THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 9, 1997 TAG: 9701090528
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 77 lines
Illness and controversy continued to hound second-ranked Western Branch Wednesday night, but the Bruins still managed to blow past three opponents in their final tuneup before the Virginia Duals.
Wrestling without unbeaten Richard Slocumb and defending state champ Matt Viola, the Bruins thumped fourth-ranked Oscar Smith 39-21 in the headliner of a quad meet at Oscar Smith.
Viola is nursing flu symptoms and sat out the Oscar Smith match as well as victories over Nansemond River and Kellam. Slocumb, ranked second at 125, wrestled against Nansemond River, but not the other two opponents.
Western Branch coach Terry Perdew said Slocumb told him that he was hurt, although sourcessaid there was more to it than that. Perdew wouldn't say whether Slocumb will wrestle Friday when the Bruins take on Soddy Daisy High of Tennessee in the first round of the Virginia Duals, but was pessimistic about Viola.
``He just can't get a healthy team,'' he said.
Oscar Smith was coming off a 32-31 upset of Great Bridge last Saturday and was also less than full strength. Second-ranked heavyweight Raphael Butts was out with flu and James Benn (152) was injured in the Tigers' first match, a 57-15 rout of Kellam.
Western Branch's Cory Bauswell, whose three victories on the night gave him 100 for his career, witnessed the Tigers' upset of Great Bridge and said it got the Bruins' attention.
``I couldn't believe it,'' he said. ``It let us know they weren't any joke and would come out and wrestle us hard.''
Oscar Smith fell behind Great Bridge by 22 points before sweeping the last five matches to win. They were better positioned at the same point against Western Branch, trailing only 27-15. But the absence of Butts combined with the Bruins' greater strength in the upper weights foiled any chance of another comeback.
The Bruins got victories from Bauswell (160), second-ranked Andy Preston (171) and top-ranked Marvin Urquhart (275) to complete the convincing victory.
The Bruins won both matchups between ranked wrestlers with No. 1 Daniel Smith edging No. 3 Malcolm Cherry 6-3 at 130 and Bauswell beating No. 3 Mike Phelps 12-7.
In other matches: Great Bridge 56, Indian River 15: Bruce Fowler (No. 1, 119 pounds), Charlie Haltom (No. 3, 130) and Stacy Woodhouse (No. 1, 152) won by fall as the rebounded from their first Southeastern District dual match loss since 1990. Andy Putnam (No. 3, 125) posted a technical fall for Great Bridge, which dropped a 32-31 decision to Oscar Smith Saturday. The Braves Luke Armagost (No. 3, 140) recorded a third-period fall.
Lake Taylor 52, Norcom 21: Paul Jimenez (No. 3, 112) and Albert Johnson (No. 3, 215) posted victories for the No. 9 Titans.
Salem 61, Kecoughtan 18: J.P. Elicerio (103), Jose Malpaya (112) and Aaron Canti (119) scored pins in the first three matches as the Sun Devils opened by winning eight consecutive bouts. Ronnie Hawkins had the shortest match, taking down Miguel Mendez quickly and stacking him for a 12-second fall.
Granby 47, Booker T. Washington 27: Anthony Allen won by fall with 1:06 left in the second period of the decisive 189-pound match.
Maury 55, Wilson 20: The Commodores' Xavier Bell (No. 3, 145) scored five takedowns in the first period before pinning Jerry Lightner in 1:48.
Churchland 41, Norview 27: Mike Allen (152), Matt Scott (103) and Nate Parker (130)improved their personal records to 12-1 for the Truckers.
Norfolk Collegiate 46, Phoebus 27: Kevin Fields, who also won by fall in the Oaks losses to Bethel and Grafton, pinned Adam White with 27 seconds left in the first period of the 171-pound match to clinch for Collegiate.
Northampton 62, Catholic 13: Mike Trower recorded a 30-second fall at 160 pounds to lead the Yellow Jackets.
Southampton 51, Franklin 21: Antwan Joe's 12-11 decision over Bryan Shahan at 112 pounds sparked the Indians in a Bay Rivers match. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Western Branch's Chris Mendez, at front, grimaces as he goes over in
his 8-0 victory over Nansemond River's Eric Cartwright in a quad
meet at Oscar Smith Wednesday.