Ramstein’s Isaac Martinez tries to pin Alconbury freshman Ayden Hinsey in the 157-pound weight class finals at the DODEA-Europe wrestling sectional tournament at Ramstein High School, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Ramstein grappler Isaac Martinez battled Alconbury’s Ayden Hinsey on the mat for three intense rounds Saturday, eventually winning the 157-pound weight class in a 5-4 decision.
Martinez, undefeated on the season, was surprised to learn afterwards that his toughest opponent of the day was only a freshman.
“He’s good, he’s strong; he was able to keep me down,” Martinez said of Hinsey. “I didn’t know he was a freshman. That’s even more impressive.”
Alconbury-green will be well represented at next week’s European championships in Wiesbaden, after the Dragons held their own against Ramstein, Lakenheath, AFNORTH, Wiesbaden and SHAPE at a sectional qualifying tournament Saturday.
While Hinsey’s only loss Saturday was to Martinez, freshman teammate Edison Vega took down Ramstein’s Cole Santos in the 113 finals by a 17-10 decision to also punch his ticket to Europeans.
The top three in each weight class automatically qualify for the championships at Wiesbaden’s Clay Kaserne on Feb. 9-10.
“We’re a small school but we’ve got a big heart,” said Alconbury coach Edison Vega, who goes by the same name as his son. To have three kids reach the finals against larger schools, “I’m so proud of them,” he said.
Alconbury sophomore Jacob Stuhler also advanced to next week’s championships with a runner-up effort at 132 pounds. Wiesbaden’s Munro Davis took the match with a convincing 14-5 decision.
Lakenheath’s Sophia Yorko battles Ramstein’s Christian Spruill for third place in 150 pounds at the DODEA-Europe wrestling sectional tournament at Ramstein High School, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath’s Lucius Bowman tries to get a grip on Ramstein’s Lucas Hollenbeck in the 165-pound finals at the DODEA-Europe wrestling sectional tournament at Ramstein High School, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden’s Jacob Lane tries to pin AFNORTH’s James Bennett in the finals at 144 pounds at the DODEA-Europe wrestling sectional tournament at Ramstein High School, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein’s Frank Lozano tries to flip his teammate, Jonah Hancock, in the 106-pound round-robin bracket at the DODEA-Europe wrestling sectional tournament at Ramstein High School, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
SHAPE’s Julyan Serrano-Garcia and Ramstein’s Camren Carlson went the distance in their 126-pound finals before Carlson pinned Serrano-Garcia with about 8 seconds left in the match. The two were competing at the DODEA-Europe wrestling sectional tournament at Ramstein High School, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
Most of the title matches Saturday went to the wire, with wrestlers leaving little on the mat except for sweat and the occasional bloody nose.
Nerves have no place on the mat, Lakenheath senior Lucius Bowman said: “When I step on the mat, all my nerves go away. You kind of have to lock in.”
Bowman, the reigning European champ at 157 pounds, toppled Ramstein’s Lucas Hollenbeck by a 12-5 decision at 165 pounds.
Like Bowman, Ramstein senior Jayden Andrews also moved up a weight class from last year, from 132 to 138. Andrews said the change was a natural progression after he put on more muscle this year.
Andrews is thriving in the heftier weight class. In the finals, he pinned SHAPE senior Kayson Boos less than 40 seconds into the match. In years past, he’s struggled with injuries and has been right on the edge of grappling for a title. “I’m trying to take it this year,” he said.
Ramstein sophomore Camren Carlson also got a pin at 126 pounds against SHAPE’s Julyan Serrano-Garcia and it came with about eight seconds left in a match that looked as if it was about to go Serrano-Garcia’s way. Carlson said he didn’t know time was about to expire. “You don’t look (at the clock), you just keep going,” he said.
AFNORTH’s Richele Reyes had the strongest showing among the girls Saturday. The junior won a 120-pound class that was held in a round-robin format. Ramstein’s Liberty Snyder, meanwhile, took third in a 12-4 major decision against SHAPE’s Aleksander Osinski.
Other winners Saturday included Wiesbaden’s Jacob Lane at 144 pounds and Ramstein’s Kydan Echard at 150. Others who finished first atop round-robin brackets were Ramstein’s Frank Lozano (106), SHAPE’s Luigi Patalano (175) Lakenheath’s Jaden DuBois (190), SHAPE’s William Bush (215) and AFNORTH’s Nathan Frederickson (285).
