New Kent adds 3A East Region wrestling title to growing list of championships
New Kent wrestlers, coaches, managers, and a few others celebrate winning Saturday's 3A East Region Wrestling Tournament championship. Photos of individual wrestlers in action are being posted later and can be viewed by clicking on "Photo Gallery."Alan Chamberlain photo
Five years ago to the day, New Kent won its first regional wrestling crown, beginning a string of three consecutive region championships. Today, Trojan wrestlers tacked on number four. And on the occasion of the first as well as the latest, it was Valentine’s Day.
The host Trojans bestowed a lot of love on the 3A East Region Tournament championship trophy, hoisting the glistening silver hardware high while celebrating their fourth region title. A week earlier, they captured the Colonial Conference 25 tourney, also on their home mats.
“That was pretty special looking back then when we won our first, and we’re pretty excited now,” said Trojan coach Mike Faus who has been at the helm for all four New Kent triumphs.
And besides the fact Valentine’s Day coincided, Faus added, “We won both of those titles here in our gym.”
New Kent amassed 215 points, 16 better than runner-up and two-time defending region champ Brentsville District (199). The Trojans finished second to Brentsville in each of the past two seasons. Poquoson, meanwhile, took third with 191 followed by Warren County (143) and Skyline (127.5).
New Kent entered wrestlers in all 14 weight classes. Half are advancing to next weekend’s state wrestling tourney in Salem. And four are heading in as region champs.
“We really stepped up in the finals today,” Faus said, pointing to wins posted by Bryson Mitchell (120), B.C. LaPrade (145), Blake Hohman (152), and Kade Sanders (160).
Mitchell, the first Trojan in a final, electrified the home crowd, pinning William Monroe’s Patrick Gehman in 1:14.
“Bryson seems to step up when the spotlight comes on,” Faus said. “Lately, he has really been working hard at practice and he’s had a good season.”
Jared Mitchell, Bryson’s brother, meanwhile, also brought New Kent fans and coaches to their feet. He pinned Poquoson’s Chase Lynch in 3:04 to place third at 132 pounds and earn a state berth.
“The Mitchell boys are stepping up big for us today,” chimed in Faus.
As expected, LaPrade and Hohman dominated opponents in their respective finals. LaPrade, the defending state champ at 145 pounds, toyed with Skyline’s Caleb Van Doren on the way to a 25-9 technical fall triumph. Hohman, last year’s state runner-up at 152 pounds, needed just 15 seconds to pin Spotsylvania’s Josh Stacy.
In the 160-pound final, Sanders controlled Poquoson’s Kyle Poultney in the early going, but Poultney recovered to lead 4-3 as the match wound down. Then with 23 seconds to go, Sanders drove Poultney into the mat, recording a pin with 17 seconds left.
“Kade saw his opportunity, seized it, and caught him,” Faus said. “He’s been picking it up the past few weeks. Hopefully, he’ll carry it on to next week.”
New Kent’s David Taylor reached the 195-pound final to face Poquoson’s Ethan Bryce. Taylor built an 8-3 advantage and appeared on the verge of avenging a loss to Bryce a week ago in the conference final. Bryce, however, prevailed in similar fashion to Sanders, taking down Taylor for a quick pin with 50 seconds left in the match.
New Kent’s Trent Ragland advanced to state by pinning Culpeper’s Demitri Dwyer for third place in the 182-pound category.
Looking ahead to the state meet scheduled for next Friday and Saturday, Faus said he expects his team to contend (they placed third a year ago), but rates perennial power Christiansburg, the defending state champ, as the favorite.
“Christiansburg is probably too much,” he said. “But I think we could squeak in second or third.”