SCMAT Exclusive Wrestling Article 12-2-24
Top 10 SC Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time
Decade 1 - 1969-1979
Airport wrestling with Coach Jim Barnes (far left)
SCMAT kicks off an Exclusive series covering the Top 10 S.C. Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time.
First shot on the whistle ...
You may ask, how will SCMAT determine the Top 10? ... we don't actually know yet!
We likely won't be able to tell just from the numbers. Factors such as competition, team recognition outside S.C., and quality of wrestlers going on the collegiate level may be helpful.
You may then ask, do the numbers get elevated for a team when Red Rider plays in the background? ... yea it can, when we get to the 80's.
SCMAT will cover this Top 10 series over two years. If SCMAT gets feedback that the criteria and format needs improvement, we can add on to the content as we go.
Our coverage this season will have first-time ever records for our Top 10 consideration ... SCMAT plans to reach a Top 10 conclusion a year from now - in the final Exclusives in this series, Fall of 2025.
We expect to hear from our fan base and coaches ... and we will ask, which teams and seasons are in your Top 10?
The start of this series covering "decades" is more of a Dance-Off Bro - Peter Quill vs. Jon Jones - after 56 years of SC wrestling, it is time to create a Top 10.
Unique aspects of this Decade - 1969-1979
All Team Titles in this decade were decided by team points from Traditional State. State Duals did not start until we get to decade 3 in this series.
In SC, the number of weight classes changed twice in the first decade:
1969 - 1972 had 13 weight classes
1973 - 1978 had 12 weight classes
1979 had 13 weight classes
Our state brackets have been 8-man, 9-man and up to 16-man brackets. We also have seen wrestleback or "follow the leader" brackets during the 1970's - wrestlers who lose to championship bracket winners are still in the tournament - wrestlers who lose to championship bracket losers are out of the tournament. These brackets can be confusing, but it basically eliminates one consolation round. Hence, ferwer team points.
We will discover, it is impossible to compare team points from Traditional State and use this as a benchmark across every decade.
Dual records are also hard to use as a benchmark. Prior to the 1980's SC teams rarely traveled, so dual records were low. There were 1-2 matches a week in the 1970's. No dual tournaments. Don't judge the team with only 15 wins in a season, they might beat your team today.
Let's take a look at this decade of SC high school wrestling
Decade 1 - 1969-1979 - State Champions
If you are reading this article from your cell phone (mobile), you may find the team comparison grid below will be better to read turning your phone sideways to wide format.
Trad Year Class State Champion Coach Record Pts. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Placers ---- ---- -------------- --------------- ------ ----- --- --- --- --- -------
1979 4A Irmo B.D. LaPrad 15-0 96.0 3 1 0 1 5 recap
1979 3A Bonds-Wilson Mike Casey 13-1-2 110.0 3 2 0 1 6 recap
1979 2A-1A Swansea Phil Williams 14-1 199.0 5 4 2 1 12 recap
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1978 4A Airport Jim Barnes 15-0 110.5 4 1 1 2 8 recap
1978 3A Greer Steve Woodward 10-0 96.5 3 2 1 1 7 recap
1978 2A-1A Woodruff Danny Holland 187.5 5 2 3 2 12 recap
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1977 4A-3A-2A-1A Airport Jim Barnes 16-0 122.0 3 1 1 1 6 recap
1976 4A-3A-2A-1A Airport Jim Barnes 15-0 75.5 2 1 2 1 6 recap
1975 4A-3A-2A-1A Lower Richland Jim Fitzpatrick 7-1 73.0 4 1 0 1 6 recap
1974 4A-3A-2A-1A Lower Richland Rudolph Cooper 8-0 55.0 3 0 3 2 8 recap
1973 4A-3A-2A-1A Lower Richland Rudolph Cooper 10-1 65.5 3 3 0 1 7 recap
1972 4A-3A-2A-1A Lower Richland William Tourek 8-1 48.0 2 2 0 1 5 recap
1971 4A-3A-2A-1A Fort Johnson Leroy Jackson 8-5 56.0 1 4 0 1 6 recap
1970 4A-3A-2A-1A St. Andrews Rusty Hamilton 9-0 113.0 8 1 0 0 9 recap
1969 4A-3A-2A-1A St. Andrews Rusty Hamilton 10-0 130.0 7 3 0 1 11 recap
Analysis of the Decade - 1969-1979
In the last two years of this decade (1978, 1979) the classifications were split into three state tournaments - 4A, 3A and 2A-1A.
2A-1A only had 8 teams, so the competition was light in 2A-1A - but Woodruff and Swansea would standout over the six years (1978-1983) before 3A-2A-1A would combine for the state tournament in 1984.
3A had solid teams - Greer and Bonds-Wilson would earn 3A state titles in the latter years of this decade.
In 1970 (second year of SC wrestling), St. Andrews would establish the state record with 8 Individual Champions at State. This total bested St. Andrew's 7 Individual State Champions in the prior year of 1969.
Teams with 7 Individual Champions at State also occur in 1980, 2005, 2021 and 2023.
Teams with 6 Individual Champions at State occur in 1987, 1990, 2004, 2007, 2018 and 2019.
Coach Ken Shelton (Roanoke VA) would become head coach at The Citadel in the 1970-1971 season, and encourage three of his former Northside high school wrestlers to come coach in SC during this first decade of SC wrestling - B.D. LaPrad, Steve LaPrad, Mark Agner - this trio of former high school teammates would combine for 10 Team State Titles as head coaches in S.C.
State Tournament Brackets from this Decade - 1969-1979
If anyone has missing/updated bracket information from this decade please send an email to scmat@hotmail.com
1979 4A State Individuals
1979 3A State Individuals
1979 2A-1A State Individuals - SCMAT seeking any bracket info
1978 4A State Individuals - SCMAT seeking any bracket info
1978 3A State Individuals
1978 2A-1A State Individuals - SCMAT seeking any bracket info
1977 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals - SCMAT seeking any bracket info
1976 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals - partial draft, seeking more info.
1975 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals - SCMAT seeking any bracket info
1974 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals
1973 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals - SCMAT seeking any bracket info
1972 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals - SCMAT seeking any bracket info
1971 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals - SCMAT seeking any bracket info
1970 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals
1969 4A-3A-2A-1A State Individuals
Decade considerations for Top 10 S.C. Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time
SCMAT leans towards the 4A programs in this decade as Top 10 considerations, given each team's success and the coaches that launched the wrestling tradition at each school.
National Wrestling Hall of Fame (NWHOF) Inductees from the SC Chapter noted below (for NWHOF members on the teams being considered).
Coaches and fans will need to weight in on the peak year for each of these teams:
St. Andrews - 2 state titles - NWHOF Inductee Coach Rusty Hamilton, dominating teams in the 2 years that Coach Hamilton was there, with only 23 teams starting programs in 1969 the competition was just getting started. Wrestling team led by NWHOF Inductee Colonel James Roberts (Outstanding American).
Lower Richland - 4 state titles - NWHOF Inductee Ike Anderson was a key wrestler (first Olympian wrestler from SC), 3 different coaches for Lower Richland in these 4 years, great tournament team but three of four seasons had one dual loss.
Airport - 3 state titles - NWHOF Inductee Coach Jim Barnes, the first lengthy undefeated dynasty for Coach Barnes, first 4x state individual champion Carl Van Sewell, 1976 team led by NWHOF Inductee Quincy Riley, Airport established state record of a 58 consecutive win streak.
Irmo - 1 state title - NWHOF Inductee Coach B.D. LaPrad, the depth of competition/parity had significantly developed, snapped Airport's win streak and dynasty. Wrestling team led by NWHOF Inductee CAPT Chris Sinnett (Outstanding American) - also inducted into the Coast Guard Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.
Projected schedule for each decade in this Exclusive series:
December 2 - Decade 1 - 1969-1979 - Top 10 S.C. Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time
next two weeks of December - SCMAT will be working on Rankings with Coaches
December 23 - Decade 2 - 1980-1989 - Top 10 S.C. Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time
December 30 - Decade 3 - 1990-1999 - Top 10 S.C. Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time
January 6 - Decade 4 - 2000-2009 - Top 10 S.C. Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time
next week of January - SCMAT will be working on Rankings with Coaches
January 20 - Decade 5 - 2010-2019 - Top 10 S.C. Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time
next week of January - SCMAT will be working on Rankings with Coaches
February 3 - Decade 6 - 2020-2024 - Top 10 S.C. Wrestling Seasons & Teams of All Time
On December 23, SCMAT will have the next decade of this Exclusive series.
If you notice any updates related to the State Champions above, please send an email to scmat@hotmail.com
thanks,
Mark Buford
Send any updates or feedback to scmat@hotmail.com
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