Record-setting Eastside wrestling program spoils Lugoff-Elgin return to finals
The Eastside wrestling program etched its name in the history books and ended Lugoff-Elgin’s best season in more than a decade.
The Eagles won the first eight matches on their way to a 51-23 win over the Demons on Saturday in the Class 4A championship match at Dreher High School.
The championship is Eastside’s eighth in a row, which is the most in state history in any classification.. The Eagles have won 18 total championships, which ties Rock Hill for the most in state history.
Fourteen of the 18 titles have come since 2004 as the Eagles stake their claim for one of the most dominant runs in any sport in South Carolina history.
“I haven’t won any championships,” said Eastside coach Jack Kosmicki, who is now the all-time winningest coach in league history in dual competition. “You are talking about hundreds of kids and a large group of coaches. They are committed, dedicated and focused. Collectively, we take pride in our legacy.”
Eastside went 19-0 against in-state competition this year.
Lugoff-Elgin was making its first appearance in finals since winning the Class 3A championship in 2010. Shortly after the match, L-E coach Ted Monroe pulled his team against the wall and told them it won’t be another decade to make another trip.
“Put this down in writing. We are going to be back,” Monroe said. “We aren’t going to shy away. We are going to work in the weight room and we will be back, probably facing these guys again next year.”
Monroe thought they lost a few matches he felt they would win and couldn’t get over the big deficit.
The match started at 126 pounds and the Eagles rattled off wins by Payton Schrader, Colt Schrader, Hank Lee, Bronek Snizaski, George Maholtz, Jack Wyland, Lane Schrader and Baron Leonard to lead 40-0.
The Demons followed with four straight wins. Ethan Korn won by technical decision. Jonathan Sinard and Troy Evans recorded pins and Titan McGee won by forfeit to close within 40-23.
Tyler Tice, the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 120, stopped the run and won by pin to make it 46-23.
“We don’t have anything to be ashamed of,” Monroe said. “We dominated our way through the lower state. We had some matches that could have went our way but came up short today. I’m super proud of them.”
