Friday, January 27, 2012
Franklin County wrestler will miss season
The Roanoke Times | File February
Ryan Clingenpeel (right) of Franklin County broke both of his feet in a car accident and will miss the remainder of the wrestling season. He was a Group AAA qualifier last year.
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Ryan Clingenpeel required a pretty tough opponent to take him to the mat.
The Franklin County wrestler discovered one the hard way.
Clingenpeel, a Group AAA state qualifier last year at 112 pounds, broke both his feet in an automobile wreck two weeks ago and will miss the rest of the 2011-12 season.
Franklin County coach Emanuel Brown said Clingenpeel was returning from his girlfriend's home late on the night of Jan. 15 when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a tree.
"He put that car head into a tree and the tree won," Brown said. "That's the only thing that stopped him this year, I guess."
Clingenpeel is recovering and is expected to be at William Byrd High School today and Saturday supporting his teammates in the Big Orange Classic.
Clingenpeel's absence is a major loss for the Eagles. He won the 120-pound class in the Agie Skeens Memorial in Grundy and placed second in two major events in Richmond. Clingenpeel won three of his individual matches in the Virginia Duals.
Franklin County also will be without heavyweight Shaun Greer in its bid to wrest the Big Orange crown away from Grundy. Greer is out with back problems.
Brown thinks Brookville is the top threat for the Eagles this weekend.
"I don't think Grundy's going to be the major issue here," Brown said. "I think Brookville will be. This one's going to come down to seeding.
"In the scheme of things, this isn't the toughest we've been in. But it's tough enough in the lower weights to cause us problems without Ryan."
Brown hopes Clingenpeel will be 100 percent next winter. However, the Franklin County wrestler's right ankle was severely damaged.
"It's not healing as well as they would like," Brown said. "They're going to give him a month to come back in. If it's not still not healed correctly they're going to have to go back in and operate.
"Obviously, that's going to affect how fast he recovers."
Top-ranked Warriors in Rocky Mount tonight
The main attraction tonight in the Member One/Time Technologies Classic at Franklin County High School is the No. 1 high school basketball team in the country in the USA Today rankings.
Top-ranked Oak Hill Academy brings a 30-0 record and its usual roster full of DivisionI signees to town for a 7:30p.m. tipoff against Blue Ridge School.
Oak Hill's appearance is part of a four-game event, beginning with a 4:30 p.m. tip between Lord Botetourt and Liberty Christian.
Franklin County's girls will face 2011 VHSL Group AAA runner-up Stonewall Jackson in a scheduled 6p.m. start. The final game, scheduled for 9p.m., will pit Franklin County's boys against Stonewall.
While Oak Hill has played its annual cross-country schedule, the Warriors have been off since last Saturday when they were in the Penny Hardaway Hoopfest in Memphis.
Oak Hill received two of its closest calls of the year in the two-game event, defeating Memphis Craigmont 69-66 and Memphis Melrose 76-71.
The Warriors also squeaked past Miller Grove (Ga.) 82-78 in Atlanta on Dec.15 and defeated Jesuit (Ore.) 57-50 in the finals of Les Schwab Invitational in Portland.
Oak Hill has five seniors headed to Division I next year: 6-5 Jordan Adams (UCLA), 7-foot A.J. Hammons (Purdue), 6-6 Damien Wilson (Memphis), 6-3 D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Georgetown) and 5-11 Tyler Lewis (N.C. State).
The Warriors also feature 6-5 senior Jordan Tebutt, who has an offer from Washington; and 6-2 junior Ike Iroegbu, one of the top point guard prospects in the class of 2013.
Oak Hill will play at Salem Civic Center on Feb. 4 against Christ School of Arden, N.C., in the Roy Stanley Memorial Shootout.
Other games next week in Salem have Patrick Henry vs. Waynesboro, Salem vs. Rockbridge County and William Fleming vs. Virginia Episcopal.
Fleming's Hagins commits to Concord
William Fleming linebacker Jonathan Hagins, a second-team All-Timesland football selection in 2011, has given a commitment to Division II Concord (W.Va.) University.
Hagins registered 84 solo tackles including 19 for loss, and also led Fleming in rushing with 924 yards on 181 carries as the Colonels finished 1-9.
"He has a full scholarship offer," Fleming coach Lee Johnson said. "They said he will have a shot to compete for a starting inside linebacker spot this coming season in their 3-4 scheme."
More recruiting
Patrick Henry football coach Alan Fiddler said junior quarterback David Prince has picked up offers from Wake Forest and East Carolina after earlier receiving offers from Virginia Tech and Virginia.
nChristiansburg running back Zach Snell has been offered a spot as a preferred walk-on at Virginia Tech, Blue Demons coach Tim Cromer said. Snell helped lead Christiansburg to a 12-2 record and a spot in the Group AA Division 4 championship game.
nLord Botetourt pitcher/first baseman Samantha Barton has signed a letter-of-intent with Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville.
Barton was a second-team All-Blue Ridge District selection in 2011.
