By Gaylen Duskey SPORTS EDITOR
realfang@citlink.net
Led by three state finalists the Calhoun wrestling team settled into a comfortable
fourth-place spot in the West Virginia High School wrestling
tournament following Friday’s sessions.
The Red Devils have 89 points, 12.5 better than fifth-place Shady Spring. Oak
Glen leads the Class AA-A tournament with 191 followed by
Cameron with 131 and Williamstown with 119.5.
Justin Ashley (130) led a trio of Red Devils into the finals including Andrew
Cummings at 135 and Eric Metz at 152.
Ashley, 41-1 and going for his third straight state title, beat Jesse Mahan of Oak
Glen in the semifinals and will face David Haws, 25-5, of
Bridgeport in the championship match. Ashley faced Haws early in the season
and came away with an 11-3 victory.
Cummings beat an old nemesis, Dustin Bartrug of St. Marys in the quarterfinals
with a 5-2 decision. Bartrug had beaten Cummings both times
during the regular season. Cummings, now 37-5, beat Lewis County’s Jeremy
McCarty, 17-14, in the semifinals. He will meet Oak Glen’s
Brennon Chambers, 33-13, in the championship match today.
Metz, now 44-0, advanced to the finals with a 5-3 decision over Ken Efaw of
Grafton in the semifinals. He will face Rhett Northcraft, 38-3, in the
championship match.
Calhoun has two other wrestlers alive in the double-elimination tournament.
In the 119-pound class Jaron Sampson, 28-12, fell to Anthony Valles of Weirton
Madonna early Friday but came through the wrestle backs to
reach the consolation semifinals where he is going up against Shaun Snoberger
of Frankfort. The winner of the match will wrestle for third
place while the loser wrestles for fifth.
Calhoun’s other remaining wrestler is Paul Goodrich (160) who will be going up
against Brandon Warner of Point Pleasant in the consolation
semifinals. The winner will wrestle for third place and the loser for fifth.
Goodrich, now 40-4, suffered a 7-2 setback to Oak Glen senior Garrett Railing in
the semifinals.
Calhoun’s other three wrestlers, Eddie Burrows (112), Justin Ramsey (125) and
Justin Price (140) were all eliminated Friday.
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