THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503110139
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
THROUGHOUT THE WRESTLING season, Western Branch coach Terry Perdew couldn't understand it.
``Lee Butler is the best 103-pounder in the state,'' Perdew would often comment, ``but he hasn't had one thing written about him all year.''
Butler sometimes was overshadowed by teammates Sean Sanderlin at 145 pounds and Byron Tucker at 152. But rather than bemoan his lack of press, the Western Branch senior did something that demands recognition - capture a Group AAA state title.
Butler (30-2) decisioned Great Bridge's Aaron Anton, 8-2, in the final, completing a year in which he never lost a match to another 103-pounder. Butler's two defeats - to Oscar Smith's Gary Lewis and to Great Bridge's Bruce Fowler - came at 112.
``I felt really confident going into the match,'' Butler said after his third victory over Anton without a loss.
``I knew I could beat him on my feet. Whenever I felt any trouble on the mat, I let him go.''
HE AIN'T HEAVY: One of the best scenes of the weekend came after the 160-pound final, when Great Bridge's victorious Billy Allred flung himself into diminuitive coach Steve Martin's arms with such force it seemed as though technicians would have to be called to pry Martin out of the mat.
``Billy's winning was really something special,'' an emotional Martin said. ``Billy and I have been through a lot of things, and not just in wrestling. This one meant a lot to both of us.''
STALL BALL: One of the best matches in the tournament came in the 112-pound semifinals, when Potomac's Ken Cole and Great Bridge's Bruce Fowler hooked up in a shoot-out. Cole, lightning-quick on takedowns, led most of the way, but the determined Fowler kept pounding out reversals to keep it close. The match featured so much action that, despite bouts underway on three other mats, most eyes were on the Cole-Fowler duel.
Unfortunately, Cole marred his effort by taking repeated timeouts and holding his knee. What made the tactic particularly suspect is that the injury seemed to flare up mostly when Fowler was on a roll. After pulling out a 20-19 victory, Cole blamed bursitis for his actions.
A dispirited Fowler went on to lose his next match before rallying to place fifth. As for Cole, he advanced to the state final, where he was severely beaten by Tallwood's Mike Mercado in a 2:42 fall.
``The knee didn't bother me,'' Cole said after the defeat. ``Mercado, now he bothered me.''
HONOR ROLL: The complete list of Southeastern District state placewinners:
103: Lee Butler, Western Branch (1st), Aaron Anton, Great Bridge (2nd). 112: Bruce Fowler, Great Bridge (5th). 119: Richard Slocumb, Western Branch (5th). 125: Carl Perry, Great Bridge (1st). 130: Travis Woodhouse, Great Bridge (5th). 135: Aaron Beatson, Great Bridge (4th), David Gwaltney, Deep Creek (5th). 140: Keith Reynolds, Indian River (5th). 145: Sean Sanderlin, Western Branch (2nd). 152: Byron Tucker, Western Branch (1st). 160: Billy Allred, Great Bridge (1st). 171: Ryan Baker, Deep Creek (2nd).
THIS `N' THAT: Although Anton failed in his bid to win a state title, he did avenge his region final loss by upending Denbigh's Joey Wright, 13-5, in the semifinals. . . Tournament director Wayne Martin took pride in listing the grade of each wrestler on the bracket sheets, the better for college recruiters to identify prospects. But since the tournament was held the same weekend as many college NCAA tournament qualifying events, few if any college coaches actually showed up at Oscar Smith. Martin would like to see next year's state tournament moved back a week.
LOOKING AHEAD: Those who are tired of watching Great Bridge and Western Branch dominate district competition should brace for more of the same next season. The Bruins may lose Butler and Tucker to graduation, but everyone else returns for the state runners-up, who in some matches started seven freshmen last year. Butler's absence will be mitigated by the presence of Matt Viola, who won 15 matches as a freshman this year. The Bruins also will have the services of Marvin Urquhart, the eighth-grader who pinned his way to a middle school heavyweight title.''
The Wildcats lose Allred, 171-pounder Joey Guth and 189-pounder Josh Fannon, but with Perry, Beatson, Fowler, Jimmy Hawthorne, Travis and Stacy Woodhouse and Christian Basnight in tow, among others, Great Bridge could be stronger than ever through 160.
If any district team could make on move on these two, it could be Oscar Smith. The Tigers return several quality wrestlers, including state qualifiers Gary Lewis (112) and Anwar Sparrow (189). ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON
Western Branch senior Lee Butler, top, captured a Group AAA state
title at 103 pounds by beating Aaron Anton of Great Bridge.
by CNB