Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 12, 1995 TAG: 9501130063
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
First things first. They hope to be the ringleaders this weekend when Franklin County tries to re-establish itself as the kingpin of Roanoke's biggest wrestling tournament, the Big Orange at William Byrd High.
After winning six straight titles, the Eagles were beaten last year by Northside. This past December, though, Franklin County finished fifth in the Grundy Christmas tournament, while Northside was eighth. That is enough to make the Eagles a favorite in the Big Orange.
Muse and Jones both won titles at Grundy as the only Timesland wrestlers to win championships in a tournament that also included defending state-championship teams from Kentucky and Alabama.
Muse won the 160-pound title, the same classification where he placed sixth last year in the Group AAA state tournament. The once-beaten Muse beat Denbigh's Aaron Martin 8-7 with a last-second takedown. In so doing, Muse avenged his only loss, as Martin had previously beaten Great Bridge's Christian Basnight, who had taken Muse in an early season match.
Jones won the 145-pound crown at Grundy. He's unbeaten and is coming off a fourth-place finish this summer in the national Greco-Roman wrestling. This differs from high school wrestling in that participants may not use their legs in putting moves on opponents.
Muse is an all-around athlete at Franklin County, having played fullback as the leading rusher for the Eagles in football. He'll play soccer this spring, though he says his participation in this sport is mainly to stay in shape.
Jones is a wrestler only and hopes to perform in college. His performance at Grundy and his All-American status in Greco-Roman, achieved by finishing in the top eight, gives him hopes of performing at a higher level next year.
``I'd say John is in better physical condition than last year and has the same skills plus more confidence,'' said Franklin County coach Kris Kahila, who has turned out a pair of fifth-place finishes in Group AAA as the Eagles' best finish in season-ending tournament competition.
``John's a captain, which means he's supposed to be a leader. He's done a good job, and he's having fun.''
Muse had fun beating Martin. ``I really didn't expect to do this well, because I had missed a lot of practice and wasn't in shape,'' said Muse, who unlike Jones played football instead of wrestling in the fall.
He used his arms to gain an advantage over Martin, and then put a Navy (using his legs to trip Martin) in getting the last-second takedown. Martin threw his head gear and tried to kick a chair, which he missed, in a fit of temperament.
``It was a last-second move, and I had nothing to lose,'' said Muse, who might have beaten one of the wrestlers he'll see later this winter if he gets to the Group AAA state tournament. ``I was just coming off football when I lost to the Great Bridge wrestler.''
Jones had tough luck last year, losing to William Fleming's Herbert Kasey, who finished fourth in the state at 135, three times by a point. The last loss took Jones out of a chance to place in the state after he had won the Northwest Region title. This year, the two likely will be at different weights, though that could change by tournament time.
``Bryan is much improved,'' Kahila said. ``He'll wrestle at 145, but he'll be certified for 140. I think Kasey is staying at 135.''
``I was looking forward to meeting him. He's kind of awkward for me to handle, because he's so tall,'' said Jones, who believes he has a chance to win the state. In winning at Grundy, he beat Christian Luciano, who is No. 2 in Pennsylvania at his weight class, by a 5-4 count.
Franklin County finished sixth in the state last year. The Eagles play host to the Northwest Region tournament this season, and they've never lost in the Northwest as a team when it's been held here.
``Those two have a good shot at winning the state,'' said Kahila, who has produced only three individual state champions in his 20-year coaching career. However, the Roanoke Valley District has never been a strong bastion of wrestling, and placing in the state is usually a sign of success.
``This team, with luck, can do as well or better [than the fifth-place finishes]. Of course, there are factors such as luck, injuries, sickness, grades, etc. I'm not saying we have any of those things, but they're around in the '90s.''
That last part, the et cetera, refers to drugs and alcohol problems that plague high school athletes in the '90s. Kahila has had his share of heartbreaks over a period of years.
``I don't know if you ever recover,'' said Kahila. ``You just put them behind you.''
This team, though, might help him recover if it gives Kahila his highest finish in a Group AAA state tournament.
by CNB