Davie wrestlers keep pounding
Published 11:39 am Thursday, December 3, 2015
In two wrestling meets last week, Davie did what it mostly always does – it racked up points and wins.
In the 10-team War Eagle Invitational here on Nov. 21, Davie claimed first place with 192 points. Carson was a distant second at 162, followed by R.S. Central (154), Nation Ford (S.C.) with 110, Cox Mill (89), Salisbury (79), West Iredell (73), East Rowan (56), Morehead (32) and Concord (3).
Sophomore Josh Shore (106 weight class) and senior Isaiah Olmedo (182) were first-place finishers with 3-0 and 2-0 records, respectively.
Thirteen War Eagles combined for a 29-14 record, even without Thad Vandiver at 132. Junior Will Allen went 4-1 at 138. Juniors Hunter Smith (113) and Tommy Trader (126) went 3-1. Sophomore Crayton Wise (152), junior Kyle McCune (170), junior Jesse Carter (195) and freshman Jesus Olmedo (220) went 2-1.
“It’s a good group,” 40th-year coach Buddy Lowery said. “They get along good. I’m not saying we don’t have anything to work on, but they work hard … for the most part.”
•
In the Indian Duals at St. Stephens on Nov. 24, the War Eagles kept pounding, going 5-0 on the day.
In the third match, Davie pulled out its only close call of the season against St. Stephens. It treated the other four opponents like stress balls, winning 53-15 over Glenn, 77-3 over Reagan, 75-3 over North Iredell and 60-13 over Freedom.
Smith (113), Isaiah Whitley (120), McCune (170) and I. Olmedo (182) led the onslaught with 5-0 records.
J. Olmedo (220), Anthony Olmedo (285), David Sigmon (132) and Wise (152) went 4-1. Hunter Strickland (138) and Carter (195) went 3-1. Trader (126), Luke Bolmer (145) and Tristan Merritt (160) had 3-2 efforts. Allen had a pin in his only match at 138.
Lowery didn’t want to get overly excited about the 6-0 start. It’s going to be a busy and difficult month.
“We didn’t wrestle bad,” he said. “We’re getting better. Of course, I’d like to wrestle better. All the way through the lineup we’re not bad.” He added that assistants Jason Hooker, Timmy Allen and Mike Dunn deserve considerable credit for the success.
While the War Eagles outscored Glenn, Reagan, North Iredell and Freedom 265-34, they were tested by St. Stephens. The teams split 14 weight classes, but the difference in Davie’s 34-27 victory was its 4-2 edge in pins.
I. Olmedo (decision), Carter (pin), Smith (pin), Whitley (pin) and Strickland (major decision) did their part as Davie had a 25-15 lead with four weight classes to go.
But it got tense down the stretch. St. Stephens got pins at 145 and 152 to put Davie in a 27-25 hole. But Merritt’s pin and McCune’s 9-2 decision secured the win.
“They’re good,” Lowery said of St. Stephens. “If I get Vandiver in the lineup (he has only wrestled once), we will be better. But Strickland and Merritt were there. Having two of those three, I can live with it I guess. I moved Sigmon up (to 132) and he’s a 125-pounder. But Sigmon has been through the mill.”