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with Michael Betteridge

High school sports fans, now that the high school sports season has ended, let’s put a ribbon on the 2023-24 high school sports season with a few highlights, our local athletes of the year, and a personal July reflection.

2023-24 Season Highlights

Football

Best Cougars football game of the year: September 22, 2023: Catoctin 35 at Tuscarora 6. Logan Malachowski opens up the game with a 35-yard touchdown catch from Quarterback Haydn Matthews. Then, Hunter Bradshaw, running out of a pro power set, scores, and Jake Bell pounds in a 15-yard touchdown run to give Catoctin a 21–0 halftime lead.

In a proud historic moment for Frederick County football, Oakdale beats Linganore in the 3A State football championship. This is the first time ever that two Frederick County teams met in a State high school championship football game. Cool Oldies 1450 WTHU covered the game live on the air.

Basketball

Second year boys’ basketball Coach Zach Woodward took his team to the biggest win of the year at home against Boonsboro, where the Cougars boys basketball team had its biggest scoring output of the season for the win, 87–54. Oh yeah, and don’t forget that amazing Ben Krauss buzzer-beater at Brunswick for the win. That was spectacular! Thanks, Coach Zach, for all you did for our boys. Coach Zach has resigned. Please welcome our new head basketball coach, Coach Mike Wagner! Coach Mike is an amazing guy with tons of experience coaching all over the country and overseas. We are excited for the 2024-25 Catoctin boys basketball season.

Coach Amy Entwistle in her 20th season as the Lady Cougars basketball coach finished the season 23-4, ranking fourth in the entire 1A. What can you say about Coach Amy? She is a class act.

The Lady Cougars’ best game of the year was in the second round of the regionals at home against Surrattsville, with a domineering 55-18 win. Unfortunately, that was the same game they lost Taylor Smith to a season-ending knee injury.

Baseball

Coach Mike Franklin had an uphill task this season after graduating his two ace pitchers, Joey McMannis and Peyton Castellow, last year. Seniors Garrett Worth and Gavin Watkins took up the mantle on the pitchers mound and led their team to a first-round win in the playoffs against Boonsboro 12-2, but then in the second round, they dropped a one-run loss to eventual State 1A champion Brunswick.

To all the Cougars baseball players and coaches, you can hold your heads up high when you meet the overall state champion early in the playoffs and lose by only one run!

Softball

The Lady Cougars softball team’s biggest win of the season was against the rival Walkersville Lady Lions.  The Lions would go on to eventually battle deep into the playoffs all the way to the State semis. The Lady Cougars crushed them 21-4. It was 7-0 in the first inning! Wednesday, April 24, was the day when the entire Cougars softball season came together at home in front of their new, beautiful scoreboard against the Lady Lions. A red letter day.

We Say Goodbye To Our Senior Cougars Athletes Of The Year

Football: Haydn Matthews, Logan Malachowski, Gavin Watkins, Charles Dougherty, Wayne Ferson, Brayden Bagent, and Ethan Robeson.

Boys Basketball: Haydn Matthews, Matt Offutt, Ben Krauss, Robert Ruch Jr., Peyton Cramer, and Gavin Watkins.

Girls Basketball: Grace Williams, Sam Orndorff, Peyton Davis, and Kylie Perhach.

Boys Baseball: Ethan Georgoff, Brayden Grable, Bryont Green, Hunter Long, Patrick Morlan, David Shipton Jr., Gavin Watkins, and Garrett Worth.

Girls Softball: Meghan Gray and Raegan Miller.

Catoctin Athlete Of The Year:  Gavin Watkins

Gavin played football, basketball, and baseball from August to June! He lettered in three sports and showed the Catoctin work ethic and character of a real teammate and athlete. Thanks, Gavin!

A Personal July Reflection

For most people, July is a time to kick back and relax. July is a time for celebrations, family get-togethers, BBQs, and more. I recently spent some time out on the Potomac River, wading in the cool water, fishing and just enjoying the peace and quiet, camping out at my favorite spot. We all need to recharge our batteries, and I hope you can, too.

Check out our July COOL Oldies 1450 schedule below and stop by and say “Hi” at one of our many summer events!

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

The regular season has come to an end at Thurmont Little League (TLL), but there is still a lot of baseball to be played! As the normal slate of games concluded, the league quickly moved into All-Star and tournament season. First up were the TLL In-House All-Star games for the T-ball and Instructional (Coach Pitch) divisions, which were held on Tuesday, June 13.

Representatives from T-ball included Lucy Liller, Gabe Shankle, Maverick Cox, Brailey Hammock, Carter Rodas, Brenton Tull, Billy Sullivan, Andrew Smith, Tinsley Young, Rylee Oden, Carson Lingg, Kellam Robertson, Tucker Long, Chance Grimes, Emmet Amyot, Everett Oxenford, Cash Burrier, and Ryder Murray.

The Coach Pitch rosters were made up of Jon Rose, Caleb Lynn, Caleb Valentine, Tyler Roderick, Declan Myers, Michael Mendez, Parker Ketterman, Wyatt Breeden, Addison Lingg, Abel Boone, Braxton Lovejoy, Eli Yanke, Jackson Boyer, Knox Devries, Colton Grimes, Logan Otto, Jett Derr, Brantley Steinhour, Chase Stine, Gage Baugher, Zachary Montgomery, and Michael McGinnis. Congrats to all of these future stars on a great season of baseball!

The Minor League division post-season kicked off with their In-House playoffs, which included a host of extremely hard-fought games, culminating in the Cougars becoming this year’s champions, overcoming a valiant fight by the Rays. Both teams put forth a tremendous amount of effort and displayed excellent sportsmanship throughout the game.

The Cougars were managed by Darryl Dextradeur, with assistants Kevin Rickerd, Kevin Rabbit, Anthany Wolfe, and Nathan Fritz. The roster included players Bryce Rickerd, Julian Thompson, Colson Wolfe, Payton Fritz, Logan Smith, William Fletcher, Liam Ecker, Brayden Constable, Joseph Fogle, Leland Beach, and Marshall Frey. Congrats to the Cougars on a successful campaign.

Next up was the Minors In-House All-Star Game, featuring Brayden Nash, Luke Wiles, Brooks Otto, Aaron Oden, Tyler Warfield, Bryce Yocum, Angus Riddle, Wade Wolfe, Julian Thompson, Bryce Rickerd, Payton Fritz, Marshall Frey, James Hewitt, Dennis Smith, Liam Delawter, Cole McCauley, Josh Tingler, Jace Fisher, Devin Riffle, Scarlett Riffle, Chris Kehne, Jerome Turner, Lewis Turner, and John Clements. These teams put on quite a display of athleticism for the fans in attendance and showcased the up-and-coming talent at TLL.

Additionally, there will be a Minors All-Star team traveling to play in the Emory Frye Memorial Tournament. Managed by Darryl Dextradeur, the team will be made up of Marshall Frey, Payton Fritz, Bryce Rickerd, Julian Thompson, James Hewitt, Cole McCauley, Brayden Nash, Brooks Otto, Dennis Smith, Garret Troxell, Luke Wiles, and Riley Workman.

TLL is also proud to announce a softball All-Star team for this year, represented by Madison Oden, Ella Rose, Ella Flanary, Hadley Crone, Dixie Eckenrode, Hannah Crone, Emma Stevens, Aubree Shull, Abby Shankle, Joclyn Cassidy, Kiley Long, Kathryn Bradhsaw, Kinsley Bowlus, Erin McGrew, Demi Hudson, and Tori Brown.

The Majors Division was represented by two teams in end-of-season tournaments as well. The second-place Warriors and Manager Chris Merriman played in the Dave Fogle Tournament at Frederick National Little League. The team gave it their all and made it all the way to the Championship game, but they came up just short against a very good team from Lower Montgomery County. Meanwhile, the Thurmont Bucks, coached by Rick Reeder, played in the Gregg Quedeweit Memorial Tournament of Champions right here at Thurmont Little League. The Bucks had a remarkable season, losing only one game in league play. They started strong with wins over Montgomery County Upper and Frederick American, but, ultimately, they would lose in a very hard-fought game to the eventual champion, the Brunswick Cubs, in the third round. Overall, it was a great season for these boys, and they made all of us at TLL proud.

There will be three All-Star teams representing TLL in District 2 Tournament play. The 10-12-year-old team, managed by Jeff Kuhn, includes Tucker Bryant, Callen Edmonston, Bradley Goodard, Parker Hahn, Shawn Livingston, Reed McCauley, Brayden Rickerd, Ethan Tokar, Weston Tyler, Jeremy Veronie, Bracen Webb, Eli Yocum, Noah Bradbury, and Luke Berg. The 9-11-year-old team began their District 2 Tournament on June 25. This team will be managed by Nathan Laird, and the roster includes Joey Blentlinger, Desean Brown, Nathan Camilleri, James Clements, Kaiden Dewees, Chase Dumas, Marshall Frey, Chance Kruger, Evan Laird, Wesley Meekins, Brooks Otto, and Riley Workman. Finally, there will be an 8-10 team, consisting of Levi Baker, Nemo Dewees, Payton Fritz, James Hewitt, Riggins Koenig, Cole McCauley, Brayden Nash, Owen Ott, Bryce Rickerd, Dennis Smith, Julian Thompson, and Luke Wiles. Darryl Dextradeur will also manage this team. Congratulations and best of luck to all the teams participating in tournaments this summer.

Be sure to check out next month’s edition for a full update on All-Star tournament play, as well as a recap of several fun events TLL will be taking part in this summer.

Fall registrations will be opening later this summer as well, so be sure to sign up to be a part of a tremendous organization!

The first-place Thurmont Bucks represented TLL in the Tournament of Champions.

Minors Division players celebrate after their Championship game.

blair garrett

Catoctin Cross Country has made huge strides in just a short time.

Since taking over just a season ago, head coach David Lillard has put together an impressive turnaround for a program that had been struggling to get runners on the field.

“Two years ago, we had just three runners,” Lillard said. “Now we have 12, and this team went from not being able to compete at states just two years ago to getting second place this year.”

Coach Lillard had a lot of help from senior star runner, Alex Contreras, who took on the role of captain this season. Contreras plays a huge part in getting the team prepared throughout practices, and his dedication has elevated his runs and his team to a new level this season. 

“Being captain is a lot of responsibility, but I do have fun with it,” Contreras said. “The guys are really good, so it’s not like I have to whip anyone into shape. They’re all out here to get better. It’s a fun job, and it’s been pretty great.”

Contreras’ efforts since joining the team have made a huge impact, and the rewards have paid off in a big way. Contreras placed first at the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) 1A State Championships on November 12, etching his name in the record books among Maryland championship runners.

“Getting first at states was something I’ve really been working toward since my freshman year of high school,” Contreras said. “I started in middle school, but I wasn’t very serious about it until my freshman year.”

The team took second overall, and each runner on the team gets to share the glory for how far Catocin’s cross country program has come.

“They’ve done the one thing I wanted them to do when I came here which was to make it their team,” Lillard said. “They take over the team, they control the team and do what they need to do to be a state contender, and they grabbed that with both hands and just went with it.”

Coach Lillard often finds that the players give themselves all the discipline and feedback they need to keep improving.

“They’re harder on themselves than I am on them,” he said. “I have to tell them it’s OK to be a second or two off in their training. Not every workout is going to be great, but their work ethic is top notch, and sometimes I’ve got to walk them off the ledge and say, ‘Hey, it’s OK not to be great today.’”

That attitude and accountability to get better each day has ignited this team, and the results speak for themselves. Fortunately for the Cougars, they have a leader with experience to lean on when things get tough.

“Alex is the captain, so he takes on a lot of that [leadership],” Lillard said. “A lot of times, the kids will go to Alex with issues, and with him being a senior, he’s gone through a lot of the things our younger runners have gone through.”

The benefits of having a talented leader and a coach who understands what each individual needs are immeasurable. There are a lot of good things to come for the Cougars, and a stand-out cross country season is only the beginning.

Coach David Lillard (far left) is shown with Catoctin’s Cross Country runners at the state competition in November. The team took second place overall. Team Captain Alex Contreras (center) earned a first-place finalist award.

CHS Sports Boosters Courtesy Photo

Michael Betteridge

There is a distinct sound this time of year that can be heard up against our beautiful Catoctin Mountains, off in the distance, when the wind blows just right. You can hear whistles blowing and coaches yelling on the practice field. When we hear that distant sound, we smile and we know that Catoctin Football is back! 

There are many things that define our community, just as there are many things that define the time of the year. Catoctin football does both. No one will soon forget those two epic state championships in 2009 and 2019 and what they did to electrify and unite our community. 

Those were enormous wins for the Cougars and Northern Frederick County, but there is one game that will stand out in history above all the rest…..November 29, 2019: Catoctin versus Fort Hill in the second round of the playoffs. The Cougars were overwhelmed in 2018 by the Sentinels 55-6 at Cumberland, and the sting of that loss, which ended their season, was burned into their minds and their consciences. When 2019 began, they took it out on five straight teams, with wins starting against Boonsboro. In the sixth game, they suffered their only loss of the season against Walkersville by a meager field goal in overtime, which brought them to new territory: playing perennial state powerhouse Fort Hill once again, but unbelievably, here in Thurmont.

Fort Hill had never played a road game in a 1A playoff. There was complaining and grousing all over social media by Fort Hill fans, and they seemed a bit put off by the very idea that their “elite” large stadium fan base and program would have to lower themselves to play in tiny Catoctin stadium. There were suggestions that it would be impossible for our community to serve the massive Fort Hill crowd.  That our facilities, traffic, and resources would be overwhelmed, and that, perhaps, the game should, after all, be played in Cumberland, to be fair to the fans. The state said: “No,” we play in Thurmont.

Then something very special happened. Signs popped up all over town…. Cougars will crush Fort Hill. Townsfolk stepped forward and volunteered to help out. Businesses mobilized. The mayor and town councils in both Thurmont and Emmitsburg got involved. The Catoctin High School administration shifted into high gear. Everywhere you went, there was this BUZZ. The excitement was palpable. On game day, busloads of Fort Hill fans poured into the streets and parking lots in Thurmont dressed in red….cocky…arrogant…. boastful, while Cougars fans just smiled because they knew. And when all the shouting, cheering, and hoarse voices faded out against those beautiful mountains that rise above the playing field, the scoreboard seemed to have grown in size with a simple message to Fort Hill: You scored ZERO points; we scored 41. Get on your buses and go back to Cumberland because tonight everyone in Thurmont is a winner.

That was the day we really learned what Catoctin Cougars football means to our community.

And now, that sound rises up again in the distance. You can feel the excitement building. The past several years have been surreal.  Football canceled? A spring football season? Do we play? Are the fans allowed in the stadium? But this year feels different. All of that seems like a bad dream. Everything is coming together. The Cougars recognize that their story is special, and they need to preserve that legacy. Cougars offensive and defensive lines stand out from the 2009 state championship team, Brady Ridenour is one of several of Coach Mike Rich’s new talented coaching staff, linking past to present. They’ve added 2015 Urbana QB sensation, Donovan Pannell, to the coaching staff, who will help refine junior Catoctin quarterback Haydn Mathews into a lethal threat.

But, the real change you can see at Catoctin High School takes us back to the community. Recently, during practice, Coach Rich challenged his team by reminding them that they are part of this team, an identity, a legacy. They are being watched closely. They are no longer kids from Thurmont or Emmitsburg. They ARE Catoctin Cougars football. He called on them to step it up, to hold each other accountable, to cover the next guy’s back by doing the simple things. He asked them to be the last to leave the cafeteria. To pick up any trash left behind. To straighten up the chairs and tables. To look after their school and set an example.

“You are Cougars….don’t forget it,” Coach Rich implored, adding, “If you work hard in the little things, the rest will take care of itself at Boonsboro.” 

So, the Cougars’ season and our story resume on Friday, September 2, at 7:00 p.m. in Boonsboro, just like it did three years ago.

Cougars scrimmage at North Hagerstown High School on August 20, 2022.

Dominance from Start to Finish

Blair Garrett

Catoctin High Football clinched its second state championship Saturday, December 7, defeating the Poets of Dunbar High School (Baltimore) 31-8 in a Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) 1A matchup.

The Cougars stormed through the playoffs, yielding opponents just 41 points over the team’s five playoff victories while posting a monstrous 213 points on offense.

It was a clash of the best of the best, with both teams flattening semifinal opponents by more than 40 points. An unstoppable force versus an immovable object scenario set a collision course for the 1A State Championship game, with only one possible victor.

The teams’ last matchup against each other came back in Catoctin’s historic 2009 run, where they edged Dunbar 13-12 en route to the team’s first-ever state championship. The parallels to this season were apparent, and the Cougars had the confidence to replicate that result once again.

“The coolest thing about it is there were only three of us [coaches] when we won our first championship,” head coach Doug Williams said. “Getting to be there with my assistant coaches and players who haven’t done that is special.”

With everything on the line, the only thing left to do was execute, and Catoctin did that in a near-flawless manner from start to finish.

As the Cougars took the turf at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, the boys came ready to play, exposing Dunbar mistakes to shock the Poets over the first quarter.

On the first play of the game, Dunbar fumbled to the benefit of Catoctin, laying the groundwork for a theme that would plague the Poets all night long. Turnovers repeatedly cut possessions short for the perennial 1A playoff powerhouse, and the Catoctin defense was ready at every turn to send its offense back onto the field.

“Our defensive coaches had Dunbar very well scouted,” Williams said. “The staff and players all bought into the program, and it made us successful.”

The Cougars had too much firepower to put the ball in their hands with excellent field position, and quarterback Ryan Orr made quick work of the defense in the first half, connecting passes across the middle to put the boys in blue within striking distance. As it has all season, the running game continued to chew up yardage with each play.

Dunbar had successful drives down the field, but a mental mistake led to a red-zone interception for Catoctin, effectively thwarting any momentum for the Poets and preserving the shutout.

A series of mistakes kept the Catoctin offense on the field, but the Cougar defense managed to punish the Poets with a pick-six to continue frustrating the opposing quarterback.

Despite the lopsided turnover ratio, the Dunbar offense had its moments where possessions were threatening. After 24 unanswered points by Catoctin, Dunbar made its first significant impact of the game with a beautiful ball over the middle to Deairus Carr, who slipped between the defense, shook off a tackle, and cruised into the end zone to get his team on the board.

Dunbar’s message was loud and clear, the team needed to stop the bleeding, and shutting down Catoctin’s run game was necessary if the Poets were going to turn the game around. The Cougars’ bread and butter all season was its slashing runs with running back Carson Sickeri, but Dunbar had keyed in and cut his drives repeatedly short throughout the second quarter.

Fortunately for Catoctin, Sickeri did what he does best and found a running lane to break through the Poets’ defense for a huge chunk of yardage. Sickeri’s run eventually set up another ball over the top to Travis Fields, for his second touchdown of the game.

With a 31-8 lead at halftime, the Cougars just needed to play solid defense and maintain long possessions to close out the game and capture the team’s second championship of the decade.

Coach Williams and company continued to pour on the pressure, bottling up Dunbar’s offense and preventing the Poets from stringing together a successful drive.

As Catoctin continued burning the clock, the Gatorade bath watch was on, and the Cougars successfully doused several coaches in the only ice bath a person would ever be excited about.

The final buzzer sounded, the crowd went wild, and players stormed the field in what was undoubtedly the most exciting game of their lives.

Through the biting cold temperatures, the fans stood in unison as their hometown friends and family celebrated a near once-in-a-lifetime achievement.

“The community we live in is amazing,” Williams said. “We were the smallest school of the championship winners, and we were the loudest. That’s awesome.” The 2019 Catoctin football team’s legacy of dominance has been solidified, with the team’s 13-1 season ending with the MPSSAA 1A Championship trophy in hand. A big congrats to the players, coaches, and families that made this season so great. Go Cougars! 

Blair Garrett

Senior Night for the Catoctin High girls basketball team (pictured above) went off without a hitch, as seniors for the Cougars led the team to a 41-28 victory.

Head Coach Amy Entwistle led the team’s senior ceremony, offering kind and inspiring words for each graduating player on the roster. “I’m so proud to share the court with each and every one of you.”

Each senior lined up beside their families, receiving the commendation and acknowledgment they deserve for the time and effort they put in week after week for the team.

“If my kids grow up to be half as good as you guys, I will have done my job,” Coach Entwistle said.  

After the ceremony, the team reconvened in the locker room to resume its usual pregame routine. This one, however, had a bit of a different feel, as each senior stormed the court for the team’s final home game of the season.

Senior players included Olivia Crum, Drucilla Long, Melanie Topper, Kelly Glass, and Raegan Smith, who all took part in the starting lineup in the team’s senior night showdown against Clear Spring.

The game got off to a rocky start for the Cougars, faltering a bit in the first quarter; but, thanks to the team’s veteran core and leadership, the team settled down and began to shut Clear Spring’s offense down.

Pressure was the key for closing down the shooting lanes against Clear Spring, with Catoctin’s star players taking over and forcing turnovers to take the lead and hold it throughout the rest of the game.

Clear Spring was held without scoring through a lengthy stretch of the second quarter, struggling to get clean shots off against the Cougars. Catoctin’s Melanie Topper and Raegan Smith played a big part in forcing Clear Spring to play their game, allowing the team’s offense to start taking over.

Freshman Emma Wivell stepped up big for Catoctin, driving the lane and jumpstarting the Cougars off to a sizeable lead just before the second half.

As the buzzer for the third quarter sounded, the Cougars again came out flying, outscoring their opponents 15-2 in a remarkable run. Catoctin held Clear Spring to just six points over the course of the second and third quarter, effectively neutralizing the team’s offense for half the game. Catoctin closed out the rest of the game smoothly, logging a 13-point victory for the team’s second win over Clear Spring this season, and its ninth win of the year.

Catoctin finished the year against one of its toughest opponents, Oakdale, dropping the away match 50-30 to cap off the season. The Cougars finished 9-13, but bounced back after a tough start to the season to go on a tremendous run through the month of January. 

The season has officially wrapped up for Catoctin. But the future is bright for the Cougars, and with the dedication and commitment the 2018-19 senior class showed, next year’s group has all the tools to have yet another strong season.

Catoctin’s Melanie Topper looks for an open target.

Theresa Dardanell

The CHS Science Olympiad Team is pictured with coaches Rebecca Hurley and Theresa Hutchinson. Not pictured: Coach Doug Young.

Congratulations to the Catoctin High School (CHS) Science Olympiad team. They recently competed in the Maryland State Tournament at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.  According to their coaches, “The nerd trials lasted close to ten hours. The cougars competed against 24 teams (12 in our division). We placed 10th in our division and 23rd in the State! This was our very first time qualifying for the state level competition. It was a wonderful experience for the students.”

Students competing in the events were: Zack Carter and Grace Mazaleski — Microbe Mission; Emmalynn May and Sophia Degennaro — Write It Do It; Kyle Dutrow and Sophia Degennaro — Game One; Michael Yang and Sean Miller — Helicopters; Sophia Degennaro and Madison Raimondi — Thermodynamics; Michael Yang and Kallan Latham — Chemistry Lab; Zack Carter and Grace Mazaleski — Ecology; Avie Hopcraft and Kallan Latham — Optics; Kyle Dutrow and Emmalynn May — Remote Sensing; Kallen Latham and Karianna Strickhouser — Mission Possible; Sam Grimes and Lauren Ames — Material Science; Zack Carter and Grace Mazaleski — Herpetology; Maddy Reynolds, Sophia Degennaro, and Sean Miller — Experimental Design; Karianna Strickhouser and Madison Raimondi — Dynamic Planet; Sean Miller and Kyle Dutrow — Hovercraft; Michael Yang and Sean Miller — Towers; Sam Grimes and Michael Yang — Rocks and Minerals; Lauren Ames and Avie Hopcraft — Forensics; Emmalynn May, Madison Raimondi, and Maddy Reynolds — Astronomy; Grace Mazaleski and Zack Carter — Disease Detectives; Sean Miller and Sam Grimes — Fermi Questions; Avie Hopcraft and Grace Mazaleski — Anatomy and Physiology; Sean Miller and Michael Yang — Mousetrap Vehicle; Devon Shorb and Teairah Velasquez were alternates.

CHS Science Olympiad coaches are Rebecca Hurley, Theresa Hutchinson, and Doug Young.

On Tuesday, April 23, 2018, the Cougars placed first in the Monocacy Division of the Ninth Annual Frederick County Unified Track and Field Championship.

Athletes represented ten area high schools for the event. Catoctin was in the Monocacy division with Frederick, Governor Thomas Johnson, Oakdale, and a combined team of Brunswick and Linganore. CHS had seventeen team members of the eighty athletes that competed. In the Monocacy Division, Cougars gave all of their heart and hustled to bring home the gold.

The 2016-17 wrestling season was a difficult one for the Cougars.  Coach Green, now 144 wins and 99 losses in his ten-year career at Catoctin High School, compiled a 4 and 10 regular dual meet record and an overall season total of 6 and 23, not exactly the stellar returns that Catoctin wrestling fans have grown accustomed to.  For a team that has shared so much success in recent years, these uncharacteristic numbers are both disheartening and deceiving, but do nothing to take away the heart and steadfastness that Catoctin wrestlers possess. Disheartening, because Green and his long-time assistants, Coach Gialanella and Garrett Baer, were permanently hobbled by fielding an ultra-thin line-up, and the shrinking number of participants resulted in forfeiting 36 points per match, making winning as a team next to impossible. Deceiving, because six of eight squad members would win 65 percent or more of their individual bouts, a remarkable statistic considering had Catoctin engaged a complete line up, even with wrestlers losing without giving up pins, the team scores would have been  tighter and, in all probability, more than a few of the losses suffered could have been victories. As a result, the Cougars fell from the Maryland State Wrestling Association’s  overall and dual meet rankings, but did manage to hold onto an honorable mention spot as a tournament team—again, due to the fortitude of the young men representing the team. In head-to-head matches, however, the tough and competent squad fared remarkably well and 14 of the 23 losses suffered this year fell within the 36-point deficit, an attribute to the resolve of the individuals that took to the mat in this year of rebuilding. Of the eight wrestlers on the team, only one failed to advance to the regional tournament, and five qualified for the state championships.

At the Bauerlein duals, the Cougars were victorious in only one match as a team, but individual results were much more positive. Zachary Bryant, the 113-pound junior, swept the competition to remain unbeaten in seven matches. Jacob Baker suffered only a single loss during the tournament, and Wyatt Payne and Josh Small registered only two losses. At the Hub Cup—still regarded as one of the toughest tournaments around—a notable six of eight Cougar wrestlers advanced to the medal rounds, including RJ Monaghan and Jacob Baker, taking 5th place; Ethan Fuss and Wyatt Payne each securing 4th; Joshua Small settling for 3rd place after a loss in semi’s; and Zachary Bryant taking 2nd  place with a loss in finals. Catoctin still placed 8th as a team in a field of twenty-two squads, a testament to the quality and grit of  the Cougar wrestlers. Although the team would win only a single match at the Catoctin duals, the team’s home tournament, the individual wrestlers would continue to perform above expectations. RJ Monaghan would remain undefeated in all eight matches; Ethan Fuss, Zachary Bryant, Jake Baker, and Josh Small would lose only one match apiece.

Frederick County has witnessed  the unprecedented perennial success of its high school wrestling programs in recent years, achievements that are simply unequaled anywhere else in the state. The ten public high schools in Frederick County are continually setting new standards for wrestling excellence throughout the state. This year, eight of the twenty-eight state champions represented Frederick County—that’s almost one quarter of  all the champions. Montgomery County, which has the largest number of public high schools in the state with twenty-five, produced  only three state champions, and all came from the same school. Last season, Frederick County sent thirty-four wrestlers to the state tournament and twenty-two of them placed. The year prior to that, Frederick County boasted ten finalists and five state champions. It is no wonder then, why the Frederick County wrestling tournament is often more competitive than the ensuing regional and state tourneys. Catoctin took 4th place as a team, and all but one of the Cougars made the medal rounds. Zach Bryant and Travis Fields each remained unbeaten en route to their county titles. Fields, a freshman and a fifth-seed underdog, was also honored with the Fred Burgee Award, presented to the tournaments most outstanding wrestler, marking the third time in six years that a Catoctin wrestler was honored with that award (Charlie Perella 2012, 2015). RJ Monaghan, Ethan Fuss, and Wyatt Payne each suffered only one loss early in the competition, to secure 3rd place. Jake Baker and Josh Small both placed 4th. Matt Linker, the 220-pound freshman, failed to advance, but saw plenty of varsity action during his opening year. He finished with a 9-18 record in a very unforgiving weight class for a freshman.

The Cougars secured a 7th place team finish at the 1A-2A West Regional Tournament out of seventeen clubs, not a daunting result considering the teams’ lack of entries. The 1A-2A West is—and statistics back it up—considered to be the best region for wrestling in the entire state. In the past three years, almost half (41 percent) of all place-winners at the state championships represented one of the seventeen schools in this region, 103 of 252. In addition, 62 percent of all state champions (26 of 42) represented the region. Furthermore, there were thirteen 1A-2A West regional final rematches in the state finals, including one particular rematch this year at 113 pounds, a testament to the consistent high level of toughness of the wrestlers that this region continues to produce. Zachary Bryant claimed his first regional crown, along with the number one seed for states, after a first round bye, a first period pin in quarter’s, a 9 to 5 decision in semi’s, and a 10 to 1 major in finals. Ethan Fuss and Josh Small both wrestled back to 3rd place after losing one match a piece. Fuss would drop his quarterfinal match in a close 4 to 2 decision, but win two in a row by decision to advance to states. Small lost his first bout by fall, but qualified for states by winning his next three, two by decision and one by pin. Jake Baker and RJ Monaghan each took 4th place, punching their tickets to be included in the sixteen-man bracket for the state tournament. Baker would lose his first match, win two more by decision, only to face the same opponent he lost to earlier with the same result. Monaghan’s fate would mirror that of Baker. Dropping his first match by fall, Monaghan would win his next two bouts with a pin and a 7 to 1 decision, and  lose a second time to his opening opponent, but this time by a very close 5 to 4 decision.

Wyatt Payne, the 145-pound sophomore, was only a point away from qualifying for states. He lost his opening bout by two points, won by seven in his next match, and lost a close 2 to 1 decision in consolation quarter-finals. Payne continues to improve as he won eight regular season dual matches this season. He went 4 and 2, winning some notable match-ups and taking 4th place at the Hub Cup, finished 5 and 2 at the Bauerlien Duals, and placed 3rd in the county tournament. Selected as an honorable mention to the Frederick News Post All-Area team, he concluded his season with a 21 and 12 total, winning 69 percent of his matches, and bumping his career record to 42 wins and 28 losses.

Like Payne, Travis Fields came up short at the regional tournament, suffering a 9 to 2 loss in the preliminary round. The 132-pound freshman showed promise by winning 56 percent of his matches, including eight regular season duals. He was victorious in three bouts at the Hub Cup, three at the Bauerlien Duals, and five at the Catoctin Duals. He stunned the crowd by sweeping the bracket at the Frederick County tournament, winning not only a county title, but the outstanding wrestler award as well. He posted a  22 and 16 record on the season, and secured an honorable mention bid to the Frederick News Post All-Area team.

Catoctin was able to achieve a 7th place team finish among some ninety-nine public high school wrestling programs, and advanced two of the five state qualifiers to the medal rounds during the state wrestling championships, held for the second year at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. One wrestler would lose a single match in semi-finals, but fight back to take 3rd place. The other would pin his way to finals and become Catoctin’s 8th individual state wrestling champion.(Shane Tiffany 1995, Seth Chilson 2010, Tim Nordan and Charlie Perella 2013, Wayne Wivell and Charlie Perella 2014, and Perella again in 2015).

Placing 4th last year as a sophomore, Ethan Fuss, the 126-pound junior, made his second appearance at the state tournament. Fuss lost his preliminary match, but showed composure by pinning his next two opponents, knowing that his next loss would eliminate him from the contest. He slipped from the medal rounds after a 9 to 3 loss in the following session. Fuss, whose wrestling style is both fearless and exciting, won five regular season dual matches this season, placed 4th at the Hub Cup, went 4 and 3 at Bauerlien, and finished 7 and 1 at the Catoctin Duals. He placed 3rd in both the county and regional tournaments, earning him a  bid to the Frederick News Post All-Area 2nd team. He achieved a record of 28 wins and 15 losses on the year and is creeping toward the 100 win mark, with a career total of 89 victories and 31 defeats. He concludes the year with a ranking of #21 in the State by the Maryland State Wrestling Association.

Jacob Baker, the 160-pound freshman, was 1 and 2 in his first appearance at the state tournament. He was defeated in his first match by the eventual state champion, won a 10 to 2 decision in the consolation bracket, but was defeated in his next bout and bumped from the competition. The Frederick News Post All-Area 2nd team nominee  had a stellar debut to his high school wrestling career, winning 11 of 14 regular season dual matches, placing 5th at the Hub Cup, and registering only one loss at both the Bauerlien Duals and the Catoctin Duals. He placed 4th in the Frederick County Championships, 4th in the regional championships, won 68 percent of his matches, and finishes his freshman season with a 32 and 13 record.

RJ Monaghan made his first appearance to the state tournament as a junior, representing the 170-pound weight class. He was defeated in his first bout by a one-point, 3 to 2 decision to the eventual 4th place finisher. He scored 18 points to overwhelm his next opponent with a third period technical fall, but failed to advance to the medal rounds, with another close 3 to 2 loss. The exceptionally strong Monaghan, who is ranked at #25 in the state by the Maryland State Wrestling Association and recognized as a Frederick News Post All-Area 2nd team member,  posted a regular dual meet record of nine victories and five defeats. He placed 5th in the Hub Cup, went 4 and 3 at the Bauerlien Duals, and was a perfect 8 and 0 at the Catoctin Duals. He placed 3rd in the county, qualified for states by placing 4th at regionals, finished the season with a 29 and 16 tally, and now has a career total of 60 wins and 43 losses.

Joshua Small, the 152-pound junior, is no stranger to the state tournament. His name has appeared in the state bracket three times. As a freshman, he came away empty handed, but last season, he was able to earn a hard-fought 5th place medal. This year, he would build on that success with two straight wins out of the gate, both by pin, in prelim’s and in quarter’s, guaranteeing himself a spot on the podium. After a 5 to 1 decision loss to the state runner-up, Small would put together two more consecutive wins, a 13 to 3 decision and a 6 to 4 final, to secure a 3rd place finish in a field where the top three medalists all hailed from the 1A-2A West.  Executing a basic, no-nonsense style of wrestling, Small won 9 of 14 regular season dual matches, suffered only one loss for a 3rd place finish at the Hub Cup, sported a 5 and 2 record at the Bauerlien Duals, and went 7 and 1 at the Catoctin Duals. In championship events, he placed 4th in the county, 3rd in the region, and took 3rd at states, resulting in a 1st team nomination to the Frederick News Post All-Area team. Ranked at #17 in the state by the Maryland State Wrestling Association, Small wraps up his junior year with 33 wins versus 13 losses, bringing his career total ever closer to the 100 win mark, with 93 victories and 36 losses.

Zachary Bryant is the lone member of the current Catoctin squad that sports a state championship medal for each of his high school wrestling seasons. The deceivingly strong and exciting risk-taker would settle for a 4th place finish during both his freshman and sophomore years, but this year he would realize his potential. Wrestling as the number-one seed in the 113-pound weight class, he would simply dominate his first three opponents in true Bryant fashion, with an aggression that could not be matched, claiming victory by fall in each contest. In finals, Bryant would face an opponent that he had derailed just a week earlier. He prevailed with a 6-3 decision, a score that seems much closer than the action actually showed; when his hand was raised, Bryant officially became Catoctin’s 8th Maryland state champion wrestler. Bryant’s remarkable statistics include a perfect 11 and 0 undefeated regular dual meet total, as well as a flawless 7 and 0 showing at the Bauerlien Duals. He would lose a close finals match at the Hub Cup, settling for 2nd place and finish with one loss, going 7 and 1 at the Catoctin Duals, his only loss of the year to a fellow Maryland high school wrestler. Winning 95 percent of his bouts, the Frederick County champion, 1A-2A West regional champion, and Maryland state champion, Bryant would post a 37 and 2 season record, bringing his career totals to 105 wins and 17 losses. He was honored with a 1st team bid to the Frederick News Post All-Area team and is currently ranked #2 in the state by the Maryland State Wrestling Association.

      

 Zachary Bryant, 113-pound Maryland State Wrestling Champion

   Josh Small takes 3rd place at Maryland State Wrestling Championships.

Zachary Bryant, 113-pound Maryland State Wrestling Champion.

Catoctin Sports Boosters to hold Holiday Open House

The Catoctin High School (CHS) Sports Boosters will hold its 7th Annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 5, 2015, from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. in the CHS cafeteria.

Cougar apparel, blankets, stadium seats, hats, and miscellaneous novelty items will be available for your Christmas shopping. There will be light refreshments. Payment may be made by cash, check, or credit card for Sports Boosters items. Organizations within CHS and sports teams will be invited to have their current fundraisers available for your holiday purchases (cash or check will be accepted by each individual group or team).

For more information, please contact Bob Marlow at 443-829-3809.

Catoctin High School Varsity Volleyball Team’s Dig Pink

On October 6, 2015, the Catoctin High School volleyball team played their Dig Pink game versus Urbana, in an effort to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. The varsity team is 7-7 so far this season. Go Cougars!

Photo by Sherie Jenkins

CHS Dig Pink

Pictured from left are: (top row) Lily Bean, Abby Jacobs, Athena Fream, Caitlyn Naff, and Kylie Norwood; (second row) Meghan Jenkins, Jansen Waltz, Hailey Joy, and Tori Bryant; (front row) Maddi Wehler, Samantha Moulds, and Macy Randall. Not pictured: Becca Thomson.