Public schools
Carver Bears
1997-98 record: Unavailable
Coach: Kama Owens
Top wrestler: Ahmad Taylor, Jr., 140
Outlook: Look for an intense, focused attack from wrestlers coached by Owens, a state qualifier when he was at Carver.
City Knights
1997-98 record: 6-5
Coach: Bernie Leneau
Top wrestlers: Bryant Craig, Jr., 135-140; Kareem Garrison, Jr., 125
Outlook: Craig was fourth in last season's city tournament. Leneau said his 22 wrestlers "will be taking their lumps early, but they'll be good, later on."
Douglass Ducks
1997-98 record: No team
Coach: Ken Michalak
Top wrestlers: Joseph Tate, Jr., 103-112.
Outlook: Having 12 wrestlers to work with is a plus for Michalak.
Dunbar Poets
1997-98 record: 11-1
Coach: Mike Hendricks
Top wrestlers: Jihad Haward, Sr., 125; DeAndre Hudson, Sr., 171; Perry Satterfield, So., 119; Howard Harris, Jr., 135
Outlook: Dunbar had an excellent season last year and produced the school's city-best, fourth state finalist, graduated Dennis Perry, who also won two regional titles. City champ Hayward, fourth at regions, may be next in line.
Edmondson Redskins
1997-98 record: 3-8
Coach: Eric Woodson
Top wrestlers: Quince Burke, Jr., 119-125
Outlook: Woodson has only 13 wrestlers, but some have junior-league experience. The young talent points toward a strong chance of having a better season than a year ago.
Forest Park Foresters
1997-98 record: Unavailable
Coach: Raymond Smith
Top wrestlers: Donte Ferrell, Sr., 152; Hannan Maihnnon, Sr., Hwt.; Larry Bryant, Jr., 119
Outlook: Maihnnon, Bryant and Ferrell combined for 30 wins and only eight losses last winter. Look for an even better effort from each.
Lake Clifton Lakers
1997-98 record: 5-4
Coach: Larry Brown
Top wrestlers: Williams Hopson, Jr., 112; Gary Barclay, Jr., 135; Charles Faulkner, Jr., 171
Outlook: Faulkner was first in the city tournament, Barclay was third, and Hopson fourth, though each was in his first year of organized wrestling last season. Faulkner and Barclay each qualified for regions.
Mervo Mustangs
1997-98 record: 6-3
Coach: Dwight Warren
Top wrestlers: Tavon Phillips, Sr., 152; Travon Williams, Jr., 112-119; Robert Poole, Jr., 112
Outlook: Phillips won last year's city tournament. With 21 wrestlers, Warren has a full lineup, except at 103 pounds.
Northern Vikings
1997-98 record: 5-5
Coach: Dwight Green
Top wrestlers: Obin Robinson, Sr., 112-119; Victor Ghee, Sr., 145-152
Outlook: The Vikings return two of the city's best in two-time city champ Ghee, and city champ Robinson, who last season pinned Loyola's Danny Natterman, now third in the state.
Patterson Clippers
1997-98 record: 10-4
Coach: Troy Stevenson
Top wrestlers: Jimmy Walker, Sr., 145-152; Kannard Wheeler, Jr., 189; Richard Johnson, Jr., 140-145; Calib Moore, So., 140
Outlook: Johnson is a two-time state qualifier, having last year won city and region crowns. Walker was a city runner-up, Wheeler was third and Moore fourth among the two-time city champion Clippers' six returning starters. Former junior leaguer Paul Eline (103) adds a possible spark at the start for the Clippers.
Poly Engineers
1997-98 record: 7-10
Coach: Kirk Stehman
Top wrestlers: Keith Eure, Sr., 189; Dennis Scott, Sr., Hwt.; Chonan Bell, Sr., 125; Lonnie Williams, Sr., 145; Sean Gallagher, So., 119
Outlook: With five returning city place-winners among his 10 starters, Stehman is optimistic. Scott and Gallagher were city runners-up. Scott was third at regions and fifth at states. Williams was third in the city, and both Bell and Eure were fourth.
Southwestern Sabers
1997-98 record: 8-2
Coach: Fred Bullock
Top wrestlers: Jason Smith, Sr., 145-152; Percel Phillips, Sr., 119-125; Leonard Buchannan, Jr., 152-160; Davon Fowler, Jr., 145-152; Shawn Phillips, So., 103
Outlook: Bullock has been around a long time. And every city coach knows that when he has the bodies in the wrestling room, he can turn even the most inexperienced into above-average or even quality wrestlers. With 33 out this winter, he has bodies and probably a few hidden talents.
Walbrook Warriors
1997-98 record: 2-4
Coach: Wavie Gibson
Top wrestlers: Tyrone Carter, Sr., Hwt.; Darryl Duppins, Jr., 125; Jared Jackson, Jr., 160; Carlos Spencer, Jr., 171; Kevin Hicks, So., 140
Outlook: Gibson -- a former state champ at Mardela -- calls Duppins, a city place-winner and a regional qualifier, "the toughest kid in the room." But he often wrestled Jackson, who he says "can beat me up physically." Look for Gibson to hone his five returning starters into fierce competitors.
Private schools
Archbishop Curley Friars
1997-98 record: 13-1
Coach: Alan Gebhart
Top wrestlers: Paul Boettcher, Sr., 145; Shawn Calhoun, Sr., 140; Pat Curran, Sr., 171; Brian Bricker, Sr., 130; Antwan Lide, Jr., 125; P.J. Kirhagis, Jr., 152; Brian Kirhagis, So., 119; Thomas Boettcher, Fr., 135
Outlook: The top-ranked, defending private-schools state champs are stacked. Paul Boettcher and Lide were Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and state runners-up. Bricker, Calhoun, Curran and Kirhagis all finished third at states. Thomas Boettcher is a two-time junior league state champ, and newcomers Darien Kess (four-time junior league state champ), Richard Wemple (third at states) and Tim Williams (fourth) add depth to a program which already has beaten five-time National Prep champ DeMatha to win the Curley tournament, and beaten perennial power St. Mark's (Del.) to win the North East Tournament.
Friends Quakers
1997-98 record: 5-11
Coach: Tom La Monica
Top wrestlers: Ryan Anderson, Jr., 135-140; Jason Carberry, Jr., 152; Mark Grzanna, So., 125
Outlook: La Monica is looking for personal growth among his 14 wrestlers, who'll compete in the difficult MIAA conference.
Gilman Greyhounds
1997-98 record: 21-6
Coach: Mark Harbold
Top wrestlers: Damien Davis, Sr., 189; Tim Webb, Sr., 152-160; Brian Lewis, Sr., 160; Alex Cressman, Sr., 152; Thomas Yoon, Sr., 112; Mike Faust, Jr., Hwt.; Tyrone Bowie, Jr., 125; Jared Bentz, Fr., 119
Outlook: Davis and Faust are defending MIAA and private-school state champs, with Davis finishing second at National Preps, and Faust fourth. Webb, Lewis, Yoon and Bowie were fourth at states, Cressman was JV champ, and Bentz a junior-league state champ. Faust won an open national title over the summer.
Mount St. Joseph Gaels
1997-98 record: 14-3
Coach: Brian Murphy
Top wrestlers: Bryan McDermott, Sr., 135-140; Mike Moore, Sr., 152; Jake Keyes, Jr., 160; Steve Lanciotti, Jr., 125; Alex Kocay, Jr., 130; Ryan Herwig, So., 119
Outlook: St. Joe, behind second-year coach Murphy, returns state runners-up Herwig, Lanciotti and McDermott. Both Herwig, runner-up at MIAAs as well, and McDermott opened the season by winning both the Annapolis and Curley tournaments. Lanciotti, a second-team All-Metro selection and defending MIAA champ, was runner-up at both Annapolis and Curley. Keyes was runner-up at Annapolis and third at Curley. Kocay and Moore were each third at Curley and Moore fourth at Annapolis.
Pub Date: 12/11/98