Ripley’s Carter Neal celebrates with family after winning the 285-pound state championship Saturday in Huntington. (Photo by Ben Powell)

HUNTINGTON — Ripley senior heavyweight Carter Neal accounted for the final points in the team race here Saturday night during the 79th annual West Virginia State Wrestling Tournament as the Vikings finished with 191.5 to outdistance runner-up Williamstown’s 131.5, which allowed head coach Matt Smith’s program to bring home the inaugural Division II championship to Jackson County – the first in school history.

On a night when the Vikings tasted finals victories in three out of four weight classes, it was Neal who finally broke through for his first career individual title as the future Morehead State University football player turned Philip Barbour senior Malachi Cross in the second period and pinned him in 2:47.

“It’s been some ups and downs,” admitted Neal, who finished sixth at 190 as a freshman, fifth a 215 as a junior and third a year ago at heavyweight. “You know, freshman year, I lost in the first round and had to battle back. Sophomore year I lost in the quarters and had to battle back and then last year lost in the semis and had to battle back. It’s been a lot of adversity, but it’s been worth it. I wrestled him last year at the state tournament in the conso-semis.

“It’s amazing. It means the world to me. It’s just awesome because I know Matt’s been wanting this since he started coaching and it’s great to be my senior year to be able to give it to him. It’s just an amazing feeling and seeing all these kids I practice with everyday to go through it every single day to come here and accomplish their dreams and do what they were training to do. It’s amazing seeing my partners do that.”

Unfortunately for the Vikings, senior 120-pounder Terry Osborne came up short against Herbert Hoover sophomore Josh Bostic, who won his second title. Bostic got a takedown in the first and second period and proceeded to win by fall in 5:27.

Ripley’s Carter Neal celebrates after winning the 285-pound state championship Saturday in Huntington. (Photo by Ben Powell)

The mood quickly changed, although it took until overtime, when 138-pound junior Viking Lars Cooper clashed with Keyser junior and two-time state champ Jackson Swinger. Despite falling behind in the opening period, Cooper took the lead at 8-7 with 1:12 left it the third only to allow an escape 10 seconds later. In the extra session, Cooper got what proved to be the winning takedown and emerged with a 12-10 victory as Swinger got a final point on a stall call.

“I wrestled him once this year at the state duals and he beat me 5-0,” admitted Cooper, who stuck to his plan coming into the finals. “Just push the pace. My cardio is pretty good. I work hard. I didn’t think he could keep up with me so I pushed the pace the whole time.

“Just keep scoring points. I got put to my back in the first so I had to really pick it up and keep scoring points. I mean just break him down and down. It’s been great. It’s nice to bring it back and win it as a team. First time they’ve ever done it.”

Cooper, who transferred from Parkersburg, then got to watch Viking 150-pound junior Carter Price secure his third state crown. Price, who won a pair of titles for Point Pleasant head man John Bonecutter, was facing Big Black Bobby Minor. Price had two takedowns in the first and finished his night in style by securing the mat slapper in 3:18.

Despite a tough loss by freshman 144-pounder Jake Junkins in the finals to now three-time East Fairmont state champ Blake Ringer, Williamstown head coach Tyler George was overall pretty content with the effort his Yellowjackets gave this winter. Junkins, who had to use blood time twice, lost 5-4 on a late technical violation.

Ripley’s Lars Cooper celebrates after winning the 138-pound state championship Saturday in Huntington. (Photo by Ben Powell)

“We got the takedown and then he got the reversal on us,” George said. “It came down there and he got the fleeing the mat call there with about 18 seconds left. It’s one of those referee judgment calls there. You can think what you want, but at the end of the day we just can’t put ourselves in that situation where it’s in someone else’s hands. You know, we battled. We competed. Someone is going to walk out there a winner and someone is going to walk out a loser, but if you give it everything you have I’m proud of him no matter what.

“We’re definitely going to be back. Just a little hiccup in the plan, but most importantly him and the rest of this team they grinded it out this morning and that’s the reason we are state runner-up this year for the first time in 23 years. I’m excited. We’re only losing two seniors who placed down here. We got the rest of the lineup back and a couple guys couldn’t quite crack the lineup this year. Super excited about what next year brings and we got our mind set on trying to bring home a state championship next year.”

WHS received a fourth-place showing from 150-pound senior Dylan Pucella and fellow senior 175-pounder Evan Turner placed third. The Yellowjackets also had a third-place finish from 120-pounder Landon Miller, who pinned Wirt County’s Matt Balis in 4:23, while Cole Smith (132) and Wesley Freed (157) also had third-place showings. Last year’s 120-pound state champ Dutch Sandy battled injuries through the campaign en route to placing fourth at 138.

Braxton County 157-pound senior Paxton Smith was attempting to secure career win No. 222, but the Eagle was unable to solve Cameron’s Talen Brown, who via a 10-2 major decision.

The only other finalist from the Little Kanawha Conference in D2 was Roane County senior Wyatt Nichols. The 175-pounder Raider allowed a takedown to East Fairmont’s Tony Preolitti, last year’s 165-pound champ, with 56 seconds left in the first. Although he got an escape and made it 3-2 early in the second with another one, the Bee got title No. 2 thanks to a 10-2 major decision.

The Ripley wrestling team won the Division II state wrestling championship Saturday in Huntington. (Photo Provided)

Ripley was aided in its historic run by also receiving podium finishes from Enoch Quesenberry (3rd at 106), Austin Modrzakowski (6th at 126), Mason Philyaw (5th at 144), Jace Starcher (6th at 157) and Cody Lawrence (3rd at 215). Starcher was upended 3-2 by Doddridge County’s Noah Wekseth.

Ravenswood had a quartet of top-six efforts thanks to Levi Blackhurst (6th at 120), Linkin Andrick (5th at 132), Johnny Heath (6th at 138) and Atreyu Copen (4th at 157).

Also placing from the LKC were Roane County’s Mack Webb (5th at 165), Braxton County’s Eliah Moore (4th at 190) along with Clay County teammates Caiden Bryant (6th at 113) and Blake Coleman (4th at 144).

Ripley and Williamstown were followed in the team scoring by Herbert Hoover (122), Independence (106.5) and East Fairmont (103.5).

Smith was named Coach of the Year while Cooper took home Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

DIVISION II

TEAM SCORES (top 10): Ripley 191.5, Williamstown 131.5, Cameron 130, Herbert Hoover 122, Independence 106.5, East Fairmont 103.5, Keyser 82, Oak Glen 75, Weir 64.5, Point Pleasant 63

106

1st: Maverick Lilley (Cameron) d. 9-3

2nd: Jordan Tomsic (Oak Glen)

3rd: Enoch Quesenberry (Ripley) p. 4:53

4th: Julian Williams (Point Pleasant)

5th: Aaron Barb (East Hardy) md. 17-6

6th: Alek Bragg

113

1st: Wesley Files (Frankfort) p. 2:48

2nd: Preston Rhodes (Herbert Hoover)

3rd: Tylique Marshall (Wheeling Central) d. 6-4

4th: Matthew Kesterson (Greenbrier West)

5th: Deacon Stanislawcyzk (Keyser) d. 10-5

6th: Caiden Bryant (Clay County)

120

1st: Josh Bostic (Herbert Hoover) p. 5:29

2nd: Terry Osborne (Ripley)

3rd: Landon Miller (Williamstown) p. 4:23

4th: Matt Balis (Wirt County)

5th: JJ Scarafino (Independence) tf. 19-3

6th: Levi Blackhurst (Ravenswood)

126

1st: Chad Artman (Weir) p. 5:11

2nd: Haydyn Spitznogle (East Fairmont)

3rd: Peyton Brittingham (Frankfort) d. 13-9

4th: Gavin Brown (Liberty)

5th: Hunter Hughart (Herbert Hoover) tf. 17-1

6th: Austin Modrzakowski (Ripley)

132

1st: Braxton Birch (Cameron) d. 10-5

2nd: Devin Hensley (Chapmanville)

3rd: Cole Smith (Williamstown) p. 3:26

4th: Caleb Smith (Poca)

5th: Linkin Andrick (Ravenswood) won by forfeit

6th: Vacant

138

1st: Lars Cooper (Ripley) d. 12-10

2nd: Jackson Swingle (Keyser)

3rd: Brayden McKinney (Independence) won by forfeit

4th: Dutch Sandy (Williamstown)

5th: Casey Siders (Herbert Hoover) d. 6-5

6th: Johnny Heath (Ravenswood)

144

1st: Blake Ringer (East Fairmont) d. 5-4

2nd: Jake Junkins (Williamstown)

3rd: Wyatt Wolanski (Oak Glen) d. 4-1

4th: BLake Coleman (Clay County)

5th: Mason Philyaw (Ripley) p. 4:28

6th: Brayden Tolley (Herbert Hoover)

150

1st: Carter Price (Ripley) p. 3:19

2nd: Bobby Minor (Point Pleasant)

3rd: Marshall Crow (Cameron) md. 12-1

4th: Dylan Pucella (Williamstown)

5th: Connor Perry (Winfield) d. 9-5

6th: Easton Robey (Lincoln)

157

1st: Talen Brown (Cameron) md. 10-2

2nd: Paxton Smith (Braxton County)

3rd: Wesley Freed (Williamstown) p. 3:33

4th: Atreyu Copen (Ravenswood)

5th: Noah Wekseth (Doddridge County) d. 3-2

6th: Jace Starcher

165

1st: Eli Tedrow (Cameron) p. 3:06

2nd: Joshua DeFelice (Weir)

3rd: Carson Finnicum (Point Pleasant) 3-0

4th: Lukas Wolford (Petersburg)

5th: Mack Webb (Roane County) p. 2:16

6th: Trenton Fox (Berkeley Springs)

175

1st: Tony Preolitti (East Fairmont) md. 10-2

2nd: Wyatt Nichols (Roane County)

3rd: Evan Turner (Williamstown) d. 5-4

4th: Tyson McGinnis (Independence)

5th: Owen Rotruck (Keyser) p. 2:18

6th: Ethan Deal (Herbert Hoover)

190

1st: Toby Michael (North Marion) p. 5:16

2nd: Louis Diaz (East Fairmont)

3rd: Brayden Hart (Independence) md. 12-0

4th: Eliah Moore (Braxton County)

5th: Wyatt Brady (Wheeling Central) d. 3-1

6th: Jayden Roop (Midland Trail)

215

1st: Noah Schmidt (Oak Glen) d. 7-1

2nd: Joey Cowger (Shady Spring)

3rd: Cody Lawrence (Ripley) p. 4:58

4th: Landon Burleson (Independence)

5th: Cruz Tompkins (Midland Trail) d. 7-6

6th: Liam Gould (Keyser)

285

1st: Carter Neal (Ripley) p. 2:48

2nd: Malachi Cross (Philip Barbour)

3rd: Mighty Lopez (Herbert Hoover) d. 4-1

4th: Dominic Paesani (Wheeling Central)

5th: Jack Ball (Logan) p. 6:00

6th: Logan Fordyce (Robert C. Byrd)