Winters Mill Wins State Wrestling Tournament

Winters Mill entered the Maryland state wrestling tournament with one goal: win the team championship. The Falcons achieved that goal with ease, outscoring the runner-up Owings Mills 126-107.

“It is a great relief,” said Winters Mill coach John Lowe, “this is everything we have been working towards since the school opened 8 years ago.”

Justin Kozera(285) secured his second state championship with a win over Trey Seymour of Gwynn Park in the first match of the finals. Kozera took Seymour down to his back with a five-point move to take control of the first period. The Falcon wrestler pinned Seymour early in the second period.

“Kozera is the most dominant wrestler I've ever seen at any weight class, at any level,” Lowe said. “He's got the whole package: speed, strength, stamina, skill and smarts. He can adjust to any opponent.”

Kozera finished an outstanding senior season undefeated and unscored upon. He will wrestle for Gardner-Webb University next year.

“I wanted to go undefeated last season really bad,” said Kozera, “but I lost in the regional finals. This year I made good on that goal.”

Kozera, who weighs about 225, could easily have cut the 10-pounds and competed at 215 again, but his future college coaches wanted him to get used to wrestling bigger opponents at 285 as the NCAA has not yet instituted a 215 pound weight class.

Fellow Winters Mill returning state champions Wes Cook (130) and Keith Steine (135) joined Kozera in the finals but were unable to capitalize for their first crowns. Cook lost to Demetriouse Johnson of Owings Mills 3-2 and Steine lost to Liberty’s Dan Markosky 1-0.

Chase Cullison(152) placed third for the Falcons with a 5-1 win over Kion Wright of Pikesville in the consolation finals. Flavio Valdez pinned Joe Juergans of Rising Sun to claim fifth, and Marshal Chang (171) beat Saddam Charles 6-0 to place fifth.

1A/2A Team Standings

1 126.50 Winters Mill
2 107.50 Owings Mills
3 94.00 Glenelg
4 85.50 Southern- GAR
5 68.00 South Carroll
6 65.00 Bel Air
7 61.50 Rising Sun
8 58.00 Northern- GAR
9 57.50 Oakland Mills
10 52.00 Parkside
11 50.00 Carver Vo-Tech
12 49.50 Mountain Ridge
13 47.00 Hammond
14 43.00 Poolesville
15 37.00 Kent Island

1A/2A State Finals

103- Coy Ozias (SOG) fall Antonio Brockington (CVT)
112- Tony Farace (OAK) md Brenan Colbert (NHG)
119- Zach Cullison (PPM) dec Shane Smith (KTI)
125- Chris Wampler (SCL) dec 6-3 Micah Haas (NCL)
130- Demetrius Johnson (OWM) dec 3-2 Wes Cook (WMI)
135- Dan Markosky (LIB) dec 1-0 Keith Steine (WMI)
140- Tyler Hinton (CVT) dec 6-4 OT Steve Cross (BAR)
145- Taran Carr (OWM) md 10-2 Anthony Cimorosi (RIS)
152- Lex Ozias (SOG) tf 17-2 Lukas Ziegler (FSK)
160- Charles Walls (GLG) dec 3-1 David Volz (JOP)
171- Bubba Scheffel (SOG) md 17-4 David Pruett (GLG))
189- Jason Wright (MTR) dec 7-4 Tom Kuegler (BAR)
215- Zach Eure (PKS) dec 8-1 Steve Barner (OVE)
285- Justin Kozera (WMI) fall 3:09 Trey Seymour (GWP)

1A/2A Consolation Finals

103- Zach Hensley (OAK) dec 6-3 Cory Savage (POO)
112- Jon Sweeney (CTT) dec 4-3 Zack Pilkinton (PTX)
119- Iam Hochuli (MRR) dec 7-6 Ryan Mazurick (NEC)
125- Adam Finzel (NOG) dec 5-1 Adam Hefflefinger (RIS)
130- Nick Caffrey (GLG) dec 7-0 Matt Capobianco (MID)
135- Robert Rakes (RIS) dec 9-4 Matt Gancayco (PTX)
140- Matt Thomas (NOG) dec 3-1 Jimmy Peacock (KTC)
145- Zach Shoemaker (WIL) md 14-2 Jack Borkowski (GLG)
152- Chase Cullison (WMI) dec 5-1 Kion Wright (PIK)
160- Willie Reiter (SCL) dec 5-1 Kyle Thomas (KTI)
171- Mohammad Ali (OWM) fall :58 Derek Fung (SCL)
189- Jason Opel (NOG) dec 6-1 Bucky Miller (BOO)
215- Drew Winters (MTR) Baldwin Asala (HAM)
285- Payton Rose (HAM) dec 7-0 Jacob Muir (CSD)

1A/2A 5th-6th Place Match

103- Flavio Valdez (WMI) fall 1:33 Joe Juergans (RIS)
112- Warren Mack (OWM) Default Anthony Rivera (PKS)
119- Kody Osselburn (NOG) dec 1-0 Duncan Yeisley (NHG)
125- Jon Williams (PPM) fall 1:56 Eric Sanders (JOP)
130- Tony Proctor (BAR) md 9-0 Cody Savage (POO)
135- Jerry Fumba (OAK) dec 6-3 Alec Stavish (SCL)
140- Kemper Baker (WIL) fall :42 Brenan McAllister (PKS)
145- Robert Winning (POO) dec 4-2 Bryan  Mister (STM)
152- Jamie Rappazzo (HVT) dec 10-3 MathiasNgang (HAM)
160- Nick Cross (QAN) dec 7-6 Jon Best (BOO)
171- Marshal Chang (WMI) dec 6-0 Saddam Charles (NDC)
189- Dion Winters (GWP) dec 7-6 AJ Armiger (CAL) dec 9-2
215- Jeff Traore (BAR) fall 4:49 Brandon Antrobus (CNT)
285- Drew Clark (SPP) fall 2:45 Kent Kruger (CNT)

Correction was made Monday at 2 p.m. in second to last paragraph, Cook (130) and Steine (135) joined Kozera in the finals but were unable to capitalize for their first crowns, originally the article suggested they were trying for their second crowns.