1998 VHSL Wrestling
Well, the Peter Principle followed me around all weekend like a lost
puppy ... if something could go wrong, it did.
From not being able to get a press pass when I got there (because no
one was working the sign-in table), to being given results in two
different formats, to not being able to connect to an ISP (neither of
my connection methods worked from the civic center, my college friend
in Roanoke was already asleep Friday night by the time I got to her
house, and my Saturday afternoon trip down to my alma mater, Radford
Univ., was a waste of time, since the computer labs [actually, the
entire campus] were closed because of Spring Break).
Comments : This was probably the best state tournament from
top to bottom that I've seen over the past 11 years (the most
thrilling one was in '96 when we had 9 individual champs). Watching
two of the country's top-ranked wrestlers in action for the second
time in two months was a thrill. Seeing Luke finish off all four
of his opponents in less time than a TV time-out lasts in college
basketball was simply amazing. More than 1 person said he'll be in
the NFL in a few years. (Hokies opponents had better watch out!)
And those last 3 Group A matches. You could have cut the
tension with a knife! Brentsville could have clinched the team title
with a tech fall at 189, but came away with just a 2-1 decision. JJ
Kelly could have tied it up with a pin at 215, but Justin Coyler lost
14-2, finishing his career with 3 straight 2nd place finishes at
state. Then came Radford. They needed a tech fall from their HWT to
tie for 1st, and Dwayne Martin knew it. He took Coeburn's Joey
Ringley to the mat in the 2nd period, got turned for a few seconds,
then took control and came away with a pin with 8 seconds left in the
period to give the Bobcats their first state wrestling title and 4
individual champions.
Next year should be interesting in Group AA as Poquoson loses
6 seniors. 12-time defending champion Grundy will lose 6 of their
7 champs; including 3 three-time champs and 3 two-time champs.
And those wrestlers at 140 : good luck. Six Grundy wrestlers have
won the last seven titles at 140.
Friday : Group AA :
1st round ,
quarter-finals and
wrestle-backs ;
Group A :
1st round ,
quarter-finals and
wrestle-backs
Saturday :
morning semis : AA and
A ,
afternoon wrestle-backs : AA and
A ,
evening finals : AA and
A.
After you're through, why not try your hand at a game of
sports trivia.
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