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Parry McCluer High School sophomores Jackson Brockenbrough and Cyler Driscoll placed third in their weight classes to lead four PM medalists at the Class 1 state wrestling tournament on Friday and Saturday at the Salem Civic Center. With nine wrestlers competing, the Blues placed sixth of 30 teams.
It was the Blues’ highest finish as a team since they placed fifth five years ago. Last year, PM finished 13th.
Brockenbrough placed third at 144-pounds, while Driscoll finished third at 106. Also earning medals for the Fighting Blues by placing in the top six were freshman Jacob Shafer, who placed fourth at 126, and senior Cody Thomas, who finished fifth at 190.
After making it to the semifinals, Brockenbrough was pinned by the eventual champion, Grundy’s Adrian Gordon, in 3:15, but he battled back by defeating Grayson County’s Keyon Mitchell in a 6-2 decision. In the third-place bout, Brockenbrough pinned Lancaster’s Hunter Sebra in 1:54. Last year, Brockenbourgh placed fifth in the state tournament.
Brockenbrough, a Region 1C champion, completed the season with a record of 42-7, earning nearly twice as many wins as last year. Reviewing his performance at the state tournament, Brockenbrough said, “I’m definitely not satisfied with it, but I’ll come back next year and do better.”
PM head coach Jeremiah Brockenbrough said that Jackson, his nephew, “got a tough draw in the semis, with that Grundy kid.” In the consolation bracket, the PM coach said Jackson “overcame adversity. He won two big matches. … That’s pretty huge for him.”
In his state tournament debut, Driscoll was pinned in the semifinals by Mathews wrestler Alexis Deagle in 2:45, but he battled back in the third-place bout, where he pinned Castlewood’s Terrance Jones in 4:15. Driscoll, who transferred to PM after spending his freshman year in the Richmond area, had also pinned Jones in the quarterfinals in 3:17. Driscoll, a Region 1C champion, finished the year with a record of 25-16.
Of Driscoll’s performance, Coach Brockenbrough said, “For a kid to come down here and finish third in the state, that’s a big accomplishment for a kid that’s never placed before. He really pulled something out. In the last month of the season, he really turned the corner.”
Shafer was pinned in the quarterfinals by Riverheads grappler Jake Yowell, but he bounced back by defeating three opponents in the consolation bracket, including a 3-2 win over Grundy’s Blake Broyles in the consolation bracket, before he was pinned by Holston’s Merrick Kestern in 1:17 in the third-place bout.
Shafer, a Region 1C runner-up, finished the year with a record of 30-13.
Looking forward to Shafer’s progress, Coach Brockenbrough said, “He is that kid that I think is gonna be on the top of the podium before he graduates high school.”
Thomas was pinned in the quarterfinals by Grundy’s Ryan Campbell, but he battled back in the consolation bracket and pinned Grayson County’s Landon King in 4:28 in the fifth-place bout.
After ending his career with a win, Thomas said, “It was kind of a last match thing. I felt like I needed to win in order to be complete.”
Reviewing his tournament, Thomas said, “I wish I could’ve done better, especially being my last time, but I’m happy to be here.”
It was Thomas’s third time placing at the state meet, after he’d placed fourth at 195 the last two years.
“Cody Thomas is one of those guys,” said Coach Brockenbrough. “He’s gonna be sadly missed by me and the rest of the guys on the staff.”
Thomas, a Region 1C runner- up, finished the year with a record of 45-9.
Also wrestling for the Blues were Ryan Patterson (120) and junior Cole Chittum (285/ heavyweight). Each went 2-2.
Patterson pinned Middlesex’s Bishop Hanscom in 1:30 before he was pinned by Buffalo Gap’s Devyn Simmons in 2:56 in the quarterfinals. In the consolation bracket, Patterson pinned Riverheads grappler Preston McCauley in 3:32 before he was pinned by Mathews wrestler Sawyer Stark in 2:28. Patterson, who only wrestled for two years but qualified for the state tournament both times, finished the year with a record of 28-17 and was a Region 1C runner-up.
Chittum pinned Cumberland’s Caper Angle in 1:18 before he was pinned in 11 seconds by Grundy’s Logan Looney in the quarterfinals. In the consolation bracket, Chittum pinned Essex’s Anthony Holden in 28 seconds before he was pinned by Fort Chiswell’s Brendon Mabry in 3:39. Chittum, a Region 1C runner-up, finished the season with a record of 33-21.
Going 0-2 for PM were freshman Clyde Vassar (113), sophomore Junior Convers (175) and senior Kabell Austin (215). Vassar concluded the season with a record of 26-17, Convers went 16-24, and Austin finished 22-22 to conclude his wrestling career. “Kabell’s had a solid wrestling career,” said Brockenbrough.
The Blues, who had placed third in the Region 1C tournament on Feb. 11 at Fort Chiswell, finished ahead of Region 1C runner-up Galax at the state tournament. Galax placed eighth in the state with 68 points. PM scored 87 points to finish a spot ahead of Castlewood (seventh, 85) and a place behind Region 1C champion Grayson County (fifth, 89.5 points).
Grundy won its sixth consecutive state title, tallying 277 points, while Riverheads (211) placed a distant second. Completing the top four were Rural Retreat (155.5) and Mathews (113).
It was the end of a strong year for the Blues, who won the Pioneer District title decisively over Bath County and showed improvement throughout the season, competing well against larger schools.
The Blues will miss their three seniors – Austin, Patterson and Thomas – but the future looks bright, according to Coach Brockenbrough, who noted the strong youth programs that send lots of strong wrestlers his way. “We’re getting to where we want to be,” he said.
ABOVE, PM freshman Jacob Shafer (left) and his opponent defy gravity while wrestling. Shafer placed fourth at 126-pounds. AT RIGHT, After placing third at 106-pounds, PM sophomore Cyler Driscoll receives a hug from his father, PM assistant coach Patrick Driscoll, while PM head coach Jeremiah Brockenbrough watches. BELOW, PM senior Cody Thomas tries to take down Galax’s David Espinoza. Thomas placed fifth at 190-pounds. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photos)
