The 2012-13 Apprentice School Wrestling season officially came to an end on Wednesday night as they honored the team in its season-ending banquet at the Point Plaza Suites at City Center.
As a team, the Builders finished 12-8 in dual matches and took ninth place in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association Division I Championships in Allen, Texas. They had four NCWA All-Americans which brought the all-time total to 80 since they joined the NCWA in 1999. The ninth place finish made it the 14th time in 15 years that the Builders have finished in the top ten at the national tournament.
During the year they won the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association National Invitational and the Builder Invitational, while finishing second at the Scranton Duals and fourth at the UCF Knight Invitational.
Most Valuable Player
Ian Jones – Sophomore – Heavy Metal Fabricator – Painesville, OH.
Jones had a very impressive sophomore campaign as he opened the season winning his first 11 matches and he topped that to start 2013 as he won the first 18 bouts in the second half of the season. He won the NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference title at heavyweight, the USCAA National Invitational and Builder Invitational, while finishing second at the Knight Invitational and third at Waynesburg Invitational. His 41 wins are the sixth best single-season total, while his winning percentage of 91.1% is third-best all-time.
Builder Award
Dwayne Roes - Sophomore – Machinist - Staunton, VA
Roes finished the season with a 26-17 record including winning the 133 pound weight class at the National Collegiate Wrestling Association Mid-Atlantic Conference Championships in early March. He was third on the team in wins by fall with 14 and turned it on in the second half of the year going 14-5 from January 18 till the end of the season.
The Builder Award is presented on behalf of the Apprentice Athletic Club to a student-athlete from each sport that has demonstrated excellence in four areas of their apprenticeship – Craftsmanship, Scholarship, Leadership and Sportsmanship. A candidate is selected based on their average shop grade over the course of their apprenticeship, their cumulative academic GPA in the World Class Shipbuilding and/or Advanced Curriculum, conduct on the job and the classroom, attendance and overall athletic contributions to their sport over the course of the past year. Each year the Apprentice Athletic Club presents this award to the student-athlete who embodies the true characteristics necessary to be not only a great Builder, but more importantly a great Shipbuilder.
Rookie of the Year
Phillip Porto – Freshman – Machinist – Virginia Beach, VA
He wrestled the most matches on the team this year (57) at either 157 or 165 pounds. He lead the team in wins by fall (18), tournament wins (27). He took fourth at the NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference meet, third at the Waynesburg Invitational and second at the Builder Invitational. He was also a USCAA Wrestler of the Week recipient after going 5-1 to take third at the Waynesburg Invitational.
Heart of the Builder
Kevin Gray – Senior – Coating Specialist – Pittsburgh, PA.
After missing a month with a neck injury, he came back for the USCAA National Invitational and won the 235 pound weight class with a pair of wins by fall. He had a five-match winning streak and a pair of four-match streaks this year. He was also a USCAA Wrestler of the Week recipient after winning the 235 pound bracket at the USCAA National Invitational.
Woman of the Year
Liz Miller – Athletic Department Assistant
Honored for all her behind the scenes work with the wrestling team.
Iron Builder Award – NCWA All-Americans
Tyare Ford – Senior - Maintenance Electrician – Norfolk, VA.
Ford placed 8th at 125 pounds for his second NCWA All-American honor. He ended his senior year 18-8 and career record of 85-72.
Kyle Spruill – Senior – Outside Machinist – Williamsburg, VA
Spruill placed fifth at 149 pounds for his first NCWA All-American honor. He ended his senior year with a 28-12 record and his career record was 99-43. The 99 wins were sixth most in school history.
Phillip Porto – Freshman – Machinist – Virginia Beach, VA
Porto placed eighth at 165 pounds for his first NCWA All-American honor. He ended his freshman season with a 36-21 record. Exactly half of those wins (18) came by fall which is the eighth most in a season in school history.
Ian Jones – Sophomore – Heavy Metal Fabricator – Painesville, OH.
Jones took third place at heavyweight for his second NCWA All-American honor. He went 41-4 as a sophomore and has a career record of 73-18. The 91.1% winning percentage is the third best single-season mark in school history, while the 41 wins is the sixth best single-season total.