WRESTLERS START QUESTS FOR STATE TITLES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 20, 1992                   TAG: 9202280397
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Bob McLelland Correspondent
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
WRESTLERS START QUESTS FOR STATE TITLES
Forty-five wrestlers, including 13 regional champions, will compete Friday and Saturday in three state wrestling tournaments, while 42 Group AAA wrestlers will start competition in the Northwest Regional meet at Franklin County High School.
In the State Group A, which begins at 1 p.m. Friday at the Salem Civic Center, two of Glenvar's five entries - unbeaten junior Brandon Semones (171) and junior Jason Porter (152) - will be trying to earn their second consecutive titles. But both athletes will be up a weight this season.
James River, which won both the Pioneer District and Region C team championships, will have two regional winners, junior John Miller (130) and unbeaten junior Tony Bocanegra (103) among its 10 entries in the meet.
Lord Botetourt likely will have the strongest Metro entries in the state Group AA at Hampton University. Three - junior Dan Sell (125), sophomore Bobby Stewart (130) and senior Bryan Anderson (151) - of the Cavaliers' five entries are regional champions.
Blue Ridge District winner Northside will send six athletes, including regional winners freshman Clifford Dunford (103) and junior Robin Keeling (140) to Hampton, while William Byrd qualifed four, including regional winner senior Derek Linderman (135). Senior heavyweight David Anthony will lead the four Staunton River entries, while Salem will have nly one entry, undefeated senior Luqman Wade. (119).
North Cross coach Ed Dickinson said he plans to take 10 athletes to the Independent Schools' state tournamant at Norfolk Academy even though only junior Aaron Lang 9171) won in the Virginia Independent conference championships.
The entire teams from Franklin County, Roanoke Valley District winner, and William Fleming qualified for the Northwest Regional that starts Friday at 1 p.m.
Fleming has two RVD winners, unbeaten junior Keno Shepherd (103) and sophomore John Brandon 9112), in the meet.
RVD winners, Mike Zirkle (130) and Ryan Taylor (189), both Cave Spring juniors, are among that school's 10 entries.
Patrick Henry failed to have a district winner but qualified six for regionals.
***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on February 27, 1992 in Neighbors\ Because of a correspondent's error, the name of Northside High School wrestler Clifton Dunford was misspelled in a sports story in the Feb. 20 edition of Neighbors.
Memo: Correction

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB