Published: March 02, 2008 10:41 pm      

Blue Demons end Grundy's 23-year run

BLUEFIELD, Va. — Christiansburg’s first year in Region IV was a success.

The six-time defending Group AA champions ended Grundy’s 23-year winning streak in the Region IV wrestling tournament over the weekend at Graham Middle School.

Christiansburg won six of seven matches in the finals and qualified 12 wrestlers for state, while Grundy won just two of seven finals matches and qualified 11 wrestlers. The River Ridge District, which moved from Region III to IV this season, claimed four of the top seven spots in the team standings.

The Southwest District won four individual titles. Luke Allison of Tazewell won at 125 pounds, Evan Simmons of Richlands won the 135-pound crown, while Grundy’s Ethan Owens (130) and Kaleb Smith (145) also won Region IV crowns.

Dotson, freshmen Sean Vandyke (103) and Jeremy Hurley (112), junior Derek Anderson (119) and senior Demarco Owens (171) reached the finals for Grundy.

The Golden Wave won three of four matches in the consolation finals. Cody Rife (125), Brandon Hankins (140) and Josh McCowan (152) placed third and Morgan Owens (215) finished fourth for Grundy.

Richlands qualifield three, including Kent Sexton (4th at 112 pounds) and Jeremy Blankenship (4th at 160 pounds). The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for state.

Devin Carter (103 pounds), Andrew Robertson (119), Luke Rakes (140) Sam Rakes (152), Braden Carter (171) and Jon Weber (215) won regional titles for Christiansburg.

Grundy coach Travis Fiser downplayed the Grundy-Christiansburg angle in their first meeting on a regional level. The Golden Wave had won the previous 23 Region IV titles.

“I’ve said all along this was just a qualifier for the state and that’s how we’re looking at it,” Fiser said. “We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores on this team, and some matches we did lose we wrestled guys better than we did the last time.

“I thought we would take a couple more kids to state than we did, but I was also surprised with how some of our kids stepped up and wrestled well.”

Two local wrestlers placed fifth and earned spots as state alternates, Ethan Hodges of Richlands and Josh Lee (189) of Grundy. Four area wrestlers placed sixth: Tazewell’s Will Lambert (112), Richlands’ James Altizer (152), Grundy’s Tanner McClanahan (160) and Graham’s Josh Gross (160).

The combined Group AA and Group A state tournaments are at Salem Civic Center March 7-8.

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Team Standings

1. Christiansburg 297. 2. Grundy 248. 3. Blacks-burg 173. 4. Abingdon 129.5, 5. Hidden Valley 121.5. 6. Magna Vista 90. 7. Salem 87. 8. Rich-lands 83. 9. Marion 65.5. 10. Martinsville 61. 11. Patrick County 59. 12. Bassett 55. 13. Tazewell 54.5 14. Graham 48. 15. Cave Spring 47. 16. Tunstall 22.5 17. Carroll County 22. 18. Pulaski County 20.

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Championship Finals

103 — Devin Carter (Cbg) tech fall Sean Vandyke (Gru) 20-2; 112 — Tony Gravely (Mart) p. Jeremy Hurley (Gru) 5:08; 119 — Andrew Robertson (Cbg) maj. dec. Derek Anderson (Gru) 14-3; 125 — Luke Allison (Taz) dec. Austin Kennedy (Bbg) 6-3; 130 — Ethan Owens (Gru) dec. Aaron Wilson (Ab) 7-1; 135 — Evan Simmons (Ric) dec. Jon Dotson (Gru) 6-5; 140 — Luke Rakes (Cbg) David Williams (HV) 7-1; 145 — Kaleb Smith (Gru) maj. dec. Justin Overcash (Bbg) 11-3; 152 — Sam Rakes (Cbg) p. John Cox (Ab) 1:44; 160 — Antoine Hairston (Mart) dec. Derek Woody (Cbg) 10-9; 171 — Braden Carter (Cbg) p. Demarco Owens (Gru) 3:22; 189 — Joey Phillips (Bbg) p. Charles Curtis (MV) 1:38; 215 — Jon Weber (Cbg) p. Aaron Barbour (Bbg) 3:07; 285 — Andrew Miller (Bas) p. Justin Fantazier (Mar) :24.

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Consolation Finals

103 — Neal Kennedy (Bbg) dec. Hunter Western (CS) 7-2; 112 — Jeff Meredith (Cbg) dec. Kent Sexton (Ric) 7-1; 119 — William Jones (Bbg) p. Jake Brabham (HV) :58; 125 — Cody Rife (Gru) maj. dec. Cameron Brown (PC) 8-0; 130 — Bobby Schafer (Cbg) p. Owen Marshall (Sal) 3:59; 135 — Zach Myers (Bbg) maj. dec. Steven Tuell (Sal) 8-0; 140 — Brandon Hankins (Gru) p. Cody Shortt (Ab) 2:56; 145 — Rich Eva (Cbg) dec. Forest Short (Sal) 5-0; 152 — Josh McCowan (Gru) tech fall Hunter Cox (Ab) 15-0; 160 — Kody Kearns (HV) p. Jeremy Blankenship (Ric) 4:14; 171 — Michael Hodges (Bas) dec. Nick Groseclose (Mar) 5-0; 189 — David Cheyney (Cbg) dec. Zac Mitchell (Ab) 7-3; 215 — Jake Semones (Sal) dec. Morgan Owens (Gru) 4-1; 285 — Drew McCraw (CC) dec. Trey Dillon (Cbg) 4-1 OT.