CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – The Fort Mill Yellow Jackets cruised to another tournament win beating 17 other teams in the state of Virginia to win the Big Blue Invitational.
Fort Mill was the only team in the tournament not from Virginia at Christiansburg High School, about 10 miles from Virginia Tech University. This is the fourth dual or individual tournament won by the Jackets this season.
Fort Mill scored 275 points with Salem (Va.) finishing second with 198.5 points. The Jackets placed all 12 wrestlers they brought to the individual tournament, with eight of them coming in the finals.
Of those that made the finals, only Grayson Wallen (126) came away with a win. Wallen picked up a second period pin over Salem’s Kolynn Eastman.
Finishing second for the Jackets was Peter Escudero (106) with a 4-1 decision, Luke Van Beynum (120) with a 10-3 decision, and Cooper Van Beynum (138) with a 13-4 major.
Lincoln Greene also finished second at 150 pounds falling to the ninth ranked wrestler in the country, Brady Hand, from Christiansburg High. Greene tied the Fort Mill High school record for most career wins in the tournament semi-finals with a 17-1 tech fall and picking up career win No. 174. Also finishing second for Fort Mill was Gabe Sipe (157) losing 12-1, Ted Ernst (190) falling 7-1 and Maurice Lawrence falling 4-1 at 215-pounds.
In the consolation finals, Fort Mill had four winners to finish third. Cole Waetinger (132) won by medical forfeit, Jayden Nguyen (144) won by tech fall 20-5, Broden Mitcheson (165) won by an 8-2 decision and Mason Metcalf (175) won 11-2 by a major decision.
Fort Mill returns to dual action on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Catawba Ridge High School as part of a tri-match with the Copperheads and Nation Ford.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
