Chilhowie wrestling claimed a ninth place finish with a handful of kids piling up 62 points at the Salem Civic Center’s state tournament over the weekend.
Two Warrior grapplers hauled home bronze medals.
Jaxson Guinn took third at 113 pounds, and Nate Widener finished third at 120 pounds.
Guinn kicked off his state weekend, swiping a 14-10 decision from Isaiah Castellanos of Westmoreland High School.
In the semifinals, Guinn fell by first-period pin to Grundy’s Bryce Looney, but battled back with a 7-2 win in the consolations over Salvador Cardenas of Mathews High School. Guinn pinned George Wythe’s Jaxon Ward early in the second period to claim third place.
Widener kicked off Friday with a first-period pin over Riverheads’ Preston McCauley. In the quarterfinals, Widener notched a 10-0 major decision over Northampton’s Isreal Birch, before falling by pin to eventual Rural Retreat champ Parker Stone.
On the back of the bracket, Wdener stuck Mathews High’s Sawyer Stark and then bested Fort Chiswell’s Jack Hughes, 10-0, for third.
The Chilhowie 175-pounder, Jordan Crisanto finished in sixth place. After pinning Westmoreland’s Azaariah Moore, Crisanto fell by pin to Franklin’s Markelyn Fenner. On the back side of the bracket, Crisanto pinned Junior Convers of Parry McCluer and Caden Carico of Galax before falling by pin to Noah Ross of Riverheads. In the battle for fifth, Crisanto dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision to Jeffery Hildebrand of Buffalo Gap.
Ethan Doss, wrestling at 215 pounds, opened the touney with a pin over Austin Huffman of Westmoreland. Doss then fell by pin to Cumberland’s Jamie Dean before bouncing back with a pin over Kabell Austin of Parry McCluer. Doss’ tournament ended with pinfall loss to Gibson Hubbard of Northampton.
At 285 pounds, Cress Aeman picked up a quick pin over Essex’s Anthony Holden before falling by pin to Galax heavyweight Riley Jo Vaught. On the consolation rounds, Aeman pinned Caper Angle of Cumberland before dropping a 3-1 decision to Gavin Burke of Patrick Henry.
Marion’s 138-pound Isaac Eddy opened his tournament on Friday with a pinfall loss to Patrick County’s Wesley Alexander. He then dropped a tech fall, 15-0 decision, to East Rockingham’s Tim Kartyshev.
