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With seven grapplers returning, including three who earned medals by placing in the top six in the state, the Parry McCluer High School wrestling team aims to contend for the district and regional titles this winter.
The Fighting Blues won the Pioneer District title last winter over Bath County, their lone district opponent with a full team, before placing third in the Region 1C tournament and sixth in the Class 1 state tournament.
PM graduated three state qualifiers from that team: Kabell Austin, Ryan Patterson and Cody Thomas. At the state tournament, Thomas placed fifth at 190-pounds, while Patterson (120) went 2-2, and Austin (215) went 1-2.
Under the direction of Jeremiah Brockenbrough, in his 16th year as the Blues’ head coach, PM looks to build on the success of last year.
Brockenbrough said his returning wrestlers “are pretty good kids, pretty hard-nosed. We’ve got some kids that can really push the limits at the end of the year.”
The Blues start the season with 12 wrestlers – one senior, four juniors, two sophomores and five freshmen.
Leading the way are juniors Jackson Brockenbrough and Cyler Driscoll, both of whom won Region 1C titles and placed third in the class state tournament. Jackson, who competed at 144-pounds last winter, moves up to 150, while Driscoll moves from 106 to 120.
Also returning is sophomore Jacob Shafer, who placed second in the region and fourth in the state at 126 last winter and moves up to 132.
Following a strong freshman season in which he placed third in the region at 113 before competing at the state tournament, Clyde Vassar moves down to 106 for his sophomore year.
Also returning for PM are senior Scottie Garrett (144) and juniors Junior Convers (165) and Timmy Lesher (285/heavyweight). Last winter, Garrett placed fourth at 157 in the regional tournament, and Convers finished third at 175 at regionals before competing in the state tournament.
New to the team are five freshmen, several of whom bring experience from the middle school program started by Coach Brockenbrough: Bradack Smith (113), Jordan Brockenbrough (126), Bobby Crowe (175), Kaiden Conner (190) and Brad Spinner (215). Smith is new to the program, but Coach Brockenbrough said he is “a pretty athletic kids. He’s got a lot of fight to him.”
The Blues return assistant coach Patrick Driscoll, father of Cyler, and welcome Zack Fowler, who was assistant coach under Brockenbrough during the fall football season.
In the Pioneer District, the Blues will have Bath County to contend with again. In the district title match last winter, the Blues defeated Bath County 54-30. In Region 1C, Brockenbrough expects two-time defending champion Grayson County to be tough, along with last year’s runner up, Galax, and George Wythe, which placed fourth, a spot behind the Blues.
PM’s schedule includes many duals and several weekend tournaments, starting with the Blues Invitational at PM on Friday and Saturday, with wrestling beginning at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The Blues are expecting 12 teams at the tournament.
The Blues will also compete at home against Giles and Alleghany on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 5 p.m., and they have home duals scheduled for Jan. 16 and Jan. 25, at 5 p.m. both nights.
Optimistic about what’s ahead for his wrestlers, Brockenbrough said, “I think we’re going to have a good season.”
