All-Time Greatest List
All-Time Greatest Maryland Wrestlers
By Kevin Hosey
Top 10
1. Kelly Ward (Kennedy/Blair Academy) - 2x MD Champ, National Prep Champ, 3x NCAA D-I finalist (1x Champ) for Iowa St.
2. Lloyd "Butch" Keaser (Brooklyn Pk.-AA Co.) - 2x NCAA D-I AA for Navy (4th and 3rd), World Champ, Olympic Silver Medallist
3. Rico Chiapparelli (MSJ/Blair Academy) - Nat. Prep Champ, Cadet and JR National Champ, SR. US Open Champ, 3x NCAA D-I AA (5th, 4th and 1st) for Iowa
4. Bill "Elbows" Simpson (Gaithersburg) - MD State Champ in ‘70 (the 1st state tourney), 2x NCAA D-I AA (1st and 5th) for Clarion
5. Todd Beckerman (DeMatha) - 4x National Prep Champ (208-1), Cadet Nat. Champ, 2x JR Nat. AA, Junior World Champ, 2x NCAA D-I AA (5th and 4th) for Nebraska
6. Bobby Truby (Sherwood) - 4x State Champ (2x MD + 2x PA), Junior World team, 2x NCAA D-I AA (5th and 4th) for Penn State
7. Lenny Bernstein (Bullis) - 3x Nat. Prep Champ (110-0 record in HS), Junior World Champ, NCAA D-I AA (4th) for UNC, Head Coach @ UVA
8. Ernie Fischer - NCAA finalist for UMD, member of ‘56 Olympic team
9. Grant Johnson (Owings Mills) - 3x State Champ, SR Nat. runner-up, NCAA D-I AA (5th) for Boston U.
10. Steve Kessler (Owings Mills) - 4x undefeated State Champ (148-0), SR Nat. runner-up, JUCO National Champ
Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order):
Derrick Asbell (Randallstown) - 2x State Champ, JUCO Nat. Champ
Larry Avery (Brooklyn Pk.-AA Co.) - D-I AA (6th) for Mich. St.
Eddie Bailey (JM Bennett) - D-III Champ for Salisbury
Harry Barnabae (MSJ) - JR Nat. Champ (greco)
DeShawn Barrett (Patterson) - SR Nat. Champ
Lou Chiapparelli (MSJ) - JR Nat. Champ
Brian Crane (Paint Branch) - 3x undefeated State Champ, EIWA runner-up for Princeton
Gene Curren (Curley) - SR Nat. Champ
Brian Davis (Beall) - 2x State Champ, NAIA Champ
Ryan Davis (McDonogh/Blair Academy) - Dapper Dan champ, JR Nat. AA
John Dolch (Northeast-AA) - 2x D-III Champ for Salisbury U.
Johnny Eareckson (Balt.) - 1929 Nat. AAU Champ (Distinguished Member Nat. Wrestling Hall Of Fame)
Frank Edwards (Sherwood) - 3x State Champ, NCAA D-I AA (7th) for Navy
Mike Faust (Gilman) - Double JR Nat. Champ, NCAA D-I AA (5th) for Virginia Tech
Jason Gabrielson (Riv. Baptist/Northern - CC) - 3x State Champ, Nat. Espoir Champ, EWL & E. Regional Champ
John Hefner (MSJ) - Dapper Dan champ
Mark Jarosz (Northeast-AA) - 2x D-III Champ for Salisbury U.
Joe Jarosz (Northeast-AA) - D-III Champ for Salisbury U.
Marty Kusick (Northeast-AA) - SR Nat. Champ
Dave Land (Laurel) - 2x D-1 AA (8th and 7th) for UMD
Brandon Lauer (River Hill) - 3x undefeated State Champ, 2x JR Nat. AA, SR Nat 5th, NCAA DI AA (8th) for WVU
Doug Lee (Balt.) - 5x Nat. AAU Champ in the 1940's (Distinguished Member Nat. Wrestling Hall Of Fame)
Mack Lewnes (MSJ) - 4x State Champ, Nat. Prep Champ, JR Nat. Finalist (Greco)
Bruce Malinowski (Kenwood) - Junior World Champ
Bode Ogunwole (Georgetown Prep) - NCAA D-I AA (6th) for Harvard, SR Nat 6th
Matt Palmer (Bullis/Blair Academy) - D-1 AA (8th) for Columbia Univ., SR Nat. Champ
Greg Peery (MSJ) - Dapper Dan winner, 4x MSA champ, National Prep Champ
JR Plienis (McDonogh) - JR and SR Nat. Champ
Walter Reed Jr. (Southwestern) - SR Nat. Champ
Tom Reese (N. Carroll) - D-I AA (5th) for UMD
Mike Rowe (DeMatha) - 4x MD state champ, Cadet National Champ, JR Nat. AA
Charlie Royer (Old Mill) - 2x State Champ, JUCO Nat. Champ
Rudy Rueda (DeMatha) - 4x National Prep Champ, SR Nat 5th
Curt Scovel (Laurel) - D-I AA (8th) for UMD
Matt Slutsky (Aberdeen) - 4x State Champ
Criteria: To be eligible for the list, a wrestler must have obtained one or more of the following: An undefeated HS record (at least three seasons); four HS state or national prep titles, a SR HS or JR nationals title at a high school or comparable weight; a Dapper Dan championship; a Nat. Espoir or Junior World title; a collegiate national title; D-I All-American status; induction into the National Wrestling Hall-of-Fame based on success as an active competitor.