Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 23, 1992 TAG: 9202230274
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
SEMONES LEADS PIONEER DISTRICT ROMP
How much more can Glenvar junior Brandon Semones do athletically before he graduates in 1993?Saturday, the 171-pound Semones won his second Group A wrestling title at the Salem Civic Center as he methodically chopped down Dettrick Stith of Sussex Central in a 7-3 decision.
It was the 50th straight victory for Semones dating to his first match as a sophomore, when he was ill and lost in a dual meet. The Group A title followed a football performance in which he rushed for more than 1,600 yards and made All-Region C as a running back in leading the Highlanders to the playoffs.
This spring, Semones will be considered one of the top Group A sprinters in the state. An injury last year kept him from achieving a state championship in track, but his times indicate he could have competed with the best.
"We've got coaches who keep pushing me to do better and keep my head level," Semones said.
Semones led a strong Pioneer District showing in Saturday's meet. Seven Pioneer competitors made the championship round; six won championships.
James River's Tony Bocanegra, a junior, was beaten by Manassas Park's John Tabelon 9-1 for his first loss in 29 matches.
The rest was gravy for the Pioneer District, starting with Covington's John Royster in the 119-pound class. He scored a 15-0 technical fall over Powell Valley's Brandon Blanton. It was his 29th victory in an unbeaten season and, after reaching the semifinals the previous two years, Royster's hard work paid off in championship dividends.
Other Pioneer District champions were Natural Bridge's Harry McKemy (140), Parry McCluer's Robbie Dickinson (160), Joel Ides (189) of Lexington and his teammate Robert Hull (heavyweight).
Sussex Central won the team championship with 131.5 points, ahead of Brentsville District (129.5). Mathews, the two-time defending titlist, finished third with 91 points. The highest finish by a Timesland team was Lexington in sixth with 77 1/2 points.
James River was next with 77 points, which satisfied coach Otis Timberlake. "Our goal was to finish in the top 10," he said.
The Knights' Bocanegra, who joined Semones, Ides and Dickinson as Pioneer District juniors in the finals, blamed the loss on his failure to wrestle on his terms.
"I didn't wrestle my match," Bocanegra said. "He came out shooting for a takedown right away and I usually like to wait before I start shooting. I wrestled his match."
Semones faced a lot of pressure in front of his home crowd. His father, Dennis Semones, was helping at the scoring table and the match was competitive enough that it was one of the most tense moments of the night.
"This guy was probably the strongest wrestler I've faced this year," Semones said of Stith. "It was hard to get a takedown because he's such a defensive wrestler."
Royster didn't change a thing in trying to win a championship after two years of frustration. "I just worked on moves and do what I've been doing all year. Last winter, I hurt my leg. Two years ago, I felt I got a bad call," said the Covington senior.
McKemy, Hull and Ides all closed out their schools' wrestling history as Lexington, Natural Bridge and Rockbridge will consolidate to form Rockbridge County High next year.
Ides had a tough match in outlasting Sussex Central's Antonio Prosse 5-3 in overtime. Ides got an escape with eight seconds left to force overtime, then got a takedown 49 seconds into the extra period for the victory.
Hull continued a great season by winning for the 29th time in 30 matches. He decisioned Coeburn's David Lane 4-2.
McKemy decisioned Essex's Mike Wind 10-3, and Dickinson gained revenge for his only loss by pinning Sussex Central's Rodney Motton in 4:58. \
See microfilm for results