On Friday evening the Avery Vikings took part in the Western Highlands Conference Tournament held at Madison High School. Avery ended the evening in a tie for fifth place overall, but boasted a conference champion in Brock Yackey at the 112 pound weight class.Yackey won his first match by first period pinfall over Polk’s Ethan Moore, then captured a 7-1 decision victory over Jarrett Ipox of Madison. In the championship match, Yackey avenged a pinfall loss the previous Friday to Owen’s Austin Edwards by defeating him in a 14-5 major decision to capture the championship.
Other Avery wrestlers wrestled hard, but fell by pinfalls and were unable to garner wins during the tournament. Jacob McKinney represented the Vikings at 119 pounds, while Bryan Moody competed at 130 pounds, Forrest Sickler wrestled at 135 pounds, and Nathaniel Buchanan took the mat at 215 pounds.
In the 189 pound weight class, Lucas Lecka won his opening match over Garret Metcalf of Madison by a narrow 8-7 decision. Lecka then took on Jacob Williams of Polk in the championship semifinal and fell short in a 2-6 decision defeat. Lecka then wrestled a third match and was eliminated with a defeat to Mitchell’s Josh Peterson.
Besides Yackey, the pair of wrestlers who have been most consistently in the win column came away with third place finishes at the conference tournament. Anthony Varacalli captured third in the 145 pound weight class. The senior won his first match by a 5-2 decision over Madison’s Travis Rice, but lost by a 3-5 decision over Jesus Figueroa of Owen.
In the consolation bracket Varacalli got back on the winning track with a first period pinfall over Mountain Heritage’s Jon Fender, and then won the consolation finals when he outlasted Hendersonville’s Grant Paris in a 1-0 decision victory.Another Avery senior, Jose Munoz, took home third place at the 152-pound weight class. Munoz started his night with a pinfall loss against David Johnston from Mountain Heritage, but did not let the initial defeat deter him. Munoz won a 6-1 decision over Owen’s Logan Newhouse, and then won a rematch with Johnston in the consolation finals by a 6-3 decision for third place.
Avery did not have enough victories to qualify for the state duals which take place this week, so the Big Red will be back in action at the 1A/2A Western Regional held at North Henderson High School on February 13-14. Top four finishers in each weight class at regional will qualify for the state wrestling championships the following weekend in Winston-Salem.
Special thanks to Skip Sickler and Skip's Shots for providing so many terrific wrestling photos throughout the season that he has graciously shared with the local media. A number of Skip's wrestling photos are currently on display at The River Dog Coffee House, located at the intersection of Highway 181 and 221 near Linville.
