Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 15, 1993 TAG: 9301150067
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
EAGLES WRESTLERS SEEK 1 MORE BIG ORANGE TITLE
Last year Franklin County won a record fifth straight Big Orange wrestling title. This year, the Eagles hope to win their seventh title since the tournament started in 1976.If they do, they will top the six titles William Fleming has won, including four straight from 1980-83.
The Big Orange starts a two-day run at William Byrd today at 2. The semifinals are set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, with the finals at 8:30 p.m.
"If we've got everyone here healthy and happy, it's the best team I've ever coached," said Franklin County coach Kris Kahila.
Franklin County comes into the tournament without a defending champion, but nine Eagles place second or third last year as the team beat second-place Brookville by 27 1/2 points.
Kahila thinks Franklin County will do better in the championship round this year. He lists heavyweight Ricky Young, Derrick Poindexter (160 pounds), Hasani Menefee (152), Thomas Simmons (145), Aubry Wright (140), Daniel Gearheart (135), Nathaniel Whorley (130) and Darren Wray (112 or 119) as having the potential to win titles.
William Fleming and Northside figure to be Franklin County's strongest challengers, though perennial runner-up Brookville also could make things tough. Franklin County finished fourth in the recent Grundy Invitational, just ahead of fifth-place Northside. The Vikings have won 37 consecutive dual meets and will be led by Brian Van Ravestien (160), Steve Ray (189) and sophomore Clifton Dunford (119).
William Fleming will be paced by Keno Shepherd (103), last year's runner-up as Timesland wrestler of the year. Other top Fleming wrestlers are Mosi Coleman (112), John Brandon (119), Terence Dozier (130), Herbie Kasey (135), last year's 161-pound Big Orange champion Eddie Jones (171) and Mike Souma (189).
Glenvar's Brandon Semones, the defending 171-pound champion who has won two consecutive Group A state titles, moves up to 189 and will put his streak of 54 consecutive victories on the line.
Lord Botetourt's Dan Sell, who will wrestle in the 130-pound class, won the 125-pound crown in last year's Big Orange.
\ HOT HOOPS: The season's biggest high school basketball game is scheduled tonight at Salem when the Spartans play host to Alleghany in the Blue Ridge District opener. Both are unbeaten and Salem (7-0) is ranked No. 1 in Timesland. Alleghany (8-0) is fifth. The Spartans are led by Mark Byington, Timesland's third-leading scorer with a 25.0 average. Alleghany has two top scorers in Michael Hunter (19.3) and Todd Wheatley (15.9).