In light of the Virginia High School League’s new postseason alignment, which will split public schools into six classifications based on enrollment size, area wrestling coaches say this year’s 16th annual ‘Ram Rumble’ tournament appealed to them more than usual.
“We see teams and the kids wrestle against guys they’ve never seen before, so it’s a great warm up for conference meets,” Lafayette first-year coach Chris Wiatt said of the two-day event that features 24 teams and more than 300 wrestlers from across the state.
York coach Todd Parrish agrees.
“There’s been a lot of really good wrestling and that experience is what my young team needs,” he said.
The tournament seemed to be an all-around success, offering plenty of quality wrestling throughout both days before fans filled Lafayette High’s gym for the championship bouts that lasted well into Saturday evening.
For Tabb’s Hunter Starner and Bailey Hicks and York’s Marcus Wakelyn, all of whom went 5-0 in their respective weight divisions to capture gold, the day was more rewarding than it was tiring.
Starner, who placed fifth in the state last year, tactically worked his way through three rounds to defeat South County’s (Fairfax) Hunter Manly 8-3 in the championship round of the 132-pound division.
At 5-foot-6, Starner, who won the 132-pound championship at last year’s Rumble, said he sometimes struggles — or is more vulnerable — against taller opponents, but had little issues jumping out to an early lead on Manley, who stands at 5-10.
“I had never wrestled him before, but I knew he was top five in the state so I knew it was going to be a good match,” said Starner, who improved to 29-5 on the season with the victory.
Hicks’ aggressive, scrappy style differs greatly from his teammate and co-captain Starner, who strategically wears down his opponents, but was just as effective Saturday night in his 145-pound championship bout with Lancaster’s Kenique Stewart.
Hicks, who like Starner placed fifth in his weight class at last years’ state match, seemed in control from the whistle and has his opponent pinned in just over a minute-and-a-half. It was his first gold medal at the Rumble and boosted his season record to 29-2.
“I just tried to stay aggressive from the get-go, get under his legs and if I got him on his back, I wasn’t going to let him up,” said Hicks, who is also a two-way standout on the Tigers football team. “Me and Hunter [Starner] work together a lot and have been pushing each other this season because we both want that state title.”
Perhaps the most competitive championship match of the evening was in the 170-pound division, in which Wakelyn edged Smithfield’s Jordan Garlow 7-6. Wakelyn called it a “redemption match” after Garlow defeated him by one point earlier this season.
“I just decided to open up and wrestle,” said Wakelyn, last year’s Region I runnerup, of his approach to facing Garlow for the second time in a month. “Last time I was hesitant because I was afraid he was going to throw me. … With the quality of wrestlers here, this gives me a lot of confidence since I weigh less [161 pounds] than most of my opponents.”
Following the 13 championship bouts, wrestlers took to the podium to receive their individual medals.
Team-wise, Tabb scored highest among area schools with 142 points, which put them in sixth place out of 25 schools. Lafayette (87 points) and York (82.50 points) finished 11th and 12th, respectively, while Jamestown placed 17th with 68.50 points and Bruton 21st with 40.50 points.
Below is a gallery with photos of local athletes competing during Saturday’s final rounds, followed by a list of area individuals who placed in each of the 13 weight classes. Click here for complete results, courtesy of virginiawrestling.com.
120 Pounds
3. Kalid Endale, Lafayette def. Nick Garland, Nansemond River, 6-4
5. Richard Harrell, Tabb, def. Chance Ohn, Mills Godwin (pin) 1:22
126 Pounds
3. Caden Darber, Jamestown, def. Isaac Chaney, Gloucester, 6-2
5. Brett Sommers, York. Def. Chase Derosa, Bayside (pin) 4:26
132 Pounds
1. Hunter Starner, Tabb, def. Hunter Manly, South County, 8-3
138 Pounds
5. Zach Andrews, Tabb, def. Dakota Biggs, Mills Godwin (default)
145 Pounds
1. Bailey Hicks, Tabb def. Kenique Stewart, Lancaster (pin) 1:31
152 Pounds
5. Hunter Hautz, York def. Emilio Gonzales, Mills Godwin, 3-0
160 Pounds
5. Nick Ravida, Lafayette def. Andrew Smith, Nansemond River, 9-1
170 Pounds
Marcus Wakelyn, York def. Jordan Garlow, Smithfield, 7-6
