The 2014-15 Apprentice School wrestling season officially came to a close on Tuesday night at its annual Awards Banquet.  The following were award recipients this year:

Man Of The Year: Todd Price

Woodside HS Athletic Director

Host of Builder Invitational

MVP: Ian Jones

Senior, Heavy Metal Fabricator, Painesville, OH

• Four-time National Collegiate Wrestling Association All-American – third in school history
• Four-time Va. Sports Information Directors All-State team selection; 3-time First Team honoree
• Finished career with school record 156 wins
• Went 41-9 as a senior
• Finished fourth at NCWA Nationals
• Had winning streaks of 12, 11 and nine in his senior season

Most Improved: Kenny Lowry

Junior, Pipefitter, Warren, MI

• Had a five match winning streak in November and a six-match streak in February.
• Opened with wins in eight if first 11 matches
• Scored biggest win of the year in NCWA National Duals when he moved up to 235 pounds and took a 4-2 decision to help Builders advance to championships.
• Mainly wrestled at 174 and 184 pounds.
• Was 23-21 as a junior

Leadership Award: Chris Kennedy

Junior, Electrician, Smithfield, VA

• Wrestled anywhere from 149 to 197 pounds as a junior.
• Opened the season with wins in five of first six matches.  Did another five out of six stretch in November and again in February.
• Took fourth place at the Southwest Open at 149 and at National Collegiate Wrestling Association Mid-Atlantic Conference at 174 pounds.
• He finished the year 25-22.

Builder Award: Tyrell Watkins

Sophomore, Rigger, Burns, OR.

• Went 15-5 in the second half of the year
• Had a six-match and a five-match winning streak during the year
• Won 13 matches by fall which was third best on the team.
• Went 4-1 to take third National Collegiate Wrestling Association Mid-Atlantic Conference meet.
• He finished the year 23-11

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.

TEAM NOTES

• School record 22 wins to beat prior mark of 20 in 2010-11
• Fifth time in last six years team won at least 18 dual matches
• For the 15^th time in 16 appearances at National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) Nationals – we finished in the top ten coming in 7^th.
• Won first ten dual matches to start the season
• Won Penn State Mont Alto Duals, Scranton Electric City Duals and Builder Duals
• Took second at NCWA National Duals
• Went 1-2 at Virginia Duals – defeating University of Central Florida