THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 31, 1996 TAG: 9601310400
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
It'll probably mean two less trophies for the Great Bridge display case, so there may be a few disappointed folks in certain parts of Chesapeake.
Otherwise, it's hard to find too many folks upset with the news that the Group AAA regional and state duals wrestling tournaments will be abolished after this season.
``I think (duals tournaments) are good for wrestling, but it's probably good we get away from them,'' Lake Taylor coach Russell Flynn said. ``They're just rough things to have. Besides, the season's long enough anyway.''
Thirty-seven other states already use the results from the individual tournament to determine its state champion, and Virginia's Group AA and A divisions have never used the duals format.
Some coaches point out that the duals postseason is the best way to determine which team is truly the best in the state, as it virtually eliminates the opportunity for a otherwise mediocre squad using the work of a two or three studs to ``steal'' a state title.
Granted. But even supporters of duals tournaments can offer little else in defense of a format which in its seven-year run has never really caught on with most coaches, spectators or even the wrestlers themselves.
For the majority of wrestlers, duals tournaments pale in significance to competing for individual glory. Forget the fact that few will say this on the record; the decline in motivation and ability to make weight when the state duals was held after the individual tournament a few years back spoke volumes.
For fans, the duals tournaments have been virtually devoid of drama, especially in the Eastern Region, where a Great Bridge victory seems assured before the season starts, let alone the tournament.
And since only eight teams in each region qualify for the duals postseason, most coaches have found themselves scrambling to set up extra matches to avoid facing a nearly three-week gap without competition heading into the district tournaments.
More than one coach has suggested a state duals tournament be conducted during the Virginia Duals. While this would eliminate the gap in the wrestling season, competing teams would have to be selected within the first month of the season.
Still, it's not hard to imagine some creative solution resulting in a version of state duals competition returning at some point.
BRING 'EM ON: Tallwood may have won a coveted Beach District title with Saturday's triumph over Cox, but the Lions did themselves no favors regarding the Eastern Region tournament to be held Friday and Saturday at Lake Taylor.
As champions of the Beach, Tallwood will need to defeat five-time champion Great Bridge in the semifinals to qualify for the Group AAA state duals. Had the Lions lost to Cox, they would have met Western Branch in the semis. Despite being ranked third in the area behind the Bruins all season, the Lions have long believed they're at least the second-best team in the area. Now, it looks like they'll have to beat Great Bridge to prove it.
The Lions lost by only six to the Wildcats at the Virginia Duals, but Great Bridge didn't have its full lineup on hand and may have been looking past Tallwood towards a matchup with Western Branch in the next round. When the Wildcats met the Lions in early December, Great Bridge won by 60.
The loss of 125-pounder Jason Kraft (academics) will also work against Tallwood if it meets Great Bridge this weekend. by CNB