Mason Grapplers Finish Third In State

For the first time ever, the George Mason High School Wrestling team placed third in the Virginia group A State Championships and capped off a truly remarkable season. It was the highest finish ever for a wrestling team from Mason.

The Mustangs earned the third-place finish narrowly, finishing only 4.5 points ahead of fourth-place finisher Mathews High School.

Placing third wasn’t the first record accomplishment for this squad. The team sent six wrestlers to the tournament in Salem—the most ever for the Mustangs. Fellow Bull Run District foe Manassas Park took home the first place crown with Parry McCluer High School taking second. Overall, Four teams from the Bull Run District and six from the Mustangs’ Region B finished in the top 10.

The tournament took place on Friday and Saturday, March 5 and 6. The six wrestlers Mason sent still only qualified Mason for six out of a possibly 14 slots. Despite that handicap, those six Mustangs—Colin Ehmer, Mac Cohe, Mike Coleman, Nick Pitas, John Sullivan and Bull Run District Wrestler of the Year Devlan Melancon—fought all the way to take home the third place trophy.

“We finished in 3rd place with only 6 guys while other schools who had many more participants at the tournament did not do as well,” said head coach John Pitas. But Pitas noted, “our wrestlers were technically superior and in better physical condition than anyone else at the tournament.”

The tournament began with a bang as all six wrestlers winning their first round matches including three pins and a major decision. That good start was followed by five of the six getting a win in the second round.

Sophomore Mike Coleman (125 lbs.), who earned a berth as an alternate, won an upset first round match against a regional champion, but was the only Mustang to lose in the next round.

The other five wrestlers continued to set a record as the most Mustangs to reach the semi-finals. Eventually, midnight did strike for this Cinderella squad and first place was unattainable. But nonetheless, the Mustangs left with their heads held high as they set a new standard for George Mason wrestling.

“[This finish] is a direct result of this team’s hard work and dedication during the course of the entire season as well as a great deal of off season work during last summer and fall,” said Pitas.

The second day was a long fought battle for the third place slot between George Mason and Mathews HS. The final team placement came down to the very last finals match where the Mathews heavyweight was pinned thus completing the Mustangs hold on the third-place trophy, beating Mathews by a mere 4.5 points.

The outstanding individual performances were led by senior Mac Cohe (171 lbs.) and sophomore Nick Pitas (112 lbs.) who both won their first three matches earning finals berths and both placed second. Cohe finished his impressive senior season by tying the Mustang record for wins on the year (36). That record was held by two people—Cohe’s brother Joey (Class of 2002) and Cohe’s former teammate Dominic Clark. Cohe also completes his career with the Mustang season pin record at 20. He broke the previous mark of 16 set by his assistant coach, John Henry Pitas.

Freshman Nick Pitas was right on Cohe’s heels chasing both of these records with 34 wins and 19 pins this season.

Seniors Devlan Melancon (145 lbs.) and Colin Ehmer (140 lbs.) both lost one point decisions in the semi-finals and then wrestled back for third and fourth place medals respectively. Melancon finished his season with 31 wins and was named Bull Run District Wrestler of the Year earlier this season. Ehmer finished with 24 wins and Bull Run District and Region B Championship titles.

Junior John Sullivan (160 lbs.) upset the number one seed from Mathews in the quarterfinals with a come from behind pin to earn his semi-finals berth. This act not only advanced him to the medal round where he took home the fifth-place individual medal, but it also took as many as ten points away from Mathews which had a huge effect on final team placement.

Coleman, the Mustangs’ sixth wrestler in the tournament, upset a region champion in the first round, then lost in the next round. But Coleman won another match on the weekend before being eliminated. Without his effort, the Mustangs would have finished behind Mathews.

This third place team finish is the best the Mustang wrestlers have done in school history and is a huge and fitting close to this record breaking season for the Mustangs.

“They are justifiably proud of not only their individual accomplishments but also of the fact that they have represented their school so well,” Pitas said.