Aycock run ends at Falcon Invitational

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 24, 2008 1:46 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock's eight-year reign as the Falcon Invitational champion ended Saturday evening.

South Central placed six wrestlers in the championship finals and ended the Golden Falcons' tournament stranglehold with 211-point effort. Washington finished a distant second at 124, followed by perennial 3-A power Southern Nash with 122.5.

Aycock placed 10th with 75 points.

The youth-laden Golden Falcons had just two grapplers to place among the top four in the 14 weight classes. Justin Farrell dropped a 10-1 major decision to Fike's Vincent Webb in the 119-pound final, while Brandon Bailey defaulted to Clayton's Shane Johnson in their 140-pound championship bout.

Southern Wayne freshman Ryan Gross claimed the 103-pound title with a five-minute pin of South Central's Otis Brinkley. Gross pinned every opponent in either the first or second period before facing Brinkley.

Fellow Saint Dustin Richards, a returning starter, finished as the 145-pound runner-up up to Rosewood's Joshua Holmes. Richards recorded two victories, including an 8-1 conquest of Eastern Wayne's Zach Hahn, before meeting Holmes in the final.

"Joshua has just gotten out of football and has transitioned nicely back into wrestling shape," said Rosewood coach Bill Edmundson.

Saints heavyweight Greg Taylor claimed second.

Southern Wayne placed seventh overall in the 16-team competition with 99 points, five points behind perennial 1-A power Rosewood. In addition to Holmes, the Eagles had three competitors place among the top four in their respective divisions.

"Because of the football playoff situation and the fact Rosewood is so small and we have to share athletes, I did not schedule anything before the Falcon Invitational," said Edmundson, who lost eight starters off last year's team. "I would say that half of our guys there had not even seen the competition side of a wrestling mat before. We have so many new wrestlers out this year."

Jonathan Rudolph took second at 189 pounds, while Zach Behrend claimed fourth at 112 pounds. Scott Pate seized third place at 130 pounds.

"The two kids Zach lost to were experienced, quality wrestlers and Zach never quits on the mat," said Edmundson. "He picked up a lot of good experience at the tournament. Scott has been extremely productive in preseason practices.

"He has the mindset of a champion and is working toward that goal. Jonathan was a big surprise to a lot of teams (at the Falcon), but not our staff. He has been training hard."

Eastern Wayne, for the first time in Invitational history, didn't have a wrestler to medal. The Warriors' top finishers were 103-pounder Tyler Wallace and 189-pounder Logan Wicks, who each finished fourth in their respective weight classes.

Princeton's Patrick Woodard emerged the 152-pound champion with a 63-second pin of South Central's Robbie Reynolds. Teammate Tyler Baker squeezed out a 9-5 decision over Beddingfield's Hunter Baker for the bronze medal at 171 pounds.

The Dawgs placed 12th with 48 points, four points behind Eastern Wayne.