THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 22, 1995 TAG: 9512200168
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Bill Leffler
LENGTH: Long : 120 lines
ONE OF THE STATE'S oldest continuous high school wrestling tournaments, the Portsmouth Invitational Holiday Tournament continues to grow.
The 21st annual tourney held at Wilson last weekend was the largest in history - with a 12-team field. It included one North Carolina team, Currituck.
Next year's tournament will shift to Churchland and the 1997 tourney will be held in the new Norcom High School gym.
Officials expect to have another 12-team field next year. Ten teams competed a year ago, previously the largest tournament.
``We had no trouble getting 12 teams this year,'' said Fred Salanitro, who served as chairman of the '95 tournament. ``When we lost one team to the Virginia Duals, another stepped in to take its place.''
The Portsmouth tournament was originated in 1975 to provide a holiday tourney for teams that most times are overlooked when tournaments are staged.
It was founded by Ray Lowery, then head coach at Norcom, and Sandy Smith, the coach at Frederick Military Academy. The original field included Portsmouth's public and private schools and nearby Western Branch. Shortly afterward, it was expanded to eight teams and additional noncity schools started to be invited each year.
Oscar Smith coach Sid Savoy, who has entered his team since the early years, explained that the tournament is ideal for schools with wrestling ambitions but without the talent of bigger schools.
``Teams like Great Bridge can go to any tournament,'' he said. ``We look at the Portsmouth tournament as one for the other guys. We have been competing in this one since it was expanded from just Portsmouth teams. And it has grown into a very good, very competitive tournament.''
Oscar Smith is a three-time winner.
This year's field, in addition to the three Portsmouth schools, Oscar Smith and Currituck, also included Granby, Bayside, Salem, Booker T. Washington, Catholic, Norfolk Academy and Cape Henry.
Granby won this year's event, edging Oscar Smith by seven points. Oscar Smith was the 1994 winner. Coaches of both teams indicated they expect their teams to compete again next year.
Granby finished with 220 points, followed by Oscar Smith with 213, Salem with 155 1/2, Norfolk Academy with 144, Churchland with 138 1/2, Bayside with 120, Currituck with 107 1/2, Booker T. Washington with 101 1/2, Norcom with 82 1/2, Wilson with 56, Cape Henry with 51 and Catholic with 42.
The Comets had six individual champions. Oscar Smith, Churchland, Salem and Currituck each had two winners.
The formidable field included seven of the area's ranked wrestlers. Four of them - Oscar Smith's Gary Lewis (112), Salem's Romon Copeland (125), Granby's Chris Martin (145) and Churchland's Orlando Morton (160) - won titles. Morton moved up to 171 for this tourney and indicated he probably will wrestle at that weight for a few more matches before dropping back to 160 again.
The competition was so keen that five of the champions from a year ago were dethroned. The only repeat winners were Lewis, the most outstanding wrestler in last year's tourney, and 275-pounder Raphael Butts of Oscar Smith.
James Worrell of Churchland was chosen as the outstanding performer this year. Worrell moved into Morton's slot at 160 and beat 1994 winner Duwyne Williams of Booker T. Washington in the final, 14-7. It was the first loss of the year for Williams.
A capsule look at the champions:
103 - Currituck's Mark Gilbert decisioned Matt Scott of Churchland, 13-10. The victory boosted Gilbert's career record to 24-8.
112 - Oscar Smith junior Gary Lewis won this division for the second straight year, claiming a 6-2 decision over Norfolk Academy's Ryan Ingram. Lewis, who has a career record of 45-15, pinned all his other foes en route to the finals.
119 - Reuben Waites of Granby pinned previously undefeated Clay Weisberg of Norfolk Academy in the final in 2:17.
125 - In one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, Romos Copeland of Salem decisioned Tiree Murphy of Churchland in overtime, 5-3. Copeland is the defending 125-pound champ in the Beach District with an overall record of 68-13. Murphy, who has a career record of 70-19, was the PIT's defending champ at 125.
130 - Brian Jones of Granby decisioned Bayside's Fred Jasmin, 4-1, in the final. The victory raised Jones' season record to 8-3.
135 - Granby's Chris Lee upped his season mark to 7-3 with a 14-12 win over Brian Masters of Salem. Masters ousted defending champion Rodney Worsley of Oscar Smith in the semifinal round.
140 - David Lowe of Currituck won by default when finals foe Shrell Watson of Oscar Smith sustained a rib injury. Lowe, No. 3 at his weight in North Carolina last year, has a 13-0 record this year. Watson, a junior varsity champion last year, sustained his first loss after six victories.
145 - Granby's Chris Martin pinned Oscar Smith's Travis Aherron in 5:34 in the title bout. The area's No. 1 ranked 145-pounder, Martin raised his season record to 9-0 and career mark to 61-13. Aherron suffered his first setback in six matches.
152 - Doug Clark of Salem decisioned Mike Allen of Churchland, 8-2. Wilson's Steve Rahimpour was the winner at this weight last year but moved up to 160 and finished in third place.
160 - James Worrell of Churchland flip-flopped weights with teammate Orlando Morton and boosted his record to 6-1 with a 14-7 decision over Booker T. Washington's Duwyne Williams. Williams was the defending champion at this weight and was 5-0 before this match. Earlier, Worrell decisioned Rahimpour, 5-4.
171 - Churchland's Morton, the area's top-ranked 160-pounder, went against Granby's William Thornton, No. 1 at 171, in the final and won by fall in 5:27. He led 9-0 before the pin. Morton also received a trophy for the tournament's fastest pin (12 seconds) in his semifinal victory. Morton raised his career record to 79-14.
189 - Granby's Anthony Allen pinned Bayside's Jose Araiza in 5:29 of their finals match. A junior, Allen is 8-3 for the season.
215 - Antwaine Dowe wrapped up the team title for the Comets with a 7-5 overtime decision over Oscar Smith's Tim Gatson.
275 - Oscar Smith's Raphael Butts retained his heavyweight crown with a 1:09 pin over Raymond Bell of Booker T. Washington. Butts won his semifinal match with a 16-3 major decision and scored a 39-second pin in the quarterfinals. Butts is 9-1 for the season and Bell was tagged with his first loss after five victories. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
Churchland High's Tiree Murphy contends with Salem High's Romon
Copeland during the final match of the 125-pound group. Copeland won
by decision in overtime, 5-3.
by CNB