While the team title at the UCBAC wrestling championship didn't come back to Harford County, a number of wrestlers earned individual titles.
John Thornton gathered his C. Milton Wright wrestlers off to the side of Edgewood’s gym. His Mustangs had placed second behind Rising Sun in the 2024 Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference wrestling tournament and Thornton had a sour taste in his mouth.
“I told them that we have really high standards for ourselves,” Thornton said. “Typically, a second-place finish, six finalists and two champions would feel really good. But considering we had six champions last year, I thought we could have at least six again this year.”
The Mustangs had two UCBAC champions: Mitchell Nguyen (132 pounds) and Devin Sweeney (150). And Thornton isn’t hiding from his team falling short of their goals. He reminded them that while this matters, the pressure only heightens in the coming weeks for a chance at redemption.
Monday night marked only the first time since 2011 a Harford County representative did not hoist the tournament’s final team hardware. Same as 13 years ago, it was Rising Sun whose 246 points were the best of the two-day tournament.
C. Milton Wright finished second with 189 points. Harford Tech (165.5), Bel Air (129) and North Harford (126) rounded out the top five finishers.
Although, a few Harford County individual wins carried weight as UCBAC champions.
Like Bel Air’s 144-pound wrestler Chris Nice, the 2023 Aegis Wrestler of the Year who placed second in his last two UCBAC tournaments. With a treasure trove of regional and state accolades, it was the UCBAC title that still eluded the senior.
“You gotta win one in your own backyard,” Bobcats coach Craig Reddish said.
Nice was the heavy favorite over Aberdeen’s Chase Lineberry but still shouldered that pressure. Before the tournament final, he asked Reddish for permission to sport their “championship singlets.” The longtime coach explained it’s common for programs to have all-white singlets for major, late-season tournaments. But Bel Air’s are about 20 years old.
“I try not to add to the pressure,” Reddish said. “I try not to over-talk about. I just say, ‘Hey, do what got you here and wrestle your way. You’re the best wrestler’ –– not in a cocky way, more in a confident way. ‘Don’t do anything different, just do what’s gotten you to this point.'”
Which he did with a pin on Monday, capturing his first UCBAC title.
Bel Air’s JT Ouandji Nana wasn’t nearly as heavy a favorite. Reddish –– who prefaced by saying he knew Ouadnji Nana had a chance –– lightly termed his win 10-6 decision win an upset. The less-experienced wrestler’s kryptonite can be more technical opponents, which he faced in C. Milton Wright’s Hayden Goscinski at 175 pounds.
“He scored a takedown right at the end of the buzzer and got an escape with 14 seconds left,” Reddish said. “So he did a lot of nice things to give himself an opportunity. I’m very proud of him. … He’s really starting to find the things he does well. Really, the sky’s the limit for him.”
Ouandji Nana’s record early in the season was around 10-11, according to Reddish. Now, he’s above 30 wins and adds an UCBAC championship to his resume. Ouandji Nana’s coach praised his development.
It was a dogfight the whole way. Ouandji Nana was patient. Goscinski wrestled half the match with tape wrapped around his face to address a bloody nose. But the senior Bobcat’s motor never lost steam.
That is, until after the match when he sprawled out on Edgewood’s gym floor, practically unable to move from exhaustion. Teammates fled over to congratulate him. Then, after receiving his printed bracket atop the podium, he absconded to the bleacher’s top row. A moment alone reveling with his bracket.
The winning moment for Harford Tech’s Wesley Outlaw had a bit more energetic flare –– from both coach and wrestler.
Outlaw, a senior who wrestles at 165, went the distance with Jaxon Simms of C. Milton Wright. The two spent the first 30 seconds of their overtime period stuck in a pretzel-like entanglement. Simms then went low, Outlaw countered flipping him to the ground.
“The difference-maker was just grinding in there,” Outlaw said. “It was overtime and I was gassed. I just dug my head in. He had me up in the air but I just kept on working, got the chin whip and put him on his back.”
As Simms’ back slammed into the mat, Harford Tech coach Ja’Juan Burrell launched an electrifying fist pump. Outlaw rose to his feet the victor, thumping his chest. Looking back to his team’s side, there was his coach, crouched in a defensive stance clapping frenetically.
Outlaw was here last year. Then wrestling at 152, he lost in the finals to C. Milton Wright’s Brody Zumbano by decision. Monday’s win was two-fold for Outlaw, according to Burrell: “He finally got the monkey off his back as far as winning an UCBAC title and it was a little bit of redemption for him.”
“It felt great,” Outlaw said. “I don’t think I’ve ever beaten a C. Milton Wright kid until this year.”
106: Izaiah Brown (Rising Sun) 29-8, Fr. over Hunter Pettorossi (North East) 34-2, Jr. (Fall 4:28); 113: Adan Stewart (Rising Sun) 29-7, So. over Kane Desch (C. Milton Wright) 34-5, Jr. (Fall 3:47); 120: Tyler Garvin (Rising Sun) 37-0, Sr. over Tommy Blankenship (North Harford) 32-2, Jr. (Fall 2:58); 126: Xzavier Brown (Rising Sun) 33-7, Jr. over Cameron Moore (Harford Tech) 24-12, Fr. (MD 9-1); 132: Mitchell Nguyen (C. Milton Wright) 30-4, Jr. over Conner Birth (Havre de Grace) 25-8, Jr. (Dec 4-1); 138: Mason Boyd (North East) 34-4, Jr. over John Matherly (Aberdeen) 28-8, Jr. (Dec 7-2); 144: Chris Nice (Bel Air) 39-1, Sr. over Chase Lineberry (Aberdeen) 32-4, Jr. (Fall 4:29); 150: Devin Sweeney (C. Milton Wright) 34-6, Jr. over Ryan Sewell (Harford Tech) 29-4, Sr. (Dec 5-2); 157: Zach Garvin (Rising Sun) 35-4, So. over Jahaan Fields (North East) 28-10, Jr. (Fall 1:51); 165: Wesley Outlaw (Harford Tech) 21-7, Sr. over Jaxon Simms (C. Milton Wright) 31-10, So. (SV-1 4-2); 175: JT Ouandji Nana (Bel Air) 30-14, Jr. over Hayden Goscinski (C. Milton Wright) 32-4, Sr. (Dec 10-6); 190: Mason Testerman (Rising Sun) 36-1, Sr. over Holden Young (North Harford) 24-3, Jr. (MD 18-5); 215: Elijah Farr (Rising Sun) 33-4, Jr. over Joel Tufts (C. Milton Wright) 29-7, Sr. (Fall 5:31); 285: Clay Lawrence (North Harford) 6-1, Sr. over Miles Putney (Edgewood) 34-4, Jr. (Dec 8-4).
