BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
ASHLAND — The Martin County Cardinals Youth Wrestling Club left no doubt at the KFWC Youth Region 6 Championships Jan. 19 at Boyd County Middle School. The team delivered a powerhouse performance that saw seven individual champions, four runners-up and a hard-fought overall team title.
With just 20 wrestlers, Coach Andrew Chaffin’s Cardinals scored 293.0 points narrowly edging out Johnson County Youth Wrestling (292.5 points, 35 wrestlers) in a thrilling battle for first place.
“I just want to say how proud I am of these kids,” Chaffin said, announcing the win. “They are the hardest working kids in the state and it shows.”
The Cardinals’ success was driven by standout individual performances, including seven gold-medal finishes, four silver medals and multiple top-five finishes.
Bransyn Hannah (8U 53 lbs.) led the team with 33.5 points, securing all five of his victories by fall or tech fall.
Lukas May (10U 53 lbs.), Tyson Muncy (10U 56 lbs.), Jeremiah Vanhoose (10U 67 lbs.) and Greyson Maynard (10U 71 lbs.) each took first place with most of their wins coming by dominant pins.
Jason West (12U 86 lbs.) and Nolan Muncy (12U 135 lbs.) added two more championships to the Cardinals’ tally.
Meanwhile, four Cardinals battled their way to second place, including Ezra Bowen (10U 63 lbs.), David West (12U 84 lbs.), Bryce Williamson (12U 74 lbs.) and Jonah McCoy (12U 86 lbs.).
Ryder Endicott and Jase Vanhoose captured fourth place in their weight class, Bradlee Smith and Kianna Chaffin finished fifth and Jeffery Looney placed sixth.
Below is a recap of the action by age and weight:
Leading the charge in the 8U 53-pound division, Bransyn Hannah was nothing short of dominant, securing five consecutive wins—all by fall or technical fall—including a 19-4 tech fall victory in the finals. Hannah’s efforts earned him a team-high 33.5 points, setting the tone for a Cardinals squad that refused to back down.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah Looney (8U 56 lbs.) battled through the bracket, picking up two early wins before falling in the quarterfinals.
At 8U 62 lbs., Haeven Messer was eliminated in the consolation rounds.
The 10U division was a gold rush for Martin County, with five first-place finishers:
Lucas May (10U 53 lbs.) took first with a decisive 12-0 major decision in the finals.
Tyson Muncy (10U 56 lbs.) bulldozed his way to gold, winning three matches by fall—including one in just 26 seconds.
Jeremiah Vanhoose (10U 67 lbs.) emerged victorious with a controlled 5-0 decision in the finals.
Greyson Maynard (10U 71 lbs.) was in a class of his own, pinning all three opponents, including a 15-second semifinal fall.
Ryder Endicott (10U 59 lbs.) clawed his way to a fourth-place finish.
Ezra Bowen (10U 63 lbs.) reached the finals, finishing second after a strong run that included two tech fall victories.
At 12U 86 lbs., Jason West and Jonah McCoy—both Cardinals teammates—met in the finals after storming through the competition. West secured the title, pinning McCoy in 2:50.
The bracket was stacked with Martin County talent as Jase Vanhoose finished fourth, giving the team a 1-2-4 finish in one of the toughest weight classes.
Bryce Williamson (12U 74 lbs.) took second place, dropping a hard-fought 9-2 decision in the finals.
David West (12U 84 lbs.) finished runner-up after a 7-0 semifinal victory.
Bradlee Smith (12U 92 lbs) finished fifth after pinning his final opponent in 44 seconds.
At 12U 108 lbs., Kianna Chaffin wrestled to a fifth-place finish and teammate Jeffery Looney secured sixth.
Nolan Muncy (12U 135 lbs.) capped the day with a dominating first-place performance, winning all four matches—including a finals pin at 2:24.