The Salem High wrestlers finished just three points away from winning a regional wrestling championship last Saturday in Orange, VA. The host Orange County Hornets outscored Salem 202 ½ to 199 ½ to win the Region 4D championship.
“We had the best tournament we have ever had,” said Salem coach Lawrence Van Liew. “Going into the the final round we were in first by 22 points.”
Salem had three in the finals, Sam Miles, Linkin Callahan, and Jackson Bryie, but all three finished second. Meanwhile Orange had six in the finals and five pulled out wins, including two over Salem opponents, to pass the Spartans down the stretch.
All three runnerup finishes for Salem came at 182 or heavier. Miles was second at 182, Callahan took second at 195 and Bryie, a freshman, took second at 220.
It was the third year in a row Salem finished as the region runnerup, but 11 Spartans qualified for the state tournament in Virginia Beach the weekend of February 18 and 19. In addition to the three second place wrestlers Salem qualified Braden Armes at 106, David Conklin at 113, Ty Porter at 120, Caden Thomas at 126, Kyman Kinney at 138, Avery Hall at 145, Matthew McNeil at 152 and Reggie Brown at 285.
“We are almost ready,” said Van Liew. “We will be ready on the 18th.”
