Seven local wrestlers looking to claim VHSL gold

In Group 2A, Clarke County’s Bayne Gordon (132) kept his quest alive for four consecutive state championships with a pair of pins. He will be joined by teammates Jack Smith (106), William Heath (160) and Bryan Wallace (220) in title matches.

Wrestling begins today with the consolations semifinals at 9 a.m. The championship finals will start at 2 p.m.

In the 4A team standings, Eastern View is first with 114 points, Fauquier is second with 110.5, Millbrook is eighth with 52, Sherando is 10th with 42, James Wood is 14th with 30 and Handley is tied for 19th with 20.

In the 2A team standings, Grundy is in first with 145 points, Strasburg is second with 99.5 and Clarke County is third with 77.

Sherando’s Borst (61-1), a two-time state champion, advanced to his third consecutive state final by pinning both of his opponents, giving him eight pins in eight postseason matches. Borst defeated Fauquier’s Jackson McEachin in 50 seconds in the quarterfinals and Liberty’s Cordell Smith in 1:42 in the semifinals.

In the final Borst will wrestle against King’s Fork’s Dennis Whitehead (33-1), a 9-4 winner over Liberty Christian Academy’s Josiah Murphy in the other semifinal.

James Wood’s Black clinched a spot in his fourth consecutive state final. Black, the 2014 champ at 106 pounds, opened the afternoon with a 12-2 major decision in the quarterfinals against Carroll County’s Brennan Vaught. In the semifinals, Woodgrove’s Jarrett Tardiff had an injury default at the 5:10 mark of the third period.

Black (32-1) will meet returning state champion Kyle Budd (39-8) in the title match. Budd advanced by pinning Sherando’s Timmy Dieter in 3:07 in the semifinals. Budd defeated Black 1-0 in the 4A West Region final last week and edged Black 7-4 in last year’s 113-pound title match.

Millbrook’s Blowe (55-8) will wrestle in his first state final after pinning both of his opponents on Friday. Blowe defeated Brandon Harris of Dinwiddie in 4:50 in the quarterfinals and Louisa County’s Tony Thurston in 5:03 in the semifinals.

Blowe will wrestle against defending state champion Elijah Boldin in the state final. Boldin (28-3) — who defeated Blowe 5-0 in the 4A West Region final last week — defeated Julian Sams of Liberty 1-0 in the other semifinal.

In Class 2A, Gordon had no trouble in advancing to the championship match. He recorded a first-period pin in 1:44 against Central’s Richard Owens then decked Appomattox’s Pierce Bryant four seconds before the second period closed.

Gordon (54-3) will face a familiar opponent in the title match, Grundy’s Wesley Belcher. Gordon defeated Belcher 8-1 last year to win the 126-pound crown. Belcher (33-6) advanced with a pin and an 8-6 decision on Friday.

The junior Wallace (62-2) will try to win his third state title today after pinning both of his opponents on Friday. Wallace defeated James River’s Levi Walker in 59 seconds in the semifinals and Martinsville’s Joshua Pinkard in 1:31 in the semifinals.

In the final Wallace will take on Grundy’s Tyler Scarberry (28-0), a winner by injury default in 3:55 over Madison County’s Eric Cashman in the other semifinal.

Heath (46-6) also pinned both of his opponents in advancing to his first state final. Heath defeated Chatham’s Aaron Martin in 2:32 in the semifinals and Grundy’s Derik Endicott in 4:41 in the semifinals. Endicott beat Heath 8-6 in last year’s 152-pound semifinals.

In the final Heath will take on Virginia High School’s Roger Miller (41-5), a winner by fall over Appomattox County’s Arthur Wheeler in 5:32 in the other semifinal.

Smith continued an excellent postseason for the Eagles. He opened Friday with an 18-4 major decision against Glenvar’s Tanner Speight and followed with a 10-4 decision against George Mason’s Bryan Villegass.

In the final, Smith (47-19) will face Martinsville’s Tyheim Farris (35-6), a winner by fall in 1:56 over Nottoway’s Hunter Morgan in the other semifinal.

Seven other area wrestlers who wrestled on Friday also earned all-state honors, including five who lost their semifinal matches.

For Millbrook in the semifinals, Brandon Bye (126 pounds, 42-15) lost by fall in 2:19 to Powhatan’s Collin Gerardi and Kevin Valyear (160, 46-6) lost by fall to Fauquier’s Sam Fisher in 2:47. Gabe Neaverth (182, 53-10) is also still alive. Jonathan Ochoa (0-2 at 113 in the tournament) and Edwin Ramirez (2-2 at 152 in the tournament) were eliminated Friday.

For Sherando, Dieter (51-10) is the only wrestler still alive besides Borst. Jacob Stevens (138) went 1-2 in the tournament, Zack Kales (220) went 2-2, and Jose Guevara (285) went 0-2.

Handley’s Cam Bentley (138 pounds, 40-8) lost 2-0 in Liberty Christian Academy’s Justin Phillips in the semifinals. Mac Gordon (113, 41-9) is also still alive. Jimmy Vitola (1-2 at 182 in the tournament) was eliminated Friday.

James Wood’s Bailey Eichelberger (170 pounds, 40-7) lost 8-0 to Fauquier’s Franco Camarca in the semifinals and is still alive in the consolations.

Clarke County’s Pete McLean went 0-2 at 195 pounds and was eliminated from the tournament.