RC Two Or Three Deep In Most Weight Classes
With experience in every weight class, the Rockbridge County High School wrestling team has high hopes for this season.
The Wildcats have 32 wrestlers, with 16 returning from last year, including three state qualifiers.
From last year’s team, the Wildcats graduated eight grapplers, led by state qualifiers Ryan Maxwell and Sawyer Hattersley. Maxwell, who is now at Virginia Military Institute, placed sixth at 120-pounds in the Class 3 state tournament after winning the Valley District and Region 3C titles. Hattersley won the district title and placed fourth in the region at 175 before going 1-2 at the state tournament.
Encouraged by his team’s experience and depth, third-year RC head coach Mike Wood said, “In years past, we’ve filled some weight classes with firstyear wrestlers, which is fine, but of course, it hurts you because they don’t have experience. This year, I think we’re gonna fill a kid that at least has a couple of years minimum at each weight class. We won’t have to forfeit. We’re two or three deep in almost every weight class. That should not be an issue.”
The Wildcats have nine seniors, six juniors, six sophomores and 11 freshmen.
State qualifiers returning, who are all co-captains this winter, are seniors Kellan Dorey (190-pounds) and Aidan Williams (165) and junior Hudson Ryan (138). In addition to being experienced, Wood said all three wrestlers show a strong “work ethic and leadership.” All three went 0-2 in their state tournament debuts last winter. Wood said the Wildcats will have a fourth rotating captain, with his seniors filling the role.
Dorey won the district title and was a regional runner-up before going 0-2, while Williams, wrestling at 157 last year, placed third in the district and regional tournaments, as did Ryan.
Three other regional qualifiers are also returning: junior Markus Nelson (150) and sophomores Jack Davis (106) and Finn Miller (120).
Other returning wrestlers are seniors Devin D’Antonio (175), Xander Escobar (126), Wyatt Eisenbrown (157), Mia Marando (144), Roman Wilhelm (165) and Gabe Wade (215); juniors Graham Niebur (138), Chase Reynolds (175) and Joshua Sperry (150); and sophomore Billy Chittum (285/heavyweight).
Marando is one of two girls wrestling for the Wildcats this season. Last winter, Marando was the first-ever placer for RC in the Virginia High School League Girls State Open Wrestling Championships, placing sixth overall. Marando placed sixth at 146-pounds. RC’s other girls wrestling this year, in their first season, are junior Abigail Stone (126) and freshman Tasha Shorter (150).
New members to the team are senior Isaiah Woolfrey (172), juniors Stone and Carlos Reynolds (120), sophomore Colin “Finn” Stanley (165) and John Clements (144) and 11 freshmen: Shorter, Kolin Bennington (113), Holden Dorey (132), Cole Fine (106), Kaleb Glassford (106), Harvey Presnell (144), Logan Rudine (144), Shayde Tomlin (144), Asher Wells (165), Davis Welsh (113) and Tyler Whitlock (144).
Wood said the Wildcats prepared well for this season, with 50-60 percent of the team going to three wrestling camps this year and participating in a lot of open mats. During the first official week of practice in mid-November, Wood said, “Our mat time’s much improved, so I think the biggest thing is getting our feet under us, getting in wrestling shape, which takes a little time. We’ll do long practices once we get rolling, but the biggest thing is just getting in wrestling shape.”
Last year, the Wildcats went 15-5 in duals. Wood hopes the Wildcats will improve in duals, and their goals are “to win the district title and do a legitimate push for the regional title.”
“We’ve obviously got to stay healthy,” added Wood.
In the Valley District, Wood expects Turner Ashby to be the Wildcats’ toughest rival. The Wildcats placed fourth in the Region 3C tournament last year, and Wood said he thinks twotime defending champion Heritage will be the favorite. Wood noted that Region 3C is the largest region in Class 3.
At the state tournament last year, with five wrestlers competing, the Wildcats placed 25th. Wood hopes the Wildcats will improve their placing this winter and is aiming to get six or seven wrestlers qualified for the state tournament.
Returning to serve as an assistant coach is Aaron Bruce, who was the Wildcats’ head coach for five years, leading them to two district titles and their first regional title in program history, before stepping down following the 2021-22 season, when Wood was his assistant. New to the coaching staff is assistant coach Logan Davis, who was Southern Virginia University’s head wrestling coach for 10 years, from 2012-222.
RC’s manager is Stephanie Ross, a 2024 RC graduate who wrestled for the Wildcats and competed in the girls state wrestling tournament last year.
The Wildcats will start the season with a quad meet on Saturday at Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville, beginning at 11 a.m. They’re scheduled to have their first home competition on Thursday, Jan. 2, at 6 p.m. when they play host for a quad meet. RC will face several Valley District rivals at home on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. The Wildcats also have a dual meet scheduled at Doremus Gym at Washington and Lee University on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 5:30 p.m. against district rival Rocktown. The showdown will precede W&L’s dual against Shenandoah University at 7 p.m.
