Smithfield High School wrestling’s junior varsity squad got the 2024 calendar year off to a good start during the Jan. 6 weekend at Battle at York JV and Girls Tourney.

Eight of the 13 wrestlers placed in the tournament and four making the medal stand for the top four finishers.

A news release from the wrestling program stated 24 teams participated in the tournament and Smithfield tied for seventh place overall with Lafayette High School.  

Wrestlers participating in the tournament, listed by weight, name, grade and placement, are: 106, Brady Guardia, freshman. fifth place; 113, Jack Rowe, eighth grader, fourth place; 113, Brandon Warf, freshman; 120, Aiden Lovern, freshman; 126, Slater Merget, sophomore; 132, Timothy Sanders, freshman; 144, Nicholas White, junior, third place; 175 Andrew Ruppert, sophomore; 175, Shane Hilton, junior, sixth place; 190, Ceyan Higgs, sophomore, second place; 190 Austin Carnes, eighth grader, sixth place; 215, Brashawn Davis, sophomore, second place; and 285, Eric Jackson, sophomore, fifth place.

All but two of the placers are first-year wrestlers and both of the team’s eighth graders placed in the tournament.  

Brady Guardia and Nicholas White each finished the day with three victories by pin.  

Austin Carnes surprised the entire back gym being down 0-14 late in the third period against Deep Creek’s Jacob Lovelace and scoring a reversal and pinning him with 14 seconds left on the clock to make the medal rounds.  

Shane Hilton placed in his first tournament in two seasons and continues to improve. Ceyan Higgs returned from a knee injury this week to pin his way into the finals. 

The varsity team returns to the mats to compete back-to-back on Jan. 10 in a Bay Rivers District tri-meet with New Kent and Poquoson and again Jan. 12-13 at the 43rd annual Virginia Duals National Invitational Dual Team Wrestling Tournament Black and Blue Division in the Hampton Coliseum.