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Wrestlers Roll to State on Saturday
St. John's Varsity Wrestling is fresh off their 8th SPC title, won last weekend in Fort Worth. On Saturday (2/19) they won't have to travel as far to grab the program's 16th overall title at the Texas Prep State Championships held at St. Thomas High School in Houston. The top four finishers will achieve all-state honors and the top three will also qualify for nationals on 2/25-2/26 held at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.
Wrestling Won the 2022 SPC Championship with a margin of over 50 points sending 12 wrestlers to the finals and two more to the consolation finals. The Mavericks mat men scored 245.5 points and had five SPC champions on SPC Saturday at Fort Worth Country Day School. Every weight class had a Maverick wrestling in the final pairing. The 12 finalists all donned white singlets, a tradition throughout the sport.
“The big thing is they take a lot of pride in wearing the white,” said Head Coach Alan Paul. “You don't get to wear it unless you are in the finals. Most people in the wrestling community know that if they see a guy in white he is wrestling in the finals.”
The last time St. John’s had 12 wrestlers in the finals was at FWCD in 2019, John Perdue’s ’22 freshman year.
“My freshman year I was one of the two that didn’t make it,” said Perdue. “Being one of the two guys who didn't make the finals was kind of the catalyst for me to decide I wanted to work hard at wrestling. Coincidentally, the wrestler I beat in the finals this year is the younger brother of the wrestler who beat me in the semi-finals in my freshman year.”
Perdue (220) went on to win his match by pin. Barrett Mossman ’24 (113), Matthew Perez ’22 (120), Sebastian Grannen ’23 (132), and Cinco Grobmyer ’23(182) joined Perdue as SPC champions. Mason Lum ’25 (106), Nick Plana ’22 (126), Jack McGarry ’23 (145), Wyatt Cyprow ’22(152), William Suttle ’22 (170), Addison Speigel ’23 (195), and Duncan McLaren ’22 (285) finished runners-up. Luke Romere ’23 (138) finished third and Yahya Mir ‘25 (160) was fourth.
“It’s something to look up to and want to achieve,” said Grobmyer, who made the most in his first SPC finals with a pin in a far side cradle move.
“It’s a great feeling to wrestle in the finals,” said Perez who also was in his first SPC finals. “I’m really honored to wear the white singlet my senior year.”
The Mavericks now have eight SPC titles to go along with three Texas State Duals championships and four Texas Prep State Championships. This Saturday they will be seeking a 16th championship at the Texas Prep State Championships held at St. Thomas High School in Houston. The top four finishers will achieve all-state honors and the top three will also qualify for nationals on 2/25-2/26 held at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.
Sam Chambers- Athletic News
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