Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 19, 1994 TAG: 9402190161
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Particularly exhilarating for the Lord Botetourt 145-pounder was the discovery of fresh victims.
"In the district and region, you see the same guys over and over again," he said. "Here you get guys you've never seen before and you can really open up."
Stewart opened up on a couple of fellows to advance to today's semifinals that begin at 11 a.m. at the Salem Civic Center. Stewart will be joined by a substantial contingent of his colleagues from the Blue Ridge District.
In the team competition, eight-time defending state champion Grundy was in a vigorous battle with Poquoson. The Golden Wave was holding off the Islanders 95-81. Tied in third, way back with 48 1/2 were Northside and Broad Run.
Stewart improved to 26-1 by flattening Thomas Strachen of York with a 17-0 technical fall in the opening match and then came back and crushed Christopher Ricketts of Lee 15-5.
"I'm having a real good tournament," Stewart said.
Now a senior, Stewart has been aiming at today's semifinal match with Clayton Holmes of Tabb since he was in the second grade.
That was when he lived in Oklahoma, where wrestling is big. He was in competition as a little guy and was going to out-of-town tournaments soon after that. Then came camps and more travel.
A big help was his stepfather, Mike Jamison, a former state champion at Northside, who gave him advice and more.
"He's possessed," said Cavaliers' coach Mark Agner, who admired Jamison, a couple of years his elder, when both were Vikings.
Stewart said there has been a collective effort in his corner. Included in all the hollering are both parents, both stepparents and assorted uncles and aunts.
"That's meant a lot to me," he said.
Lord Botetourt brought five wrestlers to the meet, and all five won in the opening round. Noah Poissant at 135 pounds advanced to today's competition, winning by default over former Grundy state champion Kevin Large. With the score 0-0, Large was forced to retire after dislocating an elbow.
"You want to win, but not like that," Agner said.
Northside, Salem and William Byrd each sent two wrestlers into the semifinals.
The Vikings, the two-time Region III champions, saw 125-pound Clifton Dunford and heavyweight Richie Oliver advance.
Dunford (30-0) beat Grundy's Stephen Hartford for the second time this season, this time 8-4. In December he pinned Hartford in the final of the tournament at Grundy.
"I wrestled smarter this time and didn't make as many mistakes," Dunford said.
Dunford, a state runner-up last year at 119 pounds, draws the same wrestler who beat him last year in today's semis, Mark Hernandez of Park View-Sterling, a two-time state champ.
"I'll just go after him," Dunford said.
Heath Brogan of William Byrd earned a 12-4 major decision over Lou Nagy of Broadway in their quarterfinal. Jason Hogan, Brogan's teammate at 152 pounds, claimed a 1-0 over Chris Suggs of Nansemond River in their quarterfinal match.
In the 160-pound quarters, Jermeny Spillen of Salem edged Rodney Kirby of Western Albermarle 13-9. Dan Giarle, the Salem heavyweight, pinned R.E. Lee-Staunton's Ben Erskine at 3 minutes, 6 seconds of their bout.
by CNB