Virginia Duals Coverage (3rd Part of 5) -- Over 400 HIgh Schools Apply for 48 Duals Slots

It's funny how finding stories works. I approached John Swartz and Bill Grubbs with the intention of writing an article about how kids adapt to the noise and bright lights of wrestling at the Coliseum. About 10 minutes into our talk, John dropped the nugget about having over 400 high schools applying to compete every year, and my whole article changed. 

HAMPTON – For many high school wrestlers, having a chance to compete at the Virginia Duals is the culmination of their athletic careers. Wrestling on the mats at Hampton Coliseum provides for opportunities that prep athletes cannot find elsewhere.

“There’s something to be said about being in a meet where you’re wrestling, and on the next mat over, there are a couple of college guys,” said Bill Grubbs, high school director for the Duals.

It’s an experience that many teams want to renew on an annual basis.

“Once a team gets in the Virginia Duals, no one wants out,” adds John Swartz, tournament co-director, and also coach of Smithfield High. “We have 48 teams in the high school divisions, and 48 will want to come back next year.”

As optimistic as this might seem to a meet director, it does create a problem.

“We get about 400 applications from high schools every year,” added Swartz. “There are a lot of unhappy teams.”

Ironically, the original problem morphed to become the current one. Two years ago, while facing 150 applications from high school teams, Swartz turned to Jason Bryant for assistance. Bryant is a Poquoson native and jack-of-all trades, namely as a wrestling guru, one who has expanded the sport on a national level to online platforms such as his own website, as well as Mat Talk podcast. Now based in Minnesota, Bryant is the go-to guy for wrestling teams of all levels to seek when they wish to expand their social media exposure.

Bryant helped Swartz to develop an online application process, one that would streamline the entry process and help to take the mounds of paper off of Swartz’s desk.

The new application form was a success. However, with the increased exposure came more applications, hundreds more.

I told Jason, “Maybe we should turn this off,” said Swartz, laughing as he recalled the conversation.

There is a waiting list, and Grubbs admits, “There are teams that have been on the waiting list for years.”

In an effort to make room, changes have been made to the process. Admission to the Duals no longer guarantees a permanent spot in the line-up.

Two changes are significant. First, when a team wins either the Black and Blue or American Division, they are forced to move up to the next division.

The reasoning was simple. From 2003-2005, Brentsville District won the B&B Division, and in 2005 presented their strongest team. In spite of the ease with which they won titles, Swartz says, they simply refused to move up.

Fearing that one very strong team would dissuade others from competing, the change was made. Recently, it has affected one local team, Poquoson, who two years ago won the Black and Blue and were elevated to the American Division. While they didn’t win at the next level in 2015, they did perform well.

“It does give the team a chance to wrestle against tougher competition,” said Swartz.

One team almost completed the trifecta. In 2011, Ocean Lakes won the Black and Blue, and then came back the following year to capture the American title. However, they failed to make the semifinals in the National Division in 2013.

The second change was built to maintain competitiveness. If a team goes 0-3 for the tournament, they are removed and put back on the waiting list.

For Grubbs, this new rule led to a painful moment. “Two years ago, York went 0-3, and were dropped. And my own kid is on the (York) team!”

Instituting the two new rules helped to open up some vacancies in the brackets. The next problem was coming up with criteria to select the replacement teams from the pool of 400 applicants.

Swartz believes that they a workable system in place, although there are still some kinks to work out.

“First, you have to have a competitive team. Teams that are traveling a long way to come to the Duals expect to have stiff competition to wrestle against. Second, the team has to travel well.” Asked about how a team such as Arvada West High from Nevada is considered to travel well, Swartz pointed out that they have brought as many as 40 fans to Hampton.

There is a third criterion that can help a team.

“We like teams that can bring a lot of volunteers. It hurt after last year when Tabb left, because they had a lot of people who helped. It takes 600 volunteers to run this tournament.”

Virginia Duals Coverage (2nd Part of 5) -- Day 1 at the Duals: New Kent Goes 1-2 in National Division

For the past 4-5 years, New Kent HS has been wrestling in the National High School Division of the Virginia Duals. For a small school, stuck between Richmond and the Peninsula, it is quite a gutsy move, but gives Coach Mike Faus a great opportunity to put his Trojan team against top-notch competition.

HAMPTON – College wrestling teams from Old Dominion and Apprentice, as well as six Peninsula high school teams took to the mats on Friday, as the 36^th Virginia Duals kicked off at Hampton Coliseum. The tournament, one of the most renowned on the East Coast, features some of the best prep and collegiate teams in the nation. In all, over 1,000 grapplers, representing 68 teams, compete in three high school and two college divisions. The lineups highlight All-American grapplers at both levels, and are delivered ten bouts at a time along two rows of five mats.

New Kent HS wrestling squad is led by longtime
coach Mike Faus (front - R)

New Kent was the only Peninsula high school area team not competing in the Black and Blue Division, as they opted to test their skills in the National Division, considered to be the highest caliber bracket in the tournament, and one which features some of the East’s top teams, including South Plainfield (NJ), McDonogh (MD), and last year’s champion, Colonial Forge, from Stafford County.

The Trojans opened up against Battlefield and immediately ran into trouble as the Bobcats won the first three bouts to jump to an early 14-0 lead. Bryson Mitchell (126) and Caden Darber brought New Kent back, both winning by pins to close the lead to 14-12. However, Battlefield went on to win five of the next six bouts, all by fall, to open up a decisive 44-18 lead. Trent Ragland (195) won a 14-4 major decision, followed by victories by fall from Jason Godbey (220) and Michael Dorer (285) to make the final score a more respectable 44-34 decision in favor of Battlefield.

The Trojans quickly fell behind 24-7 to Fauquier in their next match, but caught back up behind wins from Kade Sanders (fall at 170), Ragland (8-0 major decision at 195), Dorer (3-2 decision at 285), and Chris Wade (fall at 106). Down only 30-26, the Trojans had a chance to pull out the match. But Fauquier’s Kyle Budd closed out the match with a fall at 32 seconds, as the Northern Virginia squad eked out a 36-26 win.

Undaunted, the Trojans went on to smash Ocean Lakes 50-20 in their final match of the day, to close out the tournament with a 1-2 record. New Kent used a four match-winning streak in the middle of the contest to close out the Dolphins as Sanders (12-1 technical fall at 160), David Taylor (fall at 170), Ragland (6-1 decision at 182) and Godbey (fall at 3:27) scored 20 uninterrupted points to seal the win.

New Kent coach Mike Faus credited mental toughness for his team’s success at this year’s Duals.

“Overall, our attitude was better today. We were very flat (in a match) last Wednesday, and even though we were missing a couple of starters, more guys showed up today.”

The Black and Blue Division also started on Friday evening.

Smithfield started off well, polishing off Centreville 47-26 in its first match. The Packers trailed 16-7 after four bouts, but rallied as Tyler Sharon (152) won by fall at 1:03, followed by Jacob Walker’s (160) 12-4 major decision win. A forfeit gave Stanley Smeitzer (170) an easy win, but also gave Smithfield a 29-20 advantage, which remained safe after Erik McNally won by fall at 195.

Peninsula Catholic, returning to the Duals after a notable layoff, was less fortunate in its opening match, losing to Hickory 62-15. However, the Zimmerman brothers won their bouts with Nick’s 25-second win by pin at 126 being one of the more impressive performances of the day, regardless of classification. Brother Zack followed with a 7-1 decision at 170.

Three Bay Rivers District teams opened their Black and Blue campaigns in the evening session. Host school Poquoson dueled with Winchester’s James Wood. York matched up with Grassfield and Lafayette took to the mat against Oscar Smith.

Both York and Lafayette found stiff competition in their first match. The Falcons dropped a 57-24 decision to Grassfield, while Lafayette was beaten 56-19 by Oscar Smith.

The Islanders, who won the Black and Blue Division in 2014, fared better, holding off an early challenge from Wood to win 43-24 and set up a quarterfinal match with Grassfield on Friday evening. Ross Graham (182), Robert Henesey (195) and Bryce Buchanan (220) scored consecutive pins toward the end of the match to secure 18 points, and the win, for Poquoson.

In college action, the Apprentice School endured a rough 49-0 loss to Minnesota State-Moorhead in their opening round of the American College Division. But the Builders, who have only held two formal practices in the past month because of school obligations, made a formidable comeback, beating Anderson 32-19 in the consolation round. Tyrell Watkins (149) and Steven Francisco (285) won by pins, while Landon Leithauser (157) and Cameron Vaughne (165) both scored major decisions.

Virginia Duals Coverage (1st Part of 5) -- Old Dominion: Monarchs On the Rise

Those who read the Daily Press or my Facebook page are well aware that I spent 26 hours (plus some writing time at home) last weekend dedicated to the annual Virginia Duals, a wrestling extravaganza featuring some of the nation's best high school and college teams. It just happens to be held in our backyard at the Hampton Coliseum.

Over the next five days, I am pleased to present my stories, covering different aspects of the Duals. The Daily Press didn't have room for all of my commentary, so I am happy to share my full stories here.

HAMPTON – At last year’s Virginia Duals, Old Dominion reached a new plateau by reaching the Gold Pool (Final Four) of the National College Division, and defeating #10 Edinboro in the consolation match to earn third place – the Monarchs highest Duals finish since 2008.

More importantly, it helped make for the first top-three finish by Virginia schools, as Virginia Tech ended up edging the University of Virginia 16-15 to capture the National Division title. But Tech had earned its championship berth by topping the Monarchs 19-15 in a semifinal match that was determined in the last bout, the heavyweight match, and only by a 3-1 decision.

However, with the exception of 1983, when ODU lost to North Carolina in the final, the Monarchs have been shut out of the championship match of the National Division.

This year, the Monarchs, under coach Steve Martin, are enjoying a comparable level of success. ODU is ranked 24^th in the USA Today/NWCA Coaches poll, and sports a roster with three All-Americans - Chris Mecate at 141 lbs., Alexander Richardson at 149 and Jack Dechow at 184. In the latest Win Magazine rankings, Mecate (8-3) and Richardson (9-2) were sixth, and Dechow (7-1) was listed at 10th. Another pleasant addition for Martin has been the recent emergence of freshman Emilio Saavedra (13-2), who earned a #13 ranking after winning the 133-pound division at the Midlands Championships, held last week at Northwestern University.

Coupled with the continued success of the Monarchs this year was the omission of both Virginia and Edinboro State from this year’s Duals National College lineup. As the team prepared to square off against Campbell in its first Poquoson River pool match on Friday, the question to be answered was – could the Monarchs dare to dream of making the finals, or better yet, winning the whole shebang?

While the Monarchs manhandled Campbell 28-16 in their first match, on the adjoining mat, the Hokies were taking care of business in their Hampton River pool opener against The Citadel, running away with a 31-9 win. For ODU, Mecate won a 7-3 decision over Luke Stewart, while Richardson defeated Zane Knight by fall. However, Saavedra lost a major decision, 13-5, to Nathan Kraisser. Brandon Jeske (18-0 technical fall winner at 125), Devin Geoghegan (9-0 major win at 157) and Climmons Brooks (12-3 major win at 174) also scored mightily for Old Dominion.

The Hokies and Monarchs didn’t have to move at all for their second match, staying on Mats 2 and 7. Both teams got off to auspicious starts, with the Monarchs winning their first three bouts. At 125, Jeske scored a quick five points with a 16-5 technical fall win over Ares Carpio. Saavedra bounced back at 133 to score a 4-3 decision over Mikel Perales. And Mecate gutted out a 3-2 win over Robert Mathers at 141. With an 11-0 lead, things were looking good for Martin’s troops.

Or not. The Sun Devils charged back to win the final seven matches and upend the Monarchs 25-11. With the win, Arizona State earned the berth to this year’s Gold Pool and the Monarchs moved to the Silver bracket semi-finals where they tangled with Rider (NJ). In that match, the Monarchs wasted no time taking care of business. Jeske, Saavedra, and Mecate easily won their bouts to give ODU a 12-0 lead. However, Alexander Richardson won by fall at 149, and then Devin Geoghegan and Seldon Wright scored major victories to put the Monarchs up 26-0. From there, ODU cruised to a 26-14 victory.

Even though Old Dominion fell short of the championship round, there is no doubt that they have gotten better in recent years.

Let’s count the ways. First of all, Dechow will be nowhere near the center of a wrestling mat this weekend at Hampton Coliseum.

“He was injured last weekend at Midlands and we decided to take precautionary measures,” said Martin. “It was definitely a game day decision.” In fact, Dechow weighed in 18 ounces under the 184-pound mark. “As a team, you can either worry about ego, or do what’s best for the team. Our kids need matches. We’re thinking about the National (NCAA) tournament and there are only 67 days left in the season. Madison Square Garden (site of championships), that’s what counts.”

Secondly, the fact that All-American Dechow did not wrestle on Friday is not a valid excuse among the Monarch wrestlers for losing a match to a Pac-12 program such as Arizona State – not today and not ever.

“We’ve been making huge steps,” said Mecate, a fifth year senior wrestler. “The culture in our room has changed. When I was a freshman, the goals that our team made, and the bar that they set – it has completely changed,” added Mecate with an emphasis on the word completely. “Now, we expect guys to be on the podium at Nationals. We have done it and now we need to move on to the next step.” When asked what the next step was, he confirmed, “We don’t know anything but becoming national champs.”

The future is bright for Martin and the Monarchs. Along with Saavedra the freshman, Martin and Mecate noted that the incoming freshman class is probably their best ever.

And while it’s a shame that Mecate will not be able to wrestle with the future Monarchs, as his team prepares to wrestle against Kent State for first place in the silver round, he can at least say that he was there to help launch the rocket.

Holiday Basketball Recap - Tabb Defeats Gloucester to Capture BayPort Title

This was my fifth straight BayPort tournament and I have always liked covering the event. The same four teams (Tabb, Gloucester, Poquoson, York) have competed, the crowds are large and active, and the people at Tabb High have been hospitable over the years. Plus, it's the holiday season, so people tend to be in a better mood.. laugh.

Tabb won for the third year in a row and can gain some momentum, no that their record is 5-4. I am happier to see the improvement shown by the Poquoson team, coached by Erik Johnson. Johnson has had a tough go as the new Islander coach, with two 1-18 seasons to start his tenure. But at 3-6, they are showing improvement this year, and it will be interesting to watch them progress.

YORK – The host Tabb Tigers overcame a scrappy effort from Gloucester to capture its third straight BayPort Holiday tournament title, with a 62-49 victory at Tabb.

In a game defined by its lack of style points, the Tigers were supported by 20 points from senior guard Jalen Jordan, who was voted the tournament’s most valuable player. For the two games, Jordan scored 42 points and converted 18 of 22 free throws.

Tabb coach Doug Baggett noted the physicality of the game, but was happy to see his team emerge victorious.

“It was a very physical game, but I was happy that we weathered the storm,” said Baggett, whose team improved to 5-4 with the win.

Jordan, who drew the lion’s share of the fouls, relied on his catch-and-shoot technique to draw the opposition toward him.

“Most of the time, when I catch the ball, I’ll pump fake. They (defenders) usually leave their feet and come down on me.”

Still, Jordan realizes that the Tigers will need to slow the ball down in crucial situations in order to maintain their winning edge.

“We have to get a better feel of what to do, and learn how to slow down the offense.”

It was a concern about poor ball handling that led Baggett to rely on his second team in the closing minutes, for the second time in as many nights. Holding a 56-41 lead with 3:34 left in the game, Baggett called time-out, then put in the lineup of Evan Glass, Alex Brown, Myles Ross, Patrick Myatt and Arthur Smith, eventually adding Jordan Eleby and Keyshawn Cooper to the mix.

“I went to the same five as last night. They pulled back and got it done.”

The aggressive, and sometimes chippy, play dominated the first half. Tabb held on to an 11-10 lead after the first quarter, which saw the Tigers whistled for two technical fouls after entanglements over a loose ball. Gloucester jumped to an early advantage, but Jalin Pearson’s lay-in gave Tabb its first lead at 8-7.

The Tigers gained a semblance of control over the proceedings in the second quarter. After two and a half scoreless minutes, it was Jordan, who grabbed a pass underneath the basket, made the basket and drew the foul. His free throw opened up a 14-10 lead, which was extended when a Duke pass was intercepted and tossed to Keaton Brown, who easily converted the open layup. Later, Brown charged through the lane, caught a pass from the right corner, and hit a floater, which gave the Tigers a 26-18. In all, Tabb outscored Gloucester 19-8 in the second quarter, which gave them a 30-18 lead at the intermission.

But Jordan Wilson refused to let the Tigers pull away, scoring 11 of the Dukes 15 third quarter points, including a short jumper at the buzzer, which held Tabb to a 44-33 advantage after the third.

Relying on their motion offense, and clutch free throw shooting down the stretch, the Tigers hung on for the win.

Gloucester  10, 8, 15, 16 -- 49

Tabb          11, 19, 14, 18 -- 62  

GLOUCESTER (1-9) : Cooke 17, Cho 3, Patterson 2, Wilson 14, Womble 7, Early 1, Legonegro 1, Sills 4. Totals 16 11-24 49.

TABB (5-4):  T. Jackson 9, K. Brown 12, Jansen 4, Glass 2, A. Brown 2, Myatt 2, Pearson 11, Jordan 20. Totals 21 20-29 62.

3-point goals: Gloucester 6 (Cooke 3, Womble 2, Cho).

Consolation game

POQUOSON 61, YORK 50

In the opening game, Poquoson overcame an 11-point first half deficit, using a 16-5 run through the third quarter to help the Islanders overtake York 61-50.

Poquoson (3-6) trailed 31-22 at halftime. But the Islanders edged back into the game as Laroy Young (14 points, 12 rebounds) began to make his presence known on the boards. The 6’4” center took an inbound pass for a layup to cut the margin to 33-31 with 4:40 remaining in the third quarter. On the next possession, it was Young’s offensive rebound and put back that tied the game. J.D. Costulis (20 points) buried a three pointer from the left wing to give Poquoson its first lead. Costulis followed with a bank shot off an outlet pass, and Poquoson never looked back.

In the fourth quarter, consecutive three pointers by Tucker Schuhart and Costulis opened up a 48-40 lead for the Islanders.

The Falcons (0-9), who lost 52-41 to Poquoson earlier this season to end the Islanders 39-game Bay Rivers losing streak, were led by Rayvon Patrick’s 21 points.

Poquoson     10, 12, 16, 23 -- 61

York             15, 16, 5, 14 -- 50

POQUOSON (3-6): Costulis 20, Erb 1, Schuhart 10, Taylor 8, Zalameda 1, McDevitt 6, Young 14. Totals 21 15-26 61.

YORK (0-9): McFadden 2, Patrick 21, Kimrey 8, Simmons 8, Thomas 2, Nanartowich 2, Christian 7. Totals 16 15-25 50.

3-point goals: Poquoson 4 (Costulis 3, Schuhart). York 3 (Kimrey 2, Simmons).

All-tournament team: Rayvon Patrick (York), J. D. Costulis (Poquoson), Xander Cooke, Jordan Wilson (Tabb). Jalin Pearson, Jalen Jordan (Tabb) – MVP – Jordan (Tabb)