On February 24 and 25 Andrew Long, a senior at Roosevelt won the county regional wrestling championship in the 170 lb. weight class. He beat out Nick Threat from Wise for the title.

When asked what the match was like, Andrew said that he was “hesitant” going in, but he definitely “wanted to win.” At the start, Andrew was “not taking openings” and the first period ended in a 0-0 tie. However, as the match wore on Andrew was able to outdo his opponent, and he scored two consecutive points. At this point Andrew said he knew he could “defend whatever he was gonna throw at me,” and when the other wrestler “got desperate” enough to play a riskier match he “scored a takedown,” and the match ended 4-0.

Andrew had been wrestling for all four years for Roosevelt. He first met Coach Mcrae when preparing for the math placement test. Mr. Mcrae invited him to come try wrestling, and once Andrew “tried open mat and practices,” he really “enjoyed the sport.”

Andrew is confident about Roosevelt’s chances to remain one of the top wrestling scorers in Prince George’s County in the coming years, citing several “promising guys returning,” and a sophomore winning at regionals, a junior placing second, and nine first year wrestlers making it to regionals.

This victory may not be the end for Andrew’s wrestling career. Though it is “difficult to get scholarships” for wrestling in college, Andrew would like to continue his sport and plans to “walk on” to a college team.