RC Grapplers Place Third In Shenandoah Tourney
Led by individual champion Davis Welsh, the Rockbridge County High School wrestling team placed third of nine teams in the Shenandoah District tournament on Saturday at Stuarts Draft High School. Ten Wildcats advanced to the Region 3C tournament.
In their first year in the Shenandoah District, following seven years in the Valley District, the Wildcats scored 168.5 points to finish behind winner Riverheads (216 points) and runner-up Alleghany (196). Rounding out the top five were Fort Defiance (157) and Staunton (134). Completing the standings were Waynesboro (115), Wilson Memorial (107), Stuarts Draft (84) and Buffalo Gap (54).
During the regular season, the Wildcats went 9-7 in duals and had the third-best record in the district, behind Riverheads and Alleghany. The district tournament was originally scheduled for last Wednesday, but it was postponed until Saturday due to inclement weather.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class who competed for Class 3 schools advanced to the Region 3C tournament. Because not all schools in the Shenandoah District are in Class 3, some of the wrestlers who placed fifth advanced.
Welsh, a sophomore who was a state qualifier at 113-pounds as a freshman, won at 126-pounds on Saturday. After pinning his first two opponents, Welsh defeated Alleghany’s Hayden Wolfe in a 12-5 decision in the semifinals. In the finals, Welsh pinned Riverheads grappler Syed Ibrahim in 53 seconds.
Two Wildcats, senior Graham Niebur (138-pounds) and sophomore Kayleb Glassford (120), placed second to advance. Also qualifying for the regional tournament by placing third were senior Markus Nelson (157), a state qualifier last year at 150, junior John Clements (150), sophomore Harvey Presnell (165) and freshman Taylan Tyree (144). Three Wildcats placed fifth, but they advanced by being among the top four Class 3 wrestlers in their weight classes. Those wrestlers are sophomores Shayde Tomlin (175) and Gus Daigneau (190) and freshman Marquis Beverly (285/heavyweight).
The Region 3C tournament will take place this Saturday at Rocktown High School in Harrisonburg. Weigh-ins are scheduled for 8:30 a.m., with wrestling slated to start at 10. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the Class 3 state tournament, which is scheduled for next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20 and 21, at the Salem Civic Center. Last year, with 12 regional qualifiers, the Wildcats placed fourth of 17 teams at the Region 3C tournament and advanced five grapplers to the state tournament. Sophomore Tasha Shorter (152), the Wildcats’ only female wrestler, is scheduled to compete in the girls Zone Qualifier, previously scheduled for last week, on Sunday and Monday at Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount. Wrestling is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday and at 9:30 a.m. on Monday. The top four grapplers in each weight class will advance to the Virginia High School Girls State Open Wrestling Championships which is scheduled for Feb. 24 and 25 at Henrico Sports & Events Center in Glen Allen.
