All 14 Dolphins qualify for Lower State
Battery Creek wrestling will take a full squad to the Class 3A Lower State qualifying meet after all 14 Dolphins placed in the top four in their weight classes at the Region 8-3A qualifier Saturday in North Charleston.
The Dolphins finished the day with four champions and five runners-up, along with four third-place finishers and one fourth-place showing.
A trio of seniors claimed region crowns as Reily Doray (113), Sebastian Sanchez (145), and Dre’shaun Brown (182) all won titles along with junior Sam DeGroat (120). John Coker, Elmer Linares, Bradley Smith, Nate Gallego, and Hunter Smith all reached the finals before settling for silver. Dustin Nakamura, Daniel Sunkins, Aiden Northway, and Leroy Tyus all placed third, and Ryan Israel finished fourth.
“I’m really proud of all of our guys,” Battery Creek coach Alex Rutherford said. “It was a short week but they stayed focused. Region title on Wednesday and then to compete this hard is truly amazing.”
Before the Dolphins continue the individual qualifying process Feb. 18 at Camden High School, they’ll open the Class 3A dual playoffs when they host the first two rounds Feb. 5.
Golden Warriors sweep double dual
John Paul II wrestling picked up a pair of victories and first-year program Thomas Heyward won all four contested matches against Colleton Prep in a SCISA double dual Saturday at JPII.
The Golden Warriors racked up six pins in a 60-18 win over the War Hawks to open the day, then won three of five contested matches and used a rash of forfeits to beat the short-handed Rebels 57-12. With few matches to be made between the Rebels’ and War Hawks’ thin rosters, the teams eschewed the traditional dual format and set up four matches, with THA claiming all four — three by pin.
JPII’s depth carried the day, but the Golden Warriors created plenty of highlights, too. Jase Reynolds and Kohl Woodham each won twice — Woodham with a pair of pins — and Daniel Snyder, Carson Lonz, Archer Dewig, and Jack Brock all had a pin and a forfeit. Peter Torinese and Chris Orta each won both matches by forfeit.
Zane Wilson and Anthony Fripp each went 2-0 with two pins for THA, and Jovanni Rodrigues and Lawson Hewlett each went 1-1 as the Rebels put together a strong showing with limited numbers.
The SCISA state duals are Saturday at Ben Lippen in Columbia.
Warriors finish 2nd at region duals
Whale Branch wrestling won two of three matches to claim a runner-up finish behind host Cross at the Region 7-1A duals on Saturday.
Whale Branch claimed a 24-15 win over St. John’s and a 36-18 victory over Military Magnet, but the host Trojans routed the Warriors 60-0 to clinch the title.
JaDarius Garrett (138), Alonzo Allen (160), Tyezhe Allen (182), and Javohn Smith (285) all went 2-1 for Whale Branch.
