Landrum took to the mat on Thursday night and couldn’t be stopped. The Cardinals dominated South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind and St. Joseph’s en route to their second consecutive region championship.
Last season, Landrum won its first official Region II-1A Championship. The Cardinals celebrated that championship with hugs, smiles and pictures. It was the first official championship because there were enough teams in the region to make it official.
On Thursday night, the Cardinals wrapped up their second consecutive championship, but this time it was business as usual. There was no celebration.
“We expect it now,” senior Drew Burns said. “Now we can prove we are the best in the region.”
They’ve been the best in the region by a mile the last two years. The Cardinals (12-12, 10-0) haven’t dropped a region match in those two years.
Burns had a pin in both matches on Thursday. The 145-pounder pinned St. Joseph’s Perry Bolick in the second period to lead Landrum to a 52-15 win over the Knights. He also pinned South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind’s Tylick McKenzie in the first period to lead the Cardinals to a 66-0 victory.
For second-year coach Josh Fowler, the second straight region title was a big accomplishment.
“It felt good going back-to-back years,” he said. “We had some starters out and some guys stepped up.”
One of those starters out was senior star Josh Jones. Adam Turner (126) filled his shoes admirably. Turner pinned SCSDB’s Bishoy Fargalla in the second. He pinned St. Joseph’s Alex Samenko in the first period.
Cardinal senior Danny Seay (152) won by forfeit against SCSDB and then beat St. Joseph’s Connor Bolick by decision. Seay has started the last two seasons for the Cardinals and said he likes the feeling of winning region championships, but the Cardinals have their eyes on bigger prizes.
“Right now our main focus is on upper state,” he said. “We’re excited about what the possibilities are.”
The Cardinals will wrestle in the region meet next Wednesday at Christ Church. The 1A playoffs will be on Feb. 3.