Medal-Bound

By: Dan Sousa

Salem (Mar. 8, 2008) – Loudoun will have four wrestlers medal at the AA state meet as Heritage’s Jimmy Jurado (140), Potomac Falls’ Paul Rowane (119), Heritage’s Justin Smith (119) and Loudoun County’s Tyler Stevens (145) all advanced late Friday in the consolation bracket to the medal rounds Saturday.

Each wrestler can finish as high as third in the state with three straight wins Saturday. A win in the consolation quarterfinals and then a loss would put them into the fifth place match and a loss in the consolation quarterfinals would send them to the seventh place match.

At 119, Rowane edged Jacob Childress of Orange, 4-3, and Smith defeated Kyle Broda of Brookville, 11-3. For Rowane, it was a big reversal of fortune as he had fallen to Childress, 6-1, at the Region II meet.

At 140, Jurado, who has to be considered the biggest surprise of this meet for local wrestlers, knocked off top-seeded Luke Rakes of power Christiansburg, 5-0. At 145, Stevens, who wrestled ill at the Region II meet two weeks ago, rolled over Ryan Milbourn of Smithfield, 16-2.

There were five other Loudoun wrestlers that did not make it out of the consolation second round as David Orr of Broad Run (103), Sean Scales of Park View (130), Mike Fleming of Briar Woods (152), George Black of Broad Run (215) and Edwin Guzman of Park View (285) all exited with their second loss of the tournament.

All of those not making it to the medal rounds, showed why they qualified for states as they fought hard in their defeats with Guzman losing in overtime, 4-1, Black being edged, 3-2, Fleming falling, 7-4, and Orr losing, 4-0. Scaled dropped his match, 12-6.

Earlier Friday, the six Loudoun wrestlers that advanced to Frdiay night’s AA state meet quarterfinals all fell, some in agonizingly close fashion including Stevens who lost in overtime 12-10 at 145, Jurado who was edged 3-2 at 140, Orr who lost 11-9 at 103, and Rowanes who fell 7-4 at 119.

Also heading to the consolation bracket were Smith at 119, who lost 15-1, and Scales at 130, who was pinned.

Heading into the last round of the evening Friday, Loudoun now has nine wrestlers still in the tournament, all in the consolation bracket.

Earlier Friday, three Loudoun wrestlers bounced back from opening round defeats to win consolation matches Friday afternoon but five other local athletes were sent from the AA state meet with a second straight loss.

Fleming (152), Black (215) and Guzman (285) all won consolation matches with Guzman needing just 53 seconds to pin his opponent and Black also advancing by fall.

Vince DiRenzo of Broad Run (125), Thomas Hulcher of Briar Woods (130), Alex Fleming of Dominion (135), Sean Dunn of Heritage (135) and Elias Barahona 0f Park View (215) were all not as lucky and they had their stellar seasons ended with a second loss on the day.

Starting the day it was a good opening morning at the AA state wrestling meet for Loudoun athletes with six advancing to the quarterfinals including three locals that defeated higher seeds.

Orr, Smith, Rowane, Scales, Jurado and Stevens all advanced to the quarterfinals with opening round victories.

Scales and Stevens advanced with impressive wins over opponents from state power Christiansburg and Orr, Rowane and Jurado all knocked off higher seeds with Rowane taking out the Region I champion.

Here is rundown of all 14 Loudoun wrestlers thru Friday’s competition:

David Orr: Broad Run 103, defeated Joseph Gergente of Powhatan, 9-2,
Orr was a No. 3 seed from Region II, Gergente was No. 2 from Region I
Second Match: Lost to Tyler Desper (Fort Defiance) Region III Top Seed, 11-9
Consolation Second Round – Lost to Neal Kennedy (Blacksburg), Region IV No. 3, 4-0
Final Record: 1-2

Justin Smith: Heritage 119, defeted Paul Jerry of King George, 5-1,
Smith was a No. 2 seed from Region II, Jerry was No. 3 from Region I
Second Match: Lost to Andrew Robertson (Christiansburg) Region IV Top Seed, 15-1
Consolation Second Round – Defeated Kyle Broda (Brookeville), Region III No. 3, 11-3
Up Next: Consolation Quarterfinals – Chad O’Donnell of Lafayette, Region I No. 2

Paul Rowane: Potomac Falls 119, defeated Jonathan Holt (Poquoson), 8-6
Rowane was No. 4 from Region II, Holt was Top Seed from Region I
Second Match: Lost to William Jones of Blacksburg, Regin IV No. 3, 7-4
Consolation Second Round – Defeated Jacob Cildress (Orange), Region II No. 3, 4-3
Up Next: Consolation Quarterfinals: – Derek Anderson of Grundy, Region IV No. 2

Vince DiRenzo: Broad Run 125, was pinned by Chris Smith of Chancellor in 3:18
DiRenzo was No. 4 seed, Smith was top seed from Region I
Second Match: Lost to Cody Rife of Grundy (Region IV No. 3), 12-5
Final Record: 0-2

Thomas Hulcher: Briar Woods 130 lost in Tech Fall 15-0 to Ethan Owens of Grundy
Hulcher was Region II No. 4 and Owens was top seed Region IV
Second Match: Lost to Charlie Parkins of Turner Ashby (Region III No. 3), fall 1:33
Final Record: 0-2

Sean Scales of Park View 130 won 4-0 over Bobby Schafer of Christiansburg
Scales was No. 2, Schafer was No. 3 from Region IV
Up Next: Lost to Andrew Williams of Tabb, Region I Top Seed, 1:43 by fall
Consolation Second Round – Lost to Owen Marshall (Salem), Region IV No. 4, 12-6
Final Record: 1-2

Sean Dunn: Heritage 135 lost major dec. 13-3 to Evan Simmons of Richlands
Dunn was No. 4 seed, Simmons Top Seed Region IV
Second Match: Lost to Richie Gibson of York, No. 2 seed, 15-11
Final Record 0-2

Alex Fleming: Dominion 135 lost 3-0 to Zach Myers of Blacksburg
Fleming was No. 2 and Myers was No. 3 from Region IV
Second Match: Lost to Brad Hoback of Liberty No. 4 seed, 5-2
Final Record: 0-2

Jimmy Jurado: Heritage 140, won 8-0 maj. dec. over David Williams of Hidden Valley
Jurado was No. 3 seed, Williams No. 2 seed Region IV
Up Next: Lost to Ronnie Guthrie of Brookville, a top Seed, 3-2
Consolation Second Round – Defeated Luke Rakes (Christiansburg), Region IV Top Seed, 5-0
Up Next: Consolation Quarterfinals – Randy Brannon of James Wood, Region II No. 2

Tyler Stevens: 145 of LC, won 9-6 over Rich Eva of Christiansburg
Stevens was a No. 2 and Eva a No. 3 from Region IV
Up Next: Lost to Kayton Marshall of Poquoson, a Top Seed, 12-10 in OT
Consolation Second Round – Defeated Ryan Milbourn (Smithfield), Region I No. 3, 16-2
Up Next: Consolation Quarterfinals – David Cheramie of King George, Region I No. 2

Mike Fleming: BW, 152, lost in fall 2:45 ot Same Rakes of Christiansburg
Rakes a Top Seed from Region IV, Fleming a No. 4
Second Match: Defeated Corey Pullin Alleghany, a No. 3, 8-2
Consolation Second Round – Lost to Josh Schaffer (James Wood), Region II No. 3, 7-4
Final Record: 1-2

George Black: 215 BR, lost 11-6 to Josh Canham of R.E. Lee,
Black a No. 3, Canham a No. 2
Second Match: Defeated Brian Dillon, Jamestown a No. 4, fall 1:57
Consolation Second Round – Lost to Blake Kierson (Powhatan), Region I No. 3, 3-2
Final Record: 1-2

Elias Barahona: Park View 215, lost Fall 3:55 to Brandon Beemer of Jefferson Forest
Barahona a No. 4, Beemer a Top Seed
Second Match: Lost to Aaron Barbour of Blacksburg a No. 2, 5-0
Final Record: 0-2

Edwin Guzman, Park View 285, lost in fall 4:32 to Ryan Jackson of Brookville
Guzman was a No. 4, Jackson a Top Seed
Second Match: Defeated Jordan Davis of Warhill No. 3, fall 0:53
Consolation Second Round – Lost to Hunter Manspile (Northside), Region III No. 2, 4-1 OT
Final Record: 1-2

Note: Each Region has four seeds in each weight class for 16 wrestlers per group.