By Mac Cohe (January 6, 2004)

The Mustang Wrestlers competed in their second tournament of the season, the Cougar Classic, at Manassas Park High School on December 20^th. The tournament consists of 10 teams including the Top Ranked Group ‘A’ team Manassas Park, and tough Group ‘AA’ schools Liberty and Fauquier. The tournament is an individual competition in which each weight class is broken into two pools of five wrestlers. The winner of each pool wrestles in the finals and the second place wrestler in each pool wrestles in the consolation finals. Because of this setup, each wrestler gets between 4 and 5 matches, which makes for a very long day of wrestling. As a team, Mason came in fourth place. Manassas Park and Liberty tied for first place. 
 

Individually, the Mustangs were led by team co-captain Mac Cohe (171 lbs.) and senior Andrew Hipolit (189 lbs.) who both were tournament champions pinning all of their opponents. These two wrestlers became the first Mustangs to win the Cougar Classic since state-medalist Greg Jacobs in 1998 and the first to win the tournament in it’s current expanded format. In addition, these two wrestlers are both on pace to shatter Mason’s season pin record of 16 held by state-medalist and assistant coach John Henry Pitas. Cohe has nine pins and Hipolit has seven after only the second event. Team co-captain Devlan Melancon (145 lbs.) placed second, pinning two opponents, decisioning two others, and losing 7-5 in a close finals match to a returning all-state wrestler. Melancon is leading the team in wins and could break Mason’s season win record held jointly by three-time state-medalist Joey Cohe and state champion Dominic Clark before the end of the season. After this second event, Melancon’s overall record is 10-1, and Cohe’s and Hipolit’s are 9-1. Also performing well for the Mustangs, sophomore Mike Coleman (125 lbs.) earned the fourth place medal in the tournament with three wins, one of which was a pin. Senior Mike Cummings (152 lbs.) and sophomore Nick Pitas (112 lbs.) each won two matches by pins.

Senior Mac Cohe, wrestling at 171 lbs, currently has 13 wins this year, even  though the season is young. He is tied  with fellow senior Andrew Hipolit for  the most wins. (Photo by Kory Lloyd)

Sophomores Willie Hoover (140 lbs.) and Bob Bumgarner (160 lbs.) each won two matches with one pin. Other wrestlers for the Mustangs were sophomore Trevor Quillin (135 lbs.), and freshmen Jesse Lennon (130 lbs.) and Rick Schumann (215 lbs.). 

Unfortunately, the Mustangs had to make do without three of their top wrestlers including state-medalist and team co-captain Colin Ehmer, and varsity starters Tim Quintyn and John Sullivan. .