THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501190499
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Nansemond River kept its stranglehold firm on Lakeland with its fifth straight win over the Cavaliers in a wrestling dual Wednesday afternoon at Lakeland.
The Warriors upped their record to 3-0 in the Bay Rivers District and 5-3 overall with the 45-27 triumph. The Cavaliers are 2-2 in district and 2-3 overall.
In what Lakeland coach Steve Wood hopes will become a tradition, the Warriors and Cavaliers met during a school activity period and wrestled before a packed gym.
The coaches got together last season and started the early-afternoon dual.
``I hope to keep it a tradition,'' Wood said. ``They have dominated us, but everything goes in cycles. We'll get our chance.''
Nansemond River gained six pins en route to the victory, with Whitney Craun (140) and Damon Hill (171) both adding to their pin total to move within six pins of Craun's single-season record of 12 in 16 dual meets. Thomas Merrell, who outpointed Robbie Guinn, 12-4, also has six pins this season.
But the Cavaliers had their moments.
Lakeland's Ellis Temple pinned Roger Carpenter in 19 seconds in the 189-pound class.
It took longer than he expected, but James Temple got the best of Ian Green 5:57 into their match in the heavyweight division to end the dual and send the Lakeland fans home happy.
Green surprised Temple with his strength and quickly forced him to alter his game plan.
``He stood up and his leg was in between mine, so I just grabbed his leg and got a hold of him,'' Temple said. ``I knew once I did that he was mine, but he almost pulled it out because of his strength.''
To no one's surprise, Ronnie Edmonds and Jon Goodrich needed double overtime to decide their 152-pound match.
Edmonds got to choose whether he would start the second overtime up or down. He chose down and it took just seconds for him to score the final point and take the match.
``It's like you are running for your life,'' Edmonds said. ``It is all adrenaline.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MICHAEL KESTNER, Staff
Nansemond River's Damon Hill rolls Lakeland's Brian Silvers into a
pin.
by CNB