Caisson Wrestlers 12-1

Report by Coach C:

Well , after a VERY LONG LONG day the team is back on campus safely tonight (we just got back). The Caissons departed campus at 5am on Saturday and spent just over 2 hours on the bus this morning arriving at Chatham High School for the Riverside Rumble Duals Tournament. After weigh in and warm up, we went right at it as we had one of the first matches of the day. Fishburne stepped on the mat against George Washington High School for our first Pool match. We were placed in Pool B in the tournament. The team took some waking up but then got rolling and finished strong  in our first match, winning by a score of 57-24.  This brought the team’s overall duals record to 9 – 0, evening it with the mark set 3 years ago when that team finished the season with a record of 9-0.

Then it was to the bleachers for a little break and to watch some of the other teams go at it as we rested. Our second time on the mat came about an hour and a half later when we stepped on the Mat against Staunton River High School B team (now, don’t let the words “B team” mislead you; Staunton River HS is one of the top wrestling programs in the state, so B  teams there are like a lot of A teams in other schools) This time around it did not take a lot to get the Caissons going as knowing winning this match would set up a pool title match with the host Chatham HS. The team got rolling and rolled hard to a 69 – 12 Victory and running the Team Record to 10 – 0.

After a very short break, it was a show down with  the Host School Chatham High School who was also 2 – 0 on the day in our pool. This would decide the Pool B Champion and who would move on in what position to the Championship Round as the top 2 teams would move on but the #1 team had the upper hand to take home the hardware.

The place was rocking and the kids took to the mat for this show down. When it was all said and done, the host team would NOT win the POOL B Title but FMS would by a score of 60 -23 and would move on as the Pool B champion. This brought the team’s record to 11 -0 on the season.  Now all that had to happen was wait and see the outcome of Pool A. Pool A was settled about 15 minutes later with Allegheny High School winning Pool A and Hargrave Military Finishing 2nd in Pool A.

A short coaches meeting and then it was on to the Championship Rounds, This wold consist of 2 rounds of wrestling for the Riverside Rumble Championship. Round 1 Saw Allegheny (pool A champ) beating Chatham HS (pool B runner up). Next up the two military schools would show down. This would also be a show down of 2 teams with Full Line ups, NO forfeits. This would be decided on the mat by 14 wrestlers from each team. When it was all said and done FMS would move on to the Championship with a 60 -21 victory over Rival HMA,  pushing the team record to 12 – 0 on the season.

This would set up the final match: FMS (4 -0 on the day) vs Allegheny (4 – 0 on the day) for the title. This time Allegheny had just a little too much fire power for the Caissons as in 2 key matches where the Caissons led on points but got caught and pinned. The undefeated streak would end with a 48 – 33 loss . . .  first loss on the season leaving the team with a 12 – 1 record.

Over all it was still a very good weekend and a proud coach. The team came together and fought hard all day long to come home with a  2nd place trophy in the tough Riverside Rumble Duals Tournament. 

Next up…. Wed night we head up the street to face Waynesboro High School at 6pm on the 16th. Can they start the streak again against a VERY TOUGH WHS wrestling team?  Work begins again on Monday to get that set up; but tomorrow they rest recover and enjoy the moment of a great job all day today.