THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, December 4, 1994               TAG: 9412040232
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Medium:   54 lines

GREAT BRIDGE SWEEPS IN WRESTLING TOURNEY THE DEFENDING STATE CHAMPIONS WON ALL 3 OF THEIR MATCHES AT THE KICKOFF CLASSIC.

The mighty mostly flexed their muscles in the seventh annual Norfolk Sports Club/Titan Kickoff Wrestling Classic at Lake Taylor on Saturday.

Defending state champion Great Bridge yawned its way to three decisive victories over Tallwood (56-9), Franklin County (54-11) and Salem (56-8).

Twenty-nine of the area's ranked wrestlers, including all 13 of the top-rated, competed in the 16-team tournament.

Michael Harper, Great Bridge's 145-pounder, was the lone No. 1 ranked wrestler to taste defeat. He was pinned by Franklin County's Bryan Jones.

But Harper came back with an impressive pin in 1:30 over Salem's Chris Wagner in his closing match.

``Some guys can't come back after losing like that,'' Harper said. ``But Jones is a Greco-Roman champion and I tried to go upper-body with him. That was a mistake. Next time I'll do it my way. And I hope I can meet him again in the state tournament.''

Harper felt he wasn't loose for the match as he won his opener by forfeit.

Most of the other top-ranked wrestlers had a field day.

Western Branch's Lee Butler, ranked first at 103, won three matches - all by pins - at 112. The Bruins' Byron Tucker (No. 1 at 152) and Sean Sanderlin, ranked behind Harper at 145, also posted three pins as Western Branch won its three team matches, including a 32-30 finale against Westminister (Ga.).

Cox also registered three team wins, downing Oscar Smith, 54-13; Westminister, 35-24, and Deep Creek, 51-15.

Host Lake Taylor chalked up a pair of victories, downing Deep Creek, 44-24, and Denbigh, 35-29. The Titans' top-ranked 130-pounder, Joel Jiminez, had two easy wins.

First Colonial bested Manteo in its lone match, 59-6.

Before falling to Great Bridge, Franklin County whipped Tallwood, 46-21, and Kellam, 42-17.

Poquoson, Group AA state runner-up last year, topped Kempsville, 47-18, and Denbigh, 34-25.

In the other match Tallwood downed Manteo, 63-9.

Kickoff Classic coordinator Russell Flynn said the attendance was the largest since the tournament began. ``I would estimate we had 2,000 in all during the day,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

GARY C. KNAPP

Adam Flora of Franklin County, top, tries to escape the grasp of

Great Bridge's Eric Wernick during a 119-pound match.

by CNB