The wrestling team heads to the postseason tournament after starting strong, slipping toward the end of the season, and accumulating to an average regular season record, due in part to the firing of wrestling head coach Brandon Shapiro Jan. 6, who was then permitted to return to the team as a voluntary assistant coach 15 days later.
The Bulldogs won their first five tournaments under the leadership of seniors Wesley Deaver and DJ Gagner and freshman Hunter Sutton. As the postseason matches approach, Deaver is expected to lead his team, as he is ranked in the top five in the county in his weight class. Hunter Sutton and Gagner are also expected to compete extremely well. The boys wrestled against Einstein Feb. 2, where Gagner took home a win in the 171-weight class. Deaver and Sutton both had to forfeit due to lack of competitors in their respective weight classes.
“We beat Einstein because they are a weaker team than us, but we should really be focusing more and working harder,” Gagner said.
On Feb. 18 and 19, Gagner, Deaver, Sutton, along with juniors Jake Sutton, Randy Bloch, Victor Carvajal and Michael Kelly, sophomores Matthew Schleckser and Ryan Plummer and freshman Adama Keita all competed at counties. These wrestlers qualified for counties by earning enough points throughout their regular season matches.
However, following the firing of Shapiro, the Bulldogs lost three matches to Poolesville, Springbrook and Blake.
This season has come along with a huge distraction as Shapiro was fired after a parent made a complaint about buzz haircuts he gave some of the wrestlers. The situation was called a health and safety issue. Many players were shocked following the news of the firing, and brought petition sheets to their classes the next day to get as many signatures as possible, hoping to reinstate Shapiro.
According to Gagner, the news of the firing came as an incredible shock to him and his teammates. They felt the firing was part of the reason they lost their match a couple days later.
“I felt like the whole situation was kind of stupid,” Gagner said. “It wasn’t a good reason for him to get fired.”
Following Shapiro’s firing, assistant athletic director Christopher Webb was named his replacement as head coach. He remains head coach, even though Shapiro is now back with the team. Shapiro was originally hired as an emergency coach when he received the job, despite not having an official MCPS position. Coaching positions are first advertised to teachers within the school and MCPS. They are then advertised to support staff and then finally advertised outside of the MCPS community. If the job is sought out by an MCPS employee, anyone from the outside community can be hired for job if they have expertise in the area and a solid interview.
According to Principal Joan Benz, when selecting a coach, CHS has an interview panel, consisting of her, athletic director Dave Kelley, parents and students from other sports. All coaches must take a course called PE 22 in order to ensure they are properly versed in fitness and training in order to protect the safety of the students.
Shapiro returned to the team as a volunteer assistant coach following protest from parents and students. As a CHS alumnus, he had just started his first year as head coach after being an assistant for the past couple of years. He won two state championships for the Bulldogs during the 2002 and 2003 seasons in his respective weight class.
“Our morale drooped a little after coach Shapiro was fired,” Gagner said. “It’s good that he’s back because he sets a good example since he went here and won two state championships.”
Depending on how well the Bulldogs wrestle at counties and regionals will decide if any will complete at the upcoming state tournament March 5.
“It’s been a long season so to speak,” Webb said. “It’s great to have [Shapiro] back since he is a former high school teammate and good friend of mine, but a lot of people called us the ‘dream team’ at the start of the season and that was taken away from us with his firing.”
