TCWC TBT Article by VA Pilot on February 9, 2014 about Coach Marty and the PAHS Wrestling Team Success: By Ray Nimmo The Virginian-Pilot From picking up the pieces to holding trophies, coach Marty Erickson and the Princess Anne wrestling team did it. The Cavaliers were mired in the Beach District basement four years ago. Wrestlers, like McKinnis Spadoni lost like 30 matches my freshman year. Now Erickson looked down at a trophy in each hand - a Conference 9 regular-season championship and tournament title. Princess Anne (239 points) beat rival Kellam (228) for top honors at the Conference 9 championships Saturday at Green Run. Kempsville (181) placed third. Were happy, Erickson said. Im just excited to have 13 (wrestlers) going to regionals and excited about the next one. Nose to the grindstone still. Larry Hankins (106), Nick Jabs (145), Spadoni (152), Konner Pritchard (182) and Zach Kelleher (195) won titles for the Cavaliers. Its really shocking, Spadoni said. Im still kind of getting used to us doing so well. Spadoni, ranked No. 2 in South Hampton Roads, beat Green Runs Romillo VanWroten 7-0, using a third-period reversal and near-fall to finally pull away. He was tough, Spadoni said. Once I got on top, I was able to work and score points. Princess Anne led Kellam 215-214 heading into the finals. Both had eight finalists, including four head-to-head match-ups in which the Cavaliers went 3-1. What we always preach before these tournaments is bonus points, Erickson said. The boys were ready to go. That the tournament title came against Kellam made it that much sweeter, Spadoni said. The two were ranked No. 1 and 2 for most of the season. And when the two finally met in a dual a couple weeks ago, Princess Anne squeaked by 39-32. Longtime Kellam coach Mike Benzel is one of the select few Erickson admires. I respect Benzel a lot, he said. If I wanna be like any (coach) when I get older, itd be Benzel. It was kind of nice to beat him. Hes beaten me all four years and Im happy to get him this year. Kellam had three champs: Sean Button (126), Max Ketcherside (170) and heavyweight Cody VandeLinde, who upset No. 2 Andrew Snyder (Princess Anne) 1-0 in a match that had both schools fans chanting Cody! and Andrew! VA High School 2013-2014 Coach of the Year Runner-Up: Martin Erickson Head Coach Princess Anne Wrestling Erickson took a basement-dwelling program to state prominence in four years, finishing the Cavaliers’ best season third in the Group 5A tournament, runner-up in the South Region and champion of the Atlantic Conference. ** Keep up the great job Coach!** - TCWC
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 15:46:36 +0000
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