THIRTY-TWO men and boys wrestled their hearts out for the Academy Shield 2000, postponed from December, writes Roger Robson.

The decibels were high both on and off the mat at Kendal Rugby Union Club, especially when three teams were on equal points with only two of the 11 sections to go.

Then, as so often happens, the Carlisle A team had the men to pull away from the others.

Mark Lowry in the 15 stones and Carl Clark in the Heavyweights both felled all their opponents and Carlisle extended their amazing run of success in the Shield competition for another year.

The Carlisle academy had fielded a strong B team and they were ahead for more than half the event with excellent unbeaten performances by Richard Dixon (7st) and Joe Harrington (8st).

Kendal Academy's best moments came in the early stages when James Hartley, unbeaten with three falls in the 6 stones, and David Parsons, with two falls in the 7 stones, gave the home team the lead.

John Charnley, with falls against the Barnes brothers of Carlisle and a walkover against a missing Waberthwaite wrestler, also gave Kendal, maximum points.

Best of all from my perspective was Michael Preston's unbeaten performance in the 14 Stones.

The section included some of the best wrestlers from each academy: Lee Wall and Robert Wharton for the two Carlisle teams and, John Wilson, the most successful Kendal wrestler at present.

Preston beat them all with power and panache.

Noisiest wrestler of the night was David Atkinson (Carlisle B), when he took on Stephen Garnett (Waberthwaite).

The two ricocheted around the ring in intense non-stop effort - it may be that Atkinson deafened his opponent into submission, but he won to remain unbeaten in this section.

Carlisle wrestlers continued to dominate in the Open sections that followed.

Until that is Martin McLaughlin and John Wilson got into gear in the All Weights.

McLaughlin, who had not been in the Kendal team, was quick on his feet and quick with his twists.

Only in the final did he become unstuck against the buttocker John Wilson, who offered the home crowd a satisfying win.

Both Kendal and Carlisle academies were in action the previous night with their boys' Points Night.

At Kendal David Parson won almost everything in sight with the exception of the Under 18 Years which went to Andrew Bentham.

Honours were evenly spread at Carlisle with eight different winners.

Best performance on a busy night was by David Barnes.

A special class had to be organised because of a big influx of middle-weights.

Carlisle's next generation of wrestlers is on its way.

Results

Academy Shield 2000: 1 Carlisle A 21 falls; 2 Carlisle B 18 falls; 3 Waberthwaite 16 falls; 4 Kendal 11 falls.

Best Performance Trophy: John Charnley (Kendal Academy).

Open Competitions: 7 Stones - 1 R.

Dixon, 2 M.

Knowles, 3 D.

Parsons; 9 Stones 1 J.

Harrington; 2 R.

Fox; 3 R.

Knowles; 11 Stone - 1 W.

Prudham; 2 P.

Barnes; 3 W.

Rothery; 14 Stones - 1 L.

Wall; 2 T.

Harrington; 3 J.

Wilson.

All Weights: 1 J.

Wilson; 2 M.

McLaughlin; 3 C.

Clark.