There aren't many firsts left for Christiansburg's wrestling program.

The Blue Demons scored one last weekend.

After winning the last six VHSL Group AA championships, Christiansburg finally stood atop the podium at the Virginia Duals in Hampton on Saturday when the Demons took home the championship trophy with a 34-20 victory in the final over Vorhees (N.J.) Eastern Regional High.

"We've been second three years in a row, but that's the first time we've ever won it," Christiansburg coach Daryl Weber said.

Christiansburg's 2007-08 season hasn't gone exactly to plan.

Two of the Blue Demons' three defending state champions -- Drew Squires (125 pounds) and Andrew Clement (145) -- transferred out of Christiansburg's program.

Squires and his brother Ian, who placed sixth in Group AA at 119 pounds, are now wrestling for Group AAA power Colonial Forge High in Stafford. Clement, a junior with two Group AA titles, moved to Nebraska.

Christiansburg's only returning starters are Sam Rakes, the defending Group AA champion at 152 pounds, 2007 Group AA runner-up Devin Carter at 103 and 119-pounder Andrew Robertson, who was third in the state last year.

Call it a tale of man bites dog. Christiansburg, known for talented wrestlers transferring into the program, has seen the other side of the coin this year.

"We had 11 guys who were backups last year," Weber said.

"What this team has done is give our program and our staff a chance to prove ourselves. We've got a good group of kids on board who are working hard and it's paying off."

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Christiansburg wrestlers practice to repeat as state high school champs.

Christiansburg, ranked No. 30 by Amateur Wrestling News, has hit some speed bumps.

The Demons lost to Colonial Forge by one point earlier this season and dropped two other dual matches to non-Virginia teams in the Battlefield Duals.

Blacksburg, William Byrd, Salem and Martinsville competed in the C Division in Hampton. Blacksburg and Byrd each won a first-round match before losing in the quarterfinals.

Up next for Christiansburg is the River Ridge District duals Saturday in Blacksburg. The Demons host the Big Blue Invitational Jan. 25-26.

William Byrd will hold the Big Orange Invitational on Jan. 25-26 with Franklin County defending its team championship.

Wrestling official honored by tourney

Tim Beverly has scored many wrestling victories. None was bigger than the opponent he pinned last year.

Beverly, a Group A champion for Parry McCluer in 1976 at 132 pounds and a longtime wrestling official, conquered cancer.

"I was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2006. I was operated on and went back a year later for my follow-up," he said. "I had a spot that never really had healed up. I showed it to the doctor and removed it and it was the same cancer.

"They put me on chemo back at the first of May and now I've got a clean bill of health."

Beverly, a former Buena Vista city school board member, was honored last month at the Titan Toughman tournament for lifetime achievement in wrestling. He's thankful for his big victory.

"It was pretty much of a battle itself," Beverly said.

"I hope and pray to God it's over for me. I didn't realized all the symptoms. I received an education the hard way."

Pickett makes up for lost mat time

Rural Retreat's Wyatte Pickett was a middle school All-American as an eighth-grader at Rural Retreat.

However, Pickett has never worn the Indians' black and orange varsity singlet ... until this year.

Pickett is making up for lost time in a big way. The Rural Retreat senior has a 10-1 record after pocketing the title at 160 pounds in last weekend's Highlander Invitational at Glenvar.

Pickett is a threat to win the Group A crown this year.

His only loss so far was in the final of the Agie Skeens Memorial tournament in Grundy.

"He's rusty, but he's just a competitor," Rural Retreat coach Rick Boyd said. "He's a hard kid to score on."