The Apprentice School wrestling team held its annual recognition banquet on Thursday night to honor the members of the 2010-11 team and hand out post-season awards.
The team finished with a school record 20 dual match wins as they went 20-8 on the year. They finished fourth at the NCWA National Duals and seventh at the NCWA Nationals.
With three wrestlers earning All-American honors at nationals, they were recognized with the Iron Builder award: freshman Willy Crawford along with juniors Marcus Chevres and Ricky Anderson.
Chevres won the Most Valuable Wrestler award after a junior season that saw him finish third at nationals to take his third straight All-American honor. He had a nine-match and a seven-match winning streak during the year. Chevres joined the Builder Centurion Club when he won his first match at nationals for his 100th career victory. He finished tied for third in single season wins all-time (45) and is now third in career wins (104). Chevres is from Norfolk, Va. and is an outside machinist apprentice.
Anderson won the Model of Excellence award after a junior season that saw him re-write several records for the program. He finished with a 51-8 record as he became the first Builder wrestler to finish a season with 50 wins or more. Anderson won a remarkable 43 of those by fall which broke his previous school record for single season falls of 28. He had a 16-match and an 11-match winning streak during the year in which all but one of those was by fall. His 86.4% winning percentage was the sixth highest in school history and his 103 career wins ranks him fourth heading into his senior campaign. Anderson is from Chesapeake, Va. and is an outside machinist apprentice.
Crawford won the Rookie of the Year award following a freshman campaign that saw him place fourth at 184 pounds in nationals to earn All-American honors. He won his first five collegiate bouts and had a 13-match winning streak during the year. For nearly a three month span he won 28 of 31 bouts including the NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference title. Crawford is from Fluvanna, Va. and is a rigger apprentice.
Sophomore Kyle Spruill won the Most Improved Wrestler award following a stellar second season as he went 30-9. For a two month span he won 17 of 20 bouts and had an eight-match and a six-match winning streak during that time. He won nearly half of his bouts by fall (14) and was a versatile wrestler going anywhere in the lineup from 149 pounds to 184 pounds. Spruill is from Williamsburg, Va. and is an outside machinist apprentice.
Sophomore Ty Ford won the Heart of the Builder award coming off a sophomore season where he finished 26-25 and took second at the NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference Championships. Ford lost in the conference final and then pinned the conference champion to eliminate him at nationals two weeks later. Won a match at the NCWA National Duals in 18 seconds against East Tennessee State. Ford is from Norfolk, Va. and is a maintenance electrician apprentice.
Apprentice School Sports Information Director Jim Heath was presented with the Man of the Year award this year recognizing his longtime service to the wrestling program. Matt Butler was recognized with a 10-year coaches award for completing his tenth season assisting the wrestling program.