THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995 TAG: 9512030234
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
It was ``bounce-back'' day at the Norfolk Sports Club/Titan Kickoff Wrestling Classic Saturday, an afternoon when several pre-season heavyweights used the 19-team festival at Lake Taylor High School to shake off lackluster performances and show why so much preseason fuss was made over them in the first place.
Third-ranked Tallwood, flush with success after a 31-25 triumph over 1994 state duals runner-up Franklin County, had to regroup after getting slapped back into reality throughout a 60-6 trouncing by top-ranked Great Bridge.
``Our kids wrestled their rankings,'' Tallwood coach Don Robertson said. ``They're not 54 points better than us. Well, they were today, but they won't be in February.''
The Lions bounced back, however, and whipped Atlee, 60-9.
Returning state champion Mike Mercado won all three of his 112-pound matches, including a 4-2 decision over returning state placewinner Trung Nguyen of Franklin County.
Seventh-ranked Kempsville also was on the rebound Saturday after a 10-point defeat Friday to second-year school Ocean Lakes. The loss didn't seem to affect the Chiefs Saturday, as they came away with a four-point victory over perennial state heavyweight Woodbridge.
Even Great Bridge had to bounce back after a so-so effort. No, the Wildcats didn't lose. Had they gone down, this story would be on the front page of this section.
But Great Bridge hardly lived up to its No. 10 national ranking through most of its match with Franklin County. In the rematch of the 1994 state duals final, the Wildcats trailed by nine heading into 119 and led by only seven heading into 160 before pulling away.
Wildcats coach Steve Martin said butterflies in the stomachs of some first-year starters caused the slow start. Apparently, nervousness wears off quickly in Great Bridge Country. The Wildcats went directly from the Franklin County match to take on Tallwood, and immediately began looking like their old selves again.
``I guess we bounced back,'' he said.
TCIS SHOWDOWN: Bayside, second to Norfolk Academy a year ago, topped the Bulldogs and four other teams to win the second TCIS Showdown at Norfolk Academy.
The Marlins, the only undefeated team among the eight entrants, also downed Norcom, Bruton, Catholic and Norfolk Collegiate. Justin Long (103), Shawn Moore (130), Fred Jasmin (135) and Jose Araiza (189) went unbeaten for Bayside.
``It wasn't the strongest tournament out there, but my kids wrestled well,'' Marlins coach George Parker said.
Norfolk Academy (4-1) finished second, followed by Bruton (3-2), Norfolk Collegiate (3-2), Peninsula Catholic (2-3), Cape Henry (2-3), Catholic (1-4) and Norcom (0-5). by CNB