St. Christopher's School Wrestling

Virginia Independent Schools Athletic

 Association (VISAA) State Champions

1995, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,

2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*

 * Set VISAA record for most consecutive State team titles in wrestling (9) and VISAA record for most state team titles (10) in wrestling.

St. Christopher's has a rich history in the sport of wrestling, especially since 2002 when the Saints begain their nine year dominance of private school wrestling in Virginia. However, even before Pete Shaifer won his first VISAA team title as the Saint's head wrestling coach in 2002, St. Christopher's has developed some very successful teams and individuals.

The Saints wrestling program has developed sixty-three VISAA individual State champions, beginning in 1973 when Gordon Kirkham won the 148 lb. title. Robbie Fiero became the first three-time State champion for St. Christopher's winning titles from 1988-1990. Every year since 1996, the program has put at least one wrestler on top of the State championship podium, including 2010's champions: Brandon Jeske, Loren Phillips, David Wesley, Ted Gottwald (a three-time VISAA State champion), and Chris Gill. Kevin Donahue is the only St. Christopher's wrestler to win four consecutive VISAA championships, earning titles from 2004-2007. Nine other Saints wrestlers have placed at the State tournament four times, including rising senior David Wesley, who could join Zach Rolfe as the only five-time VISAA State place winners. Rolfe won three State titles and a fifth place as an 8th grader, followed by a third place as a freshman.

St. Christopher's has been the most consistant private school wrestling program in Virginia, winning the last nine VISAA State championships in a row- six under former head coach Pete Shaifer and three with newly retired coach Frank Kiefer at the helm. However, the Saints won their first VISAA team title under a former St. Christopher's State champion. In 1995, Lake Taylor led the Saints to the VISAA title, matching his individual feat from 1988. The 2010 team broke Woodberry Forest's record of eight straight VISAA State championships when they won their ninth consecutive State championship.

The team has competed successfully at the national level, placing in the top ten at the National Preps Championships three times, including a school best 7th place finish in 2010. The Saints have also finished in the top 15 at Nationals six times. Thirty wrestlers have garnered All-American status, by placing in the top eight of their weight class at Nationals. Three have reached the finals: Gordon Kirkham in 1973 and Brandon Jeske and David Wesley in 2010. Scott Harvard became the first St. Christopher's grappler to earn All-American honors when he placed third at 129 lbs in 1973. St. Christopher's has produced at least one National Preps place winner every year since 2003. In 2009, the team produced the most All-Americans in school history, with five Saints placing in the top eight of their weight class for coach Frank Kiefer. Kevin Donahue is the program's only three-time All-American, placing in 2004, 2006, and 2007.

St. Christopher's has begun to show its strength in off season wrestling too, having developed a number of USA Wrestling and NWCA National Champions and All-Americans. Tyler Spangler '09 became the first Saints wrestler to earn USA Wrestling All-American status with a seventh place finish at the 2007 Cadet Nationals in Fargo, ND. He repeated the feat in 2008 to become a two-time USA Wrestling All-American. In 2009, David Wesley placed at the NWCA Sophomore Nationals tournament and won the NWCA Junior Nationals in 2010 to take home All-American certificates.  Wesley was joined atop the victory podium in 2010 by Brandon Jeske, who won the 119 lb. title at the NWCA Freshman Nationals. Jeske won back to back USA Wrestling FILA Cadet National titles in Greco Roman in 2009 and freestyle in 2010. He also finished 3rd at the USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals in 2009.

Saints grapplers are no stranger to the college wrestling ranks either. Former four-time VISAA State champion Kevin Donahue became the first St. Christopher's wrestler to earn NCAA All-American status in 2009 when he placed 7th at the Division III National tournament for Cornell (IA) College. He became a two-time All-American in 2010 with a 4th place finish for the Rams. In 2009 Tim Rose took 2nd at the NCWA National tournament for Amherst College. Former state champion wrestlers Joe Munno and Tyler Spangler also compete at the NCAA Division I level- Munno for VMI and Spangler for the Air Force Academy. Munno will be joined at VMI by Class of 2010 graduates Ted Gottwald and Rennie Merhige.

The future looks bright for St. Christopher's wrestling program, with six returning VISAA place winners for the 2010-11 season. The program is working hard to develop the school's first National Preps champion, which could happen any time over the next few years. The legacy of St. Christopher's wrestling is growing deeper each year, with a new crop of Saints wrestlers trying to out-do the last group's success.

Here is a list of St. Christopher's All-State Wrestlers from 1996-2010. This is a work in progress. If you have State results prior to 1996, please email them to Coach Prebish. Wrestlers listed in bold will be active for the 2010-11 wrestling season.

*If you have career records of former St. Christopher's wrestlers, please send them to Coach Prebish!    Wrestlers listed in BOLD are currently active St. Christopher's wrestlers.

To be considered for the Career Winning Percentage list, the wrestler must have competed in at least 100 matches during their career.

To be considered for this list, a wrestler must have won at least 40 matches in a given season. Names listed in bold are currently active St. Christopher's wrestlers.