SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20 , 2022. THE WASHINGTON POST EZ M2 D9
High Schoolssecond state title and secure the
team championship for Robin-
son.
“The first thing on my mind
was, don’t get penalized for stall-
ing,” he said. “The second thing
was, keep my head protected and
my body protected, and if I do
that, he’s not going to beat me.”
Earlier in the day, Robinson
senior Sammy Gerard won his
third state title, beating Oakton’s
Isaac Hegg at 152 pounds.
With the team score in mind,
Gerard knew he couldn’t just hold
on for the victory late in his
match. He said he was trying to
aggressively go after more points
in the hope of a major decision.
“When the team championship
is on the line, that’s a big cookie to
handle,” Gerard said. “You know
that just the slightest thing, get-
ting just one more point, that
could be the difference. Every
single point adds up.”
Woodbridge’s Tyler Tanev won
the state title at 120 pounds, de-
feating Forest Park’s Anthony Or-
lando.
Other 6A state champs includ-
ed Westfield teammates Robert
Rerras at 132 pounds and Sebas-
tian Alcocer at 138, West Spring-
field’s Sean Coughlin at 160,
South County’s Brian Gordon at
170, Patriot’s Vincenzo Corvetto at
182, Justice’s Eli Reyes at 195 and
Colgan’s Elijah Gonzalez at 220.
In Class 4A, Loudoun County
junior Bryson Rios defended his
state title at 106 pounds by defeat-
ing Orange County’s Waylon Rog-
ers, 2-0. Rios missed a month of
the season after suffering a bro-
ken eye socket in his second
match of the year.
“Winning this year feels even
better than last year,” Rios said.
“After everything I went through
after my injury, to be able to come
back out and win again, that’s
really a great feeling.”
His teammate Luke Roberts
won at 138 pounds.BY MIKE HOLTZCLAWvirginia beach — In the end, it
came down to the big guys.
Coming into the final match of
the Class 6A state wrestling
championships Saturday, defend-
ing champion Robinson trailed
Woodbridge by 1.5 points. The
title would be decided by the
285-pound final between Robin-
son’s Cooper Rudolph and Wood-
bridge’s Joshua Mancia.
In a battle between two rivals
who know each other well, Ru-
dolph held on to win, 3-2, giving
Robinson four more team points
and the state title.
“Honestly,” Rudolph said,
“knowing the team title was on
the line actually gave me a little
bit of calm. I wasn’t just out there
wrestling for myself. I knew I had
all of my coaches and teammates
depending on me, so motivation
was not going to be a problem.”
At last year’s state meet, Ru-
dolph beat Mancia in the semifi-
nals on the way to his first state
title. This year, heading into Sat-
urday they wrestled three times,
with Rudolph winning the first
meeting and Mancia taking the
next two — setting up the final
battle.
“After last year at state, I knew
he would have revenge on his
mind,” Rudolph said. “Neither
one of us was going to let up.”
The two wrestlers were on their
feet for almost the entire match.
The first period ended scoreless,
and Rudolph took a 1-0 lead with
an escape early in the second.
Mancia then escaped from Ru-
dolph early in the third to even
the score.
About 45 seconds into the third
period, Rudolph took down Man-
cia just before they rolled out of
bounds, giving him a 3-1 lead.
Mancia’s escape made it 3-2, but
at that point Rudolph knew that if
he could stay on his feet for the
final minute, he would win hisVIRGINIA CLASS 6A WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPSRudolph lifts Robinsonpast Woodbridge to titleJOHN MCDONNELL/THE WASHINGTON POSTLiliana Gines of Freedom (South Riding) performs on the balance beam. Gines closed out her high school career with a fifth-place finish.
spring of Sium’s freshman year,
Torrence met with his wrestlers
once a week on Zoom. In addi-
tion to bringing in guest speak-
ers such as Olympic gold medal-
ists Cael Sanderson and Dan
Gable, Torrence kept spread-
sheets tracking his wrestlers’
workouts.
Sium was one of the most
active participants, continually
doing pull-ups to stay in shape.
The energy level, particularly
from teammates, was also high
within the gym after Sium’s win.
“I literally almost cried,” team-
mate Jackson Lewis said. “I feel
like a lot of people count us out.”
By the end of the event, Gon-
zaga got to rejoice. As eight
Eagles celebrated with medals
around their necks, Yates fought
back tears. Gonzaga will be rep-
resented at the National Prep
School championships next
weekend in Upper Marlboro, but
this still represented some finali-
ty for Yates after 20 years at the
helm.
“He’s everything to us,” said
Kadari Machen, the 220-pound
champion. “He puts in a lot of
work. I’m very happy for him.”
John McDonough (120), Wyatt
Croog (132), Ethan Heim (138),
Matt Van Sice (145), J.T. Off (170),
Ajani Bond (195) and heavy-
weight Xavier Allen were Gon-
zaga’s other state champions.
“We’re always training for the
top kids in the country,” B ond
said of the Eagles, who also went
11-0 in dual meets this season.
“But it always feels nice to know
you’re the best team in D.C.”BY SHANE CONNUCKTrailing in the 126-pound
match at the D.C. State Athletic
Association wrestling champion-
ship Saturday, Washington Latin
junior Zemen Sium was in a
scramble situation with Gon-
zaga’s Noah Vetter. Sium knew
what he had to do — pin his
opponent.
Sium flipped Vetter onto his
back, doing just that, energizing
the crowd at St. Albans School in
Northwest Washington. The
newly crowned state champion
ran to Coach Rickey Torrence
and jumped into his arms — the
first time Torrence experienced
that in his 20 years of coaching.
With the pin, Sium became the
first D.C. state champion in
Washington Latin history and
completed a perfect 20-0 season
individually. He was voted the
event’s most outstanding wres-
tler.
“I remember thinking when I
was in the pinning position, ‘No
way I’m actually doing this,’ ”
Sium said. “All the hard work’s
paying off.”
Meanwhile, Gonzaga, which
had eight individual winners,
won the team title going away
with 242.5 points. St. John’s came
in second with 126. Gonzaga
entered as the heavy favorite to
win in longtime coach Milton
Yates’s final local meet.
Washington Latin’s bit of suc-
cess, however, was less predict-
able. When the school switched
to virtual learning amid the
coronavirus pandemic in theDCSAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPSS ium delivers for Latin;Gonzaga wins for YatesCRAIG HUDSON FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
Zemen Sium, 2 0-0 this season, recorded a pin in the 126-pound
final S aturday to become Washington Latin’s first state champion.not compete last season because
of the pandemic, and she re-
turned to the mat with something
to prove.
“This entire season I was really
happy to just be with my team
again and compete with them
and just hang out with them,” said
Gines, whose Eagles took second
in the team competition here
Friday.
Morrison, meanwhile, never
wavered even as other competi-
tors kept pace with her scores.
She turned in one of the best floor
routines to date to end the season
where she ended last season: a
state champion.
“I’m so glad that we all had
great days,” Morrison said. “This
was such a big part of my life and
I’m sure all of their lives for the
four years we’ve been in high
school, so I’m just glad we got to
wrap it all up really nicely.”“There was so much good gym-
nastics today,” Morrison said. “I’m
very happy that I was able to place
top eight in everything.”
Among those setting the pace
were two other seniors — Carly
Snyder of Loudoun Valley and
Liliana Gines of Freedom (South
Riding).
Both ended their high school
careers with strong performances
— Snyder in fourth with a 37.650
and Gines in fifth with a 37.500.
Snyder did not record a score
below 9.000 in any discipline, and
she shined on the vault (9.775).
Gines did her one better,
springing, twisting and flipping
her way to a 9.900 on the vault.
But she fell on the dismount from
the uneven bars, ending her
chances at an all-around title.
Still, the finish was special for
Gines, one of Morrison’s friends
and top competitors. Gines didwas the last time that I was going
to do it, so this means everything
that I got to do it again.”
Morrison proved consistent all
afternoon in Leesburg, with top-
eight finishes in each discipline,
including third place in the beam
(9.775). Despite her high scores,
she trailed Great Bridge’s Naya
Howard in the bars, beam and
vault.
Howard topped or tied for first
in those three rotations, includ-
ing the day’s best mark, a 9.950 on
the vault. But she didn’t compete
in the floor exercise and thus
wasn’t an all-around contender.BY ALEXANDER DACYWith all eyes on her, Payton
Morrison delivered.
The Fairfax gymnast was the
second-to-last performer in Sat-
urday’s competition, and with all
other disciplines done, everyone
at Heritage High turned their
attention to the senior’s floor rou-
tine. She gave an electric per-
formance, registering a 9.650 that
was the day’s top score on the
floor.
It proved enough for Morrison
to repeat as the Virginia Class 6
all-around champion, as she
squeaked by Deep Run’s Melina
Ringas with a 38.400.
“I was nervous this year,” Mor-
rison said. “I just wanted to make
sure that I didn’t have any regrets
and that I was proud of every-
thing that I put out today and that
I did my best today, because this
VIRGINIA CLASS 6 G YMNASTICS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Morrison has the right stu≠ to repeat
Fairfax senior nails
floor routine to capture
second straight state titlesecond quarter Saturday for them
to settle into that style of play, but
once they did they ran away with
the game. Transition points,
f ueled by stops, came pouring in.
Episcopal l ooked out of sorts.
Senior guard Devin Ceaser, a
transfer from St. Mary’s Ryken, led
the Saints with 28 points. After
every breakaway dunk or Maroon-
deflating three, Ceaser ran back
up the court with a scowl. The
University at Buffalo commit did
not break character until Jones
subbed him out for good with two
minutes remaining. He made it
past congratulatory teammates to
the water cooler and, just b efore
putting a cup to his lips, let out a
smile.
“We felt like we were the better
team this year,” Ceaser said. “To-
day we came into their house and
showed them that.”three straight conference finals,
and the Saints have emerged vic-
torious each time.
“Whether it’s Episcopal or not,
any loss at St. Stephen’s really
hurts,” senior guard Garrett Bren-
nan said. “Coach Jones has done
an amazing job of setting up a
winning program here. Or, I think
I can say now, a dynasty.”
Saturday was the teams’ fourth
meeting this season. The Saints
(18-3) won the first matchup, beat-
ing the Maroon (16-7) in the cham-
pionship game of their annual sea-
son-opening tournament. Episco-
pal got its revenge with two close
wins in conference play, and the
teams ended up splitting the regu-
lar season title.
This year’s Saints prided them-
selves on winning as their pred-
ecessors did: with stingy, unre-
lenting defense. It took until theA joyous Saints bench nearly
flooded the court. Across the floor,
a deafening Saints student section
looked ready to meet them in the
middle. Episcopal called another
timeout, less than a minute after
the first. More than a quarter of
basketball remained, but it was
clear the Saints would earn their
third straight title in one of the
area’s toughest leagues.
“This team has bought in 100
percent to what we try to do here,”
Saints Coach Mike Jones said. “We
have a big plaque at our gym that
says ‘Energy and Effort.’ Every
player that came in the game to-
day showed that.”
These two Northern Virginia
rivals, located less than a mile
apart in Alexandria, have spent
much of this year, and plenty oth-
ers, grappling for IAC supremacy.
They have faced each other inBY MICHAEL ERRIGOThere seemed to be no slowing
St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes.
Faced with an onslaught of
steals, stops and scores by the
Saints, Episcopal called a timeout
midway through the third quarter
of Saturday’s Interstate Athletic
Conference championship i n
hopes of cooling off an opponent
that was racing around the court.
But the No. 8 Saints emerged
from the brief stoppage with the
same energy, throwing down a
dunk, nabbing a steal and finishing
off a fast break to push their lead to
its widest margin in an eventual
96-61 victory at Episcopal.
IAC BOYS’ BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Saints succeed with plenty of ‘ Energy and E≠ort’
SS/SA 96,
EPISCOPAL 61