2K16 FALCON INVITATIONAL: Different storylines highlight individual tournament

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 4, 2016 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- The experienced wrestlers, as usual, handled their respective duties as they've done all season once they've stepped onto the wrestling match.

But a few shorelines developed from the 2016 installment of the Falcon Invitational on Saturday afternoon.

-- Fully recovered from a season-ending injury in 2015, Charles B. Aycock senior 119-pounder Jared Painter earned his second individual championship of the season.

"(Jared) worked hard in the offseason to get ready for this year and it has shown," said Aycock head coach RJR Allen, whose grapplers combined for an Invitational-high 18 team pins -- one more than 2015 Invitational champion Rocky Mount.

"(We're) very proud of how this young man reacted to adversity from last year and is now enjoying a great senior year."

Painter is 27-2 this season.

-- Eastern Wayne's Keshaun Smith returned to the weight room two weeks ago after suffering a shoulder injury the second match of the season. Smith placed fourth at 170 pounds.

"For him to come back and finish fourth was huge," first-year Warriors head coach Aaron Lynch said.

-- Rosewood's Jayden Thomas competed with poise and determination, and captured the 138-pound crown. The No. 2 seed, Thomas completed his title run with a second-period fall over top-seeded Daintier Joyner.

"Ayden has turned into a very determined and skilled wrestler over the past few years," said RHS head coach Bill Edmundson, whose team collected an Invitational-high nine medals during the day-long event.

"He has gotten stronger and more confident with experience, and has turned the corner towards reaching his potential."

-- Michael Daughtry became the first Princeton wrestler to achieve 100 career victories in his championship match -- a 12-5 decision over Rosewood's Seth Finney at 145 pounds.

Daughtry is 26-3 on the mat.

"He wrestled really well ... wrestled smart and wrestled hard," PHS head coach Terry Braswell said.

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Rosewood claimed the team championship with a 178.5-167.5 triumph over Invitational host Aycock. According to Invitational records, the Eagles claimed their third team title despite having just two individual gold-medal winners -- Thomas and senior heavyweight Kaleb Taylor, who remained unbeaten in 25 outings this season.

However, six grapplers took home silver medals.

"This made the final team scores much closer than they should have been, but we will take the win," said RHS head coach Bill Edmundson, whose team took home an Invitational-high 18 medals.

Timothy Decatur-Luker, Chris Hill, Jordan Todd, Seth Finney, Dylan Melgar and Blake Dean each placed second in their respective weight classes. Louis Tortual and Noah Darden each took fourth place.

Aycock senior 160-pounder Josh Wallace claimed his third individual crown of the season. The senior, now 31-0, pinned Rocky Mount's Kevon Daniels just 32 seconds into their semifinal-round match.

Wallace, who has the tendency to start quickly and terminate an opponent, took his time against Corinth-Holders' Trey Black in the final. Wallace won the previous meeting and this time decided to get some extra mat time.

"Normally I walk out there and think that I want to get off of the mat as quick as I can, but decided that now I'm on the mat, just use my time and do some work I hadn't done before," said Wallace, who emerged as the individual champ at the Grant Wilder Wilson (Rocky Mount) and the Eagle Invitational (Rosewood).

Teammate Chris Parks defeated top-seeded Ty Combs of South Lenoir for the 120-pound crown. Austin Doyle and Brandon "Blueberry" Washington each secured a bronze medal (third place). Hayden Gurley and Zach Creel each took fourth.

The Golden Falcons and Rocky Mount combined for nine individual crowns. Overall, eight grapplers protected their No. 1 seed and five schools had at least one individual champion.

Of the 12 participating schools, 11 had at least one medalist.

Eastern Wayne's Cainen Miller claimed runner-up honors at 132 pounds with a 14-12, sudden-victory loss to Marquard.

"His finals match was back and fourth," Lynch said. "Cainen wrestled well and lost a heartbreaker."

Fellow Warrior Jordan Wooten placed fourth at 182 pounds.

Southern Wayne's Delvonte Davis and Devante Jackson each finished third on the day. Teammates Mikal Leach and Austin Parker each ended up fourth.

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Rocky Mount finished three points behind Aycock in the team standings. Southern Wayne placed eighth with 55.5 points -- 1/2 point higher than Eastern Wayne.

Luke Brush, who placed fourth at 120 pounds, helped Princeton claim 10th overall in the 12-team field.