THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 17, 1996 TAG: 9601170464
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
First Colonial coach Joe Bothel was looking into scheduling an exhibition match against an all-star team of TCIS champions during the Eastern Region duals tournament until he realized that, given the roll the Patriots have been on of late, his team may be busy competing in the regional tournament.
The champions of the Virginia Duals' ``Top Gun'' tournament will take a six-match winning streak into Thursday's 7:30 p.m. home showdown against Cox, and can move into a second-place tie in the Beach District with a victory. The top two teams in the district advance to regionals.
``You're not going to get any predictions out of me, but it should be a heck of a match,'' Bothel said. ``I'm working with a great bunch of kids.''
Cox (8-3 overall, 6-0 Beach District) has history on its side: First Colonial (8-1, 4-1) has never qualified for the regional duals and is 2-25 lifetime against the Falcons (0-10 under Bothel).
On the other hand, this isn't shaping up as a typical First Colonial team. The Patriots' success at the Virginia Duals suggests they are ready to shed their reputation as a team which fades as the season wears on.
Cox also might not be at full strength. Andy Simons, the Falcons' 119-pounder and the team's only returning state qualifier, sat out the Virginia Duals with a pinched nerve in his neck.
REGIONAL DUALS UPDATE: Of the Eastern Region's four districts, only in the Beach is there real doubt about which teams will advance to the regional duals tournament Feb. 2-3 at Lake Taylor.
Denbigh and Gloucester should come out of the Peninsula, Western Branch and Great Bridge from the Southeastern and Granby and Lake Taylor from the Eastern. The Peninsula and Southeastern District leaders will stage title matches later this month; Granby defeated Lake Taylor Thursday.
The Peninsula faces the Southeastern and the Beach meets the Eastern in the regional tournament first round.
SIDELINED: Lake Taylor's Paul Jimenez, considered by many the man to beat in the state tournament at 103, dislocated his left elbow in a Virginia Duals match against Woodford County's Scott Bennett and will be out of action indefinitely.
Jimenez, a junior and one of the Titans' ``Four Horsemen,'' took a 16-1 record into the match and led, 8-1, with 20 seconds remaining in the third period when the injury occurred.
``We're hoping he can be back for the district tournament (Feb. 17), but we're not going to take any chances,'' Titans coach Russell Flynn said.
ALUMNI REPORT: Oklahoma 158-pounder and former Western Branch state champion Byron Tucker lost three of his five Virginia Duals matches, but showed star-stuff in the consolation semifinals against Illinois, when he went toe-to-toe with defending NCAA champion Ernest Benion before dropping a 10-7 decision.
``He's going to be a good one,'' Benion said of the Sooners' freshman.
``I take that back. He's already a good one.''
The Duals completed a somewhat sobering week for Tucker, who three days before the Duals was pinned for the first time as a collegian by Penn State's John Lange in 4:42.
Michigan 118-pounder Chris Viola, also from Western Branch, went 1-3 at the Duals.
``I've always loved wrestling here,'' a downcast Viola said. ``It's just that all the times before, it's turned out a lot better.''
HERE AND THERE: Great Bridge's Virginia Duals' loss to Highland (N.J.) gave the Wildcats two dual-match defeats in a season for the first time under coach Steve Martin, who took over in 1991. The Wildcats haven't lost more than two since the 1983-84 campaign, Wayne Martin's coaching debut, when they went 9-5. out-of-state teams in next year's ``Top Gun'' tournament. by CNB