Kaiserslautern's Jacob Brown pins Alconbury wrestler Gavin Roman during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Brown won the match and earned first place in his weight class. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Jacob Brown pins Alconbury wrestler Gavin Roman during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Brown won the match and earned first place in his weight class. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Conner Mackie bridges to defend against a pin from Lakenheath's Kyle Boren during the 120-pound championship match at the wrestling northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Mackie's calm defense techniques led to a victory over Boren with a pin later in the match. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Brussels wrestler Leo Driggers struggles to pin Lakenheath's Nick Scifo to the mat during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Driggers beat Scifo with the pin and secured a spot in the upcoming DODEA-European wrestling championships. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Royce Staley casually pins SHAPE wrestler Chris Davidson to the mat during a championship match in the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Staley pinned each of his opponents in less than a minute and earned first place in his weight class. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Alconbury's Dee Wilson looks for a pin during a championship match against Brussels wrestler Guran Manjgaladze in the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Wilson won the match and earned first place the 182-pound weight class. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Jasson Quinones wins a championship match against SHAPE wrestler Asa Keltner with a pin during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Quinones earned first place the 106-pound weight class and secured a spot at the DODEA-European wrestling championships. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath's Daniel Holland tries to pin SHAPE wrestler Sean Ripley during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Holland won the championship match and earned first place in his weight class. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Brussels wrestler Bohdan Polovynko lifts AFNORTH's Grant Axley for a slam to the mat during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Polovynko pinned Axley for a win and earned first place in the 160-pound weight class. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
AFNORTH wrestler Drew Flemming defends a takedown by Kaiserslautern's Andrew Wells during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Wells outscored Flemming 17-2 for a win in the match and earned second place in the 160-pound weight class. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Jonathan Massey tosses SHAPE wrestler Asa Keltner during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. Keltner pinned Massey to win the match and earned second place in his weight class by the end of the tournament. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Alconbury wrestler Vivian Newcomer looks to pin Lakenheath's Kaleb Molloy after throwing him to the mat during the northern sectional at RAF Lakenheath, England, Saturday, February 10, 2018. "She's all heart and everybody sees it. When she takes the mat she comes to compete," Alconbury coach Michele Jackson said about Newcomer. (Emiko Groder/Special to Stripes)
RAF LAKENHEATH, England ― More than 50 wrestlers left their blood, sweat and tears on the mat after giving their all Saturday in exhausting bouts at the northern wrestling sectional.
The Lakenheath Lancers hosted fellow Division I schools Kaiserslautern and SHAPE, AFNORTH from Division II and Division III squads Alconbury and Brussels in a series of battles to qualify for the upcoming DODEA-European wrestling championships.
Most of the competitors from the 14 weight classes fought through at least three matches to try to prove they belonged.
Matches ranged from defensive desperation and floundering to epic feats of strength and wrestling technique.
Lakenheath’s Kyle Boren set the tone early with an 18-second pin against Alconbury’s Micah Skariah in the first match of the day.
Boren also wrestled in the bout of the day against Kaiserslautern’s Conner Mackie during the 120-pound championship that became a focus for everyone in the gym.
Mackie impossibly broke out of Boren’s cradle and both wrestlers traded points to remain tied until Mackie eventually earned a victory with a pin.
“I’ve learned from the beginning to keep fighting and have a big heart. I just kicked like crazy and it worked out,” Mackie said after the match. “Whenever I’m at a low point, I just keep my head straight and keep going.”
At the other end of the spectrum, Raiders wrestler Royce Staley had less intense experiences in his 220-pound matches - beating each of his opponents in less than a minute with seemingly little effort.
Alconbury’s Vivian Newcomer didn’t win any matches in her second northern sectional appearance but drew the greatest amount of support from the crowd.
Newcomer was the only wrestler for the Dragons in last year’s sectional and helped build the program over the off-season by recruiting students to her team.
“She was pretty instrumental,” Alconbury coach Michele Jackson said. “Although she didn’t qualify today, I think she’s the reason we’re at sectionals with six wrestlers.”
Five Alconbury wrestlers qualified for the DODEA-European wrestling championships.
Lakenheath proved dominant with 11, while Kaiserslautern had eight, Brussels six, SHAPE five, and four made it from AFNORTH.
Others may receive wild card invites, but that’s yet to be determined.
Twitter: @Howard_Stripes
