Four Lord Botetourt wrestlers competed in the state Class 3 tournament at the Salem Civic Center Sunday and all four returned home with medals. Botetourt finished ninth in the state as a team as New Kent dominated the tournament.
New Kent had eight champions among the 14 weight classes in scoring 240 ½ points. Skyline was second with 166 points and three champions and Christiansburg was third with 115 and two champs.
Botetourt finished with 33 points to take ninth among 26 teams that scored points Sunday. The Cavaliers’ top finish was a fourth place at 195 by senior Noah Shephard. Seniors Sam Francis and Nicholas Young both wrestled back to take fifth, Francis at 170 and Young at 145. Both will continue their wrestling careers in the new program at Roanoke College next year.
“I am beyond thrilled to have gotten the opportunity for my seniors to compete and go out as place winners in what I feel is the hardest division in the state,” said LB coach Chuck Burton. “They all had chances at some re-matches from earlier in the year and wrestled better each time out. I would have loved to have had a full season under their belts and see where they would have gotten to, but we’ll take what we can get in these uncertain times.”
Botetourt’s only underclassman in the field, junior Conner Shiflett, took a fourth place at 160. LB coach Chuck Burton looks for big things from Conner next year as, hopefully, things get back to normal on the mats.
“In a year where we didn’t think we were going to get to have a season, we certainly made the most of the opportunities we were given,” said Burton. “Again, a huge hats off to Dr. Russ and our School Board for the support to let these kids have the opportunities they had this season.”
