Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tech gets All-Timesland wrestler Carter
varsity.roanoke.com
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Devin Carter wasted little time in winning the VHSL Group AA wrestling championship in February.
The Christiansburg junior did the same thing in picking a college.
Carter, who captured the state title at 112 pounds and was ranked No. 1 nationally in his weight class by Amateur Wrestling News, made an oral commitment Tuesday to Virginia Tech.
Christiansburg coach Daryl Weber said Carter -- the 2009 Timesland wrestler of the year -- jumped when Tech coach Kevin Dresser made the offer.
Dresser coached Christiansburg to five Group AA team titles from 2002-06 before giving way to Weber, who has led the Blue Demons to three straight championships.
"He knows Kevin. He knows what's he's getting into," Weber said. "He's got everything he thinks he needs at Tech. He kind of wanted to make a quick decision and not get caught up in all the recruiting."
Carter, who moved to Christiansburg from New Jersey before his freshman year, will be the third Christiansburg wrestler to sign with Tech in four years, following Matt Epperly (2006) and Cody Gardner (2007).
Epperly won the 2008 ACC championship for the Hokies at 165 pounds. Gardner transferred from Tech to Ohio State, where he was 14-11 this season at 197 pounds.
Carter fashioned a 52-1 record at 112 for Christiansburg this winter, losing only to Evan Silver of Blair Academy (N.J.) in the final of the Beast of the East Classic in Newark, Del.
Weber said Carter now weighs 140 pounds. He figures the Christiansburg standout will wrestle at either 133 or 141 pounds for Tech, perhaps redshirting as a freshman. More importantly, Weber said he expects Carter to stay with the program.
"He's the real deal," Weber said. "He's serious about the sport. He's got good grades. He's the kind of kid who could draw other people to go to Tech. He knows how to get the job done."
Carter will follow Christiansburg seniors Jon Weber (Liberty) -- the Group AA champion at 215 pounds -- and Braden Carter (Newberry) the Group AA runner-up at 171 -- into the college ranks.
Weber said Christiansburg's 160-pound state champ Derek Woody originally committed to Newberry but no longer plans to attend the Division II school in South Carolina.
