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Trojan Wars hopes to add to good reputation


When you're hosting a wrestling tournament, the one thing you hope to do is keep improving year to year.

Last week, the third version of the Trojan Wars was the best yet, especially in terms of quality wrestling.

"I thought it went well and I think we'll continue to improve," Chambersburg coach Matt Mentzer said. "We got a lot of compliments from Cumberland Valley and Boiling Springs (teams with a lot of experience at big tournaments). The team from Virginia (St. Christopher's) said they think it's a better-run tournament than the Virginia state tournament."

Cumberland Valley - to nobody's surprise - won the team title, but by only 10.5 points to 2A Southern Columbia. St. Christopher's was third, followed by Chambersburg in fourth and Big Spring in fifth. Shippensburg and Boiling Springs tied for sixth.

The Trojans had one champion - Drew Peck ran through the 182-pound field with four pins - and three runners-up in Seth Runshaw (120), Aaron Rump (138) and Drake Brenize (152).

Rump fell 1-0 to Wyatt Long of CV and Brenize dropped a 3-0 decision to the Eagles' Will Kaldes.

Mentzer said, "Those guys wrestled well in the final and both had a chance to win, so they know they can beat those guys. Aaron was really close to a takedown at the edge, and Drake had a shot he should have finished to go ahead. I asked him at practice, 'Do you want to go lift, or would you rather work on finishing single legs?'"

MORE PLACERS: In addition to claiming a pair of championships - by Chandler Olson at 132 and Cameron Tinner at 285, Shippensburg had two seconds (Jeffery Russell at 106, Cole Forrester at 195) and a seventh (Eddie Ocker at 152).

Greencastle-Antrim ended up with one placewinner, a seventh by Ethan Zimmerman at 132.

INDIAN ACTION: Waynesboro was also in action last week, competing in the annual Conestoga Valley Holiday Tournament. The Indians ended up with two wrestlers on the podium.

At 126, Laken Rouzer fought his way to the championship match by pinning Jacob Wagner of Huntingdon in the semifinal. But he was brought up short, 12-6, by Seth Andrus of Central Mountain in the final.

At 195, Seth Egolf reached the semifinals before falling to Dennis Karas of Exeter Township, and ended up in fourth place.

Egolf notched three more pins and leads the area with 10. Peck has racked up nine and Olson is third with eight.

ON THE SCHEDULE: It's a big week for Chambersburg (3-2) in terms of getting its dual meet resume in order. A loss to Mifflin County a week before break when the flu hit the lineup can be made up for with duals against New Oxford (tonight) and Harrisburg (Thursday) and at the Wilson Duals on Saturday.