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HUNTINGTON — Half-a-dozen northern panhandle wrestlers will go for gold after advancing to the championship finals Friday night as the W.Va. state tournament continued its three-night stand inside Mountain Health Arena.
In Class AAA, Wheeling Park's Erick Brothers Jr. (215) tries to make program history when the WVU recruit seeks his fourth state championship. No Patriot has four titles.
However, he will have his hands full with University High sophomore Brock Kehler who has beaten Brothers Jr. numerous times this season. Kehler was the 190-pound champ a year ago and won the OVAC Championship in January.
Two other Patriots — seniors Bradyn Lucas (144) and Quinton Velas (150) — also punched their tickets with semifinal victories.
Lucas is looking to make it back-to-back titles as he won at 138 last winter.
Earning all-state honors and wrestling for a spot between 3rd-6th are Wheeling Park's Jack Lowe (132), Malaki Washington (157), Jameson Maynard (165) and Gavin Washington (190).
The Patriots are in fifth place with 111 points. Parkersburg South tops the field with 166 and University is second at 143. Beckley Woodrow Wilson is third with 132.5 and Spring Mills fourth at 129.5
John Marshall has three all-state matmen in Zander Ward (113), Ethan Cook (126) and Klypsan Wallace (165).
Brooke's Tyler Wise (190) is also alive for 3rd-6th.
In Class A/AA, Cameron's Adam Angel (170) is once again a finalist after being runnerup last season.
The Dragons trail Greenbrier West, 58-53, in the Class A team race.
Cameron has three others still alive in the placement round. They are Slaton Pettit (126), and Payton Neely (138) and Ashton Hoge (144).
Oak Glen has a pair of finalists in Logan Davis (113) and Hayden Lamb (132). Davis was a state runnerup at 106 last year and third the year before.
The Golden Bears also have Aiden Anderson (106), Wyatt Wolanski (120), Michael Heath (157), Braxton Dlugopolski (165) and Greg Sauers (190) still alive for a place on the podium.
Wheeling Central's Isaac Martin (215) is also alive in the consolation bracket.