photo by: Kim North

John Marshall’s Nathan Hughes looks for back points en route to a 15-0 technical fall over Morgantown’s Jameson Hare.

WHEELING — University rolled to another W.Va. Division I, Region I high school wrestling championship Saturday afternoon inside Wheeling Park High School’s ‘Palace on the Hill’ high atop the Friendly City.

The Hawks, the defending state champions, amassed 290.5 points, which was 90 ahead of second-place Bridgeport.

University will be sending 13 of its 14 individuals to the state tournament on March 5-7 at the Marshall Health Network arena in Huntington.

The Hawks recorded eight champions, three second-place finishers, a third and a fourth.

“It was a good day for us. It was kind of what we thought would happen,” University head coach Ken Maisel said. “But it hurts not having all 14 kids. He was No. 1 in the state.”

Maisel was referring to senior Ken Nieman who didn’t make weight as the top seed at 120.

Locally, 21 individuals punched their tickets to state by placing in the top four of their respective weight classes. John Marshall, who finished third in the team race with 181.5, led the way 11, including champions in freshman Milo Ward (106) and sophomore Nathan Hughes (120).

Brooke and Wheeling Park each have five, with the Bruins’ junior Landon Burdine (132) claiming a No. 1 finish.

The 11 Monarchs headed to state represent the largest number in head coach Ryan Asbury’s six seasons.

“I’m very, very happy with the guys today,” Asbury said with a huge smile. “I told members of our administration earlier in the week that I thought we could get eight, and if we did, I would be very excited. So, to have 11 is fantastic.

“I may have to call and reserve a couple more hotel rooms,” Asbury added. “We’ve been talking about this being the goal all season, obviously more than just qualifying for the state, but trying to put as many as we can on the podium. We had some guys really step up and get an odd-numbered finish, so that gives them a little better draw to start with.”

Ward evened his seasonal series with Wheeling Park’s Hunter Flanegin with a 6-5 narrow decision. The match was deadlocked at 3 entering the third period before Flanegin escaped early in the third. Ward secured a takedown with 53 ticks left before giving up a late escape.

“Milo lost to Hunter in a dual meet earlier in the season, but he didn’t wrestle his match that night,” Asbury recalled. “Since that match we’ve been on him to have confidence in his attacks. He did a fantastic job of doing that today.”

The victory was Ward’s 39th of the season with a John Marshall program record for a freshman.

Hughes had no trouble with Morgantown’s Jameson Hare. He recorded a 15-0 technical fall early in the second period.

“Nathan is a grinder. He’s been doing that all season,” Asbury praised. “He’s the hardest worker in our room every day and not that it’s getting crunch time, he just goes out and earns what he does.”

Asbury also singled out Elly Durrah (113, 4th) and Spencer South (175, 3rd).

“Elly has been out of the lineup all season, but he did a great job of stepping up today when we needed him due to an injury and found himself qualifying for the state tournament. Spencer also stepped up and got a win over a kid ranked in the state.”

In addition to aforementioned state qualifiers, also heading to Huntington for the Monarchs are Clayton Pyles-Dugas (126, 3rd); Mikey Logsdon (132, 4th); Weston Owen (144, 4th); Jakob Minor (157, 4th); Kai Johnson, (165, 4th); JT Morris (190, 2nd); and Gavin Myers (215, 3rd).

Brooke head coach Doug Sizemore was also pleased with his team’s performance. The Bruins are sending the most wrestlers to state in six years.

Burdine’s third time with University’s Colton Gillespie turned into a charm as he rallied from a 4-1 deficit after two periods to post a 6-5 nail-biter.

“Landon wrestled Gillespie twice earlier this season, losing both times including the OVAC Ron Mauck finals, but he wrestled a good match today against a tough kid and got the win,” Sizemore said. “We had him where we wanted him at the end.”

Burdine now has 37 wins this season and 108 for his career.

Also qualifying for Brooke were Anthony Maple (113, 2nd); Gannen Swickard (120, 4th); Dominic White (190, 4th); and Hemed Allen (285, 4th).

Wheeling Park’s state contingent includes a quartet of runners-up in Flanegin, Maxx Taylor (126), Nate Hodge (157) and Isaac Sands (165), with Sands, who finished third in the state last year and is ranked No. 1 this season, had to injury default with an ankle problem in his match with Bridgeport’s John Knight.

“Isaac is a tough kid,” Wheeling Park head coach Danny Doyle said. “He’ll be ready in two weeks to chase a state title.”

The Patriots fifth qualifier is Jacob Carman (150, 3rd).