By Brian Hoffman
The Salem High wrestlers finished ninth and Glenvar outscored 25 other teams to win the Titan Toughman wrestling tournament at Hidden Valley High School last weekend. It was a big win for the Highlanders, one of just eight schools in Class 2 or smaller in the big tournament.
“I’m not sure if Glenvar has ever won the Titan Toughman before, so it was a big weekend for the team,” said Glenvar coach Jason Cline, and he’s correct in assuming this was a first for the Highlanders. “This year’s tournament was 26 teams with lots of solid wrestlers in every weight.”
Glenvar was able to put four wrestlers into the semi-finals, three into the finals and walked away with two champions plus five place winners. Trey Lawrence and Jake Cline were champions in back-to-back weight classes at 150 and 157.
Lawrence, now 7-0, pinned his way through the 150 pound bracket for his championship. In the final it took him just 33 seconds to pin Robbie Knott of Franklin County, who was also undefeated to that point.
At 157 Cline improved to 13-0 and he also pinned his way to the top step of the podium with falls of 47, 51 and 60 seconds prior to the final. In the championship match he pinned Joel Swanson of Northside in 1:28. That was Jake’s 100th career win.
River Smith took second at 126, losing for the first time this year in the final, 104 to Braden Henderson of Blacksburg. River is 13-1.
At 175 Ethan Flowers finished third. He lost his first match of the season to JJ Pociask of Christiansburg on a tie-breaker in the quarterfinals, then wrestled back to pin Isaac Hamilton of Liberty in the consolation final in 34 seconds. Ethan is now 15-1.
Mason Hylton and Wesley Heltzel both finished fourth for Glenvar and Alan Vu took a fifth.
“This was a great second event and prepares us for some of the tough competition that we’ll see at our next big tournament in Grundy on December 21st and 22nd,” said coach Cline.
Salem was fourth after Friday’s round with 16 wrestlers still in the hunt but ended up ninth.
“We wrestled to our potential on Friday but came up short on Saturday,” said coach Lawrence Van Liew.
The Spartans had three place winners, Haden Smith with a fourth at 138 and two fifth places, Caden Thomas at 132 and Dakotah McGlothlin at 165. All three made the semifinals before they lost.
Both Salem and Glenvar will be back on the mats this week hosting tri-matches. Salem was scheduled to host James River and Northside on Wednesday while Glenvar had Blacksburg and Cave Spring.
Salem will be in the annual Big Orange Classic at William Byrd High School this Saturday. This year’s tournament will be just one day and it’s in the William Byrd Middle School gym as construction continues at the high school. Wrestling begins at 9 am Saturday.
AL, GMS matmen still unbeaten
The local middle school wrestling teams continued to excel as both Andrew Lewis and Glenvar are undefeated in dual matches coming into the week.
Lewis beat Northside last week, 57-33, to improve to 11-0 on the season. The Spartans had a big one against Cave Spring on Tuesday but results were too late for publication.
“Our light weights are continuing to wrestle well,” said coach Randall Sell. “Northside has a very athletic team, so they pushed us at certain weights.”
Glenvar is 6-0 after sweeping two teams last week. The Highlanders beat Christiansburg, 80-12, then polished off Central Academy, 66-21. The Highlanders were scheduled to wrestle at William Byrd Middle School on Wednesday.
