By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The Cherokee Braves varsity wrestling team had a banner year. Once it was all said and done, the school had one state champion, three state qualifiers, and several others who qualified for regionals.
Some of the wrestlers responsible for the team's success this year (left-right) Colby Yanez, Tavi Rivera, John Roper and Will Bird. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather)
Head Wrestling Coach and Athletic Director Ian Roper is happy with this year’s results and is already looking forward to next year.
“We have everybody back except for John (Roper) so we’re going to have a good, strong nucleus next year of returning wrestlers and a good, strong group of middle school wrestlers coming up,” he said. “I’m excited about the future of Cherokee wrestling and I think for some of the blows we were dealt this year, we were able to come out of the year very successfully with some good, strong individual performances.”
Tavi Rivera works hard at the Regional Tournament. He eventually took 3rd place in the 160lb. division at the NC 1A State Wrestling Championships. (Photo by Denise Walkingstick)
Following is a recap of each wrestler’s year:
Levi Swearengin, freshman, 119lb
– 34-11 record, 25 pins, 4 decisions, 1 major decision, 1 technical fall, 192 team points
– 4th place King of the Mountain Tournament
– Champion Chief Osley B. Saunooke Tournament
– 4th place James Orr Invitational Tournament
– 2nd place Smokey Mountain Conference
Justin Parris, freshman, 125lb
– 12-13 record, 4 pins, 2 decisions, 1 major decision, 1 technical fall, 63 team points
Colby Yanez, sophomore, 135lb
– 22-8 record, 10 pins, 5 decisions, 4 major decisions, 104 team points
– 3rd place King of the Mountain Tournament
– 3rd place Chief Osley B. Saunooke Tournament
– 4th place James Orr Invitational Tournament
– 3rd place NC 1A West Regionals
– State Qualifier
Wesley Long, junior, 145lb
– 15-17 record, 5 pins, 4 decisions, 1 technical fall, 77 team points
Jessica McCoy, junior, 152lb
– 5-21 record, 2 pins, 30 team points
Tavi Rivera, sophomore, 160lb
– 42-7 record, 19 pins, 11 decisions, 4 major decisions, 5 technical falls, 209 team points
– 3rd place King of the Mountain Tournament
– Champion Chief Osley B. Saunooke Tournament, named “Most Outstanding Wrestler”
– 2nd place James Orr Invitational Tournament
– 3rd place Smoky Mountain Conference
– 3rd place NC 1A West Regionals
– 3rd place NC 1A State Wrestling Championships
John Roper, senior, 171lb
– 36-6 record, 21 pins, 7 decisions, 1 major decision, 1 technical fall, 201 team points
– 2nd place King of the Mountain Tournament
– 2nd place Chief Osley B. Saunooke Tournament
– Champion James Orr Invitational Tournament, named “Most Outstanding Wrestler”
– 2nd place Smokey Mountain Conference
Will Bird, junior, 189lb
– 28-2 record, 17 pins, 5 decisions, 3 major decisions, 156 team points
– Champion King of the Mountain Tournament
– Champion Chief Osley B. Saunooke Tournament
– Champion NC 1A West Regionals
– Champion NC 1A State Wrestling Championships
Michael Montelongo, sophomore, 285lb
– 21-9 record, 16 pins, 1 decision, 1 technical fall, 125 team points
– 4th place King of the Mountain Tournament
Raymond Taylor, sophomore, 285lb
– 5-11 record, 2 pins, 24 team points
