THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 15, 1996 TAG: 9602130102
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
Boy, this wrestling season sure is hard to follow. Seems like there's a different tournament going on every time you look up.
Then stop looking up.
Knock it off. What have we got this week?
Get ready for the Eastern District tournament.
OK, give me the bottom line. Who's going to win it?
In a word, Granby.
The Comets? Are they still in the league?
Very funny. OK, so it has been 25 years since Granby's won the district title. But the Comets beat every team in the league this year and are one of the top 10 teams in the Eastern Region.
So they're a good dual-match team. But can they hang in an individual tournament?
You bet. Their 145-pounder, Chris Martin, finished second in the state last year. He's unbeaten this season and he's already won three other tournaments. William Thornton is top-ranked in the area at 171. Those two look like locks to win titles Saturday. Then you've got a bunch of other guys - Chad Harrison (112), Rueben ``Smiley'' Waites (119), Chris Lee (135), Antwaine Dowe (215) - who are also title contenders. Shoot, Granby could win seven individual titles.
Twenty-five years . . . that means they last won the district in 1971. I believe they also won the state title that year. Say, you don't think this year's team might . . .
Well, there's this school in Chesapeake . . .
Never mind. So you like Granby. What about Lake Taylor?
The three-time defending champions? They won't beat Granby this year.
How can you write them off? I mean, what about those great wrestlers they have, ``The Four Horsemen?''
That's ``Three Horsemen.''
Three?
Afraid so. Their 103-pounder, Paul Jimenez, was on a state-title course until he messed up his elbow at the Virginia Duals. That was almost a month ago, and he hasn't wrestled since.
Think he'll give it a shot Saturday? He could probably forfeit his matches and still qualify for regionals.
True, but his coach (Russell Flynn) won't put Jimenez on the mat unless he's 100 percent, and on Monday, Jimenez still didn't have a full range of motion in his injured arm. Plus, we're talking about a kid who struggled to make weight when he was working out every day. He's had a month off. What kind of shape do you suppose he's in now?
That's too bad.
I know. But there's nothing wrong with the other ``Horsemen.'' They are fine. Termaine Baker (125), Lionel Davis (130) and Kenny Hessler (140) have been punishing people all year. I can't imagine them not winning titles Saturday. And Lake Taylor's also got a lot of good young guys.
You mean like the freshman who replaced Jimenez at 103, Check C. Kam?
That's Check Y. Kam. Check C. Kam's his brother. Wrestles 119.
OK, I think.
Yeah, guys like the Kams, Josh Nelso (152) and the mammoth (6-4, 265) heavyweight who just became eligible, Chris Kriz, they score their points. Just probably not enough to catch Granby.
Any other teams in the hunt?
To beat Granby? Get real. But every team's got a handful of kids capable of winning their weight classes.
Even Norview?
Don't knock the Pilots. They went 8-4 this year. Linwood Hilton (119) went 4-0 in the district, and Mark Sosa (125), Mike McGruder (152) and Robert Bray (215) were 3-1. All of these guys could win Saturday.
Then there's Maury. Steve Bruner (275) is one of the best in the state. Xavier Bell looks like the man at 135. Cory Jordan (103), Leroy Barbour (160) and Jeff Firks (189) are all dangerous. Heck, the Commodores might even give the Titans a run for second place.
And let's not forget about Booker T. Washington. Duwyne Williams is a defending champion at 160, Shawn Beiser hasn't lost in the district at 145 and Keenan Smith (103) could capitalize on Jimenez' absence.
You see, that's the beauty of the tournament this year.
Really? And what's that.
Granby may win the team title, but every team should leave knowing at least they won something. ILLUSTRATION: AT A GLANCE
Where: Lake Taylor High School.
When: Saturday.
Admission: $5.
Schedule: first round, 11:30 a.m.; semifinals, 12:30 p.m.;
third-place matches, 3 p.m.; finals, 4:30 p.m.
At stake: The top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to
the Eastern Region tournament Feb. 22-24 at Churchland High School.
by CNB