Getting Back on Their Feet
0
Votes

Getting Back on Their Feet

Coach Young’s Dominion team working hard to be competitive again in Dulles.

photo

District wrestling champs in 2006 and ’07, Dominion fell to last place last year.

Last winter was a tough season for the Dominion High wrestling team, a two-time defending Dulles District champion, which experienced a last-place finish in 2008.

The Titans’ title winning teams of 2006 and ’07 were loaded with talented, experienced wrestlers who led coach Billy Young’s program to its district success. But Dominion was in a different situation last year. Many of the program’s top wrestlers from the previous two years had graduated and the Titans were much younger and less experienced across the board.

Young said last year, which saw Dominion win just one district dual meet, was difficult. The Titans had eight first-year team members on the varsity.

"It was tough, very humbling," Young said of going from district champions to last place.

But last year’s rebuilding took hold and the Titans, despite the numerous team and individual losses on the mat, grew from the hardships of a losing campaign.

"They’re looking a lot better, they’ve grown," Young said of this year’s team. "[But] we’re still young."

On top of having varsity wrestlers with more experience now, Young also said a strong group of freshmen have come into the program this winter, two of which are competing in the varsity lineup.

"I have a really good group of freshmen," said the coach.

Last Wednesday in a JV Jamboree at Heritage High in Leesburg, six young Titan wrestlers each won two matches to no defeats. So Dominion appears to have good talent among its younger members of the program.

<b>THIS PAST SATURDAY</b>, Dominion competed at the Battle at the Bend tournament, a nine-team, early season meet hosted by Riverbend High School in Fredericksburg. This upcoming weekend will see the Titans travel to Tuscurora High (Frederick, Md.) for another competition. And then the following weekend will see Dominion compete at the two-day Broadway High (Massanutten District) tournament in Broadway, Va.

And during the holidays, the team will travel to Alexandria and participate at the annual St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School Christmas Tournament Dec. 30. Dulles District neighbor, Park View, will also be at the St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes event.

Some of the Dominion team’s top wrestlers include junior Tom Dewar and seniors Don Tran (140), Torey Mazza (135) and Darren Littleton (189).

Dewar finished third at districts last year at 171. Young believes Dewar will be a district contender in a talented 171-weight class.

"He’s probably our best shot at a district [title]." Young said of Dewar. "He’s got experience and wrestled in middle school in New York. He’s real good on his feet and just a smart kid."

Tran finished fifth at 140 last year and Mazza was fifth at 125.

"Don is strong and a third-year wrestler," Young said of Tran. "He started wrestling as a sophomore and he’s pretty athletic. Torey is real good on the mat and real good on top. He’s crafty."

Young is hoping to see the return of sophomore heavyweight Alex Ward and senior Andrew Russell (152) to the lineup. Both suffered football injuries this past fall. Ward, recovering from a broken leg, actually competed in a match last week. Russell, who missed most of last year’s season as a result of injuries, could be cleared to return soon.