New district, same result: Golden Wave champs on the mat

BRISTOL, Va. — There were a lot of firsts at the Clinch Mountain District wrestling tournament Saturday at the Bearcat Den.

No one appreciated that fact more than Channing Elswick.

The oft-injured Grundy senior was one of several first-time district champions and the Golden Wave won the CMD team crown by 66 points (206-140) over second-place Lee in its first year in the league.

Elswick won at 145 pounds and was one of nine individual champs for Grundy, a longtime Group AA power in its first year in Group A. Teammates Dylan Raines (126 pounds) and Kensey Hankins (195) also picked up their first district titles.

John Battle’s Jeremy Fisher (152) and Robert Luchini (182) and Lee’s Christian Robbins (285) and Corey Burgan (160) won titles. Every other champion hailed from Grundy, including the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, Tyler McClanahan (170), a defending Group AA state champ.

McClanahan, Austin Hurley (106), Austin Compton (120), Justin Street (132), Trey Smith (138) and Jake McCowan (220) won CMD titles Saturday and won Southwest District crowns last year.

Channing Elswick, who has battled injuries throughout his career, came up short in the SWD finals last season. Saturday’s 4-2 win over Virginia High’s Joe Crum was more than just a first district title for the determined 145-pounder.

“Channing, that’s the first tournament he’s won in high school,” Grundy coach Travis Fiser said. “I’m happy for him, he’s got a lot to build on for the next couple of weeks.”

Elswick and Crum stirred up the first real noise from a sparse, laid-back crowd in the 145-pound finals. Elswick was in control the first two periods and held on in the third to win a 4-2 decision.

“I won it on my feet,” Elswick said. “I got him on my sweep a couple of times. It’s my ‘go-to’ move.

“Winning a district title, it’s everything I expected. What happened the last couple of years got me down, but this tournament picked me up.”

Lee’s Corey Burgan won a 2-0 decision over Grundy’s Jordan McCowan in the 160-pound finals. Everything else took considerably less than six minutes.

There were 10 pins in 13 matches in the finals in a tournament with quite a few forfeits and not a single 113-pound wrestler in the bunch. It lasted just a little more than three hours.

The quickest fall of the day came in the 132-pound semifinals, where Grundy junior Justin Street pinned Lebanon’s Lance Fannon in 18 seconds in their semifinal match.

The quickest fall of the finals came at 126 pounds, where Grundy’s Dylan Raines pinned Lebanon’s Payton Watson in 55 seconds. It was the lanky sophomore’s first district title and it came in his first match of the day.

“It was boring, I’m telling you,” Raines said. “The wait was killing me.

“This is the first year we’ve been in the Clinch Mountain. It feels good to win the first one.”

Grundy won titles in the first six matches in the finals, and after one break, won three of the next four weight classes.

“Nine champs, one runner-up, we’ve got one third-place winner, it’s been a pretty good day, a pretty good day,” Fiser said.

In addition to McClanahan, Raines and Street, Grundy got pins in the finals from Austin Hurley, Austin Compton, Trey Smith, Kensey Hankins and Jake McCowan.

It was the first district title, a first-year senior.

“Tyler McClanahan has been working with me, and coach Fiser is always there, helping me correct my mistakes,” Hankins said. “It feels good to win my first district, especially since I’ve been away from it for three years.”

Lee had six in the finals and sends 12 wrestlers to next week’s Region D championships at UVa.-Wise. Grundy will send 12 and Virginia High 10, including its three finalists. John Battle will have seven wrestlers at Wise, while Lebanon qualified six, including four CMD finalists.

The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the Region D tourney.

CMD Wrestling

BRISTOL, Va. — Results from Saturday’s Clinch Mountain District wrestling tournament:

Team Standings

1. Grundy 206; 2. Lee 140; 3. Virginia High 101.5; 4. John Battle 83; 5. Lebanon 76.

Championship finals

106 – Austin Hurley (G) p. Jonathon Gregory (Lee) 1:30

120 – Austin Compton (G) p. Luke Salyer (Leb) 3:27

126 – Dylan Raines (G) p. Payton Watson (Leb) 0:55

132 – Justin Street (G) p. Rusty Fields (JB) 1:09

138 – Trey Smith (G) p. Cody Phillips (Lee) 2:30

145 – Channing Elswick (G) dec. Joe Crum (VH) 4-2

152 – Jeremy Fisher (JB) dec. Brandon Robbins (Lee) 13-9

160 – Corey Burgan (Lee) dec. Jordan McCowan (G) 2-0

170 – Tyler McClanahan (G) p. John Burgan (Lee) 1:06

182 – Robert Luchini (JB) p. Mark Weisbarth (Leb) 1:27

195 – Kensey Hankins (G) p. Ryan Hubbard (Leb) 3:37

220 – Jake McCowan (G) p. Anthony Brewster (VH) 3:56

285 – Christian Robbins (Lee) p. Isiah Porter (VH) 3:10

Consolation finals (third/fourth)

106 – Wynston Rhinehart (VH) bye

120 – Kody Corvin (VH) bye

126 –Aaron Fee (Lee) bye

132 – Matt Hurd (Leb) p. Lance Fannon (Leb) 1:54

138 – James Settle (VH) p. Austin Peltier (JB) 1:14

145 – Tyler Nash (JB) dec. Justin Eldridge (Lee) 4-1

152 – Andrew Scammell (G) won by default over Logan Stevens (Leb)

160 – Chandler Daugherty (VH) won by forfeit over Cayman Lemmon (JB)

170 – Tyler Morrison (VH) bye

182 – Nick Buffalow (VH) p. Charlie Mullins (Lee) 3:05

195 – Jessee Daniels (Lee) p. Matt Kilby (VH) 3:01

220 – Dylan Cottrell (Lee) bye

285 – Mason Nichols (JB) dec. Adam Hibbitts (G) 4-1

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