BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
ASHLAND — Martin County Middle School Wrestling proved once again that they are the team to beat. The Cardinals clinched the KFWC Middle School Region 6 championship title for the second year in a row.
Scoring an impressive 274.5 points, Martin County edged out Ashland (198.5), Warhawk Wrestling (176), Johnson Central (168.5) and Letcher County (155) in a field of 19 teams at the tournament Jan. 18 at Boyd County Middle School.
From the first whistle to the final pin, Coach Andrew Chaffin’s outfit racked up individual victories across multiple weight classes.
Eleven Cardinals punched their ticket to the state tournament.
Noah Bowen, Easton Slone, Keegan Moore, Spencer Workman, Jaxon Scott and Brody Jewell are all Region 6 champions.
Kenleigh Estep, Colten Anderson and Blake Lemaster wrestled their way to Region 6 runner-up finishes.
Chase Messer placed fourth, Kennedy Maynard captured fifth, and James Wells and Jayce Conley finished sixth place, showing the team’s overall depth.
Brody Jewell (89 lbs.) proved to be unstoppable, racking up a first-place finish with 27.5 team points. The Martin County grappler barely broke a sweat in his quarterfinal match, pinning Tanner Simpson of Bell County in a mere 28 seconds. He continued his dominance in the semifinals, dispatching Bretton Bentley with a fall at 1:27. The championship match was no different. Jewell overwhelmed Couper Woods of Ashland with a 16-1 technical fall, sealing a flawless tournament performance.
Jaxon Scott (115 lbs.) showed why he’s a force at his weight class, bringing home the title and 28.5 team points for Martin County. Scott started strong with a first-round bye, then pinned Kaden Diaz in 55 seconds. A tech fall over Isaiah Roe followed, and he shut out Noah Clouse 11-0 in the semifinals. In the final, Scott showcased his grit, securing a 6-0 decision over Kieran Burnside of Ashland to claim gold.
Noah Bowen (129 lbs.) was a whirlwind of takedowns and pins, tallying 31.5 points en route to first place. A first-round bye led to a lightning-fast pin of Boyd County’s Braxton Wichert in just 17 seconds. Bowen continued his efficiency with a tech fall over Ford Miller and a 1:18 semifinal pin of Derrick Taylor. He capped off his run with a first-place finish, pinning Ashland’s Harrison Groves at the 2:04 mark.
Easton Slone (150 lbs.) made quick work of his bracket, racking up 28 points for Martin County. Slone’s campaign began with a bye before he demolished Landon Manning in 24 seconds. His semifinal win over Ajay Brown came in just 50 seconds, and he wrapped things up by pinning Mark McDaniels of Boyd County in 1:26, earning yet another title for Martin County’s powerhouse lineup.
Keegan Moore (210 lbs.) continued his near-perfect season, delivering an impressive first-place finish and 26 team points. Moore’s quarterfinal was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair, taking down Trapper Thornsburry in just nine seconds. He followed that with another first-period pin in the semifinals and then capped off his championship run with a 5-0 decision over Landon King.
Spencer Workman (285 lbs.) displayed sheer dominance in the heavyweight bracket, scoring 26 team points and a first-place finish. His road to victory included a first-round bye, a quick pin of Jordan Collett, and a semifinal victory over Carter Lauffer in under a minute. Workman wrapped up the gold with a controlled 6-2 decision over Braiden Lucas of Belfry.
Kenleigh Estep (70 lbs.) battled his way to a hard-earned second-place finish, putting up 20 team points. The Martin County wrestler pinned Alijah Parish in a minute and sealed his trip to the finals with a dramatic fall over Cason Chapman. The championship match saw him fall to Gage Gross in a tough contest, but Estep’s resilience made a statement.
Colten Anderson (83 lbs.) showed skill and determination en route to a second-place finish and 20 team points. Anderson started by pinning Isaac Lewis in 26 seconds, followed by another fall against Stone Jude. His championship bid fell short against Carson Gross, but Anderson’s performance cemented him as one of the top competitors in his class.
Blake Lemaster (108 lbs.) fought his way to the silver medal, notching 25.5 team points. He opened with a lightning-fast pin, followed by a tech fall win and a dominant semifinal victory. The final proved to be a hard-fought battle, with Lemaster falling 5-0 to Carson Matney, but his stellar run highlighted his talent on the mat.
Chase Messer (122 lbs.) delivered a solid fourth-place finish, collecting 16 points for Martin County. He opened with a bye before a commanding pin over Chris Caduill. Despite a semifinal loss, Messer fought back with a consolation win before falling in the third-place match.
Kennedy Maynard (108 lbs.) secured a fifth-place finish with a strong tournament run. The grappler opened with a tech fall win and two dominant pins before falling in the consolation semifinals. Maynard rebounded in the fifth-place match with another pin.
James Wells (77 lbs.) may not have claimed gold, but his tenacity was on full display as he finished sixth. Despite early setbacks, Wells pushed through with a gritty performance, showing heart against tough competition.
Jayce Conley (101 lbs.) battled to a sixth-place finish, putting up 10.5 points. After a tough early loss, he rebounded with three straight wins, including a tech fall. Though he fell in the consolation semifinals, Conley’s resilience was evident in his strong showing.