COACH OF THE YEAR
Wheeler led Severn to the MIAA B Conference championship based on team performance at the championship tournament. The Admirals placed ninth overall out of 17 schools with 67 points, eight points better than St. Paul’s, the next highest B Conference school. Four Admirals finished fifth or better individually.
Wheeler had to rebuild the lineup after five returning starters, including National Preps place-winner Reid Gills, chose not to come out for the team this season.
“Our freshman class stepped up to fill gaps in the lineup and exceeded expectations,” Wheeler said. “The leadership and guidance provided by seasoned veterans like Melfi and Shenck were instrumental in navigating any challenges we faced. What truly made this season special was the unwavering commitment and contributions of every single member of the team. Everyone improved throughout the season and peaked at the right time.:
ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM Jackson Peeples
South River, freshman, 106 pounds
Peeples was dominant on the way to capturing Anne Arundel County, Class 4A/3A East Region and state championships. He was undefeated, 18-0, at 106 pounds with 16 pins. He went 35-3 overall.
Quentin Bailey
Spalding, freshman, 113 pounds
Bailey posted a 31-7 record and placed third at the MIAA Championships. He beat Gilman’s JD Vassar, 8-5, in the consolation final. He posted 12 pins and eight major decisions.
Branden Whyte-Taylor Broadneck, junior, 120 pounds
Whyte-Taylor compiled a 42-3 record (30 pins) and claimed county and region crowns before finishing as Class 4A/3A state runner-up. He pinned Chesapeake’s Brayden Roberts in the Anne Arundel final then pinned North Point’s Dylan Gautier in the East Region title tilt.
Sean Garrettson Spalding, junior, 126 pounds
Garrettson pinned Bryan Santangelo of Mount St. Joseph to secure the MIAA championship, then placed second at the Maryland Independent Schools tournament and fifth at National Prep Championships to earn All-American honors. He finished 54-6 with 27 pins, nine technical falls and four major decisions.
Vincent Paolucci Spalding, senior, 132 pounds
Paolucci was the MIAA and Maryland Independent Schools champion and finished 53-4. He became an All-American by plac
igan) also added two goals each, as the Eagles extended their lead to 12-4 against the Cavaliers (6-1, 6-1), who also entered the day ranked in the top 11 in both national polls.
“There are some things we’re going to figure out, but this was just two great teams today,” Spalding coach Tara Shea said. “McDonogh just put the full game together. We’ve got to figure out a way to just dominate the draw and create more possessions. In order to end up scoring, we need opportunities. You’re not going to score every goal in this game, so we’ve got to be more effective on the draw.”
And when Spalding did get the ball, McDonogh’s defense, led by sophomore speedster Kit Laake, did a nice job of limiting the damage, time and again forcing turnovers and winning ground balls.
The Cavaliers, who got two goals each from seniors Gabby Greene (Florida) and Maddie Wrenn (Clemson), as well as freshman Sam Collins, narrowed the margin with three in the final 3:55 but otherwise never seriously threatened.
The standout play of Spalding’s sophomore goalie, Ella Davis (12 saves), also kept McDonogh from running away.
“She’s extremely athletic and can play outside the cage,” Shea said. “Sometimes we make her job tough, but she’s done a real nice job.”
On a day when McDonogh figured out a way to improve its start, the Eagles next plan to spend time focusing on improving their finish.
“I think we need to focus on finishing, because every goalie in this conference is outstanding,” Nicotra said. “We need to pay a little more attention to our shooting, for sure.”