VIRGINIA BEACH — A dominant performance was expected from the Grassfield wrestling team at the state Class 6 championships, and one was delivered.
With a group effort worthy of mention in the Virginia High School League Record Book, the Grizzlies lapped the proverbial field of 50 teams from Virginia’s largest high schools to run away with this season’s tournament, which concluded Saturday at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.
The Grizzlies totaled 255 points among their 14 participants, as every wrestler qualified for the tournament by scoring in the top six at the Region A tournament the previous week. The team point total was the second-highest in the combined history of AAA, 5A and 6A state tournaments, with only Great Bridge’s 259.5 from 2005 topping Grassfield’s mark.
The 126-point margin of victory (Mountain View was second with 129) was the highest since 2006.
In a season of milestones for Grassfield, the tournament served as a solid finish. The Grizzlies crowned three individual state champions, and 12 of their grapplers (85.7%) finished in the top six to make the podium. Leland Mendez (120), Simeon Barrett (144) and Chase Burns (215) placed second, while Higen Castillo (113), Luca Schinelli (132), Nick Moore (165) and Colton Jones (190) earned third-place positions.
“It’s surreal,” said 106-pounder Nolan Mather, Grassfield’s first winner of the day, “to be on a team like this with everybody working so hard.” Mather scored an 18-7 major decision over Ibrahim Qureshi of Langley for his win.
Grassfield heavyweight Chris Funches wrestles Thomas Dale’s Cole Leinberger on Saturday at Virginia Beach Sports Center. PETER CASEY/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Chris Funches, who repeated as champion at 285 pounds, explained the difference between this year’s champion squad and the one that won last February. “We trained hard all season,” said the team’s vocal leader.
Wins over four state champions from the Mid-Atlantic helped propel the Grizzlies into new territory in December as they began appearing in the top 50 of national rankings. Currently, they are 28th in the U.S., according to Sports Illustrated, as well as holding the No. 1 position atop the All-Classes team in the state, according to Virginia Wrestling.
Asked if the enhanced visibility changed the team mindset, Funches added, “The bar went up. We changed the standard.”
It was a standard that was only recently formed. Grassfield lacks the history of teams such as Granby or Great Bridge, simply because the school was built in the 21st century. The team is twelve months removed from its first-ever state championship.
Asked about possibly being the standard-bearers for Grassfield wrestling history, Mather said, “I would like for people to someday think, ‘How did that team do all that?’ ”
At 175 pounds, Grassfield’s Nate Moore held a 5-3 lead through a scoreless third period to defeat Ibrahim Dheel of Mountain View and score the Grizzlies’ second title of the day. Moore was the team’s most reliable performer, finishing with a 39-3 record and teaming with brother Nick (32-7) to form a 1-2 punch at the tail end of the middle weights.
Western Branch’s Brandon Cynar won the region’s other individual championship at 126, taking down Chantilly’s Tyler Shin with a 18-3 technical fall at 4:36. It was Cynar’s second title as he won the 120-pound crown last year, capping a 44-0 season.
Landstown was the only other team from the 757 in the top 10 of the team standings, placing sixth with 88 points.
