Golden Eagles Reload After Senior Losses

Moneta, VA- Staunton River High School’s wrestling team stepped into the 2025-26 season carrying the weight of high expectations—and heavy losses. After graduating a historic senior class that propelled the program to new heights, including college-bound standouts Noah Nininger, Macon Ayers, Josh Kelly, Landon Jobber-Spence, and Colin Martin, outsiders wondered if the Golden Eagles could sustain their dominance in Virginia high school wrestling. Those questions found swift answers at the home-hosted 2025 River Rumble on December 6, where Staunton River seized the team title with a commanding 239.5 points, outdistancing William Byrd (183.5) and Richlands (170.5) in a field of tough regional competition.

Head coach Scott Fike never wavered in preseason discussions, framing the campaign as a classic reload rather than any kind of step back. “Nothing changes—it’s the next man up mentality this community and all wrestlers know what the tradition is and what the expectations are every year,” Fike declared. He pointed to a deep bench of emerging leaders, including Cael Short, Colton McGuire, Owen Borden, and defending state champion Graydon Martin, plus Lawson Ayers stepping up vocally in the wake of his brother Macon’s departure. Fike outlined a clear stylistic identity: “I really expect this team to continue to be a high-scoring team on our feet, always looking for offense and push the pace... Our goal is to pour it on in the third period.” His process remains simple yet rigorous: “We just want to continue to improve and get 1% better every day... If we take it one week at a time, make the necessary adjustments, and execute what we’re working on, I think this team can be right in the thick of things when the season ends.”

That philosophy shone brightly at the River Rumble, where the team's depth from 126 to 175 pounds powered a balanced attack, exposing minimal weaknesses in a young but battle-ready lineup. Fike has intentionally stacked the schedule with proving grounds—the Indian Classic in Tennessee early in December, a northern Virginia showdown against 5A/6A powers at month's end, War on the Shore in Ocean City, Maryland, plus elite national tests like Ironman and Escape the Rock for top individuals, and WSAZ in West Virginia as a final pre-postseason tune-up. These events will sharpen the Golden Eagles for region, and state pursuits.

Defending state champion Graydon Martin stands as the emotional and competitive cornerstone, blending individual drive with team-first resolve. Heading into the year, he laid out his vision plainly: “My goals this year are to chase both an individual and team state title. I want to score lots of points and wrestle the best the state has to offer.” Brushing off doubters, Martin leaned into the room's internal fire: “People don’t see us as strong this season but we have a standard in our room that we hold each other to. We have the best coaches in the state and we don’t view this as a down year.”

At 175 pounds, transfer, Colton McGuire injects podium-proven grit after his third-place state finish with Franklin County last season. “After last year getting third, I want to win states and I want to win it in a dominant way. Besides states I want to be ranked in the country,” he proclaimed. His offseason at Noke Wrestling RTC yielded tangible upgrades: “I think if made major jumps this summer working with great groups of guys at SR and Noke and I've been focused on my hand fighting, breaking guys and I think my top and bottom are completely different than a year ago.” McGuire eyes leadership as his edge: “Leadership is very important, and I’m going to show leadership through my actions in the wrestling room and outside of it, especially as one of the older guys on a young team.. With me at Staunton River, I’m going to help this team win a team state title.”

Sophomore Owen Borden channels the underclassmen's collective rise, hungry to extend the program's podium tradition. “I would describe us as a really good young team with great kids. A successful season would be getting our entire team on the podium at big tournaments,” Borden assessed. He zeroed in on foundational work: “At the beginning of the season, gas tanks are the biggest thing we like to get a jump on. Making sure we are strong through all three periods is huge, and not a lot of guys can wrestle like that.” Drawing from the seniors' blueprint, he added, “Staunton River needs to be known as a tough program with a bunch of great kids with great abilities.”

Freshman Cael Short hits the ground running, fully immersed in the Golden Eagles' demanding culture. “We have a room full of leaders that set a great example. I lead the same way, through hard work and by example. Wrestling hard the entire six minutes and never giving up are things I take pride in,” he explained. Short's mindset aligns perfectly with the group's mission: “My goals are chasing individual and team state titles... People don’t see us as strong this season but we have a standard in our room that we hold each other to.”

Momentum surges into the winter schedule after the River Rumble statement, but Fike's postseason charge captures the unshakeable ethos: “Go be yourselves and go make a name for yourselves. Everyone is counting us out because of what we lost last year. Go out every match and light up the scoreboard and just have fun. The results will come.” Armed with depth, determination, and an ironclad standard, Staunton River wrestling looks primed to author another chapter of sustained excellence.