gave the Wildcats the lead again and all the momentum as they won six of the final seven bouts. Colin McCoy (160, decision), reigning Montgomery County and region champion Elad Covaliu (182, major decision), Tim Forline (195, major decision), Caldwell Clarke (220, fall) and Okocha (major decision) also recorded wins. Marcos Macedo pinned Charlie Bulman at 170 in 1:28 to give the Bulldogs a brief 21-19 advantage.

“This is just another step for us in our quest this year,” said Covaliu, who owns an undefeated individual record. “We aren't done yet.”

While the Wildcats are still thick in the race for one of the final two spots in the regional duals, Churchill is all but mathematically eliminated. It could, however, still play a role in seeding since it hosts Wootton on Friday.

“We lost a couple of matches where we expected a different outcome, but some were also coin flips,” Bulldogs helmsman Tim Lowe said. “WJ wrestled real well today. This is just very disappointing for us.”

kzakour@gazette.net

Walter Johnson 37, Winston Churchill 21

106: Hunter Daniel (WC) m.d. Nir Raviv (WJ), 13-1

113: Ugo D'Agnese (WJ) m.d. Brendan Fagan (WCH), 11-0

120: Grayson Zia (WJ) f. Rustin Tashayyod (WCH), 4:34

126: Tommy Branthover (WJ) d, Adam Vinner (WCH), 6-2

132: Peter Heilbron (WCH) d. Tony Davis (WJ), 13-7

138: Adama Keita (WCH), m.d. Jimmy Parker (WJ), 11-1

145: Hunter Sutton (WCH) m.d. Jamie Fitzpatrick (WJ), 11-2

152: Max McCleskey (WJ) d. Jake Sutton (WCH), 10-6

160: Colin McCoy (WJ) d. Victor Caravajal (WCH), 2-0

170: Marcos Macedo (WCH) f. Charlie Bulman (WJ), 1:28

182: Elad Covaliu (WJ) m.d. Matt Schleckser (WCH), 14-4

195: Tim Forline (WJ) m.d. Collins Kenlak (WCH), 11-1

220: Caldwell Clarke (WJ) f. Mike Kelly (WCH), 2:59

285: Innocent Okocha (WJ) m.d. Larry Cheung (WCH), 10-2