March 7th concluded Eleanor Roosevelt’s wrestling season in triumph fashion, as eight tried and failed to halt the title aspirations of the ER’s Junior Austin Hayes and Senior Leo Foremen at 113 and 157 pounds respectively. This marked the first time Eleanor Roosevelt Wrestling would bring home two male state champions within the same season.
Hayes would add on to the history making as after defeating Chesapeake’s Quin Greenstreet 7-3, he would become not only the first ever 2x state champion from Roosevelt, but all of Prince George’s County. Notable doing so at two different weights, last year at 106 pounds and this season at 113 pounds. This would also mark Hayes’ 3rd straight year in the finals after placing 2nd his freshman year.
The final road for Foreman had a much more dramatic atmosphere surrounding it. State was a do or die environment, “I just had to remind myself this was my last year and how hard I’ve worked” recalled Foreman. Despite the pressure Foreman was able to secure his finals spot against Fredick’s Victor Guerra. A fittingly dramatic finish would take Guerra into overtime and come out victorious with a last minute takedown. “It was honestly just a feeling of relief” where the words Foreman choose to describe the initial flood of emotions, adding on that “It showed me that if I do the work I can do really special things”
The two Raiders hope to continue wrestling with Hayes looking to add another medal his senior year and Foreman hoping to transition into BJJ going to college, adding that “I hope my kids are better wrestlers than me.”
