BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Three members of Martin County Cardinals Wrestling showed out Saturday in the Heartland National Duals in Council Bluff, Iowa. Kentucky state champion Parker Maynard, state runner-up Brody Jewell and state placer Cole Jewell competed on the 16-player Team Kentucky against some of the best middle school wrestlers in the nation.
The event welcomed 32 teams to the Mid-America Center.
Kentucky, coached by the Bellarmine University wrestling staff, finished sixth overall in the gold bracket.
Wrestling at 150 lbs, Maynard beat several state champs, losing only to a Pan Am placer in a very close, very winnable match. He pinned five of his seven opponents and ranked first on the Kentucky team for most pins in the least time.
Maynard pinned Quintin Trevino of Kansas Cobras in 22 seconds, Cohen Olsen of Team Texas in 2:15, Carter Giancola of the Kansas Rattlers in 2:47, Nolan McCarthy of Team Arizona in 1:08, Jason Flores of Kansas Pythons in 37 seconds. Maynard beat Samson Castillo of Idaho in sudden victory-1 by a 6-4 score. His sole loss was to Kaleb Griffith of Nebraska Red 8-4.
Kentucky state placer Cole Jewell defeated Ian Crosby of Team Texas 6-4 in the 175-lbs class.
State runner-up Brody Jewell wrestled at 80 lbs. He pinned Takeo Medrano of Kansas Cobras in 2 minutes and beat Braxton Barnes of Kansas Pythons 5-0.
The three boys are members of the Martin County Cardinals Wrestling Club under head coach Andrew Chaffin. Their inclusion on the Kentucky team marked the first time in over 20 years that Martin County wrestlers were invited.
Chaffin praised their effort and determination.
“They did good against really tough competition,” he said. “Brody is a sixth grader wrestling in the middle school division. He could have competed in the elementary duals, but he wanted to do the middle school with his team. And he never got pinned once. Cole bumped up from 150 to 175 to fill an open spot for his team—and those boys are way, way bigger than him… They all really did a good job and I’m proud of them.”
Assistant coach Jason Jewell, who accompanied the three young men to Iowa, said the event was something he would always remember.
“Iowa was something else,” Jewell remarked. “Great people, a great environment to be in altogether.
He also praised the Martin County trio.
“Proud of my boys this past weekend. Gave everything they had and then some,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more out of them.”
Maynard and C. Jewell attend Martin County Middle School. B. Jewell is a student at Warfield Elementary School.