By Brennan Waldorf
Last weekend Jan. 25 the Nandua wrestling team hosted its 5th Annual Warrior Duals at the middle school in Onley. The Warrior Duals are a round robin, team tournament with two separate pools. Teams wrestle against each other in their respected pool and the teams with the best records advance into the championship round.
This year the Warrior Duals saw 12 teams from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia go head-to-head on the mat. Nandua, Arcadia, Northampton, and Broadwater all took place in the local round robin tournament that was won by Delmar High School (Del.). Host Nandua was runner-up and Gloucester High finished in third. Wrestlers who went undefeated on the day also received individual medals. This year Nandua’s Colin Ford, Ben Gutierez, and Matt Taylor all received medals alongside Northampton’s Aizmani Joseph and Crescencio Sugia and Arcadia’s Abraham Mateos. Broadwater’s only wrestler, William Wehner, also went a perfect 5-0 on the day.
The Warriors’ Duals are a drawing of the curtain for several teams as they prepare for the postseason. For some wresters, the regular season is just practice, losses are agonizing and frustrating but not detrimental. A state title is the ultimate goal but only those who have learned from their loses and made the correct changes – and sacrifices will be rewarded. From here wrestlers will need to be perfect, no mistakes and no excuses.
Virginia Regional tournaments start in February, and two losses in the tournament will result in being eliminated from the postseason. A single loss could seriously alter chances in the state tournament, as regional placement determines seeding positions at the next level.
The Jackets will head to Riverheads High School Feb. 8 for the Division I Region A Tournament in Staunton, Va.
Nandua and Arcadia will travel to Poquoson High School Feb. 8 to take place in the Division II Region A Tournament. It’ll be a rigorous and demanding journey with only those wrestlers, who can dig deep within themselves to push through the punishment and pain, prevailing. Only the wrestlers who place in the top four at regionals will get the chance to raise their arms in victory at the state tournament, in Salem Feb. 21.
“He’s got a lot of potential,” said Spencer.
