THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 25, 1995 TAG: 9501250564
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
A pair of district championship matches Saturday will complete the pairings for next week's Eastern Region Duals Championships, and die-hard wrestling fans will be able to see both.
At 3 p.m., Western Branch travels to Great Bridge for another edition of the area's hottest rivalry. Both teams are 6-0 in the Southeastern District.
And at 7:30 p.m., Tallwood travels to Cox to decide the championship of the Beach District. The Lions and Falcons are each 8-0 in the district.
Besides the prestige of being the first outright champion in two years - last year four teams shared the title - the Tallwood-Cox match carries added significance because the loser will meet the Southeastern District champion in the first round of the region tournament.
Southeastern District titlists have won every region title since the tournament was reinstated in 1990.
``I'm aware of it, and I made my guys aware of it, too,'' Tallwood coach Don Robertson said.
In the Eastern District, Lake Taylor will attempt to clinch the title Friday at the expense of Granby. Meanwhile, Maury's stunning upset of the Comets last week - the Commodores trailed, 28-0, at one point - all but clinched the league's second region berth for the Commodores. Maury can nail down the spot Friday against Norview, which is winless in the league.
Denbigh has won the Peninsula District, with Gloucester finishing second.
The region duals are Feb. 3-4 at Lake Taylor. The first-round matchups: Southeastern champion (Great Bridge or Western Branch) vs. Beach 2: Tallwood or Cox); Peninsula 2 (Gloucester) vs. Eastern 1 (probably Lake Taylor); Southeastern 2 (Great Bridge or Western Branch) vs. Beach 1 (Tallwood or Cox); Peninsula 1 (Denbigh) vs. Eastern 2 (probably Maury).
WHAT A RALLY: Based on scores reported to The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Maury's rally from a 28-0 hole against Granby represented the biggest comeback by any team this season. The Commodores also ripped off three victories Saturday, and have now won seven in a row.
The team could receive another boost Saturday, when Orlando Morton is expected back in the lineup. Morton, a state placewinner a year ago, sat out the first semester on an academic suspension.
Should he clear exams this week, Morton, who wrestled at 145 a year ago, will debut at either 152 or 160.
Another top wrestler poised to return from academic suspension is Green Run's Kyle Proffitt, econd in the state at 135 last season. Proffitt could be on the mat when the Stallions take on Ocean Lakes and Bayside Saturday.
MARQUEE MATCHUP?: No area wrestler has seriously challenged Western Branch 152-pounder Byron Tucker or Great Bridge 160-pounder Billy Allred this season, but Saturday, they may challenge each other.
Tucker bumping up to 160 to take on Allred could be one of a series of moves employed by Bruins coach Terry Perdew in a bid to knock off the Wildcats in Saturday's title match.
The move would allow 160-pounder Cory Bauswell and 171-pounder J.D. Smith to slide up a weight and cover a soft spot at 189.
Perdew, known for strategic shifting of his wrestlers, won't confirm setting up a Tucker-Allred showdown, and it probably won't come about if Western Branch is hopelessly behind.
``We're ready for anything,'' Great Bridge coach Steve Martin said. by CNB