Prep wrestling: Cowger, Ulrich finish runners-up at state tournament
· Yahoo Sports
HUNTINGTON — The state tournament wasn’t as fruitful for area wrestlers as it has been.
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For the first time since 2010, no local wrestlers won individual state championships as the 78th annual tournament wrapped up Saturday at the Marshall Health Network Arena.
There were two runners-up Saturday night.
Oak Hill freshman Evan Ulrich dropped a 7-1 decision to Spring Mills senior Dallas Owens in the Division I 132-pound final.
After a scoreless first period, Ulrich started the second on top and Owens secured the lead with an escape, then followed with a takedown to go ahead 4-0 into the third. Owens notched another takedown out of the neutral position to take a commanding 7-0 lead.
Ulrich got an escape point late but Owens took the victory to end his career with his first state championship.
Shady Spring senior Joey Cowger wrestled No. 1 seed Noah Schmidt of Oak Glen for the Division II 215-pound title. Cowger had already defeated the second and third seeds on the way to the championship match, but was unable to get past Schmidt in a 7-1 loss.
Each of the first two periods ended scoreless. Schmidt was down to start the third and got an escape. He then took control with a takedown with 20 seconds to go.
Cowger was able to escape, but Schmidt took him down again to end the match.
It was Schmidt’s first state title.
It was nonetheless a successful season for Ulrich and Cowger. Ulrich notched 50 wins in his first season, including WSAZ Invitational, Coalfield Invitational and Region 3 championships. All three of his losses were to Owens.
Cowger (31-8) not only beat the second and third seeds, but his first round win over Doddridge County’s Ty McCloud on Thursday was the 100th of his career.
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In Division I, University held off Parkersburg to come away with its third consecutive state championship. The Hawks finished with 246 points, while the Big Reds scored 235.
Locally, Oak Hill was 11th with 54 points. Woodrow Wilson just missed its fifth straight top 10 finish, coming in at 12th with 53 points.
Ripley distanced itself from the pack and won the Division II championship with 191.5 points. Williamstown (131.5) was second and Herbert Hoover (122) third. Independence was fourth with 106.5 points.
Cameron won the Division III championship with 130 points, followed by Wheeling Central with 55.5. Greenbrier West was third with 28.5.
Washington won the girls state championship with 124 points. In second was Buckhannon-Upshur (114) and third Parkersburg South (103).
While there were no area finalists in the girls tournament, there were 12 all-staters. Two teams finished in the top 10: Liberty with 64 points and Greenbrier East with 58.5.
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Jesse Adams, who wrestled his first three seasons at Independence before transferring to Parkersburg South, defeated University’s Emerson Murphy by 11-2 major decision for the Division I 190-pound state championship.
With the win, Adams became just the 28th four-time state champion in West Virginia history.
Division I all-staters
106: Wyatt Kennedy, Woodrow Wilson, sixth; 113: 132: Evan Ulrich, Oak Hill, second; 144: Kaden Stone, Greenbrier East, third; 150: Ian Webb, Woodrow Wilson, sixth; 175: Landon Dunlap, Oak Hill, fifth; 215: Aiden Robinson, Oak Hill, sixth
Division II all-staters
113: Matthew Kesterson, Greenbrier West, fourth; 120: J.J. Scarafino, Independence, fifth; 126: Gavin Brown, Liberty, fourth; 138: Brayden McKinney, Independence, third; 175: Tyson McGinnis, Independence, fourth; 190: Brayden Hart, Independence, third; Jayden Roop, Midland Trail, sixth; 215: Joey Cowger, Shady Spring, second; Landon Burleson, Independence, fourth
Girls all-staters
100: London Cook, Liberty, fifth; 120: Maya Frank, Greenbrier East, third; Kirclyn Coleman, Oak Hill, fourth; 132: Madalyne Phillips, Shady Spring, third; 138: Izzy Blankenship, Greenbrier East, fourth; Rosa Hudkins, Nicholas County, sixth; 145: Emma Hartshorn, Liberty, sixth; 152: Katie Mullens, Liberty, fifth; 165: Allie Bowles, Liberty, fourth; Sawyer Robinson, Oak Hill, sixth; 185: Makaylee Bennett, Greenbrier East, fifth; Delilah Taylor, Shady Spring, sixth