By Brian Hunsicker, PotomacNews.com
Special to MaxPreps.com
CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Bill Swink arrived at Colonial Forge High with a plan: turn the new Stafford County school into a wrestling powerhouse.
It was a grandiose plan indeed, considering that other, long-established wrestling schools could not overcome the championship machine at Great Bridge and the Eastern Region. Entering last season, the Wildcats had won all but two Group AAA titles since 1987; during the off years that Great Bridge didn’t win, other Eastern Region schools did — Kempsville in 1990, Western Branch in 1997.
But Swink stayed true to his plan, and the plan worked. His Eagles became a Northwest Region power, winning their seventh regional championship in a row earlier this year.
Last weekend, they clinched their second straight Group AAA championship before the championship finals even began and, for the first time in a quarter-century, Virginia’s championship trophy resides outside of Hampton Roads for consecutive seasons.
“We sat down and we had it all on paper,” Swink said. “We thought in six years, we could win a state title. It took us eight. We wanted to be a top-10 team in the country, that’s been our plan since day one.”
The Eagles’ first individual champion came in 2003 from Scott Fisher. Two years later, the Eagles got their second title.
Now, Colonial Forge’s lineup features a handful of multiple champions and several more that have a chance at repeating. Michael Garofalo capped his junior season with his second state title and Max Huntley won his first state title as a junior.
The Eagles’ ascent wasn’t without setbacks. One promising wrestler, Brandon Lawn, was killed while working at a summer job in 2003. Eleven months later, one of the Eagles’ assistant coaches, Joe Pyanoe, passed away.
But on the mat, the Eagles forged ahead. They kept piling up regional titles and pulling closer during the state tournament.
In 2007, they broke through, winning their first state title — the first Northwest Region team to do so.
“We’ve never really talked about winning districts and regionals. It’s always been about state titles,” Swink said. “And I think our kids were never focused on those goals. It was always the big picture of winning state titles. That was what we put out in front of them.”
Aside from the Eagles’ championship, Northern Virginia was well represented in the state tournament, more so than usual. Five of the top 10 teams at states were from either the Northern or Northwest Region: After Forge, Fauquier was third with Langley, Westfield and Hayfield claiming fifth through seventh.
“I think it’s already proven that the Northwest is making gains. And I think they’re going to continue to make gains,” said Langley coach John Belyea, who placed three wrestlers in the state finals.
“Fauquier and Colonial Forge are (two of the) best teams here ... Then you turn around and you’ve got us and Westfield and Hayfield all in the top seven. I think the trend is going to continue — I don’t think it’s a one-year thing.”
Of the 28 spots in the finals, 16 were occupied by Northern Virginia wrestlers. There were five weight classes — 103, 112, 119, 130 and 171 — in which both entrants were from either the Northern or Northwest Regions. Two seasons ago, when Great Bridge cruised to a 127.5-point win over second-place Cox in the Wildcats’ last state title, Northern Virginia had only 10 championship finalists.
Basketball: Potomac Girls Pull Off Upset behind Kizer
Down by eight points entering the fourth quarter against Stonewall Jackson in the North-west Region quarterfinals, Potomac’s girls basketball team remained composed. Never mind that they were on the road on the other side of Prince William County facing a state-ranked Stonewall squad that was expected to make noise in the state tournament.
For all of the Raiders’ talent, previously-unbeaten Stonewall had no answer for Lynetta Kizer. The Panthers’ 6-foot-3, Maryland-bound center finished with 21 points and 22 rebounds and made the game’s deciding play.
Her final rebound came off of a missed shot from teammate Kyana Jacobs; Kizer’s tip-in came with a second left, giving the Panthers a 60-59 victory.
“We went in there with the mind-state that, you know, everybody was hyping them up because they were undefeated and they had beaten us by about 20 points earlier in the season,” said Kizer, a McDonald’s All-American, a day after the Panthers’ win. “So that was kind of hanging over our heads, too. We definitely didn’t want to feel that way again.
“I think the difference between earlier this season and now is that we can break the press and we’re playing unselfish basketball," Kizer added. "Everybody’s just playing together. That was definitely the difference between Dec. 2 and yesterday.”
The task for the Panthers (15-9) only gets tougher. On Thursday, they’ll leave the Dumfries school at 8 a.m. for a four-hour trip to face George Washington-Danville. The Eagles are 21-5 after beating North Stafford in the quarters on Tuesday.
Not only is the trip long, but Potomac heads into a notoriously difficult place to play. Kizer said that members of the girls’ team have been getting tips from the boys’ team, who has played in Danville.
Brian Hunsicker, a sportswriter for the Potomac News, covers Northern Virginia for MaxPreps.com. He may be reached at bhunsicker@potomacnews.com.
