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Ocean City Today Apr. 22, 2022
Page 58
PHOTO COURTESY STEPHEN DECATUR WRESTLING FACEBOOK
WRESTLING TEAM CELEBRATED
The Stephen Decatur wrestling team was recognized for its accomplishments this winter season during Tuesday’s Worcester County Public Schools Board of Education meeting in Newark.
August new Decatur head wrestling coach By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (April 22, 2022) Josh August was recently named the new Stephen Decatur varsity wrestling team’s head coach. “It’s an honor. Not everyone gets the chance to take over a four-time, state championship-level team, especially on the Eastern Shore,” August said. “There’s a lot of expectations within the team itself … There’s like a legacy Josh August behind Decatur wresting and I’d like to continue to keep that going. It’s a big undertaking, and like I said there’s pressure to continue to be good, but it’s pressure we’re putting on ourselves, and I look forward to it.” August, an assistant coach with the program for six years, will be taking over for Todd Martinek, who announced at the beginning of the season that after 29 years, this would be his last coaching the Decatur wrestling team. “As an alumni, Josh has more devotion, loyalty and knowledge than anyone around,” said Martinek, who was named Bayside Coach of the Year this past season – his third time overall – and was also just recognized as State Coach of the Year. In November, Martinek was honored for lifetime service to wrestling during the 2021 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Maryland Chapter induction ceremony. “[Josh] was the head coach of the 2021 club team that won a state championship over the covid season. While coaching here, he cer-
tainly knows what it takes to win and the sacrifices coaches make of their own time and energy. He is the right guy for this job.” August wrestled for Decatur all four years of high school, from 19962000. He went into the Marines for 14 years, then got his teaching degree at Salisbury University. He was hired in 2016 as a longterm substitute. In 2017 he became the instructor of the Naval Science class at Decatur, which is part of the Navy JROTC program. August said over the years he’s adapted the way Martinek has coached. “He’s very technical. He was a good coach in the [practice] room. We wrestled hard, we pushed the pace and our kids were in shape,” he said. “They wrestled tough competition all year and I think that helps us at the state tournament and to have success as a team. I plan to stick with the coaching style and philosophy, because it’s been working and I don’t feel like I have to try and change it.” August said he has learned a lot from Martinek. “There’s a lot involved that people don’t see. I’ve tried to pick his brain and take what I could over the last few seasons,” he said. “I’ve known Todd since I was 15 years old. I’m 40 now. He’s been around the game for a long time. He’s a wealth of knowledge. “He definitely left the program in a good position to move on. We were lucky we had him,” he continued. “We talk every day. I’ve known he was leaving, but I didn’t know I was going to be the coach, and he’s been giving me pointers. I have all the
practice stuff, he kind of knew he was going to hand it down to someone.” August praised the Decatur coaching staff, all of who plan to return next season. Some new coaches may also be added. “We’re lucky. We have a good coaching staff,” he said. “You can’t do it with just one. They’re great.” This past winter, the Decatur squad went 14-1 during the regular season (26-1 overall), and captured its third consecutive regional dual and state dual titles. Decatur also won the Bayside Conference championship title by more than 100 points. Decatur took home
the Bayside Conference championship 10 consecutive seasons (2002-2011), then again in 2017, 2019 and 2020. There was no wrestling season last year because of covid. Several wrestlers also won individual Bayside and regional titles this winter season. Twelve wrestlers – seven boys and five girls – competed in the MPSSAA 1A/2A state championship meet in March, and six came home with medals. August said his goal is to get back to the state dual finals next season. “I know we have the team that can get there,” he said.
SD tennis players perform well against NC competition By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (April 22, 2022) The Stephen Decatur tennis teams faced solid competition when North Bayside Conference team, North Caroline, came to Berlin on Wednesday. “It’s the first time we’ve played a [Bayside Conference] north team in eight or nine years,” said Jamie Greenwood, coach of the Decatur girls’ squad. “They’re the only north school we’re playing this year, but we’ll look to schedule more teams in the future.” The Decatur girls’ team won three matches and lost four, but Greenwood was pleased with the Lady Seahawks’ performance. “Overall I was happy with the way
we played and the way we fought. It was good to see some competition, especially going into the state tournament. We’re just two weeks from the [regular] season ending,” he said. “We went in blind. We knew nothing about them and that was the challenging part for us playing against players we haven’t seen. I thought we were all evenly matched. The three matches we lost could have easily gone the other way.” Decatur junior Ridgley Lake won her first singles match, 8-4. Freshman Anika Karli outscored her fourth singles opponent, 8-1. Freshman Brooke Berquist and junior Paula Magathan topped their third doubles competition, 8-6. See PLAYING Page 59
