
This page composed March 9, 1998 This page reviews the 1997-98 West Virginia State High School Wrestling Tournament and includes those 1997-98 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!
Top Seniors - AAA This year, 30 seniors placed in the AAA top three:
- Jason Johnson, Parkersburg South, 145 champ (25-6); champ at 140 as a junior (26-12); champ at 140 as a sophomore (21-13);
- Adam Gorby, North Marion, champ 130 (46-0); third at 119 as a junior (41-1); third at 112 lbs as a sophomore (38-1); fifth at 112 as a freshman, (25-10); AAU Folkstyle National Champion 1996, Tulsa
- Ryan Besedich, North Marion, champ 160 (41-3); runner-up at 152 as a junior (34-6); fifth at 145 as a sophomore (35-7); fifth at 140 as a freshman (32-7)
- Daniel Bonasso, Fairmont Senior, 112 champ (40-4); champ at 103 as a junior (41-7); fifth at 103 as a sophomore (38-7)
- Zach Kerns, Elkins, champ 275 (39-1); fourth at 275 as a junior (28-6); fifth at 275 as a soph (25-7);
- Joe Thorpe, Huntington, champ 125 (30-2); runner-up at 112 as a soph, (28-7)
- Chris Wilson, Preston, champ 130 (38-3); fourth at 125 as a soph (39-8)
- Gene Ochap, Wheeling Park, champ 215 (43-8); fourth at 215 as a junor (35-11);
- Jason Conaway, North Marion, champ 189 (39-2); fifth at 171 as a junior (35-9);
- Mike Cinalli, Fairmont Senior, runner-up 135 (25-7); third at 135 as a junior (43-9); sixth at 130 as a sophomore (33-10)
- Beau Hill, Point Pleasant, 112 runner-up (38-6); fourth at 103 as a soph (26-3); fifth at 103 as a freshman (39-9).
- William Steele, Roane County, runner-up 152 (46-2); runner-up at 145 as a junior (43-3)
- Josh Craddock, Roane County, third at 140 (46-3); champ at 135 as a junior (38-1); sixth at 119 as a sophomore (33-8)
- J.D. Kirby, Jefferson, runner-up 160 (48-2); third at 160 as a junior (44-5)
- Eric Frazier, 130, runner-up (39-3); fifth at 125 as a junior (35-10);
- Mike Hosaflook, Ripley, runner-up 145 (46-3); fifth at 140 as a junior (40-9)
- Josh Chaplin, John Marshall, runner-up at 140 (30-5); fifth at 135 as a junior (31-13)
- Lonnie Sharp, Elkins, runner-up 189 (31-6); sixth at 189 as a junior (42-7);
- Ryan Zombro, Jefferson, runner-up 171 (50-1); sixth at 152 as a soph (31-7)
- Scott Moore, North Marion, runner-up 215 (32-7);
- Mike Hennessey, Nicholas County, runner-up 275 (39-4)
- Mike Zebuhr, Buckhannon Upshur, third 215 (41-3); runner-up at 215 as a junior (29-3)
- Bob Wilson, John Marshall, third 160 (36-5); runner-up at 160 as a junior (35-7)
- Joel Newberry, Parkersburg, third at 125 (26-5); runner-up at 130 as a junior (37-16)
- Jeremy Rickard, Point Pleasant, 171 third (38-7); fourth at 171 as a junior (43-9);
- Rick Stanley, Brooke, third at 130 (34-13);
- Justin Coffey, Cabell Midland, third at 135 (40-6)
- A.J. Monseau, Wheeling Park, third 135 (45-10);
- Jeremy Burris, Point Pleasant, 119 third (42-6);
- Matt Reed, Lewis County, third 275 (36-7)
Top Seniors - AA/A This year, 15 seniors placed in the AA/A top three:
- David Drennen, Wirt County, champ 160 (12-0); champ at 125 as a junior (42-4); champ at 112 as a sophomore (35-0); third at 103 as a freshman (33-8).
- Denny Lebec, Oak Glen, champ 145 (28-10); champ at 140 as a junior (32-14)
- Garrett O'Neil, Cameron, champ 215 (40-3); third at 215 as a junior (34-5)
- Mike Witherow, Oak Glen, champ 135 (25-11); fourth at 130 as a junior (17-13)
- Adam Blevins, Iaeger, runner-up 160 (40-3); champ at 160 as a junior (35-3); fourth at 160 as a sophomore (22-6)
- Morgan Sisk, Petersburg, runner-up 145 (38-3); fourth at 135 as a junior (33-9)
- Anthony Perdue, Independence, runner-up 171 (37-12); fifth at 160 as a junior (33-13);
- Stephen Stiles, Winfield, runner-up at 215 (22-5); sixth at 275 as a sophomore
- Chris Basford, Grafton, runner-up 152 (44-5);
- Jason Miller, Wirt County, third 140 (42-2); champ at 130 as a junior (41-3); fifth at 119 as a sophomore (22-6)
- Josh Kuykendall, Frankfort, third 171 (34-4); third at 160 as a junior; fifth at 152 as a sophomore (22-7)
- Brandon Blake, Independence, 119 third (36-11); third at 112 as a junior (32-10)
- Jeff Martin, Frankfort, 275 third (42-1);
- Jake Spicer, Petersburg, third 215 (42-3);
- Robbie Richardson, Sissonville, 135 third (28-9);
Top juniors - AAA This year, seven juniors placed in the top three at the AAA state tournament:
- Jason Ward, Cabell Midland, champ 152 (43-0); runner-up at 140 as a soph (39-3); champ at 135 as a freshman (30-4); AAU Folkstyle National Champion 1996, Tulsa; AAU National Champ, 1997, 152 Elite, St Louis
Signed to wrestle for WVU
- Nicholas Hedrick, Fairmont Senior, champ 140 (42-2); third at 130 as a sophomore (43-6); fifth at 119 as a freshman (34-14)
- Alex Reed, Point Pleasant, champ 103 (39-4); runner-up at 103 as a sophomore (31-1)
- Mike Thompson, Shady Spring, champ 171 (27-2); sixth at 171 as a soph (37-7)
- Ty Emrick, Parkersburg South, third 154 (23-11); fourth at 152 as a sophomore (26-12)
- Matt Mitchell, Roane County, third 112 (41-13)
- Dan Stanley, Brooke, runner-up 119 (42-6);
Top juniors - AA/A This year, sixteen juniors placed in the top three at the AA/A state tournament:
- Michael Miller, Wirt County, champ 125 (32-3); champ at 119 champ as a soph (41-4); champ at 103 as a freshman (34-1)
- Chad Purpura, Bishop Donahue, champ 152 (32-5); third at 145 as a sophomore (38-7)
- Brandon Kupfer, Cameron, champ 189 (42-2); third at 189 as a soph (34-8)
- Luke Salmons, Ravenswood, champ 275 (42-1); third at 275 as a soph (32-6)
- Stephen Kinley, Liberty Raleigh, champ 171 (31-4); sixth at 145 as a soph (27-9)
- Eric McCartney, Calhoun County, runner-up 135 (39-3); third at 125 as a sophomore (36-6)
- Alex McClung, Oak Glen, runner-up 275 (40-3); fourth at 275 as a soph (36-7)
- Dennis Blankenship, Greenbrier West, runner-up 119 (27-5); sixth at 119 as a soph (31-8)
- Andy Wharton, Oak Glen, runner-up 140 (10-4);
- Matthew Valles, Weir, runner up 125 (37-10);
- Justin Wince, Ritchie County, third 125 (42-2); fourth at 125 as a soph (32-14); fifth at 112 as a freshman (31-14)
- Jason Jones, Oak Glen, third 152 (42-8); runner-up at 119 as a sophomore (30-12)
- Adam Lewis, Liberty Raleigh, third 160 (32-8); fifth at 152 as a sophomore (30-8)
- Jason Seville, Berkeley Springs, third 145 (42-7)
- Mark Lowe, Wirt County, third 130 (40-6)
- Dan Lahman, Petersburg, third 189 (48-4)
Top sophomores - AAA This year ten sophomores placed in the top five at the AAA state tournament:
- Matt George, Parkersburg, champ 119 (37-4)
- Jared Walters, Cabell Midland, runner-up 125 (38-7); third at 112 as a freshman (41-5)
- Jim Shetler, Hedgesville, third 103 (40-1)
- Matt Wehrle, Herbert Hoover, third 189 (41-4)
- Ryan Fullen, Huntington, fifth 103 (33-10)
- J.P. Stanley, Cabell Midland, fifth 112 (37-7)
- Kenny Griffin, University, fourth 119 (34-9)
- Joey Mayle, Buckhannon Upshur, fifth 119 (36-7); fourth at 112 as a freshman (28-18)
- Josh Coffey, Cabell Midland, fifth 215 (34-15)
- Joe Heath, Greenbrier East, fifth 275, (33-4)
Top sophomores - AA/A This year 15 sophomores placed in the top five at the AA/A state tournament:
- Jimmy Johnson, Calhoun County, champ 112 (30-3); champ at 103 as a freshman (43-1)
- Jason Hayhurst, Ritchie County, champ 119 (40-2); runner up at 112 as a freshman (42-2)
- Ash Wenmoth, Williamstow, champ 103 (39-3)
- Logan Glass, Oak Glen, champ 130 (33-12)
- Nat Smith, Ritchie County, champ 140 (37-7)
- Robert Busick, Weir, runner-up 189 (26-10); sixth at 189 as a freshman (29-18)
- Jason Roberts, Oak Glen, runner-up 103 (30-15)
- Jeff Hughes, Cameron, third 130 (38-7); sixth at 135 as a freshman (19-12)
- Nick Prather, Winfield, third 103 (36-1); runner up at 103 as a freshman (31-13)
- Joey Sharp, Wirt County, fourth 103 (30-11)
- Josh Cross, Wirt County, fourth 119 (37-6)
- Willie Westbrook, Williamstown, fourth at 112 (41-11)
- Travis McCartney, Calhoun County, fifth 103 (33-13)
- Caleb Lucey, Cameron, fifth 119 (24-12)
- Jason Snider, Tyler Consolidated, fifth 145 (28-13)
Top freshmen - AAA This year five freshmen placed in the top six at the AA/A state tournament:
- Chris Johnson, Nitro, runner-up 103 (37-1)
- Jonathan Delligatti, Fairmont Senior, fourth 103 (34-13)
- Bryan Moats, Hedgesville, fourth 130 (37-7)
- Matt Miller, East Fairmont, fourth 152 (31-15)
- Jonathan Holt, Fairmont Senior, sixth 125 (19-18)
Top freshmen - AA/A This year three freshmen placed in the top six at the AA/A state tournament:
- Tyler Hughes, Cameron, runner-up 112 (21-8)
- Adam Schindler, Ravesnwood, third 112 (40-3)
- Ashley Gandee, Ravenswood, sixth 103 (36-7)
Undefeated West Virginia Wrestlers, 1997-98 |
Name | School, Weight Class | Comment |
Adam Gorby | North Marion, 130 | 46-0 as of Mar 1, AAA State Champ |
Jason Ward | Cabell-Midland, 152 | 43-0 as of March 1, AAA State Champ |
David Drennen | Wirt County, 160 | 12-0 as of Mar 1, AA/A State Champ |
Wrestlers to watch in 1998-99
Looking to become a four time state champ
Mike Miller, Wirt County, senior in 98-99, championships at 103, 119, and 125
Jimmy Johnson, Calhoun County, junior in 98-99, championship at 103 and 112
Looking to defend or reclaim state championships in 1997-98
Seniors in 1998-99 (1997-98 weight class)
- Alex Reed, Point Pleasant, AAA 103
- Nicholas Hedrick, Fairmont Senior, AAA 140
- Jason Ward, Cabell Midland, AAA 152
- Mike Thompson, Shady Spring, AAA 171 (AA/A in 1998-99)
- Michael Miller, Wirt County, AA/A 125
- Chad Purpura, Bishop Donahue, AA/A152
- Stephen Kinley, Liberty Raleigh, AA/A 171
- Brandon Kupfer, Cameron, AA/A 189
- Luke Salmons, Ravenswood, AA/A 275
Juniors in 1998-99 (1997-98 weight class)
- Matt George, Parkersburg, AAA 119
- Ash Wenmoth, Williamstown, AA/A 103
- Jimmy Johnson, Calhoun County, AA/A 112
- Jason Hayhurst, Ritchie County, AA/A 119
- Logan Glass, Oak Glen, AA/A 130
- Nat Smith, Ritchie County, AA/A 140
Looking to become four-time state placewinners
Seniors in 1998-99 (1997-98 weight class)
- Jason Ward, Cabell Midland, AAA 152
- Nicholas Hedrick, Fairmont Senior, AAA 140
- Justin Wince, Ritchie County, AA/A 125
- Andrew Richards, South Harrison, AA/A 140
Juniors in 1998-99 (1997-98 weight class)
- Mark Evans, Wheeling Park, AAA 112
- Jared Walters, Cabell Midland, AAA 125
- Joey Mayle, Buckhannon Upshur, AAA 119
- Nick Prather, Winfield, AA/A 103
- Matt Simmons, East Bank, AA/A 112
- Jason Haythurst, Ritchie County, AA/A 119
- Jeff Hughes, Cameron, AA/A 130
- Robert Busick, Weir, AA/A 189
Sophomores in 1998-99 (1996-97 weight class)
- Jonathan Delligatti, Fairmont Senior, 103
- Chris Johnson, Nitro, 103
- Bryan Moats, Hedgesville, 130
- Matt Miller, East Fairmont, 152
- Jonathan Holt, Fairmont Senior,125
- Tyler Hughes, Cameron, 112
- Adam Schindler, Ravesnwood, 112
- Ashley Gandee, Ravenswood, 103
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Updated March 8, 1998