Tri-Meet at Champe Proves Disastrous for Spartans

Illnesses, Grades Affect Performance in Outing
Photography by Jessica DiNovo

  Thursday's matches at the newly opened John Champe High School in Aldie, VA went completely backwards to how coaches J.J. Totaro and Josh Costa would have expected them to go.  With influenza infecting numerous wrestlers on the team, affecting about 30% of the JV and Varsity squads, the lineup Broad Run had was badly damaged.  Making matters worse was the doling out of interims at the half way point of the 2nd quarter, which brought more people missing from the starting 14.

Freshman Andre Schofield works for
the pin in his 1st Varsity win.

  "Grades are big to us," said Totaro, "we don't care how good you are; if you can't perform in the classroom, you can't perform here," referring to the mat.  For some, this brought the new Spartan Wrestling mantra - Live. Train. Wrestle. SpartanStrong - clearly into view.  "Being weak in the classroom equals a lack of dedication to your academics and a lack of dedication to your team.  It's not living SpartanStrong."  Totaro clarified the situation saying that the missing wrestlers were not off the team, but suspended to "get priorities back in order" and are welcomed back upon their grades being fixed.

  No matter the reason, the Spartans still had three matches against AA perennial powerhouse Brentsville, and the Dulles District's Woodgrove and Champe.  Brentsville would start the evening off with the decimating defeat of Broad Run by a score of 47-18.  Wins were tough to come by and at many times during the match it seemed as if the Spartans were no there mentally at all, and the anger from the corner was evident as the match went on.



Fossett takes his man to the air.



  Broad Run hoped to get back on track in the second match against potential Dulles District Champion Woodgrove, and the results were much the same.  Making thing even more difficult, Senior Clayton Shepherd would be hit with flu in the middle of the match and be forced out of the lineup. requiring Freshman Brandon Steel to step up in his place.  The Spartans would fall 51-29 to Woodgrove, and would guarantee a losing record on the night.

  Finishing the night was a rematch against John Champe which would be a chance to get some of the younger Spartans into the lineup.  Broad Run would win the match to gain at least one team win on the night, and would see two freshmen win their first Varsity matches, with wins by 120 Andre Schofield and 170 Brandon Steel.

  One highlight on the night was the event being held did benefit Ovarian Cancer Awareness.  The wrestlers were given teal colored socks and laces for their shoes and money was raised and donated to a local group.  Broad Run Wrestling would look to turn things around at the North Stafford Duals on Saturday and hopefully gain back some of its missing wrestlers.

Caution: Vasqui at work!