Sherando wins first wrestling regional crown since 2014

WARRENTON — After the third-place match at 285 pounds was completed, Region 4C wrestling tournament helpers immediately began moving things around to get ready for the championship finals on Saturday at Fauquier High School.

Sherando would have a tournament-high five people competing in the championship finals, but the Warriors weren't thinking about that yet. Sherando wrestlers and fans were riveted by the fifth-place match at 285 pounds between Warriors sophomore Ethan Gonzalez and Loudoun County's Gavin Goetsch.

In a battle between wrestlers from Region 4C's top two teams, Gonzalez overcame three deficits to win 6-5 in the second overtime, prompting numerous yells and wrestlers to jump around. Goetsch had pinned Gonzalez in the championship quarterfinals earlier on Saturday.

Sherando coach Brian Kibler said after the tournament his team made it their mission to win the Region 4C tournament, and the two points earned in that match was just one example of how much the Warriors fought for every point. Individually, Gonzalez only made himself a first alternate for the state tournament by winning that match, but he was part of a team-wide effort that sent Sherando home with its first regional championship trophy since 2014.

The Warriors took an 18-point lead after the third- and fifth-place matches, and after three wrestlers claimed gold in the championship finals, Sherando ended up with 178 points to win the 16-team tournament by 19 over runner-up and defending Region 4C champion Loudoun County (159).

"We talked about goals on the first day of practice, went down to the classroom, and they said they wanted to be district champs and they wanted to be region champs," Kibler said. "They met their goal."

Twelve of Sherando's 13 wrestlers won at least one match Saturday, and nine will compete in the Class 4 state tournament this coming Friday and Saturday at the Virginia Beach Sports Center for placing in the top four of their respective weight classes. Freshman Anthony Lucchiani (120), junior Keagan Judd (145) and senior Aydan Willis (220) led the way with individual titles on Saturday.

"We're all really good friends," Willis said. "We love each other. We've been through the deepest waters together in practice. We've had our [off] days, but for the most part we've all just come together, and we've been winning."

Led by individual champions Colton Bendure (freshman, 113 pounds) and Braden Sitton (senior, 132), James Wood (five state qualifiers) placed fourth with 110.5 points. Junior Simon Bishop won at 160 to lead Handley (three state qualifiers) to seventh place with 78 points. Millbrook (two state qualifiers) was 11th with 55 points.

Kibler said Sherando's performance in the third- and fifth-place matches was definitely a big part of the team's championship.

Brogan Teter (11-5 at 152), Michael Gause (5-0 at 160) and Brandon Blair (pin in 4:39 at 170) each defeated Loudoun County wrestlers in third-place matches. Blair jumped up screaming after his win, which came after he was down 7-1 after the first period. The Warriors went 4-1 in the third/fifth place matches against the Captains, falling only in fifth place at 182 pounds.

"That stretch at 152, 160 and 170 really started to solidify things as far as the team is concerned," Kibler said. "I told those guys you have an opportunity to start closing the door on this thing."

Those four consolation wins would not be Sherando's last of the night against Loudoun County. Willis won his first career regional title by thoroughly outwrestling 2021 state runner-up Caleb Graham in the championship finals.

Willis recorded the first of his four takedowns with six seconds left in the first period. Willis' last one came 24 seconds into the third period for an 8-3 lead, and Willis rode out Graham from there. Willis allowed himself a moment to pump his fist a few times in the direction of the Sherando coaches with 10 seconds left.

"I work hard," Willis said. "I work really hard. I believe I can win against anybody. That's the mentality that I have thanks to my great training partner Ethan Gonzalez, and [assistant] coach [Jim] Straight for roughing me up during practice. I was prepared and ready to come to war tonight."

Most of the season has been a battle for Willis. He came into Saturday with an impressive record of 20-4, but his match total of 24 was well short of most of his teammates as a result of multiple bouts with illness and a knee injury.

Willis is certainly in prime shape this postseason, though, and Kibler said Willis' fearless attitude continues to pay dividends for him.

"He really doesn't care about a whole heck of a lot other than, 'I'm going to go out there and give it what I got,' and he did," Kibler said. "This time of year, you want to be wrestling your best, and he is. In that final, he was confident, he was moving in and out, and it was impressive to see."

A star linebacker who recorded 145 tackles this year, Willis is committed to play football for The University's of Virginia's College at Wise, an NCAA Division II institution. Willis will forever be grateful he decided to wrestle for making him a better athlete and person.

"Wrestling taught me so many new lessons, and really made me a fighter," said Willis, who played basketball until Sherando assistant coach [Tim] Kettlewell convinced him to try wrestling. "I came out my sophomore year, and I've loved it ever since."

For the second straight week, Judd defeated 2021 state champ Noah Hall of Liberty in the final, though the rematch was definitely wilder than Judd's 4-0 win last week.

Judd had a takedown for a 2-0 lead 59 seconds in. But Hall escaped at the end of the first period, then lunged at Judd as the final whistle was blown. Judd — who thought the period was over — was sent sprawling off the mat and onto the hardwood floor. Judd was slow to get up. After being checked on by trainers, the match continued.

Judd said hitting the floor slowed him down a bit, but a takedown with two seconds left in the second period put him up 6-2, and a reversal with 1:10 left in the third period gave him a 9-4 lead. The match was then stopped about 20 seconds later, as Judd announced "I've got to throw up" and jogged over to a garbage can by the side of the mat. Hall managed a reversal with 33 seconds left to make it 9-6, but he couldn't turn Judd from there.

"Since I beat him last week, I knew he was going to come out swinging," Judd said. "I just knew I had to pull it through."

In other championship match for Sherando, Lucchiani beat Handley sophomore Nick Baker in the finals for the second straight week, earning a 15-3 major decision on Saturday. Also for the second straight week, Tyler Koerner forfeited his finals match at 126 to Liberty's Foster Cardinale. Zachary Davis was pinned by Loudoun County's Luke Roberts, a state runner-up at 132 last year, in 25 seconds in the 138 final.

Sherando's Devin Hardy (fourth at 132) also qualified for the state tournament.

For James Wood in the championship finals, Bendure earned an 8-6 sudden victory overtime win against Loudoun County senior Zach Rios on a takedown with 26 seconds left. Sitton's win came by injury default 50 seconds into the first period. Colonels coach Cory Crenshaw said he had to check film but it appeared that Sitton connected with Heritage's Patrick Smith on the nose unintentionally when he went in on a shot.

The Colonels will also send Blake Messick (third at 126), Connor Jordan (fourth at 138) and Jack Thompson (fourth at 285) to the state tournament.

For Handley, Bishop earned his 100th career win and second straight regional title with a 4-0 win against Dominion's Logan Jones in the finals. Bishop and Baker will be joined by freshman Hayden Thompson, who was pinned in the 106-pound final in 5:12 by Loudoun County defending state champion Bryson Rios.

Millbrook will send Jett Helmut (second at 285) and Elliot Rivera (third at 113) to the state tournament. Helmut was pinned in 50 seconds by defending state champion and Penn State football commit Alex Birchmeier of Broad Run in 50 seconds in the title match.

For more coverage of Saturday's tournament, see Tuesday's edition of The Winchester Star.

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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