SUTTON, W.Va. — Keyser captured the Region II, Division 2 wrestling championship on Saturday at Braxton County High School, and 20 area wrestlers qualified for the state tournament.
Keyser, with nine state qualifiers, won the team competition with 239.5 points, ahead of Braxton County (212) and Berkeley Springs (154).
Frankfort was fifth with 124 points, Petersburg finished seventh with 100, Moorefield took 10th with 78.5, East Hardy was 12th with 73.5, and Hampshire was 15th with 17.
Wrestlers from local high schools won eight of the 14 weight classes.
Keyser had three regional champions. Jackson Swingle, a two-time defending Class A-AA state champion in 126 pounds last year and 106 as a freshman, won the 138-pound bracket. Kaydan Durr was first at 120 pounds, and Lane Metcalf won the title at 132.
Frankfort’s Peyton Brittingham won the 126-pound title, and Wesley Files was the 113-pound champion.
Petersburg’s Lukas Wolford finished first at 165 pounds, and East Hardy’s Aaron Barb won the 106-pound pound.
The top four placers in each weight class qualified for the state tournament at Marshall Healthy Network Arena in Huntington, West Virginia, from March 5-7.
Keyser had nine state qualifiers total. Deacon Stanislawczyk (113 pounds), Owen Rotruck (175) and Liam Goul (215) were regional runner-ups, and Ross Hicks (150), Ryan Swingle (157) and Isaac Metcalf (190) all placed fourth.
Frankfort’s Gavin Corwell and Knox Kimble finished second at 120 and 190 pounds, respectively, and Caleb Flanagan was fourth in the 132-pound bracket.
Petersburg sent three more to states in Logan Bachman (215 pounds, third), Alex Halterman (175 pounds, fourth) and Carter Thompson (120 pounds, fourth).
Moorefield’s Alex Rodriguez placed third at 157 pounds.