Saturday brought inclement weather across the state but the day’s wrestling events planned at Benedictine’s Rut Gym went on- albeit with a few modifications to the State Catholic Championship Tournament. 

  “We had nine teams coming, then the weather slowed down a few of the Northern Virginia schools,” said Benedictine Head Coach Ryan Hall.  Instead, Benedictine, Seton School, Bishop Sullivan, Peninsula Catholic and Roanoke Catholic faced off in a tournament that was changed into dual meets to determine the team champion. Then the top two competitors in each class met in a one mat final later in the evening.

  When the dust settled, Roanoke took the team championship, followed by Bishop Sullivan and Benedictine. Being shy by a couple of their top performers, the Cadets fared well, but got edged out for a higher finish.

  “I knew it was going to be really close with Sullivan and Roanoke Catholic and ourselves,” Hall said. “We have a couple injured, but no excuse.  Hats off to Roanoke Catholic and Bishop Sullivan for doing great job. 

  “We’ve been finishing in the middle of the pack a lot this year,” Hall said. “We gotta get over that hump.  I told my guys (last) Monday, we got a lot of work to do between now and States, and we gotta get after it.”

  Shane Corbin (126), Jordan Schmeer (132), Michael Logan (160), Sam Toomey (145), Ralph Toomey (170) and John Mosier (285) represented the Cadets in the finals.  Corbin, Logan and Ralph Toomey each came away with a win. 

  “Ralph Toomey is just a work horse,” Hall said. “He’s a junior.  He’s gotten better every year.  Michael Logan was out for a bit with a minor injury; but he’s back on the mat and it doesn’t look like he’s missed a beat…  And then you can’t say enough about Shane Corbin.  He’s only a sophomore.  His improvement over the past year has been absolutely amazing. 

  “But it’s easy to take your hat off to all of those kids because they’re hard workers,” Hall said. “They are honest, hard workers.  They care about the team and they want to be the best they can be.  So I’m glad they got rewarded for that today with three first places.”

  Though Mosier fell to Roanoke’s Andrew Nolan in the finals, Hall does not believe it is the last time the two will face one another. 

  “Mosier is a hard worker, a good heavyweight,” Hall said. “ The Roanoke Catholic heavyweight was real strong.  I think it was a great match. Don’t be surprised if those two are battling it out at the top in a couple of weeks at States.  He got the best of us today (both matches), but he did a great job and it was a great heavyweight match.”

  Hall also has big expectations from Schmeer, a junior, who wrestled tough, but fell twice in the day to Alex Salazar of Bishop Sullivan to take second.
  “He just came in his freshman year,” Hall said. “Captain.  Unbelievable leader.  I can’t think of a better leader to lead this team than him and Michael Logan this year.  He’s happy with second, but he’s going to get back in the room; he’s going to work hard because that kid’s just a worker.  It’s bred in him. ”

  The three outstanding wrestler awards were renamed the Zachary Burns Award in honor of the deceased son of Roanoke Catholic Coach Dave Burns. Zachary was an all-state wrestler.

  Receiving the award for the Lightweight Division was Frankie Garcia (113) from Seton; Middleweight Division – Michael Logan (160) from Benedictine; and Heavyweight Division – Andrew Nolan from Roanoke Catholic.

  Coach Burns, who was touched to have his son honored,  had a message for the wrestlers.  “This wrestling is just a part of what you do,” he said. “Your life is deeper than that: in your service to others, your teammates, these coaches look after you as close as your parents.  You remember that.  And one thing that my son always did.  He said, ‘Carry Christ in your heart.’  God bless you.”

Photo by Jim Ridolphi
Above: Benedictine team captain Michael Logan (160) racks up a win against a Seton wrestler in Saturday’s limited State Catholic Wrestling tournament. Below: Cadet Shane Corbin, a sophomore in the 126 class, wins a preliminary match against opponent from Seton.

(at Benedictine)
Team scores: 1. Roanoke Catholic, 2. Bishop Sullivan, 3. Benedictine
106: 1. Nghi Pham (RC), 2. Nick Zimmerman (Peninsula Catholic), 3. Jordan Hagood (B)
113: 1. Frankie Garcia (Seton), 2. Brian Sakalas (RC), 3. Chad Lynch (Bis.), 4. Kasper Fasciella (PC)
120: 1. Armando Herrerra (RC), 2. Patrick Koehr (Seton), 3. Matt Lascara (Bis.), 4. Wes Camet (B)
126: 1. Shane Corbin (B), 2. Jacob Patrick (RC), 3. Spencer Barger (Bis.), 4. Mark Fioranonti (Seton)
132: 1. Alex Salazar (Bis.) 2. Jordan Schmeer (B), 3. Alex Sakalas (RC), 4. Tim Jackson (Seton)
138: 1. Vito Camarca (Seton), 2. Thomas Salazar (Bis.), 3. Matthew Guin (RC), 4. Ryan Semmes (PC)
145: 1. Sean Kelley (Bis.), 2. Sam Toomey (B), 3. Chris Duke (PC), 4. Jack Pilgreen (RC)
152: 1. Tom Coston (Seton), 2. Max Baker (Bis.), 3. Johnny Lavoie (B), 4. Alex Shamaordian (PC)
160: 1. Michael Logan (B), 2. Sean Deer (RC), 3. Ian Curley (Seton)
170: 1. Ralph Toomey (B), 2. Chris Douglas (Bis.), 3. Tommy Perini (RC), 4. Nick Disaldem (PC)
182: 1. Nick Nestor (RC), 2. Philip Villaverde (Bis.), 3. Adam Lewis (B), 4. Mike Kamsak (PC)
195: 1. Daniel Harthaufen (PC), 2. Tom Santchi (Seton), 3. Nick Ruble (RC), 4. Conor Fogarty (B)
220: 1. Sean Bowers (RC)
285: 1. Andrew Nolan (RC), 2. John Mosier (B)

Most outstanding wrestler (lightweight): Frankie Garcia, Seton
Most outstanding wrestler (middleweight): Michael Logan, Benedictine
Most outstanding wrestler (heavyweight): Andrew Nolan, Roanoke Catholic