Sports - February 2003

West wrestlers win conference title

TERRANCE THOMAS, LTN Staff Writer

February 3, 2003 - VALE — It was another banner for the West Lincoln wrestling program.

Saturday the Rebels won another conference wrestling tournament.

They finished with 208.5 points, just 12.5 head of second-place team Bandys. Newton-Conover came in third at 152.5 and Lincolnton was seventh with 20 points.

West had champions in five weight classes, two runners-up, five third-place finishers and two wrestlers who came in fourth place.

West simply had a wrestler finish in the top four in each class. No other school did that.

“Everybody all day long did what they were supposed to do,” said West coach Butch Ross, who was named the Midwest Conference Coach of the Year. “We didn’t have a single wrestler who didn’t score a point. When you do that, you’re tough to beat.”

The difference in the tournament had to be what West was able to do in the finals. For the winners, it was an important goal accomplished.

Zeb Elmore had a gutsy 10-9 win over Bandys’ Joe McIntosh to claim the league title.

“It feels great,” he said. “I worked all year for this. I thank God for it.”

Josh Hullette won his championship in the 135 Class against Newton-Conover’s Jeremiah McLean with a 5-2 decision.

“It was tough but I got it,” Hullette said. “I had to stick in there. It was a big goal for me at the beginning of the season. I got it.”

When Aaron Terry came up to wrestle in the heavyweight finals, there were a couple of things uncertain — which team would win the championship and who would be outstanding wrestler of the tournament. .

Terry had to defeat Bandys’ Matt Woodlief. The two big wrestlers battled hard.

But Terry won a tough one, 3-2.

That helped West win the title — and Terry to be named Co-Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament along with Chase’s Adam Dedmon. It was also Terry’s 100th career win.

“I had to work hard for it,” he said. “(Woodlief) is tough. He’s a strong boy. The 100th win means a lot to me. I worked so hard to get it.”

Matt Avery and Steele Barber also got the taste of championships.

Avery won the 103-pound class. He edged past Bandys’ Matt Stogner 7-6.

Barber pinned Kerry Michaud of Newton-Conover at 140 to get his title.

Lincolnton didn’t have much success. Damean Graham finished third at 152 while Jason Hammonds was third in the heavyweights.

The real season for West is coming up.

The state’s top-ranked Rebels will compete in the first round of the state dual teams Tuesday against West Montgomery.

If the Rebels win, they will then play the winner of the Mt. Pleasant and Central Davidson in a match later that night. The place and time were not available at press time.

All four teams will agree on where to hold the match, contact West Lincoln for location and time.

Midwest 2A Conference Tournament

Saturday at West Lincoln

Weight Class

103:

1st Place: Matt Avery (WL) dec. 7-6

2nd Place: Matt Stogner (B)

3rd Place: Josh Webster (NC) dec. 6-6 OT

4th Place: Michael Bryant (C)

112:

1st Place: Jerry Stogner (B) Pin 3:30

2nd Place: Jeremy Pearson (WL)

3rd Place: Tony McCurry (ER) Pin 4:58

4th Place: Antonio Odoms (S)

119:

1st Place: William Gilleland (B) maj. dec. 13-2

2nd Place: Chris Davis (ER)

3rd Place: Zac Elmore (WL) Pin 2:30

4th Place: Jonathan Bryant (C)

125:

1st Place: Zeb Elmore (WL) dec. 10-9

2nd Place: Joe McIntosh (B)

3rd Place: Jordy Ray (C) Pin 2:58

4th Place: Josh Hight (NC)

130:

1st Place: Adam Dedmon (C) Pin 1:34

2nd Place: Bryan Galloway (NC)

3rd Place: Brent Gates (WL) dec. 4-3

4th Place: Josh Wilkie (ER)

135:

1st Place: Josh Hullette (WL) dec. 5-2

2nd Place: Jeremiah McLean (NC)

3rd Place: Donnie Tavernia (C) dec. 3-2

4th Place: Steven LoPresto (B)

140:

1st Place: Steele Barber (WL) Pin 3:41

2nd Place: Kerry Michaud (NC)

3rd Place: Matt Gibbs (C) Pin 2:02

4th Place: Bryan Sherrill (B)

145:

1st Place: Ryan Pittman (NC) maj. dec. 13-2

2nd Place: Eric Steele (WL)

3rd Place: Blake Wood (ER) Pin 3:27

4th Place: Taylor Jackson (B)

152:

1st Place: Byron Sigmon (B) Pin 5:32

2nd Place: Chase Carter (NC)

3rd Place: Dameon Graham (L) dec. 8-2

4th Place: Dustin Hester (WL)

160:

1st Place: Dusty Isaac (NC) Pin 0:58

2nd Place: Justin Houston (B)

3rd Place: Will Bess (WL) dec. 8-2

4th Place: Matt Gehring (S)

171:

1st Place: Craig McIntosh (B) Pin 5:57

2nd Place: Corey Freeland (S)

3rd Place: Aaron Casp (ER) dec. 2-1

4th Place: Daniel Soto (WL)

189:

1st Place: Chris Ramsey (C) dec. 4-2

2nd Place: Ben Crawford (NC)

3rd Place: CJ Deputy (WL) Pin 1:49

4th Place: Jesse Kendrick (ER)

215:

1st Place: Daren Burns (B) dec. 7-2

2nd Place: Kenny Brock (NC)

3rd Place: Antonio Rojo (WL) dec. 9-2

4th Place: Joey Davis (C)

275:

1st Place: Aaron Terry (WL) dec. 3-2

2nd Place: Matt Woodlief (B)

3rd Place: Jason Hammonds (L) dec. 9-4

4th Place: Matt Owens (C)

Final Team Standings:

1st Place: West Lincoln  208.5

2nd Place: Bandys    196

3rd Place: Newton Conover  152.5

4th Place: Chase   102.5

5th Place: East Rutherford   53.5

6th Place: Shelby  23

7th Place: Lincolnton  20

Co – Most Outstanding Wrestlers of Tournament:

 Adam Dedmon (C)

 Aaron Terry (WL)

Conference Tournament Champions:

 West Lincoln

Conference Regular Season Champions:

 West Lincoln

Conference Wrestler of the Year:

 Daren Burns (B)

Conference Coach of the Year:

 Butch Ross (WL)

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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