The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Breaking News

Today's Sports Front

Related Photos

  • Greenbrier West’s Malik Boatwright, left, wrestles Roane County’s Dylan Cottrell in a Class AA/A 145-pound semifinal match Feb. 24 at the state tournament in Huntington. West will start its season Saturday by hosting the Cavalier Clash. Wrestling will begin at 11 a.m. Register-Herald file photo

    wrestling
December 4, 2012

Thrown into the fire

Greenbrier West opens season Saturday with competitive Cavalier Clash

By Gary Fauber Assistant Sports Editor

Right off the bat, Greenbrier West coach Jeremy Tincher wants to know how good his team is.

That was his thinking when he lined up the inaugural Cavalier Clash, which will be held Saturday at the school in Charmco. Wrestling will start at 11 a.m.

The host Cavaliers will welcome Shady Spring, North Marion, Wirt County, Clay County and Roane County. Four of the teams are ranked in the Class AA/A preseason poll — Clay (second) Greenbrier West (fourth), Wirt (fifth) and North Marion (seventh).

“I thought that would be a nice way to start the season against some good teams,” Tincher said. “We felt like this is a good way to kick things off and see where we’re at.”

On paper, Tincher has every reason to be optimistic about the 2012-13 season. While the Cavaliers have to fill vacancies left after the departures of state placewinners Jabez Fleming (152), Andrew Spade (heavyweight) and Cole Hinkle (126), and 132-pounder Aaron Bugby would likely have competed in Huntington, too, but had his season cut short because of illness.

But when a Class A school has 36 kids try out for the wrestling team, things tend to turn out fine.

There is a load of talent back for Tincher, including placewinners Malik Boatwright (third, 145), Ben Alderson (fourth, 106) and Dustin Yoakum (sixth, 120).

Tyler Parker, who also placed at the state tournament (third, 160), is the team’s lone senior.

“He is our leader,” Tincher said. “He’s the guy who makes us go. It was the same way in football.”

Tincher is particularly excited about a talented sophomore class. Among them are Jordan Grimmitt, Jordan Tincher (the coach’s nephew), Chris Patton, Dave Murphy, Cody Loudermilk, Tristan Kessler and Marquis Frazier.

Frazier burst onto the scene last year as a freshman and qualified for the state tournament at 170 pounds.

He was injured during football season and will be unable to compete this weekend. Tincher anticipates him being released to start practicing as soon as today and to be ready in time for Greenbrier West’s duals meet scheduled for Dec. 29.

“We’ve got a group of sophomores that are for real,” Tincher said.

Tincher also expects contributions from the likes of Caleb Currence, Kirkland Lively and Cole Gilkeson.

Loudermilk and senior Zack Johnson are football players who decided to join the wrestling team. As a matter of fact, Johnson will wrestle and play basketball.

“He wants to be a state champion, either in wrestling or basketball,” Tincher said.

Like the top-tier teams from around the state, Greenbrier West did a lot of offseason wrestling, including tournaments and in camps.

“We didn’t stop wrestling until the beginning or middle of May,” Tincher said. “The kids have put a lot of time in.

“Normally we have football players who wrestle. The kids are as good at wrestling as they are at football.”

— E-mail: gfauber@

register-herald.com

Text Only
Today's Sports Front
  • Bubba.jpg Bubba coming to Greenbrier Classic

    Golf’s two most famous left-handers will both be in White Sulphur Springs next month.

    June 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Miners return home to face Paints

    Joe Goddard’s days of making the decisions out of a baseball dugout were supposed to be finished.
    The longtime Independence High School coach retired at the end of the 2012 baseball season after an ultra-successful career.

    June 17, 2013

  • Huggins says WVU could be very good team

     Coach Bob Huggins admittedly feels much better about the West Virginia men’s basketball team as it prepares for the 2013-14 season.

    June 17, 2013

  • APTOPIX NBA Finals He_Work.jpg Manu Ginobili sparks Spurs to Game 5 win

    With the old Manu Ginobili back, the San Antonio Spurs looked like champs again.
    One more victory and their Big Three, not Miami's, will be the one that rules the NBA.
    Ginobili broke out of a slump in a big way with 24 points and 10 assists in his first start of the season, and the Spurs beat the Heat 114-104 on Sunday night to take a 3-2 lead.

    June 16, 2013 2 Photos

  • Promotions, giveaways on tap for Miners

    As with any summer baseball franchise, either on the Minor League Baseball system or, like the Miners, on the collegiate level, promotions are an integral part of the whole fan experience. But Pollard said there is also a special relationship created at Epling Stadium.

    Promotions are planned throughout the summer, with many nights themed toward specific groups. For instance, July 3 will be Military Night, with various military vehicles present. Boy and Girl Scouts Night is set for July 8, Emergency Response Night on Aug. 1 and Merchants Night on Aug. 2.

    June 15, 2013

  • Woodrow’s Johnson named North-South MVP

    There’s no doubt Andrew Johnson was a little steamed he was left off of the North-South Basketball roster. Unfortunately for the North Bears football team, Johnson took that aggression out on them.
    The Woodrow Wilson senior led the South Cardinals to a 43-14 victory in the North-South Football Classic in Charleston on Saturday night.

    June 15, 2013

  • South does it again

    Mike D’Antoni. Randy Moss. Tamar Slay. Jerry West. When hoops stars like that have come from your neck of the woods, you better be prepared to bring your A-game.
    That’s exactly what the South side did on Friday night, when the determined and gritty underdogs knocked off the North in the North-South Basketball Classic, 91-82 at the South Charleston Community Center.

    June 15, 2013

  • Greenbrier Classic adds players

    With just 15 days before the start of another Greenbrier Classic, golf fans around the state are itching for some news about which players will be hitting the fairways of The Old White TPC for the fourth-year PGA TOUR event in White Sulphur Springs.
    Tournament director Monte Ortel is just as anxious. One of his main job duties is player recruitment, and he can’t wait to show off the list he has assembled.

    June 15, 2013

  • Derby Dames in Sunday showdown with Chemical Valley

    “You can’t get much closer to Sunday football than Sunday roller derby,” said Beckley Area Derby Dames jammer St. Brawly Girl, No. 7.
    “Bring your father out for the Father’s Day Fallout!”

    June 15, 2013

  • Bloop hits hurt Miners in first game of twin-bill with Paints

    Chicks may dig the long ball, but on some nights just a few well-placed bloop hits can spell more damage than home runs.

    June 15, 2013