Teddy Gottwald has a 41-5 record for the Saints this season. There are three periods in wrestling - first period, second period and Teddy’s period. Or so it seems at St. Christopher’s, where junior Teddy Gottwald takes ownership of the third of three, two-minute rounds. “Teddy forces the issue; he never stops,“ Saints coach Frank Kiefer said. “If the match goes the distance, he takes over in the third.“

tomorrow and Saturday at James River Hanover High School junior Ben Wilson uses his flexibility to stay out of danger. Teammate Gabe LaVey says, “I’ll be on top and think I have him. . . . Then he’s gone.“ Ben Wilson is part human hard body, part soft pretzel—or so it must seem to his fellow wrestlers. The loosey-goosey Hanover High School junior seems to be made of flesh and bone with perhaps a dash of dough and yeast in the recipe.

Varina junior wrestlers Shawn Crawley and Stevie Barlow lead off more than the Blue Devils’ lineup. Crawley, who competes in the 103-pound class, and Barlow (112) are trying to raise the profile of wrestling at their school. Succeeding on the mat might be the best way they can do that. Barlow started wrestling early, in middle school. His mother said he couldn’t wrestle and play soccer at the same time, so he’d have to choose. To start with, Barlow said he had a youthful fit of concern about playing soccer. He had this notion he might get his teeth knocked out. At that point, wrestling seemed like the safer choice.

James River’s wrestlers wrapped up seven individual championships and the Dominion District team title, overtaking Cosby in the finals to win 242-229.5 at home. The Rapids trailed Cosby, winner of the 2008 district title, by 11 points entering the finals. But seven of the nine James River finalists won championship matches, including three against the Titans.

James River overtook Cosby in the championship round of the Dominion District wrestling tournament to win the team title 242-229.5 at home yesterday. Cosby, winner of the 2008 title, led by 11 points entering the final round with six individuals wrestling for first-place honors. James River took nine into the finals and came away with seven champions, including three victories over opponents from Cosby.

Douglas Freeman junior Carson Hogge is a wrestler in the winter, but the rest of the year, he finds time to run track and cross country and compete in summer triathlons. Don’t let Carson Hogge hang around too long. The Douglas Freeman 135-pound junior wrestler is most proud of matches he’s just managed to survive. Sometimes, he can turn surviving into a late victory. Sometimes, since he consistently falls into weight classes filled by the area’s most decorated wrestlers, it’s a victory just to last the entire match.

Last February when he won the Central District wrestling title at 152 pounds, no one was more startled than Jervonn Worsham. “I was surprised,“ he said, laughing. “I called everybody from my phone.“ The senior’s athletic career has been full of surprises, though. Like when he looked at the Meadowbrook football roster this fall. There, next to his name and position, he was listed at 5-4.

New Kent’s Dont’a Taylor, a senior wrestler in the 189-pound class, likes to use himself as an example for freshmen. Taylor won six matches his freshman year. With a knowing smile, he admits that might include a few forfeits.

Virginia Tech’s days as a wrestling underdog may be over. The No. 13 Hokies pulled away to defeat ACC rival Virginia 21-12 yesterday in the Rumble on the River. With wins last week over higher-ranked Michigan and Central Michigan, Virginia Tech appeared for the first time in the InterMat Top 25. “Now we kind of have a target on our backs,“ said Tech’s Peter Yates, who wrestles in the 149-pound class. “And sometimes it’s a little harder to wrestle with that pressure.“

Virginia Tech’s days as a wrestling underdog may be over. The No. 13 Hokies pulled away to defeat ACC rival Virginia 21-12 yesterday in the Rumble on the River. With wins last week over higher-ranked Michigan and Central Michigan, Virginia Tech appeared for the first time in the InterMat Top 25. “Now we kind of have a target on our backs,“ said Tech’s Peter Yates, who wrestles in the 149-pound class. “And sometimes it’s a little harder to wrestle with that pressure.“

Who: Va. Tech vs. U.Va.
  What: ACC dual meet
  When : Tomorrow, 1 p.m.
  Where : Deep Run High School
  Admission : $8 for adults, $5 for students, free for 8-and-under
  For more information :
http://www.wrestling-rumble.com
Aseason ago, Kevin Dresser said, there were only two legitimate contenders for the ACC wrestling title: Maryland and Virginia.

Midlothian High School’s Callen Larus has gone from lamb to lion on the wrestling mats. Last winter, he was a docile 14-22, just fourth in the Dominion District. Now meet the more ferocious, sharp-clawed version - No. 1 in the area’s 285-pound weight class, 34-3 with 23 pins.

Even missing almost half of its starting lineup, Kellam rolled through the Titan Duals. The Knights defeated host Cosby 50-24 in the championship match. SATs, injuries, concussion, even homework - there were plenty of reasons why some of coach Mike Benzel’s starters stayed off the mat yesterday. “We thought we still had a good shot,“ he said.

From the home team’s perspective, there could be better dates for the Deep Run Duals. The Wildcats host today’s 10-team tournament missing four starters to various injuries and obligations.

There’s something fishy about the area’s top-ranked 189-pound wrestler. That’s no knock on Hermitage High School’s Josh El - just fact. A lifelong vegetarian as result of his Muslim faith, El (pronounced eel, like the fish) never has bitten into a chicken breast, savored a T-bone or filled up on pork chops. Cheeseburgers? BBQ? Chili dogs? Forget it.