Rockbridge County High School senior wrestlers Markus Nelson and Graham Niebur advanced to the Class 3 state tournament by placing in the top four in their weight classes at the Region 3C tournament on Saturday in Harrisonburg. With 10 grapplers competing in the largest region in the state, the Wildcats placed seventh of 18 teams.
Nelson, a co-captain for the Wildcats, made his state tournament debut at 150-pounds last year and went 0-2 after placing fourth at the Region 3C tournament. On Saturday, Nelson placed second at 157, following his third-place finish at the Shenandoah District tournament a week earlier at Stuarts Draft.
After winning by forfeit in the first round, Nelson pinned Fluvanna County’s Colton Smith in 30 seconds in the quarterfinals and then defeated Turner Ashby’s Adam Arenas in a 5-0 decision in the semifinals. In the championship bout, Nelson lost to Heritage’s Donavan Pierce in a 3-0 decision.
At 138, Niebur placed third to advance to the state tournament for the first time in his career. Niebur, who was the district runner-up, pinned Liberty Christian Academy’s Gunnar Pritchard in 48 seconds in the first round before pinning Western Albemarle’s Lucas Silva in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Niebur was pinned by Rocktown’s Jarren Engle, who would go on to win the regional title. Niebur bounced back in the consolation rounds, pinning Brookville’s J.J. Jarvis in 43 seconds before pinning Wilson Memorial’s Gregory Schultz in 1:35 in the thirdplace bout.
RC head coach Mike Wood said both Nelson and Niebur “wrestled well.” At the state tournament, which will take place on Friday and Saturday at the Salem Civic Center, Wood said, “They’ll get a mediocre draw.”
As a team of mostly underclassmen wrestling, the Wildcats scored 97 points. Turner Ashby defended its title with 181 points, while Rocktown (169.5) placed second, and RC’s district rival Alleghany (139.5) finished third. Rounding out the top 10 were Brookville (131), Heritage (130.5), East Rockingham (119), RC, Staunton (96.5), Western Albemarle (89) and Broadway (82.5).
Wood said he was hoping the Wildcats would advance three wrestlers for the state tournament, and they were “very close” to advancing four grapplers.
Two Wildcats, junior John Clements and sophomore Kayleb Glassford, placed fifth and are alternates, in case other wrestlers withdraw from the state tournament. At 150, Clements pinned his first two opponents before he was pinned in 1:06 by TA’s Sam Loveless, who would go on to win the regional title. In the consolation rounds, Clements lost a 12-7 decision to Spotswood’s Kellen Conahan before defeating Alleghany’s Tristan Madison in a 15-7 decision.
At 120, Glassford was pinned in the first round by TA’s Brodie Benner in 2:49, but he defeated his next two opponents in major decisions. Glassford then faced Banner again and was pinned in 3:29, but he bounced back with a victory over Fluvanna County’s Jordan Cambria in a 15-11 decision in the fifthplace bout.
RC sophomores Davis Welsh (126) and Harvey Presnell (165) placed sixth. Welsh, who had won the district title a week earlier and was a state qualifier last year, pinned Harrisonburg’s Nick Churney in 2:22 in the quarterfinals before he was pinned by eventual winner Connor Malin of East Rockingham in 1:33 in the semifinals. Welsh then lost in a 16-5 major decision to Fluvanna County’s Matthew Bishop. In the sixthplace bout, Welsh was pinned by Alleghany’s Hayden Wolfe in 2:24.
Presnell pinned Fluvanna County’s Evan Green in 4:57 in the quarterfinals before he was pinned by LCA’s Clark Carey, the eventual winner, 32 seconds into overtime in the semifinals. In the consolation rounds, Presnell dropped a 3-0 decision to TA’s Walter Rhodes before he was pinned by Heritage’s Taylor Jump in 25 seconds in the sixth-place bout.
Also competing for the Wildcats were sophomore Shayde Tomlin (175) and Gus Daigneau (190) and freshmen Taylan Tyree (144) and Marquise Beverly (285/ heavyweight). Tomlin, Tyree and Beverly went 1-2, while Daigneau went 0-2.
For the state tournament, wrestling is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on Friday and at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Last year, with five wrestlers competing, the Wildcats placed 35th of 45 teams.
Sophomore Tasha Shorter (152), the Wildcats’ only female wrestler, was scheduled to compete in the girls Zone 4 Qualifier on Sunday and Monday at Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount. 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. For Shorter’s results from the qualifier, visit www.thenewsgazette. com, and see next week’s newspaper for a story.
