The Woodlands High School celebrated their senior class wrestlers before a dual match against the Klein Cain Hurricane last week. There were six seniors honored for their sacrifice and commitment to the Highlander wrestling program. From the Girls’ team: Valentina Vitaliana De Mello, Camila Ortiz, and Desire Ojo. And from the Boys: Charles Hempfling, Andrew Huerta, and Luke Podowski.
As we all know, participating in the oldest sport in the history of the world takes so much more than just showing up for practice and matches. For those who want to do better than the rest of the competition, it becomes a lifestyle: sleep, diet, creating a balance between studies and athletics, finding that edge that makes you better than the others that you will face, and dealing with losses from those who are better than you on that particular day.
Vitaliano, with two years of varsity experience holds a #4 ranking at 105 lbs., has a career record of 85-34, with her signature win of the season over Katelynn Dockery at the Rumble at the Rock, but she has not wrestled since the Girls’ Knockout Christmas Classic in the middle of December. If healthy, she will be looking for her 2nd trip to the State tournament.
Desire Ojo is enjoying her first year of varsity experience with a record of 22-13 at 144 lbs., and is working to earn her spot at the Region 2 tournament, and with the news that Landri Von Gonten will be wrestling at 135 lbs., a possible spot at the state tournament.
I can only see Camila Ortiz’ 18-9 record for The Woodlands this season, but there are others with the same name for other schools in the area, therefore, I’m not sure if she is a rookie or a transfer. Regardless, she was the only senior girl to wrestle this evening. There are only two ranked wrestlers at 115 lb. and they are both from College Park, so there is room for her to earn a placement for Regions.
Luke Podowski, 95-50 in his 4 years, not only excels at wrestling but is also a recognized linebacker. has been wrestling since 2014. It’s a family thing; as it has been for Charles Hempfling. Both of these wrestlers have had several siblings who have “broken the ice” on the mat for their family. Both Podowski and Hempfling have the opportunity to reach heights that their families have not yet seen. Podowski carries a #15 ranking at 175 lbs. into the postseason, although he did compete at 165 lbs. in his last tournament. With five ranked wrestlers from Region 2 in each of those weight classes, he faces a big decision, especially with three of the top four wrestlers at 175 in his region.
Hempfling (26-6) has the #13 ranking at 120 lbs. Four of his losses have come to two Texas wrestlers ranked above him (Calderon and Shipley) the other two came in Florida. He has a good chance of qualifying for state despite the fact that there are six ranked wrestlers in Region 2.
Andrew Huerta is quite a story as well. He too, comes from a family of wrestlers, and they discovered at a very young age that he was a quite capable wrestler. He began wrestling in 2014, and splashed on the high school scene in the fall of 2022 when he began a run to the State tournament at 113 lbs. He ended up with a 46-5 record and a UIL bronze medal. His sophomore season ended before the post-season, but resulted in a 34-2 record. Last season, after losing to Caio Aron in the Semis, he took a medical forfeit in the consolations, and wound up with 6th place, and another 46-5 record.
Huerta last wrestled in November, when he won the Cy Ridge Classic. With this season added to his first three years, he has a 131-12 record. His road to the podium will not be easy. His first challenge will come in the District 8-6A finals where he more than likely will face freshman sensation, Mason Milsaps of College Park. Then waiting at Region 2 there are seven additional ranked wrestlers.
Alright, enough for the seniors, let’s review the matches with the girls starting first. With this being the last dual of the season for both squads, there were sure to be varsity wrestlers taking the night off, and giving way to some junior varsity wrestlers to add some experience.
When looking at the lineup for contested girls’ matches, you could see that the majority of Klein Cain’s varsity was definitely given the evening off. The first match of the evening was Briley O’Keefe (15-14) of The Woodlands vs. Mariana Mars Shayib (6-11) of Cain.
O’Keefe wasted no time, and immediately attacked at the whistle. She successfully plowed a double leg takedown for the first three points of the night. Mars Shayib escaped, but O’Keefe took her down the same as the first, but this time she hit a half nelson right away, and turned her opponent over for the pin that was recorded at 0:52.
Klein Cain received two consecutive forfeits at 120 lbs. and 126 lbs. attributed to Sadie Curtis and Amelia Pawlowski.
#4 ranked Elliotte Strange received a forfeit at 130 lbs., but stayed on the mat to wrestle an exhibition against Pawlowski. Pawlowski looked to be injured while being taken down, and the match ended at that point.
Desire Ojo of The Woodlands was up next at 140 lbs. to take on Cristina Bernal. This soon became evident that Bernal was overmatched. Ojo made four “Ojo-Grabo” double-leg takedowns and a NF-4 and a NF-2 to Bernal’s three escapes to claim a Tech Fall 18-3 win at 0:57.
#1 ranked Claire Guydon claimed forfeit points for the Highlanders at 155 lbs. to conclude the girls matches. The Woodlands traded two forfeits with Klein Cain and won the two contested matches for a final dual match score of The Woodlands 23, Klein Cain 12.
The Boys were up next, and as the captains came onto the mat, it looked like Andrew Huerta was wearing his wrestling shoes.
Up first was 144 lbs. Ellis Harris for The Woodlands against Matthew Wolfe of Klein Cain. Harris started off the scoring with a takedown early in the period and had two nearfalls in the last 0:30.
Harris chose up and followed Wolfe through two sit-outs, and on the second one he was able to chin Wolfe down for another NF-4 to end the match at 15-0.
Following that match was TWHS Fox Smith (2-3) against Connor Milligan (2-2) of KC. Smith had one good double-leg shot, but they ended up out-of-bounds. After that, he only had one half-hearted shot where he didn’t change levels, so it went nowhere. Milligan looked like he had no intention of shooting. Milligan chose down to start the second period.
Milligan felt Smith riding high and hipped into him, pushing him to his hip, then he stepped over him for a reversal. Milligan rode him tough, trying a power half and then worked a cradle. He flipped Smith over, tied his other leg up, and got a NF-4 before the buzzer sounded as they went out-of-bounds.
Fox chose neutral to start the third period. But he would not tap and shoot. He tried to shoot from a tie-up position and Milligan covered him up and worked his way around for the takedown. Milligan sank a half, turned Smith over and got the pin at 5:03. Klein Cain leading 6-5.
The following forfeits were received by Klein Cain wrestlers: Jack Cannon at 157 lbs., Aaron Muse at 16 5 lbs., and Mario Martinez at 175 lbs. Klein Cain now led 24-5.
The 190 pounders stepping onto the mat were #8 ranked Holden Hart (23-6) of The Woodlands vs. Ashaaz Patel (0-4) of Klein Cain.
Hart, only a junior, would make this match quick and painless. He quickly shot a cross single for the takedown. Hart then took control of Patel’s left wrist and tilted him for a NF-4. Then he switched to his right wrist and used a left side armbar to Patel again. The fall was called at 0:32. Klein Cain 24, The Woodlands 11.
Another freshman for The Woodlands, Rhett Matherne (3-8) was next up at 215 lbs. to match up with Lamichael Donerson. Both wrestlers have seen most of this season’s action on the JV level.
Both wrestlers were content to tie-up and move around the mat, much to the consternation of Coach Durning, who kept on his wrestlers to shoot. When Matherne deferred, Donerson looked to his coach’s chair for guidance, but he wasn’t there, and one of the wrestlers not suited up motioned neutral, so that’s what he called.
When the whistle blew, Matherne shot in for a takedown, but seemed to get caught underneath Donerson. But when Donerson attempted to go around for the takedown, he slipped off of Matherne, and the Highlander quickly covered for three and the fall. The pin was recorded at 2:21. Klein Cain 24, The Woodlands 17.
Coming at heavyweight was Yahya Day for The Woodlands and Vincent Kyle for Klein Cain. It is my belief that both of these wrestlers were also moved up from JV.
Day scored first with a single leg takedown. He quickly turned Kyle over with a half for the pin at 0:47.
As the matches went back up to the lower weight classes, the score was Klein Cain 24, The Woodlands 23.
At 106 lbs. was The Woodlands freshman Mathias Delgado going against Phillip Guien. I’m not quite sure of Guien’s record. On Guien’s last tournament, the Tiger Classic, it says 26-8, but Trackwrestling/Flo matches shows it to be 16-10. Nevertheless, he wrestled like a champion against Delgado. A double, followed by a single, then a shrug, then another double, then a NF-4 all led to a 16-3 lead going into the second period.
Guien was able to reverse Delgado, which should have led to an 18-3 Tech Fall, but the ref continued on to call a pin at 2:24, and awarded Klein Cain with 6 points instead of the five it should have received. Klein Cain 30, The Woodlands 23.
The Woodlands 113 lb. wrestler Nathan Duchmasclo (1-1) was paired with Klein Cain’s Alex Riggle (7-10) in the following match.
Riggle was very quick to use the old spin drill to score the first takedown points after a weak shot by Duchmasclo. The Highlander was awarded a reversal after standing and turning in. The period would end with Riggle up 3-2 and choosing down for the second period.
Duchmasclo would use a cross-wrist tilt to earn a NF-4, going up 6-3. Then get called for two stall warnings, bringing the score to 6-4 going into the third period. A Riggle escape at the end of the period was not enough to overcome the lead, and Duchmasclo won 6-5. Klein Cain 30, The Woodlands 26.
Charles Hempfling came onto the mat next to go up with Jaylin Johnson. Hempfling scored the first takedown, then cut Johnson loose. Johnson, just a sophomore, showed that he had quick reactions, but wasn’t on the same level as Hempfling.
After Hempfling’s third takedown, he started a leg ride then tried a split, and then a guillotine, but received no back points. It wasn’t until he stuck a cradle that he got a NF-4. The period ended there and Hempfling was up 13-2.
Hempfling started the second period on top, tried a tilt, and when Johnson tried to roll with it, he ended up in a guillotine, which Hempfling abandoned and went straight for the upper body pin. The ref slapped the mat at 2:22. Klein Cain 30, The Woodlands 32.
Jack Nieto (2-2) of The Woodlands and Anas Awda (6-8) of Klein Cain were the next grapplers on the mat at 126 lbs. Both wrestlers were aggressive at the start working upper body tie-ups. Nieto got the first advantage with Awda on the mat, and on his back. The fall was called at 0:50 . The Woodlands 38, Klein Cain 30.
And here we are; 132 lbs., and out walks Andrew Huerta, maybe to continue his last three weeks of high school wrestling, or his swan song, against a game, but inexperienced Christian Evans. Huerta scored five takedowns in the first period, releasing Evans from four of them. Going into the second period, Huerta had a 15-4 lead, and chose top.
As soon as the whistle sounded Huerta got a leg in, and when he flattened Evans out, he put his head down and wrapped Evans’ arm around it, bringing him back in a guillotine. As soon as he had him on his back, he released the leg and went straight up to a head and arm hold to get the pin at 2:38. The Woodlands 44, Klein Cain 30. I’m not sure what may lie ahead for Mr. Huerta, but he’s had an incredible three years on the mat.
Jorge Sanchez received 6 forfeit points for Klein Cain at 138 lbs., but it was too little, too late. This dual went to The Woodlands with the score of 44-36.
Not a bad dual for the end of the year. It would have been nice to see some more of the Klein Cain varsity girls wrestle, but I understand how the coaches want to make sure their best are at their best for the final 3 weekends of the season.
*Note: At the time of the article submission, Andrew Huerta was not included for the Woodlands in the District 8 championship tournament.
