York coach Todd Parrish was pleased to report three of his wrestlers left Saturday’s inaugural 3A tournament with state medals. He was most thrilled, though, his senior trio of Marcus Wakelyn, Hunter Hautz and Brett Sommers each won the final matches of their high school careers.
“That’s big,” Parrish said. “When you get to this level, everything is so much more competitive and can go either way. These guys have busted their tails for four years and really deserved to go out on a high note.”
Wakelyn (160) and Hautz (145) both placed fifth in their respective weight divisions and Sommers finished seventh in the 126-pound weight class. They were not the only local wrestlers to earn state medals or end their careers with a victory.
In the 4A tournament also held at the Salem Civic Center in Lynchburg, Tabb’s Hunter Starner advanced to the championship bout of the 132-pound bracket before losing by a decision of 4-2 to Eastern View’s Bryan Ramey.
Tabb had three others earn state medals: junior Bailey Hicks placed third in the 145-pound bracket; senior Richard Harrell was fifth in the 120 weight class; and Zach Andrews finished seventh in 138.
Tigers’ coach Doug Roper said Starner and Harrell won “a ton of matches and tournaments” during their careers at Tabb and placed at states every year after their freshman seasons, when both finished one match away from earning a medal.
Jamestown freshman Caden Darber was the only other area wrestler to reach a championship bout. He lost to reigning AAA champ J.D. Gregory of Hanover, who he beat in last week’s 4A South Region tournament, in the final of the 126-pound weight division. His teammate, junior Xane Austin, also placed sixth in the 113-pound weight class.
Lafayette’s Kalid Endale capped off his high school career with a fourth-place finish in the 120-pound division of the 3A tournament. Teammate Nick Ravida also earned a state medal in the 170-pound bracket.
Other state medalists were Warhill freshman Trey Drummond, who took sixth at 106, and Grafton’s Brian DiCesare, who finished eighth at 132.
Below are team 4A and 3A team scores for Bay Rivers District teams. A link to the complete individual results will be provided when it is available.
3A Team Results
3. New Kent 82
4. Poquoson 73.5
21. York 22
22. Lafayette 16
34. Warhill 4
4A Team Result
3. Smithfield 88.5
9. Tabb 44
24. Jamestown 20
38. Grafton 1
