Mustang Wrestlers: Making Their Mark

This year’s Mustang Wrestling team continues to fight for as many titles as possible in one of the oldest and toughest sports, after placing a strong 5th at State last year. Preparing for a season they knew would be challenging, they put all uncontrollable circumstances behind them to move forward. Covering just six of the 14 weight classes, this year’s team has had to grapple harder, longer and smarter. Led by Senior Matt Lewis; Juniors Jack Hale, Tommy Stupek, Jonathan Gardner, and Chris Smith; Sophomore Will Wilcox; and Freshman Jack Armstrong, the team has dominated the mats.
Coach Mike Edmonson says, “We don’t have many on the team, but those we have are dedicated and are giving it their all and having great success. We know if we go up against full teams in a dual meet that we don’t have a mathematical chance to win the meet, but we always beat them on the mat. As a team, our combined record is 124 – 41 and we have had two wrestlers surpass the 100-win mark during their careers at Mount Vernon.”
 
  
Matt Lewis and Jack Hale are at 100 and 101 career wins, respectively, joining George Gavalas (Class of 2015) as the only three Century-Men in Mount Vernon history.
Edmonson continues, “At the traditional [individual] tournaments we’ve attended, our wrestlers have amassed 11 medals — five champions, four runners-up, one 3rd and one 4th place finish. The most amazing and improbable finish occurred at the Landmark Christmas Tournament when we took only four wrestlers to compete against 10 other teams. All four Mustangs made it to the championship match for their weight, winning three of the four bouts. Those four wrestlers scored enough points to take home the team tournament runner-up trophy beating out teams having two to three times the number of wrestlers in the tournament. It just goes to show you that quality is always better than quantity.”
Heading in to the final month of the season the Mustang grapplers are focused on the prize and know they must peak at Area, Sectionals and State. Three State placers are returning, and all are expected to be in the State Championship matches for their respective weight classes — the other two have a great chance of placing at State, also.
“We don’t have many but the few we have are mighty men, and they are making their mark in the Mount Vernon history books,” remarks Coach Edmonson.