UPPER MARLBORO — South Carroll sophomore Eli Gabrielson made a promise.

Before this season, Gabrielson’s grandma and uncle both died. After not qualifying for states last year, he wrestled with a heavy heart and a greater purpose this season. He always knew that he was going to do something to honor their memory, but wasn’t exactly sure what. A few weeks ago, his mom suggested a T-shirt in their honor.

Saturday afternoon at Show Place Arena, Gabrielson was aggressive from the outset in the Class 2A/1A 120-pound final and cruised to a 19-4 technical fall victory over Northern-Garrett’s Matthew Beitzel. After the victory, he ran over to the Cavaliers coaches, quickly grabbed the T-shirt and put it on.

As the official raised his arm, Gabrielson proudly displayed his message: “Promise Kept.” That completed a perfect 41-0 sophomore season and an ideal tribute for the young wrestler who long envisioned that moment on the state championship stage.

“It made it really meaningful,” Gabrielson said. “It’s unspeakable how meaningful it was. I’m just really happy I was able to keep the promise of winning a state title.”

Gabrielson wasn’t the only South Carroll wrestler to make his mark, as Evan Owen (138 pounds), JoJo Gigliotti (144) and Landon Hamper (190) also won state titles.

For Owen, the top of the podium was a long time coming. He placed fourth at 106 pounds as a freshman and was the runner-up at 113 and 120 pounds, respectively, each of the past two seasons. Both of those final losses came narrowly, by two points.

In his final state tournament, Owen made the most of the moment. He quickly established control over Brunswick’s Seth Crawford and maintained his advantage in a 5-0 decision to conclude the season 34-2. Owen worked on minimizing mistakes and being more technical than he had been in the past.

“I’m feeling grateful that I finally got it,” Owen said. “It was my third time and my last time, so I thought, ‘I have to get it now.'”

Meanwhile, Gigliotti and Hamper entered hoping to defend their titles. Gigliotti was vying for a third consecutive crown after winning the 120-pound title as a freshman and the 132-pound title last year. The junior was unfazed by the pressure that comes with being a returning state champion.

Despite his past successes, Gigliotti is never satisfied and always seeking further growth. That mindset persisted even after Gigliotti earned his 42nd victory of the season and defeated Middletown’s Alex DeVriendt by a 4-1 decision for the 144-pound state title.

Gigliotti became just the sixth Cavalier to win three state titles and joins former teammates Michael Pizzuto and AJ Rodrigues in that company. His next goal is to become the first wrestler in state history to become a four-time individual and team state dual champion.

Hamper also sought to repeat after winning the 165-pound title last year as a sophomore. To accomplish that, he faced a familiar opponent in Liberty’s Kevin Kern for a fourth time.

Hamper outlasted Kern in a 5-1 decision victory, finishing 42-2 on the season. He also moved into a tie with his dad, Cavaliers coach Bryan Hamper, who also won two state titles.

South Carroll once again cemented itself as one of the state’s premier public school programs. The Cavaliers’ four state champions were the most in the state for a second consecutive season.

“It’s pretty special. Pretty special night. Pretty special team,” Bryan Hamper said. “Anytime you can go 4-for-4 in the finals it’s an awesome night.”

Centennial’s Calvin Kraisser joins historic group: Weight classes increased, state classifications switched and opponents differed. Despite those changes, Centennial senior Calvin Kraisser’s dominance remained.

Kraisser comes from a storied wrestling family led by his dad, Centennial coach Cliff Kraisser, and older brothers Jason, Austin, Nathan and Brian.

Three of Calvin’s older brothers combined for 11 state titles before he wore the Eagles singlet. Their persistent success empowered Kraisser as he entered high school with the mentality, “If they can do it, I can do it, too.”

He won the 132-pound 4A/3A state title as a freshman and the 138-pound 4A/3A state title as a sophomore. Before last year, Centennial reclassified to 2A, which meant a whole new host of opponents. The opposition change didn’t matter as Kraisser won the 144-pound 2A/1A title last season.

That placed him in rarified air and the opportunity to become a four-time state champion. Before this year’s state championships, just eight Maryland public school wrestlers had won four state championships, including both Jason and Nathan.

With each of his brothers in attendance, Calvin became the ninth wrestler to join that esteemed group. He pinned North East’s Mason Boyd 46 seconds into the second period and calmly celebrated his 39th win of the season like he’d been there before.

Well, he had, as the veteran wrestler held up four fingers to symbolize the historic accomplishment. The quiet celebration mimicked exactly what Jason did after he captured his fourth title in 2019.

“I just feel great,” Calvin Kraisser said. “Throughout my entire life and even when I started wrestling, it’s just so much fun having their support throughout the entire period, even before they were winning. … Just knowing that I can get to that level and I’m with them now is the greatest feeling that I’ve ever had.”

Milford Mill, Sparrows Point each crown a state champ: Milford Mill senior Amory Hills was no stranger to the state championship stage. He finished third at heavyweight each of the past two seasons and took away valuable lessons from those experiences. Using those losses as motivation, Hills understood the value of being savvy and not making mistakes.

In a low-scoring battle, Hills outlasted Patuxent’s Jahkiye Dixon by a 2-0 decision. Hills gave the Millers coaches thunderous high-fives and ended his career on the mountaintop with a 31-0 senior season and a 4A/3A state title.

“I felt like a new person, I felt reborn,” Hills said. “I became something I wasn’t at first. This is as good as it gets.”

Sparrows Point sophomore Wyatt Rossi took the mat in the final match of the evening at 106 pounds. He placed fourth at states as a freshman and faced Huntingtown’s Owen Hayden, who was also a top-five finisher last year. Rossi didn’t leave anything to chance and dominated with a 12-2 major decision victory, capturing his first state title.

Class 4A/3A

Perry Hall’s Victor Marks-Jenkins defends title: Perry Hall’s Victor Marks-Jenkins got a taste of perfection last season. He enjoyed it so much that he got another taste this year.

Last year, Marks-Jenkins went 47-0 en route to winning a Class 4A/3A state wrestling championship. This year, he bumped up to 175 pounds and chased another perfect season into Saturday’s state tournament finals at Show Place Arena.

The final was a perfect matchup as both Marks-Jenkins and Marriotts Ridge’s Jonah Obitz came into the state tournament undefeated.

Marks-Jenkins marched to the finals behind two pins and a technical fall. Obitz was coming off a 40-second pin in his semifinal.

With the title — and perfection — on the line, the Gator junior took control of the match against Obitz from the beginning, recording a 5-1 win.

“He was pretty strong,” Marks-Jenkins said. “This is just a stepping stone to where I want to be. I just want to get to the next level.”

Marks-Jenkins finished third in the tournament as a freshman. He hasn’t lost a high school match since.

He used a takedown early in the first period to take a commanding lead and was never in danger of losing. He closed his junior season 48-0; Obitz finishes his senior campaign 45-1.

Marks-Jenkins was one of only two state titlists from the Baltimore area in the higher coed classification.

The other local champion was Broadneck’s Linx Lawless. He, like Marks-Jenkins, took control early and never let up, recording an 11-7 win over Frederick’s Ian Tumi at 165 pounds.

“I just thought about doing my best. I didn’t really think about who I was wrestling,” Lawless said. “It feels good to win this thing as a senior. There’s really nothing else to say.”

— Mike Frainie, for The Baltimore Sun

Girls

Lexy Pabon wins third title:When the area’s best arrived for the girls state tournament, so too did the chance to make a statement.

Crofton’s Lexy Pabon not only capped her career with another state championship, but after pinning Stephen Decatur’s Rachel Plata for the 125-pound title, she made a bold declaration about her future.

Holding up a black T-shirt, Pabon announced her commitment to Life University.

“I’m very happy about my commitment,” she said. “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to go and wrestle for them.”

Pabon described her final year as “pretty hard,” partly because of weight cutting. Her pin finished off a 31-10 season and secured her third state championship.

Havre de Grace star Madison Birth goes back-to-back: Facing a familiar foe in the 110-pound final, Harford County sophomore Madison Birth went back to the basics to secure her second state championship in as many seasons.

“I didn’t go sit in the stands; I kept moving,” she said. “I was able to stay active and stay warm.”

Birth came out firing from the opening whistle and earned a 10-6 decision over Eastern Tech’s Ariana Carnahan, who entered the match 29-0 before falling to the talented sophomore.

After the two exchanged takedowns, Birth took control of the match and cruised to victory. Having wrestled predominantly against boys all season, nothing deterred Birth. She kept her head down and put in the work, and it paid off with the ultimate prize.

Randallstown’s Oluwadamilare Idowu scores emotional victory: Oluwadamilare Idowu might not have had the largest cheering section on Saturday, but when she pinned Brunswick freshman Catherine Orndorff for the 105-pound state title to finish her season with a 29-1 record, her two best friends cheered and cried louder than anyone, rushing down to the floor to shower her with praise.

Idowu and her friends, one of whom is Randallstown alum and three-time state champion Ugochi Anunobi, shared laughs, tears and a big group hug as Idowu finally became a state champion.

“This is the best I’ve ever been,” Idowu said. “I listened to [Anunobi] every time she told me to keep going, not to stop, and to wrestle how I want to wrestle.”

Violet Land wins for Howard County; Sophia Hodges finishes on top, too: Violet Land became the lone Howard County champion on Saturday, pinning Alexandra Conley of Queen Anne’s to win the 100-pound state championship. Land finishes the season 22-17 for Marriotts Ridge.

After finishing third the past two seasons, Northeast junior Sophia Hodges brought home another title for Anne Arundel County by defeating Aubry Spadoni of Quince Orchard, 6-2, in the 135-pound state championship. Hodges finishes the season with an impressive 24-1 record.

— Timothy Dashiell