The John Paul II Warrior varsity wrestling team hit the mats in full force this past Saturday as they hosted the 1st John Paul II Warrior Duals Tournament. The competition was stacked, with teams from Battery Creek, Beaufort, Bluffton, Bridges Prep, Colleton Prep, John Paul II, Northwoods Academy, Patrick Henry, and Trinity Collegiate all battling for dominance.
The Warriors came out swinging, finishing 2nd in their preliminary pool with a 2-1 record, taking down Trinity Collegiate (54-24) and Patrick Henry/Colleton Prep (49-24) before a hard-fought match against Beaufort (53-24).
"When the championship bracket semi-finals rolled around, the Warriors locked in against Bridges Prep, putting on an absolute grappling clinic to snag an electric 43-36 win over the Buccaneers and advance to the final showdown," said head coach, Greg Lonz. "In the finals, it was a rematch against Beaufort, where the Warriors left it all on the mat but ultimately fell 59-24, bringing home the overall runner-up team trophy."
Warrior Standouts – Crushing It on the Mat!
Several Warriors went undefeated in the tournament, putting together dominant performances:
- Jude Witkowski (5-0) – 3 pins, a major decision, and a forfeit
- Jase Reynolds (5-0) – 3 pins, a technical fall, and a forfeit
- Brian Orta (4-0) – 3 pins and a forfeit
- Tripp Thiesen (4-0) – 3 pins and a forfeit
- Jack Hannagan (4-1) – 2 pins, a major decision, and a decision win
Also bringing in key wins for the team were:
- Daniel Snyder (3-1) – Pin, decision, forfeit
- Chase LaFountain (3-1) – Pin, 2 forfeits
- Bailey Homer (3-2) – 2 pins, forfeit
- Beau Ryan (2-0) – 2 forfeits
- James Del Mazo, Jack Duncan, Aiden Winslow, Taylor Murphy, and Jonathan Dominguez all added clutch victories to the team’s efforts!
Warriors of the Week
Jude Witkowski, Jase Reynolds, Brian Orta, Tripp Thiesen, Jack Hannagan, and Daniel Snyder
The Warriors return to the mats this Saturday, January 25, at home in their final match before the postseason begins. They’ll face off in a tri-match against Porter Gaud and Hardeeville-Ridgeland starting at 11am.
Let’s PACK THE GYM and bring the Warrior energy to cheer these guys on to victory!