Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 2, 1993 TAG: 9312030157
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: S24 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BRIAN DeVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Just ask Kris Kahila, Franklin County's wrestling coach. His Eagles have won six consecutive Roanoke Valley District championships and the past two Group AAA Northwestern Region titles.
The competition in the Roanoke Valley is after the Eagles - in a big way.
"Everyone's out to get you," Kahila said of being the favorite. "There's a little pressure on. Every time one of our kids steps out on the mat, the other guy is trying to make a name for himself."
The Eagles have six starters back from last season's squad, which finished fourth in the Group AAA state meet, matching the team's best finish ever.
Daniel Gearhart (135), who placed second in the state meet last season, is back at the same weight. So are Trung Nguyen (112), who won a district title at that weight last year, and sophomore Bryan Jones (140), who won the district at 125. Senior Darren Wray (125 or 130), junior John Muse (160) and junior Landon Cuff (171) also return.
Jarrett Vaden, who finished second in the district at 103 for the Eagles, now is attending Glenvar High School, but John MacThale, who placed in the Group A meet for James River, has transferred to Franklin County and will wrestle at 125 or 130.
"We have several unproven areas," Kahila said. "We didn't have that last year. A lot of them are going to have to come through and make names for themselves."
The rest of the Roanoke Valley District:
\ WILLIAM FLEMING is the team most likely to unseat the Eagles in the RVD. Head coach George Miller has 11 starters returning from last season's squad that finished second in the district and fourth in the region.
Senior Eddie Jones (189), a defending district champion who finished fourth in the Group AAA meet at 171 pounds, leads the Colonels. Miller said he expects Jones to win the state title.
"He's an athlete," Miller said. "He's also a competitor. If I asked him to wrestle heavyweight, he would."
Defending district champions John Brandon (119) and Mosi Coleman (112) also return to the veteran squad. Brandon wrestled in the state Group AAA meet last season.
"Any time you have experience surrounding you, you feel good about your chances," Miller said.
\ CAVE SPRING brings a battle-tested team to the mats after finishing third in the district and ninth in the region last season. Nine starters return for the Knights, including senior John Richardson (160), who finished fifth in the region at 140 pounds. Junior Robert Kaczmarek (135), who was the district runner-up at 125 pounds, also returns.
\ PATRICK HENRY fields a young team that finished fourth in the district last season. Five starters return to coach Scott Smith's squad, including Mark Anderson (unlimited) and Nick Saunders (130). Both wrestled in last season's regional tournament.
"We're real young," Smith said. "But I feel good about them. They're a good, spirited bunch. They work hard."
\ Blue Ridge District
\ NORTHSIDE finished second to perennial power Grundy last season in the Group AA meet. The Vikings won the district and Region III titles, and they have won 43 consecutive dual matches. Think there's some pressure on Northside?
"Pressure is stuff the media puts on you," said Fred Wagner, the Vikings' coach. "This is a different year. Would you rather be undefeated or have a streak of several losses?"
Junior Clifton Dunford (135) hopes to make this the season he wins a state title. Dunford was the Group AA runner-up at 119 last year and was the runner-up at 103 two years ago.
Also returning are senior Richie Oliver (unlimited), who finished fourth in the state, and senior Mark Mast (125), who won the region at 112.
But the loss of seven starters has Wagner a bit concerned.
"The district is so tough," he said. "We're going to have to bump up and down to fill all the weights. We're too deep at the wrong weights."
Not everything is bleak for the Vikings, however. Their junior varsity team was undefeated last season.
"They're coming after us," Wagner said of Northside's district rivals. "But we're gonna defend it."
\ WILLIAM BYRD hopes to unseat Northside after finishing runner-up to the Vikings in the district and regional tournaments last season. The Terriers, who finished seventh in the Group AA meet, have nine starters back. Leading the pack is junior Patrick Henderson (135), runner-up in Group AA at 125 pounds last season. Also returning are senior Jason Hogan (152), who finished second in the region at 145, and senior Heath Brogan (140), who went to the state meet at 140.
"I'm pretty excited about how hard we're working," said Barry Trent, Byrd's coach. "I'd like to think it could be a good year, but I still think Northside is the team to beat."
\ SALEM has a veteran team that was third in the district tournament last season. Senior Billy Bowes (119), who was district champion and Region III runner-up at 119 pounds, returns, as does senior Mike Hatcher (189), who won the district title and finished second in the region at 171.
"This is probably the best we've been here in a while," said Roger Lovern, the Spartans' coach. "I think we'll finally be competitive with Northside and William Byrd, really competitive."
\ LORD BOTETOURT finished fifth in the district tournament last season, and has eight returning starters. Senior Bobby Stewart (152), who finished second in the region at 140, leads the team.
\ Pioneer District
\ Otis Timberlake has back four of 10 wrestlers who competed in the state Group A meet last season, but the rest of the JAMES RIVER team is young, so defending the district title could be a tough task. Sophomore Seth Mowles (125) competed in the state meet, as did senior Todd Washington (145), senior John Blankenship (140) and sophomore heavyweight Johnny Burrell.
"We're going to be young, green," Timberlake said. "For us to win the district, other teams would have to fall down."
\ GLENVAR will be strong in the lighter weights, but the loss of former state champions Brandon Semones and Jason Porter to graduation will hurt at the upper weights.
Five starters return from last season's team, which finished third in the district. Senior Aaron Muncy (119), who went to the state Group A meet at 119 a season ago, is back, and junior William Prumm (140) is expected to be strong.
The Highlanders got a break when sophomore Jarrett Vaden (125), who posted a 20-7 record at 103 pounds last season for Group AAA Franklin County, transfered to Glenvar.
\ Seminole District
\ LIBERTY will be hard pressed to improve on last season's second-place finish in the district and fourth-place finish in the Region III tournament. Three starters return for Chris Watts' team.
Junior Chris Blair (119) went to the state Group AA competition at 103 last season, and Ricky Dooley (112) and Eric Arrington (125) finished third in the district.
"We've got a lot of new faces out there," Watts said. "We're definitely in a rebuilding year."
\ STAUNTON RIVER brings back seven starters, and coach David Lugar couldn't be happier.
"In probably half of the weight classes there will be third-year starters," Lugar said. "This is probably one of the most experienced teams here in recent memory."
Junior Chad Huddleston (125) was the district champion at 119 pounds last season, and senior Daniel Thompson (140) made it to the regional tournament for the Golden Eagles, who finished third in the district meet.
\ Private
\ NORTH CROSS brings back everybody for a team that finished fourth in the Virginia Independent Conference last season. Well, almost everybody. The Raiders have 12 starters back. Leading the pack are seniors Forrest Porterfield (160) and Trey Mangus (119). Porterfield was second in the conference at 160 pounds last season, and Mangus finished third at 119 pounds.
Senior Phillip Ramsey (171) broke a wrist before the conference tournament, but he had posted a 10-1 record at 160 pounds. Freshman Daniel Cho (140) was 12-2 at 125 pounds as an eighth-grader last season.
"If everything comes together well, we should have a very solid program," said Ed Dickinson, the North Cross coach. "We're looking solid."
by CNB