Steady Progression Helps Obama Academy Defend City League Wrestling Title, Prepare for PIAA class 3A West Regional

Eagles junior wrestler Mikel Jordan, who only won 10 matches in his first two seasons, has compiled a 22-10 record and won his first City League title at 114 pounds. Four Eagles' wrestlers won City championships to help Obama Academy defend its City League team title.

The Obama Academy wrestling team won its second consecutive City League championship by edging out Taylor Allderdice by a half point last weekend. / Obama Academy wrestling

Mikel Jordan came to wrestling seeking a way to sharpen his skills for football. The Obama Academy junior discovered another activity that also required years of hard work to succeed.

“I was 8 years old,” Jordan said. “I was playing football, and I wasn’t good. My mom signed me up for wrestling to help me improve my tackling.”

Jordan beat Taylor Allderdice’s Raymond Bronocwicz by tech fall last weekend to win his first 114-pound City League championship. It was the culmination of three years of improvement for Jordan. During his freshman and sophomore seasons, Jordan only won 10 matches combined.

This year, Jordan is 22-10 and is hoping to make an impact at the PIAA Class 3A West Regional this weekend at Canon-McMillan. 

“He rededicated himself to the sport of wrestling,” Eagles coach Clifford Curtis said. “I think him wrestling year-round this past summer doing Greco and freestyle helped him. The exposure he’s gotten has changed his trajectory with his confidence and commitment.”

The Eagles have won consecutive City League crowns thanks to the improvement of wrestlers like Jordan. Obama Academy won the City League team title last weekend with 159 points, edging out Allderdice by a half point, thanks to improvement throughout the roster.

Charles Bottoms (133 pounds), Daniel Cabiness (152) and Shawn Scott (189) all won City League titles in addition to Jordan. Scott and Cabiness have both made four-win improvements from last season. Senior Zay Dixon finished second in the City, but also increased his win total by four to reach the 20-win plateau for the first time.

Curtis said he hopes to see them continue that improvement at regionals. The PIAA changed the regional structure this year, combining the Northwest and Southwest Regional. The event will feature 64 teams from Districts 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Five competitors from each weight class will go on to states.

“Hopefully, the moment won’t be too big,” Curtis said. “They’ll be ready. All 12 kids made it to regionals.”

Bottoms increased his win total by eight so far, having a team-best 25-8 record, and he is 45-25 in his career. Bottoms has won back-to-back City titles. 

He started training at the Division I Training Center last summer with Jordan. They have both gotten into competing in Greco and freestyle to help prepare for the high school season.

“I started going last summer,” Bottoms said. “It opened up a lot of opportunities. I wrestled guys in Florida, Ohio and New Jersey. I learned different styles.”

Curtis said that Bottoms and Jordan’s growth was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The middle school program, which competes in the spring, was shut down for several years.

“Mat is very key,” Curtis said. “Both of them had no mat time. Zero. They didn’t compete anywhere. Once they got on the mat, they were able to get more comfortable with the training and believe in the technique.”

Jordan said he wasn’t committed initially to the sport. But as he spent more time working on it, Jordan gained the desire to battle through adversity. During his freshman season, Jordan was pinned in 21 seconds in the City championship. 

When Jordan made the final again the next year, an 11-9 loss to Carrick’s Jadion Jones felt like a big boost mentality.

“I felt loose in that match,” Jordan said. “I didn’t have the anxiety that I used to have when I was stepping on the mat.”

Bottoms and Jordan each received a confidence boost by reaching the blood round of the Allegheny County Wrestling Tournament. Bottoms, who started wrestling when he was 12, is determined to pick up more postseason wins.

“I’m trying to improve. I’ve only been wrestling for so long, and these guys have been wrestling since they were little,” Bottoms said. “Honestly, this is a mindset thing. This is a learning experience. I know I will run into some guys I can’t beat, but I want to do my best.”

--Josh Rizzo | rizzo42789@gmail.com | @J_oshrizzo