Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 4, 1995 TAG: 9502090020
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: DALE CITY LENGTH: Medium
Franklin County beat Stonewall Jackson 34-22 in the championship round. The Eagles opened with a 42-20 victory over Albemarle and then stopped Gar-Field 42-21 in the semifinals.
The victory earned Franklin County a berth to the state tournament next week at a site to be determined when the Northern Region settles its title.
The other Roanoke Valley District entry, Pulaski County, lost 40-21 to Halifax County in the first round.
Franklin County's victory over Stonewall, which had beaten the Eagles in the finals of the tournament the past two years, was assured the victory when Landon Cuff pinned Ryan Darling in 4:46. The Eagles won the last six matches to overcome Stonewall Jackson's early lead.
``It's a relief [to win] right now,'' said Franklin County coach Kris Kahila. ``We've got a good team and it's mentally tough. We did what we had to do. We tried to make some openings happen.''
Along the way, Franklin County 145-pounder Brian Jones lost his first match when he was beaten by Gar-Field's Albert Dukes 4-3 in overtime. He came back to pin Stonewall Jackson's Dan Gladden in the finals.
``It was the whole team together that did it. We've been working hard, there was a little bit of luck involved, and we deserved it,''Jones said of the title.
John Muse, who had lost just once at 152 pounds, also was beaten in the Gar-Field match by David Hardin, 10-5. He also bounced back and downed Cameron Lewellyn 7-4 in the championship match.
The only Franklin County wrestler to win all three of his matches was 103-pounder Trung Nguyen, who had three pins. Franklin County 130-pounder Ivan Trotter won twice after getting an opening victory by forfeit against Albemarle.
by CNB