Slap the Mat

Team Scores: Union 194.0, Central 176.0, Richlands 124.0, John Battle 111.0, Graham 70.5, VA High 66.0, Lebanon 64.0, Marion 50.0, Lee 47.0, Tazewell 14.0 State Qualifiers by Team: Top three in each weight class: Union - 10 (3 Champions), Central - 9 (5 Champions), Richlands - 6 (2 Champions), John Battle - 5 (1 Champion), Graham - 2 (1 Champion), VA High - 3 (1 Champion), Lebanon - 2 (1 Champion), Marion - 2, Lee - 3, Tazewell - 0.

I was there. Didn't see anything like that. I can't see how an action like that was allowed to get by. The fans got pretty loud and animated for several matches in the 3rd/4th and 1st/ 2nd rounds, but nothing out of the ordinary. VA High ran a great tournament, very well organized and it ran smoothly. Next Saturday should be very competitive also. Both the SWD and the M7 have some really good wrestlers and teams. Should be interesting.

Graham edged out Richlands today at VA High to win the Southwest District Wrestling Tournament. Team Scores: Graham 169.0, Richlands 163.0, Lebanon 146.0, Marion 101.0, VA High 76.0, Tazewell 16.0 The G-Men had four 1st placers, three 2nd placers, four 3rd placers, and one 5th placer. The Region D Tournament will be held at VA High on 2-10. Wrestlers will be competing from the Southwest District and the Mountain 7 District. The top three wrestlers in each weight class will then advance to the Class 2 State Tournament held at the Salem Civic Center on 2-16/17.

Graham Wrestling concluded their regular season on Saturday by hosting the 28th Graham Invitational Tournament. The tournament was won by Central-Wise, Graham was second, and Eastside finished third. The G-Men had two Champions and a total of ten G-men wrestlers finished in the Top Four Places. Graham posted a record of 14-3 in season matches, with SWD wins over Tazewell, Richlands, and Lebanon. Next up, the SWD Tournament on 2-3, and the Region D Tournament on 2-10. Both tournaments will be held at VA High.

By 4 classes does that mean ! & 2 together, 3 & 4 together, 5 separate, and 6 separate?

There was a lot of discussion about what to do as far as Districts & Regions with combined 1A/2A format. Two ways of doing it were talked about. #1: Each Region have District Tournaments for Regional Seeding, then an All-In Regional with 1A & 2A wrestlers. Top 4 from each Region to the State/16 Man Bracket #2: Use Half State Format. Each Region use Districts Date for All-In Sub-Regional. Top 8 from Sub-Regionals advance to Half State. A & B together & C & D together. Half State will use 16 Man Bracket as 8 advance from each Sub-Regional. Top 8 from East & West Half States advance to State using 16 Man Bracket This format was used for a few years when the VHSL used Half States and worked very well with 6 from each Half State advancing to State Tournament. 1A still uses this format.

The topics of the new scheduling plan and the consolidation were talked about by area wrestling coaches pretty much all season. The consolidation was in the rumor mill last season as well. The VHSL reason that 1A & 2A only have three state qualifiers per region has to do with the number of 1A & 2A schools that have wrestling state wide. Not enough to justify using a 16 man bracket. All the other A's have 4 qualifiers per region. Originally the VHSL wanted only 2 qualifiers per region for an 8 man bracket 1A & 2A state tournaments. The Principals & AD's wouldn't go for that, so it was raised to 12.

Yes, Consolidation is coming for the State Tournaments. It is supposed to happen for the 2021-2022 season. 1A & 2A will be together for the State Tournament. 3A & 4A will be together as well as 5A & 6A. Three State Tournaments instead of six. A combined 1A/2A Region D will have 20 + teams and will have tough competition for a wrestler to qualify for the State Tournament. Another change rumored to be coming for the 2020-2021 season concerns the number and types of events allowed. The season will have 16 dates: 4 tournaments maximum and the other 12 dates consisting of Tris and Duals. This is a throw back to the 80's & 90's type of schedules. If this happens a lot of the tournaments will disappear as teams pick and choose which ones to go to. Most teams now compete in 5 to 7 tournament during the season. Teams with low numbers of wrestlers will be traveling during the week for some pretty short matches. The overall numbers of matches that a wrestler can compete in will also go down.

Region D made an impressive showing at the 2A State Tournament in Salem this weekend. Region D accounted for six State Champions and twelve Top Six Place Winners The Mountain 7 had a State Champion at 145 lbs. Jonah Phillips of Wise Central and four Top Six Place Winners. The Southwest District had five State Champions: 152 lbs. Justin Fritz of Graham, 160 lbs. Jacob Puckett of Richlands, 170 lbs. Gage Richard of VA High, 182 lbs. Logan Smith of Lebanon, and 195 lbs. Luke Martin of Richlands. The Southwest District also had eight Top Six Place Winners. Great showing for the wrestlers of Southwest Virginia and Grundy added another State Title at 1A to complete the weekend. This was Justin Fritz's third straight State Championship. He was State Champion at 132 lbs. in 2018 and 145 lbs. in 2019. I believe he is the only three time State Champion in Tazewell County Wrestling history. Please let me know if there are any others. Dylan Cook had back to back State Championships at 195 lbs. in 2014 & 2015. The other four Graham State Champions each had one State Championship. To go along with his three State Championships Justin also has three Region D Championships. His record for the 2019-2020 season was 51-1. His career record is 141-13.

Graham Wrestling Coach Tim Woodward retired from teaching today at GHS. Woodward taught at Graham for thirty years. He is not retiring from coaching the Wrestling Team. Coach Woodward and Coach Fritz will be back for the 2018-2019 season. Coach Woodward has always said that he will coach as long as he enjoys it. The G-Men will return a State Champion and three other State Placers from the 2017-2018 Team. Also returning are five additional Regional Placers and there are rising 9th graders who have been in the Graham Wrestling Club since grade school.

I believe it will be six placing.

I agree! There will be wrestlers not getting go to the Salem Civic Center from 1A & 2A that could do well, if given the chance. I am very interested to see the brackets when they are released. The Semi-Finals pairings could actually be who should be in the Finals depending on how the Regional Champions are bracketed. With what I have heard about Poquoson in 2A, it would be a tough draw to see them in the Semi's. I have been told that 1A is going to use the 1/2 state format with the District Tournaments being used as Sub-Regionals and the Regionals combining Regions A & B in the east/C & D in the west. Each Regional will qualify six in a weight class. Different format, but it still works out to twelve qualifying for the State Tournament. Twelve in a sixteen man bracket is better than the VSHL's original plan of an eight man bracket - two qualifying from each Region. The Principals and AD's in 1A & 2A were able to get three qualifiers approved at the meetings last year.

Looks like the number of entrants for each classification has been set by the VHSL for the State Tournaments 2017-2018. 3A to 6A will have four per weight class per Region for a total of 16 in for the State Tournament. 1A & 2A will have three per weight class per Region for a total of 12 in for the State Tournament. I guess with 30 teams statewide in 1A and 40 teams in 2A neither has the number of teams to allow four entrants per wight class. Please correct me on this if I have it wrong.

Yes, both Tazewell and Richlands have youth programs in the past. They were quite good, but had fallen off over the years. It is great that both are actively involved again. It has been my experience with youth wrestling that many come out, but the number that stick with it dwindle as they grow older. Too many distractions and competing sports. Wrestlers are a different breed, tough, driven, and hard nosed. Some kids don't like the the one on one competition or how physical the sport can be and drop out. The ones that stick are there for the long haul. Wrestling is not easy. Like the T-Shirt says: "Wrestling is not easy. If it was, everybody would be doing it".

Graham has had an AAU Wrestling Club since 1993. Coach Dresser and Red Robertson were instrumental in helping the Graham Club get started. Mr. Robertson contributed towards buying mats and Coach Dresser helped with set up and coaching the kids. Kids from Tazewell & Mercer counties have participated over the years, sometimes with numbers over 80. The need for youth wrestling is very important in building a successful program. The days are past when a 9th grader can step on the mat and be competitive with no exposure to the sport. The Club as a feeder to the the High School Team is very apparent. All three of this year's Graham's State Place winners came up through the Club from elementary school. Eight other members of this year's team also had been in the Club from an early age. One thing that hurts Tazewell County Wrestling is the lack of Middle School Teams. Several counties near us have Middle School Teams and this is a big help in getting kids of that age group interested and participating. It is very encouraging that Tazewell and Richlands are getting into youth wrestling. Wrestling is a tough and demanding sport and participation seems to be growing smaller. Many high school teams across our area can't field a full team and have several empty weight classes. It is very important to get the younger ones out on the mat and wrestling.

Thanks to futbolking and UVA fan for the mention of Graham's Wrestling Team in their posts. Wrestling is a sport that gets very little recognition and at best is an afterthought during the winter sports season. The G-Men Wrestlers have done very well at the 2A State Tournament over the past three years. 2014: 5th Place Team - Dylan Cook State Champion, Kyshon Lee 3rd, Hunter Cook 4th, & Jon Jennings 4th. 2015: 4th Place Team - Dylan Cook State Champion, Kyshon Lee 2nd, Jacob Lester 2nd. 2016: 5th Place Team - Jacob Lester State Champion, Alex Hicks 3rd, Tristen Evans 4th, Mason Raley 4th, Tracy Hagerman 6th. Over the last thirty years 65 Graham Wrestlers have qualified for the State Tournament and 20 have placed in the Top Eight. Good Luck to the Basketball Team as they play Gate City today!!!!!

Over the past four seasons Graham Wrestling has had a group of wrestlers who worked hard and accomplished a lot on the Mat. The following wrestlers made significant contributions to the team's success: Dylan Cook, Kyshon Lee, Jacob Lester, Alex Hicks, Dustin Hagerman, Heath Browning, Larry Hagerman, Hunter Cook, Robert Compton, Colin Beavers, T.J. Evans, Everett Vest, Jon Jennings, Levi Stroupe, & Tristin Evans. The Stats of the last four seasons tell what these wrestlers and other team members accomplished: 2012-2015 Team Record 107-7, 4th 2A State 2015, 5th 2A State 2014, 2A West Regional 2nd 2015, 6th 2014, Region C 4th 2012, 5th 2013, MED Champions 2012 & 2013, Two Time 2A State Champion, Dylan Cook, 11 Top 8 A & 2A State Place Placers, 3 2A West Regional Champions, 10 Team Tournament Championships, & 10 Wrestlers with 100+ Wins for their careers. Congratulations to all the G-Men wrestlers of the past four seasons. They have left big shoes to fill for the future teams at GHS.

Congratualations to Graham Wrestlers: Dylan Cook, Kyshon Lee, Jacob Lester, & Alex Hicks. Dylan Cook won his second 195 lbs. 2A State Championship. Dylan was also a two time 2A West Regional Champion, two time 2A West Sub-Regional Champion, & a two time Agie Skeens Champion. He was 50-1 this past season, 101-3 over the past two seasons, and his Career Record was 150-20. Kyshon Lee was 170 lbs. 2A State Runner-Up. Last season he finished 3rd at 170 lbs. Kyshon was 2A West Regional Champion this season and Runner-Up last season. He was 44-7 this season, 91-13 over the past two seasons, and his Career Record was 152-24. Jacob Lester was 285 lbs. 2A State Runner-Up. He was 2A West Regionl Champion and Agie Skeens Champion this season. Jacob had a 46-4 season record. Alex Hicks was 182 lbs. 2A West Regional Runner-Up. The One-Day Format at the 2A State Tournament didn't give Alex the chance to wrestle back in the Consolations, he was eliminated after losing his first match. The Bad News for Graham Wrestling is that Dylan & Kyshon are both Sr.'s. The Good News is Jacob & Alex will be back next year for the G-Men.

Results Tri Match at Graham 1-21-15 Graham 47 Richlands 33 Graham 58 Tazewell 18 Richlands 48 Tazewell 15 Graham Record: 26 - 2 Weather Permitting Graham Invitational Duals Tournament @ GHS Gym - 12 Teams - Wrestling begins @ 9:30

Graham won the Chilhowie Warrior Pride Invitational on Saturday. Graham was 5-0, Season Record 11-0 Matches Scores: GHS 45 Ft. Chiswell 30, GHS 72 Pikeview 0, GHS 54 Christiansburg B Team 27, GHS 54 George Wythe 27 GHS 53 Chilhowie 27 Graham Wrestlers 5-0: 195 Dylan Cook (14-0),170 Kyshon Lee (13-1), 152 Tristen Evans (12-2), 285 Jacob Lester (10-1) 285 Chris Tietz (11-2)

This news both shocks and saddens me greatly. I've known Dale for thirty years and was proud to call him my friend. I had a wonderful conversation with him at the State Tournament about how things are now compared to way back when. Dale was a friend to all and a great ambassador for the sport of wrestling. He was always willing to help and share his vast knowledge of the sport. He also told great jokes and always seemed to have a new one whenever you saw him. I will miss Dale and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and the Grundy Wrestling Team. R.I.P. Dale Cox - You will be missed.

Congrats to Dylan Cook 195 State Champ from Graham! He is Graham's first since 1971 when Adolphus McClanahan won the Unlimited Weight Class. Dylan's season record was 51-2 and his victory in the State Finals extended his match winning streak to 39 this season. His Career Record is 97-16. Dylan was also 2A West Sub-Region Champ, 2A Western Regional Champ, and Agie Skeens Champ. Congrats to Hunter Cook 4th/160/109 wins, Kyshon Lee 3rd/170/108 wins, and Jon Jennings 4th/220/62 wins. This is the most wrestlers Graham has placed in a State Tournament. These four wrestlers placed 5th as a team, which is also Graham's highest team finish. The Wrestling Team has posted 18 winning seasons since 1990, but the last three seasons have been very successful. 2011-2012 Team was 29-0, MED Champions & 4th in Region C - Dustin Hagerman placed 5th/106 and Everett Vest placed 7th/285 at the State Tournament. 2012-2013 Team was 28-2, MED Champions, & 5th in Region C - Dustin Hagerman placed 4th/113 and Everett Vest placed 7th/220 at the State Tournament. This year's Team was 22-3, 5th 2A West Sub-Region, and 6th 2A Western Regional. The G-Men lose four Seniors from this year's team. Dylan Cook and Kyshon Lee are Juniors and will be back next season.

The 2A West Eastern Sub-Sectional will be held at Martinsville Middle School, Martinsville,VA on Saturday, February 8th. Weigh-ins @ 10:00 am & Wrestling @ 11:30 am. Division I Teams: Chatham, James River, Martinsville, Appomattox, & Randolph Henry Division II Teams: Marion, Graham, Grayson Co., Glenvar, & Floyd Co. Both Divisions have already held Super Quads to seed the wrestlers in each weight class #1 to #5 Both the Eastern & Western Sub-Sections will use an 8 man bracket. In the Eastern Sub-Section Div. I & II #4's & #5's seeds will wrestlers an apron match to advance into the 8 man bracket. If a weight class is full, all 10 wrestlers will be placed. The Regional Tournament Format is an "ALL IN" Tournament. The 2A Western Regionals will be held @ VA. High on Feb. 14th & 15th. In a full weight class there will be 10 qualifiers from the East Sub-Section & 9 from the West Sub-Section. The East & West Sub-Section #7's & #10's and #8's & #9's will wrestle apron matches to advance into the 16 man bracket. The top 6 wrestlers in each weight class will be placed and the top 4 wrestlers will advance to the State Tournament in Salem on Feb. 21st & 22nd.

I believe in 2004 Graham finished 5th. This is the first time Graham has had wrestlers in the Finals and 195lb. Dylan Cook is the only Champ Graham has had in the Agie Skeens.

:mad: I have seen a lot of Jerk Parents and their Jerk Children at high school sporting events. I have witnessed a parent leave the bleachers and attack a wrestler he claimed was hurting his precious little boy. I have heard and seen parents of the losing team curse, spit at, and threaten the other team and coaches. I have heard parents of players who have committed a cheap shot or been ejected loudly praise the boy and his actions. So much time can be spent at a Wrestling Club Tournament keeping mad mommies and daddies off the mat that it becomes ridiculous. It makes me sick that people behave this way and are proud of it. How much you want to be bet the kid who punched the ref has a super competitive, loud, and obnoxious set of parents. I can imagine that high-fives and congratulations were the order of the day for this thug and his parents. I'm sure the parents will offer some lame excuse for their little boy's actions. It won't be his fault and they will attempt to blame it on the ref. I hope this kid is tried as an adult and sent to big people's prison. Lets see if he wants to sucker punch anybody in that institution.