Prep Wrestling: Eastern Tech Takes Big Step Under New Coach

All Kevin Cross hoped to accomplish this season in his first year as Eastern Tech’s varsity coach was for the Mavericks to post a winning record after going 6-8 last season.

The Mavericks have accomplished that – and more.

Eastern Tech enters tonight’s home match against Sparrows Point – a match rescheduled following a snow cancellation last month – with a 9-3 record, following a 67-12 win over Randallstown on Friday. That win marked the Mavericks’ third match in three days last week, a span where the team went 2-1 as they also beat Dundalk after losing to Perry Hall.

“We’ve come a long way this season,” said Cross, a 2000 Eastern Tech graduate and a physical education teacher at Holibird Middle School. “This team is working hard and understands what’s at stake at this point of the year.”

What’s at stake right now is a shot at a dual meet region championship. Eastern Tech is the third seed in the Class 2A/1A North region and will face Sparrows Point (11-1) at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Owings Mills. The winner of that match will face the winner of top seed Owings Mills (13-0) and Edmondson (8-1).

Much of the Mavericks’ success can be traced to the performance of their top two wrestlers: senior Chuck Baugher and junior Ilya Usik.

Baugher is 20-4 at 125 pounds this season. This record includes him taking third place in the Franklin, Overlea and Knightmare (Parkville) invites. He is also ranked 29th in the state in his weight class, according to the Maryland State Wrestling Association.

Baugher would like nothing more than to help lead Eastern Tech to a region title before preparing to make a run at an individual state title. Baugher, who will wrestle for Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) in college, is a two-time state qualifier who also placed second in the region tournament last year.

“This season was a big step for us as a program,” Baugher said. “We have a lot of good wrestlers who understand how much work is needed to succeed. We’re building something special here.”

Usik is 20-2 this season at 145 pounds, which includes taking first place at the Franklin and Overlea tournaments and placing third at the Knightmare Invitational.Usik is ranked 18th in the state in his weight class, according to the MSWA.

Other key wrestlers for Eastern Tech include Stephen Beam (130) and Dustin Shackelford (135). Beam is 15-5 with a second place showing at the Knightmare Invite. Shackelford is 20-8 and placed fifth at the Knightmare and sixth at the Franklin Invitational.

“Having a chance to compete for a region title shows how far we’ve come in just a year,” said Usik, who placed third in the county tournament, third in regions and qualified for states last season. “We’re a young team that is going to get better.”

Cross said Baugher and Usik are extensions of him on the mat. Both wrestlers have taken on leadership roles and acted as teachers to the less experienced wrestlers. With just two seniors on the roster, Cross believes Eastern Tech can be a contender in Baltimore Conuty for years to come,

“Those wrestlers are another voice for me,” Cross said. “They helped lay the foundation of what I’m trying to build for this program.”