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BLUEFIELD -- Fans expected a little extra from the Region IV wrestling tournament with Christiansburg and the River Ridge District on board for the first time.

They got it, from the added drama between the Blue Demons and longtime rival Grundy, to extra time being added near the end of two one-point decisions in the finals.

The six-time defending state champion Blue Demons withstood a strong challenge from Grundy to win their first Region IV wrestling title Saturday at Graham Middle School.

Christiansburg, which trailed Grundy by two points after the first day 113-111, rallied on Saturday, winning six of seven matches in the finals and qualifying 12 wrestlers for state, while Grundy won just two of seven finals matches and qualified 11 wrestlers. The Blue Demons won by 49 points (297-248). Blacksburg was third.

Devin Carter (103 pounds), Andrew Robertson (119), Luke Rakes (140) Sam Rakes (152), Braden Carter (171) and Jon Weber (215) won regional titles in a tournament that probably prepared Christiansburg for state, said coach Daryl Weber, better than recent Region III qualifiers ever could.

"I knew coming in some we'd have some really good competition," Weber said. "I think it's good, it's good for us. We didn't do anything different to prepare for it, because we just wrestle to the best of our ability in any tournament we go into.

"I just think this helped us prepare for state because we had to get in there and win some close battles, and that's what you have to do at state to place and get on the podium."

Derek Woody was the only Christiansburg wrestler not to win in the finals, losing on a late takedown, 10-9, to Martinsville's Antoine Hairston in the finals at 160 pounds, one of two matches where extra time was added near the end. Only two seconds were put back on, not enough time to help Woody.

Richlands' Evan Simmons trailed Grundy's Jon Dotson, 5-4, in the 135-pound finals, when officials put 25 seconds back on the clock after time was called with 7.9 seconds remaining. Simmons worked a takedown with 14 seconds left to win 6-5.

Robertson, Carter and Rakes repeated as regional champs.

Robertson had little trouble winning his first two matches, and faced a challenge from Derek Anderson in the 119-pound finals, before overpowering the Grundy junior late in the match to earn a 14-3 major decision.

"This region is a lot tougher," Robertson said. "We were up to wrestle Grundy, it's been a huge rivalry for a long time.

"Our coaches told us we had to work a lot harder because we've got to beat Grundy. A lot of people think they can beat us this year."

Four other River Ridge wrestlers reached the finals, including three from Blacksburg. The Bruins' Joey Phillips won the title at 189 with a first-period pin of Magna Vista's Charles Curtis (1:38).

The Blue Demons had several close matches earlier in the tournament, but dominated every finals match except 160 pounds. Rakes, a two-time defending state champion, got the first of three pins by the Blue Demons in the finals, taking Abingdon's John Cox to the mat at the 1:44 mark.

Braden Carter pinned Demarco Owens at 171 pounds and Devin Carter won by tech fall over freshman Sean Vandyke, 20-2, at 103 pounds in the only head-to-head matchups between Christiansburg and Grundy in the finals.

Luke Rakes won a 7-1 decision over Hidden Valley's David Williams in the 140-pound finals, while Jon Weber pinned Blacksburg's Aaron Barbour in 3:07 in a rematch of their River Ridge District final at 215 pounds.

Blacksburg's Justin Overcash lost an 11-3 major decision to Grundy's Kaleb Smith at 145. Blacksburg qualified six wrestlers for state, including third-place finishers Neal Kennedy (103), William Jones (119) and Zach Myers (135). Hidden Valley’s Kody Kearns placed third at 160, while Salem’s Jake Semones was third at 215 pounds. Cave Spring (Hunter Western, 4th at 103) and Pulaski County (Cameron Brown, 4th at 125) each qualified one wrestler for state.

The Blue Demons, meanwhile, won four of five matches in the consolation finals. Jeff Meredith (112), Bobby Schafer (130), Rich Eva(145) and David Cheney (189) each placed third, while heavyweight Trey Dillon placed fourth.

"I’m really proud of all our guys, everybody picked it up," Weber said. "We didn’t wrestle a perfect tournament, but I saw a lot of things we’re going to need to do to win state again. I saw some toughness things I was pleased with."

Grundy coach Travis Fiser downplayed the Grundy-Christiansburg angle in their first meeting on a regional level. The Golden Wave had won the previous 23 Region IV titles.

"I’ve said all along this was just a qualifier for the state and that’s how we’re looking at it," Fiser said. "We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores on this team, and some matches we did lose we wrestled guys better than we did the last time. I thought we would take a couple more kids to state than we did, but I was also surprised with how some of our kids stepped up and wrestled well."

Three Piedmont District wrestlers won title, including Hairston, Andrew Miller (285) and defending state champion Tony Gravely of Martinsville (112). Grundy’s other champion was sophomore Ethan Owens at 130 pounds.

The combined Group AA and Group A state tournaments are at Salem Civic Center March 7 & 8.

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Christiansburg 297. 2. Grundy 248. 3. Blacksburg 173. 4. Abingdon 129.5, 5. Hidden Valley 121.5. 6. Magna Vista 90. 7. Salem 87. 8.

Richlands 83. 9. Marion 65.5. 10. Martinsville 61. 11. Patrick County 59. 12. Bassett 55. 13. Tazewell 54.5 14. Graham 48. 15. Cave Spring 47.

16. Tunstall 22.5 17. Carroll County 22. 18. Pulaski County 20.

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

103 -- Devin Carter (Cbg) tech fall Sean Vandyke (Gru) 20-2; 112 -- Tony Gravely (Mart) p. Jeremy Hurley (Gru) 5:08; 119 -- Andrew Robertson (Cbg) maj. dec. Derek Anderson (Gru) 14-3; 125 -- Luke Allison (Taz) dec. Austin Kennedy (Bbg) 6-3; 130-- Ethan Owens (Gru) dec. Aaron Wilson (Ab) 7-1; 135 -- Evan Simmons (Ric) dec. Jon Dotson (Gru) 6-5; 140 -- Luke Rakes (Cbg) David Williams (HV) 7-1; 145 -- Kaleb Smith (Gru) maj. dec. Justin Overcash (Bbg) 11-3; 152 -- Sam Rakes (Cbg) p. John Cox (Ab) 1:44; 160 -- Antoine Hairston (Mart) dec. Derek Woody (Cbg) 10-9; 171 -- Braden Carter (Cbg) p. Demarco Owens (Gru) 3:22; 189 -- Joey Phillips (Bbg) p. Charles Curtis (MV) 1:38; 215 -- Jon Weber (Cbg) p. Aaron Barbour (Bbg) 3:07; 285 -- Andrew Miller (Bas) p. Justin Fantazier (Mar) :24.

CONSOLATION FINALS

103 -- Neal Kennedy (Bbg) dec. Hunter Western (CS) 7-2; 112 -- Jeff Meredith (Cbg) dec. Kent Sexton (Ric) 7-1; 119 -- William Jones (Bbg) p. Jake Brabham (HV) :58; 125 -- Cody Rife (Gru) maj. dec. Cameron Bro (PC) 8-0; 130 -- Bobby Schafer (Cbg) p. Owen Marshall (Sal) 3:59; 135 -- Zach Myers (Bbg) maj. dec. Steven Tuell (Sal) 8-0; 140 -- Brandon Hankins (Gru) p. Cody Shortt (Ab) 2:56; 145 -- Rich Eva (Cbg) dec. Forest Short (Sal) 5-0; 152 -- Josh McCowan (Gru) tech fall Hunter Cox (Ab) 15-0; 160 -- Kody Kearns (HV) p. Jeremy Blankenship (Ric) 4:14; 171 -- Michael Hodges (Bas) dec. Nick Groseclose (Mar) 5-0; 189 -- David Cheyney (Cbg) dec. Zac Mitchell (Ab) 7-3; 215 -- Jake Semones (Sal) dec. Morgan Owens (Gru) 4-1; 285 -- Drew McCraw (CC) dec. Trey Dillon (Cbg) 4-1 OT.