Loudoun Valley Duals Bring Spartans Back to Reality

3-5 Record on the Weekend is 'Unexpected'

Photography by Jessica DiNovo

  Following a huge weekend at Freedom last weekend, the Spartans were hoping to continue their hot streak through the Valley Duals in Purcellville, VA.  However, injuries, sickness and exam fatigue would all play roles in what turned into a less than stellar weekend for the Spartans.

  The Loudoun Valley Duals is a 2-day duals tournament where each team is given 8-9 matches in a round robin format.  With snow affecting some teams a new schedule was created, and Broad Run was slated to see some tough competition  exactly what is needed with Districts approaching.  

  The first match of day 1 was a tough one against one of the top programs in the state; Westfield HS.  The bulldogs would prove far too much for the Spartans who would only be able to earn 12 team points in the match.  Washington HS of West Virginia was also a tall task for Broad Run, and they would fall to a similar fate and be 0-2 after the first two rounds.

  Coach Totaro put in plainly, "we just didn't wrestle well.  I think we go caught in a bit of a trap game; came off some big wins and just lost sight of things.  We will refocus and be back and ready to compete."  

  Some of that fight came back as the Spartans faced off against Liberty and Hedgesville (WVA) and pulled out two decisive victories.  Both teams wrestled well but the Spartans would come out victorious 39-34 over Hedgesville and 63-9 over Liberty.  Unfortunately, the Spartans would lose Paolo Cardella to a potential concussion, but would get to celebrate Freshman Eric Potak's first varsity win.

  Saturday would be another tough day as Broad run was slated to face, Stafford, Sherando and North Lebanon (PA).  All three would end up in losses for the Spartans, with the loss to Sherando coming to a 37-37 tie, with criteria H deciding that Sherando was victorious.  

  "I've never seen a match come down to 'most first scored points' before," said Totaro, "but I guess I have now."  He continued that the team was wrestling better and sometimes things just don't work out.  He was pleased that the team was able to pull out a win against Heritage, though with only 6 men in the line-up it was a rather empty win for the Spartans.

  With the 3-5 finish, the Spartans moved to 24-11 in duals on the season with 7 duals left on the schedule.  The team is hopeful to hit 30 wins on the season, but also wants to make sure that they are peaking at the right time and are prepared for districts.

  Broad Run wrestles back-to-back days on Friday in a District Tri-Meet, followed to a dual event on Saturday at Woodgrove HS known as the Ring the Bell Tournament where each pin comes with the ringing of a miniature Liberty Bell.