Wrestling - Judges Invitational

WINCHESTER — A year ago at the Judges Invitational, it was evident that Handley coach Troy Mezzatesta was a bit disappointed that Simon Bishop didn’t receive one of the tournament’s two Most Outstanding Wrestler awards.

At this year’s tournament, Bishop made it almost impossible for voters to consider anyone else.

The Handley senior was one of just two people to win all of their matches by fall and the only one to do so over five matches at the 17-team tournament at his school’s Maddex-Omps Gymnasium. Kettle Run’s Abram Chumley (215) only wrestled two matches during pool competition but he pinned his semifinal and final opponents for a four-pin title run.

Bishop needed just 45 seconds to vanquish Louisa County’s Tanner Painting in the 165-pound championship match en route to capturing MOW honors for the 150- to 285-pound weight classes. South Lakes junior Jayden Loveranes — who capped his tournament with a 10-9 win in the 138-pound final — earned MOW honors for the 106-144 classes.

Handley junior Nick Baker (132), James Wood sophomore Colton Bendure (120) and Clarke County senior Cannon Long (157) were other local wrestlers who won their weight classes.

Woodgrove won with 494 points and Fairfax was second with 362.5. James Wood was seventh with 297.5, Handley was ninth with 289 and Clarke County placed 13th with 196.5.

Bishop (35-1 record) pinned Painting 21 seconds after taking him down.

“I’m just trying to make the most of my last season,” Bishop said. “I’m trying to be dominant. And in this tournament, I was able to succeed with that. My main focus is my neutral game, and just being able to create my offense.”

Bishop said it meant a lot to take home a MOW plaque to go along with his gold medal.

“It feels especially good at a home tournament,” Bishop said.

The redness around Mezzatesta’s eyes showed just how much it meant to him.

“I get emotional, just because he was so dominant today and because I know he wanted this,” Mezzatesta said. “I’ve been coaching for 27 years, and you stay in the game for [moments like this]. I’m glad I got to see him do it. It’s real special.”

Baker (30-2) was undefeated until he competed at the Warhawk Duals on Jan. 7 at James Madison High School in Vienna. One of his losses was a 5-3 decision to Fairfax’s Edie Cruz, and Baker avenged that loss to him on Saturday with a 7-2 win in the semifinals.

Baker was recovering from an illness when he competed at James Madison, so he was looking forward to what he could do on Saturday when he felt strong.

“It was really apparent that I needed to work on my stamina,” said Baker, who was eagerly anticipating the rematch with Cruz. “I just felt like I could outpace him a lot better this match. Because last match, I got gassed in the first [period] and I was just hanging on. This time I was able to put the pressure on him instead of me waiting on him in the last tournament.”

Baker’s improved stamina paid off in the championship match as well against James Wood sophomore Blake Messick. Baker pinned Messick in 3:11 in the Willie Walters/Jaye Copp semifinals at James Wood, but on Saturday he needed all six minutes in a 4-0 win. Baker controlled Messick from the top position for the last three minutes and two seconds after taking a 4-0 lead with a reversal in the second period.

“He came at me a lot faster than he did before, and it was kind of hard to get adjusted to that,” Baker said. “But once I did, I just rode top and was able to work my moves.”

In the first period, Messick was sitting on the mat and had one of Baker’s shoulders cradled with both of his arms, but Baker got out of it for a takedown with 1:05 left in the first period.

“I just had to get my hips up, sneak my arm out, and crowd the head,” Baker said.

Mezzatesta said he was impressed with how hard Baker worked on his conditioning this week.

“He used the close losses [at James Madison] to completely motivate himself this week,” Mezzatesta said. “He only got better as the day went on here today. He’s really getting back to that speed that he’s capable of wrestling at and the intensity he’s capable of wrestling at.”

Other top performers for the Judges on Saturday were freshman Thomas Thorpe (third at 157 pounds), sophomore Hayden Thompson (fourth at 120), junior Charlie Milam (fourth at 150) and senior Logan Westfall (fifth at 126).

Thorpe — who led the area with 25 pins heading into Wednesday’s matches — was the only person that Clarke’s Long did not pin on Saturday. Thorpe suffered a technical fall defeat when he faced the 36-0 Eagles senior at the season-opening Hedgesville (W.Va.) Duals, but Thorpe gave Long everything he could handle on Saturday. Long took Thorpe down in the first period, and the match remained 2-0 until Thorpe managed a late escape.

“He goes so hard in practice with Simon each day, so he sees a great wrestler in the room daily,” Mezzatesta said. “He can wear some kids down. He’s a strong, competitive kid.”

Mezzatesta said he was pleased to see some of his younger wrestlers show progress.

“I’m happy a couple of kids [who wrestled in the auxiliary gym] ended up with pins at the end just to end the day on a positive note,” Mezzatesta said. “Anything to carry us forward.”

Bendure (28-1) pinned two wrestlers in pool competition, then had a 5-4 win in the semifinals against Aiden Sanders of South Lake. After a scoreless first period, Bendure said he fell behind 3-0 on a locked hands call and a reversal.

After getting a reversal of his own, Bendure trailed 3-2 entering the third period. He got an escape within 10 seconds, then got what proved to be the winning takedown 25 seconds later.

In the championship match against Woodgrove’s Sawyer Jones, Bendure again had to come from behind following another scoreless first period. Jones took Bendure down with 42 seconds left in the second period for a 2-1 lead, but Bendure quickly worked on rising off the mat for a reversal and three near fall points for a 6-2 lead with 22 seconds left in the second period.

“You can’t stop. You have to keep that pace. And I can’t get down on myself that I gave up a takedown and I’m losing,” Bendure said. “I had to just be quick, think on my feet. I really don’t know what I did. He lost his hips and I just drove him to his back.”

Bendure often talks about how well-conditioned James Wood’s wrestlers are. That conditioning helped him on that five-point move, as well as another at the end of the match. Jones earned escape points at the end of the second period and beginning of the third to make it 6-4, then dove at Bendure with 10 seconds left. Bendure had no trouble reading Jones and got a takedown and three near fall points.

“I wanted it more, and I gave my all,” he said.

James Wood coach Cory Crenshaw said the 120 bracket was a challenging one, and Bendure did a good job of execution at the right times.

Crenshaw said he was particularly impressed with Messick’s semifinal win, a pin of Turner Ashby’s Daniel Rogers.

“That was probably one of the best matches all-around that he wrestled as far as what we as coaches would like to see,” Crenshaw said. “Then he gets to the finals against Baker, and we know how Nick wrestles. Last time we wrestled him and got pinned, and this time it was a decision. It’s a stepping stone by making it all six minutes.

“We just need to keep building and keep trying to get stronger. He did a great job throughout the day. That was his first finals.”

James Wood also was led by sophomore James Battulga (third at 144), freshman Max Mooney (fifth at 106), sophomore Orion Cox (fifth at 190), junior John Juergens (sixth at 126) and junior Dylan Tews (sixth at 165).

“James was leading at 144 [in the semifinals] and I think we were leading 4-3 [in the second period], and we just made a slight mental mistake and gave up a pin there,” said Crenshaw of the match against Fairfax’s Matt Gashi-Brito. “It sucks to lose, but we’ll learn from that. He wrestled hard all day.”

Clarke County’s Long was favoring one of his legs a bit after the match with Thorpe — he said he’s been dealing with the issue for a while — but no one has slowed him down completely all year. Long started his day with three pins in pool action and had a takedown 10 seconds in, then had six near fall points before pinning Colin Edwards of Musselman (W.Va.) with 42 seconds left in the first period of the title match.

Long hopes this is the year he finally secures a Class 2 state title after being in the hunt throughout his career. He has one silver and two bronze medals in state competition.

“My bottom game I think is really, really good this year,” Long said. “I haven’t been held down all year. On top, I feel like I have really good turns to get back points and things out of. I feel a lot better than last year, that’s for sure.”

Clarke County coach Jon VanSice said Long is getting the job done in all phases.

“He’s a little better on his feet this year,” VanSice said. “He’s hitting his throws a little better. His bottom work is great. He’s really tough to ride. I don’t think anyone can ride him for any period of time at all. He’s not giving up many takedowns, either. He’s putting it all together. He’s wrestling complete matches out there and doing a good job.”

Eagles sophomore Blake Jacobson also made the finals, but he fell 9-5 at 144 pounds to Gashi-Brito. Jacobson had the match’s only two takedowns (the first put him up 2-0 with 1:24 to go in the first period), but he gave up a five-point move after being reversed to fall behind 6-2 in the second period. Jacobson had another takedown in the third to make it 6-4, but was reversed again.

“[Gashi-Brito] is a very solid, tough wrestler,” VanSice said. “He took away our tilts. Not being able to score points on top is what hurt us in that match.

“[Jacobson] is really hitting his stride, though. I’m very impressed with how he’s wrestling right now. The last two, three weeks, he’s just been on a tear. He’s putting up all kinds of points and showing a lot of variety on his feet, and hitting his moves on top really well.”

Clarke County only had nine people compete on Saturday, so points were hard to come by.

“I have one senior and one junior, so we’re young,” VanSice said. “It’s a difficult year, but the younger wrestlers are showing improvement. It’s good to see their development and see how they’re coming along. They’ve just got to stay committed and keep working hard.”

Wednesday: Clarke goes 1-2 in quadBERRYVILLE — Clarke County beat East Rockingham 39-5 and lost to Musselman (W.Va.) 64-17 and Central 48-28 in a quad.

Clarke County leaders: Wyatt Stemberger (132 pounds), Blake Jacobson (150) and Cannon Long (157) each went 3-0; Camden McCarty (165) and J.D. Ferraro (106) each went 2-1.

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