WINCHESTER — On Saturday, James Wood wrestling paid homage to its past by performing at a high level in the present.
The Colonels hosted the annual Willie Walters/Jaye Copp Tournament, named after two legendary James Wood wrestling coaches who led the program from 1964-1983 and 1983-2004, respectively. Just as they did last year, the Colonels placed first at the event, scoring 241 points — 79 more than second-place Patriot. Overall, 20 teams competed in the tournament.
Freshman Owen Bond (106 pounds), senior Sean Hodel (165) and junior Jesse Woodson (175) each placed first in their weight class, while junior Cash Wheeler (132) and freshman Cade Bailey (215) also reached the finals in their brackets.
James Wood head coach Cory Crenshaw said he was glad his team found success while honoring the school’s greats that came before them, especially with Copp in attendance to support the wrestlers.
“Both of those gentlemen put in those years of dedication. We’re just happy to be able to honor them at this point. Their names are all over the rest of the program,” Crenshaw said. “The kids today, they showed up and they competed with what we’re expecting out of them. Coach Copp still comes and supports the boys, comes and hangs out with us all day long. And I tell them every time, coach [Copp] is here to watch you guys, so let’s put on a show.”
The Colonels also placed first without reigning state champion Hayden Black (120) and previous state medalist Max Mooney (138). Mooney went 3-2 at the Beast of the East tournament at the University of Delaware, while Black was sidelined with an injury, sporting a sling on his left arm.
“Hayden was supposed to go to Beast of the East, but actually suffered an injury the other night,” Crenshaw said. “It’s very unfortunate circumstances at this point … if we can get him back by regionals, that’s the goal. We know he’s capable of making a run.”
The Colonels certainly entertained on Saturday, finding ways to score wins despite the tournament’s long nature. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., the day didn’t wrap up until nearly eight. Hodel said taking “a little nap” in between matches was crucial in staying rested, while Woodson said remaining positive has always been his approach to long tournaments such as this one.
“Well, it’s a lot. You’ve got to take out the mats and you’ve got to wake up early and just chill,” Woodson said. “You’ve got to make weight, and you’re gonna be here all day. It kind of wears on you, but if you just keep having a good mindset throughout the day, then it’ll be easier.”
Neither Woodson nor Hodel seemed worn out by time their finals matchups took place. Both went on the attack quickly, as Hodel scored a pinfall victory over Woodside’s Lincoln Krough at the 1:48 mark, while Woodson won via pin at the 1:32 mark against Amherst County’s Dasan Hall.
The pair of former state qualifiers arrived at their victories in different ways, as Woodson ran up the score to 10-1 before getting the pin, while Hodel trailed 3-0 before quickly flipping the script on Krough.
Woodson said his aggressive start wasn’t an iron-clad game plan, saying he was “just going for whatever was open,” while Hodel said he was working to wear his opponent out during the early stages, where few points were scored.
“I just put it all out there, because that’s what I like to do. I kind of like to exert all my energy in the beginning, because that kind of wears them out, and just play the strategy the rest of the match to stay consistent with what I’m doing,” Hodel said. “Usually people die out pretty fast, so if I can keep up that pace throughout the entire time, it just leads to success.”
Before their championship matches, Hodel and Woodson earned other impressive victories. Hodel won in the quarterfinals via technical fall (16-0, 3:09) and pinned Battlefield’s Tyler Roberts at the 1:15 mark in the semifinals. Woodson won his quarterfinal and semifinal matches via pin, securing the wins at the 1:50 mark and the 1:40 mark. He finished the day with three victories by fall.
“They’ve done an outstanding job so far this year,” Crenshaw said. “As long as those two keep wrestling the way they are, and not just them, but the whole team, then we’re excited about what opportunities are there for us, and how these things are going to continue to unfold.”
While Hodel and Woodson’s success has become a frequent sight, Bond’s strong showing was more of a breakout performance. The freshman had already made some waves, entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed, but Crenshaw said his performance on Saturday was the best of his young career.
Bond defeated No. 1 seed Levi Suzuki of South Lakes via major decision (14-4) to take his spot atop the 106 podium. Before that match, he won via pinfall in 30 seconds in the quarterfinals and won via technical fall (15-0, 2:24) in the semifinals to advance to his showdown with Suzuki.
Bond said he was focused on having a strong mindset throughout the day, and said he worked to go on the attack from the jump in the finals.
“Just really getting the feel for him, taking shots, being the aggressor in the match [was important],” Bond said. “You don’t really want to go out there with a plan. You’ve got to go with what you’re getting. You get it done with that.”
Bond’s fellow freshman, Bailey, also left a strong impression by reaching the finals after entering the day seeded fifth. After rallying back from a 5-0 hole to earn a pinfall win at the 2:54 mark of the semifinals, Bailey went up 10-0 on Liberty’s No. 2 seed Triston Henry. However, Henry scored four straight points before bringing Bailey down to the mat and pinning him at the 2:56 mark to take first place.
Crenshaw said he told both newcomers “from the start” that the team was going to need them this season, and said both left their mark throughout the tournament.
“[Owen] said ‘I don’t even feel tired,’ and sometimes, it just happens that way,” Crenshaw said. “You’re feeling confident, everything is going your way. And I think at that point, he just got in that groove. And it didn’t matter what was going on, he was just in his zone, and everything was just clicking.
“You look at Cade, he wrestles his way into the finals. We’re winning in the finals, and we just make a little mistake. It’s a learning experience, and that’s what he’s got to understand … he’s a freshman. I know he’s a little down on himself right now, but from a coaching perspective, things happen. For him to put himself in that position, give himself that opportunity, that was the ultimate goal for today.”
Additionally, Keeler reached the finals after dominating his first three matches of the day. Seeded second in his bracket, he bested his opponents by a combined margin of 52-5, scoring three straight technical falls en route to the last match.
There, he fell to No. 1 seed Adam Skinner of Woodgrove via technical fall (17-2, 5:36), ending his day on a tough note. Crenshaw said Skinner’s experience helped him earn the win, but added that he’s been encouraged by Keeler’s continued improvement.
“He goes out there and runs through the first part of that bracket and gets to the Woodgrove boy. We’ve lost to that gentleman in the past,” Crenshaw said. “We know he’s a little bit more experienced, but Cash has come a long way in a short amount of time. That’s what we’re going to continue to grow from.”
Other James Wood wrestlers to claim a spot on the podium were Camden Shirley (113, fourth place), Isaiah Hodel (126, third place), Hayden Franks (144, fourth place), Austin Noble (150, third place) and Isaac Bond (190, fourth place).
James Wood will be back in action on Jan. 3 for the Northwestern District tournament at Kettle Run High School.
— Contact Joe Tuman at jtuman@winchesterstar.com
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