Top West Virginia Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, Freshmen: 1996-97

This page reviews the 1996-97 West Virginia State High School Wrestling Tournament and includes those 1996-97 seniors and juniors who placed in the top three, sophomores who placed in the top five, and freshmen who placed in the top six. A few additional stats and comments are added to allow you to draw your own conclusions.

Attention wrestlers and coaches: If you have other "credentials" to add to your listing here (a good finish in other major tournaments, statistics, etc) let us know and we can update your stats!

This year, 26 seniors placed in the AAA top three:

• John Jackson, Jefferson, 152 champ (43-3); champ at 145 as a junior (32-2); third at 130 as a sophomore (39-1).
• Dewitt Stanley, Brooke, 112 champ (50-2); champ at 103 as a junior (38-0)
• Zach Hasse, Parkersburg South, 125 champ (32-9); runner up at 125 as a junior (29-10); champ at 119 as a sophomore (20-0); sixth at Reno
• Ryan Muldrew, John Marshall, 130 champ (40-0); champ at 125 as a junior (32-3); AAA Outstanding Wrestler award at the 1996-97 State Tournament
• Andy Wilfong, Fairmont Senior, 160 champ (44-2); champ at 160 as a junior (44-2)
• Ryan Courtney, Fairmont Senior, 189 champ (43-2); champ at 171 as a junior (44-6)
• Dustin Collins, Parkersburg South, 119 champ (31-7); runner up at 103 as a sophomore (22-8); 1996 Eastern Nationals Champion
• Zac Litton, Parkersburg, 145 champ (50-4); runner up at 145 as a junior (31-7)
• Luke Smith, Parkersburg South, 171 champ (29-8); fourth at 171 as a junior (22-15)
• Mike Sharpe, Parkersburg South, 215 champ (35-4); third as a junior at 215 lbs (23-13); runner up at Reno (All American)
• Blaine Crabtree, Huntington, 275 champ (38-2); fourth as a junior at 275 (21-4)
• Jesse Crouch, Hurricane, 119 runner up (27-3); champ as a junior at 119 (29-2)
• Chris Ward, John Marshall, 140 third (29-2); third at 140 as a junior (30-2); champ at 135 as a sophomore (27-4).
• Ben Kulpa, Wheeling Park, 275 runner up (42-2); runner up as a junior at 275 (35-7)
• Robbie Shank, Parkersburg South, 112 runner up (37-6); fourth at 112 as a junior (30-12); third at Reno (All American)
• Ken Becker, Wheeling Park, 125 runner up (40-3); fourth at 119 as a junior (37-8)
• Byron Murrell, Huntington, 135 runner up (38-2); fourth at 130 as a junior (30-7); fifth at 125 as a sophomore (29-9)
• Chris Copley, Huntington, 171 runner up (33-6)
• R.J. Carey, Jefferson, 189 runner up (39-6)
• Chad Walters, Parkersburg South, 145 third (19-7); third at 145 as a junior (34-9); runner-up at 130 as a sophomore (23-11); sixth at Reno
• Chris Neptune, Fairmont Senior, 171 third (43-2); third at 152 as a junior (42-6); fourth at 145 as a sophomore (30-13);
• Chris Satterfield, Parkersburg, 103 third (46-7); sixth as a junior at 103 (28-13)
• Jason Scott, Capital, 125 third (41-2); fifth at 125 as a junior (37-8)
• Sam Kirkpatrick, Elkins, 152 third (37-5)
• Lucian Weese, John Marshall, 215 third (40-6)
• Paul Williams, Roane County, 275 third

This year, seventeen seniors placed in the AA/A top three:

• Buddy McKeen, Grafton, 135 champ (49-0); champ at 119 as a junior (37-1); AA/A Outstanding Wrestler award at the 1996-97 State Tournament
• Josh Waugh, Berkeley Springs, 275 champ (48-0); runner up at 275 as a junior (37-5); runner-up at 275 as a sophomore (34-10).
  In 1996-97, Josh scored 55 takedowns and gave up no takedowns or reversals. The 17 points scored on him the entire year were all were escapes - mostly intentional releases. He wrestled past the first period only four times this year and only had two matches go the distance (both against the state runnerup Bill Andrews of Frankfort). He ended the year with 34 pins, 1 tech fall, 1 major decision, one regular decision (8-2), and 11 forfeits. At the 1997 State Tournament, he recorded four first period pins and was not scored upon.
• Blair Miller, Berkeley Springs, 152 champ (46-3); third at 140 as a junior (40-6); fourth at 135 as a sophomore (29-13).
• Ryan Painter, Greenbrier West, 189 champ (40-0); runner up at 171 as a junior (28-6); sixth at 160 as a sophomore (22-11).
• Ronnie LeMasters, Cameron, 112 champ (31-2); fifth at 103 as a sophomore (30-4)
• Benji Parsons, Sissonville, 215 champ (28-0); third at 215 as a junior (32-4)
• Oscar Hoit, Oak Glen, 171 champ (23-6)
• Bryan Jones, Williamstown, 130 runner up (25-2); champ at 125 as a junior (26-4); champ at 112 as a sophomore (40-4).
• Randy Bragg, Independence, 135 runner up (36-2); runner up at 130 as a junior (36-2); sixth at 119 as a sophomore (31-12)
• Justin Hovermale, Berkeley Springs, 145 runner up (48-2); third at 145 as a junior (37-5); champ at 140 as a sophomore (33-12).
• Shaun Dunn, Parkersburg Catholic, 125 runner up (29-9); fifth at 112 as a sophomore (30-7)
• Kyle Unger, Berkeley Springs, 140 runner up (46-3); fifth at 135 as a junior (26-10)
• Andy Smith, Bishop Donahue, 160 runner up (42-6); fifth at 152 as a sophomore (29-16)
• Bill Andrews, Frankfort, 275 runner up (30-6)
• Steve White, Winfield, 130 third (31-7); fifth at 130 as a junior (31-6)
• Jason Brewer, Calhoun County, 140 third (30-6); sixth at 135 as a junior (23-9)
• Travis Ross, Cameron, 152 third (35-8)

This year, eleven juniors placed in the top three at the AAA state tournament:

• Jason Johnson, Parkersburg South, 140 champ (26-12); champ at 140 as a sophomore (21-13)
• Daniel Bonasso, Fairmont Senior, 103 champ (41-7); fifth at 103 as a sophomore (38-7)
• Josh Craddock, Roane County, 135 champ (38-1); sixth at 119 as a sophomore (33-8)
• Ryan Besedich, North Marion, 152 runner up (34-6); fifth at 145 as a sophomore; (35-7); fifth at 140 as a freshman (32-7)
• Joel Newberry, Parkersburg, 130 runner up (37-16)
• William Steele, Roane County, 145 runner up (43-3)
• Bob Wilson, John Marshall, 160 runner up (35-7)
• Mike Zebuhr, Buckhannon Upshur, 215 runner up (29-3)
• Adam Gorby, North Marion, 119 third (41-1); third at 112 lbs as a sophomore (38-1); fifth at 112 as a freshman, (25-10); 1996 AAU Folkstyle National Champion, Tulsa,
• Michael Cinalli, Fairmont Senior, 135 third (43-9); sixth at 130 as a sophomore (33-10)
• J.D. Kirby, Jefferson, 160 third (44-5)

This year, eleven juniors placed in the top three at the AA/A state tournament:

• David Drennen, Wirt, 125 champ (42-4); champ at 112 as a sophomore (35-0); third at 103 as a freshman (33-8).
• Adam Blevins, Iaeger, 160 champ (35-3); fourth at 160 as a sophomore (22-6)
• Jason Miller, Wirt, 130 champ (41-3); fifth at 119 as a sophomore (29-8)
• Denny Lebec, Oak Glen, 140 champ (32-14)
• Mike Toothman, Ritchie County, 171 runner up (35-6)
• Whitney Vanatter, Winfield, 189 runner up (31-13)
• John Clyburn, Liberty Raleigh, 215 runner up (32-2)
• Josh Kuykendall, Frankfort, 160 third; fifth at 152 as a sophomore (22-7)
• Brandon Blake, Independence, 112 third (32-10)
• Michael Davisson, South Harrison, 119 third (42-4)
• Garrett O'Neil, Cameron, 215 third (34-5)

This year five sophomores placed in the top five at the AAA state tournament:

• Jason Ward, Cabell Midland, 140 runner up (39-3); champ at 135 as a freshman (30-4); AAU Folkstyle National Champion 1996, Tulsa
• Alex Reed, Point Pleasant, 103 runner up (31-1)
• Nick Hedrick, Fairmont Senior, 130 third (43-6); fifth at 119 as a freshman (34-14)
• Ty Emrick, Parkersburg South, 152 fourth (26-12);
• Todd Daggett, Parkersburg South, 189 third (23-6);

This year 16 sophomores placed in the top five at the AA/A state tournament:

• Mike Miller, Wirt, 119 champ (41-4) champ at 103 as a freshman (34-1)
• Jerry Crow, Oak Glen, 145 champ (27-13)
• Jason Jones, Oak Glen, 119 runner up (30-12)
• Justin Underwood, Braxton County, 152 runner up (43-6)
• Eric McCartney, Calhoun County, 125 third (36-6)
• Rob Lamb, Oak Glen, 135 third (30-15)
• Chad Purpura, Bishop Donahue, 145 third (38-7)
• Kris Villars, Wirt County, 171 third (28-11)
• Brandon Kupfer, Cameron, 189 third (34-8)
• Luke Salmons, Ravenswood, 275 third (32-6)
• Nathan Miller, Wirt County, 103 fourth (40-12)
• Justin Wentz, Ritchie County, 125 fourth (32-14); fifth at 112 as a freshman (31-14)
• Keithen Branch, St Marys, 171 fourth (30-9)
• Alex McClung, Oak Glen, 275 fourth (36-7)
• Andrew Richards, South Harrison, 130 fifth (26-6); runner up at 112 as a freshman (31-7)
• Adam Lewis, Liberty Raleigh, 152 fifth (30-8)

This year four freshmen placed in the top six at the AAA state tournament:

• Jarod Walters, Cabell Midland, 112 third (41-5)
• Anthony Regalbuto, Hedgesville, 103 fourth (42-5)
• Joey Mayle, Buckhannon Upshur, 112 fourth (28-18)
• Mark Evans, Wheeling Park, 103 fifth (27-13)
• Jerry Singleton, Cabell Midland, 152 fifth (13-5)

This year nine freshmen placed in the top six at the AA/A state tournament:

• Jimmy Johnson, Calhoun County, 103 champ (43-1)
• Nick Prather, Winfield, 103 runner up (31-13)
• Jason Hayhurst, Ritchie County, 112 runner up (42-2)
• James Harris, Braxton County, 103 third (40-9)
• Matt Simmons, East Bank, 103 fifth (27-14)
• Jason Litten, Frankfort, 145 fifth (29-9)
• Matt Jones, South Harrison, 103 sixth (36-12)
• Jeff Hughes, Cameron, 135 sixth (19-12)
• Robert Busick, Weir, 189 sixth (29-18)

Looking to become a four time state champ