Dolphins, Bucs on Sharks’ heels on mat

Whale Branch takes girls’ title

By Justin Jarrett

LowcoSports.com

HILTON HEAD ISLAND — The May River Sharks reigned supreme over the Lowco wrestling scene with a dominant showing, but the Battery Creek Dolphins and Bridges Prep Buccaneers were next in the standings, and both had multiple individual champs crowned Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Lowcountry Championships at Hilton Head Island High School.

May River compiled 257 points with eight champs among the 14 weights and four runners-up, outpacing the Dolphins (151) and Bucs (120), who were the only other teams with multiple champions, though a number of Bluffton’s varsity wrestlers honored a prior commitment and competed in another event.

Battery Creek’s Gunnar DeGroat pinned all of the other three placers in the 190-pound weight class, taking down Bridges Prep’s Byron Douglas-Jackson in the finals to remain undefeated on the season, while Elmer Linares outdueled May River’s Kaiden McCallum in a hard-fought 126-pound final and Andrew Legree rolled to the 157-pound crown for the Dolphins. Creek also had three runners-up in John Coker (120), Nate Najar (132), and Leroy Tyus (285).

Bridges Prep won gold at 165 with Kevin Summers earning a major decision over John Paul II’s Brandyn Horton and at 285, where Jeremiah Chavez pinned Tyus. Both Summers and Chavez are undefeated this winter.

John Paul II finished fifth with Horton and Jase Reynolds (106) earning runner-up finishes, while Beaufort was seventh with Antonio McKnight placing second at 138, and Whale Branch finished eighth.

The Whale Branch girls wrestling team won seven individual titles and the team title Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Lowcountry Championships at Hilton Head Island High School. Submitted photo

The tournament also featured a dedicated girls division as the sport continues to grow across the region and state. The Whale Branch Warriors brought a robust roster and went home with seven individual medals and the team title.

Alexis Jordan Walker (105) and Mary Black (130) won gold for the Warriors, while Giannia Rosario (115) and Faith Eugene (120) placed second, and Samari Gardner (105), Alexa Wesnesky (140), and Michelle Buckner (190) were third.

Lowcountry Championship at HHIHS

Boys Teams

May River 257, Battery Creek 151, Bridges Prep 120, Hilton Head Island 89.5, John Paul II 83, Bluffton 61.5, Beaufort 59, Whale Branch 25, Colleton Prep 23

Boys Individual Finals

106: Ryan Seman (MR) pinned Jase Reynolds (JPII)

113: Liam Engblom (MR) dec. Jorge Valdez (MR)

120: Marcus Foulk (MR) dec. John Coker (BC)

126: Elmer Linares (BC) dec. Kaiden McCallum (MR)

132: Walter Briones (MR) pinned Nate Najar (BC)

138: Houston Rudisill (MR) pinned Antonio Mcknight (BFT)

144: Dillon Seman (MR) pinned Trevor Jones (BP)

150: Dvantre Simmons (HHI) pinned Everett Harwell (MR)

157: Andrew Legree (BC) pinned Arthur Rinaldi (MR)

165: Kevin Summers (BP) maj. dec. Brandyn Horton(JPII)

175: Joshua Echeverria (MR) pinned Ali Jenkins (BP)