CITIZEN STAFF REPORT
INEZ — Martin County High School will host two consecutive days of regional wrestling competition later this month as the Kentucky Freestyle Wrestling Club brings both its middle school and youth Region 6 tournaments to Inez, with state tournament berths on the line for top finishers.
The events will take place at Martin County High School, 137 Holly Bush Road.
Middle school
The 2026 KFWC Middle School Region 6 Wrestling Tournament will be held Saturday, Jan. 24.
The entry fee is $20 per wrestler. Payment is due no later than the morning of the event, with checks payable to Martin County Youth Wrestling. Registration closes Saturday, Jan. 17, at 10 p.m. EST. There will be no on-site entries, no late entries and no refunds. A seeding meeting will be held at a later date as scheduled by the regional representative.
Doors will open at 7 a.m. Weigh-ins will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., followed by a coaches meeting at 9 a.m. Wrestlers must weigh in wearing a competition singlet.
Weight classes will include 70, 77, 83, 89, 95, 101, 108, 115, 122, 129, 138, 144, 150, 165, 185, 205 and 260 pounds. A 2-pound growth allowance will be added to each class.
The tournament is an individual qualifier for the Kentucky Middle School State Tournament. The top five wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the state tournament, with sixth-place finishers serving as alternates. Organizers noted that wrestlers who compete in the middle school regional tournament are not eligible to wrestle in the youth regional tournament, regardless of placement.
Awards will include medals for first through sixth place and team trophies for first through third place. For team trophies, each team will designate one scorer per weight class. However, non-scorers remain eligible to qualify for the state tournament.
Admission will be $8 for adults and $5 for students. Concessions will be available.
All wrestlers must have an active USA Wrestling membership with photo identification and current club affiliation. Required equipment includes headgear, wrestling shoes and either a singlet or two-piece competition uniform. Mouth guards are required for wrestlers with braces.
Head coaches are responsible for submitting team rosters before the tournament. All coaches listed must present an active USA Wrestling coaching membership card with photo for admission and floor access. Parents will not be permitted on the wrestling floor.
Youth
The KFWC Youth Region 6 Tournament will follow Sunday, Jan. 25.
The entry fee is also $20 per wrestler. Registration is available through www.usabracketing.com
under “KFWC Youth Region 6.” All entry fees must be paid the morning of the tournament, payable to Martin County Youth Wrestling. The registration deadline is Friday, Jan. 23, at 10 p.m. EST. No on-site entries, no late entries and no refunds will be accepted. Doors will open at 7 a.m.
Competition will include 6U through 12U divisions only, following the 2025 USA Wrestling divisions and weight classes. Wrestlers must weigh in wearing a competition singlet.
The morning session will include 6U and 10U divisions, with weigh-ins from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and a coaches meeting at 9 a.m. The afternoon session will feature 8U and 12U divisions, with weigh-ins from noon to 1 p.m.
Weight classes are as follows:
Pee-Wee 6U (birth years 2020–2021): 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 70 pounds
Bantam 8U (2018–2019): 40, 43, 45, 49, 53, 56, 62, 70, 85 pounds
Intermediate 10U (2016–2017): 49, 53, 56, 59, 63, 67, 71, 77, 84, 93, 105, 120 pounds
Novice 12U (2014–2015): 58, 63, 67, 70, 74, 78, 82, 86, 92, 98, 108, 117, 135, 160 pounds
The youth tournament is an individual qualifier for the Kentucky Youth State Tournament. The top five wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the state tournament, with sixth-place finishers designated as alternates.
Awards will be presented to first through sixth place finishers in each weight class.
Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students. Concessions will be available.
Wrestlers must hold an active USA Wrestling membership with photo identification and current club affiliation. Wrestling shoes and either a singlet or two-piece competition uniform are required, and headgear is recommended.
As with the middle school event, head coaches are responsible for submitting team rosters before the tournament, and all coaches must present an active USA Wrestling coaching membership card with photo for floor access. Parents will not be permitted on the wrestling floor.
Contacts
For both events, organizers can be reached at: Andrew Chaffin — awchaffin@icloud.com or Josh Muncy. Tournament director: Josh Horn — joshua.horn@martin.kyschools.us.