Patriots capture state title

LEXINGTON -- Rock Hill won the first match of the Class AAAA state wrestling championship, but it was all Fort Dorchester from there.

Fort Dorchester was so powerful in the first nine matches of the evening, it was able to forfeit the final five and still earn a 36-33 victory to claim the state title. The victory marks the second time the school has claimed a state championship and the fourth time its head coach, B.D. LaPrad, has led a team to the prize.

LaPrad led the 2007 Patriots team to a championship and also coached championship teams at Dutch Fork (2003) and Irmo (1980). However, he says Tuesday's victory at Lexington High School was made possible through sound teamwork that grew throughout the season.

"First, my two assistant coaches got our guys ready for tonight," LaPrad said. "We put together a plan and then the kids did a great job of concentrating on match performance. This team's never been about winning or losing, it is about competing the best you can. I think that helped take the stress off the kids so they could focus on what they needed to do. Plus, they are a good group and a confident group. They were here last year and came up short. They know how that feels, so they wanted to make sure it didn't happen this year."

Wrestling began in the 130-pound weight class, where Rock Hill's Seth Beck earned a 7-5 decision over Sonny Bugarin. The Fort Dorchester senior led the match at one point, but let Beck come pack to force an overtime period.

The Patriots then reeled off eight straight wins, including four by

pinfall. The quickest came in the 152-pound match, in which Seiji Borja needed only 1:02 of clock time to pin Dorshay Mooer. DaQuan Wilson (135), Ashley Braklein (140) and Geno Porter (215) all won with a pin in the second round of their match.

Michael Young (145), Alex Bugarin (160), Evan Thompson (171) and Keyshon Flores (189) all earned a decision in close matches decided by a margin of 3 or less.

The Patriots forfeited the final five matches against Rock Hill since the state individual tournaments are being wrestled Saturday.

FORT DORCHESTER 36, ROCK HILL 33

103--Keyon King (RH) wbf.; 112--Jordan Grav (RH) wbf; 119--J.T. Charrette (RH) wbf.; 125--Weston Beck (RH) wbf.; 130--Seth Beck (RH) d. Sonny Bugarin 7-5; 135--Daquan Wilson (FD) d. Justin Collins 6-3; 140--Ashley Braecklein (FD) p. A.J. Boyd; 145--Mike Young (FD) d. Dominique Jenkins 5-4; 152--Seiji Borja (FD) p. Dorshay Mooer; 160--Alex Bugarin (FD) d. Colin Meachum 2-0; 171--Evan Thompson (FD) d. Jonathan Schavey 3-2.; 189--Keyshon Flores (FD) d. Duran McDonald 5-3; 215--Geno Porter (FD) p. Anthony Davis; HWT--Rueben Valazquez (RH) wbf. Records: Fort Dorchester 18-2, Rock Hill 27-5