Banner Year for Wrestling at Thomas Jefferson High School

Districts:  The TJ wrestling team placed 2nd at the 2009 Liberty
District Championships, with eight medalists: The three District
champions were Matt Becker (285 lb weight class), Mike Howard (140)
and Alex Shmorhun (145). The two District finalists were Joe Latta
(215) and Kevin Zigadlo (160). Also continuing on to the Regional
Championships are third place finishers Matt Lamb (125) and Stuart
Maier (103) and fourth place finisher Devan Samant (112) and District
Alternates Myles Cook (119), Ashley Miller (135) and Sam Zhang (130).

Regions:  Mike Howard took 1st place at the Northern Regional
Wrestling Championship in the 140 lb weight class. This is the first
time TJ has had a regional winner since 1989 and only the second time
in the school's history. Senior Matt Becker (285 lb), who only began
wrestling as a sophomore, placed 2nd in the Region losing a 1-point
match to Chantilly's Chris Cabe in the finals. Junior Alex Shmorhun
placed 4th in a tough 145 lb weight class.  TJ placed 9th among all
teams in the region, and for the first time in school history, TJ sent
three wrestlers to the State Championships.

States:  Senior Mike Howard (123-20) took 5th place at the 2009
Virginia AAA State Wrestling Championships.  The only wrestler from
the Northern Region to place among the top eight at the state
tournament in the 140 weight class, Howard is a three-time Liberty
District Champion, two-time Northern Region finalist and was Northern
Region Champion in 2009.

Matt Becker  (Herndon)
Mike Howard  (McLean)
Alex Shmorhun  (McLean)
Joe Latta (Alexandria)
Kevin Zigadlo  (South Riding)
Matt Lamb (Springfield)
Stuart Maier (Centreville)
Devan Samant (McLean)
Myles Cook (McLean)
Ashley Miller (Fairfax)
Sam Zhang  (Herndon)