THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 22, 1995 TAG: 9502220564
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
One of the great things about the Eastern Region wrestling tournament, to be held Thursday through Saturday at Oscar Smith, is that the top wrestlers will be determined on the mat, not in the fertile mind of some sports writer.
No more of this ``Why not rank me ahead of Kareem'' or ``Whydya put me behind Olaf?'' From here, the wrestlers rank themselves. I'm officially out of the business.
Now, if someone were to ask how I thought things might shake out this weekend. ...
103
Western Branch's Lee Butler, unbeaten against 103-pounders this year, and Great Bridge's Aaron Anton figure to meet for the third time in the final. Butler has won the two previous meetings. Among those who could block their path: two-time Peninsula District champion Joe Wright, Beach champion Kevin Richardson from Kempsville and Lake Taylor's Paul Jimenez, a surprise winner over Granby's Rueben Dio in the Eastern final.
Paul's pick: Butler.
112
Returning state runner-up Mike Mercado, humbled by an early season loss to Great Bridge's Bruce Fowler, has whipped all comers since, including Fowler in a one-sided rematch. The Wildcat freshman doesn't figure to go away, though. Other challenges should come from Cox's Andy Simons, Oscar Smith's Gary Lewis, Granby's Eastern champion Reuben Waites and Lake Taylor's Donnie Jinenez.
Paul's pick: Mercado.
119
Salem's Chip Reyes, the man who beat Mercado in the state 103 final a year ago, has been the class of this field all season. But watch out for Gloucester's Joey Legg, a Peninsula champ who won't have to worry about Reyes until the final, and Churchland's Tiree Murphy, the Southeastern champ who has racked up a 20-2 record.
Paul's pick: Reyes.
125
Let's see. Salem's Ramon Copeland and Cox's Wes Lewis are both quality wrestlers, Eastern champ Lionel Davis of Lake Taylor and Trip Nofplot of Granby can battle with anyone and Peninsula champ Eric Anderson might also be a factor.
Yes, it should be an interesting battle for second, third and fourth. But if anyone beats Great Bridge's unbeaten Carl Perry, he'll bypass ``Athlete of the Week'' and go straight to ``Athlete of the Year.''
Paul's pick: Perry.
130
Maybe the most wide-open weight class of the tournament. Beach champ R.J. Davis of Ocean Lakes, Eastern champ Joel Jimenez of Lake Taylor, Southeastern champ Travis Woodhouse of Great Bridge, Peninsula champ Daniel Cannon of Bethel and returning state placewinner Randy Devlin of Hampton all appear to have legitimate title shots.
Paul's pick: Davis.
135
Hampton's Eric Thompson, the man who tagged Great Bridge's Aaron Beatson with his only loss this year, is obviously not intimidated by the Wildcats' mystique. But beating a Wildcat once isn't as tough as knocking one off a second time. Thompson's victory probably sent the Great Bridge scouting machine into overdrive, and if these two meet as expected in the final, Beatson will take the mat knowing what Thompson ate for breakfast.
Paul's pick: Beatson.
140
Green Run's Kyle Proffitt, the Beach champ and a state runner-up last year, is making up for lost time in a big way. Indian River's Keith Reynolds and Maury's Lewis Wallace will challenge, and fiery Peninsula champ Beau Dickerson won't go down quietly. And then there's Great Bridge's John Young, the Southeastern champ who doesn't scare anyone but continues to win.
Paul's pick: Proffitt.
145
Sean Sanderlin, one half of Western Branch's dynamic middleweight duo, began the season on a roll and hasn't stopped since. Great Bridge's Michael Harper is still rounding into form after missing much of the year with a shoulder injury, which could open the door for Tabb's Clayton Holmes and Lake Taylor's underrated Keyoki Wilson.
Paul's pick: Sanderlin.
152
Western Branch's unbeaten Byron Tucker already owns technical fall victories over Great Bridge's Christian Basnight and Peninsula champ Aaron Martin of Denbigh and has been called by one knowledgeable coach one of the two most dominant wrestlers in the state. Tucker has demolished everyone he's faced, but could get a good workout in the semifinals from Eastern champ and returning state placewinner Orlando Morton of Maury.
Paul's pick: Tucker.
160
Great Bridge's Billy Allred has been the man here for the past two years, and a default loss for the second straight year in the Southeastern tournament shouldn't prevent him from sinking his teeth into the regional task at hand. Princess Anne's Bobby Julian, Western Branch's Cory Bauswell and Bethel's Richard Tyson will battle for placings, and it would make for a terrific story if Booker T. Washington's Duwyne Williams, a freshman at a school that's been off the wrestling map for years, could add regional success to his Eastern crown.
Paul's pick: Allred.
171
Great Bridge's Joey Guth engineered arguably the biggest upset of the four district tournaments Saturday when he decisioned previously unbeaten Ryan Baker of Deep Creek, 10-9, in the Southeastern final. Guth is clearly in top form, but Baker, who takes losing harder than anyone, has a history of bouncing back strong after his rare defeats. Gloucester's Martainn Lenhardt, Kempsville's Kris Poston and Granby's William Thornton should contend.
Paul's pick: Baker.
189
Very little separates Oscar Smith's Anwar Sparrow, Great Bridge's Josh Fannon, Tallwood's Jonathan Vann and Lake Taylor's Alan Hyman. Vann, a state placewinner a year ago, would ordinarily rate a slight edge, but there are questions regarding his fitness. Fans of high drama should hope for a Hyman-Fannon final, which would be a reprise of perhaps the most entertaining match of the year.
Paul's pick: Vann.
275
Although many people are conceding this division to defending state champion Brian Wilson of Cox, Wilson isn't one of them, which should make him even harder to beat. Lake Taylor's Brad Vera, Kempsville's Kevin Eaton,Oscar Smith's Raphael Butts and Maury's Steve Bruner appear to be the best of the rest.
Paul's pick: Wilson. by CNB