The Cardinal Newman Cardinals are 2009–2010 SCISA state champions – their second straight title. The Cardinals are Eric Goff, head coach; Brian Dunphy, asst. coach; Jack Garrick, Sr.; Alex Geurin, Sr.; Richard Hodaly, Sr.; Joey Schiano, Sr.; Ben Yarborough, Sr.; Adam Bumgardner, Jr.; Michael Hodaly, Jr.; Carl Joiner, Jr.; Kyle Maitland, Jr.; Pennington Nieri, Jr.; Patrick Owens, Jr.; Adam Ritter, Jr.; Craig Clyburn, So.; Seth Heckart, So.; Zach Khammash, So.; Dan Maroney, So.; Cole McCarter, So.; Nick Palevich, So.; David Richardson, So.; Clayton Segars, So.; Billy Solomon, So.; Thomas Touma, So.; Jake Wilson, So.; Joseph Womack, So.; JB Carrouth, Fr.; Conor Egan, Fr.; Tom Evely, Fr.; Nathan Hayes, Fr.; Nick Maracich, Fr.; Jack McDonald, Fr.; Charles Queen, Fr.; Hunter Richardson, Fr.; Matt Sandifer, Fr.; Austin Schulte, Fr.; John Shows, Fr.; Tanner Viteri, Fr.; Matt Wilson, Fr.; Danny Winterstein, Fr.; James Garrick, 8th; Aaron Kirby, 8th; Evan Mikula, 8th; Mitchell Pennington, 8th; Anthony Sommers, 8th; Louis Williams, 8th; Christian Kirol, 7th; and Joshua Palevich, 7th. Photos by Jim Marczesky Even after losing 11 wrestlers to graduation last year, Cardinal Newman wrestling coach Eric Goff set the same goal for his squad: a SCISA state team championship.

Hammond’s Gervais Baker tries to turn Cardinal Newman’s Cole McCarter. Moments after the Cardinals fulfilled that goal in Hammond’s gym on February 3, team members beat their coach to the punch.

“Now, we go for a third title in a row next year,” junior Nick Palevich said. “That will motivate us. We’re losing three starters, but we have a lot of strong people back.”

That fact should give the other SCISA programs pause.

The Cardinals lost only three weight classes en route to a 53–14 victory against Hammond in the final.

Cardinal Newman’s Alex Geurin (back) wrestles Hammond’s Guy Castles. “We came in as the No. 1 seed and had already beaten Hammond twice this year, but it’s always hard to beat a team three times,” Goff said.

He need not have wor- ried.

Christian Kirol (103) and Cole McCarter (112) set the tone immediately by pinning their foes. Kirol defeated an opponent who had beaten him twice during the season.

“We lost two classes we were hoping to win,” Hammond coach Randy Wolfe said. “That really affected our mentality the rest of the way. The momentum was in their favor, and we never got it back. But they outwrestled us; tonight they were the better team.”

Conor Egan (130), Kyle Maitland (160), Bill Solomon (189), and Dave Richardson (Hwt.) fueled the romp with pins. Seniors Jack Garrick (215), Alex Geurin (140), and Richard Hodaly (145) earned decisions.

CN’s Matt Wilson (back) wrestles Hammond’s Gavin Fawcett. “We couldn’t get big heads just because we won states last year,” Geurin said. “We wrestled hard all year; we just had to come out and stick it to them today.”

Hammond earned its points on a pin by Jordan Kay (152) and decisions by Matt Kay (119) and Gavin Fawcett (135).

Heathwood Hall finished third in the tournament, which was originally scheduled for January 30 but was rescheduled because of inclement weather on that date.

“We wrestled seven first–year kids, so with them and only four or five veterans, we did alright,” Heathwood Hall coach Hank Wall said. “Numbers have been our problem all year. We just don’t have enough.”

The sentiment could have been echoed by every coach that went up against Cardinal Newman during the team tournament.
Cardinal Newman’s Jack Garrick (back) wrestles Hammond’s Joseph McDougal.