Four new members will enter the Roanoke Valley Wrestling Hall of Fame
when the group holds its annual banquet on April 22nd at the Holiday Inn
Ballroom, including three with ties to William Byrd High School. A social begins
at 6 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. and inductions to follow.
This year’s class includes Greg Henderson, David Labiosa, Bruce Palmer
and Jason Cline. Special awards from the recently concluded high school season
will also be presented.
Henderson wrestled at William Byrd from 1985-87 and then coached at
William Byrd Middle School. He has worked the Big Orange tournament for 36
years and is also a former Roanoke Valley Wrestling Official.
Labiosa also wrestled at Byrd when he won two Big Orange and two
Group AA state championships. He was All-Metro Co-Wrestler of the Year in
1982 and a 1983 Scholastic High School All-American.
A third Byrd product in the Class of 24 is Bruce Palmer, who won two
district, region and state championships with the Terriers. Bruce was undefeated
his junior and senior years and was named the Roanoke Valley Heavyweight
Wrestler of the Year.
Cline wrestled at Grundy High School where he was a two-time VHSL
state champion and a three time district and Region IV champ. He went on to
coach at Glenvar Middle School, then the high school as well as coaching the
Virginia Elite Youth. Jason’s 2023 Glenvar team was the Class 2 state runnerup.
The Roanoke Valley Wrestling Association will also give their annual
awards for Coach of the Year, Wrestler of the Year, Sonny Boyd Assistant Coach
of the Year and the Roy Stanley Outstanding Achievement Award. In addition
scholarships will be announced in memory of Ken Shelton, Stan Parker, Larry France, George Miller, Rick Schilling and Kip Nininger as well as the Barbara and Pete Jones Memorial Scholarship
For reservation or more information contact Joyce Edmondson at (540)
354-6688 or Jeff Edmondson at (540) 353-1900.
