SMWC All-Stars Win Big at Walkersville
PG Journal Article
December 1998
PG County's top advanced level youth team continues to dominate area wrestling events. After finishing second to Golden Ring at the Best of the Best Top-6 Pre-Season Youth Team Duals at Archbishop Curley HS in Baltimore December 13th, the Gwynn Park HS based SMWC All-Stars were ready to take on the world December 27th in Walkersville. This annual holiday wrestling tournament has grown over the years to become the largest youth age event held in the state. Nearly 700 wrestlers competed with over 50 teams in the team competition.
Wrestling from early morning until nearly 9:00 pm, the team placed 18 wrestlers in the various weight classes and age groups, with 5 individual champions. Individual winners were Mike Vashone, Steve Sargent, Rudy Rueda, Eli Black, and Julian Lane According to SMWC All-Star Assistant Coach Bruce Gabrielson, "This is a major team win for us. We were a little down loosing to Golden Ring at the Duals and did a lot of reflecting last week. It helped. We should be stronger than ever now. This team is on a par with our championship team from two years ago. Those kids are now winning big in the high school events. I expect Rudy and Mike to be easy state champs when they get to high school."
The team was rebuilding last season finishing only 4th in the Maryland/Northern Virginia State Beltway Championships. However, this year's depth was evident in how many members wrestled each other to place. Rudy Rueda wrestled member Mike Rock of Brandywine in a great final of the 85 lb Intermediate class, one of the tournaments largest draws.
The All-Stars practice at Gwynn Park HS on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.