The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Today's Sports Front

Related Photos

  • Liberty’s Nick Barker, bottom, and Colton Ward of Independence wrestle in the 132-pound championship of the Class AA/A Region 3 tournament Saturday in Shady Spring. Barker is one of nine Raiders who qualified for the state tournament that starts Thursday in Huntington. Chris Tilley

    wrestling
February 21, 2012

Depleted Raiders were impressive at regionals

By Gary Fauber Assistant Sports Editor

The season started off so well for Liberty.

The Raiders won four of their first five tournaments, including a big win in St. Clairesville, Ohio, in a duals tournament that included state power Oak Glen.

But around the end of January, things started to sour. Attrition seemed to be lurking at every corner.

“We have dealt with injuries, and we lost a few (wrestlers) to grades,” Raiders coach Randy Daniel said. “Things that I can’t always be in control of.”

Suddenly, Liberty didn’t appear quite as strong as it once had.

Then came the Class AA/A Region 3 tournament last weekend. It was almost as if nothing had changed.

Liberty finished third behind champion Independence and runner-up Greenbrier West in the team standings. But individually, the Raiders had more success than any other team.

Liberty put seven wrestlers in the finals and came away with five regional champions: Daniel Carpenter (138 pounds), R.J. Elam (152), Cody Caffro (170), Trey Fitzwater (182) and Tyler Bays (220).

If anyone was sleeping on the Raiders, they got a quick wake-up call.

“I was really pleased,” Daniel said. “I’ve said it before, these are some hard working kids and it shows.

“I just wish I had more kids to put out there. That probably would have made a difference.”

Liberty will send nine wrestlers to the state tournament, which will begin Thursday in Huntington. That’s quite a feat considering the Raiders can no longer fill four of the 14 weight classes.

Also in the state tournament will be regional runners-up Tristen Harvey (113) and Nick Barker (132) and third-place finishers Matthew Bailey (145) and Logan Asbury (160).

“The boys we still have never let up,” Daniel said. “We knew what was facing us team-wise, but individually we knew what was possible. The season goes on and I am proud of the way they did. There were some tough matches. It was the finals; that’s the way it should be.”

Daniel said his team is neither making nor taking excuses as the state tournament approaches.

“Everybody can sit back and say, ‘If we had these people’ or ‘If this had happened,’” Daniel said. “We are going to take to it and see how it all pans out.

“It’s the state tournament and there are supposed to be tough matches. Why did you practice every day for the last three months if you are not expecting a tough match?”

It isn’t just his team Daniel expects to do well. He fully believes that Region 3 as a whole will bring home a little more hardware.

“There are far too many for me to name, and I would not dare do that and jinx them,” Daniel said. “But the talent is there and the heart is there. If they go and give themselves a chance, I think they will see how well they can do. I wish everybody luck, especially any seniors.

“You never know what will happen in the tournament, but I think our region will see some (state) champions this time.”

— E-mail: gfauber   @register-herald.com

Text Only
Today's Sports Front
Sports
  • Big12logo.jpg Getting to know the Big 12 Conference

    As West Virginia University moves into the Big 12 Conference, here's one place to come to find out about all of the Mountaineers new league opponents.

    April 18, 2012 1 Photo

AP Video
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com