THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502190224
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Lake Taylor rolled to its third straight crown Saturday with a 186.5-164.5 victory over Granby in the Eastern District wrestling tournament.
Maury finished third with 141.5 points, Booker T. Washington was fourth with 48.5 and Norview was fifth with 24.
Lake Taylor, which entered the finals with just a 14-point lead over the Comets, clinched early when Joel Jimenez, at 130 pounds, pinned Granby's Daymen Robinson in 5:38.
``I feel good about the other two (titles),'' Titan coach Ken Whitley said, ``but this is my baby.''
Whitley, who had been an assistant for three years, got his fourth championship at his third school. He won titles at Norview and Princess Anne before becoming the Titans' head coach.
``These kids have worked really hard for this,'' he said. ``This is a peak year for them and this was their biggest challenge.''
Added Lake Taylor co-coach Russell Flynn: ``We were as focused as I've ever seen us.
``If we're that focused in the region, we're going to do a lot of damage.''
The Titans ripped through the meet like a hurricane, winning seven individual titles and taking three second- and third-place spots.
``The key was the two major upsets at 103 and 125,'' Flynn said.
Paul Jimenez (103) defeated Granby's Reuben Dio, 4-2, to get things going for the Titans and Lionel Davis, who usually wrestles 119, moved up a class and edged Granby's Trip Nofplot, 6-5.
``My goal was to tire him out in the second period,'' said Jimenez, who had lost to Dio twice during the regular season. ``I had been over aggressive. This time, I just took my time.''
In the 112 division, however, Granby turned the tables. Reuben Waites scored at the 1:18 mark on a double-leg takedown for two points and an overtime upset over the Titans' defending champ Donnie Jimenez.
``I wrestled him two times - at the Oscar Smith tournament and during the regular season - and he beat me 9-7 both times,'' Waites said. ``I prayed more and I was determined.''
In the 140 division, Maury's Lewis Wallace captured his second district title with a nail-biting 5-4 decision over Lake Taylor's Keokie Wilson. Tied, 4-4, with 12 seconds to go, Wallace managed to escape Wilson's hold for the win.
``He had been riding me the entire time,'' Wallace said. ``I looked up at the clock, sucked it up and scored my last point.''
Booker T. Washington won its first individual title since 1989 when freshman Duwyne Williams (160) pinned Maury's Leroy Barbour at the 3:18 mark.
``This is a special championship for me,'' said Bookers' coach Robert Toran, who had been an assistant at Norview and Lake Taylor. ``It feels great to get my own program and have a freshman win the championship. It gives me a real good look for the future. He's going to impress a lot of people at the region.''
Lake Taylor heavyweight Brad Vera is also sure to turn some heads at the region tournament.
Vera became the Titans' first three-time champ with a 3-2 decision over Maury's Steve Bruner.
``It feels good,'' said Vera, who needed overtime to win his last match against Bruner. ``He's my hardest competition.''
The top four wrestlers in each division advance to the Eastern Region tournament at Oscar Smith, which begins Thursday. by CNB