Old wrestling coaches adages hold that it doesn’t come down to a single match in a team event — no matter what the timing is of a particular weight class, that’s not the match that won or lost it.
But it was hard to deny the circumstances that 103-pound Fluvanna sophomore Justin Zimmerman faced Saturday in the championship of the Western Shootout, a dual format meet that included local outfits Albemarle, William Monroe and Western Albemarle in addition to Fort Defiance and Waynesboro.
“I told my guys that it doesn’t come down to one person but he definitely is one you want in there to step up for you and make that kind of match at the end,” said Fluvanna coach Craig Conner.
With the Flucos trailing, Zimmerman needed to pin his Waynesboro opponent, freshman Parker Williams. It just so happened that Zimmerman was awfully familiar with Williams — as familiar as two non-teammates can be, in fact.
“We wrestle up at UVa (at Cavalier Wrestling Club) all the time — we’re training partners,” Zimmerman said. “It was one of the toughest matches I’ve ever had.”
Zimmerman managed to come up with the pin against the tough, skilled Williams with the help of some of the tutelage he’s picked up at CWC.
“I tried throwing legs and he scooped one of my legs out and I just had to readjust,” Zimmerman said. “I threw in one of the halfs that me and (Cavalier Wrestling Club President Jim) Harshaw worked on and it worked.”
Waynesboro took the lead when heavyweight freshman Nathan Henderson pulled off an overtime pin of Darrious Carrington after a hard-fought, dead-even match for three periods. But Zimmerman rose to the occasion and came up with the critical points for the Flucos in the final match of the day.
Zimmerman, Carrington, Ben Lacey (215) and Christian Chirico (160) all earned medalist honors for Fluvanna with the best records in their respective weight classes. Other local medalists include Western’s trio of Jacob Boggs (135), Max Weiner (171) and Kai Shin (189). Albemarle produced a pair of honorees in unbeaten standouts Zach Morris (152) and Brandon Waller (125). Waynesboro had four medalists and Fort Defiance had one.
