Gymnastics
Kempsville kept the Class 5 gymnastics trophy in Virginia Beach and won its first Virginia High School League team title in the sport Friday night.
The Chiefs won the Region A title over Kellam two weeks ago by less than two points and edged the Knights again for the state crown.
The Chiefs finished Friday with a score of 149.725, followed by Kellam (149.2), Deep Run (144.0), Loudoun Valley (142.15), Stone Bridge (139.675) and New Kent (137.925).
Kempsville’s gymnasts recorded the highest total score on vault, led by Catie Burkett’s 9.225; balance beam, led by Molly Mack’s 9.25; and floor exercise, led by Violett Clonch’s 9.6. Grace Wallace added a 9.45 on floor, followed by Katherine Chernov’s 9.45.
Kellam finished with the highest team score on the uneven parallel bars, highlighted by Avery Handlon’s 9.725. Clonch, the region all-around champion, led the Chiefs with a 9.8 on bars.
Kellam and Ocean Lakes won the previous two Class 5 state titles.
In the Class 6 championship, Battlefield edged Robinson by less than half a point to win the program’s first state championship after three consecutive second-place finishes.
Battlefield finished with 147.95 points, followed by Robinson (147.65), Yorktown (143.95) and Oscar Smith (136.925).
Kempsville’s Grace Wallace celebrates with her coach during the Class 5 team gymnastics championships on Friday at Kellam High in Virginia Beach. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
Wrestling
Class 6
As expected, nationally ranked Grassfield took a whopping lead through one day in the VHSL Class 6 wrestling championships at Virginia Beach Sports Center.
The defending champion Grizzlies totaled 132 points and put nine wrestlers into Saturday’s semifinals, while Landstown thrived in the consolation rounds to move into second place with 71 points. West Springfield (67.5) was third and Mountain View (61) fourth.
All of the semifinalists won two bouts Friday. Grassfield’s include: Nolan Mather (106 pounds), Leland Mendez (120), Luca Schinelli (132), Simeon Barrett (144), Nick Moore (165), his brother Nate Moore (175), Colton Jones (190), Chase Burns (215) and Chris Funches (285).
Also advancing to the semis: Western Branch’s Brandon Cynar (126) and Oscar Smith’s Eugene Miller (157).
Class 5
Defending champion Cox grabbed the lead through one day in Class 5 at Virginia Beach Sports Center, totaling 88 points. Fredericksburg-area Riverbend was second with 80.
In a class in which about half of the schools are from the 757 area code, third through sixth places were held by Hampton Roads teams: Great Bridge and Nansemond River were tied for third at 63.5, with Kellam (59) and Ocean Lakes (55) closely behind.
Class 5 will feature several all-Hampton Roads semifinals today.
At 113 pounds, Great Bridge’s Vince Von Bernewitz and Granby’s Keith Fernandez advanced to meet each other, and Ocean Lakes’ Skiles Burkhead also made it to the semis.
At 126, Great Bridge’s Xavier Kovacs and Cox’s Carson Miller earned a semifinal bout against each other, and Tallwood’s Colton Hepp also advanced.
At 138, the area is guaranteed a champion and runner-up. There, the semis will pit Deep Creek’s Issac Michalski against Nansemond River’s Matthew Shodunke and Cox’s Landon Cahill against Ocean Lakes’ Noah Xiong.
At 165, where Cox’s Karl Ludwig is in the bracket’s other half, Great Bridge’s Dylan Davies will meet Deep Creek’s Brady Ming.
At 175, Great Bridge’s Ayden Christian will take on Kellam’s Derek Shultz, and First Colonial’s Jacob Throckmorton is on the other side.
At 190, Cox’s Rudy Wagner will meet Granby’s Joseph McAuliffe, and Kellam’s Jonas Studstill also got through.
At 215, Bethel’s Mharcelus Van Houten earned a berth versus Green Run’s Patrick McMillan, with Granby’s Tijuan Powell on the other side.
Among the other semifinalists, in order of ascending weight: Maury’s Arturo Luna and Great Bridge’s Cayden Clark (106), Ocean Lakes’ Matthew DeAngelo (120), Great Bridge’s Jalen Bailey and First Colonial’s Reid Stoddard (132), Cox’s Caleb Rafal (144), Cox’s Vicente Granada and Kellam’s Drake Shultz (150), and Nansemond River’s William Falkenstein and Woodside’s Carmine McDaniel (157).
Class 4
No area teams were in contention for the championship. Woodgrove moved ahead with 76.5 points, followed by Powhatan (68), James Wood (64) and the Roanoke-area Salem Spartans (61).
Gloucester, with 33 points, was 15th to lead a relatively small Hampton Roads contingent.
At 144, Grafton’s Harrison Kent captured a semifinal spot. At 165, Gloucester’s Karl Dean made it to the semis, as did teammate Kenneth Hamilton at 215. At 175, Denbigh’s Bredyn Ramos advanced.
Class 3
New Kent held second place with 92.5 points at Salem Civic Center, trailing only Skyline (99). Tabb shared 18th place with 25 points, and Lake Taylor was 22nd with 18 points.
New Kent’s Carter Roy (113), Tristan Carter (120), Alex Cuic (126), Adam Ayala (150), Quinn Morrison (157) and Luke Adamson (215) qualified for the semifinals. So did Tabb’s John Schmitz (190).
Class 2
Defending champion Poquoson took the team lead on the first day of the Class 2 tourney at Salem Civic Center.
The Islanders had 98.5 points, followed by Strasburg (83.5) and third-place Richlands (59).
The Islanders have sent several wrestlers to the semifinals: Kam Harrell (113 pounds), Logan Keesee (120), Jared Goodson (132), Nathan Heineman (138), Bryan Latta (150), Reed Booth (157), Darek Kennedy (165), Austin Conley (175), Nathaniel Quiroz (190) and Brayden Agnese (215).
Booth, Goodson, Harrell and Latta are trying to add to the championships they won last year.
Girls basketball
Catholic 89, Norfolk Academy 18: Lauryn Loritts (17 points), Riley Lynch (17), Caroline Casady (16), Justice Brown-Jones (15) and Siniyah Ross (13) scored in double figures Thursday night for the top-seeded Crusaders, who will play in today’s 2 p.m. final against Steward in Norfolk Christian’s gym.
Steward ousted the host Ambassadors 75-59, avenging an 87-69 loss less than two weeks ago.
