4 Dolphins, 4 Bucs medal
By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
BLUFFTON — With 34 teams from South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina, the Shark Invitational wrestling tournament held Friday and Saturday at May River High School once again elevated the depth and caliber of competition on mats in the Lowcountry, and some of the Lowco’s best rose to the challenge.
The host Sharks racked up 151 points and five individual medals to finish third overall and pace the local contingent, while Battery Creek’s Gunnar DeGroat was the area’s lone champion, pinning four of his five opponents, including May River’s Josh Echeverria in the finals, to lead the Dolphins to a 10th-place finish overall. DeGroat went the distance only once, in a 13-2 dismantling of Fort Mill’s Ted Ernst in the semifinals.
Battery Creek’s Leroy Tyus placed fourth at 285, dropping a 4-3 decision to Bluffton’s Bradley Dennmark in the quarterfinals but winning three straight in the consolation bracket before falling to Georgia state champion Ashton Anderson in the consolation final.
Creek’s Elmer Linares (126) and Bridges Prep’s Kevin Summers (165) each placed fifth, while John Coker (120) finished sixth for the Dolphins and Jeremiah Chavez (285) did the same fo the Bucs. Beaufort’s Antonio McKnight (138) and Jaden Priester (285) and Battery Creek’s Andrew Legree (157) each fell one win short of the medal rounds.
2023 Shark Invitational
TEAM STANDINGS
South Effingham (Ga.) 278, Fort Mill 176.5, May River 151, Fort Dorchester 146, Clover 133.5, Gilbert 122, Cane Bay 121.5, Ashley Ridge 98.5, North Myrtle Beach 94.5, Battery Creek 90.5, Grovetown (Ga.) 88.5, Socastee 83, Aiken 82, Bluffton 80, Bishop England 78, Effingham (Ga.) 75.5, Benedictine (Ga.) 73, White Knoll 71.5, Cox Mill (N.C.) 64.5, Berkeley 63.5, Philip Simmons 59, Lucy Beckham 57, Hilton Head Island 49, South Effingham B 47, New Hampstead (Ga.) 46.5, May River B 45, McIntosh (Ga.) 40, Beaufort 35, Bridges Prep 35, Hanahan 35, Wade Hampton 32, Effingham B 18, Savannah Christian 7, Savannah Country Day 6
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
106 — Lucas Van Beynum (Fort Mill) dec. Adam Hardeman (South Effingham), 8-3
113 — Jacob Nally (Fort Mill) pinned Jesse Beasley (Clover)
120 — Richard Springs (Fort Dorchester) pinned Lincoln Greene (Fort Mill)
126 — JJ Peace (Cane Bay) dec. Gianni Bottone (Lucy Beckham), 3-2
132 — Sam Cherichello (Bishop England) dec. Hayden Schroeder (Gilbert), 8-4
138 — Wyatt Wheeler (North Myrtle Beach) pinned Matthew Spignardo (Philip Simmons)
144 — JJ Brentlinger (Gilbert) dec. Eli Wood (South Effingham), 8-2
150 — Cole Gambacorta (Socastee) dec. Gannon White (South Effingham), 12-10
157 — Moose Bringer (South Effingham) maj. dec. Edwin Barrios (Socastee), 13-4
165 — Logan Taylor (White Knoll) dec. Eli Pressley (Fort Dorchester), 13-8
175 — Gunnar DeGroat (Battery Creek) pinned Josh Echeverria (May River)
190 — DaMyon McFarlin (South Effingham) dec. Colton Travis (Gilbert), 7-2
215 — Will Coker (Cane Bay) dec. CJ Lord (South Effingham), 5-3
285 — Isiah Black (North Myrtle Beach) pinned Bradley Denmark (Bluffton)
LOWCO Placers
Champion
175 — Gunnar DeGroat, BC
Runners-Up
175 — Josh Echeverria, MR
285 — Bradley Denmark, BLF
Third Place
132 — Houston Rudisill, MR
215 — Will Mauro, MR
Fourth Place
144 — Dillon Seman, MR
285 — Leroy Tyus, Creek
Fifth Place
126 — Elmer Linares, BC
165 — Kevin Summers, BP
175 — Calvin Clayton, HH
215 — Manchan Whiting, BLF
285 — Beau Gwynn, MR
Sixth Place
120 — John Coker, BC
285 — Jeremiah Chavez, BP
