Like any wrestling team that survived Thursday’s region quarterfinals, Annapolis faces a grueling weekend ahead.
Snow postponed the first round of regional dual wrestling Tuesday and then didn’t allow for makeups Wednesday. As a result, the duals tournament has been condensed into three days to contest regionals and the state tournament, which remains scheduled for Saturday. Any team hoping to lift the championship trophy will have to endure an exhausting three days.
Seeing the way the Panthers marched through the first round, Annapolis 165-pound senior Teddy Sfakiyanudis isn’t deeply worried.
“I’ve never had more confidence in a team before this one,” he said.
Save for two bumps in the middle weights and one at the very end, Annapolis rolled through Glen Burnie, 60-16, to advance to the next round. At this point, that’s all it’s about, coach Tom Sfakiyanudis said: “Advance, advance, advance.”
The regional semifinals and finals will be Friday at top-seeded Bowie. Annapolis first faces Leonardtown in the semifinals.
“We really just wanted to focus on who was directly in front of us and not look ahead at all,” the coach said. “We just told the guys, if everyone does their job, we’re going to win.”
For a good while, they did.
The Panthers’ Carmine Zimmerelli collected a pin at 113 while Conrad Femrite (120) and Garrett Mykins worked to a major decision and decision, respectively. A pair of Glen Burnie forfeits sped the match along and padded Annapolis’ towering 25-0 lead early.
But then, Glen Burnie’s middleweights got the Gophers on the board.
At 144, Glen Burnie’s Maddox Parr wrangled Christian Snavely into enough holds to nearly secure the pin he sought, settled for a 16-4 major decision.
But hunger exuded from 150-pound Noah Obinna from the moment the Gophers senior stepped into the circle. He worked Peter Porzillo into the shapes he wanted but just as Porzillo slipped out of his grasp Obinna lassoed him back with his leg – and screamed.
Obinna held his ankle with the seriousness of the injury plain on his face. But minutes later, he rose to face Porzillo, still limping, and battled through three periods to earn his six point-pin. After the official raised his arm, he limped off the mat.
Midway through the match, Glen Burnie only trailed 25-10. A comeback was not impossible in theory. In practice, Tom Sfakiyanudis knew just how quickly they’d get back on the path to a rout.
Myles Rankin (157) controlled Christian Tomago until he scored a 17-1 tech fall. Teddy Sfakiyanudis wrapped his victory up more quickly, stamping his pin in 33 seconds.
“They’ve been pretty solid all season,” Tom Sfakiyanudis said. “Even when we give up a little in the middle, we’re always confident in those guys to get us back.”
Despite the outcome in hand by the final 106-pound bout, Glen Burnie’s Daniel Canas approached it with a fury. At first, it seemed neither he or Annapolis’ Steven Umana was willing to surrender a pin to one another. The two flipped each other more than an impatient fry cook, with Umana wrestling Canas into a near fall.
Then, Canas flipped the switch one final time, wrangling atop the Panther and earning his pin. With a knowing tone, the official told him, “Good luck in the county tournament.”
Before then, the remaining teams will have a mountain to hike.
Cutting weight will be any team’s biggest hurdle going through the next few days. There’s practically no time between each level of the bracket to do it, and the younger Sfakiyanudis expressed his empathy for those who have to.
Overall, Annapolis believes it’s right where it needs to be, and at the right time.
“We’ll see tomorrow,” Tom Sfakiyanudis said.
Got a sports news tip? Email kfominykh@baltsun.com or DM @capgazsports on Instagram.