Matoaca's wrestling team no doubt was thrilled about winning its first Central Region tournament team title Saturday at Hanover High School.
The Warriors rang up 207.5 points to dethrone two-time defending region champion Hanover, which finished second with 155.5 points. Cosby earned third with 141.5.
A comment from Central Region wrestler of the year Cody Allala may have best captured the moment for both himself and his Central District opponents at Matoaca.
"On top of the world," the Hopewell standout said after pinning Deep Run's Matt Lassiter in the 160-pound final. The fall was Allala's fourth pin of the tournament and makes him just the seventh wrestler in Central Region history to win four region titles.
Slowed by a mid-season injury, Allala said he's had to "do a lot more work than I did the other three years" to win a title. Already the region's only three-time Group AAA title winner, he'll look to make it four in a row next weekend at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax.
Matoaca sent seven wrestlers to the finals, and four Warriors emerged with championships.
Neal Richards III continued his storybook freshman season with a region title at 120 pounds. Richards defeated Hanover's Michael Flora by technical fall to set up a run of Matoaca titles in three straight weight classes.
Kyle Gordon, a region champ at 119 last season, followed Richards' win with an 11-5 win over Lee-Davis' Colin Van Allen.
At 132 pounds, Central District champion Jamarr Hairston turned in a 14-7 win over Midlothian's Jerry Ronnau.
Matoaca coach Michael Moore was named Central Region coach of the year. It also was announced that he will be inducted into the Virginia Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Read more on this story in Sunday's Richmond Times-Dispatch
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