EVENT: Builder Invitational

LOCATION: Woodside HS/Newport News, VA

FINISH: 4^th out of 12 teams

IN BRIEF: The Apprentice School wrestling team finished fourth out of 12 teams on Saturday in the 36^th annual Builder Invitational held at Woodside High School.  Senior Ian Jones (285) and freshman Michael Holcomb (133) each won their respective weight classes, while Jones broke the career victories record.

ON THE MAT

• Holcomb won the 133 pound bracket going 3-0 with a pair of wins by fall.  He started with a quick 17 second win over Paul Gonzales of West Virginia Tech and then won in 1:26 over Hunter Shelton of University of Maryland Baltimore County.  In the final, he scored an 8-6 decision over Curtis Cox of West Virginia Tech.  On the year he is 16-3.
• Jones went 4-0 at heavyweight to win the championship.  With his first win, by fall in 3:45 over Tyler Knecht of Bridgewater College, he broke the career victories mark for the school.  His career record now sits at 138-31 which tops the prior mark of 134 held by current assistant coach Marcus Chevres.  He won his next two matches as well by fall, in 1:27 over Thomas Bartholomew of Liberty and in 4:44 over Andrew Bigley of Penn State DuBois to advance to the finals.  In the final he scored a 5-3 decision in sudden victory over Alverno Matthews of Ferrum College.  Jones is 22-4 on the year.
• The Builders had a pair of second place finishers in Ty Watkins and Philip Porto.  Watkins went 3-1 at 149 pounds winning all three by fall.  He won in 2:16 over Darien Peele of East Carolina University and then in 20 seconds over Ryan Bradfield of Penn State Beaver and in 1:53 over Tony Protogyrou of VMI.  In the finals he lost a 6-4 decision to Josh Sanders of Liberty.  On the year, Watkins is 13-7.
• Porto was 2-1 at 184 pounds on Saturday.  He scored a win by fall in 1:35 over Joey Moughan of James Madison University and took an 11-1 major decision over Caleb Prather of VMI to advance to the finals.  In the championship match he lost by fall in 2:59 to Spencer Buettner of VMI.  On the year, Porto is 8-5.
• Coming third was Robert Saunders who went 5-1 at 149 pounds.  After losing his opening match, Saunders got on a roll and scored a pair of tech fall wins, a win by fall and by major decision to advance to the third place match where he defeated Protogyrou 3-2.  He is now 11-10 on the year.
• Gino Saunders took a fourth place finish at heavyweight going 3-2 with a pair of wins by fall.  He won in two minutes over Knecht and in 4:25 over Jason Wainwright of West Virginia Tech before taking a 6-1 win over Bigley to make the third place match.  Those were the first wins of the year for Saunders as he joined the team in late December and is 3-7.
• Patrik Foxworth finished fourth at 157 pounds to round out the top four finishers for the Builders.  He took two wins by an 11-6 decision over Matt Humes of Penn St. DuBois and an 18-6 major decision over Garrett Hinton of East Carolina before losing in the semifinals.  He won an 8-6 decision over Humes in the consolation semifinal before losing 6-4 to Trey Gregory of James Madison for third place.  He is now 16-5 on the season.

TOURNAMENT NOTES

• West Virginia Tech won the team title edging out Ferrum College 121.5 to 119.5.  Liberty was third with 90.5 followed by the Builders at 84.5.
• Austin Jenkins of Ferrum College was named the Champion of Champions, while Buettner was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

NEXT UP

The Builders head south to Dalton, Georgia next weekend to participate in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association National Duals held in the Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention Center starting on Friday afternoon.