Rare four-time champion leads 14 winners at DIAA Individual Wrestling Tournament
LEWES – Eddie Radecki earned the fourth notch in what could become a historic belt on Saturday night at the 68th DIAA Individual Wrestling Tournament.
The Caravel junior pinned all four of his opponents over the weekend, including St. Georges’ Gavin Sheehan in 1:58 in his final, to become the 13th four-time state wrestling champion in Delaware high school history.
Now, he is one title away from becoming the first ever to win five.
“It’s new challenges every year,” Radecki said. “… This year, it’s been the battle of health. Physically, I’ve had several, several different injuries.”
One of the biggest challenges has been a growing body. After winning at 106 pounds as an eighth-grader in 2021, Radecki won at 113 as a freshman and 120 as a sophomore.
BOYS BASKETBALL Salesianum defeats Sanford to advance to semifinals
This year, he bumped up three notches and still got it done at 138 pounds.
“I set up some things a little better,” Radecki said. “Mentally, physically, I moved up a couple of weight classes. Did a lot of things different and better.”
Radecki’s win was far from the only highlight on a dramatic night in front of a packed house at Cape Henlopen High School.
Sussex Central junior Malachi Stratton grinded out a 3-2 decision over Sussex Tech’s Anthony Andrews at 120 pounds to become the state’s 42nd three-time champion - and remain on track in his four-year quest.
“I knew I had to just stay on top, stay smart and just come out on top,” Stratton said. “It feels really good, but like I said last year, the goal is four. So I’m three for three, three out of four. I’ll be trying to seal the deal next year.”
Salesianum senior Frank Miller completed one of the most dominant seasons in state history, pinning Cape Henlopen’s Patrick Donahue in 4:31 to finish 41-0 at 215 pounds.
That included a rare championship by a Delaware wrestler at the prestigious Beast of the East in December at the Carpenter Center.
“It feels really good,” Miller said. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work. My coaches have worked a lot with me. My parents have driven me everywhere.”
Sussex Central senior Gabe Cannon saved perhaps the best for the night’s final match, tying Saint Mark’s Luke Spoor with a takedown at the buzzer in regulation then doing it again quickly in overtime for an 11-9 win at 175 pounds that earned the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler award.
Lake Forest’s Nurrideen Ahmad-Statts also rallied late, edging Delaware Military Academy’s Malcolm Roy 8-7 at 157 pounds to become a two-time champion.
DMA’s Cael DeNigris also became a repeat winner, earning a 3-0 decision at 285.
The other champions were Cape Henlopen’s Austin Guerriere at 106, Red Lion Christian’s Tye Bellarin at 113, Caesar Rodney’s Trevor Copes at 126, Saint Mark’s Christopher Foster at 132, Sussex Tech’s Dustin Elliott at 144, Lake Forest’s Case Dempsey at 150, Saint Mark’s Jacob Ebaugh at 165 and DMA’s Hayden Moaney at 190.
The clock has officially started on the final countdown for an unprecedented feat for Radecki, but on Saturday night he wanted to focus on the present.
“I’ve been looking forward for four years,” the four-time champ said. “I think this year, next year, I’m going to enjoy the moment and not look too far ahead. When the moment comes, I think it will take care of itself. Hopefully, if I do everything right.”
Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on X (aka Twitter): @BradMyersTNJ
68th DIAA Individual Wrestling Championships
At Cape Henlopen HS
Championship matches
106 pounds – Austin Guerrieri (Cape Henlopen, dec. Clif Bakhsh (Saint Mark’s), 8-6 SV-1.
113 –Tye Bellarin (Red Lion Christian) dec. Dominic Lucian (Salesianum), 5-4.
120 – Malachi Stratton (Sussex Central) dec. Anthony Andrews (Sussex Tech), 3-2.
126 – Trevor Copes (Caesar Rodney) dec. Gavin Munday (DMA), 8-5.
132 – Christopher Foster (Saint Mark’s) dec. Evan Cordrey (Sussex Central), 3-1.
138 – Eddie Radecki (Caravel) pinned Gavin Sheehan (St. Georges), 1:58.
144 – Dustin Elliott (Sussex Tech) dec. Nick Walker (Cape Henlopen), 5-2.
150 – Case Demsey (Lake Forest) maj. dec. Charles Hackett (Appoquinimink), 13-1.
157 – Nurrideen Ahmad-Statts (Lake Forest) dec. Malcolm Roy (DMA), 8-7.
165 – Jacob Ebaugh (Saint Mark’s) dec. Franklin Norris (William Penn), 9-6.
175 – Gabe Cannon (Sussex Central) dec. Luke Spoor (Saint Mark’s), 11-9 SV-1.
190 – Hayden Moaney (DMA) maj. dec. Jacque Wilson (Red Lion Christian), 10-2.
215 – James Miller (Salesianum) pinned Patrick Donahue (Cape Henlopen), 4:31
285 – Cael DeNigris (DMA) dec. Brock Rhoades (Caravel), 3-0.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: DIAA Wrestling Tournament: Eddie Radecki of Caravel becomes 4-time champ
