Edgren's Anthony Mulhall beat Kadena's Cedric Ferguson in the 114-pound final to become the Eagles' first Far East weight-class champion in 11 years. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Some events tend to stay in an athlete’s memory for whatever reason.
For Anthony Mulhall, it was Dec. 1, 2023, when he and his Robert D. Edgren wrestling team competed in the Christian Academy Japan Invitational.
Mulhall, then a freshman who was new to the sport, finished out of the running at 114 pounds, a weight class won by Gavin Cadalli of Nile C. Kinnick. In second place was Hugo Miyamoto of St. Mary’s, who beat Mulhall and went on to win a Far East tournament weight-class title.
That bout, and that particular opponent, Mulhall said he always remembered. Whether he wrestled him at a later tournament or just watched him compete, Mulhall said he studied Miyamoto, his moves and how to counter them.
“I watched him and his movements and when he was about to take a shot,” Mulhall said. “I noticed him against other opponents when he would take a shot on them.”
By the time the two faced each other at last month’s Far East tournament at Camp Zama, Miyamoto was a two-time Far East champion, but Mulhall said he was better prepared this time around.
“When he did the same (move) on me, I would counter it,” Mulhall said. “I was a little nervous, but I watched the way he wrestled and used it to my advantage to avoid his good moves.”
And win Mulhall did, pinning Miyamoto in 1 minute, 2 seconds in the 114-pound quarterfinal. Mulhall would go on to decision Kadena’s Cedric Ferguson 14-12 in the final, giving him the title.
It was Edgren’s first Far East weight-class champion since Kaleb Atchison won at 141 pounds in 2014.
And for all that, Mulhall has been named Stars and Stripes’ Pacific boys wrestling Athlete of the Year.
Mulhall, team captain as a sophomore, would go on to finish 23-5 during the season and did not lose again after the “Beast of the Far East” tournament in January at St. Mary’s.
He hadn’t even planned on wrestling for Edgren when he arrived 20 months ago. He was in coach Justin Edmonds’ art class “and he bugged me for three weeks about joining, so I told him I would give it a shot,” Mulhall said.
It was an education, he said, learning what to eat and what not to, how to maintain weight, learn how to be successful on the mat.
But it was something Mulhall said he learned at midseason from assistant coach Shawn Joseph that he said made him better and helped give him confidence.
“He came in and taught me stateside techniques that helped me score more points,” Mulhall said. “Just to keep wrestling. Don’t let the takedowns happen to me. And when I get takedowns myself, believing I could keep getting more.”
The constant, Mulhall said, was Edmonds’ coaching mannerisms. The 80-year-old art teacher has won more Far East tournament titles, 15, than any other DODEA coach in Pacific history.
“He didn’t let us get distracted,” Mulhall said. “We came there only to wrestle, he said, so we kept our focus. He pushed us during practice and kept us focused, kept the discipline.”
Mulhall is the only sophomore who’s ever served as Edgren’s team captain in all of Edmonds’ 19 seasons at the Eagles’ helm.
“He’s shown leadership, he’s settled down a lot,” Edmonds said. “Wrestling has helped him as much as he’s helped us. I’m proud to have him part of the team. Hopefully, he’ll take it to another level.”
If he does, it will be someplace besides Misawa; Mulhall and his family are transferring back to California after the school year.
“If I put in enough work, I’ll enjoy doing it after high school,” Mulhall said, adding that he’s considering wrestling for one of the Armed Forces teams. “I’ve look at that quite a bit.”
The Mulhall file
Anthony Mulhall
Age — 16
Hometown — Lincoln, Calif.
Other sports besides wrestling — Track and field, cross country, soccer.
Favorite school subject — Chemistry.
Least favorite school subject — Math.
Favorite form of media entertainment — Movies.
Favorite athlete — Spencer Lee.
Favorite performer — Adam Sandler.
