By Brennan Waldorf
Last Saturday Dec. 7 the Northampton wrestling team held the Jacket Invitational, which is the only wrestling double elimination tournament held on the Shore. The tournament is in its third year and hosted nine other teams ranging in size from single A to 5A Matoaca High School. The Virginia Independent division was also present through Broadwater and Norfolk Academy.
The tournament is a double elimination tournament where wrestlers compete in head-to-head bouts, advancing if victorious. When wrestlers lose they fall into the consolation rounds and attempt to wrestle back to the placement rounds; if they lose in the consolation rounds, they’re eliminated from the tournament. This year’s tournament was adjusted for some weight classes due to absences or weight classes not being entirely filled. Several weight classes saw a round robin bracket where participants wrestle everyone in their respective weight class and place based off their overall record.
The Yellow Jackets have a fairly young squad this year, and for some wrestlers it was their first ever match, as well as the first match of the season. The Jackets finished in fourth place with 87 points, Matoaca won the tournament with 187, followed by Norfolk Academy with 139. Arcadia landed in seventh with 47 points.
Top finishers for the Firebirds were 106 pounder Yardira Gomez who finished third in her weight class. Angel Gomez took top honors at 120 pounds, finishing firs overall. Marvin Gomez finished fourth at 145 pounds, and Harle De La Cruz finished in third at 182 pounds.
Top finishers for the Yellow Jackets were Alonzo Capers, placing second in the 126-pound division, Devon Johnson finished fourth at 132 pounds, Aizmani Joseph finished first overall in the 145-pound division, Gavin Brittingham took fourth at 170 pounds, and Crescencio Sugia finished first overall in the 285-pound division.
William Wehner is the lone wrestler representing Broadwater Academy and took first place overall in the 113-pound weight class, pinning his way to the finals before tech-falling Miles Woody from Matoaca. Woody claimed the fastest pin of the tournament in his previous round with a fall time of 13 seconds.
The Jackets will travel to Norfolk this weekend, Dec. 13-14, to compete in the Norfolk Academy Classic. Arcadia will be back in action Dec. 18 for a dual meet against Seaford High in Oak Hall.
