Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503100038
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-13 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRIS KING Special to the Roanoke Times & World-News
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The 112-pound sophomore advanced to the championship match before falling to Grundy's Doug Atkins 12-5. Despite the loss, Harris was pleased with his effort.
"I went with my best," Harris said. "I went as hard as I could, but made too many mistakes. [Atkins] stays on top of you the whole time."
Harris finished the year with a record of 33-4. Three of his losses, including one in the regionals, were to Atkins. With two years of eligibility remaining there is no reason not to expect continued improvement by Harris.
"He has got a great future," said Christiansburg coach Dean Underwood. "He keeps improving every year, and he is very determined. That determination makes him work hard to be a winner and stay in shape [in the off-season]. Anybody can be an average Joe, but if you want to be excellent, you have to work in the off-season."
Eric Schmucker, Harris' teammate, had a successful if not pain-free tournament. Schmucker finished fourth in the 152-pound class but was forced to default in his battle for third place because of a broken collarbone.
The injury apparently occurred when Schmucker jammed his head into the mat in his quest for third place. Earlier in the tournament, he became entangled with an opponent and the action spilled off of the mat, and came to an abrupt halt when the pair hit the scorers' table.
"We are not sure if it happened [when he ran into the table] or later," Underwood said. "He is like a bull: when he gets somebody he just drives them. The referee just couldn't get there in time."
With only one senior on this season's squad, Morrison envisions great things for his team.
"Nobody beats Grundy, but we can be up there," Morrison said.
Ohm fights back: Success and pain went hand-in-hand for Blacksburg's John Ohm as well.
The senior was the 140-pound runner-up, but had limited use of his left arm in the finals because of ligament damage in his shoulder.
"He could barely move his arm, but he wanted it so badly," said Blacksburg coach Lee Worley. "He wrestled as good or better than I have ever seen him. It was his desire that carried him through. He was just so focused and determined."
Great Grundy: Grundy captured five individual state championships and the team title by 99.5 points, showing New River Valley schools the plateau they will have to reach.
"The difference is their conditioning," Worley said. "They are as energetic in the last 30 seconds of the last match, as they are the first 30 seconds of the first match. They deserve everything they get because nobody give them anything."
ETC.Shawsville's Scott Holleman was the runner-up in the 189-pound class in Group A competition. Radford sophomores Ryan Hall and Stephen Murphy netted fourth-place finishes. In Group AAA competition J.R. Osborne, Pulaski's only competitor, finished third.
by CNB