Friday, October 29, 2021

Osbourn Park Breaks New Ground With 2021 Hall of Fame Class


After 18 months of planning, Osbourn Park debuted their Hall of Fame Thursday night at Old Hickory Golf Club. 


The Osbourn Park community gathered Thursday night at Old Hickory Country Club to celebrate their rich history of academics and athletics by inducting nominated individuals to their brand new Hall of Fame. Fifteen people made up the inaugural 2021 class. 

"This Hall of Fame is 46 years in the making. It will show our current student athletes the foundation of the sports community that they themselves represent. It brings our past to the present and allows our current student body to connect with those that came before them," said current director of student activities Keith Laine.  

Laine continued, "It's something our school has really needed- something to honor our best of the best and to inspire our current and future athletes."

Despite the enthusiasm from Laine and the rest of the OP community, there was plenty of uncertainty over the past 18 months since they had started planning it.

Current OP student activities director Keith Layne addresses the Osbourn Park community

"We didn’t know what was going to happen or what sports would be like. I went to a Virginia high school league meeting on the 12th. They cancelled the meeting on the 13th and then school was cancelled. All the spring seasons were cancelled. I’m excited it happened tonight. We’d been planning it for 18 months and I had so much help from our trustees, the structural committee and everyone. I’m so excited for the inductees and their opportunity to come back to the school and reach our kids tomorrow and make those connections. I’m thrilled they all found this important enough to come from all over the country.”

Michael Foley was the perfect choice as Master of Ceremonies

The event was hosted by former teacher, coach and current football announcer Michael Foley. Having been an institution at the school since January 1979, Foley jumped at the chance to host such a prestigious festivity. 

"I thought the evening went very well. It was great to hear what each of the inductees had to say." 

Foley set the table for the inductees, and they all knocked their speeches out of the park with great stories, memories, jokes and more.

Below are the first fifteen members of the Osbourn Park Hall of Fame. 


Kevin Ambrose




Kevin is a member of the Class of 1982 and was an elite athlete on the track and field and cross country teams. He was a state champion in 1981 of the 3200-meters and set a state record for that event. He would go on to attend UVA on a track scholarship. He's now married with two sons and an account executive for Adobe. He also freelances for the Washington Post which includes writing and photography. 

“I love it. I was one of those kids that high school was the best four years of my life. I enjoyed the running, the classes, the comradery, and stories I can’t even tell to my kids. Just bringing back all the memories again tonight and to be honored for it meant a lot.”


Victor A. Cahoon



Victor Cahoon was a member of the Class of 1986. He was a multi-sport athlete, having played football, basketball and track. He was AAA 1st Team All-State and 3 time 1st Team All District for football. He was a NW Regional Player of the Year in football and a 1986 AAA State Champion of the long jump. 

Following his OPHS career, Victor played football for Arizona State University and was a PAC-10 champion in 1987 as well as a Rose Bowl Champion. Victor would play for the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins.

Unfortunately, Victor passed away in 2003 but was well-represented by his two brothers who celebrated him with all sorts of great stories not only to the athlete he was but also the great person he was as well. 


Todd Colas



Todd was a member of the Class of 1980 and excelled at cross country and track. He was a 3 time AA State Champion and a 6 time All State AA at cross country and indoor/outdoor track. He's the OPHS record holder for the 1600 meter. 

After his time at Osbourn Park, Todd ran track at the University of Pittsburgh where he was a 1984 NCAA All-American in the 1000 meter. He ran professionally for Puma. Todd currently resides in Denver, Colorado and is a managing partner for two companies.







Albert L. Crow



Known to many as simply Al Crow, the late Yellow Jacket was athletic director from 1962 to 1991. Prior to Osbourn Park opening, he worked at Osbourn High School and was a coach of football, track and wrestling. After OP, Crow did missionary work in East Africa for 15 years. He'd go on to set up a basketball league in Kenya and the players used old Prince William County Schools uniforms. OPHS would go on to name their stadium after him. 

Crow was represented by his son. 








Andrew Dykstra




A member of the Class of 2004, Dykstra played football, wrestling and soccer. He was Osbourn Park's Male Athlete of the Year in 2004 and was 1st Team All District/All Region in both football and soccer. He would also have an All-State Honorable Mention for both sports. 

After OP, Dykstra was a part of the CAA All-Rookie team in 2005 and played professionally for ten years. He was a two-time US Open Cup Champion (2013 and 2017). 


Daniel J. Evans, Sr. 



Daniel Evans taught at OP from 1976 to 1995. He won the Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award in 1993. Evans would coach football from 1976-1995 and coached girls track from 1981 to 1987. He'd go on to be the Activities Director from 1995-2008, having been integral in overseeing a restructuring of the Athletic Boosters. Under Evans, Osbourn Park saw a stadium renovation, practice and game field renovations and a new uniform rotation. All were via the Boosters. He'd also supervise the addition of swimming, field hockey and lacrosse. 

Evans now spends his much-deserved retirement playing golf, volunteering and spending time with his family- including two grandkids. His son, Dan Evans, Jr. would be the head football coach of OP from 2015-2018, as the father/son duo were able to coach together. 



Billy Fields




A member of the Class of 1978, fields was on both the basketball and golf teams. He's the all-time leading scorer in OPHS history and was on the Washington Post All-Met Team. Other accolades include All-District, All-Region and All-State. Fields would be the Individual Commonwealth District Golf Champion in 1977. 

After Osbourn Park, he'd go on to play four years at Providence College. He currently travels between Virginia and Florida where he owns WLF Contracting. 

Fields seemed besides himself at the nomination. 

“It was a shock when I first heard about it. It’s really meaningful because there’s some heavy hitters here with the admin people who have influenced thousands of kids while we just came through here for four years and played a sport. It’s very humbling. It’s incredible to see many different friends as well.”


Marcia D. Fletcher



Fletcher graduated in 1987, having excelled at Track and Field. She was a two-time State AAA Champion in the 55 and 100m hurdles. She was also a two-time national champion at the triple jump and finished having earned All State Honors a whopping ten times. 

Following her time at OPHS, Marcia ran track at Clemson University where she'd be a two-time All-ACC performer in the long and triple jump. 

She'd earn NCAA Division 1 All-American Honors and was the first African-American head coach at Clemson. 





Michael E. Holupka, Jr. 




Michael was the Boosters President for six years from 1998-2003 as part of the Ways & Means committee. He helped establish the two most successful fundraisers: the golf tournament and silent auction. OPHS has been able to raise around 1.5 million dollars for athletics over the past 25 years, and Holupka was integral in sparking that culture. 

He and his wife Kathy donated the stand-alone weight room and renovated the outdoor concession and restrooms at the stadium, saving many an OP fan the walk to the school. Michael lit up the room with his speech, mixing in wit and humor perfectly. 





Ariel Karabinus




Ariel was the youngest member inducted to the OPHS Hall of Fame. Graduating in 2010, Ariel left quite the legacy in cross country and track. She was a three-time District Champion in cross country as well as a five-time Northwest Regional Champion in the 1600 and 3200 meter. She was a AAA State Champion in the 100m and finished All State ten times in the 1000 meter, 1600 meter, two mile and 4 by 800 relay. 

Ariel attended the University of Virginia where she was a 2010 cross country NCAA Division 1 Team National Qualifier. I had a chance to get her thoughts on the induction. 

"It's pretty incredible. I feel like I shouldn't even be a part of this group. It's just weird. It's been a lot of different people, a lot of different generations and I feel super honored to be in a class with such amazing athletes and people in general."


Jack Lynch




Lynch was a middle school teacher in Prince William County for ten years which parlayed into being an assistant principle for ten more. Having not even applied for the OPHS principal position, Lynch was surprised by the superintendent two weeks before the school year when he was giving the new gig. He'd also spend six years as an Area Superintendent. He now spends his retirement in Florida. 

“It sounds cliché but it’s very humbling. OP was a wonderful place and whatever successes I had was because of all the great people around me. They named the gym after me after I left and that was wonderful. It’s overwhelming. When you get to my age you realize a lot of what you accomplished is from the efforts of a whole lot of people. Secretaries, custodians, cafeteria workers- all those people coming together to do the job makes me a lucky man to be the recipient of this honor.”


Gabrielle M. Mizerak



Gabrielle graduated from Osbourn Park in 2009 and is the first swimmer to be inducted into the OP Hall of Fame. She was a state champion in 2009 and a three-time automatic All-American. She holds six OPHS records and was a three-time MVP as well as Rookie of the Year. 

She continued her swimming career at William & Mary and then with the Tribe Alumni Master team. 






Larry Nemerow



Nemerow coached girls and boys soccer as well as basketball, having been voted Washington Post All Met Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2012. In 2002 he was VHSL Coach of the Year. The accolades didn't end there as he was Potomac New Coach of the Year multiple times in multiple sports. He never posted a losing record as a coach, winning 299 games and led his program to 14 straight regional appearances before retiring in 2014.

This legacy and an induction might inflate one's ego, but not Nemerow's. 

“It’s rare that you get to participate in a first. Just to be a part of something like this is a privilege and something that not many people get to experience. There’s definitely a surreal feeling about it. As time goes by, I’ll appreciate it even more. It’s a really neat thing and personally I never expected anything like it. My two brothers were big supporters when I was a kid. It’s hard that they aren’t here, but I’m glad my family was here to support me.”

Osbourn Park would go on to name their main athletic grounds "Larry Nemerow Field" in 2017.

Following his retirement, he spends time with his lifelong companion, Lynn. Larry has 14 grandchildren who enjoy soccer, basketball and more. He rides over 3,000 miles a a year on his bike. 


Debbie Saffer



Having graduated in 1983. Debbie was the first female athlete to score over 1,000 points (1,133). She now ranks fourth all-time. She was a four year varsity starter in both basketball and softball as well as a four year All-District basketball team member. She was a key part in an undefeated season for OP. 

After graduating, she went to UNC Wilmington and returned to Osbourn Park to coach softball. 

It was noted that as great as an athlete she was, Debbie was even more generous as a human being and will forever be missed. 







Helen Theisen




Helen graduated in 2008 and is the first ever volleyball player to be in the OP Hall of Fame. She set three VHSL state records, was All-District Player of the Year from 2004-2007 and was an All-Region player from 2005-2007. Theisen was also Prince William County Athlete of the Year. 

After OP, Helen continued her volleyball career at the University of Louisiana Monroe. She graduated from Concord University in 2012 with her bachelor's degree and would go on to graduate with her masters from the University North Georgia. 

Helen made sure to thank her parents for their role in her life, having allowed her to travel the country to go to camps, tournaments and more. 



 
2021 Osbourn Park's 2021 Hall of Fame class gather for a picture


This year's class was the first of many, as Keith Laine stated the Hall of Fame Ceremony will be an annual event. Laine also mentioned a 65" digital touch screen would be installed in the gym lobby. The screen would be a physical way to unite the present, past and future of Osbourn Park. 

A special thanks went out to the Booster Board, comprised of President Jason Dwyer, Vice President Jeni Westhoff, Secretary Keli Fisher and Treasurer Crystal Riley. 

For more on OPHS athletics, visit their website and follow them on Twitter at @OPJackets. 

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Sunday, October 24, 2021

Short-Handed Yellow Jackets Shut Out As Battlefield Remains Undefeated


Osbourn Park saw a slew of new starters amidst injuries. (photo via Brian Westhoff)

After a heart-breaking loss to Freedom last Friday, Osbourn Park once again took to the road to play the undefeated Battlefield Bobcats. It was an uphill battle due to the Bobcats’ raucous home crowd and the unfortunate fact that OP was without 15 of their players. Battlefield would win in a 53-0 shutout.

Notable absences for the Yellow Jackets included juniors Ryan Westhoff, Thomas Pullen, Wyatt Hurley, Donovan Mullins, and Bryce Thompson. All play both sides of the ball. Head coach Reggie Scott turned to the Yellow Jackets’ junior varsity players to help fill the absences.

“It’s very tough to win a varsity football game with 15 of our players on the injured list. Nonetheless, I’m very proud and appreciative of our JV guys that had to step up and fill in the roles considering they had just played the night before against Gainesville,” said Scott.


Freshman quarterback Adrian Cabrera started for the Yellow Jackets. (photo via Brian Westhoff)

Freshman Adrian Cabrera would start at quarterback for Osbourn Park with junior Max Pokoo in the backfield. Senior Uriel Chavez would be the second running back.

Less than 90 seconds into the game, Battlefield used a seven yard rush by junior running back Jelon Johnson to go up 7-0 following the extra point.

Minutes later, senior running back Josh Thaxton scored from five yards out. A botched snap on the extra point led to some improvising as junior tight end Wesley Williams caught the ball for two points and a 15-0 lead.


Junior Max Pokoo started at running back for OP. (photo via Brian Westhoff)

Senior quarterback Isaiah Walters would find sophomore Brandon Binkowksi at the 2:05 mark of the first quarter for an eight yard touchdown. Following a fumble off a bad snap by OP, senior receiver Tanner Joseph caught a ten yard touchdown as Battlefield roared to a 30-0 lead after the first quarter.

Josh Thaxton would use a 15 yard scamper to put Battlefield up 37-0. Not to be outdone, Jelon Johnson housed it from 33 yards out at the 3:53 mark. The Bobcats final score of the first half came with just over a minute remaining when Taylor connected with Joseph again for 27 yards to take a 51-0 lead into the half.

OP’s Adrian Cabrera took a hard hit late in the second quarter and was down for a few minutes. Senior quarterback Jakob Hancock stepped in for him. Cabrera would admirably return in the third quarter.

Senior Jakob Hancock stepped in for Cabrera at QB in the second quarter. (photo via Brian Westhoff)

The only score in the second half was an Osbourn Park safety by Battlefield junior defensive back Mason Cage.

With two games remaining, OP looks to end the season on a positive note. Ryan Westhoff looks to return this Friday versus Osbourn (6-3).

“It was a rough game with everyone out. Hopefully we can get everyone back this week and finish the season strong,” Westhoff told me.

Kickoff versus Osbourn is at 7 pm. For more on OP football, visit their website and follow them on Twitter @OPHSfootball.


News and Notes:

 Adrian Cabrera would find freshman receiver Alexander Molina for 40 yards which was OP’s longest completion of the night.

-          Battlefield had 15 first downs to OP’s 3.

-         The Bobcats were 5-9 on third down and the Yellow Jackets were 2-9.

-          Senior defensive lineman Musa Kader forced Battlefield’s only turnover on a 4th down with a sack.

-          Battlefield was prone to penalties, piling up ten flags for 97 yards. Despite their youth, OP had 2 penalties for 10 yards.

-          Alexander Molina would punt 5 times, averaging 21.5 yards with a long of 33.

-          Senior receiver/kick returner Nehemiah Rhodes had 3 returns for 44 yards.

-          OP defensive standouts:

JR LB Teshawn Gresham (8 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack)

SR LB Uriel Chavez (8 tackles, 2 TFL)

FR DB Alexander Molina (6 tackles)

SR DL Andrew Arthur Humphries (6 tackles)

SO LB Ameen Kader (3 tackles, 1 TFL)

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Sunday, October 17, 2021

Osbourn Park Stung by Freedom's Late Score


Osbourn Park head coach Reggie Scott huddles with his team. (Photo via Brian Westhoff)



Coming off a tough 12-7 loss at home, the Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets were hungry to break their recent three game skid on the road versus the Freedom Eagles. Their gritty effort fell short as Freedom won late, 13-6. 

The low-scoring game was a marathon as both defenses were stout and the offenses would often struggle to capitalize. OP would win the toss and choose to receive, but wouldn't be able to take advantage. On Freedom's opening drive, Yellow Jacket junior defensive back Donovan Mullins forced a fumble and fellow junior defensive back Ryan Westhoff recovered at the 8 minute mark of the opening stanza. The Yellow Jackets responded with a turnover on downs with 4:15 remaining in the first quarter. 

Senior Ryan Westhoff recovers a fumble on defense. (photo via Brian Westhoff)


Freedom gave OP a scare at the 3:50 mark when junior quarterback Kevin Barton connected with senior tight end Cole Reedsnyder for a 74 yard touchdown pass. A holding call would negate it. 

A bright spot on offense for OP was junior receiver Wyatt Hurley. Hurley quickly racked up six catches for 50 yards, establishing OP's passing game early. He would unfortunately have to exit the game in the first half after sustaining a hard hit to the chest/ribs running a route across the middle. Osbourn Park junior quarterback Ryan Westhoff's 31 passing attempts were his most all season. 


Thomas Pullen scores on a seven yard touchdown rush. (Photo via Brian Westhoff)



OP moved the chains all night, compiling 15 first downs. With 10:37 left in the first half, they were in field goal range. The attempt failed, as the snap led to a fumble. The Yellow Jackets would turn it over two more times before halftime with an interception and a turnover on downs. Freedom's final first half possession ended with an interception by Donovan Mullins. Mullins finished the game with four tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. 

Freedom would finally break the ice in the third quarter with a quarterback sneak from a yard out by Kevin Barton. The extra point would be blocked as the score remained 6-0. 

The Yellow Jackets answered on their very next drive when junior running back Thomas Pullen ran it in from seven yards out with 5:31 to go in the third quarter. OP's two point conversion attempt failed, and the game was once again tied at 6-6. Pullen finished with 91 yards on 26 carries with the one touchdown. On defense he had a blocked punt, fumble recovered and two tackles, including one tackle for loss. 


Senior receiver Nehemiah Rhodes with a clutch 25 yard catch, OP's longest completion of the night. (Photo via Brian Westhoff)

Freedom senior running back Nathan Chen would scamper from 34 yards out, but once again a holding call would nullify it. 

The two teams would continue trading the ball back and forth in the final quarter. Ryan Westhoff came up with a huge pass breakup which led to Freedom turning it over on downs. Unable to get anything going, OP punted it back to Freedom. With 31 seconds left, Kevin Barton found Chen on an 89 yard screen pass which sealed the game for the home team. 

Osbourn Park (2-5) looks to bounce back on the road versus Battlefield (7-0) this Friday night, October 22nd at 7 pm. 

Game notes: 

- OP's 15 first downs topped Freedom's 9
- Freedom had 3 turnovers to OP's 4
- Freedom had 11 penalties totaling 120 yards. The Yellow Jackets had 7 for 35 yards. 
- Kavon Moxley had 3 punts, averaging just over 30 yards per punt. 
- Neither team excelled on third down: OP (5-17) Freedom (3-10)
- OP was 4-6 on fourth down and the Eagles were 0-1.
- Junior linebacker Bryson Thompson led the Yellow Jackets with 10 tackles including one TFL. 
- Senior Nehemiah Rhodes had 4 catches for 49 yards, including OP's longest completion at 25 yards. 
- OP finished 1-3 in the red zone.

For more on the Yellow Jackets, visit their website and follow them on Twitter @OPHSfootball. 
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Thursday, August 23, 2018

ALL IN: The 2018 Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets




Recently I got a chance to sit down with a handful of this year’s impact players (Luke Nitowski, Reilly Pettit, Anthony Smoot, Jordan Barnett) for the Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets to see their progress in the offseason, find out their goals and what the mindset is like before their season opener versus TC Williams. 


1.    How has your summer been?

Barnett: I went to Jamaica. A different experience, a different culture. For the team we would go to Buffalo Wild Wings, Preston’s Pub and we’d hang out. We also built a lot of chemistry in the 7-on-7’s.

Pettit: It’s been good, but I have done nothing but workout and go to football practice. We had a dead week so I went to the beach. Even then I was still working out at the beach: running, swimming. Does eating count?

Smoot: My summer has been pretty good. I’ve been focusing on football and building connections with my teammates to make sure everyone in on the same page this year and is ready for the season.

Nitowski: Going to Shenandoah Valley to practice together for three or four days really brought the team closer together.  I feel this year’s team has a lot more talent and we are bonding better and ready to surprise everyone this year.

2.    Did you do anything football-related on your own?

Pettit: I wanted to be in the best shape for the season mentally and physically. I watched a lot of film and studying plays. I’ll watch other teams to get better. The best way is to watch those better than you and what they are doing. I try to incorporate new things.

Barnett: I worked on my footwork a lot. Last year was not good enough. I worked with my trainer and watched a lot of film on our opponents, too. I’ve also been running a lot so I can improve my endurance. Last year I wasn’t in the best shape.

Smoot: The biggest thing I have done to prepare for this season is making sure I am better than I was before I got hurt. I have been in the weight room a lot this offseason to get stronger and going to camps to play with the best competition. I’ve been doing speed training and I have been studying the game and watching film to be the best player I am capable of being.

Nitowski: I’ve been watching film all summer with my dad to break down my opponents. This week it was TC. That really helps and very excited to play them. My dad gives me technique tips and who I have to read to make the play as a linebacker since he was one. Mentally you need to know all the plays and where the running back is going to go, how I will react. Physically I want to get stronger and faster and feel I have done that.

3.    Do you feel more pressure to be a leader or does it come naturally?

Smoot: I feel it comes naturally. All my senior friends last year were leaders and they helped me out last season. This season I feel it’s my job to help the underclassmen.

Pettit: I’m used to leading from last year. I don’t want to have an iron grip. I let the team lead itself and I give it a push every once in a while.  I don’t have the biggest voice. I speak for the team.

Barnett: There’s more pressure but I am willing to deal with it.

Nitowski: As a senior it’s on my shoulders- but whether we win or lose we are all together. If we lose I’ll work to get better and make sure we are all on track.

4.    Off the field, what is the biggest difference?

Smoot: The biggest difference this year is that players come to me for advice and I do my best to assist them.

Pettit: Other than that I am a senior and not a junior- not much.

Barnett: Grade-wise…last year was difficult as a freshman, but I look to have my feet under me this year and do better.

5.    Biggest takeaway from offseason workouts, practices?

Smoot: You only get one senior year and you have to make the best of it. You never know when a play will impact the game, so go one-hundred percent on each play.

Pettit: If you’re going to be in- all in. You can’t be on the edge or halfway. You need to commit yourself. Our coaching staff preaches that- they’re a bunch of characters. We have a lot of changes with a whole new range of people and it’s an interesting time.

Barnett: ALL IN. Go a hundred percent every play. Give in to the program.

Nitowski: We have a whole new defensive coaching staff. I love them. They know everything and teach us so well. Coach Johnson is with us every day. We have a pre-practice and I feel prepared every time I step on the field. Coach Evans is a lot more focused on both sides of the ball. We are looking great with a new QB. He’s looking to win as are we.


6.    Goals for the season?

Smoot: I want us to have a winning record and make the playoffs. My academic goal is to have a 4.0 GPA. Personally, I would like to have 1,000 yards receiving with at least 15 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

Pettit: I want to stay above a 3.5 so I can get into a good college, even if not for football. I want to have a winning season and go to the playoffs. I want to get better than last year.

Barnett: I want to average a 3.0 and to make the honor roll. I also want to run for 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Nitowski: I need to make the best of it in the classroom. Education first- do well there and move on to sports and make it the best year I’ve had.

7.    Schools of interest?

Smoot: The school I go to does not really matter to me. As long as I get the chance to play at the next level, I am extremely blessed.

Pettit: For academics, not really. But I have been looking at UVA, Richmond, Lafayette, Bucknell.

Barnett: I talk to Virginia Tech a lot. That’s my favorite school so far. I would want to be a lawyer.

Nitowski: CNU, Shippensburg, Hampton-Sydney. I’d like to study business and finance.


8.    Team goals?

Smoot: We want to go 1-0 every single week with a winning season and make the playoffs.

Pettit: We want a winning record at home.

Barnett: We want to have a winning record at home and beat Colgan. That’s a big one.

Nitowski: What they all said, plus win a playoff game.


9.    Mindset heading into Friday versus TC Williams?

Pettit: You got to hit them hard and hit them fast. If you don’t- they’ll put you in the ground. I want the fans to come out and cheer us on and we’ll be trying our hardest.

Barnett: Win. The fans need to come out and watch us beat TC.

Nitowski: We are going to win. It won’t be easy and we’ll put in all we have with 110% on each play. GO OP!

Keep it tuned to yellowjacketathletics.org for more on this year’s team including scores, game recaps, player profiles, players of the week and more.

Follow the team on Twitter @OPJackets and @OPHSfootball.

Follow Sean at @SeanNeutron.

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Thursday, June 14, 2018

Commonwealth Cup Weekend: It's a Thing





Last year, Nova Pro Wrestling debuted their Commonwealth Cup tournament as a one-night array of stacked matches. All sorts of debuting talent mixed it up with company mainstays for the right to raise the Cup. Logan Easton Laroux came out victorious, and an institution was born. Fast forward one year, and the Commonwealth Cup evolved into an entire weekend that featured three shows (two of which on Powerbomb.tv) and the first-ever women’s Commonwealth Cup tournament.

Things were off to a rocky start the week of the tournament. Heavy favorite Gunner Miller announced he had suffered a terrible injury that would keep him out for the rest of 2018. The first entrant announced- Eddie Kingston- would withdraw due to medical reasons. The debuting Chelsea Green would bow out of the tournament the same day. Nova Pro was in a bad spot, but you don’t run their level of shows for more than three years without a little resilience. Homicide would fill in for Gunner to face Beau Crockett, and Jonathan Gresham stepped in admirably to fight Dominic Garrini. The bubbly Barbi Hayden would be called up from non-tournament action to make her debut in style opposite Angelus Layne.

This article isn’t just to simply recap the winners (albeit ones with impressive runs/career trajectories). It’s to dig deeper and to describe the experience that is Commonwealth Cup weekend based not only on my perspective but those of the entrants, personnel and fans. Last year’s Commonwealth Cup was filled with action- but 2018 was a weekend to remember chalk full of their core roster, returning favorites and debuting talent.

Things I could start with:

-The winners (Jordynne Grace and Wheeler Yuta)
- The defending CWC winner (Logan Easton Laroux) losing in the opening match to Arik Royal
-Sage Philips’ run where he took beatings from Jimmy Jacobs and Dominic Garrini and still made the final round
-Angelus Layne staying a part of Nova Pro and wanting to watch it burn during her second-round match versus Allie Kat
-My guests from this week’s episodes of the  Squared Circle Soundoff (PCO and Tim Donst)
-The debuts of PCO, Nick Gage, Homicide and NWA Champion Nick Aldis (After typing that I had to read it again because it was so surreal having all 4 men in the same building.)

Instead I’ll start with Wes “Danger” Rogers. The Hampton, Virginia native and 2017 Nova BOC tryout attendee had shown up for the Mike Quackenbush seminar to soak in any and all knowledge he could. Ironically enough, he was the subject of a question posed by the MGB podcast during my talk with Tim Donst about his similar “Safety First” gimmick in VCW. The two would connect on Friday and find a way to team up later on that night. 

But Wes shouldn’t even be here. Two and a half years ago he was driving when a drunk driver being pursued by cops had gotten to the wrong side of the road and crashed head on at seventy miles per hour with him. Wes doesn’t remember much that night, but he would have plenty of mementos: a broken ankle, smashed knees, torn abdomen, severe concussion amongst other injuries. He’d spend 40 days in the hospital and have multiple surgeries as recent as August 2017 to help him live a normal life again.

“I'm a walking testament to both the triumphs and follies of modern medicine,” said the cheerful Rogers. Simply surviving that is a challenge in itself- let alone continuing his career as a professional wrestler. But hey, at least he has a stellar Storm Troopac tattoo as well.

Rogers would join the hottest act in the company, “Safety First” Tim Donst as part of the Safety Squad featuring “Cool Caution” Kyle, “Duct Tape” Doug and a few other new members: “Too Safe” Kevin Trash and “Sweeping” Scott Hallway. Chants of “SAFETY FIRST” and “TOO SAFE” permeated the Annandale Volunteer Fire Department. Even though Donst and Fred Yehi had faced off before, this felt different with their respective evolutions. Prior to the match, Yehi joined forces with Stokely Hathaway by bypassing signing a contract with a firm hug.

Everyone in the squad had their role, and the creativity incorporated was brilliant. Yehi brought his physical style but was constantly counteracted by the Safety Squad’s antics:


Yehi would score the submission win over my pick to win it all, but Tim would return on night 2 with a familiar foe. Despite not winning the CWC, Donst remained positive about the weekend as a whole.

“I love being around fresher outside talent. It's hip and refreshing to see guys like Homicide and PCO among the regular roster members. It allows for fresh matchups and team ups,” said Donst.

He continued, “I enjoy spending time with the regular roster members as well. Pro wrestlers really are a make shift family on the road and on the run. There's guys I consider to be my best friends that I see once every month. It makes sense- not only are you connected through an ultimate socially unacceptable art form fandom by performing but you also have to trust each other with your lives with every hold, move and match. Getting to spend more than thirty minutes talking to a locker-room mate on a busy show day is rare but this show allowed our family to get even stronger.”

One of the wildest things was kicking off the men’s tournament with two of Nova Pro’s cornerstones: the defending CWC winner, Logan Easton Laroux versus The Old Dominion Rumble winner Arik Royal. The two proved at Nova Project 3 they were capable of putting on an instant classic and did not disappoint here. Royal scored the win and ended Laroux’s streak of appearing on every show.

“It was a Shakespearean tragedy the likes of which the wrestling world has never seen,” said Logan.




 The Gated Community and Ed Dao would not have a fun weekend, as Alexander James also lost in the opening round to Wheeler Yuta. It was a match I had pegged as my dark horse to steal that round, and after seeing the storytelling between those two combined with their in-ring chemistry- I would easily put it up against any other first round match. Bobby Shields did beat Solo Darling, and James would redeem himself on night two with a win over Jimmy Jacobs. Each match had its own identity, and that was integral for such a loaded two days.

The action would continue with Powerbomb TV champion Tracy Williams defeating Curt Stallion with a piledriver and Sage Philips surviving two beatings by Jimmy Jacobs and Dominic Garrini. He’d not only live to tell about it- but wrestle the three other finalists. Like the rest of the field I talked to, Garrini only had positives to come from the weekend.

“The Commonwealth Cup was a great experience. Nova Pro is quickly building a tournament experience like other top flight independent promotions, especially with the addition of the women’s tournament. Guy, girl- it didn’t matter. The best in the world competed in both. For me it was awesome because I got the chance to wrestle opponents like Jon Gresham- one of the best wrestlers in the world- and an up-and-comer in Sage.”

Friday night would see 3 huge debuts: Homicide, Nick Gage and PCO. Homicide filled in for Gunner Miller and ended up tapping out Beau Crockett but would fall to Yuta in the second round due to a controversial three-count which left myself and the rest of the crowd stunned.

"I was happy with both of my matches until the ref stopped the match versus Yuta on Saturday night. I was bleeding and I felt at the time it was corny to stop the match- but I understand the rules are different in Virginia," Homicide would say later.

The main event was a match that when announced for the CWC, even promoter Mike E. King was in shock he managed to book it: Nick Gage versus PCO. Fans peppered the AVFD with chants of “WE’RE GONNA DIE”, “NICK F*CKING GAGE” and “PCO”. A few fans even suggested making “We survived Gage vs PCO” shirts. Simply put- the two did not disappoint.

By the way, PCO is fifty years old but he’s not human whatsoever:





 After the match, the audience either needed a drink, a smoke or both. What surprised me most was how quick and agile Gage was, and how fun it would have been to see him versus other CWC entrants.

PCO would come out on top and would take on Arik Royal in the second round. Following PCO for the weekend would be the talented filmmaker Kenny Johnson who has done documentaries for Evolve, Joey Janela, MJF and more. I got his thoughts on his experience at Nova Pro and with PCO.

“He’s a super nice guy who’s got an incredible amount of passion for wrestling. He’s not afraid to reinvent himself and take chances. He always wants to give one-hundred percent to each match. Filming was super easy. He was able to open up and give a lot of great insight on his career and thoughts on life in general,” said Johnson.

I got a chance to talk with PCO after night two, and we had a very laidback conversation. With as popular as the guy is these days, he never once made it feel rushed and gave me all the time in the world to catch up with him following our wonderful talk on the SCSO.

I had done a cover image for the podcast using a unique font that I felt fit his character, and Pierre was really impressed by it. He raved to me through messenger, but in person even more. He felt it really fit his character perfectly. The O with the target in it to him really personified him hunting his goals. That level of appreciation blew me away. 

"Nova Pro is a great company to perform for. They are very professional as are all the guys and girls in the locker-room. The crowd is very smart and engaged with all the matches, and I truly enjoyed this weekend. Under any circumstances, I always give my all,” said Pierre. 

Saturday was defined by two things: the women taking over and more storyline-driven matches as opposed to pure tournament competition. The eight women were busting their butts to make history, and the afternoon show was full of staples (Jordynne Grace, Allie Kat, Veda Scott, Angelus Layne, Faye Jackson), returns (Rachael Ellering, Mia Yim) and a lone debut (Barbi Hayden). Hayden was originally scheduled to take part in non- tournament action and was a replacement for Chelsea Green who bowed out late in the week. Hayden had her opportunity versus Layne who was fighting for her career with Nova Pro.

The first thing I noticed about the College Station, Texas product was how genuinely nice she was- which is why she’s a perfect fit for a locker room that lacks egos.


“Going into Nova Pro, I didn’t have many set expectations. I tend to leave preconceived notions at the door because I like to experience everything for my own judgement. The crowd was vivacious and friendly, the venue was brightly lit and well taken care of. I was a last-minute replacement and if you know me- you know I hate last minute changes,” said Hayden. “Despite not winning in the end, I’m very proud of my performance and cannot wait to return to such a classy and well-put together show that’s appropriate for all ages.”

Layne knew what the show meant for wrestling in general, no matter whether one is male or female.

“The 2018 women’s CWC wasn’t a tournament to showcase the talents of the top female competitors within Nova Pro, but rather step forward in showcasing talent regardless of gender- blurring the lines of ‘good for a woman’ or ‘good for a man’. All the women in the tournament delivered as professional wrestlers who all had the common goal of winning.”

Dennis from the Squared Circle Sirens would help with the majority of announcing duties for the tournament. He was kind enough to compose his thoughts in a very eloquent tweet:


A fun callback to last year’s tryout show was Veda Scott versus Allie Kat in a “teacher versus student” matchup. Scott came with a “crazy cat lady” gimmick which saw her toss stuffed cats into the crowd to the chagrin of Allie- one of which gave her a pretty stellar hip toss. Yes, you read that right. It also included the BRUTALITY of Veda being slammed into dry cat food. Allie would pick up the win with her trademark headbutt.

Elsewhere in the opening round, Jordynne Grace would have a fast-paced and competitive match with the lovely Rachael Ellering and come out on top. Mia Yim’s return was followed with a win over Faye Jackson.

The next round is where storylines played more of a role when Angelus lost to Allie Kat by not breaking the ref’s five count.





 “After winning my first-round match and securing my position in Nova Pro, I realized the Cup didn’t mean as much to me as revenge did. I made the decision to teach Allie Kat a lesson rather than advance to the finals. Continuing to make her, Mike E. King and Nova Pro as a whole suffer is more of a victory than anything.”

That left Northern Virginia’s own Mia Yim to take on the powerhouse Jordynne Grace. The two elite wrestlers went back and forth, but Grace would prove to be too much for Mia.

“I love the concept and am excited to see next year’s tournament,” said Yim.

By this point in the day, I started to feel a sense of exhaustion- but a powernap in between shows followed by a Redbull had me jacked and ready to go for the evening.

I feel like Stefon in Saturday Night Live. Saturday night had EVERYTHING: tournament matches, title matches, tag matches, returns, NO DQ matches, storyline advancement, etc. One of the more special moments was Crab Wrestling Champion Isaiah Frazier challenging Nick Aldis for the NWA championship with a spot at ALL IN on the line.

I have seen the talent in Isaiah, and him defeating Mack Buckler on night one felt like a long time coming. He moves effortlessly in the ring with accuracy and speed. He could use those as an advantage over Aldis, whereas Aldis would use his power and veteran savvy to outdo Frazier. The crowd has been behind Frazier the last few months, and on this night they were louder and more passionate than ever. 





 It was not meant to be tonight for Isaiah, but even in a loss he had a star-making performance.

“That match was amazing. He’s a great wrestling mind. I definitely look forward to doing it again. He told me he loved being at Nova and said it was fun,” said Isaiah.

Aldis expressed plenty of respect for the young talent, and his fondness for Nova Pro as a whole.

“I had a good time at the Commonwealth Cup and was very impressed by the professionalism of the promotion. Isaiah has come a long way in a short period of time and hung in there very well with me. He deserved the standing ovation he got at the end of the match. If he continues to work hard and develop his character he has a bright future in the business.

There were lots of great talent at the show that I have never seen before- both male and female. Scouting potential future opponents and talent for future NWA projects is always exciting to me.
I hope I get to return to Nova Pro as I had a great time and I'm fairly close being in Richmond. I would like to see them prosper and enjoy working with younger talent.”

Donst and Gage would be the perfect opponents for The Carnies. The odd couple duo gave me flashbacks of The Rock N’ Sock Connection on a Nova Pro scale, and it was just the first part of the fantastic storytelling throughout the match. 

Despite being so good at being bad, the crowd truly enjoyed seeing the Circus return to Northern Virginia and Kerry Awful reflected on the moment.

“It’s probably been what- like two, three, four months since we were last at Nova Pro? It’s funny, because I never really know how the crowd is going to react to us there. I would say that Nick, Tripp and I are probably the most polarizing figures there. One night they might be threatening to stab our tires and the next moment they are beating our drum into battle. I think there was more than a few people secretly chanting ‘welcome back’. I think we were able to make something special happen with Gage & Donst. Especially when I powerbombed Donst so hard it knocked him back into his former identity. Even though we won the match, I don’t feel as if I’m done with Gage. When he ripped my shirt, and I took my mask off — there was a brief moment where it felt time stopped and the crowd felt something very special.”

Nick chimed in as well. “I’ll say this about Nova Pro- it’s got one of the most dynamic, well-rounded locker rooms along with one of the most die-hard fan bases. Anytime our busy schedule lines up, we jump at the opportunity to be there.” 





Donst would be reincarnated as his pre-Safety First self, but The Carnies would come out on top. The fallout was almost more important than the preceding match. Gage got into it with Donst and the two began to set up a match at a later date, but even more pressing- Beau decided the circus tent was getting just a bit too crowded.

"The Carnies- Nick, Kerry, Trip...they claimed to be my brothers," said Beau. "They claimed they were going to be family and with their help The Beau Show would be the Main Attraction of the Carnival. Where did they go? what did they do? Where did my loyalty to them get me? I became the Main Attraction on my own anyway. Turns out I didn't need their help, and I owe them nothing. Not one bit of my effort unless it's to burn the big top to the ground."

“Beau talks about where we have been or what have we done for him? We didn’t have his back. Beau should have learned a lesson in being self-reliant,” said Kerry. “That’s the first rule of being a Carny. We don’t cheat because we have to, we cheat because we want to. We’re going to see if we can fleece the Gated Community out of a small house payment to get rid of him. There is nothing the circus likes more than getting paid to do something they love, and Beau — destroying him is something we are going to love doing.” 

Nick echoed the sentiment, saying “He threw away his future. If it wasn’t for the Carnies, he’d still be dancing with Innocent Isaiah and fading into obscurity. We gave his career a resurgence. He failed to get past the first round, so it’s probably best he removed himself from the Carnies to save us any more embarrassment.”


The women’s tournament would conclude with an epic match between Jordynne Grace and Allie Kat. It was two of the best in ring performers the company has to offer, and the psychology on display was brilliant. Jordynne’s leg was bothering her from earlier in the day, and Allie’s back had been destroyed by Gothicc. She had the KT tape to prove it, but the glory of being the first ever women’s Commonwealth Cup winner was on the line. Both targeted the problem areas, and Grace would use Air Jordynne, forearms and eventually a bearhug to submit the valiant feline. 





 The significance of the win was not lost on Grace, “I was lucky and unlucky in the fact that I had three incredible opponents throughout the tournament. Lucky in the fact that all three of these women, Rachael, Mia, and Allie, are all incredible wrestlers, among the best in the world, and unlucky in that there was no match I could go easy or ‘phone it in’. I had three matches I was proud of and really gave it my all throughout the entire day. I am extremely grateful and humbled to have won it.”

The men’s final still had one spot open, and Royal vs PCO decided who got in. It was the hossiest of hoss battles, and if you think PCO was slowing down, you’re damn wrong. Dude was still diving through the ropes, frog-splashing and moonsaulting his ass off to try and win. Royal’s resilience came in to play and he’d secure that final spot.

Yuta, Royal, Philips and Tracy Williams would be that final four. The action as expected was fast and furious with Williams being eliminated first by Royal, then Sage by Royal, then finally Yuta wins with the STF. Not a lot of people saw his win coming, and the crowd was happy for him but still in a state of shock. Even less people expected what followed: Homicide brutally attacking Yuta postmatch, destroying the Cup and demanding ring announcer Bryan Hughes declare him the winner of the tournament.

“Winning the tournament really meant a lot to me because I felt like it was a unique task that I was able to accomplish. To come in and wrestle six completely different competitors in two days is nothing to scoff at. I pride myself on adaptability and using my intelligence and scientific approach to get the win, and I feel like I did that this weekend. I needed significant resilience as well, and I like to think I showed that as well. Hopefully I proved that Wheeler Yuta is the future.”

He might have had a winning afterglow but the extracurricular activities were not lost on him.

“I was less than happy to be attacked by Homicide. I understand there was some controversy following our second-round match, but I would have happily fought in a rematch at American Slang without the attack. That was supposed to be my moment in Nova Pro, but I guess I'll just have to come out on top at American Slang and get my moment then.” Nova Pro announced earlier this week the two will face off at American Slang.”

Two shows in a day is long for anyone, especially the competitors- but the reaction I have heard from fans, friends, personnel and wrestlers is nothing but positive. Todd Meyers, who the fans have dubbed “Buff Ref” compared this CWC to last year’s.

“I thought the talent level and match quality were noticeably better. The biggest story for me coming out of the trio of shows this weekend was the return of Tim Donst and his development with Nick Gage. That match will be insane. Homicide is set to unleash havoc on Nova Pro, too. While the tournament was great, those bigger stories will headline a hot summer for Nova Pro.”

The weekend wasn’t over there, as The Cue Club down the street held post show festivities. In one room you had Nick Gage playing Homicide in pool, and the two could not have been cooler and more appreciative of the fan support.

In the next room? Karaoke.

Tim Donst and Breaux Keller were the all-stars, planning out what songs were next and killing it each time they performed.  You couldn’t help but sing-along, dance and let loose. The highlight was the entire room singing the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way”:




 It was a way to cap off a fantastic weekend, especially for Breaux who had two wins in two nights.

“It’s definitely an honor being on these shows with such a talented roster. It’s very humbling for me and to snag a couple of W’s. Hopefully I can take this momentum and keep it rolling as I try to climb the ladder all the way up. Also, I’m trying to be somewhere close to being as cool as ‘Cool Caution’ Kyle,” he told me.

You’ll never be as cool as “Cool Caution’ Kyle, Breaux. But Donst finished things off with the reason why Commonwealth Cup weekend is officially “a thing”:

“The Nova Pro fans rule. Not only are they super positive, super loud but super interactive. I think their creation of my ‘Safety First" variant is proof of that. Mike King didn't create it. I didn't have anything to do with it. The crowd did- and that rules. That's wrestling. Need more proof? One of the greatest moments of my life was not only seeing a sea of safety vests during the show but afterwards while doing "bust a move" someone moved a safety cone on stage with me…in real life. Even after the show the bond between performer and crowd member and fun is all in the same. I had the greatest wrestling and karaoke time this past weekend. The fans made it so.”

I already have a list of songs in mind for the next karaoke night, and only one goal: Nick Gage leading everyone in his version of “The Safety Dance”.

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know @SeanNeutron and follow @SCSOpod.

All images* via @JayLeeAC.

*Image of PCO by Kenny Johnson
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