NO. 13 HOKIES PIN CAVS FOR CROWN
New Kent alum LaPrade finishes 3-0 as Va. Tech wins National Division
HAMPTON — The Virginia Duals concluded Saturday evening with a series of finals in the five divisions – two college and three high school. Yet, to many local observers, none was more important than the National College Division championship between Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The Hokies, ranked 13th in the USA Today/NCWA coaches poll, handily defeated their in-state rivals 37-5 to claim the crown.
“I like where this team is headed,” Tech coach Tony Robie said after the plaque presentation. “We’re going in the right direction and building the right way.”
As the Hokies head toward Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA competitions, Robie noted that some wrestlers would need to continue building, but singled out B.C. LaPrade (a New Kent High graduate) and Mitch Moore as two who have improved in recent weeks.
“He had a breakout weekend,” Robie said of LaPrade. “He went 3-0 and beat two (nationally) ranked guys.”
Other champions
In the Black and Blue Division, Oscar Smith, ranked second in South Hampton Roads, overcame an early double-digit deficit and held off top-ranked Great Bridge 36-25 to capture the title.
In the American College Division, Kutztown of Pennsylvania defeated Ferrum 27-14. Kellam won the American High School Division with a 48-21 victory over St. John’s (D.C.).
In the National High School Division, two teams from New Jersey clashed in the final, with South Plainfield emerging victorious in a 37-17 win over St. Augustine Prep.
Apprentice finishes sixth
After Friday’s 29-16 win over Alderson Broaddus, Apprentice coach Micah Amrozowicz spoke highly of his team’s next opponent, Kutztown, and said he hoped his team could at least make a good showing.
Amrozowicz’s concerns turned out to be justified. The Builders’ Kolin Johnson scored a 6-2 decision over Lucas Miller in the 133-pound bout, but Kutztown, nationally ranked in Division II, rattled off eight straight victories to top Apprentice 43-3 and evaporate any chance the Builders had of making the final.
The bad fortune continued as Apprentice was nipped by Liberty 26-24 in the consolation bracket and then fell victim to a dose of revenge from Alderson Broaddus, which beat the Builders 35-12 in the fifth-place match.
Apprentice’s Colton Messick (125 pounds) won by fall in the final two consolation bouts to finish the weekend 3-1.
Old Dominion takes fifth
ODU’s Monarchs opened their Duals competition with a convincing 30-10 win over Kent State, but the momentum did not carry into the Saturday matches.
The Monarchs’ next clash, against Virginia Tech, started in an auspicious manner, with 125pounder Michael McGee winning by fall in 5:47 over Kyle Norstrem to give ODU a 6-0 lead. Two bouts later, at 141, Sa’Derian Perry edged Mitch Moore 3-2 and Old Dominion took a 9-4 lead.
From there, it was all Tech, as the Hokies stormed back to win the last seven bouts, including an 8-4 decision by LaPrade over Larry Early at 157 pounds. The Hokies’ convincing 31-9 win gave them momentum they continued by beating U.Va.
In its first consolation match, ODU dropped a 27-14 decision to Oklahoma. McGee won a 17-2 technical fall over the Sooners’ Zach Atenzio, and Perry, Shane Jones (165), and Ali Wahab (285) earned decision victories.
The Monarchs defeated Chattanooga 21-15 in the fifth-place match to finish the weekend 2-2.
National High School Division
New Kent gained its second victory of the Duals, beating Camden Catholic (N.J.) 37-27.
Nathaniel Fly (145), Jamar Christian (220) and Buddy Whitecotton (285) won by fall, with Fly and Christian needing less than a minute to pin their opponents.
The Trojans’ day ended with a 39-28 loss to Erie Cathedral Prep (Pa.). New Kent finished the Duals with a 2-2 mark for coach Mike Faus, who was without his goatee — as he promised — after his team’s dual-match winning streak ended with Friday’s heartbreaking 37-37 tiebreaker loss to McDonogh of the Baltimore area on criteria (most first points scored),
Lafayette and Warwick dropped their second and third matches to finish the Duals winless. The Rams dropped a 55-24 match to Eastern View before facing perennial Virginia Class 3 champion Christiansburg on Saturday, a match that coach Chris Wiatt’s team lost 59-12.
Lafayette’s Jordan Robins (132) won two of his three bouts for the weekend, finishing Saturday with a fall over Christiansburg’s Foster Williams.
Warwick finished its run with a 59-17 defeat at the hands of Benedictine from Richmond. Dillon Messick (120) and Staley Hampton (220) scored pins for the Raiders.
Black and Blue Division
While none of the three Bay Rivers entries finished among the top four, Poquoson compiled a winning record for the weekend.
After a 36-33 loss to Powhatan in their opening match, the Islanders topped Orange County (3929), Liberty of Bealeton (44-33) and Skyline (36-31) before losing 39-23 to Cox to finish their Duals campaign at 3-2.
With 59 wins in 35 Duals appearances, the Islanders remain third in all-time Virginia Duals high school victories, trailing only Cox (61, including three this weekend) and Great Bridge (83 against just 24 losses, including the Black & Blue final defeat).
York opened with a 4627 defeat to Tallwood, but the Falcons rebounded to beat Spotsylvania 40-33 before being eliminated by Skyline 37-19.
Smithfield also finished the weekend 1-2. The Packers lost their initial match to Liberty 48-30, but won a 39-39 tiebreaker by criteria over Matoaca in their first consolation match.
A 41-30 defeat to Powhatan ended the Duals for coach John Swartz’s contingent. Brandon Voros (138) and Kane Sharon (170) won their three bouts, with Voros pinning two foes.