McDonogh senior Roman Braglio pinned his way to the heavyweight championship in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association wrestling tournament Saturday at Mount St. Joseph, leading the Eagles to their fifth team title since 2002.
Of the 14 weight classes, McDonogh had wrestlers in eight of the finals. Along with Braglio, junior Xavi Ramos (132 pounds) and sophomores Jack Clark (145) and Toby Hague (160) won titles for the No. 1 Eagles.
That allowed McDonogh (228.5 points) dethrone defending champion Archbishop Spalding (192.5) in the two-day tournament.
"I don't think I have ever seen a deeper, tougher MIAA tournament," Eagles coach Pete Welch said. "It seemed like every weight was stacked and had three or four really good kids battling. I think its says a lot about our kids, since we are still a relatively young group."
St. Paul's (186.5) finished third and tied McDonogh with four individual champions — sophomore Jack Mutchnik (120), senior Pete Galli (152) and brothers Ryan Friedman (106), a freshmen, and Eric Friedman (126), a senior.
Eric Friedman (42-6) was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler after scoring a 13-2 decision over Annapolis Area Christian School's Mathew Linehan in the final. The University of Pennsylvania recruit became only the fifth wrestler to capture four MIAA championships over a career since 1994.
With a career record of 173-22, he will be gunning for his fourth straight Independent Schools State Tournament title Saturday at McDonogh.
St. Paul's coach Jay Braunstein said Friedman hasn't missed a match this season despite a partially torn medial collaterial ligament in his knee.
"His sturdiness really impresses me," Braunstein said. "He has wrestled in two of these championships hurt. He is that strong. At the beginning of the year, he blew out his knee."
Braglio, who will attend Maryland on a football scholarship, recorded three pins to capture his second straight MIAA title.
He finished Gilman's Brian Gaia, who has signed to play football at Penn State, in 1 minute, 38 seconds in the final.
"Roman was giving up some size, and he just went after him," Welch said. "He just has been a rock for us for four years and really matured into a wrestler."
Clark (39-5) won his second straight MIAA title with a 22-7 decision over Connor Wagh of St. Paul's.
Other individual area champions included Mount St. Joseph senior Tyler Rill (170) and Gilman junior Shane Cockerille (195).
MIAA tournament
Final team scores
1. McDonogh (228.5)
2. Arcbishop Spalding (192.5)
3. St. Paul's (186.5)
4. Archbishop Curley (158)
5. John Carroll (148.5)
6. Loyola Blakefield (145)
7. Mount St. Joseph (127)
8. Gilman (114)
9. St. Vincent Pallotti (94)
10. Annapolis Area Christian (41)
Individual Place Winners
Weight: 106
1st: Ryan Freidman. St. Paul's
2nd: Justin Chenault, Pallotti
3rd: Zach Dwyer, John Carroll
4th: Joey Eberhard, Spalding
5th: Matthew Callahan, Loyola
6th: Kyron Snowden, Severn
Weight: 113
1st: Corey Huntley, Curley
2nd: Corey Halkos, Pallotti
3rd: Mike Still, Spalding
4th: Griffin Welsh, St. Paul's
5th: Malik Woody, Mount St. Joseph
6th: Jack King, Gilman
Weight: 120
1st: Jack Mutchnik, St. Paul's
2nd: David Mohler, Loyola
3rd: Wolfie Bradley, Spalding
4th: Frankie Johnson, Boys' Latin
5th: Artie Milner, John Carroll
6th: Griffin McWilliams, Pallotti
Weight: 126
1st: Eric Friedman, St. Paul's
2nd: Mathew Linehan, Annapolis Area Christian
3rd: Matt Pente, Spalding
4th: Logan Meister, McDonogh
5th: Steven Jernigan, John Carroll
6th: Ben Smist, Loyola
Weight: 132
1st: Xavi Ramos, McDonogh
2nd: Seth Rowell, Mount St. Joseph
3rd: Nick Finnblade, Pallotti
4th: Travis Chidebe, Spalding
5th: Nick Finnblade, Pallotti
6th: Walter Johnson, Loyola
Weight: 138
1st: Scott Strappelli, John Carroll
2nd: Cole Graves, Spalding
3rd: Bobby Twigg, McDonogh
4th: Fred Johnson, Curley
5th: Jimmy Close, Mount St. Joseph
6th: Ellis Kent, Loyola
Weight: 145
1st: Jack Clark, McDonogh
2nd: Connor Wagh, St. Paul's
3rd: Erik Meyer, Curley
4th: Chris Almony, John Carroll
5th: Jake Nordhausen, Loyola
6th: Matt Guercio, Spalding
Weight: 152
1st: Pete Galli, St. Paul's
2nd: Myles Martin, McDonogh
3rd: George Weber, John Carroll
4th: Logan Breitenbach, Spalding
5th: Joe Moreno, Loyola
6th: Jordan Brigman, Curley
Weight: 160
1st: Toby Hague, McDonogh
2nd: Brett Brigman, Curley
3rd: Conan Schuster, Loyola
4th: Bryce Pappas, St. Mary's
5th: Stephen Bachmann, Baltimore Lutheran
6th: Brad Mutchnik, St. Paul's
Weight: 170
1st: Tyler Rill, Mount St. Joseph
2nd: Tyler Patrick McDonogh
3rd: Hunter Ritter, John Carroll
4th: Brandon Smith, Gilman
5th: Coleman Delude, Severn
6th: Drew Stone, St. Mary's
Weight: 182
1st: Purnell Summers, Curley
2nd: Devaunje Smith, Spalding
3rd: Dan Hawkins, Mount St, Joseph
4th: Alpha Jalloh, Annapolis Area Christian
5th: Garrett Peifer, Gilman
6th: Mike Green, St. Paul's
Weight: 195
1st: Shane Cockerille, Gilman
2nd: Kevin Marvel, McDonogh
3rd: Zach Abey, Spalding
4th: Chuckie Blankenship, Curley
5th: Dan Kelble, John Carroll
6th: Roger Boyce, St. Paul's
Weight: 220
1st: Avery Williams, Curley
2nd: Wyatt Cook, McDonogh
3rd: Connor Webb, Gilman
4th: Jordan Jenkins, Loyola
5th: Rapheal Oduok, John Carroll
6th: Dave Gurski, Mount St. Joseph
Weight: 285
1st: Roman Braglio, McDonogh
2nd: Brian Gaia, Gilman
3rd: Jordan Horne, Loyola
4th: Antonio Santoro, Pallotti
5th: Shane Lowman, Mount St, Joseph
6th: Eric Simmons, Boys' Latin