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Wheeling Park Looks To Defend Team Championship

HUNTINGTON -- Two dozen wrestlers from the northern panhandle will be vying for W.Va. Class AAA state championships starting Thursday night inside Mountain Health Arena.

Those 24 individuals represent Brooke, John Marshall and defending state champion Wheeling Park, which leads the way with 10 qualifiers after a second-place finish in the Region I Tournament two weeks ago at Preston High School. The Monarchs have nine and the Bruins five.

The three-day tournament begins Thursday at 6:30 p.m. with first-round matches in the championship bracket being contested on eight mats. The event continues through Saturday night's championship finals which get underway at 6.

Champions will be crowned in 14 weight classes and trophies will be awarded to the top two teams.

A capsule look at the three local teams follows:

Wheeling Park

When you talk about the Patriots, the first name that pops up is 215-pounder Erick Brothers Jr. (32-8) who will be looking to make program history. Already a three-time Mountain State champion, no Wheeling Park wrestler has ever won four state titles. Brothers Jr. has equalled the three titles of Jason Taylor (1993-95) and Ronnie Green (2004-06).

"Erick is one the most exciting wrestlers to watch in Wheeling Park history. It's hard to believe this will be his last tournament in a Park singlet," Wheeling Park head coach Brian Leggett said. "Erick knows what he needs to do and is more than able to accomplish it."

Brothers Jr., a WVU signee, will have his work cut out for him as University's Brock Kehler (49-0) owns three victories over him so far this season. Kehler is No. 1 at 215 and Brothers Jr. second, according to WVMat.

Also looking to repeat as a state champion is senior Bradyn Lucas (42-5) at 144 this season. He won his championship at 138 last winter. He is currently the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class.

"Bradyn is wrestling the best I have ever seen him right now and is capable of scoring a lot of points from all positions," Leggett noted. "I could not be more excited to watch him compete this weekend."

Leggett said his team is focused on the task of overcoming University, which won the Region I title and defeated the Patriots in the Wheeling Park Duals late last year.

"Since our disappointing performance at the state dual championships our guys have been firing on all cylinders," he said. "Leading up to regionals and the last two weeks before the state tournament have been some of our best practices of the year.

"Our guys are healthy and mentally dialed in to get the job done this weekend."

Of the remaining eight Patriot qualifiers, three are looking to stand on the awards podium for the second consecutive year. They are sophomore Jack Lowe (23-14) at 132; junior Adam Carman (26-6) at 138 and senior Quinton Velas (41-6) at 150. Lowe, who is ranked No. 7, was a runner up at 126 a season ago, while Carman placed fourth at 113, as did Velas at 152. Carman is ranked sixth and Velas No. 1.

"Jack is finally getting back to being healthy and able to wrestle in all positions," the coach said. "We all know what he is capable of in a tournament setting and he is poised to make a deep run again.

"Adam is feeling great and coming off two weeks of great workouts. He has one of the deepest weights in the state, but is more than capable of winning it all," Leggett pointed out.

"Quinton has been a standout in our lineup since he was a freshman 106-pounder. He is one of those wrestlers who I feel like he has been in our room forever," Leggett said. "He has put in the work this year and is ready to cap off an amazing career at Wheeling Park."

Sophomore Jameson Maynard (41-6) has had a monumental season at 165. He won the OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament and is a Region I titlist.

Jameson's has had himself a season this year. He works extremely hard and lets his wrestling speak for itself. 165 is an extremely loaded weight class and for him to come in as the #2 seed shows you what he is capable of, but in true Jameson fashion he would tell you it is just a seed and that's why we wrestle.

Other qualifiers are junior Carter Duncil (15-20) at 126; freshman Malaki Washington (20-10) at 157; senior Gavin Washington (31-8) at 190 and sophomore Hunter Means (43-8) at 285.

"Carter has constantly improved every time he steps onto the mat," Leggett mentioned. "We look for him to cap off this season with a state placement.

"One of our most exciting wrestlers to watch, Malaki is athletic and extremely explosive which can give any wrestler problems," the coach added. "We look for him to come in under the radar and find a place on the podium this weekend.

"Hunter is working his way into becoming one the top heavyweights in the state. We look for him to have a breakthrough weekend, avenge some losses and end his season on the podium."

Malaki Washington is ranked 10th; Gavin Washington fifth and Means ninth.

The Patriots racked up 207.5 points last year and had four champions.

John Marshall

The Monarchs are currently ranked 8th in the coaches' poll.

"I am excited to see how the kids step up this weekend," John Marshall head coach Ryan Asbury said. "We've had some good practices leading up to the state tournament."

Of the Monarchs qualifiers, eight are making return trips to Huntington and three are seeking a spot on the podium Saturday night.

Senior Ethan Cook (39-7) is in his fourth state tournament, this time at 126. He placed as a freshman and sophomore, but missed the podium last winter.

"Ethan is really focused this season," Asbury noted. "I think he will do alright."

Also making return trips are sophomores Zander Ward (38-11) at 113; Kaden Harding (25-7) at 120 and Carter Adkins (16-17) at 132; senior Ryan Ward (35-15) at 150; sophomore Klypsan Wallace (38-7) at 165; and senior Mathieu Wright (35-15) at 285.

Harding placed sixth at 113 last season, as did Wallace at 182.

"Zander was one win short of placing last year," Asbury said. He was the Monarchs only Region I champion and also placed third in the OVAC this season.

Sophomores Waylon Wyckoff (23-16) at 144 and Maverick Lemasters (28-21) at 175 are first-time state qualifiers.

Brooke

The Bruins will take a 5-member contingent to Huntington, led by junior Tyler Wise (33-2) at 190. He is a three-time state qualifier and placed fourth at 195 a year ago. He is currently ranked third.

"I think Tyler can make some noise," Brooke head coach Doug Sizemore said. "He has wrestled really well this season."

Senior Xzander Eltringham (30-15) at 126 and junior Gavin Moore (17-7) at 175 are three-time state qualifiers, while sophomores Joey Rea (30-14) at 106 and Garrett Moore (24-7) at 165 are first-time qualifiers.