39 AREA WRESTLERS GO TO STATE MATCH

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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 18, 1993                   TAG: 9302180464
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB McLELLAND CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
39 AREA WRESTLERS GO TO STATE MATCH
Thirty-nine Roanoke Metro athletes, including 10 regional champions, will compete in the State Group A and Group AA Wrestling tournament Friday and Saturday at the Salem Civic Center. Action starts at noon Friday.
Northside, which has dominated Group AA events this season, will have 11 entries led by regional champions: Mark Mast (112), Clifton Dunford (119), Robin Keeling (140), Brian Miller (145), and Bryan Van Ravenstein (160).
William Byrd's seven entries include regional heavyweight champ Kyle Hammon, and Lord Botetourt's three entries include undefeated regional champion Dan Sell (130). Salem, which has no regional champion, will have four entries.
James River, led by undefeated regional winner Tony Bocanegra (103), will head the Group A delegation with eight entries. Glenvar will have six wrestlers, including two regional winners: Jason Porter (160) and two-time state champion Brandon Semones (189).
"Anyone who loves high school wrestling . . . this will be their cup of tea," said tournament director Larry Hall.
He said more than 75 people are serving as scorers, timers, runners and match officials for the events Friday and Saturday. Two matches will be held simultaneously, and action will be on eight mats that will have separate scoring and timers.
In other weekend action, four Metro Group AAA schools will compete in the Northwest Regional Tournament at Heritage High in Lynchburg. Forty-four Metro athletes, including 12 Roanoke Valley District champions, be compete.
Franklin County, winner of the Big Orange and the RVD seasons and tournament, will have 12 athletes, led by seven district champions: Trung Nguyen (112), Aubrey Wright (140), Thomas Simmons (145), Hasani Menefee (152), Derrick Poindexter (160), Tyson Poage (189), and heavyweight Ricky Young.
William Fleming, led by three district winners Mose Coleman (103), John Brandon (119), and undefeated Edward Jones (171), also will have 12 entries.
Cave Spring qualified all 13 wrestlers but had only one district winner, Mike Zirkle (135), and Patrick Henry, with district winner Albert Nugue (130), qualified six other wrestlers.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class at Heritage will qualify for the state meet Feb. 26-27 at the Ashe Center in Richmond.

NOTE: See microfilm for statistics.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB