THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601120197
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
AREA BAY RIVERS wrestling coaches had hoped this would be the year some team, hopefully one of them, ended Poquoson's stranglehold on the district championship. But the Islanders aren't showing many signs of letting up.
Poquoson (3-2 overall, 1-0 Bay Rivers) started the season with a 60-12 drubbing of Lakeland and has only lost to Group AAA teams. The Islanders recently finished fourth in a 32-team field in the Northern Virginia Classic in which they were the only Group AA school.
``Poquoson is a team that everybody shoots for,'' said Cavaliers coach Steve Wood, ``but nobody has gotten close to them.''
Lakeland's only wins against Poquoson were by James Temple (215) and Nathan Carr (heavyweight), who each won on pins.
Southampton's match with the Islanders last Wednesday was canceled due to the weather and hasn't been rescheduled yet, while Nansemond River gets a shot at Poquoson on Feb. 7.
Perhaps a more crucial match for the Warriors comes Tuesday, when the Cavaliers and Warriors meet at Nansemond River in a tri-meet with Matoaca.
``(The Lakeland match) is a pivotal one for us,'' Warriors coach Doug Dohey said. ``It will be one of our toughest matches, but if we can beat them we'll head into the Poquoson match undefeated in the district.''
Here is a look at the area's Bay Rivers teams as they near midseason with their records in dual meets before this weekend:
NANSEMOND RIVER (5-2 overall, 2-0 Bay Rivers): The Warriors haven't been at full strength all year because of injuries. Dohey said at least two starters have missed each match.
``That's the biggest reason we haven't done as well in some matches as we could have,'' Dohey said. ``My guys have been scrappers and if we have all our bodies we'll be OK.''
Sophomore Damon Hill (171) is Nansemond River's top wrestler with a 10-1 record, including a third-place finish at the Delaware Invitational last month. Dohey has been impressed with senior Chris White (hwt.), who is 9-1, and Sam Tep who has an 8-4 mark while wrestling at 103 and 112.
LAKELAND (1-2, 1-1): Wood has been pleased with his team's performance since it opened the season with two losses. At the Halifax Christmas tournament, the Cavaliers finished 11th overall out of 28 teams and fourth among Group AA teams.
Senior James Temple (215) has been Lakeland's leader, going 7-1 before this weekend. Temple, a district and Region I champion at heavyweight last year, has pinned five of his opponents and lost only in a semifinal at Halifax. Temple's move to 215, a new weight class added this year by the National Federation of High Schools, has given Nathan Carr a chance to wrestle at heavyweight, where the junior has posted a 5-2 record that includes a sixth-place finish at Halifax.
``If 215 hadn't come in I would have had two guys vying for heavyweight,'' Wood said. ``I would have had one good one on the bench so it worked out good.''
A trio of sophomores has surprised Wood. Brothers Mike (112) and Sean (135) Sheline and Tommy Woods (130) have close to .500 records.
SOUTHAMPTON (1-1 overall and district): Mother Nature has been the Indians' toughest opponent this season. Snow forced cancellation of one tournament in Louisa County and shortened another at Matoaca. A lack of matches has prevented coach Tim Mason from gauging his team's improvement over last year's 1-5 mark.
In the snow-shortened Matoaca tournament, senior Glenn Sturdifen (160) finished first, while Wesley Bales (112), Ohnja Bynum (189) and Henderson Lawrence (215) took second places. Mason expected some third- and fourth-place finishers but the remainder of the matches were called off.
Bynum, returning from an injury after wrestling in just one match last season; Brian Moore (125), Neil Hancock (135) and William Jones (hwt.) have compiled 3-2 records.
FRANKLIN (1-3, 0-2): Coach Greg Lomax said the Broncos are forfeiting three to five weight classes each match, but he definitely sees improvement in his team. ``As young as we are I just want the guys to come off the mat and improve with each match,'' said Lomax, who has mostly freshmen and sophomores in the lineup. ``Victories are nice, but it's mat experience that is going to help them in the long run.''
Junior Travis Scott (171), who finished fifth in the region last year, is 8-3 and came in second at the Matoaca tournament last week. Freshman Maurice Evans (112-119) also finished second at Matoaca at 119 and is 6-5 in two weight classes. Junior Bain Ford (140) has a 5-4 record. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Lakeland High School wrestler George Best, top left, grimaces as
Southampton wrestler Wesley Bales pushes against Best, who
eventually won the match in the 119-pound class in the Bay Rivers
district.
ETLakeland High School wrestler George Best, left, grimaces as
Southampton wrestler Wesley Bales pushes against Best, who
eventually won the match in the 119-pound class in the Bay Rivers
district.
by CNB