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Photos by Eric Brady | The Roanoke Times

Mike Jones of Lord Botetourt pinned Addison Morgan of Alleghany in the second round Friday in the Big Orange wrestling tournament.

Mike Jones of Lord Botetourt (left) beat Addison Morgan of Alleghany with a pin in the 285-pound class during the second round Friday in the Big Orange wrestling tournament.

Lord Botetourt's Trey Markvart pins Mitchell Bryant of Broadway in the 145-pound weight class in the first round of the Big Orange tournament at William Byrd High School.

Lord Botetourt's Trey Markvart pins Mitchell Bryant of Broadway in the 145-pound weight class in the first round of the Big Orange tournament at William Byrd High School.

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If high school wrestling were orderly and predictable, then Mike Jones would have nothing at all to worry about now.

Third in Group AA two years ago, second in the state last year - the logical progression in that perfect-world sequence would land Lord Botetourt's 285-pound senior atop the highest perch on the medal stand come championship night at the state meet at Salem Civic Center three weeks from now.

This world is far from perfect and logic, order, and predictability are iffy prospects at best in high school wrestling. So the undefeated Jones (23-0), who in truth is wrestling 45 pounds under the limit for the class, isn't taking any chances this weekend at the Big Orange at William Byrd High School or anywhere, for that matter.

"Most heavyweights are going to wrestle defensively; Mike's an offensive wrestler," Cavaliers coach Bob Haynie said. "He doesn't wait for the other guy to shoot in. Mike makes the shot. He's aggressive."

In the tournament at large, two rounds were complete Friday evening with Brookville (81.5), Franklin County (79.5), Grundy (77.5), Cave Spring (56.5) and Hidden Valley (45) making up the top five in the 18-team field.

All but one of the top seeds advanced to the quarters. The lone upset was Freddie Williams of Martinsville beating Salem's Quan Lee 10-6 in the third round. It was Lee's first defeat this year and for Williams avenged an earlier loss.

Weigh-ins are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. this morning with wrestling starting at 10 a.m. with the second round and semifinals of the consolation rounds. After they're done, the championship semifinals will get underway.Championship finals are expected to start around 6 p.m.

Jones is the top seed in the 285-pound class at this year's tournament. A week ago at the 33-team Big Blue in Christiansburg, Jones pinned Cave Spring sophomore Logan Turner in the final. Turner is the No. 2 seed at the Big Orange.

"Might see him again," Jones predicted Friday afternoon.

If not here then perhaps down the road at state tournament. Jones is the defending champ in Region III; Turner figures to be a leading contender in Region IV.

Jones showed his experience last week at Big Blue when he pulled a scissors move out of the hat to pin Turner.

"Didn't see that one coming," Haynie said. "I don't think we teach that move."

It's all wrestling all the time for Jones, which had to have provoked some private consternation in the Lord Botetourt football offices over the years. Jones said he last played football when he was a freshman.

"Then I tried wrestling and that was really all I wanted to do," he said.

Jones has been top-ranked in AA in the Virginia wrestling poll all year. He has been talking to college coaches about next year. VMI is involved and a roster spot has been offered at Virginia Tech as well. Jones likes VMI but is leaning toward Kevin Dresser's Hokies.

"As long as I can get in school there, that's where I want to go," he said.

Given he carries a 3.7 grade point average, it would seem his application would be viewed favorably by Tech's admissions department.

Haynie predicted Jones will do well in college because he's athletic, uses his legs well, and is able to attack from a low angle.

One more advantage: He's smart.

"He doesn't make mistakes," Haynie.

Neither, so far, have the state pollsters.

Big Orange Wrestling
Team scores
1, Brookville (BR) 81.5; 2, Franklin County (FC) 81.5; 3, Grundy (GR); 4, Cave Spring (CS) 56.5; 5, Hidden Valley (HV) 45; 6, Staunton River (SR) 42.5; 7, Patrick Henry (PH) 41; 8, tie Lord Botetourt (LB), Rockbridge County (RC), William Byrd (WB) 39; 11, Pulaski County (PC) 36.5; 12, Martinsville (MV) 35; 13, Northside (NS) 33; 14, Radford (RA) 32.5; 15, Broadway (BW) 29; 16, Alleghany (AL) 24; 17, Salem (SA) 20; 18, Liberty (LI) 12
Individual results
First round
106 – Turk (RA). P. Daly (AL), 1:24; Nelson (PC) tf. Hodges (LB) 5:39
113 – Horn (AL) p. Alexander (RC). 1:01; Holden (FC) p. Sears (LB), 1:52; Diaz (BW) d. Ayers (RA), forfeit; Yang (HV) Houhoulis (CS) :29
120 – McDaniel (CS) d. Bennett (WB), m.d., 15-2; Compton (GR) p. Bailey (BW),2:37; Cash (LB) d. Reynolds (SA), forf.; Perogoy (BR) p. Thornton (PC, :23; Scott (AL) p. Hinty (RC). 3:23; Loftin (HV) p. Pino (SR). 1:32; Donnelly (RA) p.(Shafer (FC), :52
126 – Wilson (PH) d. Clark (LB), 7-4; DeVilbiss (RA) p. Gettis (RC), 5:14; Raines (GR) p. Siner (NS), 2:37; Rezzonico (SR) p. Stickney (HV), 5:14; Reed (AL) p. Semones (PC), :43; Ritchie (BW) d. Mills (FC), 2-0;
132 – Street (GR) d. Bostic (SR), forf.; Smith (PC) d. Batsambuu (HV), 11-10; Carlton  (LB) p. Hale (FC), Harris (WB) p. Nguyen (NS) 1:31; Stiles (PH) p. McKenzie (MV), :33; Rusmisel (AL) Hoofnagle (RF), forf.; Stewart (BR) p. Mobley (CS), 3:34
138 – Smith (GR) p. Alderman (RA), 2:20; Adams (MV) p. Brown (FC), 1:34; Blake (SR) p. Burhenn (AL), 3:51; Helm (WB) p. Barnett (LB), 3:15; Morris (PC) p. Craft (NS), 3:57; Wagner (RC) d. Morse (LB), 11-6; Clark (BR) d. Torkelson (BW) , 7-4; Hodges (CS) p. Otey (PH), 1:41
145 – Landcaster (BR) p. Kittrell (LI),2:53; Walters (SR) t.f. Martin (WB), 2:59; Turk (RA) p. Hess (PC), 4:58; Ford (PH) p. Ayers (SA), :43; Love (CS) p. Reed (AL), :50; Markvart (LB) p. Bryant (BW), :44; Elswick (GR) d. Sayers (HV), 7-2; Brock (FC) T.F. Hoofnagle (RC), 5:59
152 – Rollins (PC) p. Scammell (GR), 4:35; Smith (SR) p. p. Fisher (RA), 1:39; Bruce (RC) p. Harmony (LI), 1:21; Wells (HV) d. Hruza (MV), forf.; Bower (LB) p. Moyers (BW), 3:28; Gribble (WB) p. Charles (AL), 4:54; Saunders (NS) p. Henderson (PH), :39
160 – -Jones (MV) p. Aud (LI), 5:27; Puckett (PH) p. McGowan (GR), 1:18; Martin (SR) d. Stone (RA), 10-8 OT; Amos (CS) t.f. Bredberg (HV), 3:51; McDonough (FC) p. Kyer  (RC), :39; Keller (LB) p. Campbell (BR), 3:25; Sandoval (NS) d. Southard (PC), 6-1; Bailey (WB) p. Smith (SA), :35
170 –- Kromer (FC) p. Washington (PH), 4:24; Crowder (MV) p. Goodson (RA), :34; Broyles (NS) p. White (PC), :38; Youngblood (RC) p. Lloyd (LB), 1:29
182 – Jones (PH) d. Fisher (WB), forf.; Garcia (MV) d. Duckworth (NS), 4-0; Altice (FC) p. Vali (AL), :34; Kreider (BW) p. Wright (LB) , 2:14; Carter (HV) p. Brawley (LI), 2:22; Hale (PC) d. Jacobs (SR), 7-5
195 – Lee (SA) p. Coric (HV), :23; Williams (MV) p. Davison (LI), 1:38; Plaster (NS) d. Harris (BR), 9-2; Hankins (GR) p. Whitlock (RA), 1:50; Mathews (FC) p. Haley (LB), 4:48; Robinson (PH) d. Pruett (WB) forf.; Funkhouser (BW) d. Jacobs (SR), 3-0’; Siler (RC) p. Caldwell (PC), 1:36
220 – Motalbano (BR) p. Poinson (SR), :26; Harris (RC) p. Sarver (MV), :49; McGoawan (GR) p. Ward (BW), :35; Maples (FC) p. Vaughn (LI), 1:50
285 – Morgan (AL) d. Funkhouser (BW), forf.; Thurman (MV) d. Holdren (HV), 11-7; Chappell (RC) p. Hibbitts (GR), 1:14; Morgan (RA) p. Hearse (SA), :56 Quarterfinals
106 – Hurley (GR) t.f. Turk (RA), 2:40; Stokus (HV) d. Robinson (NS), 3-2; Nelson (PC) d. Cunningham (WB), 7-2; Foster (FC) t.f. Ailstock (RC), 5:45
113 – Curry (BR) p. Horn (AL), 2:46; Holden (FC) m.d. Thompson (SR), 8-0; Diaz (BW) p. Via (NS), :29; Yang (HV) p. Rees (PC), 1:37
120 – McDaniel (CS) p. Compton (GR), 3:14; Perogoy (BR) p. Cash (LB), 1:42; Craft (NS) p. Scott (AL), 1:00; Donnelly (RA) t.f. Loftin (HV), 5:44
126 – Doung (BR) t.f. Wilson (PH), 2:21; Raines (GR) p. DeVilbiss (RA), 1:31; Rezzonico (SR) t.f. reed (AL), 5:00; Hodges (CS) p. Ritchie (BW), :41
132 – Street (GR) p. Smith (PC), :41; Harris (WB) d. Carlton (LB), dflt.; Stiles (PH) d. Williams (RA), 7-0; Stewart (BR) p. Rusmisel (AL), 1:54
138 – Smith (GR) p. Adams (MV), 4:54; Helm (WB) p. Blake (SR), 5:13; Morris (PC) p. Wagner (RC), 4:42; Hodges (CS) d. Clark (BR), 3-0
145 – Landcaster (BR) p. Walters (SR), 1:02; Ford (PH) m.d. Turk (RA), 22-8; Love (CS) d. Markvart (LB), 3-2; Brock (FC) m.d. Ellswick (GR), 9-0
152 – Altice (FC) t.f. Rollins (PC), 15-0; Smith (SR) p. Bruce (RC), 3:51; Bower (LB) p. Wells (HV), 1:00; Saunders (NS) p. Gribble (WB), 1:26
160 – Jones (MV) d. Puckett (PH), 3-1 )T; Amos (CS) m.d. Martin (SR), 18-6; McDonough (FC) m.d. Keller (LB), 11-0; Bailey (WB) m.d. Sandoval (NS), 11-1
170 – McClanahan (GR) p. Kromer (FC), :57; Bruffy (BR) p. Crowder (MVV), 5:11; Kite (HV) p. Broyles (NS), :35; Tyree (SR) m.d. Youngblood (RC), 11-2
182 – Thurman (BR) p. Jones (PH), :20; Altice (FC) d. Garcia (MV), forf.; Kreider (BW) m.d. Carter (HV), 9-0; Smith (SA) p. Hale (PC), 4:41
195 – Williams (MV) d. Lee (SA), 10-6; Hankins (GR) d. Plaster (NS), 8-6; Robinson (PH) d. Mathews (fc), 5-3; Siler (RC) p. Funkhouser (BW), 3:03
220 – Motalbano (BR) p. Wardale (HV), 1:35; Willis (SA) d. Harris (RC), 5-2; McGowan (GR) d. Moran (NS), 4-2; Maples (FC) p. Nipper (PC), :56
285 – Jones (LB) p. Morgan (AL), 2:46; Thurman (MV) d. Saunders (NS), 2-1; Chappell (RC) p. Tardy (BR), 2:52; Turner (CS) d. Morgan (RA), 7-4