Wrestling: Cox wins Eastern Region title

CHESAPEAKE

One last step remains for the Falcons.

Cox finished with seven individual champions and racked up 222.5 points en route to the team title after building a virtually insurmountable lead following Saturday’s early sessions.

“We haven’t won one (Eastern Region title) since ’86,” said the Falcons’ Ben Dorsay, a three-time region champ after grinding out a 12-4 major decision over Ocean Lakes’ Kyle Robertson.

“It’s a huge, huge step. This was one of our goals at the beginning of the season, and we have one more to go.”

That remaining goal is to win a Group AAA title at Robinson High in Fairfax next weekend.

There were recent and familiar scenarios heading into the night’s finals. The Falcons led Kellam by 20 points – it’s the same situation as last year’s region tournament just reversed, when Kellam was all but assured the title before the night matches.

Cody Stageberg got the Falcons going with a 10-2 major decision over Kellam’s Hayden Felch at 103 pounds.

“I try to stay calm and stay in my stance – he’s tricky,” Stageberg said “I tried to get the major (decision), and I got it.”

It was one of two matches where the top two teams went head-to-head in the finals – the Falcons’ Michael Chalfant earned a 3-1 decision over Brennen O’Shea at 130 pounds.

Seven of the first eight matches, from 103 to 145, were replays of last week’s Beach District finals.

Cox’s Bryan Whitt and First Colonial’s Christian Olanowski treated the crowd to yet another extra-period tussle at 119.

Olanowski fired the first salvo, snatching Whitt’s leg and rolling him over onto his back.

“It didn’t start how I’d like it to,” Whitt said. “I was down 5-0 and I knew I had to win it on my feet.”

Whitt battled back and locked in a take down with 15 seconds remaining in the third period. Midway through overtime, he shot down low, wrapped up Olanowski and furiously tried to score a fall.

“I knew I had to get in his legs,” Whitt said. “I wanted to pin him – it was close; he was stuck.”

Olanowski had beaten Whitt with a fourth overtime ride-out at the Beach District tournament at Cox.

Other winners for Cox were: Caleb Richardson (112), Michael Chalfant (130), Conor O’Hara (215) and Ross Burbank (285).

Aaron Runzo (125) and Austin D’Amico (140) were the two champs for Kellam, which finished with 178.5 points.

Oscar Smith’s Anthony Copeland (152), Great Bridge’s Joey Grainger (171) and Deep Creek’s Charles Arnold (189) were the handful of winners from the Southeastern District.

Norview’s Adrin Taylor edged Kellam’s Turner Bishop 3-1 in overtime to become the Eastern District’s lone title-holder.

Eastern Region

Finals

103: Stageberg (Cox) md. Felch (Kel), 10-2; 112: Richardson (Cox) md. McCabe (Bay), 13-4; 119: Whitt (Cox) d. Olanowski (FC), 8-6, OT; 125: Runzo (Kel) d. McCabe (Bay), 7-1; 130: Chalfant (Cox) d. O’Shea (Kel), 3-1; 135: Kechter (Sal) d. Bisono (Land), 9-2; 140: D’Amico (Kel) md. Dey (Land), 10-2; 145: Dorsay (Cox) md. Robertson (OL), 12-4; 152: Copeland (OS) d. Mosley (Kemp), 2-1; 160: Taylor (Norv) d. Bishop (Kel), 3-1, OT; 171: Grainger (GB) d. Barnes (Kemp), 11-5; 189: Arnold (DC) d. Warren (OS), 11-4; 215: O’Hara (Cox) p. Gonzales (WB), 3:17; 285: Burbank (Cox) d. Davis (GR), 4-2.

Third place

103: Henderson (OL) d. Saravia (OS), 5-0; 112: Self (Hick) d. Barnes (Norv), 11-9; 119: Everett (WB) d. Benzel (Kel), 4-3, OT; 125: Scarborough (Sal) d. Williamson (DC), 3-2; McLanahan (GB) d. Slaughter (IR), 5-2; 135: Harcourt (OL) md. Eure (Cox), 9-0; 140: Buettner (OS) p. Driggins (Bay), 2:14; 145: Squyres (Hick) d. Csenar (Kel), 9-4; 152: Ketcherside (Kel) d. Leonardi (Hamp), 9-6; 160: Linquist (Land) p. Johnson (Gran), 1:39; Wentt (Land) d. Cook (WB), 9-4; 189: Dickey (Kemp) d. Walsh (Kel), 1-0, OT; 215: Howell (Lake) d. Hankins, 7-2; 285: Wyche (OS) p. King (Grass), :35.

Semifinals

103: Stageberg (Cox) p. Scarborough (Sal) 1:41; Felch (Kel) d. Henderson (OL) 9-2.

112: Richardson (Cox) p. Manley (BTW), 3:03; McCabe (Bay) d. Pritchett (Phoe). 13-7.

119: Olanowski (FC) d. Cash (OL) 7-3; Whitt (Cox) d. Benzel (Kel) 11-8.

125: Runzo (Kel) md. Snead (Land), 13-1; McCabe (Bay) d. Scarborough (Sal), 3-1, OT

130: Chalfant (Cox) d. Slaughter (IR), 7-2; O’Shea (Kel) p. McLanahan (GB), 3:50.

135: Kechter (Sal) d. Harcourt (OL), 2-0; Bisono (Land) d. Eure (Cox), 4-0.

140: D’Amico (Kel) p. Bialeschki (IR), :31; Dey (Land) d. O’Brien (FC), 8-2.

145: Dorsay (Cox) tf. Csenar (Kel), 4:40; Robertson (OL) d. Squyres (Hick) 6-3.

152: Mosley (Kemp) d. Leonardi (Hamp), 3-2; Copeland (OS) d. Ketcherside (Kel), 4-3.

160: Taylor (Norv) p. Barney (FC), 4:35; Bishop (Kel) tf. Hardy (NR), 6:00.

171: Barnes (Kemp) d. Cook (WB), 4-1; Grainger (GB) p. Wentt (Land), :28.

189: Warren (OS) p. Rowe (IR), 5:49; Arnold (DC) d. Dickey (Kemp), 3-1.

215: Gonzales (WB) p. Hankins (Hick), :30; O’Hara (Cox) d. Howell (Lake), 7-5, OT.

285: Davis (GR) d. Sawyer (Sal), 3-2, OT; Burbank (Cox) d. King (Grass), 4-0.

Consolation semifinals

103: Sara via (OS) p. Scarborough (Sal). 1:58; Henderson (OL) p. Spurio (Mench), :42.

112: Self (Hick) p. Manley (BTW), 4:18; Barnes (Norv) d. Pritchett (Phoe), 3-2.

119: Everett (WB) d. Cash (OL), 5-2; Benzel (Kel), d. Fairbee (Grass), 6-4, OT.

125: Williamson (DC) d. Snead (Land), 11-5; Scarborough (Sal) d. Hashemy (WB), 6-3.

130: Slaughter (IR) md. Barker (Beth), 9-1; McLanahan (GB) d. Brown (Kemp), 6-4.

135: Harcourt (OL) by forfeit; Eure (Cox) d. Smith (OS), 4-2.

140: Buetnner (OS) md. Bialeschki (IR), 11-2; Driggins (Bay) d. O’Brien (FC) 4-2.

145: Csenar (Kel) d. Spyres (GR), 3-1, OT; Squyres (Hick) p. Land (OS), 3:40.

152: Leonardi (Hamp) md. Sewell (Land), 10-0; Ketcherside (Kel) d. Sari (Lake), 10-7.

160: Johnson (Gran) d. Barney (FC), 4-2; Linquist (Land) d. Hardy (NR), 9-7.

171: Cook (WB) d. Lawson (FC), 3-2; Wentt (Land) d. Rust (Cox), 4-2, OT.

189: Walsh (Kel) d. Rowe (IR), 6-2; Dickey (Kemp) d. Graves (Mench), 2-1.

215: Hankins (Hick) p. Johnson (Bay), 2:04; Howell (Lake) d. Jones (GB), 3-0.

285: Wyche (OS) p. Sawyer (Sal), 4:41; King (Grass) p. Haskins (Warw), :36.