Nevada Preps: Liberty’s Melvin Whitehead eyes 4th state wrestling title

When Melvin Whitehead showed up to his first wrestling practice during the summer before his freshman year, Liberty High coach Nick Gaitanos assumed he was looking at just another rookie wrestler.

He was wrong, as his entire program was about to take a major turn for the better.

Whitehead, now a senior, has since changed Gaitanos’ approach to the sport. The powerful wrestler, competing in the 215-pound weight class, has won three state championships and is nearing his quest for one more.

“We didn’t expect him,” Gaitanos said. “He just fell into the school. In the first practice of summer intramurals, he just came in and started taking down some of our team captains.”

Gaitanos was unaware that Whitehead had established himself as a top-caliber wrestler and football player in Georgia long before landing at Liberty.

Whitehead immediately took control of his weight class as a freshman en route to a state championship, then won another as a sophomore. And another as a junior.

And as he approaches the end of his final season, there appears to be no force capable of stopping him from winning a fourth title.

“I plan on winning the state tournament,” said Whitehead, who has racked up seven dual-meet and four tournament titles this season. “The only thing that can get in my way is probably just me.”

Though Whitehead is physically powerful, it’s his ability to think on his feet that sets him apart from the rest.

“He has something way beyond his physical abilities,” Gaitanos said. “He has a mindset for wrestling. While other kids are playing checkers, he’s playing chess.”

Whitehead, who recently completed his fourth year as a standout linebacker for Liberty’s football program, said his mental game has progressed significantly this season.

“This might be my best year from a growth standpoint,” he said. “As a wrestler, you’ve got to be able to dominate mentally as well as physically. I didn’t really embody that until this year. You’ve got to be able to outsmart people.”

Whitehead, who dedicates three to four hours a day to his training, has committed to wrestle at Arizona State next year, and his coach expects the success to continue.

“We haven’t seen anything yet,” Gaitanos said. “It’s going to be scary.”

Whitehead’s plate will be full at Arizona State. He will take his 4.0 GPA into the biomedical sciences program before entering medical school.

Meanwhile, he will continue to wrestle, with an eye on a collegiate championship and trip to the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Gaitanos expects his top wrestler to continue as a positive influence.

“He has such an effect on the people around him,” the coach said. “He has brought up this senior class. He’s the captain. He helps the other wrestlers with their training, and he helps them with their school work. He will leave a permanent mark at Liberty.”

Liberty is ranked second in the region behind SLAM Academy, followed by Moapa Valley, Foothill and Centennial. Regional postseason action begins Jan. 31.

Bowling

The Centennial boys are top-ranked in Class 5A with less than a month remaining in the season. Palo Verde and Desert Oasis share the second spot, with Shadow Ridge and Liberty rounding out the top five.

Centennial’s Tyler Castronova led a 7-2 victory over Coronado on Friday to maintain the top individual ranking with a 219 average. He’s followed by Palo Verde’s Jack Grossman (214), Shadow Ridge’s Jerrad Barczyszyn (213), Liberty’s Daryus Alo (213) and Clark’s Jared Lee (206).

The Palo Verde girls are ranked No. 1 in 5A, followed by Corondo, Desert Oasis, Silverado and Clark.

Coronado’s Calee Berry is first in the individual rankings with a 176 average, followed by Desert Oasis’ Desirae Hunt (169), Palo Verde’s Wing Liu Lee (166) and Jessica Read (164), and Liberty’s Sophie Medellin (161).

Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.