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St. Paul's teammates thrilled about Eric Friedman's fourth MIS state title

It wasn't easy, but St. Paul's senior 126-pound wrestler Eric Friedman accomplished what only three others before him had ever done, winning a fourth Maryland Independent Schools state championship Saturday night.
And perhaps nobody was more thrilled about it than his teammates.
"I kept telling him he could do it," said Jack Mutchnik, who won the state title at 120. "He was nervous all week, but I kept telling him he's the best. He had a couple close matches, but I knew he'd come out on top. With Eric, it's mostly a mind set thing."

Peter Galli, who won his 152-pound class, called Friedman's achievement "awesome," and Brad Mutchnik, who won at 160 and was named the MIS tournament's outstanding wrestler, was exuberant over Friedman's fourth title.

"It is amazing," said Brad Mutchnik, a three-time champion. "I was standing with Peter Galli and I said, 'Can you believe this. Eric gets his fourth and you and I win, all in our senior years?' Among us we have nine state titles. I've never seen anything like it."

Friedman's younger brother, Ryan, who finished as the runner up at 106, was equally overjoyed.

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"It's amazing what he's been able to do, to be undefeated in states all four years," the freshman said. "All the time he's had a very difficult weight class and yet he kept winning."

Asked if he felt a weight lift from his shoulders after losing the 106 finals and ending any idea of matching his brother's four titles, Ryan said it wasn't about that.

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"Obviously, I'm a little down, having lost," he said. "But my brother has set a great example for me to live up to, and he's always been a great mentor."

Eric Friedman worked his way through Friday and Saturday's tournament with a 17-4 major decision, a pin in 1:35, an 11-3 major decision, a thrilling 7-6 decision and the final 4-2 win for the title.

Afterward he said he was disappointed he hadn't been more dominant in the semifinal and final, but admitted, "I'm proud to be where I am."

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