Lynn Burke
04-26-2007, 06:35 AM
Area athletes off to college
Daily Press
Menchville wrestling coach Chris Wiatt calls George Sheppard the hardest working wrestler he's had in his seven years at Menchville.
That work ethic paid off this week when Sheppard, the state Group AAA 160-pound champion, accepted a scholarship from Campbellsville University in Kentucky.
Campbellsville only has had a wrestling team for three seasons, but the team finished seventh in the NAIA national tournament this winter.
Sheppard finished 42-2 as a senior, losing one match when he had to forfeit the 160-pound Eastern Region championship match because of a stomach virus.
He also wrestled in a national tournament in Virginia Beach after the high school season, missing by one victory of placing in the top eight.
"I won my first two matches and that proved to me I could amount to something outside of high school," he said.
Sheppard wrestled for Denbigh as a freshman and sophomore, finishing sixth in the state at 145 pounds as a freshman and fourth at 152 as a sophomore. He didn't wrestle as a junior before wrestling his senior year at Menchville.
OTHER WRESTLERS
One of the area's Group AA state champions will stay in-state next year. Poquoson's Aaron Keeton, who finished 41-1 at 140 pounds, will wrestle for George Mason. Keeton was the Daily Press wrestler of the year this winter. Lafayette's John Held, who finished third at 140 pounds in the same tournament, is headed for VMI. Held was 55-5 as a senior. ...
Grafton's Denny Herndon, fourth at 125 pounds in Group AA, will join Keeton at George Mason. Herndon was 39-5. ... Menchville's Ronnie Ellsworth, sixth in Group AAA at 215 pounds, also will wrestle at VMI. Wiatt said Ellsworth improved from 4-28 as a freshman to a state place winner as a senior.
Daily Press
Menchville wrestling coach Chris Wiatt calls George Sheppard the hardest working wrestler he's had in his seven years at Menchville.
That work ethic paid off this week when Sheppard, the state Group AAA 160-pound champion, accepted a scholarship from Campbellsville University in Kentucky.
Campbellsville only has had a wrestling team for three seasons, but the team finished seventh in the NAIA national tournament this winter.
Sheppard finished 42-2 as a senior, losing one match when he had to forfeit the 160-pound Eastern Region championship match because of a stomach virus.
He also wrestled in a national tournament in Virginia Beach after the high school season, missing by one victory of placing in the top eight.
"I won my first two matches and that proved to me I could amount to something outside of high school," he said.
Sheppard wrestled for Denbigh as a freshman and sophomore, finishing sixth in the state at 145 pounds as a freshman and fourth at 152 as a sophomore. He didn't wrestle as a junior before wrestling his senior year at Menchville.
OTHER WRESTLERS
One of the area's Group AA state champions will stay in-state next year. Poquoson's Aaron Keeton, who finished 41-1 at 140 pounds, will wrestle for George Mason. Keeton was the Daily Press wrestler of the year this winter. Lafayette's John Held, who finished third at 140 pounds in the same tournament, is headed for VMI. Held was 55-5 as a senior. ...
Grafton's Denny Herndon, fourth at 125 pounds in Group AA, will join Keeton at George Mason. Herndon was 39-5. ... Menchville's Ronnie Ellsworth, sixth in Group AAA at 215 pounds, also will wrestle at VMI. Wiatt said Ellsworth improved from 4-28 as a freshman to a state place winner as a senior.