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Four Wildcats Win Weight Classes In Harrisonburg
Led by four individual champions, the Rockbridge County High School wrestling team placed third of 10 teams at the Harrisonburg Invitational on Saturday at Harrisonburg High School.
The Wildcats trailed only winner J.P. McCaskey High School of Lancaster, Pa. and runner-up and Valley District rival Turner Ashby. J.P. McCaskey and RC had the most individual champions, with four each, while RC’s district rival Broadway had three.
RC was in second place until the last match of the day, when TA’s heavyweight pinned his opponent to push TA ahead of the Wildcats.
Reviewing the tournament, RC head coach Mike Wood said it was “a really good performance” by his team. Wood said that the Wildcats’ freshmen wrestled well and that the veterans “did what they were there to do.”
Wildcats winning their weight classes were junior Hudson Ryan (138-pounds) and seniors Aidan Williams (165), Kellan Dorey (190) and Gabe Wade (215).
RC junior Markus Nelson (150) placed third, while senior Wyatt Eisenbrown (157) and freshman Asher Wells (175) finished fourth.
Also wrestling well for the Wildcats were freshmen Kaleb Glassford (106) and Davis Welsh (113).
Wood noted that the tournament, condensed from two days to one, didn’t have bouts for fifth and sixth place, but the Wildcats would’ve had 11 of their 14 wrestlers place in the top six if it did.
The Wildcats will travel to Vinton this weekend to compete in the prestigious Big Orange tournament on Saturday at William Byrd High School, starting at 8:30 a.m. After Christmas, the Wildcats will travel to Alverton, Pa. for the Southmoreland Holiday Classic next Friday and Saturday, Dec. 27-28.
