South Softens Cushion in AAA
Four Wheeling Park wrestlers to compete in final round
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HUNTINGTON -- At some point, everyone knew Parkersburg South was going to make its move. It came during Friday night's third session of the 73rd annual W.Va. Class AAA state wrestling tournament inside Mountain Health Arena.
With the Wood County Patriots and their northern panhandle rival Wheeling Park locked in a two-team race entering the championship semifinals, the five-time defending state champs pulled away and now have a comfortable, 202-159.5, lead.
The Ohio County Patriots have 10 wrestlers alive, with four of them competing in tonight's state finals, which begin at 6 p.m. They are Andrew Shelek (138), Stevie Mitchell (145), Erick Brothers, Jr. (182) and Charlie Tamburin (220). Battling in the consolation semifinals are Quinton Velas (106), Cody Taggart (113), Nate Shelek (120), Billy Gooch (152), Canon Welker (160) and Adam Angel (170).
"It was a good day for us. It was nice to see some of those young guys like Erick come and Stevie being able to punch his ticket to the finals," Wheeling Park head coach Brian Leggett said. "Andrew is wrestling on all cylinders right now. He's riding that momentum right now. Charlie's been our bonus-point guy this weekend. He's in the finals and I couldn't be any happier for him.
"We knew bonus points were going to the difference. They always are in tournaments," Leggett said of South's surge ahead. "If we could've gotten a couple more guys to the finals, that might've made a difference."
Shelek, now 35-7 on the season and an OVAC Tournament titlist, will meet Mussleman's Joey Miller (51-3) for the title.
"It's the same feeling as always, but tomorrow (tonight) I'm going to be a state champion," Shelek, who has been a state runnerup in each othe last two seasons. "I'm in the right place in my mind. I know what I need to do."
Mitchell, who placed third last year at 138 and is now 40-8, scored a 12-2 major decision over Riverside's Zachary Holstion in the semis.
"This feels great. I've never been in state finals before, so it feels really good," he said.
The Patriots junior will meet a familiar foe in South's Gavin Quiocho in the finals.
"I just have to keep my pace up and go after him," Mitchell added.
Brothers, Jr., just a freshman who is now 37-7, has picked up where he left off in junior high where he won several titles. He held off South's Noah Buckalew, 4-3, and will meet another frosh in St. Albans' Elijah Edge.
"It's amazing. This is the chance I've been working for the last six months," he said. "I've achieved my goals, but I'm not done. I want to win a state title."
Tamburin, who advanced to the semifinals where Cabell Midland's Zach Dillon was disqualified for a flagrant foul, pinned Huntington's Eli Byrd in 1:28. He also won by pin in the first round and is now 35-10. He has the task of facing South's undefeated and nationally ranked Braxton Amos in the tilt tilt.
John Marshall's Ethan Cook (106), Carl Cochran (113) and Gabe Carman (138) are all alive in the consolation semifinals, as is Brooke's Max Camilletti (170).
Parkersburg South has five finalists in Brady Roberts (106), Bryden Johnson (132), Quiocho, Brayden Roberts (152) and Amos. They also have five alive in the consolations.
University has a finalist in Jace Stockett (126).