High school wrestling notebook: St. James again proving to be one of area’s best teams

Year after year, St. James has been one of the most dominant wrestling teams in the area.

This season has been no different.

The Sharks – ranked No. 7 in Class AAA, according to SCMat.com – were named the Horry/Georgetown County Invitational champions last week for the second straight year, and sit at 24-5 overall with several ranked wrestlers.

“I’d like to think we’re the best [in the area],” St. James senior Spencer Deegan said.

In their respective weight classes, Sharks grapplers Aaron Foster (285 pounds) and Michael Mewhorter (145 pounds) are both ranked No. 1 in the state, and Chase Smith (113 pounds) and Tyler Wiggins (132 pounds) are each ranked No. 4, according to SCMat.com.

“The team has really surprised me this year and we’re doing a lot better than I expected,” said Wiggins, who is 25-4 overall this season. “We need to keep all this momentum we have and go far in the playoffs.”

Foster has a 32-0 individual record, while Mewhorter holds a 32-1 record with his only loss coming via decision to Carolina Forest’s John Winzenried in the championship match of the Horry/Georgetown County Invitational.

“Michael and Aaron, both being No. 1, have really stepped up,” St. James coach Matt Anderson said. “I think they know the weight that’s on their shoulders and they’ve carried the load well.”

The Sharks hold a 3-0 record in Region VII-AAA, with only one match against Lake City remaining. St. James took down Myrtle Beach in a region match Friday.

“I’m real excited for the rest of these matches,” said Deegan, who is 24-3 this season. “I think we have a really good shot to go far and we’re going to make the most of it.”

Blue Jackets following Andrew’s lead

The Aynor wrestling team is rallying around senior Dylan Andrew.

Andrew – ranked No. 2 at 106 pounds, according to SCMat.com – is making a push for an individual Class AA state championship this season, and is happy to lead some of the younger kids in his pursuit.

“This season has been good, especially individually,” said Andrew, who is 33-1 overall this year. “As a team, we’re young and we’re rebuilding. We have a lot of young kids, but we’ve definitely shown improvement all year long.”

Blue Jackets coach Marion Shaw said Andrew is one of the most gifted athletes he’s seen in recent years.

“I’ve been impressed with his ability to lead,” Shaw said. “I think he can do great things.”

As for the team?

“We’re still young; I only have a couple of seniors in the lineup,” Shaw said. “We’ve been getting better each week, each match and the future is bright.”

NMB’s Reisen getting back in groove

Returning from an elbow injury that kept him sidelined since early in the season, North Myrtle Beach’s Brandon Reisen earned his right to be called an Horry/Georgetown County Invitational champion.

Reisen outlasted Socastee’s Freddie Edwards in the finals of the 120-pound division, and was 3-0 on the day after two byes for the gold medal.

“He’s been working hard to get back and he did really good. He didn’t have too many people in his weight class, but it was a good starter tournament to get him back in the groove,” said North Myrtle Beach coach Amos Collins, whose team is 19-12 this year. “He’ll get all his matches in the rest of the way and go into the state playoffs strong.”

On Thursday, Reisen fell to Aynor’s Brayden Nobles – whom he beat at the Horry/Georgetown County Invitational – in a duals match. However, Reisen believes he’ll bounce back and can compete with the best.

He has set the bar pretty high.

“I hope to be a Class AAA state champion and work my way up to nationals and be an All-American,” said Reisen, who was 45-12 and a state qualifier last year. “I want to get a scholarship to wrestle at a decent school.”

Collins said he believes Reisen – ranked No. 4 at 120 pounds, according to SCMat.com – could very well accomplish his individual goals.

“Brandon has proven that he can go up against the best,” Collins said.

Collins has also been teaching his kids some fundamentals that they’ve put to good use this season.

“We have a lot of techniques we’re using and teaching them, and they have went out and really performed well,” Collins said. “They have all the keys to success, it’s just going to be up to them.

“We [have] a young team and we’re looking forward to the future.”

Senior Codie Aube (126 pounds) has been a workhorse for North Myrtle Beach over the years with a 94-65 overall record dating back to his freshman year, and has a 24-13 record this season.

“Codie is going to be there in the end,” Collins said of Aube, who was a state qualifier last season. “He’s one of those guys that has always been good for us and continues to be a good team leader.”

Rahsaan Vereen, who wrestles between 152 and 160 pounds, has been one of the most improved Chiefs. He was 13-22 last year and sits at 15-8 overall this season. Heavyweight Nolan Callahan has continued to impress as well with a 23-6 overall record, and was a runner-up at the Horry/Georgetown County Invitational.

Collins has high hopes for his squad.

“We’re just looking forward to the next couple of weeks,” said Collins, whose team is ranked No. 13 in Class AAA, according to SCMat.com. “Everything we’ve done over the last few months is coming to a head and we’ll see where we’re at and hopefully make a run in the state playoffs and move on.”

Panthers’ Coppola trying to go out on top

Wrestling means a whole lot to Carolina Forest’s Christian Coppola.

As evident by his dedication and performance on the mat, Coppola – ranked No. 4 at 132 pounds in Class AAAA, according to SCMat.com – is having a storybook year with a perfect 30-0 record heading into the final month of the season. But it won’t mean anything to the senior if it doesn’t end with a state championship.

“It’s been an honor to go out there and work every match and come out with a victory every time,” Coppola said after taking home a first-place finish at the Horry/Georgetown County Invitational. “I’ve been training hard, sometimes three or four times a day and I’m hoping it pays off.”

A state qualifier the past two years as a member of the North Myrtle Beach wrestling team, Coppola was prevented a chance to compete for his dream after suffering a concussion in the Lower State championship and was held out for the state tournament.

This year will be his last shot, but Coppola said he isn’t letting it get to his head. His record proves that.

“Since I’m undefeated, I know I can beat everyone around here,” Coppola said. “I can just go out there with a smile and have fun.”

This story was originally published January 23, 2016 at 8:40 PM with the headline "High school wrestling notebook: St. James again proving to be one of area’s best teams."