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Competing against larger schools, the Parry McCluer High School wrestling team placed 13th of 20 teams in the Take Down The New Year tournament on Thursday and Friday at Heritage High School in Lynchburg. PM, a Class 1 school, was the smallest school there, and the largest was a Class 6 school.
“We are beating schools that have more students than we have in our total division,” said PM head coach Jeremiah Brockenbrough. “That says a lot for the hard work and dedication to the program these kids and parents have started to put in. If it wasn’t for the parents and my assistant coaches, we would be struggling. Hats off to them.”
Senior Cody Thomas had the top finish for the Fighting Blues, placing second at 190-pounds. “Cody is wrestling like a man on a mission at this point,” said Brockenbrough. “He had a shot to beat that kid in the finals, but he ran out of gas. Cody is only getting better each time he hits the mat.”
At 144, PM sophomore Jackson Brockenbrough placed third. Jeremiah Brockenbrough said Jackson “had another great tournament, just happened to run into someone who was just a little bit better this weekend.”
Also stepping up for the Blues by placing sixth were seniors Ryan Patterson (120-pounds) and Cole Chittum (285/heavyweight). Coach Brockenbrough said Patterson “had a really good tournament” and that Chittum “won some really big matches this weekend. To place big like he did in this tournament says a lot about his discipline to the sport and his work ethic in the mat room.”
PM sophomore Cyler Driscoll (106) and freshman Clyde Vassar (113) were a match away from medaling. Coach Brockenbrough was also pleased with the performances of freshman Jacob Shafer (126), sophomore Junior Convers (175) and senior Kabell Austin (215).
The Blues will return to action on Monday when they play host for a tri-meet against Giles and Alleghany at 6:30 p.m. In a busy week, they’ll wrestle next Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m., with a quad meet at Riverheads, and they’ll compete in the Matt Bryant Memorial Duals at Franklin High School in Franklin City on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 9 a.m.
