SALEM, Va. – We start out in Class 3 132 lb, Noah Nininger of Staunton River against Phoenix Alyea of Skyline.
Nininger lead 1-0 until 25 seconds left in the match, Alyea with the takedown, but then Nininger gets the reversal and holds the final 13 seconds! The sophomore is the state champ- winning in his late cousin Kip Nininger’s shoes.
“They were my cousin Kip’s given to me by his father, and I’ve been wearing them in the postseason, last year I wore them in the region and the states and this year I did the same and won both years so I guess it’s good luck,” he said. “It makes it fun, everytime you look at the shoes you think of his and try to honor him.”
Tony Robie in the crowd cheering on his son Jake, wrestling in the 150 lb final against Staunton River’s Bo Ice.
This was a back and forth battle, Ice taking the lead with a takedown here, he wins by decision 8-5.
“Jake Robie I’ve said it a million times. He’s so tough. He beat me the first time and the second time I got him, I knew it wasn’t going to be a cake walk, this guy is tough, I just had to stay in good position and work my ties and do what my coaches were telling me the whole time,” Ice said. “Just listening to what they were telling me, implement the best and hope that it works.”
In the Class 2 157 lb final, Glenvar’s Jake Cline entering the match undefeated, facing Clarke County’s Cannon Long.
Cline starting fast with a takedown only 10 seconds in, he scored 5 unanswered points in the second period, winning by decision 7-3.
“I prepared a lot for this and I was ready it. I won it two years ago and got upset last year, so really it motivated me to come back as hard as I could for my senior year,” Cline said. “That was my last ever high school match, I’m proud of how it went but state matches are tough for sure.”
In team titles, Staunton River dominated Class 3 with five first place finishers, a wrestler in nearly every weight class, the Golden Eagles get it done on the mat, Class 3 state champs.
“Ill be honest, we’ve been building for this a couple years,” head coach Scott Fike said. “It was a state title or bust mentality and we’ve been talking to the kids all year about it so it’s really awesome to see those kids get what they deserve and us to win it.”