BLACKSBURG -- Any signs of possible decline in Christiansburg High School's wrestling empire obviously have been greatly exaggerated.

Exhibiting thorough evidence that they have no thoughts of relinquishing their stranglehold in the state's Group AA ranks, the Blue Demons had 10 individual champions and three others who claimed runner-up finishes to roll to the River Ridge District championship Saturday night at Blacksburg High School.

Christiansburg, which shoots for a seventh consecutive title in two weekends in the state tournament at the Salem Civic Center, finished with 282¹₂ points.

Fast-improving Blacksburg, which appears the one area program that might eventually be able to give Christiansburg a run for the money, was second with 200¹₂ points. Hidden Valley (163) finished third, followed by Salem (132), Cave Spring (109) and Pulaski County (88 ¹₂).

"A lot of people thought we'd lay down this year and fade into nothing this year and those kids stepped up and took the challenge head on," second-year Blue Demons coach Daryl Weber said. "These kids have taken the fact that we lost a lot to graduation and some kids left here, and they took it as a challenge, and I'm proud of them.

"I think we definitely need to work on some stuff before the state tournament. As long as everybody is ready and willing to get ready to work the next two weeks, I think we're in a good spot.

"Wrestling is sport that if you're dedicated you train all year. But history is written out of three weeks, one weekend really, the state tournament, so we've got to put it together the next two weeks or otherwise it doesn't really matter."

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Christiansburg wrestlers practice to repeat as state high school champs.

Diminutive Devin Carter, who finished second in the state last year as a freshman, got Christiansburg off and running with a 50-second pin in the opening 103-pound final.

Andrew Robertson, a junior who has finished third in the state the past two years, took the 119-pound crown. He said anyone thinking that No. 7 won't be heaven for C-Burg isn't thinking straight.

"Poquoson and Grundy thought they had a chance, and we smacked them in the mouth a couple of weeks ago," Robertson noted. "Hey, we won the Virginia Duals, which we had won before.

"So there."

Weber's most-decorated performer, two-time defending state champ Sam Rakes, showed he's primed for a three-peat, whipping Blacksburg's James Petersen in a 16-1 technical fall. His outing helped take some out of the sting out of his brother, Luke, who lost to Hidden Valley's David Williams in a fall in 2:43.

It was a huge triumph for Williams, who improved to 35-6 this season.

"My goal now is to be there for the state," Williams said.

Blacksburg's two individual winners were Zach Myers (135) and Joey Phillips (189). Cave Spring's C.T. Talevi captured the 125-pound crown.

Fifth-year Blacksburg coach Kevin Humbert, who wrestled at Grundy under coach Kevin Dresser, who put C-Burg on the national map before moving Virginia Tech last year, said much of the battle for kids in his program are between the ears, he said.

"I don't think we'll always be overshadowed by Christiansburg," Humbert said. "You can't be afraid of a singlet. I wrestled at Grundy, and putting a Grundy singlet on, gained you five points. Once people will believe that, 'hey, they're only human, they breath and they have blood in their veins, people will start wanting to get there.' I teach my kids not to be afraid. We're going to go after them, and keep going after them."

Team scores

1, Christiansburg (C), 282.5 points; 2, Blacksburg (B), 200.5; 3, Hidden Valley (HV), 163; 4, Salem (S), 32; 5, Cave Spring (CS), 109; 6, Pulaski County (PC), 88.5.

Championship finals

103 -- Devin Carter (C) p. Neal Kennedy (B), 1:04; 112 -- Jeff Meredith (C) T-fall Walker Necessary (S), 16-1; 119 -- Andrew Robertson (C) d. William Jones (B), 8-2; 125 -- C.T. Talevi (CS) d. Cameron Brown (PC), 6-2; 130 -- Bobby Schafer (C) p. Andrew Benitez (CS), 4:35; 135 -- Zach Myers (B) major d. Michael Giorgano (C), 13-2; 140 -- David Williams (HV) p. Luke Rakes (C), 2:43; 145 -- Rich Eva (C) d. Justin Overcash (B), 4-0; 152 -- Sam Rakes (C) T-fall James Petersen (B), 16-1; 160 -- Derek Woody (C) T-fall Adam Siegel (B), 17-2; 171 -- Braden Carter (C) p. Tommy Wojik (PC), 5:48; 189 -- Joey Phillips (B) d. David Cheney (C), 7-2; 215 -- Jon Weber (C) p. Aaron Barbour (B), :35; 275 -- Trey Dillon (C) d. Daniel Teal (HV), 3-2.

Consolation finals

103 -- Brent Dagenaise-Lewis (HV) p. Hunter Western (CS), 1:54; 112 -- Jacob Monroe (B) d. Kevin McTigue (CS), 8-6; 119 -- Chad Conner (S) p. Jake Brabham (HV), 4:36; 125 -- Austin Kennedy (B) d. Munkhush Jargalsaikhan (HV), 6-3; 130 -- Tsensao Batsambuu (HV) d. Owen Marshall (S), 7-5; 135 -- Steven Tuell (S) d. Tre Patterson (HV), 4-0; 140 -- Greg Juanarena (B) d. Brooks Hansen (S), 5-2; 145 -- Ryan Mecca (CS) d. Forrest Short (S), 4-0; 152 -- Zach Saunders (S) p. Paul Shumate (HV), 4:48; 160 -- Kody Kearns (HV) d. Corey Reese (CS), 9-2; 171 -- R.J. Hall (S) p. Steven Guzzo (HV), :32; 189 -- Jerry Smith (PC) major d. Daniel Maloney (CS), 10-0; 215 -- Jake Semones (S) d. Spencer Black (HV), 3-1; 275 -- Cray Webb (CS) p. Daniel Overstreet (B), 4:29.