BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

PIKEVILLE — Martin County Youth Wrestling finished second out of 37 teams in the Hatfield & McCoy Youth Tournament held Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Appalachian Wireless Arena in Pikeville. The Cardinals scored 258.5 points to finish behind the Warhawks with 274. Lawrence County finished third with 222, and Johnson County finished fourth with 214.

Ten Martin County wrestlers finished as champions and five as runners-up, while nine finished third.

In the 4U/Tots 35-40 division, Raelan Lowe achieved fourth place.

Bransyn Hannah, competing in the 6U/PeeWee 40 category, secured first place with 26.0 team points. His path to victory involved falls over Noah Eversole from North Fork Lumberjacks (0:20), Grayson Holbrook from Youth Cougars (1:29), and Briar Collins from Morgan Co (0:23).

Lukas Mays clinched first place in the 8U 45 division, earning 24.0 team points. Mays won by decision over Gunner Huber from Johnson County Youth Wrestling (10-5), followed by falls over Callen Cundiff from West Carter (0:31) and Gentry Bowen from Lawrence County (2:13).

Ezra Bowens secured fourth place in the 8U 56 division, gathering 13.0 team points. His matches included a fall loss to Myles Maines from 606 Elite Wrestling Club (1:49), a bye, a decision win over Izaac Newsome from Warhawks (7-2), a win by forfeit over Colton Davis, a decision over Jameson Bentley from Johnson County Youth Wrestling (5-0), and a fall defeat to Kaysen Mabry from West Carter (1:39).

In the 8U 62 division, Jeremiah VanHoose earned third place with 19.0 team points, defeating Jacob Hicks from Prestonsburg (Fall 0:57), Clayton Gannon (Fall 2:13), Grayson Blevins from Johnson County Youth Wrestling (6-2), Jake Taylor from Johnson County Youth Wrestling (Fall 2:38), and Toy Hankins from Grundy Wrestling Club in a sudden victory (SV-1 6-4), after an initial decision loss to Braxton Lawson from Warhawks (5-2).

Grayson Maynard in the 8U 70 division took third place with 19.0 team points, rebounding from an initial fall loss to Holdon Allen from Warhawks (0:35) with falls over Kyson Hackney from Belfry Wrestling (1:56), Ryker Eldridge from Hazard (0:38), Brently Maynard from Paintsville Youth Wrestling (0:47), and a decision win over Zayne Powell from Lawrence County (7-1) and Arian Reinert (7-3).

In the 10U 63 division, Kenleigh Estep achieved first place with 26.0 team points, with falls over Harrison Noakes from Lawrence County (0:34), Eli Looney from Grundy Wrestling Club (0:45), and Gunner Kennard from Greenup County Youth Club (1:09).

Charlie Mollett earned third place in 10U 63 with 11.0 team points after a major decision loss to Eli Looney (Maj 9-0) and victories over Harrison Noakes (9-4), Landon Parsley (4-1) and Rory Adams from Youth Cougars (7-0).

Landon Parsley placed fifth in 10U 63 with 9.0 team points, winning over Rory Adams (8-2), losing to Gunner Kennard (3-0), and falling to Charlie Mollett (4-1), but winning by forfeit over Eli Looney.

Jase VanHoose in the 10U 77 division secured third place with 20.0 team points. He achieved a fall over Lilah Dotson from Phelps (0:44), lost to Jaxson Jarrell from West Carter (7-4), and then won byes, falls over Ava Back from Youth Cougars (0:39), Jason West from Lawrence County (1:34), and a decision over Jaxson Jarrell (6-4).

Colten Anderson in the 10U 84 division earned fourth place with 20.0 team points. He had a fall over Jase McCarty from Johnson County Youth Wrestling (0:35), a decision loss to Sawyer Neece from Lebanon youth wrestling (2-0), and subsequent victories over a forfeit, Desean Davis from Belfry Wrestling (Fall 1:53), Phillip Chase from Morgan Co (Fall 1:00), and a decision loss to Hawk Kennard from Greenup County Youth Club (4-2).

Nolan Muncy in the 10U 120-130 division achieved first place with 26.0 team points. He secured falls over Brayden Hancock from Prestonsburg (0:40) and Gunner Wyatt from Bell County Bobcats (2:42), with decisions over Patrick Adkins from Mingo County Youth Wrestling (7-0) and Kyler Truesdell from River Valley Wrestling (2-1).

Landon Parsley in the 12U/Novice 58-63 secured second place with 4.0 team points after a fall loss to Casen Chapman from Warhawks (1:30) and a fall win over Evan Wilson from Warriors Wrestling Club (3:44).

Brody Jewell in the 12U/Novice 78 division earned first place with 26.0 team points, achieving falls over Karson Cantrell from Johnson County Youth Wrestling (0:27), Sawyer Neece from Lebanon (0:18), and Craig Walters from Boyd County Take Down Club (0:49).

Colten Anderson in the 12U/Novice 82 division secured second place with 21.0 team points, winning over Bretton Bentley from Warhawks (Fall 2:43), a major decision over Elisha Daniels from Mingo County Youth Wrestling (Maj 13-2), and losing to Carson Gross from Youth Cougars (4-0).

Corbin Blackburn in the 12U/Novice 160 division achieved second place with 22.0 team points. He had wins over Riley Blevins from Belfry Wrestling (Fall 0:39), Aj Brown from Ashland (13-6), Marcello Chicko from Lawrence County (Fall 3:51), and a decision loss to Braylon Arthur from River Valley Wrestling (14-8).

In the 15U/Middle School divisions, Martin County Cardinals exhibited prowess.

Brody Jewell, competing in the 77 weight class, secured second place with 14.0 team points. Jewell won over Xavier Hall and Jacob Meek from Johnson County Youth Wrestling but faced a setback against Mason Brooks (Somerset Wrestling Club).

In the 95 weight class, Kennedy Maynard placed third despite challenging bouts, including losses to Caiden Hamilton of Warhawks and Kaison Phillips of McCreary.

Chase Messer, competing in the 101 division, earned fourth place with 13.5 team points. He secured a technical fall victory over Noah Clouse from Johnson County Youth Wrestling but was defeated by Jude Adams of Youth Cougars and Brylan Rhodes of Diablos. He also achieved a win over Tristan Champ from North Fork Lumberjacks.

Jeremy Mollett demonstrated exceptional skill in the 101 and 108 weight classes, clinching first place in both. In the 101 class, Mollett defeated Tristan Champ, Brylan Rhodes and Jude Adams, all by fall. In the 108 division, he continued his dominance with victories over Graham Freshour of Diablos, Maverick Moore of Boyd County Take Down Club, Hunter Fields from Johnson County Youth Wrestling, and Daniel Lemaster from Johnson County Youth Wrestling.

Noah Bowens stood out in the 115 division, attaining first place with 24.5 team points. He recorded a fall over Liberty Howard of North Fork Lumberjacks, a technical fall against Caden Sexton of Hazard, and a major decision win over Brody Hall of Warhawks.

In the 129 weight class, Jeremy Begley achieved first place with 26.0 team points, showcasing his skill with wins over James McDaniels of Boyd County Take Down Club, Brady Ratliff of Warhawks, Alex Salyer of Warriors Wrestling Club, and Hunter Fetty of Ashland.

James Begley, competing in the 138 division, earned fourth place with 17.0 team points. He won against Jaden Barry of Greenup County Youth Club, Jaxon Law of Greenup County Youth Club, and Cooper Caudill of  Hazard. He secured a decision over Rylan Kelsey from Johnson County Youth Wrestling before losing to Easton Slone of Martin County Cardinals in the third-place match.

Easton Slone, also in the 138 division, claimed third place with 17.0 team points. After an initial loss to Rylan Kelsey, Slone rebounded with wins over Gabriel Hayes of Lawrence County, Jaden Barry and Cameron Sneed of Diablos, culminating in a victory over his teammate James Begley.

Cole Jewell, competing in the 150 weight class, placed fourth with 18.0 team points. Jewell achieved wins over Kaiden Spears of Paintsville Youth Wrestling, Cameron Berner from Boyd County Take Down Club, and Robert Roy of River Valley Wrestling. However, he was defeated in a sudden victory match against Donovan Sanchez from Diablos.

In the 165 division, Aaron Williamson finished sixth, scoring 3.0 team points. He received a bye in the quarterfinals but was defeated by Hagen Samuel of Ashland and Ethan Collins of Knott County, followed by a loss to Kamron Smith from Warhawks in the fifth-place match.

Braxtin Cooke, competing in the 185 division, faced challenging matches without scoring team points. He was defeated by Carson Webb of Belfry Wrestling and Jordan Vanhoose of Lawrence County.

Braxton Maynard, in the 210 weight class, secured first place with 24.0 team points. Maynard achieved a bye in the quarterfinals, followed by wins over Carter Lauffer of Paintsville Youth Wrestling and Peyton Lewis of Belfry Wrestling, both by fall.

In the heavyweight division, Keegan Moore earned fourth place with 16.0 team points, defeating Braxton Webb of Belfry Wrestling and Carson Fraley of Lawrence County and achieving a decision over Blake Stacy of Martin County Cardinals. However, he was defeated by Briden Lucas of Belfry Wrestling and Karston Johnson of Prestonsburg.

Blake Stacy, also in the heavyweight division, placed sixth with 9.0 team points, securing a win over Hunter Fletcher of Johnson County Youth Wrestling before losses to Wyatt Riley of Ashland, Keegan Moore and Briden Lucas.

Spencer Workman, another heavyweight competitor, secured second place with 22.0 team points. Workman achieved victories over Chris Sizemoore of North Fork Lumberjacks, Carson Fraley, and Briden Lucas before a narrow sudden victory loss to Wyatt Riley of Ashland in the first-place match.