kennedy
02-16-2008, 12:02 AM
It's a long day for district-champion Hampton on the mats
By Jeff Cunningham
CHESAPEAKE — What a difference a week made for Hampton … and not in a good way.
The Peninsula District champion Crabbers sent 13 wrestlers to the Eastern Region tournament at Oscar Smith High, though after Friday’s quarterfinal round, only one — D.J. Carlomany — still was in contention for a regional title.
Carlomany won a 13-6 quarterfinal decision against Grassfield’s George Contreras in what was the lone bright spot for the Crabbers.
"I think this tournament is as tough as the state tournament, if not tougher," Crabbers coach Ron McRae said. "We came in wanting to place as many kids in state as possible, and we still have 10 who can do that."
But the troubles weren’t limited to winning and losing.
Ronnie Thacker, the district’s top seed at 112 pounds, did not wrestle. McRae said Thacker’s withdrawal was the result of his injured right calf and a rough emotional week following his third district title.
"He gave it all he had last week," McRae said. "Emotionally and physically, for his dad."
Thacker won the district crown just five days after his father, Ronnie Thacker Sr., was killed in a car accident. He aggravated the calf during his championship bout against Menchville’s Ian Elliott.
The Crabbers suffered another setback when Sal Leonardi (135) lost his first-round match to Booker T. Washington’s Dexter Hunter by injury default.
Leonardi was up 17-7 in the third period when Hunter attempted a takedown, pinning Leonardi’s lower right leg to the mat.
Leonardi couldn’t continue, and had to be carried off the mat as the officials declared Hunter the winner. Leonardi was taken to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with a spiral fracture in his right calf.
"I don’t think our morale dropped any," McRae said. "We already knew we’d be without Ronnie, and the injury ... it’s just one of those freakish things. I think it brought me down more than it did the team."
A foursome of district wrestlers didn’t have such a rough time, including Gloucester 171-pounder Colin Lenhardt. The No. 3 wrestler in the state made quick work of Oscar Smith’s Lou Golt in the quarterfinals, pinning him in 1:16.
"I was just trying to work him," Lenhardt said. "I knew what I had to do, and it was as simple as going out and doing it."
Menchville’s Odis Wesby (135), who last year found himself in the consolation bracket after the first round, wrestled his way into the semifinals with a 6-2 decision over First Colonial’s Max Wareing. Wesby wrestled a smooth match, admitting he simply took what Wareing gave him.
"I almost pinned him (in the first period)," Wesby said. "There were only a few seconds left, but I knew I could at least get two points out of it."
Tony Pizzo (145) also advanced to the semifinals for Menchville, beating Kellam’s Djavan Coleman 14-6 in the quarterfinals.
Brian Delgrosso (160) of Woodside also advanced to the semifinals, outlasting Grassfield’s Tucker Spruill for an 11-10 win.
Southeastern District champion Great Bridge held the team lead after the quarterfinal round with 90 points. Menchville sat eighth with 37, and Hampton was 11th with 30.
The top four finishers in each weight class will advance to next week’s Group AAA state tournament, which also will be held at Oscar Smith.
By Jeff Cunningham
CHESAPEAKE — What a difference a week made for Hampton … and not in a good way.
The Peninsula District champion Crabbers sent 13 wrestlers to the Eastern Region tournament at Oscar Smith High, though after Friday’s quarterfinal round, only one — D.J. Carlomany — still was in contention for a regional title.
Carlomany won a 13-6 quarterfinal decision against Grassfield’s George Contreras in what was the lone bright spot for the Crabbers.
"I think this tournament is as tough as the state tournament, if not tougher," Crabbers coach Ron McRae said. "We came in wanting to place as many kids in state as possible, and we still have 10 who can do that."
But the troubles weren’t limited to winning and losing.
Ronnie Thacker, the district’s top seed at 112 pounds, did not wrestle. McRae said Thacker’s withdrawal was the result of his injured right calf and a rough emotional week following his third district title.
"He gave it all he had last week," McRae said. "Emotionally and physically, for his dad."
Thacker won the district crown just five days after his father, Ronnie Thacker Sr., was killed in a car accident. He aggravated the calf during his championship bout against Menchville’s Ian Elliott.
The Crabbers suffered another setback when Sal Leonardi (135) lost his first-round match to Booker T. Washington’s Dexter Hunter by injury default.
Leonardi was up 17-7 in the third period when Hunter attempted a takedown, pinning Leonardi’s lower right leg to the mat.
Leonardi couldn’t continue, and had to be carried off the mat as the officials declared Hunter the winner. Leonardi was taken to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with a spiral fracture in his right calf.
"I don’t think our morale dropped any," McRae said. "We already knew we’d be without Ronnie, and the injury ... it’s just one of those freakish things. I think it brought me down more than it did the team."
A foursome of district wrestlers didn’t have such a rough time, including Gloucester 171-pounder Colin Lenhardt. The No. 3 wrestler in the state made quick work of Oscar Smith’s Lou Golt in the quarterfinals, pinning him in 1:16.
"I was just trying to work him," Lenhardt said. "I knew what I had to do, and it was as simple as going out and doing it."
Menchville’s Odis Wesby (135), who last year found himself in the consolation bracket after the first round, wrestled his way into the semifinals with a 6-2 decision over First Colonial’s Max Wareing. Wesby wrestled a smooth match, admitting he simply took what Wareing gave him.
"I almost pinned him (in the first period)," Wesby said. "There were only a few seconds left, but I knew I could at least get two points out of it."
Tony Pizzo (145) also advanced to the semifinals for Menchville, beating Kellam’s Djavan Coleman 14-6 in the quarterfinals.
Brian Delgrosso (160) of Woodside also advanced to the semifinals, outlasting Grassfield’s Tucker Spruill for an 11-10 win.
Southeastern District champion Great Bridge held the team lead after the quarterfinal round with 90 points. Menchville sat eighth with 37, and Hampton was 11th with 30.
The top four finishers in each weight class will advance to next week’s Group AAA state tournament, which also will be held at Oscar Smith.