Not Messing Around
Published 12:00 am Monday, December 30, 2013
Davie’s wrestling team doesn’t get beat often, and when it does, it takes a powerhouse team to do it.
Davie’s first setback was to Fred T. Foard, the defending 3-A champion. Foard is 18-2. Davie’s only other loss was to Newton Conover, which is 25-1. N-C’s only loss was against 31-0 Parkland.
Before running into Newton Conover, the War Eagles had their way with visiting North Davidson. They cruised 51-21 as North fell to 7-12. Davie moved to 2-0 in the Central Piedmont Conference.
Isaiah Whitley, Lake Billings, Bailey Ingram, Isaiah Olmedo and Parker Correll had pins as Davie extended a league unbeaten streak that began in 2007-08. Preston Beauchamp won a decision, while Matt Nesbit, Alex Gobble and Jack Robertson received forfeits.
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In the Red Devil Duals at Newton Conover, the War Eagles couldn’t deal with the host school, losing 46-16. Newton Conover claimed nine of 14 weight classes and owned all four pins.
“We’re just young in some spots,” coach Buddy Lowery said as Davie slipped to 14-2. “Some of them have to get better.”
Davie’s wins were decisions by David Sigmon, Billings, Gobble, Robertson and Correll.
“Newton Conover is good,” Lowery said. “They’re about like Fred T. Foard. Newton Conover is probably No. 1 in 2-A and Fred T. Foard is No. 1 in 3-A. When we get beat, we get beat by some good people.”
Davie rolled by the other four opponents at the meet, beating Watauga 62-18, Hickory 83-0, South Stokes 63-15 and Enka 51-22 to run its record to 18-2.
For the day, four War Eagles went 5-0 – Billings, Gobble, Robertson and Correll. Going 4-1 were Whitley, Ingram and Olmedo. Jake Barneycastle went 3-0. Hunter Smith was 3-1, while Nesbit and Beauchamp were 3-2. Kyle Cookson was 2-0. Josh Lankford (2-2), Sigmon (1-0), Nolan Osborne (1-0) and Keion Joyce (1-1) also had wins.
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Davie breezed to first place out of 15 teams in the Reynolds Invitational. Davie compiled 220 points to runner-up West Stokes’ 130.5.
It was business as usual for Gobble, one of three War Eagles to capture their weight class. He pinned all three opponents at 182 to lift his record to 25-0. He’s a gaudy 136-34 in his four-year career, putting him ninth in career wins. He needs 21 more Ws to crack the top five.
Robertson (195) and Correll (220) continued to open eyes. They both went 3-0, with Correll recording three pins and Robertson two. Robertson is 23-0 on the year, Correll 23-2.
Whitley (113), Billings (120) and Ingram (145) turned in second-place performances. Billings (23-3 record) had his 11-match winning streak stopped in the finals. Ingram is a respectable 19-8 in a rugged weight class.
“He’s not in the easiest weight class in the world,” Lowery said. “That’s one of the tougher weight classes that you’re going to have.”
Lankford (160) and Olmedo (170) had solid 3-1 showings. Barneycastle (126), Javon Adkins (132) and Beauchamp (152) were all 2-2.