Parkersburg 120-pounder Seth Drennen controls Parkersburg South's Jordan Dearth during the finals of Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference championship inside Memorial Fieldhouse. The Big Red registered a 16-5 major decision. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — Two-time defending Mountain State Athletic Conference champion Parkersburg had to settle for a tie with runner-up Parkersburg South following eight-plus hours of wrestling here Saturday inside Memorial Fieldhouse as the two rivals finished with 249.5 points while Huntington amassed 216 to finish third.

“We definitely didn’t wrestle our best,” admitted Big Red boss Matt Littleton, who watched Highlander John Dempsey earn MSAC Coach of the Year honors. “We had nobody at 190 today so you know that guy wins a match, scores a point, but I’m not going to sit here and play this what if game.

“I don’t think the Big Reds showed their best wrestling today. We’re going to take this and fuel it and get back in that room this week and fix everything we kind of messed up on. We got our dual with them on Wednesday. We turn back around and we’ll see them again. It’s going to be a fun one. We’re here Wednesday night. The atmosphere is going to be great and we’re going to be ready to go.”

Parkersburg South, which left the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference, joined the Big Reds with a quartet of champions, which included Independence 190-pound transfer Jesse Adams.

Adams, who is vying to become the Mountain State’s 28th four-time state champion, registered a 19-3 technical fall versus last year’s 190-pound champ Braxton Johnson of Cabell Midland.

Parkersburg South 190-pounder Jesse Adams earned a 19-3 technical fall against Cabell Midland's Braxton Johnson during the finals of Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference championship inside Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“It was a big thought of transferring when it first happened and stuff, but I knew it would be better for me and my family did too so we made the capital decision to do that,” admitted Adams. “I don’t think I regret it at all, man. I love these guys. I love the coaching staff. The environment I’m surrounded by, the schooling, just everything about Parkersburg South makes me very happy and I’m very glad to be here, and I’m very glad to be surrounded by such a loving team.

“Tied for first is not what we wanted this weekend. I’ll speak for the whole team when I say this; that’s unacceptable. We need to be better and we’re going to go in for the remainder of the season and we’re just going to get better. We want to peak at the right time. That first weekend in March is when we want to blow up. We want to blow the roof off that arena and score some points.”

PHS and South met twice in the finals with each program earning a victory. Big Red 120-pounder Seth Drennen became a three-time conference champ following a 16-5 major decision against Jordan Dearth.

Patriot 150-pounder Asa Yost, who registered the first takedown and followed it with a quartet of near fall points, held off Kayden McDonald, 8-5.

The only other three-time MSAC champ was Big Red 138-pounder Stephen Myers, who won by fall in 4:23 against Highlander Shad Henry. The junior finished seventh at the Ironman and sixth at the Powerade.

Parkersburg South 150-pounder Asa Yost scored an 8-5 decision versus Parkersburg's Kayden McDonald during the finals of Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference championship inside Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Huntington’s Ben Barrett and Cabell Midland’s Carson Kohl each won their second career conference crown. Barrett got a takedown six seconds into the first versus Big Red CJ Carrodus and won the 132-pound title via a 10-3 decision. Kohl bolted out to a 7-0 lead in the second, but HHS 175-pounder Rowan Dunham got a reversal and a quartet of back points to close within one before getting pinned in 3:40.

Only one No. 3 seed advanced to the finals and that was Hurricane 106-pounder Jake Welsh, who got a late takedown in the first versus Big Red Aiden Linko en route to a 10-2 major decision.

“Last time I was at Parkersburg he pinned me,” said Welsh, who was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler.

“I just felt better. I didn’t have much nutrients last time and I just felt better today.”

Parkersburg’s other titles came from 144-pounder Colston Skeen, who picked up a 13-1 major decision against Spring Valley’s Colton Mathis, while 157-pound teammate Dominic Way also won his first MSAC title thanks to a 59-second mat slapper of Knight Jordan Murrell.

Parkersburg 144-pounder Colston Skeen registered a 13-1 major decision versus Spring Valley's Colton Mathis during the finals of Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference championship inside Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Parkersburg South’s other two top of the podium finishers won by pin. Nathan Murphy needed 2:50 to take care of Riverside’s Chayden Johnson’s at 165, while 215-pounder Justice Drain finished off Redskin Grayson Tyler with 30 ticks remaining in the second.

“There was a point there where things were looking a little rough for us, but our kids endured and they wrestled through those bad moments,” admitted South head coach Shaun Smith.

“I just wish some of them would’ve ended up with a higher placement and obviously that would’ve made a difference in the team score.”

Although the Patriots filled all 14 weight classes, the lineup isn’t where it’s expected to be at the end of the season.

“Obviously you’d like to have the lineup the whole year, but sometimes things present themselves you know and things change,” added Smith.

Parkersburg South 165-pounder Nathan Murphy used 2:50 of the clock before winning by fall against Riverside's Chayden Johnson during the finals of Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference championship inside Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“You just want to try to figure out what your best team is at the end of the season. That’s what we are gearing for.”

In the 113-pound championship match Huntington’s Sawyer Bond blanked Big Red Austin Carrodus, 4-0.

St. Albans’ Alonzo Long scored the first six points in the 126-pound finale, but Cabell Midland’s Kayden Maynard rallied for a 9-8 decision.

George Washington’s James Payne bested the field at heavyweight and secured his title by pinning Riverside’s Remington Ross with a second left in the opening period.

“It was nice to be a little bit closer to home I guess,” coach Smith replied when asked about leaving the OVAC. “It’s hard to replace a tournament like that. There’s elite talent in West Virginia and there’s elite talent in Ohio, and you want to be able to put your wrestlers through that.

Parkersburg South 215-pounder Justin Drain pinned Hurricane's Grayson Tyler with 30 ticks left in the second period during the finals of Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference championship inside Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“This was good too. I mean we got to see some guys we may not see until the end of this month. It is what it is. We just got to wrestle what’s ahead of us and hopefully by the end of it we’re wrestling our best. That’s what we are always working toward.”

Coach Dempsey’s Highlanders had the most consolation finals win with five thanks to Trevor Morgan (120), Owen Woodrum (144), Grady Stotts (157), Brady Ford (190) and heavyweight Jeremiah Lyles.

Parkersburg South had a trio of third-place efforts via Braedyn Carstens (113), Rylan Layton (126) and Coleton Hill (132).

Also winning their respective consolation finals match were Cabell Midland teammates Bryson Simmons (106) and Isaac Wiseman (138), the Big Red duo of Parker Woods (165) and Adam Elder (215) along with GW 150-pounder Eli Derr and Redskin 175-pounder Robby Kyer.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Parkersburg 138-pounder Stephen Myers pinned Huntington's Shad Henry in 4:23 during the finals of Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference championship inside Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Parkersburg 157-pounder Dominic Way pinned Cabell Midland's Jordan Murrell in 59 seconds during the finals of Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference championship inside Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)