THE VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEER

 

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Buchanan County's Family Newspaper Since 1922

Thursday, March 1, 2007

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Travis Fiser
Region IV Coach of the Year

AT TOP,  Grundy's Wrestlers and coaching staff celebrate the team's 23rd straight Region IV wrestling title Saturday evening at Martinsville Middle School. The Wave came home with three champions, four runners-up and one third place finish, while advancing eight grapplers to this weekend's Group AA state tournament at Salem Civic Center. GRUNDY'S JERAMI Bartley (bottom, right) clings tight to Martinsville's Ricky Flood as he watches the finals seconds of the final overtime period click off the scoreboard Saturday evening at Martinsville Middle school. Bartley won a hardfought 4-3 decision over Flood in the 160-pounds finals of the Region IV tournament -- a match that went  into four overtime periods. Bartley is one of the favorites to compete for a Group AA state title this weekend in Salem.  (Staff photos/Sam Bartley.)

Wave Matmen Win Region IV Wrestling Title
Grundy Advances 8 Wrestlers To Group AA State Tourney

by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
  Grundy flexed just enough muscle in the finals at Martinsville Saturday to secure another Region IV wrestling title.
  Three Golden Wave wrestlers earned titles and eight qualified for state in the Region IV tournament Friday and Saturday at Martinsville Middle School.
  Grundy sent nine wrestlers into the semifinals and seven into the finals. The three Golden Wave champions -- Jon Dotson (125 pounds), Jarrett Landis (135) and Jerami Bartley (160) -- helped Grundy pull away from second-place Abingdon in the final round.
  Four Grundy wrestlers placed second: Ethan Owens (119), Kaleb Smith (145), Josh Lee (189) and Josh Ratliff (215). Josh McCowan (152) qualified for state by placing third Saturday.
  “We would have liked to have more qualify,” Grundy coach Travis Fiser said. “But, overall, we had a good tournament. I feel really good about the eight guys we’re taking to state.”
  The best match of the finals came at 160 pounds, where Bartley won a wild one over Martinsville’s Ricky Flood in four overtimes. In the final 30-second period, the Grundy senior fell behind, but got an escape and gained control just in time to take a 4-3 decision.
  “That was a great match,” Fiser said. “Jerami probably had the toughest weight in the tournament. He beat two (of three past state qualifiers) and he should have been outstanding wrestler (of the tournament).”
  Dotson avenged two losses to Tazewell’s Shane Wilson with an impressive 9-2 decision over him in the finals Saturday night.

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.

Christiansburg is Favorite to Win Sixth Straight Group AA State Wrestling Title

by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
  Christiansburg is heavily favored to win its sixth straight Group AA state wrestling title.
  The Blue Demons return four individual state champions and qualified all 14 wrestlers, including 12 Region III champs, for this year’s state tourney Friday and Saturday at Salem Civic Center, Grundy, which slipped to 15th in the team standings a year ago, will go into Salem this year on even terms with four other teams in the state. The Golden Wave, along with Abingdon, Brookville, Poquoson and Tabb, qualified eight for state.
  Three other squads, Martinsville, Northside and Lafayette, are sending seven wrestlers to Salem.
  Ethan Owens (119 pounds), Jon Dotson (125), Jarrett Landis (135), Kaleb Smith (145), Josh McCowan (152), Jerami Bartley (160), Josh Lee (189) and Josh Ratliff (215) qualified for the Golden Wave. Heavyweight Andy Stiltner is an alternate.
  Dotson, Landis and Bartley go in as Region IV champs.  
  All eight, says Grundy coach Travis Fiser, have a shot at placing. Fiser is confident that some of them will be wrestling on Saturday night.
  “I feel really good about the eight guys we’re taking to state,” Fiser said. “We would have liked to have a couple more, but the guys in there are tough.
  “We’ve had some years where some guys were good enough to qualify, but these guys are all good enough to place. I think we’ve got some champs. We’ve got eight solid kids. The main thing now is that we show up and prove ourselves.”

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.

                 

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