BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WISE, Va. — Martin County Cardinals Wrestling won the 2022 Bobby Bates Youth Classic championship Sunday in Wise, Va.
The Cardinals edged second-place Warhawks 483-474 to finish first among 62 teams gathered for the tournament in the David J. Prior Convocation Center at UVA-Wise.
Coach Andrew Chaffin said. “Makes me proud to be part of the process.”
Martin County grapplers Parker Maynard (14U 133-lbs), Jeremy Mollett (14U 95-lbs), Ayden Warren (12U 92-lbs) and Nolan Muncy (8U HWT) all went undefeated.
The day before, Maynard, Mollett, Warren, Jonathan Cline and Noah Bowen wrestled with Martin County Middle School’s team and went undefeated in the Ashland Middle School Christmas Duals. MCMS finished second as a team, defeating McNab 2, East Carter, Ashland, Paintsville and Pikeville, and losing only to Johnson Central in the finals 48-35.
“These kids never cease to amaze me, how they represent themselves and our team on and off the mat,” Martin County coach Andrew Chaffin said. “Makes me proud to be part of the process.”
Cardinal wrestlers who placed in their respective divisions in the Bobby Bates are listed below.
6U 40 – Lukas May went 5-1 on the day and finished third.
6U 45 – Pearl Preece went 5-1 and finished third.
6U 50 – Ezra Bowen went 4-2 and finished in fourth place.
6U 50 – Hayden Chaffin went 1-2 on the day.
6U 58 – Woodley Mullins was 2-2 and finished fourth.
8U 45 – Luke Lawson finished in fourth place.
8U 63 – Noah Preece finished second with 3-1 on the day.
8U 77 – Colten Anderson was 4-1 on the day and finished third.
8U 77 – Jase VanHoose was 2-2 on the day.
8U 77 – Saylor Mullins went 4-2 and finished in fifth place.
8U HWT – Nolan Muncy pinned 3 of 3 opponents to win first place. He took down Hudson Martin of Wise Central in 2:29, Branley Brown of Richlands in 10 seconds and Easton Fields of Wise Central in 40 seconds.
10U 59 – Kenleigh Estep had a 3-1 day and second-place finish.
10U 63 – Kianna Chaffin finished in fourth place.
10U 71 – Colten Anderson went 3-1 and won third place.
12U 92 – Ayden Warren pinned Graham Freshour of Diablos Wrestling in 55 seconds and Dalton Napier of Lawrence County in 1:55 and won by decision over Elijah Maynard of Warhawks 4-2 and Jace Napier of Lawrence County 8-7 to claim first place.
12U 98 – Noah Bowens went 2-2 and finished in third place.
12U 125 – Easton Marcum finished second with 2-1 on the day.
12U HWT – Ian Mullins was 3-2 for a fourth-place finish.
12U HWT2 – Mullins was 2-2 for a third-place finish.
14U 95 – Jeremy Mollett pinned Asher Dunn of Church Hill Panthers in 16 seconds and Jacob Farmer of Battle Cats in 54, then beat Deter Thompson of TNWA to win first place.
14U 103 – Noah Bowens went 2-1 for a second-place finish.
14U 127 – Tyler Goble went 3-2 to finish fifth.
14U 133 – Parker Maynard beat Leland Altizer of Machine Shed 12-3 and pinned Landen Campbell of Honaker Tiger Wrestling in 2:24 and Austin Osborne of Impact Wrestling in 2:52 to win first place.
14U 165 – Blake Markham went 2-2 and finished fifth.
14U HWT – Brandon Wells was 5-1 on the day and placed third.
