Marriotts Ridge captures first regional dual title
Marriotts Ridge wrestling entered Thursday’s regional duals with an opportunity to make program history. The Mustangs also wrestled with a greater purpose for coach Jason Conley.
Conley has been coaching wrestling for 27 years, including the last 18 at Marriotts Ridge. Serving as the only coach in the school’s history, this season will be his last leading the Mustangs.
Wanting to give their coach something special to go out on, the Mustangs delivered, completing a come-from-behind 39-30 victory over Reservoir in the Class 3A East Region final after defeating Atholton, 48-31, in the semifinal match.
Marriotts Ridge is the regional champion, advancing to Saturday’s state dual meet at North Point High School. It’s another opportunity to wrestle as a group for Conley.
“It was very special,” Conley said. “I don’t like to make things about me. On senior night, my wife stood up there and spoke about me coaching for 27 years. I think the boys really saw a different part of me through her. That really helped propel us through the next bit of stuff for the season. They know how much I care about them. Wrestling is different from any other sport — you go in a small room and beat up each other on the floor for three hours, sweating.
“You’re all over each other, it’s different. They really saw how much I love it and when they saw how emotional I was I think they saw, ‘Damn coach really does love us.’ They really wanted to do it for me which was pretty cool and it makes it that much more special.”
Trailing 30-24 with three matches remaining, Marriotts Ridge needed a victory. Ja Kaylen Love (220) delivered with a 5-3 decision, executing a pair of critical takedowns, to bring the Mustangs within three. Then it was Skye Song’s turn to step up in a big moment.
Processing a multitude of emotions, Song dialed in once his feet hit the mat. Fending off an early takedown, he gained control and earned a pin 1:27 into the opening period. His victory gave the Mustangs the lead back, promptly flexing toward his teammates who mobbed him in celebration.
“Once I got on the mat, everything went blank and I was focused and dialed in,” Song said. “Once he got me down and I tried to throw him, and I failed, it made me angry. Then he let me up and I said, ‘I’m getting my revenge,’ and then I straight pinned him.”
With Marriotts Ridge now leading by
three, a berth at states came down to the 106-pound match between the Mustangs’ Boden Pistorio and the Gators’ Aaron Aquino. Pistori defeated Aquino earlier in the season in overtime at the Aberdeen Tournament and the freshman is no stranger to wrestling in do-or-die matches. Experienced with that pressure and familiar with his opponent, Pistorio pinned Aquino in 44 seconds, cementing the Mustangs’ place at states.
“I’ve been in that situation before and my main idea is just to do it for my teammates,” Pistorio said. “I know that all of them have my back and at the end of the day we’re always going to be a team. That lifted a lot off my shoulders, but it was pretty pressure filled. The moment Skye got his pin, I said, ‘All right, now it’s my time.’ ”
A tight affair throughout, the teams split the opening four matches with Andrew Dolezel (120) and Sam Vissers (126) earning victories for the Gators and Rocky Alabbadi
(113) and Atley Turner (132) winning for the Mustangs. Reservoir then scored three straight wins. Sebastian Meza (138) won by forfeit, followed by major decision victories from Olav Jensen (145) and Jose Lazo (152), giving Reservoir a 23-12 lead, its largest of the match.
Marriotts Ridge responded in the ensuing two bouts. Tyler Bury (160) and Jonah Obitz (170) executed consecutive pins, giving the Mustangs the lead back at 24-23. Obitz displayed his resilience after being pinned in his first match of the night against Atholton. The sea-saw of momentum persisted with Demetrius Battle (182) and Justin Tallon (195) answering with victories for the Gators.
That gave them a 30-24 lead with three matches remaining. Reservoir’s lead quickly vanished with Love’s victory sparking all the momentum Marriotts Ridge needed down the stretch. The Mustangs closed the match in emphatic fashion, holding Pistori high on their shoulders, jointly raising their regional title plaque.
“It all comes down to two words: bonus points,” Reservoir coach Andrew McIntyre said. “All of our losses except one were pins. We lost seven matches and gave up six falls. You can’t win a match when that happens. There were a couple of times where we were winning and got thrown to our back and pinned.”