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Rockbridge County High School senior Brice Hall placed third at 175-pounds to lead three Wildcat medalists at the Class 3 state wrestling tournament on Friday and Saturday at the Salem Civic Center.
Also earning medals by placing in the top six were senior Zeke Mohr, placing fifth at 150-pounds, and junior Ryan Maxwell, finishing sixth at 120. At 144, RC sophomore Aidan Williams went 1-2.
With just four wrestlers competing, the Wildcats placed 12th of 49 teams, tallying 51 points. It was a significant improvement from last year, when the Wildcats placed 28th, with three wrestlers competing.
Hall, who placed fourth the last two years in heavier weight classes, lost in a 5-3 overtime decision on Friday to Staunton River’s Josh Kelly in the quarterfinals, with Kelly winning on a takedown. However, Hall bounced back by defeating three opponents in the consolation bracket before facing Kelly again in the third-place bout on Saturday. This time, Hall got out to an early lead and won in an 11-1 major decision. Hall won the Valley District and Region 3C titles this year.
Reviewing Hall’s career, RC head coach Mike Wood said, “Brice has been a model of consistency.”
Wood is in his first year as the Wildcats’ head coach, but he worked with Hall last year when he was an assistant coach, under then-head coach Aaron Bruce.
Hall, one of the Wildcats’ three senior co-captains, reflected on his career after winning his final match. “It’s been great, all I could’ve asked for,” he said. “All the coaching staff has been great.”
For the third-place bout, Bruce joined Wood in Hall’s coaching corner. Bruce, who coached the Wildcats for five years before Wood took over, had coached Hall since he was a little kid, including three years at RC. “I was very happy about that,” said Hall.
After he graduates this spring, Hall plans to continue his wrestling career at the Pennsylvania College of Technology.
In his first state tournament appearance, Mohr lost in the first round to Christiansburg’s Jacob Robie in 5:35 in a 15-0 technical fall (lead of 15 points or more), but he battled back in the consolation bracket, beating three opponents and then winning by forfeit in the fifth-place bout. Mohr, a co-captain, was the runner-up at the Valley District and Region 3C tournaments this year.
Praising Mohr, who was a win away from advancing to the state tournament last year, Wood said, “He got in there, and he got his medal.”
Also making his state tournament debut, Maxwell, a Valley District champion this year who placed third at the Region 3C tournament, was pinned in the state quarterfinals by Christiansburg’s Brady Hand, but he bounced back in the consolation bracket. In the fifth-place bout, Maxwell was trailing Liberty Christian Academy’s Landon Starnes 9-5 in the third period before scoring three points on a near pin, but still lost in a 9-8 decision.
“If we could’ve gotten any points for outwrestling somebody, Ryan really ran that kid to the ground,” said Wood. “He outwrestled him. He had a great tournament.”
Wood looks forward to having Maxwell back for his senior year. “He can build on that,” said Wood.
Another Wildcat making his state tournament debut was Williams, who went 1-2 at 144. Williams was pinned by Abingdon’s Yenesew Smith in 5:38 in the first round, but he pinned Meridian’s William Hahn in 2:38 in the consolation bracket before losing in a 10-1 major decision to Broadway’s Feodor Dronov.
Praising Williams, a Valley District and Region 3C runner-up this year, Wood said, “Good for Aidan. He got down here, and he won a match. … So when he gets here next year, it’s not like a big surprise.”
With their 51 points, the Wildcats finished a place ahead of Culpeper County (13th, 49) and just behind Broadway (10th, 63) and Lord Botetourt (11th, 59). Last month, the Wildcats beat Broadway for the Valley District title by half-a-point at RC, but Broadway then finished fifth, a spot ahead of RC, in the Region 3C tournament on Feb. 4.
“Our regional tournament was a little disappointing, and the kids know it, but they really made up for it this weekend,” said Wood.
Staunton River won its first state wrestling tournament in school history with 216.5 points, New Kent (155) placed second and Skyline (150) finished third.
The state tournament ended a strong season for the Wildcats. In addition to winning the Valley District tournament, highlights included placing second at the Liberty Christian Academy Invitational in January and finishing third at the Big Orange tournament in December. RC went 13-4 in duals this season.
The Wildcats will miss their four seniors: Hall, Mohr, co-captain and Valley District champion Tom Maxwell (157) and district runner-up Zac Huntsman (126).
