Wrestling Season Opens with Win Over Hargrave
Report from Coach C
The 2013/14 Wrestling Season began Saturday as the Caissons took to the mat down in Chatham at Hargrave Military Academy, as part of the Cody Day Memorial Wrestling Tournament (was renamed from the Tiger Classic to honor a Cadet/Wrestler that passed away). The tournament changed its format on Thursday from a Bracket Tournament (as it always has been) to a Duals Tournament. This change hurt the Caissons a team as we knew we would be minus 3 key starters, but in a Bracket Tournament we would be able to make up those points with Pins an Major wins during the course of the day. In a Duals Tournament missing wrestlers means giving up points for free.
We had to take the mat without Team Captain, Kyle Hale who was at home with a Temp of 102, Oglivie who was taking the SAT, and Lagasse who cannot make the allowed weight as of yet by NWCA Standards. So with that being said we were giving up 18 points every time we stepped on the mat against another team. With that said, I also have to give a HATS OFF to Jake Randall who weighed in at about 154 pounds, so that put him in the 160 weight class and for the TEAM he stepped up to the 170 pound weight class to fill in for Hale. Jake did an OUTSTANDING JOB winning 2 matches and fighting his backside off in the others, giving up an average of 16 pound in each match.
Round 1, The Caissons would face off against the toughest public school there, Tunstal High School. Being the first match of the season, the new starters made some key mistakes which is normal, what is also normal is you can’t make these mistakes against a good wrestling team. The Caissons would fall in the opener to Tunstal.
Losing the opener called for a quick team meeting to get the focus back and put that loss behind us. Let them know that if we did well the rest of the day we could still finish 4 – 1 and still have a shot to win the tournament if someone else would beat Tunstal. However, no one came close to beating them on the day and they would go 5 – 0 and win the tournament. BUT how did the Caissons do from there? Still had 4 matches left and of course the KEY match would be against Hargrave later on.
Round 2 Would see the Caissons face off with another Public School as they took to the mat against Chatham High School. This was a great team duel match as it saw Chatham take an early lead, then the Caissons come roaring back to take the lead back then to see Chatham Tie it up with only one match to go. Well in that match Andrew Davis took care of the tie with a pin putting the Caissons over the top for the win. OK back on track now.
Round 3 would find the Caissons Sitting and watching.
Round 4 would now be the SHOW DOWN, The Caissons vs the HMA Tigers. Just before the match the team was reminded that the Caissons did not lose to the Tigers all of last year and we faced each other 4 times. A big shoe to fill. Well again a good match but the Caissons took control and never let up pulling away and pulling out win #2 on the day over HMA.
Round 5 again would find the Caissons without a match.
Round 6 The Caissons again would have to face another Public School in Randolph Henry High School, This one would not be close this one in face would be very ugly if you were a fan of Randolph Henry as the Caissons stepped on the gas and put this one away soundly winning by a score of 60 – 12 and win #3 on the day
Round 7 would see the Caissons now face a combined team of all other teams there. This was a team that was put together to fill the final spot, A few of the kids were starters that did not make weight and some were kids that were behind some of the best there. Well again the team would Step on the gas and put this one away early and ending it quickly winning again by a score of 54 -21. Moving the Team record to 4 -1 on the day and on the new season.
Tunstal would wrestle in Round 8 but as I said finish at 5 – 0 giving them the Team Championship. The Caissons would finish as Runner Ups as a team on the day. But again a very good showing with a lot to build on.
The Caissons also did have 4 Individual Champions on the day All of which finished the Day with a perfect 5 – 0 Record.
Individual Champions:
113 Pounds: Joseph Bann 5 – 0
126 Pounds: Brian Farrell 5 – 0
132 Pounds: Daniel May 5 – 0
145 Pounds: Andrew Davis 5 – 0
Caisson Wrestlers that went 4 – 1 on the day
120 Pounds: Jacob Cochran
138 Pounds: Bevan (Biggie) Morrison-Rogers
182 Pounds: Drake Hansen
As a whole the Team did a great job. A lot of work to do, but a great start. This team will face some big challenges after last season, the schedule was revamped again to make it even tougher than last year. So next weekend the team will head North to Episcopal High School to face off in a Team Quad Match. then home again on Dec 17th Against RMA and Massanutten.
