Southeastern District wrestling: News and notes

Repeat performances

There were a handful of repeat Southeastern District champions.

Great Bridge’s Joey Grainger won at 171 after clinching the 140-pound title in ’07 and the 152-pound title in ’08. He didn’t compete last year after leaving the team for personal reasons.

Fellow Wildcat Gary Ochs is a two-time winner at 160.

Oscar Smith’s Anthony Copeland is a two-time champ at 152.

Western Branch’s Wil Everett won at 119 after a title at 112 last season.

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WB’s Everett holds off Fairbee

Everett was the lone individual champion for second-place Western Branch.

Grassfield’s Ryan Fairbee pushed him in a tightly contested match-up, and Everett held a slim 4-3 lead through two periods — much to the chagrin of the home crowd.

“He came out firing in the beginning,” Everett said. “I was wrestling not to lose and then I just told myself I didn’t have anything to lose.”

Everett nudged a point ahead with an escape after the beginning of the final period. The pair then tussled for a bit and then Fairbee shot toward the Bruin’s legs. The gym echoed with shouts of “two” before the referee signaled the points for the successful takedown.

Fairbee, though, released him with 25 seconds remaining, and Everett was able to hold on for victory.

“I just tried to keep him off of me,” Everett said of his mindset in the closing seconds. “I didn’t want to let him get too far in — just stay strong in my tie-ups and stay aggressive.”

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Buettner: Tigers’ fall guy

Oscar Smith junior Spencer Buettner won all three matches by fall en route to winning the 140-pound title.

“I haven’t wrestled that good in a while,” said Buettner, who added he felt nervous before his third-period pin of Indian River’s Josh Bialeschki.

Teammate Bryan Saravia received a bye into the semifinals at 103 and won both his matches by pin-fall also.

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Cavalier attitude

Lakeland’s Justin Howell also had three pin victories at 215 pounds, but he had to scramble in the finals after a momentary lapse against Western Branch’s Rico Gonzales.

Howell pulled ahead 6-2 after an escape, but turned his back on Gonzales and stepped toward the center circle. Gonzales pounced quickly, scored a takedown and rolled Howell up for back points and a 7-6 lead.

The two exchanged reversals, but Howell escaped, secured a takedown and eventually forced Gonzales’ shoulders down at the 4:52 mark. Howell became Lakeland’s first district champ at the Group AAA level.

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Williamson, Arnold pace Hornets

Deep Creek was well off the pace in ninth place, but finished with more champions than all but three schools.

Second-seeded Javari Williamson breezed through a 9-3 decision over No. 1 Afsheen Hashemy of Western Branch at 125.

Charles Arnold, though, had to come up with a last-second takedown to beat Oscar Smith’s Tyler Warren at 189 pounds.

With the clock ticking down late in the third period, Arnold was twice penalized for stalling, leveling the score at 6-6. His last swipe of Warren’s legs wiped out the possibility of overtime.

“I just kept thinking I had an edge,” Arnold said. “I was striving for a good tournament. At the end it came down to ‘How much do I want it?’ ”