Victory on Senior Day
Israel Potoczny israel@lebanondailyrecord.com
Feb 4, 2009
Lebanon rolled over Branson on Senior Day Tuesday as seven seniors celebrated their final home match with a win.
Jeff Vance (130 pounds), Steven Griggs (171), Trevor Byrd (215) and Justin Britt all posted wins as the varsity took care of Branson 56-19. Three other Lebanon seniors are members of the team, including Daniel Drinkall, who won both a junior varsity and exhibition match. Jeff Candler and John Herron have battled injuries this season.
“That is a good group of seniors,” Lebanon head coach Randy Roark said. “We have a couple of seniors in the line-up that have been with us for four years and the other filled holes where we needed them and they’ve had pretty good years.”
Also posting varsity wins were Tyler Eppler (103), Dane Bethel (112), Jacob Britt (119), Aaron Starnes (135), Austin Brawner (145), Nick Nekola (152) and Zach Drinkall (189).
Britt remains undefeated as a heavy weight, as on Tuesday his weight class was open.
“He has got a good shot at a title this season,” Roark said.
Byrd, who won 16 junior varsity matches a year ago, has nearly doubled that total as a varsity wrestler this season, going 30-6.
“He is in a tough bracket, there are three or four kids in his bracket at districts that have beaten him and he’s beaten them,” Roark said. “If he wrestles well, he could medal at state.”
Jeff Vance returned to the varsity after missing his junior season.
“It has hurt him (missing his junior year), but he’s tough,” Roark said. “he is wrestling really well right now. It took him a little while to get back in the swing of things.”
Jeff Candler injured his collarbone early in the season, returned from the injury, then broke his collarbone.
“He has been out all year,” Roark said.
Daniel Drinkall is 25-3 for the junior varsity, but like many other, has talented performers ahead of him in his weight class, including younger brother Zach Drinkall.
“He is in a tough spot,” Roark said. “He is good enough to be a varsity wrestler.”
John Herron is behind Aaron Starnes and Austin Brawner in the middle weights.
“We are pretty tough at the middle weights,” Roark said. “We are pretty tough there in the middle weights. It is tough to find him a spot — I wish we had more weight (classes).”
Lebanon will compete at the Ozark Conference Tournament on Saturday at Hillcrest High School in Springfield.
