Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 12, 1992 TAG: 9201120210
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PHYLLIS A. FAIR SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
FRANKLIN COUNTY WINS BIG ORANGE
If there is a team that can defy the odds, it has to be Franklin County.Saturday night at William Byrd High School, the Eagles won the 16th annual Big Orange Classic, overcoming a strong field to become the first team to win the wrestling tournament five consecutive times.
The Eagles broke the record they shared with William Fleming for the number of consecutive titles.
The Eagles finished with 207 1/2 points, followed by Brookville with 180 1/2, Lord Botetourt with 141 1/2, William Fleming with 131 and Northside with 111.
Keno Shepherd of William Fleming successfully defended his title in the 103-pound division, beating Darin Wray of Franklin County in a 10-0 decision.
The other defending champions weren't as fortunate.
Thomas Simmons (145) of Franklin County lost 8-6 to fourth-seeded Corey Steuk of Brookville in the semifinals.
Steuk went on to win the title.
"I tried. I don't have any regrets," said Simmons. "He was better than I was, and I just couldn't get focused in on my match."
Lord Botetourt's 152-pound champion, Bryan Anderson, lost 3-2 to Cave Spring's Todd Doughty, and heavyweight champion Tony Inge of Martinsville lost 7-2 to Brent Hughes of Heritage.
Franklin County coach Kris Kahila was extremely pleased with his team's fifth title.
"It was great to do that," said Kahila. "I thought the overall field of wrestlers was the best I've seen it."
Kahila said the key for the Eagles was during consolation semifinals.
"We won the tournament in the consolation semifinals," Kahila said. "I was concerned at the semifinal. We weren't at our best, but we did good enough to win it. I'm proud of the kids. I told the kids a champion wins even when he's not at his best."
During the consolation round, the Eagles won five out of six of their matches.
"It wasn't the prettiest, but it was nice," Kahila said. "It was a happy ending for us."
Franklin County and William Fleming had been tied for the number of consecutive titles, but the Eagles came into Vinton ready to break the record.
Before the Eagles became a powerhouse, William Fleming dominated the Big Orange, winning from 1980-83. For the next two years, the title switched hands between the Eagles and the Colonels.
Cave Spring won it in 1986, but after that it was all Franklin County.
In the day's other upset, Franklin County's Derrick Poindexter, seeded No. 1 at 160 pounds, lost to Martinsville's Speros Koumparakis, the No. 4 seed.
Poindexter, who had 16 pins heading into the match, lost a 5-4 decision in the semifinals.
The No. 2 seed at 160, Dana Booth of Brookville, lost to the eventual Big Orange champion Edward Jones of William Fleming.
Franklin County wrestlers were exuberant about being a part of the team that broke the record.
"I don't think anybody is going to catch that record in a long time," said Isreal Gilbert, the 135-pound champion.
Gilbert was Franklin County's only champion. He beat Andrew Osborn of Cave Spring by default. Gilbert was winning in the third period when the match had to be stopped because Osborn's severe nose bleed.
The match was Gilbert's second in two days. The other was against Chris Lukanich of Brookville, whom he pinned in 56 seconds in the second round.
Gilbert said he would have liked to have wrestled more.
"I felt I had to wrestle well because I was tense," he said. "Once I got out there, though, I was right and ready to go."
Glenvar, which had done well in the first day of competition, finished 12th with 43 points and one Big Orange champion.
Glenvar's Brandon Semones beat Franklin County Brian Witcher 3-0 in the 171 class.
"I thought I was capable of winning, but I was a little unsure because I haven't wrestled this high quality until the state," said Semones, the Group A state champion.
Glenvar coach David Mueller said he was proud of the team.
"I thought we would get two titles, but I'm very pleased with one," said Mueller. "Some teams had been here three or four years and don't have any champions, and we have one. We are here to stay definitely." \
see microfilm for box score