BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County Middle School turned in a big day on the mats at the KFWC Region 6 Tournament, finishing as team runner-up and piling up a deep list of placers Friday at Martin County High School ahead of the snow and ice.
Ten of Coach Andrew Chaffin’s middle school wrestlers will find their way to the state tournament next month: Bryce Williamson, Colten Anderson, Kenleigh Estep, Brody Jewell, Jeremiah Vanhoose, Jonny Fitch, Jayce Conley, Nolan Muncy and Braxten Pack. Chase Messer will go to state as an alternate.
The Cardinals produced four individual champions, two runners-up and four fourth-place finishers as they stacked points across the brackets.
Bryce Williamson opened the list of champions by winning the 83-pound title. Williamson advanced with a quarterfinal bye, then pinned Kason Cole (BELF) in 0:51 in the semifinals. He secured first place with a fall over Brantley Pennington (WAWR) in 1:57 in the championship match.
At 89 pounds, Colten Anderson won the title and scored 24 team points. He pinned Christopher Robertson (BOCO) in 1:27 in the semifinals and closed the bracket by sticking Braxton Prater (WAWR) in 0:56 in the championship match.
Teammate Gage Maynard also placed at 89 pounds, finishing fourth.
Kenleigh Estep captured gold at 95 pounds, adding 24 team points. She opened with quick pins of Sydney Maggard (ASHL) in 0:18 and Gunner Ramey (ASHL) in 0:38. Estep edged Carson Gross (LECO) in sudden victory in the finals.
At 108 pounds, Brody Jewell delivered one of the tournament’s most dominant runs, winning the championship and scoring 28 points. Jewell pinned Levi Reed (WAWR) in 0:49 in the quarterfinals, flattened Brody Porter (JOCE) in 0:22 in the semifinals, then finished the title match with a pin of Jacob Meek (JOCE) in 0:42.
Martin County also put two wrestlers into championship bouts.
Jeremiah Vanhoose took runner-up at 70 pounds, adding 18 points. He pinned Zayden Eddington (RMS) in 0:57 in the semifinals before falling to Casen Chapman (WAWR) 3-1 in the finals.
At 205 pounds, Jonny Fitch finished runner-up and earned 20 points. Fitch pinned Hunter Wagoner (WECA) in 0:24 and Aedyn Paris (JOCE) in 0:27 to reach the title match, where he fell to Ian Mullins (JOCE).
Jayce Conley finished fourth at 115 pounds with 13.5 points. Conley edged Brantley Robinson (WAWR) 7-5 in the quarterfinals, lost to Bentley Fleming (LACO) 8-5 in sudden victory in the semifinals, then rebounded with a 15-0 technical fall over Liam Baldwin (BELF) at 3:35. He dropped the third-place match to Robinson 5-3.
Nolan Muncy placed fourth at 144 pounds with 14.5 points. He opened with a 17-2 technical fall over Dax Ziengenfuss (EACA) at 2:34, then fell by technical fall to Brody Hall (WAWR) in the semifinals. Muncy answered with an 11-3 major decision over Cayson Watson (JOCE), but finished fourth after a loss to Tucker Smallwood (PCW).
Braxten Pack finished fourth at 150 pounds and added 16 team points. Pack pinned Brody Kallhoff (BOCO) in 0:23 to reach the semifinals, where he was pinned by Derek Adams (WAWR) at 3:22. He worked back with a pin of Landon Litteral (EACA) at 2:20, then fell to Brycen Ellerbee (EACA) in the third-place bout.
At 129 pounds, Chase Messer placed sixth and added 13 team points.