THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503010224
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
Who was the big winner in the Eastern Region wrestling tournament? Depends on how you look at it.
If the criteria is qualifying the most wrestlers for the Group AAA state tournament, then Great Bridge made out big, as usual. In winning the tournament for the fifth straight year, the Wildcats qualified a region-high nine wrestlers for Friday's state tourney at Oscar Smith.
But the Wildcats measure success in victories. With that as the guideline, Western Branch came away with the most to crow about, as the Bruins crowned a tournament-high three individual champions.
``This has been my dream,'' said Bruins' 103-pounder Lee Butler, who dominated Denbigh's Joe Wright, 9-3, in the final.
Butler, a senior, improved to 27-2. Both losses have come at 112 pounds.
Byron Tucker (34-0) performed a takedown clinic in a technical-fall victory over Maury's Orlando Morton in the 152-pound final. And Sean Sanderlin (32-1) proved to be the man at 145 with a final-round pin of Cox' Kevin Sullivan.
``It seems like I've been going uphill all year,'' Sanderlin said. ``Now I've just got to peak at state.''
The Bruins also got strong wrestling from Cory Bauswell, the sophomore who placed second to Great Bridge's Billy Allred at 160.
``And how about our freshman (fourth-place Richard Slocumb) making it at 119?'' Sanderlin said.
THE BOOGIE MAN: Those who stuck around after the tournament was over witnessed the comical sight of Deep Creek's Ryan Baker, inspired by the pop music blaring over the loudspeakers, dancing frantically across the Oscar Smith gym floor.
The reason for his happy feet: a 13-8 victory over Great Bridge's Joey Guth in the 171-pound final. Seven days prior, Guth had handed Baker his only defeat, 10-9, in the Southeastern District final.
``I'm not losing anymore!'' the hyperkinetic Baker exclaimed.
Unlike in the district final, when Guth built up a big lead by rolling his man early for a five-point move, Baker took few chances with the Great Bridge senior on the mat Saturday, cutting his man whenever sensing the slightest bit of trouble.
``I knew I could beat him on my feet,'' Baker said.
Not wanting to take any chances, Baker broke out the same singlet he wore while winning last year's regional title. The Hornets had gotten new uniforms this season.
``I'll be wearing this for state, too,'' Baker said.
Baker finished third in the state at 171 last year. The two wrestlers who finished ahead of him both graduated.
THE RUNDOWN: Great Bridge's nine regional qualifiers - Aaron Anton (103), Bruce Fowler (112), Carl Perry (125), Travis Woodhouse (130), Aaron Beatson (135), Chris Basnight (152), Allred (160), Guth (171), and Josh Fannon (189) - are by far the most of any school. Western Branch is next with five.
Among other Southeastern District schools, Deep Creek (Baker and fourth-place 135-pounder David Gwaltney) and Oscar Smith (112-pound runner-up Gary Lewis and fourth-place 189-pounder Anwar Sparrow) will each send two wrestlers. Keith Reynolds (fourth at 140) will represent Indian River.
The 19 qualifiers are the most from any district. Fifteen wrestlers will come from the Beach District, 10 from the Eastern and eight from the Peninsula.
The schools with no state qualifiers: Lafayette, Phoebus, Kecoughtan, Ferguson, Menchville, Kellam, Norview, Churchland, Wilson and Norcom. Norcom was the only school with no regional qualifiers.
THIS 'N' THAT: Gloucester's Joey Legg will take a 31-1 record into the state tournament, with his only loss coming to Great Bridge's Jimmy Hawthorne in the final of the Deep Creek Hornet Holiday Classic. But after whipping returning state champion Chip Reyes in the 119-pound final, Legg seemed ready to take on the world.
``I wish (Hawthorne) were here, too,'' he said.
Hawthorne has been sidelined by a shoulder injury.
Hampton's Eric Thompson, the 135-pound champion, is another who wanted a piece of a Great Bridge wrestler. Thompson said he expected to meet Aaron Beatson in the 135-pound final. Beatson lost to Granby's Aaron Martin in the semifinals.
``All week long I was thinking Beatson, Beatson, Beatson,'' Thompson said. ``Then all of a sudden I had to change my whole game plan.''
Thompson said this contributed to his sometimes shaky effort in his 7-5 overtime victory over Martin in the tournament final. ILLUSTRATION: STATE TOURNAMENT
What: Virginia State Wrestling Tournament
Where: Oscar Smith High School
When: Friday, March 3, matches at 11 a.m. (first round), 7:30
p.m. (quarterfinals), and 9 p.m. (consolations); Saturday, March 4,
matches at noon (semifinals), 2 p.m. (consolations), 3 p.m. (fifth
place), 4 p.m. (third place), and 7:30 p.m. (finals).
Tickets: An all-tournament pass is available Friday morning only
for $12. Admission to each of the four sessions (morning and evening
each day) is $4 per person.
by CNB