UPPER MARLBORO — Jackson Peeples sauntered off the mat smiling through blood-stained teeth and tearful eyes, leaning into the clutches of his beaming South River coaches.
The 106-pound freshman fought to catch his breath. He was beaten and sullied from a three-period bout that ended with Peeples as the evening’s first Class 4A/3A state champion. It wasn’t long ago he thought he might not even be able to wrestle this season having broken his arm last summer, which required surgery. They figured he’d be cleared by October ahead of the season.
It wasn’t until December that Peeples returned to the mat. “I couldn’t miss any more matches,” he said.
Winning a state title to cap a 17-5 record is the cherry on top, South River coach John Klessinger said, of a winding journey back to wrestling that began with a series of early season losses and ended by fending off a six-point comeback for a 10-8 win in the state final over Eleanor Roosevelt’s Austin Hayes.
“You never know if you’re gonna make it back,” Klessinger said. “So I’m glad he made it count.”
Peeples ushered in an emotional evening of triumph and agony on the 4A/3A mat’s highest stage. Some backflipped with excitement or wrestled down their coaches in celebration. Others pounded the floor of Show Place Arena and sought consolement.
South River’s Jackson Peeples reacts at the conclusion of his win over Eleanor Roosevelt’s Austin Hayes, right, in the Class 4A/3A 106-pound final during the state wrestling championships at Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Sometimes the triumph takes a bit longer to reach. Thus was the case with Broadneck’s Austin Combs (165), who duked it out for four periods with Oakland Mills’ Joe Clark.
As the third and final regulation period wound down, it was Combs who whispered in his opponent’s ear offering to tangle out the final 20 seconds. They were both gassed and exchanged a truceful smile.
Come extra time, Combs thought he secured a point pressed against the outer rim. Officials conferred and called it back. The explanation given to Broadneck coach Reid Bloomfield was that it was “beyond reaction time.” But they felt strongly it should have been two before the other ref interjected. The Bruins senior fought for his second winning point, stood up and gave a bowling motion over to teammates and family in the stands.
Among that group was his father, Chris Combs, a two-time state titlist in the late 1990s out of Old Mill. Austin, who stopped wrestling after eighth grade to focus on lacrosse, then signed back up his senior season with the blessing of his spring sport coaches, said wrestling always connected father and son.
“To come out and wrestle this year and have him come out to some of my matches and watch and correct them, it means a lot,” Austin said. “I don’t know if I’ll say anything other than give him a big hug.”
Not every wrestler found themselves with such prideful elation.
Northeast’s Beau Schmidt was a 2A/1A runner-up at 132 pounds last year. He crawled all the way back to the final round at 138 this year but lost 2-0 in a narrow match.
His coach, Chris Dyke, said Schmidt followed the game plan to a tee. It just didn’t fall his way. Schmidt spent much of the three periods in an upright entanglement with Drew Montgomery of Northern-Calvert. They knew whomever was first to get a takedown would win.
“It sucks but it’s part of growing up,” Dyke said. “He’s still a sophomore. In order to become a state champ, you gotta beat a state champ.”
Bel Air’s Chris Nice (144) hurt all the same, curled up off to the side of the mat having fallen 11-4 in the finals to Jonathan Chang of Clarksburg. His Bobcats coach, Craig Reddish, said they knew they had their work cut out for them with Chang. But for Nice, getting to the finals after two consecutive years stuck at a sixth-place finish is a win in and of itself.
Somewhere middling in the postmatch emotional spectrum was Victor Marks-Jenkins (157). The Perry Hall sophomore ended last season with a 50-1 record that included 39 pins en route to a third-place finish in the state tournament.
When he downed Seth Weaver from Bethesda-CC with a third-period pin, 6-1, he didn’t leap into a coaches arms or flex any celebratory muscles. He was even-keeled. It’s possible he cracked a half grin.
“Maybe I could’ve done better, maybe I could’ve done worse,” Marks-Jenkins said stoically. “There was no extreme doubt in my mind. It was just like, ‘I want to win.’ … We have more tournaments in a few weeks that are bigger than this so I’m just getting ready for them.”
While the day began with a jittery Peeples covered in blood earning his first state title, it ended with a bit more experienced wrestler in Old Mill’s RJ Duncan going four rounds with South River’s Busayo Balogun at 285 pounds.
Balogun nearly noodled a final point at the end of regulation but the officials waived it off, sending the match to a sudden-death period. Duncan said his opponent didn’t want to shoot. His Old Mill coaches were adamant in reminding him that he’s the best heavyweight in the state and that “nobody can stop me.”
“A lot of people said I was gonna lose to him,” Duncan said. “It feels great to prove them wrong.”
At the final whistle, Duncan stood up and extended his arm toward the sky like the Statue of Liberty. He wagged two fingers back and forth to the crowd, a celebratory reminder that he became a back-to-back state champ, while his opponent stormed off into the bowels of the arena — the dichotomy of the state’s most prestigious match.
Southern’s Domenica Gladwell celebrates her win over Smithsburg’s Rileigh Romberger in the final of the girls 115 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Atholton’s Samantha Semprun Salazar, right, tries put Quince Orchard’s Aubry Spadoni onto her back in the final of the girls 140 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Atholton’s Samantha Semprun Salazar, top, battles Quince Orchard’s Aubry Spadoni in the final of the girls 140 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Laurel’s Alexandra Ford, left, pulls Oakland Mills’s Trinity Butler back into the circle in the final of the girls 135 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Liberty’s Aubrey Ohler, top, controls Arundel’s Jada Chaves in the final of the girls 105 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Arundel’s Jada Chaves tries to pin Liberty’s Aubrey Ohler in the final of the girls 105 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Crofton’s Lexy Pabon works to pin Frederick’s Annika Emshoff in the final of the girls 125 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Laurel’s Alexandra Ford, left, battles Oakland Mills’s Trinity Butler in the final of the girls 135 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Perry Hall’s Victor Marks-Jenkins, left, battles Bethesda-CC’s Seth Weaver in the final of the 4A/3A 157 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Southern’s Domenica Gladwell, top, battles Smithsburg’s Rileigh Romberger in the final of the girls 115 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Old Mill’s RJ Duncan, top, controls South River’s Busayo Balogun in the final of the 4A/3A 285 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Crofton’s Lexy Pabon tries to take Frederick’s Annika Emshoff down to the mat in the final of the girls 125 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Broadneck’s Austin Combs, left, and Oakland Mills’s Joe Clark battle in the final of the 4A/3A 165 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Southern’s Domenica Gladwell celebrates her win over Smithsburg’s Rileigh Romberger in the final of the girls 115 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Havre de Grace’s Madison Birth celebrates her win over Wicomico’s Alayah Nuttall in the final of the girls 110 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Arundel’s Jada Chaves celebrates her win over Liberty’s Aubrey Ohler in the final of the girls 105 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Southern’s Domenica Gladwell, right, battles Smithsburg’s Rileigh Romberger in the final of the girls 115 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Chesapeake’s Xander Dodd, left, battles Bowie’s Jamil Morrow in the final of the 4A/3A 215 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Havre de Grace’s Madison Birth tries to force Wicomico’s Alayah Nuttall onto her back in the final of the girls 110 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Old Mill’s RJ Duncan, works on a takedown of South River’s Busayo Balogun in extra time of the final of the 4A/3A 285 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Havre de Grace’s Madison Birth, right, battles Wicomico’s Alayah Nuttall in the final of the girls 110 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Crofton’s Lexy Pabon, left, controls Frederick’s Annika Emshoff in the final of the girls 125 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Arundel’s Jada Chaves, top, works to score back points against Liberty’s Aubrey Ohler in the final of the girls 105 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Havre de Grace’s Madison Birth works to pin Wicomico’s Alayah Nuttall in the final of the girls 110 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Bel Air’s Chris Nice, top, controls Clarksburg’s Jonathan Chang in the final of the 4A/3A 144 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Oakland Mills’s Francheska Bonilla, top, battles Rockville’s Anastasia Dakoulas in the final of the girls 130 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Northeast’s Beau Schmidt, right, battles Northern-Calvert’s Drew Montgomery in the final of the 4A/3A 138 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Broadneck’s Austin Combs celebrates his win over Oakland Mills’s Joe Clark in the final of the 4A/3A 165 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Broadneck’s Austin Combs, left, battles Oakland Mills’s Joe Clark in the final of the 4A/3A 165 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Chesapeake’s Xander Dodd, left, tries to keep control of Bowie’s Jamil Morrow in the final of the 4A/3A 215 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Owings Mills’ Ladaynean Simpson, right, tries to free his leg from control by Stephen Decatur’s Gavin Solito in the final of the 2A/1A 157 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s Evan Owen, right, tries to escape control by Rising Sun’s Tyler Garvin in the final of the 2A/1A 120 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s Grayson Barnhill completes a pin of Stephen Decatur’s Juan Hinojosa in the final of the 2A/1A 106 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s JoJo Gigliotti, left, battles Francis Scott Key’s Nate Taylor in the final of the 2A/1A 132 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Perry Hall’s Victor Marks-Jenkins celebrates his win over Bethesda-CC’s Seth Weaver in the final of the 4A/3A 157 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Owings Mills’ Ladaynean Simpson reacts with disappointment as Stephen Decatur’s Gavin Solito celebrates victory in the final of the 2A/1A 157 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Perry Hall’s Victor Marks-Jenkins works to pin Bethesda-CC’s Seth Weaver in the final of the 4A/3A 157 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Oakland Mills’s Joe Clark, right, tries to put Broadneck’s Austin Combs onto his back in the final of the 4A/3A 165 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Northeast’s Beau Schmidt, left, battles Northern-Calvert’s Drew Montgomery in the final of the 4A/3A 138 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Liberty’s Dylan Ohler, top, controls Centennial’s Calvin Kraisser in the final of the 2A/1A 144 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Centennial’s Calvin Kraisser, left, completes a pin of Liberty’s Dylan Ohler in the final of the 2A/1A 144 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Bel Air’s Chris Nice tries to escape control by Clarksburg’s Jonathan Chang in the final of the 4A/3A 144 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Centennial’s Calvin Kraisser celebrates his win over Liberty’s Dylan Ohler in the final of the 2A/1A 144 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s Grayson Barnhill tries to put Stephen Decatur’s Juan Hinojosa onto his back in the final of the 2A/1A 106 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Bel Air’s Chris Nice tries to keep off his back as he battles Clarksburg’s Jonathan Chang in the final of the 4A/3A 144 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s Evan Owen controls Rising Sun’s Tyler Garvin in the final of the 2A/1A 120 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Sparrows Point’s Russell Fary tries for a takedown of Brunswick’s Morgon Corwine in the final of the 2A/1A 150 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Sparrows Point’s Russell Fary celebrates victory over Brunswick’s Morgon Corwine in the final of the 2A/1A 150 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Centennial’s Calvin Kraisser, left, tries to put Liberty’s Dylan Ohler onto his back in the final of the 2A/1A 144 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Broadneck’s Austin Combs scores on a takedown of Oakland Mills’s Joe Clark in extra time in the final of the 4A/3A 165 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s JoJo Gigliotti, top, controls Francis Scott Key’s Nate Taylor in the final of the 2A/1A 132 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Randallstown’s Ugochi Anunobi celebrate her win over Stephen Decatur’s Chaniah Bernier in the final of the girls 170 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South River’s Jackson Peeples battles Eleanor Roosevelt’s Austin Hayes in the final of the 4A/3A 106 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Randallstown’s Ugochi Anunobi, right, battles Stephen Decatur’s Chaniah Bernier in the final of the girls 170 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
North Harford’s Clay Lawrence reacts with exhaustion after losing to Fort Hill’s Carter Hess in the final of the 2A/1A 285 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Winters Mill’s Gabbie McLeod, left, tries to escape control by Watkins Mill’s Nebi Tsarni in the final of the girls 155 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Broadneck’s Branden Whyte-Taylor, left, battles Linganore’s Brennan Considine in the final of the 4A/3A 120 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South River’s Jackson Peeples reacts at the conclusion of his win over Eleanor Roosevelt’s Austin Hayes in the final of the 4A/3A 106 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South River’s Jackson Peeples, right, battles Eleanor Roosevelt’s Austin Hayes in the final of the 4A/3A 106 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
North Harford’s Clay Lawrence, left, battles Fort Hill’s Carter Hess in the final of the 2A/1A 285 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South River’s Jackson Peeples celebrates his win over Eleanor Roosevelt’s Austin Hayes in the final of the 4A/3A 106 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s Landon Hamper, top, battles Catoctin’s Hunter Bradshaw in the final of the 2A/1A 165 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s Landon Hamper embraces coach Bryan Hamper after defeating Catoctin’s Hunter Bradshaw in the final of the 2A/1A 165-pound weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff)
South Carroll’s Anthony Rodrigues, top, battles Kent Island’s Giuseppe Mellinger in the final of the 2A/1A 175 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
Liberty’s Dylan Rubin, bottom, tries to control the leg of Middletown’s Alex Hoy in the final of the 2A/1A 215 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s Anthony Rodrigues, right, battles Kent Island’s Giuseppe Mellinger in the final of the 2A/1A 175 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
South Carroll’s Anthony Rodrigues, left, tries to put Kent Island’s Giuseppe Mellinger onto his back in the final of the 175-pound weight class during the Class 2A/1A state wrestling tournament. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
