Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 31, 1993 TAG: 9301310091
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
NORTHSIDE WRESTLERS STREAKING
When the Group AA and A district wrestling meets are held next weekend, Northside will start a path on which it hopes to become the first Blue Ridge District team to win a Region III tournament since 1987.That same year, Northside did not score a point in the district tournament, so it is easy to see how far the Vikings have come.
Northside will be out to win its 42nd straight match when it closes its dual meet schedule Tuesday against William Byrd. The Vikings have not lost since Heritage beat them 41-25 in 1990.
"I know it's not the longest in school history," coach Fred Wagner said of the streak. "I saw one time where they had at least 46 in a row and I think it went way beyond that."
Last weekend, Northside shut out three teams - Staunton River, Heritage and Amherst County. The Vikings won all 39 matches in 64-0, 77-0 and 78-0 victories, respectively.
Northside was an unclassified wrestling power in the 1960s and early 1970s under coach Ken Shelton. When he left, the program became a poor relative in the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District as teams like William Fleming and Franklin County took control.
Northside dropped to the Group AA ranks in the late 1980s and Wagner took over a program that had hit bottom.
"I guess you say the program was non-existent," Wagner said. "A lot of people say that and give me credit. They had gone from 1980 through 1989 and never had a winning season. In that span they never finished better than second-to-last in either the Roanoke Valley or the Blue Ridge."
When Wagner took over, his stock of uniforms included nine warmups and seven singlets (suits the wrestlers wear during matches). "I went out and collected warmups from kids who hadn't turned them in and Mrs. [school principal Donna] Henderson brought us new singlets," Wagner said.
In 1989-90, Wagner's first year, Northside went 10-5 with 13 wrestlers and finished second in the Blue Ridge and fifth in the Region III.
The record was 16-0 in 1990-91, and in 1991-92, Northside was 13-0 and finished as Region III runner-up to Brookville. The Vikings also were third at the prestigious Grundy holiday tournament.
This season, Northside finished third in the Big Orange tournament behind Franklin County and William Fleming, and the Vikings now are favored to drop Brookville as the four-time defending Region III champion.
"I don't feel like a favorite. So many things can distract you. There are too many teams that can do what we did last year," Wagner said. "Botetourt was well ahead of us in the Iron Man and Big Orange tournaments, then we beat them [for the district]. Wrestling is funny. You really don't know who's going to win at the end."
This year's team has five seniors, five juniors, two sophomores and a freshman. Robin Keeling (140), Clifton Dunford (103), Brian Van Ravestein (160), Brian Miller (145), Jacob Mayes (135), Steve Ray (189) and Brad Hungate (103) have enjoyed the most success so far and will be the wrestlers to carry Northside over the next three weeks.
As for Wagner, 28, he was an assistant football coach at Northside until leaving that position this year. Wagner, who played football and wrestled at Byrd, admits football is his first love and that he hopes to get back into coaching that sport.
"I said when I got here, whatever level you get to, you have to keep in mind what got you where you are, whether you're on top or on the bottom. If what got you there keeps you on the bottom, you have to change it," Wagner said.
Obviously, he doesn't have to change a lot.
\ RICHLANDS WOES CONTINUE: There are more woes for Richlands, which was placed on sportsmanship probation this past week by the Virginia High School League because the school's fans made racial slurs against the Orange County football team in the Group AA Division 4 state championship game.
Virginia High has filed a report with the VHSL alleging some of the same abusive treatment at a basketball game two weeks ago when the Bearcats played at Richlands.
Virginia High coach Mike Cartolaro said he would never take another team to Richlands.
\ ANOTHER STREAK: George Wythe's defending Group A volleyball team has won 34 games in a row.
It is not the longest winning streak in Timesland history. Patrick Henry won 56 over a six-year period from 1973 through 1979 which is thought to be the longest.
Wythe's last loss was to John Battle in last year's Abingdon Invitational. The Maroons, coached by 1992 Timesland volleyball coach of the year Lillie Moore, already have won this year's Abingdon tournament.
\ CAVE SPRING FORFEIT: It seems as if every few years Cave Spring winds up with a basketball forfeit. When coach Len Mosser was at Cave Spring, the Knights had to forfeit some boys' games right after they had taken over the Roanoke Valley District lead with a big victory against Patrick Henry.
A few years ago, the Knights' girls' team was about to be ranked by USA Today but had to forfeit some games because one of the reserves failed to pass five subjects. She still was allowed to play.
Last week, Cave Spring's boys' team forfeited to Patrick Henry because Ronnie Hibbs didn't sit out a game following his ejection from a game in Lynchburg.
Cave Spring athletic director Otis Dowdy said Hibbs didn't sit out because of a misunderstanding. Hibbs was not tossed out for a flagrant fight or foul. It was wrongly interpreted by coach Rick Crotts that because it wasn't flagrant, Hibbs did not have to sit out a game.
Dowdy, who attends most Cave Spring basketball games, missed the PH contest to follow the Knights' wrestling team in the Big Orange tournament. Had he attended the basketball game, it is likely the confusion never would have occurred.