YOUTH WRESTLING: Cobras claim seven state titles

This past weekend, 30 teams from across the four corners of the Old Dominion traveled to Hampton to compete in the prestigious Virginia Challenge Elementary and Middle School State Championships.

Thirty of Culpeper Team Cobra's toughest wrestlers registered for the arduous two-day, double-elimination tournament. Team Cobra had only eight in the elementary school division and 22 in the middle school division.

While the young Cobras looked to claim their first team title, the middle school Cobras hoped to defend their two-year reign as state champions. But with another Culpeper youth wrestling team entered separately into the tournament, Team Cobra's chances seamed minuscule at best to even place, when compared to the highly populated teams from Virginia Beach, Northern Virginia, the Fredericksburg area and Richmond.

Much like the fabled 300 Spartans from ancient Greece, the outnumbered Cobra grapplers battled valiantly in their honorable quest. By tournament's end, seven of the 30 Cobras climbed to the top of the podium to claim their individual class titles, with eight more placing on the tiers of the podium in their respective grade and weight classes.

Match after match, the Cobras battled tooth and nail with Virginia's best youth wrestlers. Many of the Cobras even had to fight through several foes from the same team in their class.

Unfortunately, like their ancient Spartan counterparts in the Battle of Thermopylae, the 30 Cobras fought to the bitter end against the vast number of foes who ultimately suppressed the Cobra's goal for a consecutive, third team title. In the end, just four points shy of the Virginia Middle School State Championship and a single point from the runner-up, Team Cobra placed third in the rigorous tournament.

Nevertheless, in a true display of the sport of wrestling's remarkable admiration for athleticism and reverence for their competitors' mettle after witnessing the dedication, desire and skill of all the Culpeper Team Cobra wrestlers, the opposition who fought and rooted against Team Cobra, insisted they stand atop the podium with their award and gave the 30 Cobras a glorious salute with their applause and cheers.

Although Culpeper Team Cobra's quest was to be team champions, none could deny that in each wrestler of Team Cobra, through their blood, sweat and tears, resides the Heart of a Champion!

The Cobra’s elementary team finished second.

Team Cobra state champions

K-2nd Grade ES Division:

» CAMERON SHEADS, 50 pounds

— After holding his first three opponents scoreless, Sheads battled back in the final seconds of his title match with three points on a near fall to seal the championship, 6-5.

» JADASEN PULLEN, 85 pounds

— First state championship

3rd-4th Grade ES Division:

» "J.J." JOHNNY LAIRD, JR., 65 pounds

— In a testament to his dedication for his team, Laird wrestled up a weight class and gained his first state title, going 4-0 with two pinfalls.

» ANDREW SHURINA, 80 pounds

— Shurina went 4-0 with two pinfalls, only yielding two points to become a three-time elementary school state champion; 2010, 2011, 2012.

» MIKEY KEEN, 100 pounds

— First state title

7th-8th Grade MS Division:

» YARHOSKI ALDIVA, 95 pounds

— Aldiva went 4-0 in the tourney, with two pins, and yielded just four points to become a three-time middle school state champion; 2010, 2011, 2012.

» BRET SHURINA, 105 pounds

— In his title match, Shurina won 2-0 with a breathtaking over and under throw takedown in sudden victory en route to going 4-0 in the tourney, with two pinfalls, and yielding only two points to become a two-time middle school state champion; 2010 and 2012.

Individual Placements

3rd-4th Grade ES Division:

» DILLON WERTH, 60 pounds, 3^rd place

— Werth had an opening-match defeat against a former ES state champ, then reeled off three straight dominate victories.

5th-6th Grade MS Division:

» NICKY HELTON, 120 pounds, 2^nd place

— First state tournament.

» ZACHARY BROWN, 140 pounds, 2^nd place

— A former state champ, Brown lost by one point in the finals.

» JOHN SHAFFER, JR., 100 pounds, 3^rd place

— First state tournament.

» JEREMY YATES, 110 pounds, 3^rd place