Wrestling Braves actually win 2nd

Scoring error caught as Braves trade 3^rd place trophy for 2^nd place

 

By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.

ONE FEATHER STAFF

 

                The Cherokee Braves wrestling team is doing well this year, and they just got a late Christmas present.  Following a scoring error from the King of the Mountain tournament held in early December, the Braves found out they actually took 2^nd place overall instead of 3^rd place which they had been previously awarded. 

                The tournament’s scoring error was caught by Braves team scorekeeper Anthony Swearengin, and it took several weeks for the trophies to be switched.  

                The final, corrected team standings for the tournament are as follows:  1^st – Banks County 225, 2^nd – Cherokee 199, 3^rd – Lumpkin County 197.50, 4^th – North Hall 191.50 and 5^th – Pickens County 151.50.  A total of 20 teams from two states competed in the event. 

                CHS Coach Chuck Patterson is in his third year as head coach of the Braves.  He has been with the program for five years and served as head coach in 2007 and 2008 and is back this year as head coach. 

                “We’re doing really well,” Coach Patterson said of his team’s performance this season.  “We’re setting at 11-2 right now before the break.  The two matches we lost we should have won – the kids know that.” 

                “We’ve got a lot of really good kids that have been wrestling a really long time and a couple of inexperienced guys that are catching up really fast.  We’re doing really well and working hard.  Everyone is showing up and dedicated and we’ve got a good group of parents supporting us.  That’s all the makings of a really good season for any high school sports team.” 

                Coach Patterson said all of the team’s wrestlers are doing well this season and he is expecting big things from four of them.  “Sam Wahnetah is undefeated right now; Will Bird, returning state champion at 195lb.; Tavi Rivera, the only two-time state placer in Cherokee High School history, is coming back as a junior; and Colby Yanez, state qualifier is returning as a senior.”

                “I could go on and on about all of them; they’re all really good,” he said, “But those four – Sam, Will, Tavi and Colby – have all been to the show before and I really expect them to do some big things.” 

                To recap the King of the Mountain tournament, the following Braves participated:

113lb. – Jose Najera (2-2); pinned Bobby Nguyen (Banks Co. ), pinned by Logan Beard (Andrews), pinned Steven Bair (Hayesville), pinned by Dwight Shampine (Franklin)

126lb. – Levi Swearengin (4-1), 3^rd place; lost decision (12-10) to Clay Williamson (North Hall), pinned Eddie Wiley III (Murphy), pinned Chris Richards (Franklin), defeated Anthony Gallimore (White Co.), pinned David Hooper (Franklin)

132lb. – Jaron Bradley (2-2); pinned Niles Moffat (Hayesville), pinned Robert Harris (Lumpkin Co.), lost by technical fall (16-1) to J.T. Weyman (Pickens), lost by decision (11-7) to Cory Jenkins (Dawson Co.)

145lb. – Colby Yanez (4-1), 3^rd place; pinned Levi Pressley (Dawson Co.), pinned Zack Burson (Andrews), lost by decision (11-6) to Nicholas Thompson (Riverside Military), won decision (7-6) over Darmarcus Grant (Washington-Wilkes), won decision (8-5) over Michael Limbaugh (White Co.)

152lb.  – Thomas Lossiah (4-2); pinned Andrew Perez (Rabun Co.), won major decision (13-4) over Austin Collis (Fannin Co.), won by forfeit over Earnest Cowart (Franklin), pinned Zach Guy (Dawson Co.), won decision (8-2) over Manney Guthrie (Hiwassee Dam), pinned by Cale Maddox (Hayesville)

160lb. – Tavi Rivera (3-1), 2^nd place; pinned David Franklin (Stephens Co.), pinned Josh Porter (North Hall), pinned John Holbert (Pickens), lost decision (3-2) to Hayden Dilbeck (Banks Co.)

170lb. – Wade Wolfe (2-2); pinned by Eli Smallwood (Banks Co.), pinned Jurreginald Mitchell (Riverside Military), pinned William Borland (White Co.), lost decision (7-6) to Rick Brown (Dawson Co.)

182lb. – Taylor Davis (2-2); pinned Thomas Hooper (White Co.), lost major decision (19-5) to David Martin (Washington-Wilkes), pinned Cody Howard (Murphy), lost decision (5-3) to John-Mark McFarlane (Riverside Military)

195lb. – Will Bird (4-0), 1^st place; pinned Garrett Cheek (Franklin), won major decision (15-9) over Joseph Toal (Dawson Co.), pinned John Burmeister (Pickens), won decision (8-5) over Phillip Dean (Banks Co.)

220lb. – Raymond Taylor (3-1), 2^nd place; pinned Zavlan Greene (Stephens Co.), pinned Matt Devory (Pickens), pinned Ben Graham (Fannin Co.), pinned by Cam Howell (North Hall)

285lb. – Sam Wahnetah (4-0), 1^st place; pinned Connor McGnew (Dawson Co.), pinned Timothy Kelly (Hayesville), pinned Joshua Hale (Stephens Co.), pinned Adam Hataway (Fannin Co.)