Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 15, 1994 TAG: 9412150018
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In most cases, they are failing.
At least those coaches still have a team. The one at Narrows has been shut down.
One of the exceptions is Pulaski County.
``With the exception of 103 and 112 pounds, where I only have one wrestler at each position, I have two and sometimes three wrestlers at every weight,'' Pulaski County coach Fred Blevins said.
The Cougars have 20 lettermen back.
Blevins intends to build his team around four wrestlers: Steve Osborne, Bobby Jackson, Lee Pannell and J.R. Osborne.
Steve Osborne, a senior and the team captain for the past two years, is competing at 189 pounds for the time being but is expected to drop down to 171. Osborne finished fourth in the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District at 160 last year.
Osborne's brother, J.R., a 160-pounder, went 23-13 last year and led the team with 100 points scored. Jackson, another who is wrestling at a weight he is expected to drop down from (145 to 140) went16-13 last year and is considered to have the best mental toughness on the team.
Lee Pannell at 112 is known for his stamina. Numerous times he's trailed going into the third period before staging a rally. Elsewhere, the Cougars are particularly strong at heavyweight where incumbent Brian Queen (one of three brothers on the team including 152-pound Eric and freshman Randy) is battling Chris Lawson and Mike Edwards, two roughnecks from the football team.
Radford is the other local team that isn't hurting for bodies The Bobcats were the New River District champions a year ago. Now they're going to see what they can do after having dropped to the Group A Three Rivers District.
Coach Tony DeHart is fired up about 152-pound Jason Abercrombie, who was the district champion last year. However, he never wrestled at regionals or state because of an injury. He'd come out for the team late this past season because of an illness but never lost a match.
Another strong-looking grappler is 119-pound Stephen Murphy, who won the district and was third in brutal Region IV last year at 112. Another returning champion is 145-pound Marlon Wesley, who won the district and was second in the region last year as a freshman. Wesley might end up at 152 this year unless he can cut some more weight.
Much promise is being shown by freshman Ryan Hall at 112. Hall has experience and skill that belies his age. He also has good bloodlines. His brother, Andrew, was a two-time state champion at Radford.
At heavyweight, a tremendous battle for a starting slot is brewing between incumbent Chris Vicars, the defending district champion and regional runner-up, and newcomer Elmo Dunbar.
Christiansburg, which has wrestled consistently well longer than anybody in the New River Valley, is down this year.
``I expected to have a good team this year,'' Blue Demons coach Dean Underwood said. ``Then I had three starters from last year who decided not to come out for the team this year.''
One who is on hand is Jamie Harris, probable at 112, the New River District champion and runner-up in the region. Harris finished sixth in the state at 103 last year.
Others who appear as though they'll be ready to twist some folks in knots include 130-pounder Kurt Linkous, 145-pounder Johnny Crouser, and Darin Slusher, who may land at either 152 or 160.
Linkous is a four-year wrestler who was third in the district last year. Crouser, a senior, grappled his way to a sixth-place finish at the region a year ago. Slusher was the district runner-up and fifth in the region.
At Blacksburg, only 14 tried out and there is no way to tell how many will be left at the start of the season, much less the end of it.
Right off the bat, Coach Lee Worley knows he's going to be forfeiting 103 and 112.
The stalwarts are going to be John Ohm at 130 and Nathan Cumbee at heavyweight. Ohm, a transfer student from California who arrived with good moves and skills, won the district and was third at the region last year. Cumbee, who is trying to overcome a broken back suffered several years ago, was the district runner-up and finished fourth at the region.
Another good wrestler, 189-pounder Kip Kenyon, has an uncertain status as he tries to recover from a football-related knee injury.
``Everybody else is brand-spanking, never-seen-a-wrestling-mat new,'' Worley said. ``It doesn't get any greener by any definition.''
Shawsville is under the direction of new coach Tom Mitchell, who comes to the school after apprenticing under veteran coach Mark Agner, now at Northside after years at Lord Botetourt.
Mitchell has some good ones in 160-pounder Scott Holleman, the defending Group A Region C champion, 189-pounder Tony Graham, 145-pounder Travis Tuck, and 119-pounder Zack Trout.
The Shawnees will not be able to field a full lineup.
``We're hoping for some good individual results,'' Mitchell said. ``I've got quality here, I just don't have quantity.''
Memo: ***CORRECTION***