Staff Writer
On Feb. 4, a couple of hours after winning the 133th wrestling match of his four-year tenure at Quince Orchard High School, Eli Bienstock logged into his Facebook account with the intention of updating his status and typed, “Most winningest wrestling in QO history, sorry Reed.”
Later that night, former teammate Austin Williams commented, “Five bucks says Reed won’t like this status.”
All joking aside, Bienstock broke Reed Neubaum’s school record of 132 victories earlier that afternoon by pinning Col. Zadok Magruder’s Nick Ferentinos in 1 minute, 42 seconds.
“We just like to have fun,” Bienstock said. “Reed and I had talked a little about [setting the record], but it is a secondary goal of mine. Don’t get me wrong, it is a great accomplishment to be proud of especially with all the history at QO, but my sights are set on the final three tournaments of my career.”
So when the 50th annual Montgomery County Wrestling Tournament commences at Montgomery Blair High School on Friday, Bienstock will by vying for a rare place in county history.
The 120-pounder could become just the second grappler in tournament history to win four county championships. Sherwood graduate Steven Gamble (2008) is the only other wrestler to accomplish the feat.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about how cool it would be to win, but I don’t want to worry about it,” said Bienstock, who also is on pace to win the Richard J. Monisera Award, given to the senior who has accumulated the most career points at the county tournament. “There’s been a lot of great wrestlers to come through MoCo and to be given the opportunity to be just the second person ever to win four county titles is pretty fascinating. … It would still be just one step toward my ultimate goal of a state title.”
Bienstock, a two-time All-Gazette first team selection and one-time honorable mention, has experienced immense success since he entered high school. He has won at least 31 matches each season and has never lost more than four. In addition to establishing the Cougars’ record for victories this winter, he won his fourth gold medal in as many years at the Mad Mats and Hub Cup tournaments and owns a perfect 30-0 mark.
But the prize of a state championship is still missing.
Bienstock, who considered attending a private high school before opting to stay at Quince Orchard with his friends, exploded onto the scene as a freshman by winning gold as a 103-pounder at the county and the Class 4A/3A West Region tournaments before finishing as the runner-up in the state tournament.
He repeated the feats as a sophomore in the 112-pound weight class, but placed third in the state.
Last winter, Bienstock experienced the most disappointing moment of his high school tenure. He defeated Winston Churchill sophomore Hunter Sutton in the final bout at 119 pounds during the county and region tournaments and was the top seed entering the state tournament. Bienstock, however, was upset in the quarterfinal round, 6-4 in overtime, by Broadneck’s Collin Harrell. He was able to rally in the consolation bracket and took third.
“That was real rough on him,” Quince Orchard coach Chris Tao said. “He was in a favorable position and got upset. I know it bothered him for a real long time, but to his credit, he’s stayed focused.”
This season, Bienstock gained a new appreciation for the sport.
“I used to worry about everything like my weight, my moves, winning and losing and a whole bunch of stuff,” he said. “This year, I am just going out and wrestling. Everything else will take care of itself.”
Added Tao: “We used to call him a baby bird because he never stopped talking. He would always be asking us questions and it may have been annoying, but it has obviously paid off for Eli.”
After graduation this spring, Bienstock, who began wrestling in fourth grade for the Gaithersburg Eagles, is scheduled to continue wrestling in college and follow in his father and brother’s footsteps by attending Cornell (N.Y.) University. Bienstock, however, is expected to grayshirt and won’t enroll until January 2013 to save collegiate eligibility.
In the meantime, he plans to enroll at Tompkins Cortland Community College near Ithaca, N.Y., in the fall and prepare for the transition to the Division I level.
“I’ll be working out and stuff,” Bienstock said. “I just need to mature a little bit and get a little bit stronger.”
Although Bienstock is the favorite to end his Cougar tenure as a state champion, 126-pound classmate and friend Gage Neubaum, Reed Neubaum’s younger brother, is hoping to experience similar success.
“I just hope we can make a lasting mark,” Gage Neubaum said. “We’ve been practice partners for a long time and have driven each other to be better. These next three weeks will be remembered forever.”
kzakour@gazette.net