by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
   Senior Andy Stiltner represents Grundy’s present. Freshman Ethan Owens represents Grundy’s future.
   If last weekend is any indication, the present and future are starting to look more and more like Grundy’s glorious past.
  Stiltner and Owens were among six Golden Wave wrestlers who went a perfect 4-0 to lead Grundy to the championship of the Coca-Cola Classic at Brookville High School near Lynchburg Saturday.
  Grundy was a perfect 4-0 in the Dual Meet tournament, which concluded with the Golden Wave’s 40-26 win over Brookville in the championship match Saturday evening.
  Owens (119), Stiltner (275), Jon Dotson (125), Josh McCowan (152), Jerami Bartley (160) and Josh Lee (189) each won four matches.
  Billy Owens (103), Jarrett Landis (135) and Josh Ratliff (215) each won three of four matches for the Golden Wave.
  Grundy, which was missing two injured starters, won three duals in pool action to reach the finals. The Wave topped E.C. Glass, 47-30; routed the Christiansburg “B” team, 54-12, and defeated Cosby, 48-29.
  Stiltner brought Grundy teammates and fans to their feet and staked the Golden Wave to an insurmountable 23-4 lead with an exciting come-from-behind win in a 6-4 decision over Brookville All-American Ryan Jackson.
  The Wave heavyweight scored four points in the final 10 seconds with a takedown and back points to turn a two-point deficit into a two-point victory.
  “That was the key match in the finals," Grundy coach Travis Fiser said. “Andy Stiltner beat the number two ranked heavyweight (in the country). Ryan Jackson is a Fargo All-American junior. He was fifth (in last summer’s junior) nationals.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.

Wave Takes Top Spot in SWD Standings With Wins Over Richlands and Graham

by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
  The driver’s seat is a good place to be in most districts, except, perhaps, in the SWD.
  An eventful week left Grundy in sole possession of first place in the Southwest District after road wins at Graham and Richlands.
  The Golden Wave went to 4-0 in the SWD after a wild, 68-63 win over the Blue Tornado Friday night at Richlands Middle School. At Graham on Tuesday, Jimmy Ashby scored the 1,000th point of his career to lead Grundy past the G-Men, 60-54, in district action at Graham Middle School.
  In non-district play, meanwhile, the Golden Wave crushed Council, 56-37, earning its third straight win over the Cobras, who had won the previous 28 meetings between the Buchanan County rivals.
  At Richlands, Grundy won despite a double-digit deficit in the first half, blowing most of an 18-point lead in the second half, and 14 turnovers in the fourth quarter.
  It was Grundy’s eighth straight win and third straight SWD road win. It leaves the Golden Wave (12-4) alone in first place in the district with just one SWD road game remaining.
  No position seems safe enough, says Grundy coach Greg Rife, in a league where three teams tied for last year’s regular season crown and four shared first place the year.
  “This definitely gives us a home court advantage,” Rife says. “But among the top three teams,  Richlands, Graham and Carroll County, either one of the three can knock anyone off at any time.
  “So I still don’t feel like we’re in the driver’s seat and in this district and we won’t be until the end.” 

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.