Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 23, 1990 TAG: 9006230064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
These days he doesn't make many public appearances as a wrestler, so when he does it's worth noting. He will be one of the headline attractions in the Virginia CorEast State Games next month.
"I work out and I'm always in the wrestling room 12 months a year, but I don't compete anymore," said Dresser, who now is a wrestling coach for the powerful program at Grundy High.
He will be participating along with some of the outstanding wrestlers from Grundy, including 171-pound Group AA champion Greg Stiltner.
Dresser will wrestle in the 165-pound class of the Open division. Stiltner is scheduled to participate in the 171-pound class of the senior division.
Stiltner also will be trying to follow in Dresser's footsteps. The Grundy star recently signed with Iowa.
Dresser says he didn't try to persuade Stiltner into going to Iowa, one of the nation's hotbeds of college wrestling.
"I actually stayed out of the process and let him make his own decision," said Dresser. "But I go back to Iowa City and work at wrestling camps each summer. He went with me and being around that atmosphere helped."
At the State Games, there will be four classes of wrestling, and the tournaments all will be held on one day, Saturday, July 7, at the LancerLot.
The open division has seven classes: 130, 140, 150, 165, 180, 200 and unlimited.
The senior division for youths up to 18 years old has the same 13 classes used by the Virginia High School League.
The junior division, for youngsters 11-15 years old, has weight classes of 74, 82, 88, 94, 102, 110, 120, 130, 140, 155, 175 and unlimited.
There also will be a non-weighted Pee Wee Division for youths up to age 11.
Barry Trent, the director of wrestling for the State Games, said this tournament has been held in past summers and was added as a part of the State Games this year.
"That's helped our tournament, being part of the Games along with their publicity and their organization," said Trent.
Trent and Dresser say summer tournaments like this can only help the sport. That is especially true in Southwestern Virginia where Grundy has been the only high school program that ranks highly in the state.
"Anytime you get a chance to wrestle in a tournament, it's good. Mat time is a big thing," said Trent. "Hopefully, this will develop into a prestige type thing and as time goes on, it will give us a chance to wrestle some people from across the state."
Dresser added: "This is very important because in the southwest part of Virginia there's not much exposure after the high school season. If you're in Richmond or the Virginia Beach area, they have more competition [in the summer] because they're populated areas."
In past years, this tournament has attracted 270 wrestlers. Using seven mats, the tournament has concluded by 3 p.m., but Trent said it might be a bigger tournament this year.
"We have over 100 pre-registered and that doesn't include the 30 to 50 we've been told are coming from Grundy. Usually if we have a dozen pre-register, we're doing good," Trent added.
The wrestlers of note from Roanoke who have pre-registered are Lee Childs and Adam Williams of Cave Spring and Martinsville's Lamart Stockton. Childs finished second in the Group AAA 160-pound class, and Stockton (119) and Williams (125) were All-Timesland wrestlers.
Wrestlers can register up to the start of the meet for $12.i
by CNB