The 2006 SC 4A, 3A and 2A-1A State Wrestling Duals Championships are in dire need of a “one minute blitz” of wrestling scoop before this weekends State Finals --- you came to SCMAT to get your fix for the day and we’ve got it --- these next 9 matches are for the SC Crowns in the State Playoffs. There is not one of you participating in the Semis that wants to be a spectator on Saturday at 2 pm, right?!!! And, there ain’t a lot of struttin’ and braggin’ left to dish out on scvarsity --- message boards are closed for the first part of the weekend, no one has time to read anything, and if you are there, everyone knows you’d rather be on the Mat --- it’s down to the basics, the true teams peaking at this time of year, the coaches that have “the plan, weight by weight” to get to the next level, the prime time wrestlers that will carry the team to a “W” in the “last match of the day” – and you better believe each coach is hoping the coin flip gives the team an edge at the end, and at the beginning. There is a magic weight each coach wishes for on the flip --- 1 out of 14 chances. No one likes the odds of losing. They say that the best matches of the NCAA Championships are the Semi-Final matches when wrestlers put it all on the line, no conservative trait left to reserve ---- no holds barred ---- and we’re here to tell you the Semi-Finals of the SC State Duals are just like this … competitor against competitor, 6 minutes that seem like a lifetime, pins that ensure wins, coaches horse for 2 days from barkin’ the moves to win each point, fans in tenacious roll call to raise the roof. Want to know the pre-match rubrics … well here they are …
Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School – for the first time ever in SC Wrestling History – all 3 State Duals Championships will be held in the same gym at the same time!
Directions to Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School (From Columbia):
I-26 towards Charleston.
Take Exit 145A (Route 601)
Turn right off of the exit ramp towards Orangeburg
Travel 2 miles from I-26 passing Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, Regional Medical Center, and Chrysler Dealership
Turn left (2 miles from I-26) onto Bruin Parkway (between Roosevelt Apartments and the Vocational School)
O-W HS will be to the right
Let’s start with some recognition of the 12 Coaches that have brought their teams this far!
Coaches for the 12 teams left in the 2006 SC State Wrestling Duals Tournament
Hillcrest Tommy Bell (4A)
Lexington Derek Strobel (4A)
Dutch Fork Ken Wilson (4A)
Summerville Kenny Walker (4A)
Eastside Jack Kosmicki (3A)
Lugoff-Elgin Kevin Knoerr (3A)
Chapin Scott Harmon (3A)
North Myrtle Beach Charlie Clay (3A)
Crescent Chris Strickland (2A-1A)
Broome Steven Carruth (2A-1A)
Chesterfield Lance Abernathy (2A-1A)
Loris Thomas Britt (2A-1A)
Let’s next try your Trivia knowledge for the SC Duals State Championships (answers at the bottom) -
1) What year did the SC Duals State Championships begin for each classification?
2) Which team, for each classification, has the most SC Duals State Titles since the Duals began?
3) Which coach, for each classification, has the most SC Duals State Titles since the Duals began?
4) Which teams, of the 12 teams left, have produced Collegiate National Champions?
5) Which teams, of the 12 teams left, have produced NHSCA Senior National Champions?
6) How many Wrestling USA All-Americans have these 12 teams produced?
7) How many NHSCA All-Americans have these 12 teams produced?
8) How many South Carolina Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners as awarded by The National Wrestling Hall of Fame have these 12 teams produced?
9) How many Wrestling USA Magazine Cover shots have these 12 teams produced?
10) How many SC Wrestling Coaches Association Annual Senior Wrestler of the Year Awards have these 12 teams produced?
4A Upper State Title
Hillcrest vs. Lexington
Prior dual matches in 2005-2006 – Hillcrest 31, Lexington 23
0 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Derek Strobel of Lexington
0 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Lexington High School
0 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Tommy Bell of Hillcrest
0 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Hillcrest High School
#5 – Current Ranking for Lexington
#4 – Pre-season Ranking for Lexington
#2 – Current Ranking for Hillcrest
#6 – Pre-season Ranking for Hillcrest
Lexington’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Wesley Stansberry - Lexington (So., 2005 112
SQ)
William Watson - Lexington (Sr., 2005 140
2nd)
Tim Morris - Lexington (Jr., 2005 160 SQ)
Joel Wilkes - Lexington (Sr., 2005 215 SQ)
Hillcrest’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Zach Moore - Hillcrest (Jr., 2005 103 SQ)
Aaron Pettry - Hillcrest (Jr., 2004 112 SQ) -
transfer from Wren
Michael Devita - Hillcrest (Jr., 2005 130 SQ)
Kasey Bennett - Hillcrest (Sr., 2005 140 SQ)
Robbie Kelley - Hillcrest (Sr., 2005 160 SQ)
SCMAT Prediction – Hillcrest
4A Lower State Title
Dutch Fork vs. Summerville (23-2)
Prior dual matches in 2005-2006 – Summerville 40, Dutch Fork 30 and Summerville 32, Dutch Fork 27
1 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Ken Wilson of Dutch Fork
6 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Dutch Fork High School
5 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Kenny Walker of Summerville
6 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Summerville High School
#4 – Current Ranking for Dutch Fork
#9 – Pre-season Ranking for Dutch Fork
#1 – Current Ranking for Summerville
#1 – Pre-season Ranking for Summerville
Dutch Fork’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Corneilius Selke - Dutch Fork (Sr., 2005 119 1st, 2004 112 1st, 2003 103 SQ)
Ray Steele - Dutch Fork (Sr., 2005 130 4th, 2004 119 SQ)
Summerville’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
T.J. Hall - Summerville (Jr., 2004 103 SQ)
Van Collins - Summerville (Jr., 2005 112 SQ)
Greg Matricciano - Summerville (Sr., 2005 125
2nd)
Christian Johnson - Summerville (Jr., 2005
135 SQ)
Lance Wactor - Summerville (Sr., 2005 145
2nd, 2004 140 SQ)
Reggie Henry - Summerville (Sr., 2005 160
2nd, 2004 171 4th)
Bryant Blanton - Summerville (Sr., 2005 171
1st, 2004 160 1st, 2003 152 2nd)
Deron Ellington - Summerville (Sr., 2005 215
SQ)
Lenard Mazyck - Summerville (Sr., 2004 275
SQ)
Summerville All Americans:
Bryant Blanton was an All-American at Junior
Nationals - 171 lbs - finishing 2nd in the nation
SCMAT Prediction – Summerville
3A Upper State Title
Lugoff-Elgin vs. Eastside
Prior dual matches in 2005-2006 – None, though this will be a rematch of the 2005 3A Upper State Finals which was Eastside 50, Lugoff-Elgin 27
2 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Kevin Knoerr of Lugoff-Elgin
8 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Lugoff-Elgin High School
5 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Jack Kosmicki of Eastside
6 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Eastside High School
#3 – Current Ranking for Lugoff-Elgin
#4 – Pre-season Ranking for Lugoff-Elgin
#2 – Current Ranking for Eastside
#1 – Pre-season Ranking for Eastside
Lugoff-Elgin’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Deral Brown - Lugoff-Elgin (So., 2005 130
4th)
Tim Graham - Lugoff-Elgin (Sr., 2004 130 SQ,
2003 125 SQ)
Lance McClester - Lugoff-Elgin (Sr., 2005 135
1st, 2004 125 1st)
Aaron Counts - Lugoff-Elgin (So., 2005 275
SQ)
Eastside’s State Pre-season Returning Qualifiers:
Bryce Martin - Eastside (So., 2005 103 1st)
Corbin Martin - Eastside (So., 2005 112 1st)
Cody Etheredge - Eastside (Sr., 2005 119 2nd,
2004 112 1st)
Matt Leach - Eastside (Sr., 2005 125 1st,
2004 103 1st, 2003 103 1st)
Justin Brewer - Eastside (Sr., 2005 130 1st,
2004 119 2nd, 2003 112 SQ)
JC Oddo - Eastside (Jr., 2005 171 1st, 2004
135 1st)
Eastside All Americans:
Matt Leach was an All-American at Junior
Nationals - 125 lbs - finishing 4th in the nation
Matt Leach was an All-American at NHSCA
National Open - 125 lbs - finishing 4th in the nation
J.C. Oddo was an All-American at Fargo
Nationals in Freestyle - 171 lbs - finishing 3rd in the nation
Eddie Coles was an All-American at NHSCA
Middle School National Open - 93 lbs - finishing 1st in the nation
SCMAT Prediction – Eastside
3A Lower State Title
Chapin vs. North Myrtle Beach (25-0)
Prior dual matches in 2005-2006 – None, though this will be a rematch of the 2005 3A Lower State Finals which was Chapin 39, North Myrtle Beach 33
1 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Scott Harmon of Chapin
1 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Chapin High School
0 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Charlie Clay of North Myrtle Beach
0 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for North Myrtle Beach High School
#6 – Current Ranking for Chapin
#3 – Pre-season Ranking for Chapin
#1 – Current Ranking for North Myrtle Beach
#2 – Pre-season Ranking for North Myrtle Beach
Chapin’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Eric Dudley - Chapin (Sr., 2003 103 SQ)
Casey Lathren - Chapin (Sr., 2005 112 2nd,
2004 103 3rd)
Drew Conroy - Chapin (Sr., 2004 112 SQ)
Corey Cook - Chapin (Sr., 2005 119 SQ, 2004
125 SQ)
Drew Adamson - Chapin (Sr., 2005 160 3rd)
North Myrtle Beach’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
C.J. Clay - North Myrtle Beach (So., 2005 103
3rd)
Hayden Cavender - North Myrtle Beach (Jr.,
2005 112 SQ)
T.T. Prather - North Myrtle Beach (So., 2005
119 SQ)
Kit Smith - North Myrtle Beach (Jr., 2005 125
SQ)
Jon Silverberg - North Myrtle Beach (Jr.,
2005 189 SQ, 2004 189 SQ)
Chip Hester - North Myrtle Beach (So., 2005
215 SQ)
SCMAT Prediction – North Myrtle Beach
2A-1A Upper State Title
Broome vs. Crescent
Prior dual matches in 2005-2006 – None
1 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Steven Carruth of Broome
1 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Broome High School
1 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Chris Strickland of Crescent
1 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Crescent High School
#6 – Current Ranking for Broome
#3 – Pre-season Ranking for Broome
#2 – Current Ranking for Crescent
#4 – Pre-season Ranking for Crescent
Broome’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Cory Pucetas - Broome (Jr., 2005 103 SQ)
Ben Gossett - Broome (So., 2005 112 2nd)
Will Ray - Broome (Sr., 2005 130 4th)
Josh Arthur - Broome (Sr., 2005 160 2nd)
Thomas Abbott - Broome (Sr., 2005 171 SQ)
Crescent’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Blake Hendrix - Crescent (Sr., 2005 112 4th)
David Wellwood - Crescent (Sr., 2005 119 SQ)
Nick Horne - Crescent (Jr., 2004 130 SQ)
Chris Sorensen - Crescent (Sr., 2005 135 SQ,
2004 135 1st)
Chris Downs - Crescent (Sr., 2005 145 SQ,
2004 145 4th)
SCMAT Prediction – Crescent
2A-1A Lower State Title
Loris vs. Chesterfield
Prior dual matches in 2005-2006 – None
0 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Thomas Britt of Loris
0 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Loris High School
2 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Coach Lance Abernathy of Chesterfield
2 – # of appearances in State Duals Finals for Chesterfield High School
#8 – Current Ranking for Loris
#10 – Pre-season Ranking for Loris
#1 – Current Ranking for Chesterfield
#1 – Pre-season Ranking for Chesterfield
Loris’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Al Johnson - Loris (So., 2005 152 SQ)
Jonathan Willard - Loris (So., 2005 171 1st)
Jamine McCray - Loris (Sr., 2005 189 SQ)
Kalief Wheeler - Loris (Sr., 2005 275 SQ)
Chesterfield’s Pre-season Returning State Qualifiers:
Trey Alley - Chesterfield (So., 2005 103 2nd)
Dalton Harper - Chesterfield (So., 2005 112
1st)
Danny Curtis - Chesterfield (Sr., 2005 119
1st, 2004 112 1st)
Steven James - Chesterfield (Jr., 2005 125 SQ)
Tony Moser - Chesterfield (Sr., 2005 145 2nd,
2004 135 SQ)
Patrick Barefoot - Chesterfield (Jr., 2005
152 SQ)
SCMAT Prediction – Chesterfield
SCMAT State Championship Predictions –
3-peats all the way around – Summerville, Eastside, Chesterfield
=== Trivia answers ===
1) What year did the SC Duals State Championships begin for each classification? ANSWER - 4A in 1993, 3A in 1994, 2A-1A in 2001.
2) Which team, for each classification, has the most SC Duals State Titles since the Duals began? ANSWER – 4A – Summerville and Rock Hill (6), 3A – Lugoff-Elgin (5), 2A-1A – Chesterfield (2)
3) Which coach, for each classification, has the most SC Duals State Titles since the Duals began? ANSWER – 4A – Jim Barnes of Rock Hill (6), 3A – Jack Kosmicki of Eastside (4), 2A-1A – Lance Abernathy of Chesterfield (2)
4) Which teams, of the 12 teams left, have produced Collegiate National Champions? ANSWER –
Careef Robertson
- Dutch Fork - Anderson College (NCAA D2) 2005 - 174 lbs.
Kelly Revells -
Summerville - Lassen Junior College (NJCAA) 1997, 126 lbs.
Quinn Tolbert - Summerville - Newberry College (NCWA) 2005 - 174 lbs.
5) Which teams, of the 12 teams left, have produced NHSCA Senior National Champions? ANSWER – Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin, 2000, Hwt.
6) How many Wrestling USA All-Americans have these 12 teams produced? ANSWER – 19
2004 HONORABLE
MENTION - Andrew Young, Summerville HS, SC
2004 HONORABLE
MENTION - Gerald Turner, Summerville HS, SC
2000 HONORABLE
MENTION - Reuben Daniels, Summerville HS, SC
1995 HONORABLE
MENTION - Kelly Revells, Summerville HS, SC
1995 HONORABLE
MENTION - Chad Stephenson, Summerville HS, SC
1995 HONORABLE
MENTION - Craig Stephenson, Summerville HS, SC
1988 HONORABLE
MENTION - Benjy Lafond, Summerville HS, SC
2001 HONORABLE
MENTION - Doug Gainey, Lugoff-Elgin HS, SC
2001 HONORABLE
MENTION - Ryan McClester, Lugoff-Elgin HS, SC
2000 ACADEMIC TEAM
- Ben Connell, Lugoff Elgin HS, SC
1996 HONORABLE
MENTION - Jacob Reynolds, Lugoff-Elgin HS, SC
1992 HONORABLE
MENTION - Chris Watkins, Lugoff-Elgin HS, SC
2004 HONORABLE
MENTION - Kyle Kimrey, Dutch Fork HS, SC
2003 ALL AMERICAN
- T.J. Selke, Dutch Fork HS, SC
2003 HONORABLE
MENTION - Nick Leone, Dutch Fork HS, SC
1998 HONORABLE
MENTION - Josh Brindel, Dutch Fork HS, SC
2002 HONORABLE
MENTION - Brent Poynter, Eastside HS, SC
1988 HONORABLE
MENTION - John Broadbent, Eastside HS, SC
1994 HONORABLE MENTION - Clay Cavanaugh, Lexington HS, SC
7) How many NHSCA All-Americans have these 12 teams produced? ANSWER – 4
2001 112 2nd
Ryan McClester (Lugoff-Elgin)
2000 275 1st Ben
Connell (Lugoff-Elgin)
1994 103 5th
Clay Cavanaugh (Lexington)
1993 160 8th
Brian Collier (Summerville)
8) How many South Carolina Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners as awarded by The National Wrestling Hall of Fame have these 12 teams produced? ANSWER – 5
2005 David Catoe,
Lugoff-Elgin
2001 Ryan
McClester, Lugoff-Elgin High School
2000 Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School (National Winner)
2004 Ian Barker,
Summerville
2003 T. J. Selke,
Dutch Fork High School
9) How many Wrestling USA Magazine Cover shots have these 12 teams produced? ANSWER – 9
December 15, 2004
- Gerald Turner of Summerville
Fall 2004 Buyers
Guide - Gerald Turner of Summerville
February 15, 1994
- Brian Collier of Summerville
May 30, 1992 - J.R. Davison of
Summerville.
December 15, 1993
- Lincoln Glover of Lexington
October 1, 1992 -
Derek Strobel of Irmo (now coach at Lexington)
Spring 2005 Buyers Guide - Matt
Silverberg of North Myrtle Beach
September 15, 2003
- T.J. Selke, Dutch Fork
September 15, 1997
- Robby Bell of Hillcrest (now asst. coach at Hillcrest)
March 1, 1994 - Robert Morton of Eastside
10) How many SC Wrestling Coaches Association Annual Senior Wrestler of the Year Awards have these 12 teams produced? ANSWER – 13
2003-2004 - 4A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Kyle Kimrey, Dutch Fork
2002-2003 - S.C.
Senior Wrestler of the Year - T.J. Selke - Dutch Fork
2002-2003 - 4A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Nick Leone - Dutch Fork
2001-2002 - S.C.
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Careef Robertson - Dutch Fork
1998-1999 - 4A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Ben LaPrad - Dutch Fork
2003-2004 - S.C.
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Gerald Turner, Summerville
2003-2004 - 4A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Andrew Young, Summerville
2003-2004 - 4A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Ian Barker, Summerville
2000-2001 - 3A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Ryan McClester - Lugoff-Elgin
2000-2001 - 3A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Jeff Courson - Lugoff-Elgin
1999-2000 - S.C.
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Ben Connell - Lugoff-Elgin
1999-2000 - 3A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Brent McCorkle - Eastside
1999-2000 - 2A-1A
Senior Wrestler of the Year - Jeremy Mosely - Chapin
Article by Mark Buford
Wrestling USA Magazine’s SC State Editor