Sunday, December 11, 2005

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By Bob White
Special to The Courier-Journal

Woodford County, the favorite to repeat as Kentucky high school wrestling state champion, had five individual champions, but Evansville Reitz took home the team title at the annual King of the Bluegrass Invitational last night at Fairdale.

Reitz had one individual winner and compiled 183 points to 166½ for Woodford County, with South Oldham -- ranked No. 2 in Kentucky -- third in the 17-team field with 162 points.

Woodford County had five wrestlers win -- Shane Parks (8-0) at 103 pounds, Harrison Courtney (12-0) at 145, Chad Fyffe (10-0) at 160, Will Starks (8-0) at 171 and Richard Starks (8-0) at 189.

"We had a good string going in the upper-weight classes,'' said Woodford County coach Rusty Parks, who was missing five regulars because of injuries or discipline.

"We had six in the finals and five champions and three state finalists not in the lineup,'' Parks said.

Trinity's Mike Clark ended Woodford County's late surge by beating the Yellowjackets' Kyle Goodwrich 5-3 in the 275 final.

"I was here last year, and he beat me in double overtime, so I had to come back,'' said Clark, the defending state champion. "I'm in a little better shape this year having not played football and being in wrestling full time.''

Fern Creek's John Wolsifer (14-0) barely broke a sweat pinning Ben Greco of South Oldham in 30 seconds at 152.

"I was real focused, I guess,'' said Wolsifer, a sophomore who was fourth in the state at 145 last year.

Wolsifer was voted by coaches the meet's Most Valuable Wrestler.

Fern Creek junior Caleb Wood, who won the state at 112 last year, held off Daniel Murner of South Oldham 5-4 in the 119 final. Wood (14-0) had ice on his left shoulder after the match.

"It's pretty bruised up from getting pulled on so much,'' Wood said. "All day I had tough matches. I won 7-1, then won in overtime and now 5-4. I need to rest a few days.''

Terry Hublard (11-0) of New Albany won at 112, beating Joaquine Luna of Eastern 4-1.

"I should have taken more shots at him,'' Hublard said. "I was trying to get him off me so I could go in, but I couldn't. He was a tough opponent.''

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