Last week, LMS Wrestling faced a tough test against Downingtown Middle School, falling 49–33. Our wrestlers competed hard throughout the lineup, battling in every position and continuing to gain valuable match experience.
What stood out even more was the response. LMS Wrestling bounced back in a big way with a decisive 56–27 victory over Fugett Middle School, showing resilience, focus, and growth. Finishing 2025 with a 3–1 record, this group continues to take important steps forward.
That kind of response—learning from adversity and answering it with effort and execution—is something to be encouraged by as we head into the rest of the season.
The East grapplers opened up their dual meet campaign of 2025-2026 in a tri-meet down in Ardmore at the home of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, Lower Merion HS. The Cougars faced Quakertown from the Suburban League and Lower Merion from the Central League. East fell to Quakertown 27-38, but rebounded to beat Lower Merion 43-21 in a decisive display. Double winners on the day were Charlie Dunbar (107), Christian Fosmire (121), and Cade McDowell (172). Also, congrats go out to first-time Varsity wrestlers Max Zambrano (139) and Joe Duque (189) for picking up clutch wins in the second dual. Nice job Cougars! Next up, the Marple Newtown tribute tournament on Monday 12/29. Until then, Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!
The Lionville Middle School wrestling team is off to an excellent start to the season, opening with back-to-back victories and showing early signs of grit, depth, and teamwork.
On December 4, 2025, Lionville earned an impressive 48–30 win over Charles F. Patton, highlighted by seven pins. The team set the tone early, wrestling aggressively and capitalizing on scoring opportunities from top to bottom in the lineup.
They followed that performance with another strong showing on December 10, defeating North Brandywine 39–23 to move to 2–0 on the season. While the scores tell part of the story, the real takeaway has been the team’s energy, discipline, and commitment to competing hard in every match.
We’re excited to keep this momentum going. The wrestlers are learning quickly, and thanks to the athletes’ strong work ethic and a mission-driven coaching staff, there’s a lot to be excited about as the season continues.
Next up, the Lions hit the road to take on Downingtown Middle School today, followed by another away match against Fugett Middle School on Saturday. This team is building something special, and we’re looking forward to what lies ahead.
This past weekend, D-East wrestling travelled west to District 3 and the farmlands of Pequea Valley and their brand new high school. The competition was an 8-team individual tournament held out in “cow country.” The Cougars arrived with 25 competitors and won the event with 186 pts, finishing ahead of runners-up Muhlenberg. East had four champions in the McDowell brothers (Declan at 145 and Cade at 172), Charlie Dunbar (107) and Colin Smith (215). Christian Fosmire (121) finished 2nd along with Mike James (114), Nick Capell (160) and Colin Kimble (215). Congrats also goes out to Jonah Myers (160) for wrestling back hard to take 3rd place in his first varsity competition. Next up, a date with Lower Merion and Quakertown to open our dual meet season! Keep up the hard work Cougars!
Downingtown East Wrestling opened it’s 2025-2026 tournament campaign at the Chesmont championships at WC Rustin high school on Saturday 12/6. All twelve Chesmont schools loaded up for an early season collision in West Chester and the action was furious to say the least. The Cougars entered their top 13 competitors to battle and see where they stood in December as the year comes to an end. East finished in 6th place with 128 points and 8 place-winners. Charlie Dunbar (107), Christian Fosmire (121), and Declan McDowell (145) were the lone finalists each finishing 2nd after battling through the championship rounds. Cade McDowell (172) lost a tough semifinal, but wrestled back hard to take 3rd. Nick Capell (5th at 160), Colin Smith (5th at 215), Karsten Hodge (5th at 285), and Mike James (6th at 114) rounded out the other Cougar medalists. East finished in the middle of the pack and now know they are capable of more. Next up, a date out in Lancaster County at Pequea Valley HS. Good luck Cougars!!
The Downingtown East Wrestling team capped off an exciting season with its annual end-of-season banquet, recognizing the hard work, dedication, and achievements of its athletes. This special event also welcomed the Lionville Middle School wrestlers, reinforcing the strong bond between the programs as the next generation of Cougars prepares for the future.
The evening was highlighted by the presentation of team awards, celebrating individual excellence, resilience, and improvement.
Downingtown East High School Award Winners:
🏆 Top Gun: Caleb Aikens (11th Grade) – A relentless competitor, Caleb made a high impact on the mat, always seeking bonus points for the team.
🏆 Cougar MVP: Declan McDowell (11th Grade) – Declan’s outstanding performance and leadership set him apart as the team’s most valuable contributor this season.
🏆 DEHS Most Outstanding Wrestler (DEHSMOW): Valen Piff (12th Grade) – This prestigious award, recognized on the school’s perpetual plaque, honors Valen’s excellence and dedication throughout his high school career.
🏆 Most Improved: Christian Fosmire (11th Grade) – Christian’s hard work and determination paid off as he showed the most growth over the course of the season.
🏆 Lion Heart Award: Colin Smith (9th Grade) – A true warrior, Colin battled through challenges, demonstrating perseverance and an unwavering commitment to his team.
🏆 Rookie of the Year: Chris Munoz (12th Grade) – In his first and only season of wrestling, Chris made an immediate impact on the team. His ability to step into the sport as a senior and compete at a high level was nothing short of impressive.
Lionville Middle School Award Winners:
🏆 MVP: Charlie Dunbar – Charlie led by example, proving to be an essential part of the middle school team’s success.
🏆 Most Improved: Beau Carlson – Through dedication and effort, Beau made significant strides in his performance this season.
The banquet was a night of reflection and celebration, honoring not only individual accomplishments but also the teamwork and camaraderie that define the Downingtown East wrestling program. As the Cougars say goodbye to their seniors and look ahead to the future, the foundation remains strong, and the program continues to build a legacy of excellence.
Congratulations to all the award winners and the entire team on a fantastic season!
The official 2024-2025 wrestling season finished this weekend for the Downingtown East Cougars. The remaining wrestlers, Christian Fosmire (114) and Declan McDowell (133) battled hard, but were unable to secure one of the coveted 5 place-finishes needed to advance. Christian finished 1-2 and Declan went 0-2 as the tournament was challenging from the start. Congrats to them for making this stage of the game and putting forth full effort for DE. Now is time for reflection and goal-setting. It is easy to see just what this sport takes and what type of work must be put in to ensure improvement. Like many wrestling connoisseurs say, “it is not rocket science.” Wrestlers must study, work, refine, mostly when their future opponents are not doing those things. This is the only way. Best of luck to all, and see you at the DE Wrestling banquet on 3/10! INVICTUS
On Saturday 2/22, Downingtown East sent their top 13 wrestlers to the District 1 South tournament at Oxford HS. The district is now 21 teams in size and the competitive edge gets sharper each year. Only the top six in each weight class qualify for next weekend’s regional tournament at Souderton HS. In the end, DE finished in 15th place and qualified two wrestlers for progression. Juniors Christian Fosmire (114) and Declan McDowell (133) both made it to the bronze medal match and placed 4th. Congratulations to them for grinding out the needed wins. Much appreciation also goes out to seniors Chris Munoz (121), Valen Piff (127), Frankie Hydutsky (145), and Scott Zhang (160) who laid it on the line at districts and came up short, but have fought for the blue and gold all season long. Now, a new week is on the horizon and our two remaining wrestlers have a shot to fight their way into the top 5 and carve out a spot at the PIAA State Tournament. Good luck gentlemen!
Downingtown East Wrestling 