Poquoson gets second, rules at three weights
Three Poquoson Islanders took individual championships Saturday in the VHSL Class 2 wrestling championships at sold-out Salem Civic Center, near Roanoke.
They helped Poquoson total 164 points for runner-up team honors to Strasburg, a Shenandoah Valley program that amassed 205. On the tournament’s final day, the Islanders jumped into second place over Wise County Central, which took third at 144.
Jared Goodson (126 pounds), Bryan Latta (135) and Reed Booth (144) gave Poquoson three finalround victors in a span of four weights. That eased the championship-round disappointment of Kam Harrell (106) and Logan Keesee (113), who were runners-up.
Also placing for the Islanders: Christian Leonard (third at 150), James Withrow (fourth at 120), Keegan Webb (sixth at 132) and Brayden Agnese (sixth at 190).
Class 3: Highlighted by 113-pound champ Tristan Carter, New Kent took second place at Salem Civic Center with 153 points, well behind champion Staunton River’s 230.
Lake Taylor football standout Marquise Drew-Rogers was the only Hampton Roads wrestler to reach the finals, where he was pinned in 2:11 by Staunton River’s Landon Jobber-Spence.
Among New Kent’s Bay Rivers District rivals, Grafton’s Sebastian Campbell (fourth at 126), Lafayette’s Christian Gordy (fifth at 175) and Tabb’s Jayden Crotty (sixth at 106) gained awards.
Class 1: Grundy, well known in the area for performing well at the Virginia Duals, dominated the division as usual in Salem.
The Golden Wave won nine of the 14 brackets and provided the runner-up in three. Grundy amassed more points (312) than the next two schools combined: Grayson County (142) and Rural Retreat (136.5).
Class 6: First-place finishes by Landstown 138-pounder Michael Phoutasen and heavyweight Naasir Edmonds highlighted area performances in Class 6 at Virginia Beach Sports Center.
That twosome helped the Eagles place fifth in the team standings, which Mountain View won. Phoutasen’s fourth victory was his 3-1 decision over Brooke Point’s Benjamin Aguilar in the finals. Edmonds edged Cosby’s James Bland 4-3 at 285 pounds.
Western Branch’s Brandon Cynar was the runner-up at 113, beating three foes before losing 10-4 to Robinson’s Caden Smith. Grassfield’s Matox Allen placed second at 150, dropping a 13-0 final decision to Brooke Point’s Chase Van Hoven.
Class 4: Woodgrove of Northern Virginia took the team title with 177 points to runner-up Eastern View’s 132.5.
Gloucester was 18th with 38 points, leading area teams, but no Hampton Roads wrestler achieved a top-six spot.