Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 16, 1992 TAG: 9202160223
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PHYLLIS A. FAIR SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
EAGLES WIN DISTRICT WRESTLING
There's nothing like having an entire team healthy.For the first time since Dec. 18, Franklin County's 13-man wrestling team had no injuries, and that couldn't have come at a better time as the Eagles won the Roanoke Valley District wrestling tournament Saturday night at William Fleming High.
"When we're healthy, we're one of the better teams in the state," Franklin County coach Kris Kahila said.
Franklin County scored 242 1/2 points to second-place Fleming's 171 1/2.
"I knew it would be tough competing against any weight class on Franklin County, but we knew we could do a good job," Fleming coach George Miller said.
It was the fifth consecutive district title for the Eagles. "It feels great," Kahila said. "We basically won it in the semifinals."
The top four places advance to the Northwestern Region tournament on Friday and Saturday at Franklin County.
The Eagles dominated, placing a district-record 12 of 13 wrestlers in the championship finals. The previous record was 11 finalists by Franklin County last year.
Of the 12 finalists, nine won.
"That was the most champions we've ever had," Kahila said. "I'm very proud of the kids."
In the land of unbeatens, three entered the finals and two remained.
Keno Shepherd, William Fleming's 103-pounder, improved to 24-0 after routing Franklin County's Darren Wray 10-1. It was Shepherd's second consecutive district title.
Pulaski County's Shawn Taylor was not as fortunate, losing for the first time in 35 matches. The 140-pounder lost to Franklin County's Chuck Ellis 13-10.
Franklin County heavyweight Ricky Young's victory over William Fleming's Irvin Kier was a surprise. Young beat Kier on overtime criteria.
After ending regulation tied at 5, the match went into a one-minute overtime.
It still was tied when time expired, so it went into a 30-second overtime. Neither Young nor Kier scored during that time, so Young was awarded the match because he scored first in regulation.
The match was Young's first since the dual meet between the Eagles and Colonels on Dec. 18. Young decisioned Kier 17-2, but he injured his knee and hadn't been able to wrestle until the district tournament.
"It was a great match," Kahila said. "Young is not in top condition yet. He [won] on guts."
There was another surprise: Cave Spring's Todd Doughty lost a hard-fought 8-6 match to Hasani Menefee of Franklin County. It was the second loss for Timesland's top 152-pounder, who has a 24-2 record.
In what probably was the most exciting match of the tournament, Franklin County's 135-pounder, Israel Gilbert, came from behind to decision Fleming's Anthony Gray 9-6.
Gilbert led 2-0 after the first period. Gray got five points early in the second and went ahead 5-2.
That's when Gilbert got in trouble and was on his back. He stayed that way for 1:52, but did not allow Gray to pin him.
"He surprised me," Gilbert said. "I thought I was pinned. It was very painful trying to get off my back. The whole time I was thinking don't get pinned, don't get pinned, and the only thing I could hear was [the Fleming crowd yelling] `Tony, Tony, Tony.'
"I was so numb on my back all that time. After that [second period ended], I was ready to rumble."
In the third period, Gilbert got a takedown to make it 5-4, but Gray got an escape to pull ahead 6-4 with 20 seconds to go.
Gilbert scored a takedown and near fall with two seconds left and went on to win.
"That was the most close and exciting match I've had this year since the Grundy tournament," Gilbert said. "It was the closest I got to getting pinned - never again. He was so slippery, and I couldn't do much."
Kahila said Gilbert made a mistake getting put on his back and almost lost the match.
"[But] when Gilbert came back that was the sign of a true champion," he said. \
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